FullPlate_joomag Winter Edition 2016 | Page 12

Eating Local Indoor Winter Gardening When the winter blahs set in and your dreaming of fresh greens from your summer garden, consider growing indoors. Not only do plants cleanse your household air and improve the aesthetics of any indoor space, they can provide you with a wealth of yummy, organic foods. City dwellers may find growing indoors especially useful. Plants don’t need to take up much space — a windowsill is fine if that’s all you have. For others, the indoor garden may become starter plants for an outdoor garden come spring. HERBS CHIVES OREGANO ROSEMARY PARSLEY SAGE BASIL THYME MINT Place in a small pot in the sunniest part of your kitchen—the herbs will need approximately four hours of sun each day. Trim as needed, or preserve in olive oil for use at a later date. ONIONS SCALLIONS GARLIC SCAPES tip: Temperatures of 65-75°F are best for most plants. Plants that are too hot will be small and weak. Plants grown at too-cold temperatures may have yellow leaves that fall off. Place the root ends in a small jar with a few inches of water, put them in a sunny spot, and watch them grow! Change the water once each week. SPROUTS ADZUKI ALFALFA BEET BROCCOLI CHICKPEA FENUGREEK LENTIL MUNG ONION RED CABBAGE SNOW PEAS WHEATGRASS 10 | fullplatemag.com Pour seeds into your jar, fill it with water, and leave the seeds to soak for 8–10 hours. After soaking, drain water and rinse the seeds in fresh cold water and drain again and place it in a light area out of direct sun. Rinse and drain the seeds with cold water twice a day to keep them clean and moist. GREENS CARROT TOPS ROMAINE LETTUCE CELERY Chop off carrot tops and place in a dish filled with a 1/2” of water; set on a sunny windowsill and watch the greens grow. To regrow celery and lettuce, place the base in a shallow dish of water in the sun, wait 3-5 days, and you’ll see regrowth! For best results, transplant in soil after the first sprouts appear. winter edition | 11