An idiot’s guide to …

In this week’s An idiot’s guide to … we will look at 10 easy steps to win an argument with a woman.

Step 1: You can’t. Now that I have your attention and we have bust that myth, we will be talking vegetables. And not just any vegetables. But let me explain. What is the biggest problem with those yummy, healthy vegetables? Two things: they are becoming increasingly expensive and they go off quickly. The solution? Grow your own! And here is the best thing about the 10 vegetables we are going to discuss – you can regrow them ad infinitum.

1. Carrots – Put the carrot tops in a dish with a little water. Place the dish in a room that is well-lit or on a window sill.

2. Celery – Cut off the base and place it in a shallow bowl or saucer with water in the sun. With time the leaves will thicken and grow in the middle of the base. Plant it in soil after three days.

3. Romaine lettuce – You can grow more lettuce from the bottom of an existing lettuce head. Put stumps of the romaine lettuce in 1,2cm of water. Once new roots and leaves start to appear (a few days later) plant the lettuce in a pot with soil or in the garden. The leaves can grow up to twice the size. (Cabbage can be grown the same way.)

4. Bok choy – Place the bok choy in a well-lit area, with the root ends in water. Leave it for 1–2 weeks. Then plant it in a pot filled with soil. It will grow a new full head.

5. Globe artichoke – To grow this plant you’ll need moist, well-drained soil and a sunny environment. Plant 60–90cm apart in rows about 90cm apart. Prior to planting, top the soil with 5cm of compost. Fertilise monthly with a high-nitrogen fertiliser. Harvest these perennial artichokes in spring.

6. Asparagus – Planting asparagus can be done with seeds or with two-year old crowns. The seeds take a few years to mature, while the crowns (purchased from a store) produce much faster results.

7. Scallions – You can regrow scallions using their unwanted roots. Leave 2,5cm of the scallions attached to the root, then put them in a glass of water. Place the glass in a room that’s well lit and of moderate temperature. Once they’re 10–15cm long, they’re ready to pick and enjoy.

8. Garlic – Sprouts will regrow from garlic cloves. When they begin to sprout, place them in a glass with a little water. Leave it in a window, or outside and let mother nature do the rest. When the spouts are a few centimetres long, plant the cloves in a pot with soil. In a few days you will see leaves starting to sprout. When the leaves turn brown and fall, the garlic is ready for harvesting.

9. Basil – Put basil clippings that have stems of 7,5–10cm in a glass of water. Place them in direct sunlight and when the roots become 5cm long, plant them in pots. With time, they will grow into full basil plants. Be sure to change the water constantly though, so they don’t get slimy.

10. Coriander (aka Dhania)– If you place coriander stems in a glass of water, they will grow. When the roots become long enough, plant them in a pot with soil. Place the pot in a well-lit room.

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