How to Grow and Enjoy Seasonal Vegetables All Year Round
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Home-grown fruits and vegetables are always the best. There are few things more satisfying than cooking up or biting into something fresh from your own garden. We work hard to grow these items by digging in the dirt, planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting our vegetables. It’s only fair that we get to enjoy them all year long.
Did you know that if you grow the right vegetables at the time, you can actually enjoy home-grown vegetables all year round? While you may not be able to grow tomatoes and enjoy them all year fresh, you can change vegetables and what you grow by season so that you can circulate your options and always enjoy your own fresh options.
We have the best tips for you to enjoy seasonal vegetables all year round. Stick with us to learn how!
Seasonal Planting Schedules
Most people tend to think that you plant a garden in spring and enjoy the fruits of harvest in the summer. This really isn’t true. If you look at farmers throughout the world, they plant certain crops during certain seasons. They do this because many types of crops are seasonal. The same is true of planting your own fruits and vegetables at home.
For the purposes of this guide, we will discuss what vegetable you can harvest in the season we are referring to. Don’t worry, we will also share prime planting times for you.
Summer Vegetables
For vegetables to enjoy in the summer, you should plant them in late spring. Don’t plant these items until all threats of frost have passed in the spring season.
Here are the delicious vegetables you can harvest in summer.
Gourds
Melons
Pumpkins
Peppers
Okra
Eggplant
Cucumber
Beans
Corn
Fall and Spring Vegetables
The following list are vegetables that can tolerate frost. You plant these vegetables very early in spring. They are then harvested late in the summer or early in the fall when it’s starting to cool. Try to harvest them before you have multiple days of frost in a row.
Broccoli
Spinach
Kale
Cabbage
Peas
Parsley
Radish
Turnip
Leeks
Brussels sprouts
Squash
Planting All Year
There are also some vegetables that while they are recommended for a particular season, you can potentially plant them and grow them year round.
Most fruits fall into this category. They are considered perennials and while they will not harvest all year, you can plant them at any time and they will survive. They typically all harvest in the spring time. This is most common of things like apples, blueberries, oranges, and more. Melons don’t fall into this category. They are best for summer harvesting.
Just like these fruits, there are some vegetables that you can plant at any time and they are considered perennials. They will still harvest near the same time every year but they will return several years in a row.
You will notice many of these vegetables were already listed but it’s still good to know your options.
Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplants
Okra
Squash
Artichoke
Horseradish
Onions
Radicchio
Kale
Now, before you doubt this list here’s what you need to keep in mind. While these plants are perennial and can return, some of them do require specific environments to survive. For example, tomatoes cannot typically survive cold temperatures. They are considered a tropical plant.
So, while this list truly can be planted and left to regrow for several years, you may not find success in this method because of the growing environment in your area. Perennial does not guarantee planting and harvesting success.
Every type of plant – flower, fruit, vegetable, and more – requires specific care and specific growing environments to truly be successful in growing.
Alternative Methods
Now, you understand that the best possible way to enjoy different vegetables all year round is to plant various things at various times. Educating yourself on the process can ensure that you have a prosperous garden and your very own fresh vegetables at any time of year.
However, there are alternative methods you can use to preserve your fresh-grown vegetable products so you can pull these items back out and enjoy them at your leisure.
The best alternative methods include:
Canning
Dehydrating
Freezing
Each of these methods provides you with a way to preserve your home-grown food so you can enjoy them even in the off-season.
Canning
Canning requires a bit of an extensive process. You have to prep your vegetables and pull out the canning jars. You will then prepare the vegetables accordingly and either pressure can them or water bath can them.
Plan to spend an entire day but this is a great way to preserve your vegetables to use later.
Dehydration
The best way to accomplish dehydration is by using a dehydrator. With this tool, you can prep your item, set it up in your dehydrator, and just leave it be for the process for many hours. You simply need to check on them occasionally.
Dehydration dries the vegetable, preserving it, and keeping that vegetable suitable for you to enjoy when you please.
Freezing
Freezing is another optimal way to preserve your vegetables so you can enjoy them year round. Freezing does typically require preparation, like blanching of your vegetables, but it can preserve them for up to a year most of the time.
This gives you access to those delicious seasonal vegetables all year round.
Conclusion
No matter what your favorite vegetable is, you don’t have to wait for the perfect season to come around before you can enjoy it. You certainly should be open to expanding your horizons and growing different vegetables at different times so you can also harvest them at the appropriate time.
Try to enjoy different vegetables at different times of year. On the same note, you don’t have to deprive yourself of your favorites simply because it’s off-season for the vegetable. Try dehydrating, canning, or freezing to keep those vegetables available for when you’re craving them later on.
Grow your favorites throughout the year and keep the seasonal vegetables available all year long.
