Does your garden look dull, even though you put all your effort into it?
Perhaps the culprit is vampire plants, which have been disguised as harmless crops for years.
Sunflower, Jerusalem artichoke and mint are the main enemies of fertility, something that even experienced gardeners keep quiet about.
In 2023, the magazine "Gardening Today" published shocking data: the root system of a sunflower absorbs up to 200 liters of water and 80% of available nitrogen per 1 m² per season.
Agronomist Ilya Semenov , author of the bestseller "A Vegetable Garden Without Mistakes," warns: "One Jerusalem artichoke bush draws out as many microelements as are needed to grow 10 kg of potatoes. After it, the soil takes at least 3 years to recover."
Mint, often planted for its aroma and pest control, has proven to be no less dangerous. Its roots spread 5-7 meters, suppressing the growth of neighboring crops.
Summer resident Anna from Kazan shared in a Telegram chat: "I planted mint near the fence, and a year later it took over the entire garden. Carrots and beets stopped growing, and the parsley turned yellow."
Scientists from the Timiryazev Academy advise isolating these plants with concrete or slate barriers.
If they have already taken over the area, green manure will save the day: lupine and sweet clover will restore the balance of nitrogen and potassium in 2–3 months.
But what if the sunflower is already blooming in the garden?
Dig it up with the roots and add compost with ash (1 cup per m²) to the soil.
Avoid chemical fertilizers - they will aggravate the imbalance.
