STUMPS, STUBS AND STEMS
Here's how to start an indoor garden using only the scraps from your dinner plate
Typically, when people prep vegetables and herbs for cooking, they toss the stumps, stubs and stems — hopefully in a compost rather than the trash. But these humble leftovers can be the beginning of a windowsill garden that can freshen up your cooking during the dark days of winter, while also helping reduce food waste. “And it's a fun way to also get kids involved in gardening so they can see how nature works,” says Sandi Duncan, editor of the Farmers' Almanac.
Working with produce from the grocery store will yield good results. However, Justine Kandra, horticulturist for the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden, recommends purchasing locally grown produce at a nearby farmers market if that's an option, because there's a potential for more flavourful, higher quality harvests.
And you aren't limited to veggies that are sold with roots still attached; you can do this with many herbs, greens and vegetables that are self-contained plants that can independently produce roots. (The method does not work, though, on produce such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and peppers.)
Here are five plant options for inspiration. All you need to get started is a cutting board and knife.
LETTUCE
Use a loose-leaf lettuce still attached to the stem, such as little gem or romaine, rather than lettuces that form a tight head (like iceberg), because they don't resprout well using this technique, according to Amy Pennington, author of Tiny Space Gardening. Cut the leaves off the stem about two inches (five centimetres) from the bottom. Then place the stump in a container with water coming halfway up its side. “Pint glasses work well because they get narrower toward the bottom so you can wedge the lettuce in,” Pennington says. “They also allow the roots plenty of room to grow, which is good because they can get to be three or four inches (7.6 or 10 cm), long.” Expect to start harvesting leaves to toss into your salads or slip into your sandwiches in as little as two weeks. Or you can wait until roots fully form, transplant the lettuce to a soil-filled pot and bide your time until the full head grows back.
SCALLIONS
“Scallions are a gateway allium,” Pennington says. “You get a lot of bang for your buck, because they grow fast.” Because they are usually sold with their roots still on, you have options in terms of starting the plants. You can retain an inch or two (2.5 — five cm), of the scallion's white bulb where the roots are attached, then place the stump in water covering the roots, or you can plant them directly in potting soil. In approximately three weeks, the newly formed green shoots can be used in omelettes or sprinkled on soups and rice dishes.
BASIL
“Basil is in the mint family, so anyone who's grown mint knows how fast it spreads,” Pennington says. “You could have garnishes all year long.” Snip off the top four to six inches (10 — 15 cm), of the basil stem, keeping the leaves on. Submerge the bottom of the stem in a couple of inches (five cm), of water and, once it has sprouted roots roughly one to two inches (five cm) long, transplant it to a soil-filled pot. In three to six weeks, Pennington says, new leaves will start appearing. Add them to pastas, pizzas, salads and cocktails.
CARROTS
When you're prepping these root vegetables, save the leafy tops with a quarter inch (six mm), of carrot still attached. Place them in a cup with sides tall enough to support the greens and enough water to submerge the remaining carrot. Small roots will form, but the real payoff is the profusion of new leafy greens, which taste like a cross between parsley and carrots. Emma Mcdonald, a content and communications manager for Spud. ca, where she writes about gardening, loves transforming them into a pesto or using them as a garnish for soups. They also taste delicious when simply seasoned and sautéed, she says.
CELERY
Save two inches (five cm), from the bottom of a bunch of celery and place it in a shallow bowl with about half an inch (12 mm), of water. After a week or two, you will be rewarded with delicate green shoots that can go in salads, or on top of soups and dips. Or wait until the roots are more fully developed, then plant the stalk in soil and watch as crunchy new stalks form.
HOW TO GROW VEGETABLES FROM SCRAPS
The most important element for any garden is light, so pick a windowsill that receives at least eight hours of full sun daily. If one is not available, Kandra suggests purchasing a grow light, available at garden centres, hardware stores or online. The plants will thrive in normal household temperatures, but avoid placing the scrap garden over a radiator, in front of a vent or next to a drafty window, because intense heat or cold can severely damage or kill plants.
Unless the plant comes with its roots still attached (think scallions), you will need to start it out growing in water. This approach requires mindfulness, though. “Stagnant water equals decay, so change it every couple of days,” Pennington says.
As far as planting vessels go, Pennington says, start by looking around the kitchen. Glasses, Mason jars, bowls, muffin tins and casserole dishes can all work well for starting plants in water. Once your cutting develops new roots, it can be transplanted to a well-drained pot filled with potting soil.