Growing plants using household rejects

Growing plants using household rejects

Do you buy fruit in those little plastic punnets? What happens to them afterwards? Chucked into the recycling bin? How about using them to grow plants, veg, salad or herbs?

Never grown plants before? No problem!!

Live in a flat? No problem!!

As we are currently in lockdown garden centres are closed. You can order things online, or when you do your weekly shop you can pick up a small bag of compost and some seeds at the supermarket. Most supermarkets have compost outside, Lidl usually has seeds by the doors.

Just get a Multi-purpose compost, any will do, this is one I picked up at Lidl...

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Some of the boxes will already have holes in the bottom, but if they do not, get something pointy like a scewer and make some holes. If the box has ridges in it, like this green one. Make the holes in the higher bit, so that the water can collect a little bit in the lower sections, but it can also drain out when the water gets too high.

Then you are ready to add the compost in!

Then the best bit, you get to add in some seeds! Choose which seeds you would like to grow. If you are doing all the growing on your window box choose small things for example a brocolli plant will get too big!

Suggestions of things which do well on windowsills..

Different types of lettuce are great, like rocket and watercress

Or herbs such as Basil or Parsley

Or small flowers can also be nice.

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When planting, make sure the seeds are evenly spread and don't over do it, otherwise it will get messy in there!

Keep each type of seed to one box so as not to get them confused. Then use an old lolly stick to write on the seeds which you have planted in each punnet.

The seed packet will tell you the right time of year to plant and how often to water. Usually I sprinkle a little bit of water each day, but never over water (unless you are growing watercress, read the instructions for this one).

Try and put the punnets on the sunniest windowsill too. Oh and put something under the punnets, like a plate or lid from a large ice cream tub to collect any water that escapes.

Then check every day to see the progress, it's really exciting to see those first little sproutings! If you have a garden, you can then transfer the seedlings outside when they are big enough... but you don't have to if you want to keep an eye on them and eat the lovely fresh rocket for your tea!

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