Trash Can Wonders

Trash Can Wonders: Growing Your Garden From Scraps
Ever wonder what would happen if you planted the seeds from your orange, pomegranate, or avocado.  Many common fruits and vegetables can be rooted and grown on a windowsill.  Scraps offer a great opportunity to experiment and learn what will grow.  And, what won't!

Citrus Buddies: Lemons, Limes, Oranges and Grapefruits
After you have gobbled up that orange or juiced a lemon or lime, save the seeds.  Fill several pots with rich potting soil and then plant the seeds ½”down in the soil.  Multiple seeds can be planted in each pot.  Once the seedlings have emerged from the soil you can transplant them into their own pots.

Tomatoes
Gather the seeds from a ripe tomato and spread them in a pot prepared with rich, organic potting soil.  Make sure you cover your tomato seedlings and keep them at a temperate 60º F.  Once they have developed their first leaves, gently transplant them to a new pot.

Avocados
Once you have removed that enormous seed from the heart of an avocado (with help from an adult, please), rinse it until all bits of flesh have been removed.  Poke three toothpicks into the seed and suspend it in a glass of water with the bottom of the seed just touching the water.  Keep it in indirect sunlight for three to eight weeks, the seed will split and a root will emerge.  Move to a sunnier location until you are ready to transplant it into a pot.  Mangoes and lychees can also be propagated this way.

Onions and Garlic
If left long enough, these pungent vegetables will sprout all on their own!  To help them along, simple pop a clove of garlic or an onion into a prepared pot or rich, organic well-drained soil and wait for the leaves and spectacular flowers to spike.

Carrots
Cut 1” from the top of your carrot and place it cut side down in a saucer of water and pebbles.  Place the saucer in a sunny spot and new leaves should soon emerge.  This also works with other root plants like beets, parsnips, turnips and rutabagas.

Pineapples
Slice off the top inch of your pineapple (remember to do so with the help of an adult, please) and scrape away as much of the flesh as you can.  Leave your pineapple top out for several days to dry, or callus, which will prevent rotting.  Next, plant in well-drained, rich organic potting soil, place in a warm spot and wait for your new houseplant to take off!