Cereal crops are a broad group of crops in the Poaceae family. Cereal fruits are characterised by their high starch content. The most popular cereal crops in the world are maize, rice, wheat, barley, sorghum, millet, oats, rye and triticale.

Common maize is part of the cereal group. It is a species of annual plant in the Poaceae family. It is one of the oldest plants cultivated by man. It is characterised by its high productivity and feed value, and much of its production is used for livestock feed.

It is cultivated in many countries around the world. It occurs as spring oilseed rape (annual) and winter oilseed rape (biennial plant). Winter oilseed rape is an important part of the crop rotation as it leaves a large amount of organic matter and potassium-rich crop residues. Such sites are suitable for cereal cultivation. The seeds yield edible rapeseed oil, which is the basis for the production of many cooking fats.

It is a root crop that is the world’s second raw material for sugar production. Sugar beet is mainly grown in temperate climate zones, and adequate sunlight during the summer and proper irrigation are necessary to achieve a high sugar content. The root and leaves are also used as animal feed.

A plant belonging to the Solanaceae family. It is the fourth largest crop in the world. Potato is particularly sensitive to soil water deficiency and is strongly dependent on climatic conditions during the growing season. Droughts and high temperatures reduce yields, and too much water promotes infestation of the plantation with potato blight.

It is a family of plants belonging to the Fabaceae order of great utilitarian importance. This includes forage crops such as clover or alfalfa and food crops such as beans, peas, lentils and soya beans.

The common onion is a temperate climate plant with an optimum germination temperature of 20°C. It is characterised by a shallow root system, which contributes to increased sensitivity to water shortages. In onion cultivation, special care must be taken to ensure that nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are provided in the soil.

Carrots belong to the genus of plants in the celery family. Increased yields are favoured by sowing carrots on light, permeable, well-drained, sandy loam soils. Carrots have relatively low water requirements and good pre-crops are cereals, maize, leek, cabbage or cauliflower.

Parsley belongs to the celery family and is a plant of temperate climates. It has low soil and thermal requirements. An important threat to production is the susceptibility of roots to forking. Root quality and yield depends to a large extent on adherence to the crop rotation. Re-cultivation on the same site is recommended after a break of at least three years.

It is a genus of herbaceous plants in the cabbage family. It has health properties due to its vitamin C and fibre content. It requires good, fertile, humous and moist soil. Cultivation on light, sandy, excessively heavy and cold soils is not recommended. Large fluctuations in temperature have a significant impact on the quality of the cabbage crop.

Broccoli is an asparagus cabbage which is a variety of vegetable cabbage. Acidified, light soils with low retention properties are unsuitable for broccoli cultivation. The plant requires cool weather and adequate sunlight. It is drought-sensitive, so proper irrigation of broccoli during dry periods is important.

This is a variety of vegetable cabbage. The best sites for cultivation are adequately sunny locations. The plant requires soils rich in humus and minerals, especially calcium. Cauliflower has the greatest climate and soil requirements of the brassica vegetables. Suitable pre-crops for cauliflower are potatoes, spinach, leek, cucumber, tomatoes or peas.

A species of annual plant in the Asteraceae family. Lettuce has no particular soil requirements, but the right temperature is important for proper growth and development of the plant. Lettuce grows best in loamy-sandy soils that warm up quickly in spring. It is one of the most popular vegetables grown as a catch crop.

Vegetable spinach is a species of plant in the Amaranthaceae family. It contains vitamins, protein, cellulose and mineral salts. The short growing season allows spinach to be sown as a forecrop or aftercrop. It can also be grown as an intercrop with beans, peas, strawberries or maize, among others.

It belongs to the brassicas and is among them the least demanding plant in terms of growing conditions. It tolerates virtually most soil types and prefers cooler climates. It is drought tolerant, but irrigation of the crop is recommended to ensure a large leaf mass. Kale should not be planted in a field after other brassicas.

It is a plant of the cucurbit family (Cucurbitaceae). The cucumber has high heat requirements, especially during the germination period, and is sensitive to water shortages. It also requires the right soil conditions – the right structure, rich in organic matter and humus. Avoid replanting cucumbers on the same site for another 3 years.

Plants belonging to the Solanaceae family. Requires frequent watering and growth in full sun. It has high nutrient and soil requirements – it grows best on fertile, humous soils. It can be grown after brassicas, but should not be grown after tomatoes.

It is a plant with high heat requirements and medium water requirements. The tomato is sensitive to cold, and frosts are particularly dangerous for it. It does not have high soil requirements, but it is worth ensuring that the soil is sufficiently rich in calcium. It is grown directly in the ground and, in temperate climates, also in tunnels, which provides the plant with the right temperature.

Apple trees are one of the most important fruit trees grown in the world. They are second only to citrus crops. They grow in temperate climates and include dozens of species, and there are several thousand varieties in cultivation that are the result of breeding and cross-breeding of earlier varieties.

The most frequently cultivated species is the common peach, which comes in many varieties. It has high heat requirements and requires a sunny position and protection in winter from frost, to which the flower buds often succumb in early spring. Peach cultivation requires a number of preventive treatments due to its susceptibility to diseases such as leaf curl, scab and brown rot of stone trees.

It requires a sunny, warm and wind-sheltered position and proper care ensures a good yield. The greatest threat to apricots in Central European climates is the high sensitivity of the flower buds to frost, especially in early spring. Around 30 varieties are grown in Europe, and these include some that fruit as early as July and late varieties that fruit as late as the third decade of August.

The most popular varieties in cultivation are the domestic and Japanese plum varieties. They have fruits that vary in shape – oblong or globular and in colour – from pink to purple. Up to 2,000 varieties are now grown worldwide, although the importance in orcharding is around 100. The house plum is a tree with a short trunk and a branching crown, and it flowers in spring – usually before the leaves appear.

The cherry tree is one of the most popular fruit trees. It is a strong-growing species and therefore requires high doses of nutrients – it feels best on sites with rich, fertile and deep soil. Any nutrient deficiency has a negative impact on growth and yield. It should be sheltered from cold winds due to the risk of freezing in winter.

The cherry has few soil requirements and the temperate climate is favourable for its cultivation. It has a high tolerance to low temperatures and is not very sensitive to drought, which means that it does not cause too many problems in cultivation. The cherry tree flowers from early April to May and the fruit ripens from July to September.

A fruit-bearing shrub found both in the wild and in cultivation, in many varieties. Raspberries prefer well-sunned and heated sites, fertile, slightly acidic soils, rich in nutrients. They reproduce through the root system, which means that young seedlings emerge directly from the ground – however, due to their shallow rooting, they require care to ensure adequate hydration. They bear fruit on annual and biennial shoots.

Currant bushes provide the berries – white, red and black currants are grown. The plant has few soil requirements, with the exception of blackcurrant, which prefers more fertile soils. The shrubs are best grown in soil with a slightly acidic or neutral pH, in a sunny, warm position sheltered from strong winds.

It is a thorny shrub in the Grossulariaceae family reaching a height of 0.5-1.5 m, depending on the variety. The plant is primarily grown in Europe and has more than a thousand varieties. Gooseberry berries can be green, yellow or red in colour. It requires a sheltered, sunny position for proper development. It has no particular soil requirements – slightly acidic soils work well for cultivation.

Depending on the species and variety with fruits having different shapes, sizes, flavours and colours – from light green through pink, red to black. There are currently about 5,000 varieties, of which about 250 are commercially grown.

It is widely cultivated in temperate climates for its tasty fruit. It is one of the most popular crops. Strawberry does not have any particular soil requirements, but higher yields are obtained from a position with humus-rich soil with a slightly acid reaction. It performs well as a follow-up crop to carrots, beans or brassicas.

A fruiting shrub with blue berries grown commercially in North America, mainly in the USA and Canada. Poland is one of the largest producers in Europe. The blueberry has very high soil requirements – it requires very acidic, humus soil and should be planted on sunny and wind-sheltered sites.