How to Can Vegetables from Your Summer Garden

When you grow fresh vegetables, you always want to make them last, and canning the vegetables is the best and safe way to preserve your vegetables at their peak of harvest for you to have a great stash of fresh vegetables to last you all Fall and Winter. Below you will find my step by step guide on how to can summer garden vegetables. No worries, even if you do not own a garden, check out your local farmers market for vegetables in their peak season so even those non-gardeners can have fresh vegetables all Fall and Winter long too. Same canning process will apply to both situations.

First let me tell you the list of items you will need to do this process.
1. Canning Jars w/ lids and bands
2. Hot Soapy Water
3. Vegetables
4. Spatula or Butter Knife

Step 1
Wash all your cans, jars, lids and bands in hot soapy water. Do not use jars or cans with cracks, nicks or rust on them.

Step 2
Pick the vegetables you want to can early in the morning and can as soon as possible. Inspect the vegetables for any damage (do not use ones that are) and wash them.

Step 3
Each vegetable requires their own method of preparation. Some vegetables require heating while some do not require any heat to them. To find out how to can certain vegetables go to www.ehow.com and in the search engine type, how to can ______ , fill in the blank with the type of vegetable you want to can.

Step 4
After you have found out how to prepare the type of vegetables you want to can, you will need to release the air bubbles in the jar. Take a thin spatula or butter knife and run it down and up the sides of the filled jar. If you are using a knife be very careful not to break or crack the jar.

Step 5
Place the lids on the jars and screw the bands onto the jars. Make sure you have a secure fit, but do not over tighten because during the canning process air will continue to escape from the jars.

Note, if you are buying fresh vegetables from your local farmers market, make sure you buy only young, tender and blemish free vegetables for the best canned vegetables.