What if, instead of throwing away your carrot tops in the trash or compost, you make them grow back? Welcome to the world of repulsive (the pushback, in French). This process for reusing waste, starting a vegetable garden or obtaining pretty green plants all year round, is “accessible to all”, assures Aurélie Murtin, author of Cultivate your waste*. This Toulousaine, passionate about gardening, wants to democratize the method which consists of replanting the remains and peelings of her fruits and vegetables to bring them back to life. In his book, in the form of method sheets which are intended to be “the easiest and most practical possible”, both budding and experienced gardeners can pick up tips.

Among other common-sense ingenuities, beginners will learn how to restart their carrot tops but also their celery leaves with a simple background of water in a plate. As for the “lasagna technique” – a layer of sprouted vegetables, a layer of organic matter – it will delight the dizzy who have forgotten an old bag of potatoes in the bottom of their shopping bag.

Other processes are to be discovered such as the recovery of seeds or cuttings to multiply aromatic herbs. And the fruit? To prolong the time of cherries, their stones are recovered, just like those of peaches, apricots and exotic fruits: “the mango tree for example. Its leaves are very bright green; and when they occur after a few weeks, it’s as surprising as it is gratifying,” rejoices the farmer.

From balcony jungle to edible forests

Falling into the soil of gardening at a very young age, she continued in her student life, transforming her little balcony into a wild forest. “My friends called it the jungle,” she laughs. I want to convey the message that even in an apartment, anything is possible: you can experiment, have fun and go so far as to be amazed with a simple window sill! “.

In the north-west of Toulouse where the 30-year-old has been taking care of his vegetable garden for ten years now, the one who is also a yoga teacher wants to pass on her philosophy. “I already hope to inspire the desire to try gardening, especially to those who don’t dare, but I would also like the book to raise questions about the way we produce, how we consume… it generated awareness in favor of biodiversity, permaculture and zero waste. And to go further, why not consider offering your “regrowed” fruit tree plants? In a shared garden or a school, we could develop edible forests,” she discovers with a smile.

* Cultivate your waste by Aurélie Murtin, available in independent bookstores and cultural brands or on son site. Price: 22 euros