“5 Easy to Grow Greens - Indoors or Out”

“With the World on Edge, it’s Important to Have Alte
ative Foods Sources”

Here are some very easy to grow greens that can be grown inside in pots near windows or with grow lights or outside and they are very prolific and need very little care and can be grown in small spaces. With all the growing tensions in the world, it’s important to have some alte
ate food sources around the house.

Marshmallow Root Plant - The nice thing about marshmallow root is that the whole plant is good to eat and the roots are a great anti-inflammatory for mucus membranes and muscles sheaths of the body. The greens can be sautéed and the roots boiled for tea or dried and used as a powder or in capsules. And the marshmallow plant is not that particular, it will grow just about anywhere indoors in good light or out. I’ve found marshmallow root seeds for sale on amazon, ebay and other places on-line.

Moluccan Spinach - This wonderful green is really amazing, it works well as a nice house plant and will grow like crazy indoors. And it also works well in the garden in warmer climates. I have this in our backyard and it’s super simple to grow, just take a cutting and stick it in the ground and it will wilt at first and then come right back up and start growing. Later little nodes will form near the base of each leaf and those areas will create roots and create other plants. The leaves are tender and work well in all kinds of soups, stews, and other dishes. I’ve even pressure cooked the leaves and stems and it still holds up well to cooking, and the leaves can be used in salads. Moluccan spinach can be ordered on Amazon and ebay and other places on-line.

Okinawa Spinach - Okinawa spinach is another great green that works well as a houseplant and it’s very prolific and loves to spread. The leaves are green on one side and purple on the other and looks great in a salad with a nice flavor. They too can be sautéed, used in soups, stews, and other dishes and are full of nutrition. Take a cutting and stick it in the ground and it will start to grow. Plus this plant will go to seed and spread seeds around to which will start new plants. Okinawa spinach needs very little care and spread well and thus creates lots of tasty leaves just like moluccan spinach. Okinawan spinach can be ordered on Amazon, ebay, and other places on-line.

Katuk or Tropical Spinach - Katuk also known as Sauropus androgynous, Cinnamon Leaves, and Tropical Asparagus, also Chekkurmenis, Sweet Leaf Bush, Japanese Malungay, and Changkok Manis is a plant that loves humid climates and somewhat shady areas, and will grow indoors in pots in shady locations and katuk is a good source of protein. Katuk grows in India, Java, Malaysia, Indonesia and other places in Asia. Plus Australia and other tropical regions of the world including Florida, some areas of the Gulf Coast of the US, and Hawaii. Katuk is a perennial plant that loves some shade and enjoys being in light shade under trees and likes lots of water. And katuk doesn’t have any pests that bother this wonderful plant. And katuk likes being cut back and doesn’t do well just growing wild so cut it back often… I’ve seen this plant grow an inch a day. Katuk grows to be 6 to 12 feet tall with oval leaves and is very prolific and can be propagated with stem cuttings and from seeds. Cut off the tops of the plant and cook that part— and the plant will shoot right back up. The leaves are green and oval in shape and it also produces small yellow to reddish flowers in the spring. Katuk is a good survival food because it grows fast and doesn’t need much attention. Katuk contains almost 10% protein which is amazing as far as plant proteins go. Most other plants only contain about 5 or 6% protein, so katuk is wonderful when it comes to protein. Katuk needs to be cooked to remove toxins like a lot of other foods and it’s completely safe as a food source once cooked. Katuk can be ordered on amazon, ebay, and other places on-line.

Fava Beans - Fava Beans are a powerful medicine and food and will do the body good. Many times Fava Beans are not taken seriously, but they are full of nutrition and can be eaten raw or cooked, and can even change our mood, prevent Parkinson’s Disease, and prevent cancer. And they will grow in sunny locations indoors in pots or outdoors in a garden. The whole green plant is edible and the bean pods when small can be chopped up and eaten. But when the bean pods get large the beans have to be shelled out of the pods for cooking. Fava bean seeds can be planted in rich soil and full sun about 2 inches deep and about 12 inches apart with moderate amounts of water. The plants will grow to be 4 feet tall and will produce beans for about 2 1/2 months during the summer. The fresh beans can be used right away or dried for later use. Fava beans can also be ground into a wonderful high protein gluten free flour. Fava beans contain lots the chemical agent L-Dopa which helps in the creation of dopamine in the brain, plus epinephrine and nor-epinephrine which are important for stress and good mood. The greens can be sautéed and the beans cooked and thus the whole plant is very useful. Fava bean seeds can be bought on amazon, ebay, and other places on-line.

Try these easy to grow plants and enjoy greens all year long.

Many Blessings to Everyone!

Dr. Paul Haider - Master Herbalist