Vegetable Gardening
the Why and the How
Make Vegetable Gardening your path to the freshest, most healthy and greatest tasting food.
An extravagant claim you may say but just think about it for a minute. When you buy vegetables from a supermarket
they will first have been harvested and packed by the grower. Then they are transported to the store, sometimes
over a great distance. If you are lucky you may find that the produce is fresh in the day that you shop, but it
could well be nearing the end of its shelflife by the time that you visit. With home grown crops you cut your
lettuce or dig your carrots just before you prepare your meal so the freshness is guaranteed.
The health claim is based on two factors, firstly the longer the period between
harvesting the crop and eating the produce, the greater the loss of the essential vitamins and minerals in the
food. Secondly the question of chemical sprays used on the crop. Although you can buy organic produce for a premium
price, most vegetables will have been treated with various chemical sprays and insecticides and you will have no
way of knowing what has been used. When you grow your own food, you will know exactly what sprays have or have not
been used.
Although taste is subjective and a matter of personal opinion, it is generally agreed that home
grown vegetables are superior. The vegetables you buy in the supermarket, pre-packed, graded and scrubbed though
they may be, have inevitably lost the subtle flavour of fresh vegetables in the long journey from field to
store.
A further benefit of vegetable gardening is that it gets you outside into the fresh air and gives
you some gentle exercise at the same time. Forget that old exercise bike hiding in the corner and go al fresco. If
you are a beginner looking for some vegetable gardening tips then follow the link to the next section. On the other hand, if you can't wait to dive into the seed catalogues, then have a
look at Nature Hills Nursery.
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