THE BEST VEGETABLES TO GROW FOR JUICING
Juicing fruits and vegetables has become a popular and easy way to make sure you’re getting all your daily servings of fruits and veggies. It can be surprising to discover just how many veggies are naturally sweet and, when combined with an apple or a pear, can make for a delicious, refreshing, and healthy drink.
If you’re a fan of juicing, why not try growing some of your own veggies and fruits for juicing? Homegrown veggies have so much more flavor and natural sweetness than storebought ones do, and you’ll get the satisfaction of know you grew all that healthy nutrition on your own!
VEGGIES TO GROW FOR JUICING
Dark leafy greens, like Swiss chard, kale, spinach, and wheatgrass, are really easy to grow and add a ton of essential nutrients and vitamins to your diet. Spinach is packed with calcium and iron as well. Adding a bit of citrus to a green juice will help your body absorb the calcium and iron more efficiently. Spinach adds a surprising sweetness and refreshing flavor to juices.
Keep in mind that leafy greens take up very little room when broken down, so you'll need a lot of them for juicing. Make sure to dedicate a fair bit of space to them and seed them in sequence. Adding another row or two of seeds every two weeks will ensure you have greens ready for harvest all summer long!
Root veggies, like carrots and beets, are also super easy to grow and add delicious flavor to fresh juices. Both of them contain beta-carotene, iron, and magnesium, as well as several vitamins.
Juicy or watery veggies, like cucumbers, celery, and tomatoes, are also excellent sources of vitamins and minerals, while also helping you meet your daily dose of water. Things like cucumber and celery can help top up or slightly dilute a thicker glass of juice without dramatically affecting the flavor.
FRUITS TO GROW FOR JUICING
Fruits and berries are also an excellent addition to juices or smoothies, with lots of antioxidants and natural sweetness. Berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are easy to grow in your own backyard. Apples and crabapples are also excellent additions to fresh juices.
HERBS TO GROW FOR JUICING
Last but not least, adding herbs to your fresh juice recipes can kick it up a notch in flavor. Parsley is easy to grow and adds a pleasant freshness to juices, and it’s also great for freshening your breath. Mint, lemon balm, rosemary, and basil will also add delightful flavors to your juices. Try experimenting with different combinations!
USING THE PULP FROM YOUR JUICER
If you don’t want to add it to your baking or cooking, the other thing you can do is add the pulp to your compost pile. The juicer grinds the pulp up into the perfect consistency to break down quickly in your compost system. Having excellent compost to improve your garden soil next year will help you grow even more nutritious veggies!
If you’d like to start growing some of your own vegetables for juicing, drop by our outdoor nursery to chat with our team. We’re also able to process orders over the phone and arrange curbside pickup and delivery within the Indianapolis area.