Cabbage and turnips

In the past, many people had their own vegetable garden. They grew not just grass and flowers, but also vegetables and herbs. There were no supermarkets, people had little money, and so they mainly ate what they grew in their own gardens.

Today, we buy most of our food in supermarkets. There, we can find everything we need, with plenty to choose from. We no longer have to plant, tend and harvest crops ourselves; we just have to choose what we want. Of course, we have to pay for it.

Here you can learn more about some types of vegetables and herbs. Since some children no longer know what these plants look like in nature, you’ll find pictures from the garden. There are also short descriptions of how these plants live and how they are used.

The common bean is the type most often eaten as a vegetable. Depending on its size and growth habit, it is known as a bush bean or a pole bean. We eat the fruits, which are also called pods. Common beans are cooked and served as a side dish. With other types, it is mainly the large seeds that are eaten. Beans grow from a seed. They cannot tolerate night frosts. Bush beans grow to about 30 to 60 cm tall. Pole beans need supports to climb. The pods are flat or round and 5 to 25 cm long. They are usually green or yellow. The common bean dies back in autumn. - Image: Hamsterkiste

Broccoli is closely related to cauliflower. It is harvested just before the flowers are fully developed. These are also called "florets." Broccoli can be eaten raw, but it is usually cooked. Not only the florets but also the small leaves and stems can be eaten. Broccoli grows from seed. Young plants are often raised in a greenhouse and planted out after about six weeks. They need plenty of space. The "heads" can weigh about 300 g. Broccoli can be harvested about 15 weeks after sowing.

Cucumbers can be eaten raw. You can use them with other ingredients to make a salad, or pickle them in jars with spices and vinegar. This way, they keep for a long time and you always have some in stock. The plants grow from seeds sown in April. They put out long, rough-haired vines that need plenty of space. Flowers grow on the vines, and the fruits develop from them. They are 1 to 7 cm thick and can grow up to 30 cm long. New seeds develop inside the fruits. Gardeners also call the cucumber a “gardener’s sausage”.

Carrots are also called roots or carrots. We can eat them raw or cooked, or make them into carrot salad or carrot soup. You can press them for juice and bake carrot cake. Carrots contain carotene, vitamin C, potassium, and iron. These nutrients are especially important for young children’s healthy diet. Carrots grow from seeds. The plant consists of a taproot, which can be eaten, and several feathery leaves.

Potatoes are boiled with or without their skins. They can then be made into potato salad or mashed potatoes, or served as a side dish with other meals. Potatoes are also used to make the popular French fries. In spring, a seed potato is planted in the ground. A plant grows from it and produces flowers. The edible parts of the potato plant, however, grow underground. New tubers form there and are harvested in summer or fall.

Kohlrabi is also called a German turnip. We eat the swollen stem. It can be eaten raw, or cut into small pieces and boiled or steamed. It is then served as a side dish. A salad can be made from the young leaves. Kohlrabi is sown in spring and harvested in summer. The plant develops a taproot. Long-stalked leaves grow from the bulb. If it has been dry for a long time, the bulb becomes woody. The plant is biennial. If it is not harvested, it produces flowers and seeds the following year.

Bell peppers sometimes taste very hot. That is because all varieties of pepper contain capsaicin, which gives them their strong flavor. Mild varieties are mainly grown here. Bell peppers can be eaten raw in salads with other vegetables, stuffed, pickled, steamed, or roasted. Hotter varieties such as chili peppers and hot peppers are mainly used to season dishes. Some plants grow up to 1.50 m tall. Their roots reach down to a depth of 60 cm. The fruit comes in many different shapes and colors. Green, yellow, and red bell peppers are the most commonly sold in our supermarkets.