Hey there! So, picture this: you’re about to toss your kitchen waste into the garbage drum, right?
But hold up, pause for a second, and take a good look inside your waste bin.
Guess what? You’ll find a whole bunch of nutrient-rich kitchen scraps just waiting to be put to good use in your very own kitchen garden. How cool is that?
Here’s the thing: we tend to throw away loads of kitchen scraps without realizing their potential. We assume they’re not suitable for anything else.
But guess what? If we know how to use those scraps smartly, we can actually create an awesome kitchen scrap garden and give our kitchen plants the best kind of food they deserve.
So, my friends, in this article, we’re gonna dig deep into the topic of creating your very own kitchen scrap garden. We’ll show you how to make the most of those scraps to feed your kitchen garden plants and have a blast doing it.
If you’re curious and want all the juicy details, check out our complete guidebook that answers all your burning questions about the kitchen scrap garden.
Let’s get started!
What Does “Kitchen Scrap Gardening” Actually Mean?
Let’s talk about kitchen scrap gardening, which basically means using kitchen scraps to take care of your kitchen garden plants. It’s a fantastic way to condition the soil, grow new plants, and protect your plants from pests.
According to a report from the Food and Agricultural Organization, global food wastage amounts to a whopping 1.6 billion tonnes each year. Out of that, 1.3 billion tonnes consist of the edible part of the wasted food. By utilizing your nutrient-rich kitchen scraps to feed your kitchen garden plants, you’re actively participating in an intelligent food waste management system.
How awesome is that?
Now, when we’re busy cooking in our kitchen, we end up with a lot of scraps.
Think about it: when you’re preparing carrots, you usually cut off the top part and toss it into the kitchen bin.
The same goes for the bottom part of lettuce or potatoes with sprouting eyes. We often consider these scraps unusable for cooking, so we simply chuck them in the garbage.
But here’s the exciting part: you can actually put those unused scraps like vegetable and fruit seeds, peels, and more to great use. They can help you regrow new plants, fertilize your kitchen garden soil, and even keep pests at bay in an organic way.
Plus, using kitchen scraps in your garden helps reduce food waste. It’s a win-win situation!
So, why not give kitchen scrap gardening a try? You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish while making a positive impact on the environment.
Multiple Use Of Kitchen Scraps in The Kitchen Scrap Gardening
Source of different Seeds / Sprouts:
You can grow new plants by using your kitchen scraps.
| Vegetables/ Fruits/ Herbs | Name | How to regrow |
| Vegetable | Potato | > Don’t toss the potatoes for which eyes/sprouts come out. > Cut the potato into two halves.> Poke a toothpick in each half and put it in a glass of water so that the eye portion can be submerged in the water.> Within a couple of days, roots will come out and then transfer into the soil. |
| Pumpkin | > Don’t toss the seeds of the pumpkins.> Wash them well and air-dry them for a few days.> Plant those air-dried seeds in your kitchen garden.> Within a few days, you will get your pumpkin saplings in your kitchen garden. | |
| Onion | > Cut the roots of the onion with a 1-inch onion body.> Plant it in your kitchen garden or pots. You have to choose a suitable place so that the sunlight can reach you.> Water it regularly so that the soil remains moist.> Within a few days, you will meet the onion saplings. | |
| Garlic | > Plant a garlic clove in your kitchen garden or pots.> Water it regularly so that the soil remains moist.> You see your garlic baby plant within a few days. | |
| Carrot | > After cutting the mouth of the Carrot with its green part, don’t throw it into the dustbin.> Put it in a glass container with a little bit of water so that the part of the carrot is submerged.> Within a few days, you can see the green part is regrowing.> After some more days, the roots also start to sprout.> Now plant it in the soil. | |
| Radish | By applying the same method as carrots, you can regrow radishes also from kitchen scrap. | |
| Beetroot | Same as Carrots and Radishes, beetroot can be regrown from kitchen scrap. | |
| Tomatoes | > By planting washed and dried seeds of tomatoes into the kitchen garden or flower pots, new tomato plants can be regrown. | |
| Capsicum | > Cut the mouth of the capsicum.> Plant the capsicum scrap with some seeds in the kitchen garden or a pot.> Water it regularly.> Within a few days of 6-8 weeks, the new capsicum saplings will be visible. | |
| Lettuce | > Cut the lettuce leaving 1-2 inches from the bottom.> Put it in a glass of water so that the lower part of the lettuce is submerged.> Place the glass in a place where sunlight reaches.> Within 10-12 days, lettuce will take the form of consumption with the salad. | |
| Fruits | Lemon | > Don’t toss the lemon seeds into your garbage box.> Wash it properly and air-dry it.> Now plant it in your kitchen garden.> Within a few days enjoy the fresh lemons of your kitchen garden. |
| Mango | > By planting the mango seed, you can get the flavor of fresh mango in your kitchen garden. | |
| Berry | > Like lemon and mango, you can see the berry sapling in your kitchen garden by planting its scrap seeds. | |
| Avocado | > Collect the avocado seed from your kitchen scrap.>Poke 3-4 toothpicks and submerged the broad end into a glass of water.> Place the glass in an area where sunlight can reach.> Change the water regularly.> Within a few days, the roots of the avocado will be visible.> Wait for some more days so that the stem starts to appear.> Now transfer it into the soil of your kitchen garden. | |
| Pineapple | > Cut the top of the pineapple.> Then place it in a glass of water to submerge the part of the pineapple.> Let’s wait for some days so that the roots come out.> Now place it in your kitchen garden. | |
| Pear | > Collect the seeds of the pear.> Wash it thoroughly and keep it in a ziplock bag for a few weeks.> After two weeks, you will find the roots are coming out from the seeds.> Now plant it in your kitchen garden. | |
| Cherry | > Collect the seeds of the cherry and keep them in a refrigerator.> Within a few days, the germination will start.> When the roots become visible, you can plant them in your kitchen garden for the cherry plant. | |
| Plum | > Don’t toss the plum seeds into the garbage box.> Wash it thoroughly and air-dry it.> Crack the outer hard cover of the plum seed and collect the actual seed which is useful for regrowing inside the hardcover.> First plant the seed into a jar full of nutrient-rich soil.> After a few days, germination will complete.> Then plant it in your kitchen garden. | |
| Herbs | Coriander | > Don’t toss the leftovers of the stems. > Put it in a glass of water and place the glass where sunlight can come.> Within a few days, roots will come out.> Then plant it in a pot. |
| Basil | > Plant the basil seeds in a pot.> You can see the new plant within a few days. | |
| Aloe vera | > Cut the leaves of the aloe vera and make it pieces with at least one nodule.> Make sure that the main stem shouldn’t be damaged.> New plant will regrow from the nodules. | |
| Mint | > By applying the same procedure, you can regrow mint from the kitchen scraps.> In the case of mint, the pot should be wide as mint can spread quickly. | |
| Parsley | > Following the same procedure as coriander and mint, parsley can also be regrown from kitchen scraps. |
Sources of Organic fertilizer and pesticides
Following are the uses of kitchen scraps as organic fertilizer and pesticides for your kitchen garden.
| Kitchen scrap | Uses |
| Vegetable peels | Rich in nutrients, minerals, and vitamins, these peels are good alternatives for fertilizers for your kitchen garden. |
| Cooking water | Don’t throw cooking water. Use it at the time of watering your kitchen plants. Your plants will get natural minerals. |
| Rotten pieces of vegetables | Add them to the soil of your kitchen garden as a source of nutrients for plants. |
| Tea leaves | Add them to the soil. Act as a good fertilizer. |
| Eggshells | Calcium presence in egg shells strengthens the roots of the plants, |
| Chili seeds | Work as insecticides, and pesticides. |
| Coffee filters | Improve the soil quality by allowing aeration of the soil. |
| Citrus fruits peels | Peels of citrus fruits are rich in vitamins and thus help in the healthy growth of plants. |
| Mature neem leaves | Work as pesticides and insecticides. |
| Pepper spray | Work as a pesticide and insecticide. |
Vermicompost
Vermicomposting is a fantastic way to make soil conditioners from household waste using red wiggler worms. It’s an amazing fertilizer for plants!
Here’s a simple guide on how to prepare your own vermicompost:
i) Find a bin with air holes in the lid.
ii) Fill the bin with fertilizer-free soil.
iii) Add your vegetable and fruit peels to the soil.
iv) Place the red wigglers in the bin.
v) Moisturize the soil by watering it.
vi) In just a few days, your vermicompost will be ready to use!
While vermicomposting is highly beneficial, you may encounter a couple of challenges:
Odor:
Lack of airflow can result in a not-so-pleasant smell coming from your vermicompost. To prevent this, ensure there’s enough ventilation in the bin to keep the air circulating.
Insects:
Rotten fruit and vegetable scraps might attract insects to the compost bin. To address this, periodically cover the scraps with a layer of soil or bedding material to keep them hidden and reduce the likelihood of attracting unwanted bugs.
By following these easy steps and being aware of potential issues, you’ll be well on your way to creating nutrient-rich vermicompost for your plants.
Please check out the following link to get detailed knowledge about vermicomposting.
Mulching:
Some kitchen scraps, like shredded or chopped vegetable peels, can be used as mulch in your garden beds.
Spread a layer of kitchen scraps around your plants to help retain moisture, suppress weed growth, and add organic matter to the soil as they break down.
This method also reduces the amount of waste going to landfills.
Please check out the following link to get detailed knowledge about mulching.
How Can You Prepare The Soil For Kitchen Scrap Gardening?
Adding Compost or Organic Matter
Boost your soil quality by incorporating kitchen scraps, organic matter, and compost.
This simple step will enhance the nourishment of the soil, retain moisture, improve aeration, and add beneficial microorganisms to the soil.
Please check out the following link to learn more about the importance of compost and organic matter.
Add Fertilizer to Amend the Soil
Give your kitchen garden the nutrients it needs by amending the soil with fertilizers.
Consider adding kitchen scraps to the amended soil for better results in regrowing new plants from these scraps.
Inorganic fertilizers are easily available in packaged forms from the market.
However, if you prefer an organic herb garden, opt for organic fertilizers or even create your own organic fertilizer at home.
Testing Soil pH (Acidity level)
Soil pH plays a vital role in nutrient availability for your kitchen garden plants.
A pH level of 7.0 is considered neutral, below 7.0 indicates acidity, and above 7.0 signifies alkalinity.
Herbs generally thrive in a pH range of 6 to 7.5, with 6.5 being the preferred level for growing vegetables.
If your soil pH deviates below 5.5 or above 7.5, soil modification and amendments may be necessary.
Please check out the following link to get detailed insights into soil pH levels.
Mulching:
Consider applying a layer of organic mulch, such as straw or wood chips, around your plants after planting. Mulch helps retain moisture, suppress weed growth, and maintain consistent soil temperatures.
Advantages Of Having Your Own Kitchen Scrap Garden
Here are the benefits of kitchen scrap gardening:
Reduce food waste:
Leftover food or non-consumable parts of food contribute to food waste. Instead of throwing these scraps in the garbage, using them to feed your kitchen garden plants can help reduce food waste.
Saves Money:
Rather than buying fertilizers and vermicompost for your plants, using kitchen scraps as organic fertilizer can save you money.
You can also save on expenses for purchasing new seeds and baby plants. You do not have to buy veggies and herbs for cooking.
A good hobby to nurture:
Maintaining a kitchen garden is not only a fulfilling hobby but also a way to avoid food waste.
Embracing this practice allows you to combine your passion for gardening with the responsible use of kitchen scraps.
By utilizing your kitchen scraps in these positive ways, you can minimize waste, save money, promote healthy plant growth, and cultivate a rewarding hobby. Start making the most of your kitchen waste by nourishing your garden!
Sustainable gardening(and living):
By utilizing kitchen scraps, you practice sustainable gardening methods.
Rather than relying solely on synthetic fertilizers and soil amendments, you enrich your soil with organic matter and nutrients from kitchen waste, promoting a more natural and eco-friendly approach to gardening.
Improves soil fertility:
Kitchen scraps, when composted or incorporated into the soil, enhance soil fertility.
They introduce organic matter, which improves soil structure, promotes beneficial microbial activity, and increases nutrient availability to plants.
The improved fertility contributes to healthier plant growth and higher yields.
Promotes biodiversity:
A kitchen scrap garden attracts a variety of beneficial organisms to your garden, such as earthworms, insects, and microorganisms.
These organisms help break down the composted materials, aerate the soil, and enhance nutrient cycling.
The increased biodiversity contributes to a more resilient and balanced ecosystem.
Alternative sources of healthy food:
Instead of discarding kitchen scraps, they can provide valuable nutrients to your kitchen garden plants.
The plants will consume the kitchen scraps and you can eat the fresh vegetables and herbs from your kitchen garden.
Challenges And Precautions Need To Be Taken Care Of
Using kitchen scraps as fertilizer for your kitchen garden is a fantastic option, but there are some drawbacks too. Let’s discuss them one by one.
Bad odor:
Kitchen scraps can sometimes produce a bad odor, so it’s best to avoid keeping them inside your house.
After each use, collect the scraps in a bin box and place it in a secluded area of your kitchen garden.
Insects:
The unpleasant odor from the scraps may attract insects. To prevent this, never keep the scraps inside your house or kitchen. Keep them in an outdoor location.
Contamination risk:
There is a possibility of contamination from the scraps. To minimize this risk, it’s important to keep your kitchen scraps outside of your house. This helps in avoiding potential contamination issues.
Avoid using dead plants:
When using kitchen scraps to feed your plants, be careful not to use scraps from deceased plants as fertilizer for other plants. This can lead to bacterial contamination and negatively affect the health of your other plants.
By following these simple precautions, you can make the most of your kitchen scraps as fertilizer for your kitchen garden while avoiding potential issues.
Composting balance:
Maintain a proper balance of carbon-rich (browns) and nitrogen-rich (greens) materials in your compost pile when incorporating kitchen scraps. Too much of one type can result in an imbalanced compost that doesn’t break down efficiently or provides inadequate nutrients.
Monitoring and adjustments:
Regularly monitor your garden for any negative effects from using kitchen scraps. Watch for signs of nutrient deficiencies or excesses, pest or disease issues, or any other abnormalities. Adjust your composting practices or nutrient inputs accordingly to maintain a healthy garden environment.
Conclusion and Take Away!
We have discussed that Kitchen scrap gardens are an easy way to reduce food waste, save money, and get started with gardening. With a little bit of space, watering, and sunlight, you can grow fresh herbs and vegetables from your kitchen scraps. It’s a great way to explain about sustainability and the importance of recycling. So next time you’re about to throw away your vegetable scraps, think twice! You might just be able to grow something new.
I’ve addressed all the common questions about the kitchen scrap garden. If you’re curious about other cool farming methods or the best veggies and herbs for your home garden, check out my other articles in the related post section below or the recent post section at the top-right.
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Reference:
- Source: 1 – Food and Agricultural Organisation
- Source: 2 – United States Environmental Protection Agency
Misty S is the founder and lead writer at GrowOrganicGreens.com, a comprehensive gardening resource dedicated to helping people cultivate beautiful and sustainable gardens. She has a Master’s degree in Economics and specialized studies in agricultural economics, horticulture, and soil science. Drawing from her extensive knowledge and experience, Misty shares practical gardening tips on soil preparation, organic manure composting, fertilizers, plant care, and indoor gardening, making her advice accessible and helpful to gardeners of all levels.
Despite having an high-demanding 9-5 job, Misty dedicates her personal time to researching and exploring various gardening topics. Her keen interest in gardening has grown into a passion, driving her to help new gardeners and anyone interested in starting their gardening journey.
Follow Misty’s work and the latest gardening insights and updates on Pinterest. You can reach out to Misty at mistysblogging@gmail.com.