Vegetable plants are a fairly capacious concept that has very blurry boundaries. They are so firmly entrenched in our lives that we do not even think about what exactly can be attributed to them and where they came from. In horticulture, the main purpose of their cultivation is to obtain vegetables in the end.
Classification of vegetable plants
There are a lot of signs by which vegetable plants can be classified. They can be distinguished not only by morphological characters, but also by the duration of the life cycle, as well as growing conditions, harvest dates and many other characters. However, all of the above makes more sense for farmers, but the average consumer is more interested in the classification of the part that can be eaten.
Despite the fact that vegetable plants at first glance seem completely different, they have a number of common characteristics that make it possible to define them in groups. The classification of vegetables is important not only for farmers, but also for culinary specialists, commodity experts, botanists.
Botanical classification
Cultivated plants (vegetables), examples of which many of us can bring in abundance from daily practice, can be classified depending on whether we belong to a particular family or botanical class. In our country, mainly vegetables are grown, belonging to the family of nightshade, pumpkin and legumes. You can also meet representatives of cruciferous, amaryllis, celery and cinnamon.
The advantage of the botanical classification is that it allows cultivated plants (vegetables) in all their diversity to be attributed to related cultures, which is important when growing them. However, for consumers this distribution is very inconvenient, as for ordinary gardeners.
Life classification
Such a classification is most convenient for ordinary amateur gardeners who do not have in-depth knowledge of botany. According to this division, the type of vegetable plant is defined as annual, biennial, and perennial.
Annuals are distinguished by the fact that they have a life cycle that begins with sowing and ends with the formation of seeds, lasts for one year. These include: melons, eggplants, watermelons, cucumbers, zucchini, radishes, etc. Most of them are familiar to us from childhood and are present on our table almost daily.
In biennial plants in the first year, only a rosette of leaves can be formed, as well as productive organs, in which a certain supply of nutrients can accumulate. Then, when the external climatic conditions become unfavorable, they enter the so-called resting period. But already in the second year of life, the plant already begins to form a stem and bloom, after which the fruits are formed and ripen. These include: beets, onions, cabbage, carrots, parsley and other vegetables familiar and familiar to us.
Perennials are not so common in our country and are grown mainly in small quantities. Vegetables of this species in the first year of life form only the root system, leaves and buds. But they form their productive organs mainly in the second or third year of life. Many of these ways of living for three to five years. Perennials are similar to biennials in that by winter they enter a dormant period and begin to redistribute nutrients.
Perennials include: garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, horseradish, asparagus, sorrel, onion and many others. Interestingly, many annuals can also be grown as perennials. For example, if you use cultivation in greenhouses. A return stroke is also possible. For example, with a protracted and cold spring, carrots and beets can begin to bear fruit in the first year.
Classification by the length of the growing season and method of cultivation
Vegetable plants, examples of which are given in this article, can also be classified by the length of their growing season. In this regard, early, middle and late varieties can be distinguished. But according to the growth method, two main types can be distinguished: soil and greenhouse-greenhouse.
Soil vegetable plants are intended for cultivation in the open ground, but greenhouse-greenhouse - exclusively for cultivation in greenhouses or in greenhouses. In this case, only low-growing vegetables can be grown in the greenhouse. However, at present, soil is less and less used for growing plants in greenhouses. Most often, the roots of the plant are placed in a special solution, which consists of a mixture of the necessary nutrients. But there is an opinion that vegetables grown in this way are not only not healthy, but even vice versa - they can harm the human body. The most valuable are still ground vegetables.
Classification by keeping quality and part used in food
Shelf life determines the ability of the vegetable to be stored. In this regard, we can distinguish vegetable plants that have the property to go into a state of rest, and those that do not have such a property.
According to what part of the plant can be eaten, two large groups can be distinguished: fruit, or generative vegetables, and vegetative. The first group includes vegetable cereal plants, pumpkin and nightshade. But the second ones are the root crops, tubers, bulbs, foliage and shoots that are familiar to all of us.
This classification is most convenient both for ordinary consumers and for sellers of vegetables.
Fruit vegetable plants
A distinctive characteristic of these vegetables is the factor that their fruit is the fruit. Some of them can give it in the phase of botanical ripeness, others in the phase of technical ripeness. These include watermelons beloved by everyone, tomatoes, melons, squash and many others. These plants need to create conditions so that they begin to bloom and form fruits as soon as possible. At the same time, it should be done regardless of the degree of ripeness of their fruits.
Features of growing vegetable plants
Cultivated plants (vegetable), examples of which can be found in this article, have some features of cultivation. First of all, it is worth noting that the layout of the site plays not the last place here. Before you implement it, you need to try to study the agricultural technology of those vegetables that you plan to cultivate on your site.
The biological characteristics of certain plants also contribute to the fact that it is necessary to select the climatic conditions for a particular vegetable. Vegetable plants have one common requirement for their cultivation: it is impossible for several years to plant the same plant or a related plant in the same place. The rest of the growing requirements are selected individually, as well as the composition of the soil and the amount of fertilizer needed.
Classification of V.I. Edelstein
The Soviet scientist Edelstein developed a special classification that makes it possible to divide vegetable plants not only by biological, but also by agrotechnical conditions. According to this classification, we can divide our vegetables into: cabbage, root, tuber, bulb, fruit, leaf, perennial and mushrooms.
In each of these classes, families are also distinguished.
General classification
In general, this classification can hardly be called scientific, it is more intended for consumers. In it, vegetables are not grouped by any sign, nevertheless, such species are distinguished: tubers, root crops, rhizome plants, cabbage, leafy, spicy, onion, tomato, pumpkin, bean, cereal, dessert. But pineapple, to everyone's surprise, scientists have not yet identified either vegetables or fruits.