Growing plants from garbage

[Josh]

Well, not exactly.  I saw an article online somewhere about people continuing to grow celery from the "stumps" of cut stalks.  Naturally, I took the idea and applied it to AP...

From Aquaponics in the Florida Keys

From Aquaponics in the Florida Keys

From Aquaponics in the Florida Keys

The growth rate is incredible.  These have been in the system for about 3 days.  After I saw the results, I thought that it might work for any vegetable with a "head".  Enter romaine...

From Aquaponics in the Florida Keys

The only thing so far is that the outside layers will rot quickly if they get too wet.  Im stoked at the idea of salvaging these plants that are otherwise discarded.  Anyone tried anything like this?

Josh

[Chuck Goecke]

Another herb/veggie that is easy to grow from the sprigs that you buy at the store and does wonderfully in either grow beds or directly in the water, perhaps on floating Styrofoam rafts is Water Cress.  Water cress grows well, except in very hot weather, so I usually restart it in the fall, and tear it out in about June, here in Texas.

[Rochelle Hopkins]

I just put my celery in water on Friday and it is showing growth as well. Awesome stuff. 

[Scott Mooney]

Thanks for this thread!  I was wondering how to grow celery in my AP system.  I will be trying this method this week.

[Bob Terrell]

I now have 3 celery stumps in my system that have grown to 12-16 inches tall.  When I need some I just go cut some off and more grows back.  It has been in the system for 8 months.  Don't buy it at the store anymore.  HOORAA

[Bob Terrell]

Don't forget garlic, lemon grass, scallions, potatos, mushrooms.

[Debra Colvin]

Mushrooms are tricky bastages. I tried growing them and failed miserably:P real ez to get the spores at least, but anything else, phooey.

[Bob Terrell]

Debra, to grow mushrooms the only thing you have to do is remember to do it the government way

keep it in the dark AND FEED IT LOTS OF MANURE  hehe

better to do it in some sort of wicked bed so you can cover the bed and shield it from light
 
Debra Colvin said:

Mushrooms are tricky bastages. I tried growing them and failed miserably:P real ez to get the spores at least, but anything else, phooey.

[Josh]

Bob,

How have you had any issues with the stumps rotting?

[Bob Terrell]

I did at first then I figured out that I was planting them too deep.  It does not take much depth to start them and have them grow.

[Verna Gross]

I planted 2 Romaine "stumps" on Sunday and have new leaves forming on Tuesday

[Scott Mooney]

Just added an iceberg stump, we'll see if it leads to anything.

[Jennifer Dozar]

This is brilliant! I knew you could these things with potatoes and onions, but never really thought about celery or lettuce being able to do that.  I have some spinach in some growing pots right now, will spinach do something similar to the infinite salad idea?  I am planning for my tester plants when i get my Aquaponics going to be Kale, cabbage, and Radicchio, just for testers!  Next time I pick up celery at the store and carrots, i will definitely be trying this!