Organic Vegetables Indian Farmers: Indian farmers are finding simple ways to reuse kitchen and farm waste to grow food. You don’t need chemicals or big farms to try it yourself. Just scraps, soil, and care.
Here are five vegetables you can grow using waste, like peels, seeds, or compost, inspired by what small farmers already do in parts of India.
1. Bottle Gourd (Lauki) – From Seeds in Your Kitchen
Many farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar grow lauki using leftover seeds from the kitchen.
How to grow it at home:
Scoop out seeds from a ripe lauki.
Dry them for a day or two.
Plant them in compost-rich soil (a grow bag or pot works).
Keep in a sunny spot with some shade.
Water once a day during monsoon.
The plant needs space to climb. Use a railing, rope, or stick.
Why farmers love it:
It grows fast, has high yield, and needs no fertilizer if compost is used.
2. Potato – Grows from Its Own Eyes
In West Bengal, farmers often reuse sprouted potatoes from old stock to grow new ones. (Organic Vegetables Indian Farmers)
How to do it:
Take a sprouted potato.
Cut it into chunks with at least one eye (sprout) each.
Let it dry for a day.
Plant in loose, well-drained soil.
Keep in partial sunlight and water lightly.
New potatoes form in 6–8 weeks.
What waste is used:
Old, sprouted potatoes that would’ve been thrown away.
3. Garlic – One Clove, Many Uses
Garlic grows from a single clove. Farmers in Maharashtra often grow it in old sacks filled with compost and dry leaves.
How to grow it:
Break one garlic bulb into cloves.
Plant each clove 1 inch deep in soil.
Place in a dry, warm spot.
Water every 2–3 days.
You’ll see green shoots in a week. Harvest after 2–3 months.
Why it works:
Garlic needs very little space and thrives in kitchen waste compost.
4. Chili – Reuse Old Seeds
Farmers in Andhra Pradesh often save chili seeds from sun-dried chilies to replant the next season. (Organic Vegetables Indian Farmers)
Try this at home:
Take seeds from a dried chili.
Sow in a small container with moist soil.
Keep in indirect sunlight.
Water lightly every two days.
Fresh green chilies will appear in 6–8 weeks.
What waste is used:
Seeds from dried or overripe chilies that would usually be discarded.
5. Onion – Grows Back from Leftovers
In Tamil Nadu, farmers often regrow onions from the base or unused parts.
Steps:
Cut off the bottom (root side) of an onion.
Let it dry for a day.
Plant in shallow soil with the roots facing down.
Water gently every day.
In a few weeks, you’ll see green shoots and small onions forming.
What you reuse:
The onion bottom, which usually ends up in the bin.
How Waste Helps the Soil
Vegetable peels and leftovers become compost.
Cow dung, dry leaves, and ash enrich the soil.
No need for chemical fertilizers.
Better soil health means better harvest.
Final Thought
Farmers across India prove that food waste doesn’t have to be wasted. You can grow your own vegetables from scraps you throw away every day.
Start with just one pot. Use what you have. See what grows.
You’ll save money, eat fresh, and stay connected to the soil — just like the kisans who grow India’s food.
Contact us: If farmers want to share information or experiences related to farming with us, then they can do this by calling us on the phone number 9599273766 or by writing an email to [email protected] or by sending your recording. Through Kisan of India, we will convey your message to the people, because we believe that if the farmers are advanced then the country is happy.