Last year, nearly 800 enthusiastic gardeners signed up for MoestuinMix, a scientific experiment organized by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and its partners. On their own plots, participants grew broad beans, pumpkins, and a crop of their choice. By doing so, they not only cultivated their own food but also contributed to scientific research. The second round of MoestuinMix is about to begin, and interested individuals can now sign up to participate.
Agriculture faces significant challenges, including biodiversity loss and declining soil and water quality. Strip cropping - growing different crops side by side - offers potential solutions: it strengthens crops, improves soil health, and attracts natural enemies of pests. However, this method remains underexplored in large-scale farming, where monoculture is still the norm. In home gardens, a large diversity of crops in one plot, has been a long-standing tradition.
"Home gardeners have valuable knowledge about which crops complement or hinder each other," explains WUR PhD candidate Isabelle Jacobs. "Their experience is incredibly useful for researchers studying strip cropping in agriculture. Together, we can identify which crop combinations might also work effectively in large-scale farming."
Combining crops with broad beans
MoestuinMix is a citizen science project within the larger CropMix research program. It allows anyone with a piece of land to contribute to science. Led by researchers from Wageningen University & Research, the project aims to explore how different crop combinations influence one another. What are the effects on yields, pollinators, and pests? Because the number of possible crop combinations is vast, the MoestuinMix researchers focus their efforts. "We always include combinations with broad beans," says Jacobs. "Broad beans are an interesting crop because they capture nitrogen from the air, enriching the soil. They're also highly attractive to pollinators."
Last year, participants were tasked with combining broad beans in their gardens with pumpkins and another crop of their choice. These free choices provided fascinating insights. "Experienced gardeners have long shared lists of crops that seem to support each other, and we can now investigate that knowledge further," Jacobs adds.
A successful first round
The first round of MoestuinMix was a great success, attracting nearly 800 participants. "We never expected such an overwhelming response," says project coordinator Yvonne Florissen. Heavy rainfall posed challenges, however. "The wet conditions caused a nationwide slug problem, making gardening difficult. Despite this, we received data from 450 participants," Jacobs says. Of those participants, 270 were able to harvest crops. Additionally, 120 provided data on aphids, and 50 contributed information about pollinators. "These are numbers many researchers would envy," says Florissen. Red beet emerged as the most popular crop choice, followed by potatoes and lettuce. "These crops benefit significantly from the nitrogen fixed in the soil by broad beans," adds Jacobs. Analysis of the first year's data is still ongoing.
Partnering with AVVN
Collaborating with AVVN, the Dutch allotment garden association, was essential to reaching enough participants. "Around 220 local gardening associations are affiliated with us, representing a total of 32,000 gardeners," explains Ans Hobbelink, volunteer board member at AVVN. "Through our quarterly magazine De Tuinliefhebber, we reached many of them. This project aligns perfectly with our mission: natural gardening together.
Our members include many experienced gardeners with extensive knowledge of beneficial crop combinations," she adds.
Join the second round!
The second round of MoestuinMix is about to start. Once again, broad beans will take center stage, this time combined with red beet and a crop of the participant's choice. "We've learned from the first round and simplified the protocol this year," says Florissen. "We want to give participants more freedom, such as with plant spacing, so the experiment better suits their gardening style."
The researchers hope many participants from last year will return and warmly welcome newcomers. "Anyone with a garden or small plot can join," Florissen emphasizes. And potted plants on a balcony? "We got that question last year too, but unfortunately, it doesn't work for this study. We're specifically looking at soil interactions."
Interested in joining? Sign up on the website. You'll receive seeds, practical instructions, and monthly newsletters to keep you updated on the research.
