Is it possible to grow beets on the balcony? Storing beets on the balcony

Women who surround themselves with plants feel happier and live longer, Harvard scientists found after studying the issue for 8 years. Why not plant a vegetable garden on your balcony?

Anyone who has heard anything about growing vegetables has probably imagined long garden beds. However, vegetables can also be planted on the balcony. There are a surprising number of different edible plants you can grow in flower pots and boxes. Thanks to the fashion for urban gardening, methods have emerged that allow you to use every centimeter of balcony space to create a mini-vegetable garden with your own hands. We will give you some tips on what you need to take into account if you want to plant a vegetable garden on your balcony.

Lack of space shouldn't be an obstacle - there are many varieties of vegetables that can be grown vertically in flower pots and boxes right on the windowsill. And the yield is sometimes even higher than in open space, because it is easier to create ideal conditions for heat-loving plants on the balcony. Don't forget about the decorative effect either. Swiss chard with beautiful red stems, delicious cherry tomatoes and paprika pods in yellow and orange make the balcony garden very beautiful.

Fresh vegetables on the balcony

The advantages of growing vegetables on the balcony are obvious: you not only get a source of vitamins that is always at hand, but also a useful and interesting hobby. Interaction with plants is not only pleasant, but also useful. Gardening and gardening relieves stress and creates positive emotions. What could be more satisfying than seeing your work bear fruit in the literal sense of the word? As a reward, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberries will appear on your plate. In addition, growing vegetables in pots is also very practical - there are no weeds, which means there will be no competition for water and nutrients.

Pay attention to the location of the balcony

A balcony on the east or west side of the house is ideal for gardening. Tomatoes, strawberries, currants, peppers and eggplants grow well on balconies facing the sunny south. Various types of lettuce, chard, dill, parsley, watercress and garlic are suitable for a shaded location. Mediterranean greens such as thyme, rosemary, mint and oregano grow best in sunny and windy locations.

Pay attention to the height of the plants and their needs

There are a number of compact vegetable plants that are well suited for a balcony garden. Ideally, you should give preference to varieties that have the word “shrub,” “dwarf,” or “mini” in their names. Greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, paprika and chili pepper varieties, beans, carrots, lettuces, onions and eggplants are among the most popular plants for a small balcony garden.

It is recommended to plant several different crops in one container. This attracts pollinating insects and makes the overall picture more harmonious. Be sure to pay attention to the correct arrangement of plants in mixed plantings. Otherwise, large plants will overshade their smaller neighbors. A large plant should be at the back, a medium-tall plant in the middle and a low-growing plant at the front, hanging down over the edge of the flowerpot.

Choose the right containers for your plants

The choice of flower pots is incredibly large, and human imagination knows almost no limits. You can use old household items or even build a raised balcony flower bed on legs yourself. First of all, three points must be taken into account: dimensions, material and drainage of excess water. As a rule, problems can arise due to excessive dryness or constant dampness.

Keep in mind that the larger the container, the better. Large flower pots require more soil to fill, but you can save time and money on irrigation. The disadvantage of large flower pots is their weight. An excellent solution is flower stands on wheels.

Root vegetables such as radishes, carrots and beets are best planted in deep containers. The optimal depth is 30 cm or more. Onions and their relatives, such as garlic and wild garlic, also like deep containers to prevent their roots from rotting.

Climbing plants need help to climb up

Climbing plants such as red beans, peas, cucumbers, zucchini and some melons grow well in pots but need support. A good solution is structures made of wooden slats, to which such plants can cling. Spiral-shaped rods are best suited for tomatoes. You can also use ropes, gratings and nets for this purpose.

The material from which the plant container is made is of great importance.

Choosing a material for a flower container can be very difficult, because the list is quite long - clay, plastic, metal, wood, etc. And each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. Below we will mention some of them.

The soil in clay pots dries out quickly, therefore, the plants in them require more frequent watering. However, if the clay walls are glazed, they retain moisture much better. Clay is a good choice for plants that do not tolerate too much moisture, such as most greens and strawberries. They are planted mainly in clay containers with several side holes.

Plastic is waterproof and may cause moisture to accumulate, which negatively affects plants that prefer dry soil and good drainage. For example, most varieties of greens and peppers.

Metal is very susceptible to temperature. At very high or low temperatures, it quickly becomes too hot or too cold. Eggplants love warmth, so metal containers work great for them. However, it will also help if you provide these plants with some sun protection.

Wood has very good characteristics in terms of maintaining humidity and temperature levels. But over time, it rots, especially if it is not protected with a special waterproof film. Wooden boxes and old wooden pallets or barrels are ideal for use as plant containers.

Vertical garden on the balcony

It is clear that there is not much space on the balconies. And here's a trick that's becoming increasingly popular in urban gardening: placing plants in height allows you to take advantage of vertical surfaces. The ideal option is hanging baskets, ladders, vertically placed pallets, shelves and other structures.

Plant bags usually consist of breathable fabric that retains heat and moisture, but only to a reasonable extent. These bags can be easily mounted on a wall or balcony railing to save space.

When to plant a garden on the balcony?

On a sunny balcony on the south side of the house you can plant plants as early as late April early May. If the balcony is directed to the west, then a little later: in the middle or end of May. Balconies on the north side are more exposed to the wind, so it is better to plant young plants there, not seeds, around June.

Soil quality

The properties of the soil in which the plants are planted are also crucial for a good harvest. Healthy soil ensures that you grow healthy plants. However, those growing vegetables in flower pots should not use regular soil as it is too heavy and becomes even heavier when watered. Cheap potting mixes can also clump. Good soil should be light and airy. Although ready-made potting soil for growing plants may seem a little expensive, it is worth it. With its help, you will eliminate the possibility of a bad harvest when the time comes.

You can also make your own substrate by mixing peat (to retain soil and root moisture) with compost in a 2:1 ratio. You can also add some perlite to it. It will provide additional ventilation and prevent water stagnation.

The balcony garden requires regular watering

Vegetable plants that grow in flower pots need to be watered more often than usual, as the soil in them dries out faster. The frequency of watering depends on the climate and the material from which the container is made. As already mentioned, clay ones are more common, and plastic ones are less common. Distribute the water properly using a watering can.

It's a good idea to add a layer of mulch.

Under a layer of mulch, the moisture contained in the soil is better preserved. Regular bark mulch is not very good for gardening because it breaks down slowly and binds the nutrients in the soil. It is better to choose cedar or cypress, as these varieties repel some insects. Straw also works well, but you need to make sure there are no seeds in it.

Text: Evgeniy SLESARENKO

Beets have been the main table and fodder crop since ancient times. In Ancient Greece, not only roots, but also leaves were used. Due to its keeping quality, beets are one of the main winter vegetables.

In terms of calorie content, beets are the leader, surpassing all vegetable crops. It also contains sugars, fats, organic acids, fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc.

Anyone can grow beets by taking a responsible approach to their care. The first is preparing the soil; it must be well fertilized and structured. Of the predecessors, many crops are suitable - potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and all other crops except the quinoa family. It is recommended to plant the plant in its original place no earlier than after 3-4 years. If the area is clogged, it must be thoroughly cleared of plant and other materials.

Beets are less susceptible to mineral concentrations than carrots, so fertilizers are applied once before the main treatment. Beets are responsive to the application of organic fertilizers. The application rates are as follows: 4 - 5 kg of humus per square meter is applied, 8 - 10 kg of compost. Beets consume more potassium than nitrogen, so during the period of root formation they are fed with potassium fertilizers.

Seed preparation begins immediately before sowing. Recently, seeds have been sold already processed and their subsequent processing is impractical. But, if the seeds you purchased are not processed, you should do so, thereby reducing the germination period. Soaking seeds for 12 - 14 hours in water has a positive effect.

Beets (especially their seedlings) are susceptible to frost, so they should be planted when the possibility of frost has passed, or earlier, but then additional shelter will be required. Beets move to a generative state in 40 - 50 days. It should be planted in the spring when the air temperature reaches 15 - 18 °C during the day, and 12 - 15 °C at night, with a soil temperature at a depth of 5 - 6 cm - 8 - 10 °C.

The best period for sowing beets is cloudy or rainy weather. The best way to find out the weather is to look on the Internet.

Beet sowing is carried out manually or with hand seeders. The sowing depth should be 1.5 - 2 cm on loamy soils and 2 - 3 cm on sandy and sandy loam soils. The planting pattern can be single-line, then the pattern will be 45 cm by 10 cm, or two-line - 62+8 cm by 12 cm. The distance between plants is left at your own discretion, the larger the root crop you want, the greater the distance should be, but on average it should be 10 - 15 cm. If necessary, thin out the plants. The first time when the plant forms 3 true leaves, the second time - after 3 - 4 weeks, bringing the distance between plants to the required level.

Care consists of timely watering (if necessary) and loosening the rows. During drought, watering is necessary, as plant growth and development stop. The lack of moisture in the soil can be observed in the plants; in the heat of the day they look depressed, their leaves lose their elasticity, and the forming root becomes soft. To prevent wilting, plants are watered. The irrigation rate is up to 40 liters per 1 sq. meter. This watering will last for two weeks. Three weeks before harvesting, watering is stopped.

Beet flea beetles or weevils may appear on beets. It is important to identify the pest in time and begin measures to combat it. There are many different folk and chemical drugs against them.

Harvesting beets is an important event that will affect its further storage. If harvested early or late, it deteriorates and rots. Beets are harvested at technical ripeness, when a growth forms near the root crop and the rosette of leaves. Dig up the beets with a shovel or pitchfork. It is important to harvest beets before frost sets in. Root vegetables are freed from leaves, leaving small petioles.

Chard or, as it is also called, chard, is a biennial plant that is valued by gardeners all over the world for its frost resistance and excellent yield. difficult to overestimate. Edible in this culture are the castings and petioles, and not the root, as in ordinary beets.

This crop does not require complex care, so grow it Swiss chard from seeds everyone can do it. Moreover, it can grow not only in garden beds, but also in pots on a windowsill or balcony.

How to grow chard from seeds in the garden

You can prepare chard seeds yourself or buy them in specialized stores. In the first case, you need to wait until the plant begins to bloom and form seeds, which happens in the second year after planting.

Swiss chard germinates at a temperature quite low for garden crops: from +4 to +6 degrees, so it can be sown earlier than any other vegetables. It is recommended to plant chard in open ground in early May, but in warm southern regions planting can begin earlier.

Chard seeds can be planted in the ground just like that, without pre-treatment, however, experienced gardeners recommend soaking them for 2 days in a wet cloth before sowing, and placing them in a solution of potassium permanganate 2 hours before planting.

Preparing the landing site

The area for planting must be pre-treated by digging it up and adding organic fertilizers to the soil. It is best to prepare the soil in the fall, and just dig it up again before planting.

For planting chard, it is better to choose well-lit areas, since a lack of sunlight negatively affects the development of the plant. In addition, in the shade, leaf beets accumulate nitrates much more strongly. Chard is also quite demanding when it comes to soil - it must be light, not sour, and fertile. If the soil is too heavy, then peat should be added to it.

Chard should not be planted in areas where cabbage, spinach and beets were grown. All other cultures are considered acceptable predecessors. Swiss chard is a very good neighbor for other vegetables, since its root system does not interfere with the development of its “companions.” However, it must be borne in mind that chard loves abundant watering, so neighbors should also tolerate large amounts of moisture well.

When and how to plant seeds

You need to start planting leaf beets in the period from May 1 to May 10, when the soil warms up to +4-7 degrees, however, in areas with a warm climate, sowing often begins in April along with other frost-resistant plants. Many gardeners plant chard in three “waves”: early May, mid-July and late October, which allows you to always have fresh greens on the table.

For planting, you need to place chard seeds in pre-dug and loosened soil to a depth of 2 cm with an interval of 12-15 cm, the distance between rows should be at least 35 cm. For leaf varieties of chard, the interval between seeds can be increased, since they produce very lush rosettes.

Swiss chard should sprout 2 weeks after sowing. As a rule, 2-3 sprouts grow from one seed, so chard needs thinning: when the plants reach the stage of 3-5 true leaves, they need to be broken through, removing the weakest seedlings.

Care and harvesting

Caring for chard is quite simple and includes abundant watering, loosening the soil, removing weeds and fertilizing. As noted earlier, Swiss chard loves moisture, so it needs to be watered every other day, which is especially important in arid climates. However, excess moisture is also harmful to chard, as it causes rotting of the root system and powdery mildew.

It is also necessary to loosen the soil regularly, ensuring a constant flow of air to the roots of the plants. In this case, you need to carefully remove all weeds, trying not to damage the chard rosette.

As for fertilizing, it is best to use organic fertilizers and avoid nitrogen fertilizers, since Swiss chard is prone to nitrate accumulation. You need to feed chard 2-3 times during the summer.

When harvesting, it is necessary to cut the leaves along the outer contour of the rosette, without leaving columns of petioles. The more often the leaves are cut, the more magnificent the chard bush will be.

Growing chard in a pot on the balcony

If you don’t have your own garden, chard can be successfully grown in a pot on a balcony or windowsill. To do this, you need to select boxes or other containers for sowing with a depth of at least 15 cm and buy special soil for garden crops (substrate). Special soil is necessary because it is already saturated with many of the nutrients that the plant needs for normal growth. You can enrich the soil more by using organic fertilizers, also sold in gardening stores.

The preparation of seeds before planting in a pot is the same as in the open ground - they need to be soaked in a wet cloth for 2 days.

Seeds are usually sown in early May. Before planting, the soil in boxes or pots should be spilled with hot water to warm the soil. After this, you need to make grooves 2-2.5 cm deep in the ground and place the seeds in them at a distance of 12-15 cm from each other. Before chard sprouts, seedlings should be watered with warm water (25-30 degrees) every 2 days. If the boxes are on an open balcony and the air temperature has dropped to 0 degrees, then they should be covered with film.

The harvest of chard in a pot may not be as abundant as in the garden, however, by providing it with enough sunlight and moisture, you can achieve lush rosettes with tasty and healthy leaves.

If you want to grow a small vegetable garden on a loggia or even a windowsill, now is the time to do it. The cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers grown by you will certainly be the most delicious and will decorate during the flowering and fruiting period. interior.

Of course, he will not be able to fully feed his family, but he will not only save a little, but also receive moral satisfaction. It’s so nice not only to see the result of your work, but also to taste it. Vegetables grown by yourself are always the most delicious and aromatic, because you raised them with love.

Usually people try to grow vegetables on the windowsill in the dead of winter. When it's covered in snow, but you want to tinker with the ground.

But this is an activity for more experienced vegetable growers (you need lighting, and this minimizes all savings). Now the daylight hours are very long and growing crops on the windowsill is not at all difficult. The main thing is desire and a little patience.

Poor ecology is the fly in our ointment; the air in cities is not particularly clean. But the products that we buy on the market are not grown in environmentally friendly areas.

In addition, it is unknown how many toxic chemicals they had to absorb. And in your miniature garden bed you can reduce the intake of harmful substances into vegetables.

It is enough to follow the basic rules:

  • adding organic matter to the soil makes mercury, lead and cadmium less available to plants;
  • sulfur-containing fertilizers limit the mobility of mercury and make it inaccessible to plants;
  • Liming the soil prevents the accumulation of large amounts of harmful chemicals in fruits. You can also use an infusion of wood ash brought from a picnic for this.

Cucumbers on the balcony

Crispy cucumbers are the most common vegetable on our windowsills.

They grow quickly and now you can safely grow them from seeds. When choosing a variety, give preference to self-fertile greenhouse hybrids.

The pot for the plant must be at least five liters (preferably ten). Be sure to lay drainage at the bottom (expanded clay, clay shards). The soil should be loose, fertile and not acidic.

Add 2 tbsp per 10 liters of substrate. spoons of nitrophoska, 1 teaspoon of magnesium sulfate, 1-2 cups of wood ash. It is advisable to pre-soak the seeds and then sow them one at a time in a pot.

It would be nice to “settle” the cucumber on the east window. On the south side you cannot do without protection from the scorching rays of the sun.

Cucumbers grow and bear fruit well in high humidity conditions. Place containers of water on the windowsill and, on hot days, humidify the air from a sprayer with a fine spray (so that no drops remain on the leaves).

Start feeding the plant a month after planting. Nowadays there is a large selection of fertilizers for sale for each specific crop, and it is very convenient to use them.

Take care of the trellis so that the cucumber vine will beautifully cover the window. In the lower 4-6 nodes you need to remove side shoots and female flowers. The remaining side shoots need to be shortened.

Tomatoes on the balcony

Tomatoes are increasingly “conquering” window sills.

Breeders have developed many tomato varieties specifically for growing indoors. They are distinguished by their compact bush size and high decorative value.

The fruits are small, but very tasty and aromatic. And due to the fact that there are a lot of them on the bush, the harvest is quite decent.

The season for selling seedlings at the market is not yet over. Buy a few bushes and you will see that growing tomatoes on a windowsill is not at all difficult.

A spacious pot, good drainage, nutritious soil - these are the main conditions for success.

Tomatoes do not like humid air; they do not need to be sprayed. You need to water the soil daily in hot weather, once a week in cloudy weather.

It is enough to feed the plants once a month. During flowering, the branches need to be swayed a little to improve pollination.

You should not pick tomatoes that are not ripe. When they ripen on the bush, they become fragrant and juicy. This is exactly what we lack in purchased fruits.

Tomato relatives, eggplants, also grow well on windowsills.

Pepper is a real boon for a miniature garden. Especially spicy. It has a compact bush and colorful, bright small fruits.

Growing peppers look like a chic bouquet, and the benefits from them are considerable. The fruits can be dried and one plant will completely satisfy your hot pepper needs.

If you want to grow sweet peppers on your balcony, one plant will not be enough. Now is not too late to buy seedlings at the market. Choose a variety with medium-sized fruits.

Multi-colored peppers look beautiful on one window. But you shouldn’t grow spicy and sweet next to each other. It is better to place them in different rooms. Otherwise, the fruits on all the bushes may become bitter.

The main requirement of pepper is a loose substrate. The roots need to breathe. Do not overdo it with watering and loosen the soil more often (but shallowly).

Water only with warm water. If the weather is hot, wet the leaves in the morning and evening.

Herbs and spices on the balcony

Herbs and spices are also absolutely necessary to always have on hand. So as not to buy a bunch of parsley or dill when you only need one sprig.

In the room you can grow various varieties of lettuce, mustard, dill and all kinds of spices.

By adding them to salads, meat dishes, soups, you can add completely new flavors to the most ordinary dishes. In addition, it is a real storehouse of vitamins.

These plants are early maturing and easy to care for. But there is one feature - the temperature should be 18-20 degrees. It is better to postpone sowing them until early autumn.

The choice of crops for your windowsill depends on taste and imagination. You can simply dig up bushes of parsley, mint, perennial onions and whatever else you love from your dacha and transplant them into pots. It will turn out very simple, beautiful, convenient and profitable.

5 secrets to the success of a mini-garden on the balcony

1. Give preference to small-fruited but high-yielding hybrids and varieties.

In a small area, it is difficult for a plant to grow large fruits; there will be few of them or they will not ripen for a long time.

Small fruits ripen gradually, and every day you can pick fresh vegetables for dinner.

2. Do not allow the soil to dry out. This happens very often in hot weather. The plant may shed flowers and ovaries. If you don't have time to monitor soil moisture, install a "watering system."

Dig a plastic bottle into the ground, making several holes in it first. Which side to dig in depends on the size of the pot. The main thing is that there is a funnel on the surface for pouring water.

The roots will constantly receive moisture, and the earth on top will not be covered with a crust.

3. Protect plants from the scorching rays of the sun. Burns on the leaves and the yield can significantly reduce, and the appearance of the plant will be spoiled.

“Tint” the glass with white paper - and the room will not be so hot, and the plants will become more comfortable.

4. Do not overuse fertilizers; the saying “you can’t spoil porridge with oil” is inappropriate here.

The rate specified in the instructions for the fertilizer must not be exceeded. It’s even better to divide it into two times (it’s better to feed more often).

To avoid burning the roots, water the plant first with clean water and then with the fertilizer solution.

5. Don't force plants to compete. By planting two bushes in one pot, you will not increase the yield, but, on the contrary, you may lose it altogether.

If there is nowhere to replant the extra plants, it is better to throw them away altogether, and then the remaining ones will thank you with a generous harvest.

Comment on the article "Vegetables on the balcony: 5 secrets of the harvest"

I want flowers to live on the windowsill. and it’s still a little cold to ventilate through the balcony, even with a minimal gap... is it really necessary to replace the windows? or rearrange the balcony door so that the gap opens in the opposite direction from the window sill??? Stop watering the beds!

Flowers. Cottage, garden and vegetable garden. I bought so many flowers, I want to try 5-6 varieties of tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, my hands are already itching to plant them. but there are only 3 window sills in the apartment!!! where to place seedlings and how to plant more compactly??? but then dive again...

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As a result, we have a place on the balcony for storing vegetables, where the temperature is automatically maintained at +5. For several years the flight is normal. It's great when there are at least two kids. Life is doubly beautiful. Vegetables on the balcony: 5 secrets of the harvest.

Two beds have been made (radish and lettuce). Both are covered on the arcs with Agrotex-30. The instructions for the material indicate that you can water it without removing it. Also, with the covering material, you need to water it much less often and there is no need to loosen it. In a day you can sow seeds in the beds...

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I water the rest of the flowers less often. I watered it, and today... the flowers that had not blossomed have withered, the flowers that had blossomed have drooped, the leaves are crisp and fresh. How often to water? When and in what pot should I replant? And how do you generally care for her?

Vegetables on the balcony: 5 secrets of the harvest. Cucumbers on the balcony. Crispy cucumbers are the most common vegetable on our windowsills. They grow quickly and now you can safely grow them from seeds.

Grow watermelons on the balcony no more difficult than, for example, tomatoes or cucumbers. You can use any variety or hybrid.

We sow seedlings in early May, and after germination we place the pot in a warm and well-lit place. Then we transplant it to a permanent place in a container of at least 5 liters - but no later than the appearance of 3-4 true leaves. During growth, we carefully tear off all the ovaries until at least 8-10 true leaves are formed on the plant.

Then we “work as a bee” - we manually pollinate the female flowers with male flowers. Unfortunately, parthenocarpic watermelons and melons have not yet been invented :-). We leave 1-2 ovaries, water and feed them on time. That's all.

This year I plan to grow melons. What variety it will be, I haven’t decided yet, but it doesn’t matter, I think that you can grow any fruits and berries on the balcony. Last year, for example, I grew potatoes, carrots and beets on the balcony for the first time!

Beets from the September harvest, sown in June - they turned out sweet and tasty!

Potatoes - harvest from two tubers, grown in a 7 liter pot

2) You mentioned earlier that you keep a kind of “garden” diary. Could notCould you use it to clarify when you got your first harvest of cucumbers last year?and tomatoes? And which varieties were the earliest?

Unfortunately, I cannot say this for sure, since I do not keep such statistics. For me, the more important aspect is to get the maximum yield from one plant in balcony conditions. But in one year I sow no more than 2-3 varieties of tomatoes, 1-2 varieties of peppers and 1 variety of eggplant, so I don’t have much statistics.

Based on my experience, I can recommend the Black Beauty and Almaz eggplants and Podarok Moldova pepper to balcony gardeners; these varieties give a stable harvest on the balcony. And the tomato is a very flexible crop, and the yield is highly dependent on agricultural technology and the formation of the plant, so I can say - sow any variety or hybrid, there will definitely be a harvest with proper care.

Pepper Purple Bell, good harvest (5 liter pot)

3) Nowadays everyone is passionate about the “garden” of herbs. Is it also possible to grow herbs on the balcony? And if so, what kind of herbs do you grow?

– this is a very interesting topic for me, but so far I have not had time to fully realize these plans. This is my plan for this year. I will sow all the herbs and herbs whose seeds I find on the shelf in the store. There will definitely be basil, rosemary, thyme, coriander, dill and parsley. Another big advantage of these crops is that they can be sown during May-June with a break of a week and receive a green conveyor of fragrant products until frost.

I have the most daring plans for this year: I want to try for the first time to grow crops such as melon, cauliflower and kale, lettuce, zucchini, raspberries and apple trees on my balcony. You see, I’m already moving from balcony vegetable growing to balcony gardening. Read my blog, I will keep you updated on all events.

Strawberry “Moscow delicacy”, remontant, from seeds, produces the main harvest in the second year

My plans are limited only by the area of ​​my balcony, but I dream of someday buying my own piece of land and turning it into a blooming garden!

And you will definitely succeed! Mikhail, thank you very much for answering the questions and we wish you good luck in the new season!