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Most people who have a garden will likely have vegetables growing.  If this is your first time gardening or want to start growing organic vegetables, you’ll want to know as much as possible first in order to grow organic vegetables correctly.  Below are some helpful tips to help you get started.

Vegetables

What ever vegetables you eat a lot of will be able to be grown organically in the garden.  Most of the gardener’s favorite vegetables to grow are tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, and cucumbers.  However, you can grow just about any vegetables imaginable.

Soil

The vegetables is not the problem to have organic vegetables, it’s what you used to grow them.  One of them is the soil and it should be free of any chemicals.  If there are, you will need to remove them first before planting the vegetables.  Also, it’s a good idea to add compost to the soil.  The compost are highly nutritious for the plants and it will help them grow strong and healthy.

Fertilizers

All fertilizers that contain chemicals should never be used. It will not only hurt the environment, but also put a lot of harmful chemicals into your body.  An alternative to fertilizers is compost.  Even though the compost will make the plants grow slower than using fertilizers, the vegetables will be more healthier and better tasting.

Season

Many of the vegetables are grown in the spring and will be ready for harvest in the summer or late fall.  For this reason, you’ll want to plant them as soon as the last frost is gone.

Growing organic vegetables in the garden is fun.  Once they are ready to be harvest and eaten, you’ll know why organic vegetables are more expensive than their counterpart at the supermarket.  With organic vegetables, you don’t have to worry about any harmful chemicals going into your body.

If you have been buying herb from the store to use for cooking or just adding to your meals, you should consider growing them in your own garden.  Many of the herbs are easy to grow and don’t require a lot of maintenance.  They can grow with other plants or grown alone.

There are probably hundreds of herbs out there that you can grow on your own.  Herbs are used for medicinal uses, culinary, ornamental, and aroma therapy.  Depending on what you’ll be using it for, find the right one to grow.

As for culinary, some of the favorites among herb gardeners are basil, dill, chives, parsley, spearmint, oregano, and sage.  These are great to be used for cooking or added to any meal to enhance the flavors.

Most types of herbs grow best in well drained soil.  Growing them in wet soil could cause fungus and other diseases to attack the roots and kill them.  To help prevent this problem and to improve drainage, remove the soil to a depth of 14 to 17 inches.  Place a 2-inch layer of crushed stone or something similar on the bottom.  Before filling the hole with soil, add some compost or sphagnum peat and sand for support and better drainage.  Then fill the rest with soil and water the soil down.

Many of the herbs can be harvested throughout the growing season.  For example, the basil can be picked once they start producing leaves.  Pick the leaves at the bottom first.  You’ll want to pick just enough to be used for cooking or adding to a meal.  In a couple weeks, another leaf will replace the one you picked.

Herbs has many fascinating uses and the reason why you should start growing them.  Lavender is great to give a nice smell throughout the whole house, while chives make any meal more delicious.  Start growing herbs in your garden today and you’ll have fresh herbs to use every time.

After harvesting your vegetables from your garden you will need to find a way to store them for later use.  Since many of the vegetables can spoil within a week, properly storing them is important.  Some vegetables are easier to store than others but most organic vegetables can be stored and saved in some way or another.

Before you start, you’ll need to know how many of the vegetables you will want to store for later.  If you have a lot, you can give some away to friends and family.  The rest will need to be properly stored.  Many grocery stores sell jars and supplies needed for preserving and canning vegetables.  Some manufactures will even include instructions on how to store the vegetables too.

Another way to store vegetables is to use food dehydrators.  This is a machine that is used to dry the vegetables before storing them.  Many vegetables can be used in this machine, but you’ll want to be careful to make sure the vegetables are not roasting.

Root Vegetables

Root vegetables include potatoes, carrots, potatoes, and more can be stored in places that are cool, dark, and dry.  Storing them in cellar, basement, or some pantries is an excellent place and the vegetables can last for up to 2 months.

Corn

Corn can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple months.  If you’re planning to store them longer, freeze them with the husk removed first.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a gardeners favorite.  They can be stored on the counter-top if it’s still green.  Tomatoes can also be stored in the refrigerator.  For others who want to use tomatoes for later use in sauces, drying them is the best choice.

Above are some storage tips for a couple vegetables.  Each vegetables will have their own different storage needs and you’ll need to know if you want them to last for a long time.  If you are unsure, try searching the Internet for each type of vegetable storage needs.