Canning & Bottling
Water-bath canning suits high-acid foods (most fruit, pickles, tomatoes with added acid). Low-acid vegetables need pressure canning, a genuinely different process with a higher margin for error.
How it works
Jars, lids, and produce are processed at a controlled boiling-water temperature for a set time, which is enough to destroy spoilage organisms in high-acid foods (pH below about 4.6). Low-acid vegetables (most root veg, beans, corn) don't reach a safe temperature in a water bath and need pressure canning instead.
Safety
This is the preserving method where getting it wrong carries real risk, botulism grows in low-acid, low-oxygen, unrefrigerated conditions exactly like an improperly processed jar. Never guess processing times, use a tested recipe from a reputable source (state health department or established preserving reference), and never can low-acid vegetables in a water bath.
Good crops for this method
TomatoGreen BeansPeasBeetrootStrawberryRhubarbOnion & GarlicCucumberCabbage