Grow Your Own Greens
Time:Time: 30 minutes to start, then 10-14 days to wait!
Difficulty:Easy
Growing greens from scraps is a great way to practice regenerative farming, right in your own home!
Here’s what you need:
- A lettuce core (any kind) cut 5-7 cm from the bottom, or a few 10-15 cm herb stems (basil, mint, and oregano work best) with lower leaves, buds, and flowers removed
- Lettuce: a shallow bowl or container and four toothpicks
Herbs: A clean glass or jar for each stem - Water
- A sunny spot
- A grownup’s help
Here’s how you make it:
Step 1: Set your plant into a container that will help them grow!
Lettuce: Place the core in a container and insert toothpicks on four sides to hold it in place.
Herbs: Place each stem in a glass or jar.
Step 2: Fill your container with water.
Lettuce: Add just enough water to the container to cover the bottom third of the lettuce.
Herbs: Fill each glass or jar with water — just don’t submerge the leaves!
Step 3: Find a sunny spot!
Lettuce and Herbs: Place in a sunny spot, like a ledge or windowsill. Check each day and add more water to replace any water that has evaporated. Replace the water completely every few days.
Step 4: Watch your plant grow!
Lettuce: Within a few days, new leaves will sprout from the center of the lettuce core. In 10-12 days, the lettuce should be tall enough to use. When your lettuce is ready, add it to a salad or sandwich!
Herbs: Wait for the roots to grow — this can take a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Once you see roots, just snip off leaves as you need them!
Don’t forget to check on the spot, but be patient – remember that a plant takes days to germinate