Recycle and Grow from Seed—Smart Gardening on a Budget!

 
GoFeisty! is here to fuel the bold, the bright, and the fearless with content that empowers, uplifts, and—let’s be real—makes life more fun!
Today, we’re diving into some clever, budget-friendly ways to grow your own fresh veggies—no big spending required!

Spring is here!

Even in the U.S., cherry blossoms are blooming, and they always make me feel nostalgic for Japan. And speaking of things I miss—Japanese vegetables!

These days, you can find most Japanese ingredients at Asian grocery stores in the U.S., but it’s still hard to get really fresh produce. And the prices? Outrageously higher than in Japan.

That’s why I’ve been into home gardening for the past few years. I’ve even picked up some fun and creative gardening hacks from TikTok!

One of my biggest frustrations living in the U.S. is how expensive shiso and naganegi (long green onions) are. Even if I manage to find eggplants that look Japanese, they’re usually limp and sad.

So—home gardening it is at my house!

Soon, garden centers will start stocking veggie seedlings, but if you start from seeds, you can expect a much bigger harvest.
For example, in my area, ten shiso leaves cost nearly $3. But a packet of seeds? Under $5. Grow them at home and you’ll have all-you-can-eat shiso all summer long! They even make great gifts for friends.

Grow Tents: Your Secret to Year-Round Gardening

Here’s the one I use: Grow Tent on Amazon

If you’ve got one of these at home, you can grow something all year long. It’s perfect for herbs you use often—like basil, or in my case, the essentials for Japanese cooking.

As a Japanese home cook in the U.S., one of my biggest must-haves is shiso. But unless you go to an Asian supermarket, it’s nowhere to be found—and when you do find it, it’s nearly $3 for just ten leaves! You can buy starter shiso plants before summer, but they aren’t cheap either.

Instead, I use a grow tent and a packet of shiso seeds for less than $5, and voilà—I’m surrounded by fresh shiso all year round. These are our newest. We used eggshells as individual containers, copying someone’s TikTok post. Just crack the eggshell a little and plant it directly in the soil—it’ll break down and feed your plant!

For Japanese veggie seeds, Kitazawa Seed Company is the go-to. They’ve been around for over 100 years and have so many Japanese varieties that are hard to find elsewhere!

Since I don’t have a huge backyard, I focus on growing things that are both pricey and not-so-fresh when store-bought. My staples? Shiso, Japanese eggplant, and those cute little Japanese green peppers you just can’t find at regular supermarkets in the U.S.

I haven’t gotten my eggplant or pepper seeds for this year yet, but they’re definitely on my list!
I am going to try Kyoto style eggplant this year!

Frugal & Fun: Growing from Kitchen Scraps

I’m a bit of a budget-lover, so I’m all about regrowing food scraps whenever I can.

Tomatoes? So easy. When you’re slicing one up, just save a few seeds and pop them into soil. They sprout like magic!

My daughter recently planted lemon seeds from a lemon we’d already used—and she was thrilled when they started to sprout. We’re also regrowing lemongrass from what was left after cooking. So far, so good!

Take a look inside our grow tent!

The green onions are “recycled” from Trader Joe’s！

As you can see, we planted way too many shiso seeds in tiny containers. I’ll be busy separating and replanting them into eggshells—one by one. But hey, that’s part of the fun!

Right now, I’m trying my hand at growing strawberries from seed.
Soon, garden centers will be full of seedlings—but starting from seed means you can look forward to a much bigger harvest.

This summer, I’m skipping the store-bought seedlings and going full-on with recycled scraps and seed-grown veggies. Fresh, flavorful, and budget-friendly—just the way I like it!

Who’s ready to get their hands dirty and grow something delicious?
Let’s grow your own veggies and fruits this season, and Let’s Go Feisty!

紫蘇やピーマンやナスといった日本のおいしい野菜がアメリカでは高い！ピーマンなんか売ってない！（パプリカみたいのしかみあたらない！）のでわたしは家庭菜園にはまっています。それもケチケチリサイクル菜園にも力をいれています。TIKTOKなどでいろんなアイデアを学びながらこの夏はお金をかけずに自前の野菜でおいしく暮らすぞー。さあ、あなたもご一緒に！
Lets’ Go Feisty!