The Importance of Vegetables in Human Life

In short: Vegetables supply vitamins, mineral salts and fibre with little sodium and about one tenth of the energy of the same weight of bread or meat. An average person in our latitudes should eat at least 120 kg a year. 100 g of fresh bell pepper holds 200-350 mg vitamin C, against a 75 mg daily need.

People live and work, and therefore need to consume a balanced diet daily. According to the principles of proper nutrition, they should consume vegetables (types of vegetables) every day, as they fully complement the diet with essential nutrients and protective substances. They enrich individual dishes with vibrant colors while adding a delicate and delicious taste.

Substances contained in vegetables

• Vegetables as a source of protective substances are primarily a significant supplier of vitamins for the human body, which needs them for its normal function. All types of vegetables contain a whole range of vitamins - A, B1, B2, C, E, H, K, PP, and others. For example, 100g of fresh bell pepper contains up to 200-350mg of vitamin C, with the human daily requirement being 75mg of vitamin C. At the same time, vegetables also supply sufficient mineral salts to the human diet, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, while having a very low sodium content, which is very good from a proper nutrition perspective. For example, the highest content of phosphorus, which is very important for proper bone development, is found in parsley and green peas, while the highest calcium content among vegetables is found in onions and garlic.

• Folk medicine has used vegetables since ancient times thanks to their content of healing substances. For example, parsley supports urine excretion, dill relieves headaches, etc. Generally speaking, vegetables in their raw state also regulate the activity of digestive organs thanks to their high fiber content. Due to their low energy value, vegetables are also used in weight-loss diets. The dietary effect of fresh vegetables is significant and the overall biological value of vegetables is greater than that of fruit. It has been proven that on average, they contain one-tenth of the energy value of the same amount of bread or meat. According to scientists and doctors, an average person in our geographical latitudes should consume at least 120kg of vegetables annually.

Growing Vegetables

The most suitable land for growing vegetables consists of gentle slopes or sheltered plains facing south, southeast, or southwest. Most vegetable species develop deep root structures and require sufficient nutrients and water for their development, so the soil should be well supplied with humus, which increases soil warmth and retains necessary moisture and nutrients. For growing vegetables, medium-heavy loamy-sandy to sandy-loam soils are best. Besides soil, the factors of heat and light are also very important. Early field vegetables grow best at daytime temperatures of 15-22°C and nighttime temperatures of 6-8°C. For vegetable growth, temperature alternation between day and night is important, known as thermoperiodicity. Generally, temperature fluctuations and especially low temperatures are harmful to vegetable plants.

The water requirements depend on the type of vegetable and the growth stage of the plant. Water deficiency manifests itself in wilting leaves, stunted growth, and deterioration in the quality and quantity of the harvest. The principle is that abundant watering can create a water reserve in the soil. We usually plant the earliest vegetables at the end of March, depending on altitude and climatic conditions. Heat-loving vegetables such as cucumbers, celery, and tomatoes not until the second half of May. A prerequisite for successful vegetable cultivation is healthy, strong, and not overly stretched seedlings. We plant vegetables either during cloudy weather, shortly after rain, or in the evening during warm sunny weather. Depending on the type of vegetable, we plant them in rows, in clusters, or in a square or diamond pattern. During the growing season, diseases and pests appear on vegetables that reduce their quality. From a healthy nutrition perspective, chemical preparations should be used as little as possible. From a preventive point of view, seed dressing and especially soil disinfection are used before sowing. The best time to harvest vegetables is early in the morning or in the evening to minimize wilting as much as possible.

Processing Vegetables

We should not reduce the biological value of vegetables through improper kitchen preparation. Fresh vegetables are always the most nutritious, so we need to pay attention to their proper storage before consumption, as well as subsequent processing or preservation. It is not advisable to keep them in unsuitable conditions for long periods. When processing them, we should cut and grate them primarily with tools made of stainless steel or plastic. They should not be cooked in aluminium or iron containers for long periods, or slowly heated and fried. The most effective way to process vegetables is by steaming them.

We can grill, steam, freeze, bake vegetables or eat them fresh... :))

We store vegetables for our own consumption during winter and also for early spring. Depending on the storage options available, we use cellars and cold frames. The optimal temperature for storage in a cellar is 1-4°C with humidity around 90%.

Fresh vegetables from your own harvest are unbeatable, so choose from our range of quality seeds designed for large-scale buyers as well as small growers - lovers of home-grown vegetables. All seeds we supply are of first-class quality and come from verified, high-quality Czech producers.

Our e-shop offers seeds of various types of vegetables organized into individual categories such as:

• Bulb vegetables
• Root vegetables
• Fruit vegetables
• Leafy vegetables

Special categories include organic vegetables - vegetables in organic quality and two others:

• Peppers seeds
• Tomatoes seeds

In our vegetable selection you can find seeds of common vegetables such as carrots, parsley, kohlrabi, celery, onions, beetroot, radishes, peas, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce, dill and more. Some of them we also offer as a novelty in organic quality, which forms a separate category. Our organic seeds meet the highest requirements for organic production products. In our offer for specific products you will also find brief characteristics of the plant seeds we sell, their use for a full life and human health, as well as basic information about the procedure for their cultivation.