Today on Grow! with Katie, we got to hang out with Rachel Stein from Kid’s Gardening and do a fun gardening project with Katie's 5 year old daughter, Quinn!

For those of us who live in an apartment or without a yard, we’re always envious of those who have their own gardening areas for planting and regrowing vegetables. It’s the accessibility, the cost savings, and the knowing that nothing toxic is going into your food.

But did you know that there are actually many vegetables out there you can regrow from scrap even without a garden? It’s fun, free, sustainable, and delicious. So before you throw out those food scraps, check to see if it’s something that you can regrow in your home.

Kidsgardening.org has so many projects to teach kids about the importance of plants, indoors and out.  During the pandemic with parks, schools and daycares being closed, you can utilize those extra moments with your little ones by gardening and growing for your family. 

Today, Rachel taught Katie and Quinn some great tips on how to grow their own veggies from their kitchen scraps! A great way to make the most of your veggie pits and cuttings.

https://kidsgardening.org/garden-activities-kitchen-scrap-gardening/

Here are a few they tried:

1. Romaine Lettuce, Bok Choy, Cabbage! Leave the stump of the lettuce in a bowl and fill the water halfway. Once the leaves have regrown for a few days, transfer stumps into soil.
2. Basil, Mint, and Cilantro- herbs are easy. Make sure there’s about 2-3” of stem. Place the stems upright in water. When new roots begin to sprout, transfer into a pot of soil
3. Sweet Potatoes- another easy veggie to sprout, but you need some serious real estate–it’s probably not suitable for an apartment. Stick toothpicks around a sweet potato to prop it up in at the rim of a glass, only half-emerging it in water. When the roots reach about three to four inches, plant it in soil.
4. Potatoes- Just leave your spud in a dark corner, forget about it, and it’ll just sprout. Cut a potato in half. And where you see the dented “eyes” on the skin, plant the potatoes in soil with the “eyes” facing up. That’s where the plant will begin to sprout in a couple weeks.
5. Garlic- take a cloves, the older the better, and plant it pointy side up in some moistened soil. Transfer to garden when sprouts.

For more projects to try with your kiddos, check out www.Kidsgardening.org and watch this episode of Grow! with Katie!