You do not have to have a garden in order to have fresh vegetables to eat. What you do need is the know-how and desire to begin growing your own. These simple steps and items around your kitchen can get you started on turning seeds into plants in order to grow vegetables even when it's snowing outside.

The very first thing that you need is packages of seeds. Seeds are easy to come by and cost under a dollar. Vegetables that grow well inside are cherry tomatoes, bush beans, onions, leaf lettuce, peppers, and cucumbers. You can choose another type if you absolutely hate these choices but they might take a little extra care.

The second item is an egg carton and some eggs. Crack your egg about 1/3 from the top and open, removing contents. We are going to use the bottom 2/3 of the empty eggshell to grow our seeds. Decide how many different plants you would like to grow and that will be the number of empty eggshells you will need. Boil your empty shells in water to remove any salmonella and air dry. Using a straight pin or other sharp object, puncture the bottom of the shell so water is allowed to drain. Roots can drown without air.

Set your eggshells in the egg carton to keep them upright. A bag of potting soil and a spoon are next. Carefully spoon the potting soil into each eggshell, filling to the top. If your potting soil is dry, use a spray bottle filled with water to keep the soil moist as you fill the eggshell. Now it is time to plant the seeds. Referring to the directions on the seed package, plant the right number of seeds at the correct depth in your soil. The package will also tell you what type of light your seeds will need for best results. This will also give you an idea of where you will place your seedlings in your house.

You can either leave your soon to be plants right in the egg carton or learn how to build a greenhouse to help them grow. This is also easy and all you need is an empty 2-liter bottle.

After rinsing out the plastic bottle and removing the labels, have a grownup cut the bottle in half. Make a slit up and down on the bottom half because we are going to replace the top half after placing four of our eggshells in the bottom of the bottle. The slit allows the top to slide over the bottom half, keeping your seedlings nice and snug.

It's time to place either your greenhouse or egg carton in an area with proper sunlight. Mist your seeds with water each day and you will be surprised at how soon they begin to sprout! When your plant gets too large for its container, simply crack the shell and plant the whole thing, shell and all, in a larger container. The shell will disintegrate and help provide vitamins to your growing plant.

Suzie O'Connor finds peace within once I'm digging in my garden teaching my grandchildren the benefit of growing their own food. We have a small chicken farm in Archer Florida that sells to schools and individuals fertile chicken eggs, chicken coops, chicken coop plans and chickens. We ship through out the USA. Got questions? You can reach us at 866-579-1347