This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
After months of careful work, your vegetable garden is thriving and offers you an abundance of fruits and vegetables. However, once these precious harvests are in your hands, how can you avoid any waste? Check out these tips for preserving them throughout the year and making the most of your hard work.
Extend the harvest period by staggering your sowing
As soon as your garden is created, it is essential to follow a basic rule: stagger the sowing in order to harvest the vegetables little by little, over a longer period.
Carefully plan the layout of your vegetable garden to avoid overstocking. Some vegetables produce a lot at one time. For example, to avoid being overwhelmed with beans, sow them every two weeks until mid-July.
Root vegetables, alliaceae (garlic, leeks, onions, shallots), tomatoes, peppers, peppers, ground cherries, fine herbs, squash and pumpkins are harvested in the fall. Note: the cabbages acquire a delicious flavor after a first frost.
Adopt the appropriate conservation method
Dry
Traditionally, herbs are dried to enhance the taste of our recipes. Just hang your herb bouquets in a dark, clean room. Above all, remember that dehydrated fruits and vegetables are just as useful and delicious! Mangoes and dried apricots, for example, make simple and tasty natural snacks. You could also dry sliced vegetables to create a mix to add to your soups or rice. There are plenty of easy-to-make recipes on the Internet, it’s up to you to discover them!
To dry some small fruits and vegetables, you can use your oven as a dehydrator. The following foods lend themselves easily to drying: kale (kale), strawberries, apples, tomatoes, peppers, herbs and carrots.
Freeze
Think about what you and your family like to eat. If you love fries and smoothies, cut your potatoes into juliennes and freeze your favorite berries. Arrange them on a cookie sheet first before transferring them to freezer bags. Chopped herbs and the following foods freeze easily: berries, rhubarb, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and peppers.
Some vegetables will need to be blanched before freezing, such as cauliflower, broccoli and beans. However, it is not necessary to blanch or peel the tomatoes before freezing them: simply plunge them briefly into boiling water to peel them easily afterwards.
Maximize retention
Here are some practical tips to avoid wasting your fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Berries: they can make delicious ice cubes to add to your favorite drinks!
• Salted herbs: finely chopped vegetables and herbs, mixed with coarse salt and placed in the freezer, will keep almost indefinitely!
• Root vegetables: Potatoes, onions, garlic and shallots will keep for a long time in a cool, dry, dark place. Avoid placing them in the refrigerator, as this may soften them.
• Basil: chop with garlic, place in ice cube trays and drizzle with oil. You will be able to keep it longer and add a summer touch to all your recipes.
• Jams and marinades: with a little patience and know-how, all fruits can be transformed into delicious jams. As for vegetables, you can pickle them in vinegar or pickle them.
Make a list of the vegetables you haven’t eaten during the year. Maybe your family isn’t so big on peppers after all. Take this into account when planning your vegetable patch for next year, and take advantage of the space to grow the vegetables you love in greater quantities!
This content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.