Next time you’re about to toss vegetable scraps into the compost bin — stop!   Some of the pieces we throw away can be used to grow a new plant!  At this session, we’ll tackle a project that can help you save money, cut down on food waste, and develop a green thumb.  Learn techniques to identify which plants you can regrow, and how to help them thrive in your own kitchen garden.   

 

Preparation: For our first activity, you will need a container for growing your food, soil, and water, a clear plastic cup or pop bottle (optional), and one or more food scraps.  Choices include carrot tops, celery crown, green onion base, potatoes, pineapple crown, garlic, ginger root, lettuce crown. For our second activity, you’ll need another jar with a lid, and some kitchen waste (eg. eggshells, coffee grounds, inside of tea bags, vegetable or fruit cuttings). No dairy or meat.

 

Expert: Sara Stricker is a plant scientist and PhD candidate at the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph.  She studies plant pathology – diseases that harm plants – and how to defend against them.