Kitchen Scrap Gardening with KidsGardening
Mahoney’s is proud to be a sponsor of the KidsGardening Garden Youth Grant Program, an initiative that aligns with our mission to create opportunities for kids to play, learn, and grow through gardening. Check out some of the activities below to bring that mission into your own life!
Looking for a creative and eco-friendly way to teach kids about sustainability? Kitchen scrap gardening is a fantastic way to transform leftover fruits and vegetables into new plants, giving them a second life. Not only does it cut down on food waste, but it’s also a fun and hands-on way to teach kids about plant life cycles, recycling, and the importance of reusing. Plus, who wouldn’t love growing their own mini citrus orchard or tropical plants right in their kitchen?
What Is Kitchen Scrap Gardening?
Kitchen scrap gardening involves taking the parts of fruits and vegetables you’d normally toss into the compost or trash and using them to grow new plants. From sprouting seeds to regrowing tubers and root crops, this method offers a fun, interactive way to garden indoors, and it’s suitable for all ages.
Whether you have citrus seeds, sweet potatoes, or ginger sitting around, you’ll be surprised by how many scraps can be turned into a thriving indoor garden.
Materials You’ll Need:
- A variety of fruit and vegetable scraps (oranges, lemons, sweet potatoes, avocados, carrots, beets, onions, ginger, etc.)
- Growing containers
- Potting soil
- Water
Mini greenhouse for seedlings on the windowsill.
How to Get Started with Kitchen Scrap Gardening
- Gather Your Scraps: Start by raiding your kitchen or refrigerator for potential candidates. Some of the best scraps for growing new plants include citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes), sweet potatoes, avocados, carrots, beets, onions, and ginger. Believe it or not, you can use all these to create new plants and have some fun experiments along the way.
- Planting Your Scraps: Each type of fruit or vegetable grows differently, so here are some specific instructions for popular kitchen scraps you can start with:
Starting Citrus Seeds (Oranges, Lemons, Limes):
Citrus fruits are great to grow in the winter, and their seeds can be easily turned into new houseplants. After removing the seeds, plant three or four of them about an inch deep in a small pot filled with moistened potting soil. Within two to four weeks, you’ll see sprouts emerging! While it will take years before any fruit appears (if at all), kids will love the fragrant leaves that smell just like the fruit they came from.
Avocado Pits:
Growing an avocado plant is always a hit with kids. You can start it either in soil or by suspending the pit over water. To use the water method, poke three toothpicks around the middle of the avocado pit and rest the toothpicks on the rim of a glass of water, with the bottom of the pit submerged. Within a month or two, roots and a sprout will begin to emerge, making it a fun, slow-burn project to watch. Once the roots and sprout are well-established, transfer the pit to a pot filled with soil.
Sweet Potatoes:
Sweet potatoes are a classic kitchen scrap plant. Poke toothpicks around the middle of the sweet potato and balance it over a water-filled glass so that the bottom half is submerged. In just a few weeks, roots will sprout from the water, and green vines will grow from the top. Once the roots are well-developed, you can transplant the sweet potato into soil for a unique houseplant.
Ginger:
Ginger is easy to grow and smells amazing! Place a chunk of ginger in moist potting soil or suspend it over water using toothpicks. Before long, roots will form, and new shoots will sprout from the top, filling your home with the spicy, fresh scent of ginger. Once roots are visible, transfer the ginger to a container filled with soil.
Carrots and Beets:
Kids love using root vegetables like carrots and beets because they can be “beheaded” to grow new green tops. Simply cut off the top 1-2 inches of the vegetable and place it in a shallow dish filled with water and pebbles for support. After a week or so, you’ll start to see new green growth sprouting from the top. Once the greens are strong, you can plant the root in soil to keep it growing.
Pineapples:
For a tropical twist, you can grow a pineapple plant from the top of a pineapple. Cut off the crown (about an inch from the fruit), scoop out the flesh, and let it dry for a day or two. Then, place the crown in a shallow dish filled with pebbles and water. In a couple of weeks, roots will appear, and new shoots will begin to grow from the top. Once rooted, plant the pineapple crown in soil for an impressive tropical plant.
Onions and Garlic:
For kitchen scraps you can eat, try planting old cloves of garlic or onions in soil. Place them just below the surface, and within a few weeks, you’ll have fresh greens growing from the tops, perfect for adding to salads or stir-fries. These are quick and easy kitchen scrap plants that offer a sustainable way to enjoy fresh ingredients.
- Place Your Plants in a Sunny Window:
After planting your kitchen scraps, place the containers in a sunny spot, preferably near a window where they’ll get plenty of light. Water regularly and watch your indoor garden grow!
Why Kitchen Scrap Gardening?
Kitchen scrap gardening is more than just a fun project; it’s a way to teach kids about the value of recycling and reusing. By regrowing food from scraps, children learn how to reduce waste and find creative ways to live more sustainably. Plus, it’s exciting for kids to see how a seed or pit from their lunch can turn into a new plant, sparking their curiosity and encouraging a connection to nature.
Give it a try and see how many new plants you can grow from the kitchen scraps you have at home. Happy gardening!
Full Instructions Here!
