Chef Johan's Raw & Tasty

Broccoli Sprouts

You don’t need a lot of room to grow some of your own food.

Even if you live in the middle of the city and the weather is less than perfect, you can grow some of your own food.   I don’t bother growing certain vegetables because I couldn’t ever grow nearly enough to make it worth my while.  I live in a townhouse and my space is limited, but you’d be surprised to see exactly how much I’m able to grow at home.

Sprouts

Sprouts are easy to grow and are ready to be eaten quickly.  They  don’t take up much room, don’t need much light, and can be grown year round since you can keep them indoors when the weather is bad.

Right now I am growing sunflower, broccoli and lentil sprouts.  I buy my hulled raw sunflower seeds at a local market’s bulk section for about $1.99 per pound.  I grow the sunflower sprouts in a nursery tray (with I got free at a local nursery) with about an inch of dirt.  I soak one cup of seeds overnight and then spread them in a thin layer over

Oregano

the dirt and water twice a day.  The sprouts are ready to eat in about seven days.  For the broccoli and lentil sprouts, I use a small commercial sprouter (about $10 at Home Depot) which I keep in my kitchen.

Herbs

Herbs are a natural when you don’t have a lot of room since they do well in containers.  Generally you don’t use huge amounts of herbs and just a few healthy plants should be able to supply you with everything you need.  I grow basil, mint, thyme, oregano, and rosemary.

Greens

Romaine Lettuce

Greens grow quickly and do well in cold weather (some like arugula and kale even like a freeze or two), so before the weather gets hot, I am growing romaine lettuce in my flower beds, leafy red lettuce in hanging baskets, and spinach in containers with my fruit trees.  Most greens are ready to pick in slightly over a month, so while this batch of greens is growing, I’m sprouting the next set of seedlings so I can replace the plants as I use them.  For my next batch I’m going to try arugula and mixed greens.

Fruit Trees

I am growing a lemon tree and a mandarin orange tree in containers on my balcony, to make the most of the space I have, I have planted spinach in the same pots.  Citrus trees are compact, ornamental and will produce gobs of fruit even when grown in a container.  They are small enough that I can bring them indoors should the weather get cold.  Look for trees that will grow well in containers in your area.