Urban biodiversity and gardening out of your kitchen
By Giovanna Lanius-Pascuzzi and Eva Schenk of the Food Committee
Spring is a wonderful time of the year, with the warming weather and increased sunlight hours appreciated by both people and plants. Spring, considered by some an ideal time to begin new things (compounded by the lifestyle changes triggered by Covid-19), has prompted many individuals to adjust their habits and pick up new hobbies.
One activity that has gained notable traction recently is gardening. Gardening has been linked to stress and anxiety reduction, along with increased serotonin and improved mood. You also get a sense of self-accomplishment, motivation to eat healthier and it is a great way to get fresh and tasty food for free!
Our modern agricultural system is responsible for putting extreme pressure on our landscapes and degrading the areas where plants and animals live, alongside the high climate emissions from the sector. Tackling the food system and beginning to produce our own food is, therefore, a great way to support biodiversity! Don鈥檛 have access to a back garden where you can get your hands dirty and plant some veggies? No fear! Become an urban gardener by adding vegetation to your living space, balcony, or roof. Be creative with the containers used and try to reuse from around the house if possible.
Want to try out urban gardening? Here are three easy step-by-step guides, tried and tested by the Green Office to get you started!
A. Green Onions
Green onions are really easy to regrow, ensuring you can always have fresh green onions on hand and saving you time and money! Keep in mind, the fresher the plant is the better it will regrow. They can either be harvested directly from regrowing them in water or transplanted into soil for longer-lasting plants.
1. Save the bottom 3-5cm of the green onion (white part) and place into water. (A shot glass works excellent for this.)
2. Wait about a week. During growth, remember to change the water every couple of days or so.
3. After allowing some growth (~5-10cm), transplant to soil. Put the white portion underground and allow the greens to remain above ground. Ensure you plant in a well-drained vessel (e.g. has holes in the bottom).
4. Keep the soil damp but not overly wet.
5. Harvest greens by cutting them from the bulb with scissors OR harvest the whole plant by uprooting. (Note the latter will mean sacrificing the plant.)
B. Sprouting
Consider yourself as too impatient to grow your own food? Well, rethink that assumption! When growing sprouts, it only takes you two to four days until you can harvest and enjoy them. You can easily grow them in your kitchen and you don鈥檛 even need to mess around with soil. Eating sprouts also brings you many health benefits. They are not only full of plant-based protein but also contain high amounts of Zinc, Magnesium, Iron, Vitamin A and C, just to name a few. Sounds interesting? Here is how to do it:
1. Pick the type of sprout you want to grow. For example, lentils, beans, peas and quinoa. There is more information on the internet, so get inspired. Make sure that your seeds are organic.
2. Get yourself a mason jar to grow your sprouts in. Just take any glass jar you have at home with a wide opening. Then, put a fine mesh strainer or a cheesecloth over the opening and attach it with an elastic band. If you get into sprouting, you can also invest in a proper sprouting glass. However, to try it out, a home-made one works totally fine!
3. Soak your seeds overnight and drain the water the next day.
4. Rinse the seeds twice. Add extra water, swish the seeds around and drain the water again.
5. Keep your jar at a 45掳 angle, as shown in the picture above. This has the benefit that excess water can drain. Do not expose the jar to direct sunlight.
6. Keep rinsing the seeds as described in step 4 three times a day. After only a few days, you will see the seeds starting to sprout.
7. Depending on the type of seed, you can harvest them after just a few days.
8. Enjoy your sprouts by for example tossing them into a salad or a stirfry. Some sprouts need to be quickly blanched before serving, so inform yourself about the requirements of your sprouts.
Here you can see a timeline of pea sprouts:
Garlic
Do your garlic cloves also often sprout? If yes, that is no reason to toss or compost it. Simply plant the sprouted garlic cloves in a pot with soil. Make sure to separate the cloves from each other and leave the papery skin on. Put your pot at a sunny spot within your house and ensure that the soil stays wet. After only a week, you can see green garlic shoots. Let them grow to your desired length and enjoy then prepared similarly as green onions.