Vegetables are one of the healthiest plant foods that exist, in addition to being plants whose cultivation is really simple. Although this is usually carried out on the ground, sometimes it is also done in pots, especially when the species to be planted are small and / or there is no land.
There is a great variety of vegetables, so we want you to know them a little more. We are going to tell you how they are classified, their benefits and more.
What are vegetables?
Vegetables are a series of plants that are grown for a very specific purpose: to later eat them, either raw or after they have been prepared, for example, after they have been boiled. There is a huge variety, and the best thing is that it is possible to taste them throughout the year, because although most species are sown in spring, there are others that have to be sown later.
They have been in cultivation for a long, long time. For example, beans were domesticated in South America around 8000 BC. C., the leek in the Middle East around 4000 BC. C., or garlic in Central Asia around 3000 BC. C. The process of selecting the specimens, the elimination of the weeds, and the sowing of the seeds in controlled environments was the beginning of the domestication of vegetables.
Today, They are classified according to the botanical family to which they belong:
- Composite: like lettuces, artichokes or endives.
- Cruciferous: like broccoli, radish or cabbage.
- Cucurbits: like pumpkins, cantaloupe, watermelon or cucumber.
- Legumes: like beans, peas or alfalfa.
- Liliaceae: like garlic, onion or leek.
- Solanaceae: like tomatoes, aubergines or peppers.
- Umbellate: like carrots, celery or parsley.
- Chenopodiaceae: like chard, beets or spinach.
What is the difference between vegetable and vegetable?
Although sometimes it seems difficult to find a difference since they have a lot of relationship, vegetables are those plants that are consumed for their leaves; that is, the green part. On the other hand, vegetables are both legumes and vegetables, but not fruits or cereals.
In other words: the edible parts of vegetables can be any, from the leaves to the roots, but those of the vegetables are only the leaves.
Fruits and vegetables: how are they different?
It is a question that can have a difficult answer. And is that from the botanical point of view the fruit is a structure that matures when the flower has been pollinated, and containing seeds ready to germinate. But the vegetables are the leaves, the roots or the stems, which if planted can take root.
Now, from a culinary point of view we can say that if they have a sweet taste they are fruits, but if they are salty they are vegetables.
What are the benefits of vegetables?
The health benefits of these foods are the following:
- They improve the immune system (defenses)
- Relieve constipation, being rich in fiber
- They can be used to lose weight, due to their low calorie content
- They prevent anemia, due to the iron that we obtain when consuming them
- They take care of the eyes thanks to the vitamins A and C
- Decrease the risk of muscle cramps
What is the composition of the vegetables?
Vegetables they are rich in water, containing up to 80% of its weight. In addition, depending on the type, they have between 5 and 10% carbohydrates, being the ones that have the most potatoes, and those that have the least plants such as chard, lettuce and spinach. Another interesting fact is that they contain minerals, such as calcium and iron, and vitamins E and K.
Last but not least, we are talking about plants rich in fiber: they have between 2 and 10% of their weight. Now, in order to take advantage of it, the plants have to be cooked first. They are therefore ideal foods to include in diets, since they can be used to lose weight by containing a few calories per 100 grams (Swiss chard, for example, only have 15 grams of calories per 100 grams).
List of vegetables and greens
Do you want to know which vegetables are usually grown? Here is a list with 25, their sowing time and the duration of the cultivation:
- Chard: sown in late winter / spring, and harvested about 90 days later.
- Garlic: sown in late winter or spring, and harvested about 7 months later.
- Basil- The seeds are sown in spring, and the plant will be ready a month later.
- Artichoke: it is usually sown in spring although it can be done later, and it is harvested about 80 days later.
- Celery: it is sown when the spring has already settled, and it is harvested about two months later.
- Eggplant: ditto.
- Sweet potato: it is sown in spring, and it is harvested about 6 months later.
- Borage: the seeds are sown in spring or early summer. They will be ready in the fall.
- Broccoli: it is sown in spring and harvested about two to three months later.
- Pumpkin: it has to be sown in spring, so that it is ripe four months later, in autumn.
- Onion: sown in late winter, and harvested in late summer / early fall.
- Chives: the sowing time is spring, and the harvest time is two months later.
- Collar : the seeds are sown in spring, and the plant is harvested between 70 and 90 days later.
- Cauliflower: ditto.
- Asparagus: they are sown in spring, but you have to be patient as they will not start to be productive for at least a year. Harvest is in spring.
- Spinach: the seeds are sown in spring, and it is collected a month and a half later.
- Green peas: they have to be sown in spring, and they are harvested after a month and a half or two months.
- Broad beans: they have to be sown in early spring, or mid-afternoon, and will be harvested in summer.
- Lettuce: do the sowing in spring, and in about two months you will be able to enjoy its flavor.
- Cucumber: ditto.
- Parsley: the seeds are sown in spring, and the leaves will be ready two-three months later.
- Pepper: you have to sow it in spring, so you can taste it about 80 days later.
- Radish: the seeds are sown in spring, when it is no longer cold. And it is harvested a month and a half later.
- Beet: the sowing time is in spring, and they are harvested between 60 and 120 days later.
- Carrot: it is sown in spring and harvested after about 5 months.
How are vegetables grown?
In conclusion, if you want to grow vegetables you will need: a bright place, land that drains water well (that is, it does not flood easily) and is rich in organic matter (for sale here), and of course something where to put them, either the soil of your garden if you have, or a flowerpot. Once you have everything prepared, the first thing is to sow the seeds.
It is highly recommended to use a horticultural seedbed tray (for sale here), since this way you can put a seed in each hole and have a better control over germination. Put one or two in each socket, and bury them just a little bit. In this way, they will be able to sprout without problems. Then, take them to an area exposed to the star king, except if you grow parsley because it is better to be in semi-shade.
Go watering from time to time, preventing the soil from drying out. In this way the plants will grow well. When you see that the roots come out of the holes in the seedbed, you will have to plant them in pots or in the ground. Will be then when you can start to pay them with organic fertilizers, such as manure or compost.
Happy cultivation!