Growing a Vegetable Garden

After all the prep work you’ve done in the previous chapters, it is time to move on to the fun part – the act of planting your own vegetables. In this chapter, you will learn about the stages of plant life, the parts of the plant, how to grow them, and how to prepare for planting.

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The Parts of the Plant

You may already be familiar with the parts of a plant from science class. It is, however, worthwhile to review the different parts, especially from the perspective of vegetable gardening. The basic parts of a plant are as follows:

Leaves. The leaves catch sunlight in order to produce the plant’s food – chlorophyll.
Stem. The stem carries water and soil-borne nutrients to the rest of the plant.
Taproot and Secondary Roots. The roots are used to gather nutrients, gases, and water from the soil.
Flowers, Fruit, and Seeds. The flowers, the seeds, and the stem are the vehicles by which plants propagate.

When it comes to vegetables, it worthwhile to point out that some vegetables are also defined as plant parts. Examples of these kinds of vegetables include:

  • Bulbs – Onions, Shallots, Garlic
  • Flower Bud – Broccoli, globe artichoke, and cauliflower
  • Fruits – Tomato, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Peppers, Eggplant
  • Leaf Stalks – Rhubarb, Celery
  • Leaves – Kale, Collard, Spinach, Endive
  • Roots – Carrots, Turnips, Radishes, Beets
  • Seed Pods – Snap Peas, Green Beans
  • Seeds – Corn
  • Stalks – Asparagus

Vegetable or Fruit?
The common usage of the term ‘vegetable’ and ‘fruit’ today is strictly applied to culinary sensibilities. When it comes to cooking, fruits are commonly associated with sweet rather than savory preparations.

There are, however, a few exemptions to the rule. Tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, and other like them are fruits, but they are commonly used in savory dishes. On the other hand, the Rhubarb, which is the stalk of a leaf, is often used in sweet pies and desserts.

Botanically, a fruit is the fleshy part of a plant that is contains one or more seeds. There are many fruits in the botanical world, but most of them are inedible.