You Need To Be Cleaning Your Vegetable Garden Plants. (Yes, Really)

You hopefully already know to clean your produce, whether from the store or from your own backyard vegetable garden, before slicing it up to serve in your latest salad. But according to Sunshine Chapman, the president of Garden Works, if you're a true plant parent, you'll go one step further and clean the leaves of your plants while they're growing to clear off dust and debris. "Dust and dirt can block sunlight from reaching the leaves and can lead to plant damage," Chapman explained to Chowhound. "When you clean your edible plants, their leaves are able to photosynthesize more efficiently."

The result? A better yield and healthier plants. Yes, it might seem a little high maintenance of your garden to need this kind of in-depth care, but there's a reason why you shouldn't overcommit as a first-time or beginner vegetable gardener. Going the extra mile is what's going to help you actually end up with a flourishing outdoor display lush enough to let you make fresh homemade pico de gallo, all with ingredients straight from the soil outside your home.

So how exactly does one go about cleaning off a vegetable garden plant? Do you simply pull out a duster and go at it as though each leaf is an overlooked kitchen shelf? Sunshine Chapman says there's a little more to it than that. She recommends rinsing your plants instead with a spray bottle of water, or using dusting gloves to wipe away determinedly stuck-on dirt from individual leaves. "Try soft, chemical-free tools," Chapman reminds us.

As far as how often your plants need their spa treatment, it's probably not quite as frequent of a plant parent maintenance task as watering them is, depending on your veggie garden's watering schedule. Instead, a wipe-down or water bottle spritz approximately once a week is plenty to keep the plants sufficiently shiny, healthy, and properly photosynthesizing — although after heavy rain or windstorms, it's always good to take some time and check up on your delicate plants. "Just a little extra care will prevent damage and power your precious edible plants for maximum enjoyment," Chapman says.