Beat The Seed Shortage

Growing your own is a sustainable, organic and cost-effective way to eat. The current seed shortage has left many home growers with little produce in their gardens but Lynne Lambourne and GARDENA have shared their expert tips so you can grow salad produce from your leftovers using propagation.

Lynne said, “You can easily use your leftover stalks to grow your own salad essentials with this method, you can even grow your own herbs and spices. Not only does this reduce your household waste but you don’t need lots of space to do it. It’s a great skill to learn and also a fantastic way to teach children how to be more sustainable. Gardening can also provide headspace and can be a brilliant therapy – so everyone should get growing!”

To help home growers, Lynne has shared the seedless re-growing methods for each of the produce below:

1. LETTUCE

Start with the staple salad ingredient, both gem and romaine varieties work well. You need to keep the stalk that you would normally waste and place this in a glass or clear container with some water and lots of sunlight; windowsills and balconies work well. Change the water daily and as the days pass you will begin to see the stem sprout, once the sprout has grown and the roots begin to show its planting time.

Using the GARDENA Comfort Hand Tools Set , which includes a Comfort Hand Trowel, Flower Rake and Hand Rake, you will have everything you need to begin planting your lettuce. Create a small space in some damp potting soil, make sure the area has lots of sunlight. If you haven’t got access to a garden, try the NatureUp! Basic Set Vertical, to create your very own vertical vegetable wall. And to limit gardening mess use the city gardening Planting mat S, which will protect your work surfaces and reduce mess once you’ve finished using it can be washed and folded for easy storage too.

2. CELERY

Save the white root ends of the celery stalks, follow the same method the lettuce, but this time use the white roots of the stalks and place them into water with good sunlight, be sure to change the water daily and when the leaves start to sprout plant the growing roots in damp soil. Use the GARDENA Mirco-drip Starter set to keep your crops well hydrated, the clever irrigation system which can save up to 70% water whilst keeping your plants at optimal hydration due to accuracy of the root watering.

3. SPRING ONIONS

Keep the roots of the onions and cover them in water, with access to lots of sunlight, change the water daily and you will have new produce in a couple of days.

4. HERBS

Herbs are the perfect way to add seasoning to dishes, they can easily be grown without seeds and make the perfect piece of produce to have access to. Growing root herbs such as ginger and garlic follow a slightly different process., one which the GARDENA NatureUp! Basic Set Corner works perfectly for.

For ginger, you’ll need some a piece of left-over ginger, plant in well-watered potting soil with the head of the ginger popping out of the soil. Keep this in your home at approximately 20 degrees, in a couple of weeks green shoots will appear and your spice is ready.

As for the garlic, wait until your garlic begins to sprout before using the GARDENA Blub Planter to carefully plant the bulb in the soil. Keep the soil hydrated with plenty of access to sunlight, once the sprouts begin to appear your garlic bulb will be ready.

Taryn Griesse, GARDENA’S UK Trade Marketing Manager said, “Lynne’s vegetable growing techniques are a brilliant way for us all to learn ways to become more self-sufficient and reduce our waste. GARDENA pursues a “Sustainovate’ initiative in order to reduce our carbon emissions and focuses on water-conserving garden irrigation solutionsthat save water, money and time. Our clever watering products ensure that Every Drop Counts.  

ENDS