5 Vegetables You Can Grow From Scraps!

Did you know that many of the stalks, beans, roots and seeds that end up in the trash could actually be the beginning of your future meals? If you do the grocery shopping for your family you will know that buying food isn’t cheap. With only a few easy-to-follow steps you can grow your own food from your kitchen bench. If you’re ready to take your commitment to locally grown food to the next level then keep reading.

Celery

Celery has got to be one of the easiest foods to grow from leftover scraps. Simply follow the steps below.

1. Cut the base off your celery and place it into a bowl with a little warm water in the bottom.
2. Place the bowl in direct sunlight for as long as possible every day.
3. After 1 or 2 weeks you will see the leaves begin to thicken and new leaves begin to grow.
4. Once leaves thicken and new leaf growth can be seen, transplant your celery in soil and wait for it to grow.

 

Coriander

Coriander can regrow roots and grow new plants once replanted. Follow the steps below to grow your own bunch of coriander.

1. Trim back the leaves from the bottom of the stems and place into a bowl of water.
2. Place the jar into a sunny area and change the water every other day.
3. Once the stems have sprouted plenty of new roots, plant in a pot with good quality soil.
4. In a few months you will have a fully-grown plant.
5. Remember to water regularly.

 

Ginger

Ginger is a great addition to soups and stir-fries but it can also be expensive. Here are some tips to help you grow your own ginger from scraps.

1. Cut off a 2 to 3 inch section of ginger from an existing piece you have at home.
2. Place in potting soil with the smallest buds facing down buried into the soil.
3. Place the pot in indirect sunlight until ginger begins to grow new shoots and roots.
4. Next, pull up the entire plant including the new roots.
5. Remove a piece of the new ginger rhizome and repeat again.

 

Beans Sprouts

Bean sprouts are the perfect snack or addition to a salad. Check out the steps below to see how to grow your own bean sprouts.

1. In a container, soak 1 to 2 tablespoons of the beans you wish to sprout (mung beans work best).
2. Cover with shallow water and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
3. In the morning, drain off the water and put the beans back into the container.
4. Cover the container with a towel overnight and rinse the following morning.
5. Continue this process until you notice the beans beginning to sprout.

 

Pumpkins

Pumpkins are filled with seeds that we always dispose of without thinking. Here are the steps you need to grow pumpkins from your own backyard.

1. Next time you cut open a pumpkin, save a few fresh seeds for planting
2. Spread the seeds out in a sunny area and cover with soil
3. Keep the soil moist and water only when needed
4. The seeds will begin to sprout in only a couple of days