6 Veggies and Herbs That Are Unbelievably Easy to Regrow from Kitchen Scraps
Growing fresh vegetables and herbs from food scraps can seem almost magical. But it's actually very easy to do, when you know how. Some scraps only need a little water and a sunny spot to sprout, so it's simple for even beginners to try. Regrowing food from the parts you might usually throw out or compost is also an excellent way to cut down on kitchen waste. Plus it's a fun (and inexpensive) way to add a little greenery to your kitchen, not to mention some fresh flavor to your plate. Once you get your produce started, you’ll have your own edible garden to harvest from in no time.
Jacob Fox
1. Grow New Lettuce Leaves From Roots
Grow lettuce straight from the fridge. Go ahead and eat your batch of lettuce, but leave the central part of the vegetable untouched; this section holds all of the power in producing new growth. Cut the leaves about an inch from the bottom of the lettuce bunch.
Jacob Fox
Place the lettuce stem in a shallow dish. Change the water every couple of days; after 10-12 days, you'll have new leaves growing from the center of the stem. The tender lettuce will be perfect for making small salads or topping sandwiches.
Jacob Fox
2. Regrow Celery Stalks
With the root end of your bunch of celery, you can grow more tender stems. Like lettuce, cut the celery base from its stalks, leaving about 1-2 inches. The central part of the celery holds the nutrients for producing new stalks.
Jacob Fox
Place the cut celery base into a bowl of water. Change the water every other day to keep the roots fresh. Transplant the roots into soil after eight days in water. Soon you'll be enjoying quick-and-easy ants on a log using homegrown celery.
Jacob Fox
3. Root Fresh Basil in Water
There's nothing better than a batch of homegrown basil (did someone say pesto?). The fact that you can regrow basil in your kitchen makes it even better. Cut the plant a few inches below its highest set of leaves. You'll want a few inches of bare stem to reach the water.
Place the trimmings in a jar or vase and fill with water. Keep the plant near natural light but not directly in the sun to be sure that your herb doesn't burn. Transfer to a pot once hairlike roots have sprouted, which will typically be around the 15-day mark.
Jacob Fox
4. Sprout Green Onions in Water
Grow green onions right on your windowsill, even while there's snow on the ground outside. To start, cut store-bought green onions near the white root, being sure to leave some of the pale green portion next to the cut root (cutting right at the white part will mean a longer regrowing time).
Jacob Fox
Place onions, roots down, in a small water-filled glass and set in a sunny spot. Replace the water every 2-3 days; transfer to a pot if you'd like the onions to last longer. New growth should be ready to harvest after 7 days.
Jacob Fox
5. Grow Onion Bulbs from Scraps
Regrowing onions is simple. Slice the bulb so you end up with about an inch of the root end. Allow that piece to dry for a day or two until the edges start to curl, then place it in the soil, cut side up. Cover the onion piece with about an inch of soil and water well. Green shoots will start to appear, which you can harvest like spring onions. Or, you can allow these to continue growing into new onion bulbs, which will be ready to harvest in 90 to 120 days.
6. Sprout New Greens from Root Vegetables
Give a few root vegetables from the store light, moisture, and warmth, and they’ll sprout leafy tops you can eat. The action happens fast: Most sprouts begin to appear within a week. There are two methods for sprouting, depending on your willingness to sacrifice a whole vegetable. Either way, because root vegetables have nutrients that help them survive winter underground, they will keep growing leaves as you pick them, almost until it’s time to get back into your garden again.
Beets, carrots, celery root (celeriac), parsnips, parsley root, rutabagas, turnips, and winter radishes all sprout readily. (Don’t use potatoes; their sprouts are toxic if eaten.) Expect to be able to harvest greens for about a month.
How to Sprout Using Whole Vegetables
Bury the root vegetable in a pot of peat-base potting mix, leaving the top exposed. Water regularly to keep the soil moist. Discard the entire vegetable when it stops sprouting new leaves.
How to Grow Greens Using Root Vegetable Pieces
With this method, the foliage won’t be as lush, but at least you'll be able to regrow a few leaves after you've used the rest of the vegetable in your recipe. Slice an inch or so off the top and set that top piece in an inch of water in a saucer, refilling as needed.
