Growing Your Own Vegetables Is Healthy And Great For Kids

Growing Your Own Vegetables Is Healthy And Great For Kids

One of the things In Good Taste always promotes is organic food. Whenever you can find it and whenever you can afford it, buying organic is a healthier option for your kids. But there’s no better source of organic produce than your own garden.

Make no mistake, growing your own vegetables can be time consuming. I’ve recently got really serious about my gardening and tending to my lawn and trees. I was even comparing chipper shredders the other day, which is when you know it’s getting serious! Of course, if you don’t have the time, you’ll find yourself needing the help of lawn care services similar to this trugreen VA company to give you a hand. If you’re already scrambling to find time in your day, it might be a passion project you have to put on hold until your kids are older. But if you’re lucky enough to have the time, growing produce in your own garden means you always have healthy, fresh food to put on the table. There’s nothing tastier than food you’ve grown on your own and you save money in the long run. However, some things can be difficult to grow and can require advanced techniques, like home irrigation systems to make sure the vegetables have better access to water, helping them to grow more effectively. Perhaps that’s worth looking into. Here are some of the best vegetables you can grow yourself and tips for helping them thrive.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a super-vegetable. It’s high in all kinds of vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, and iron, not to mention Vitamin C. Broccoli thrives in the spring and fall as it loves cooler temperatures. Make sure it has plenty of sun and plant seeds about a quarter inch deep.

Kale

Any leafy green is a great choice for your backyard, but kale is a hardy green that’s easy to grow late in the season. You can cut the plant, let it overwinter, and it will grow right back. The perfect time to harvest is right after a light frost.

Red Peppers

Another great source of nutrients, bell peppers come packed with Vitamins A, B6, and C. Best grown in containers, one thing to watch out for is pests. You can defend against pests and still keep your garden organic with an insecticidal soap.

Tomatoes

One of the hardest things to grow in your backyard is tomatoes. The secret to successful tomatoes is string trellising, where you use strings leading from the ground to a sturdy trellis to train tomato vines to grow diagonally. A sturdy wood trellis for your backyard is one you won’t have to replace, though each year you will want to grow something different. Rotating crops helps you manage crop-specific pests without pesticides and maintaining the quality of the soil. Cucumbers and climbing peas are great ways to reuse a trellis in-between tomato years.

Besides providing your home with a healthy source of vegetables, your backyard garden can also become a tranquil place to enjoy the outdoors with a book and a coffee or even a place to dine al fresco. If you’re looking for patio and garden furniture that can transform your backyard, check out online retailers for bargain prices. Shopping online can save you money and the options are endless. If you’re worried about buying furniture sight unseen, keep in mind that good online retailers let you return any purchase no questions asked.

Don’t forget, the key to giving your kids a healthy and balanced diet isn’t to say “No” to every sugary treat. Even grown-ups can’t help cheating on their diet. Your kids will only resent you if you take a hard line. Give them all the nutrients they need with a healthy, balanced diet with help from your own garden and you won’t have to worry about a treat here and there.

Kelly Tate
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