@story  CATHERINE FREDERICK

They’re not really dead you know. Before long, before you know it, they’ll come back to life. Ready to eat.

Now before you get all worked up preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse, put down the machete and relax. We’re not killing zombies, we’re just exploring a little something called Zombie Gardening. In a nutshell, Zombie Gardening is the recycling of your fruit and veggie waste. You simply germinate and plant the section you don’t eat (think the bottom base of celery or the spiky portion of a pineapple) and in a short time, you’ve got your favorite fresh foods. Intrigued? Let’s begin with a few you can bring back to life.

Celery

Save the bottom portion of the celery stalk (about three to four inches) and place the base in a bowl of warm water overnight. Plant it in your garden, or container, stalk-side up. Water the transplant and cover it with an inch or so of soil. Keep it watered. Expect to see results in a few days.

Potatoes

Soak a chunk of a potato – make sure it has an eye - in a jar or bowl of water. When shoots begin to sprout and roots appear, move it to your garden or container. Place the entire potato beneath the soil, leaving only the foliage exposed. Water when the soil begins to feel dry, and provide it with plenty of light.

Ginger

Soak the unused portion of the ginger root overnight in water. Plant it with buds up in the soil. Water regularly as ginger must have moist conditions to thrive.

Green Onions

Save the bottom portion of the onion (the white part) and soak in water for a few days before planting outside. You will see growth in a matter of days. You can even re-grow onions in a glass of water indoors, cutting what you need and allowing them to rejuvenate continually. Give them fresh water every other week, if growing in a jar.

Tomatoes

Place the pulp of a ripened tomato in a jar with about an inch of water. Cover the jar with a paper towel and let sit for five days. Strain the mixture and save the seeds. Once dry, they are ready to plant.

Pineapple

Let the crown (the spiky/leaf portion) dry out, then place it in water for a few days until you see roots beginning to grow. Bury the bottom portion of the crown roots in a container filled with soil, allowing the spiky portion of the crown to remain out of the soil. Pineapples will thrive in a warm environment, so keep them outdoors if sunny and warm, but move indoors if not.

Garlic

Leftover garlic cloves can be planted upright in an inch or so of soil. These are best planted in the fall so they are ready to harvest by summer. They are ready to harvest when the leaves turn brown and die away.

These examples are just the tip of the iceberg. There are actually books written on Zombie Gardening, although they omit the zombie reference. Boring! If you want to read more, you should try “Don't Throw It, Grow It!: 68 Windowsill Plants From Kitchen Scraps”, by Deborah Peterson or “The After Dinner Garden Book” by Richard Langer. Both are available on Amazon.

I’m definitely going to give the celery, potato, green onion and pineapple a shot. While I’m waiting for them to grow, I think I’ll check out the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) article entitled Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse – it really exists. You never know, it could happen. If it does, come on over!  I’ll be the one with plenty of food.