Organic. Period.

Are you looking through your seed catalogs yet?

Something you might want to make a priority as you begin planning your 2009 garden is that the beauty of those brightly colored vegetables is only part of their attraction. Generally speaking, the brighter the color of a plant food, the more phytonutruients it contains. So what are phytonutrients, anyway?

Simply put, phytonutrients are the vitamins and minerals you get from eating plants. They are derived directly from plants, and not from a secondary source on the food chain. For example, nutrients you get from eating chicken or eggs are not phytonutrients; the nutrients the chicken gets from eating grains and plants are phytonutrients for the chicken, but you are a step up the food chain.

So when you choose your garden seeds for 2009, let the colored pictures be your guide. Select the brightest, most colorful fruits and vegetables for your garden, and you’ll be growing a healthier harvest.