Lead in

Vegetables have been part of the human diet from time immemorial.Some are staple foods but most are accessory foodstuffs,adding variety to meals with their unique flavors and at the same time,adding nutrients necessary for health.Some vegetables are perennials,but most are annuals and biennials,usually harvested within a year of sowing or planting.Whatever system is used for growing crops,cultivation follows a similar pattern: preparation of the soil by loosening it,removing or burying weeds and adding organic manures or fertilisers;sowing seeds or planting young plants;tending the crop while it grows to reduce weed competition;controlling pests and provide sufficient water;harvesting the crop when it is ready;sorting,storing and marketing the crop or eating it fresh from the ground.