Nordic countries are known to have beautiful gardens, but just how do they achieve it? High altitude cultivation can be difficult due to reduced air pressure at higher elevations, which leads to lower oxygen levels that can negatively impact plant growth. It’s also much colder with stronger winds in the north of Europe, as well as shorter growing seasons so there’s many hurdles that need to be overcome by Nordic gardeners.
This guide will explore Nordic cultivation and provide you with insight as to how gardeners in this region are able to grow luscious gardens despite the challenges. Continue reading for more information.
When you’re selecting the perfect types of plants to grow in your high altitude garden, you should go for species that are naturally found in the Nordic regions. These will have the best chances of growing optimally and can leave you with beautiful looking gardens that will last long into the winter too. Some of the best plants of this region include mountain avens, alpine phlox, arctic willows and dwarf birch.
Locate areas with natural windbreaks like rock faces, tree lines or the south side of buildings to give you the best chance of growing plants. High winds can heavily disrupt the growth of your garden plants, so it’s better to avoid these winds and grow your plants in more secluded sheltered microclimates instead. You can also use a season extender like the floating row cover, a lightweight semi-opaque fabric that is laid on top of the small plants.
Mulch is used a lot in the gardening industry, especially in situations where soil won’t be at its best quality. Gravel mulch can warm the soil earlier in the season, which makes it perfect as a season extender in Nordic countries that have smaller growing seasons. Layers of compost can also be used as mulch and if you top it off with pine needles, it can be great for growing native alpine plants.
Those who plan a trip to the Nordics will likely be looking forward to seeing some of the native animals, such as deer. However, these animals can be a sight for sore eyes for gardeners as they can negatively affect the growth of their plants. Deer love to eat a variety of plants for their diet, so if you want the best garden you should stay clear of the animal-heavy areas of the Nordics.
You need to ensure that your garden is regularly maintained, even during the off seasons of growth in the Nordic areas. If you have luscious green grass, you can help it keep fresh if you regularly mow it with a Stihl Lawn Mower which is specially designed to enhance grass health. Plant maintenance should also be done to ensure that they don’t wilt.
These techniques, when combined, help gardeners to overcome the limitations of altitude, cold and short growing seasons that are expected in the Nordics. This can help transform potential obstacles into opportunities for cultivating truly remarkable landscapes at high altitudes.