Don't Throw It, Grow It...

I ran across this article the other day and really enjoyed it. I wanted to pass it on and share it. Hope you like it too!
xo Krissy

Moving back to Brooklyn after spending four years in the Bay Area has left me wistful for public composting bins, local produce year-round, and community-supported agriculture sans waiting lists. Fortunately, when in need of consolation, I can turn to such rich resources as Don't Throw it, Grow it! by Deborah Peterson and Millicent Selsam. This portable little book is chock-full of instructions for growing windowsill plants from kitchen scraps — perfect for self-reliant urban gardening! Check out these tips for cultivating your own lemongrass, one of my favorite herbs.

You can start new plants by using various different parts of a parent plant, such as roots, tubers, bulbs, seeds, or cuttings. Different parts of the plant require different growing methods. Start large tubers or seeds and bulbs in water, over pebbles, in soil, or in a sphagnum bag. Small seeds require just one method: soil or peat. In many cases, after you have started your plants, you will transfer the sprouted plants to containers with soil. Some plants, however, are best left in pebbles with water.

Starting Plants in Water. Large tubers, pits, or roots, such as sweet potatoes, daikon, arrowhead, and water chestnuts, can be started in water. Suspend the tuber, pit, or root in water by piercing the flesh or pit with bamboo skewers. (Toothpicks are too weak to hold these plants as they start to grow.) Plants started in water should be transplanted to soil when they have 4 inches of roots. The roots are quite brittle and should be handled with care.

Arrowhead and water chestnuts can be floated in bowls of water until they develop roots that are 4 inches long. Be sure to add charcoal to their water. Use one part "activated charcoal" to four parts water. This helps to keep the water sweet. The charcoal can be purchased in garden or pet centers.

What it Looks Like. Lemongrass in an ornamental plant with long, thin, bright green leaves. The stalks are stiff and hard. It is available year-round in Asian markets and some larger supermarkets.

How to Grow it. Nothing could be simpler. Lemongrass stalks, including bulbs and the leaves, are sold in bunches. Be sure to buy a bunch that has some of the grass blades showing. Place in a tall glass with enough water to cover the bulbous end of the stalk. Put a tablespoon of activated charcoal in the water. The roots will start to grow within a week. When the stalks have 2- to 3-inch long roots, it is time to transplant them.

The supersaturated roots are brittle and should be handled carefully. Cut off the top half of each stalk; the roots are not strong enough to support the full length. Use 6-inch pots filled with very moist potting soil. Make a hole in the soil that is large and deep enough to hold the roots and bulbous end, and plant one stalk in each pot. Keep the plant moist at all times. If you have a garden, transplant the lemongrass as soon as the weather is warm. If you live in the Northern latitudes, you must bring the plant in for the winter.

Time to Taste. You can eat the entire plant. Steep finely chopped leaves to make tea. Crush the bulbous root, much as you would a garlic clove, and add to Asian and Caribbean dishes. Lemongrass is said to relieve headaches and muscle cramps, and aid digestion.

Big Thanks to Deborah Peterson, Millicent Selsam, and all the folks at Storey Publishing for sharing this article with us.