This year, in the greenhouse, I will be experimenting with growing food from our kitchen scraps. Here are 10 foods you can regrow with regular kitchen scraps.
Grow vegetables from scraps:
1. Green Onions
Green onions are arguably the easiest and most popular vegetable to regrow. All you have to do is cut them from about an inch from the roots, and leave them in a glass of water.
2. Celery
Cut off the celery, and leave about an inch or two from the base. Place the base in a bowl of water and leave it where it can get adequate sunlight. As new leaves begin to sprout from the middle, allow for it to gain thickness for about a week before transferring it into a pot of soil.
3. Romaine Lettuce, Bok Choy, Cabbage
Romaine lettuce is as easy to regrow as celery! Leave the stump of the lettuce in a bowl and fill the water halfway. And once the leaves have regrown for a few days, transfer your the stumps into soil.
4. Carrots
Okay, we’re not exactly regrowing the carrot itself, but actually the carrot top, which surprisingly comes with a wide range of uses. You can turn it into pesto, add it to soup, or even saute them. Simply leave the top of the carrots–with a bit of the carrot attached–in bowl or plate of water, and place them where they can receive adequate sunlight.
5. Leeks
Leeks regrow the exact same way as green onions–although they might take a little longer based on their sheer size. Leave about two inches of leek from the bottom, and place them in a bowl of water.
6. Onions
You can also regrow spring onions from an onion bulb. Make sure the root part has about half an inch of grown attached. Place it directly in soil and cover it with a layer of soil. Water it periodically to keep the soil moist. Just keep cutting the green sprouts off when they’ve regrown. You’ll never have to buy spring onions again!
7. Basil, Mint, and Cilantro
A lot of herbs can easily be regrown. Make sure there’s about 2-3 inches of stem. Place the stems upright in a glass of water. When the new roots begin to sprout, transfer the herbs into a pot of soil and let the aroma flourish.
8. Pineapple
Okay, not a vegetable, but imagine regrowing a pineapple in your home. How amazing and exciting would that be? And not to mention it’s also easier than you think. It just takes a bit of patience, as pineapple can take up to two years to bear their first fruit.
The trick is to grab a hold of the pineapple crown by the leaves and twist and pull it off so the stalk is still attached. Remove some of the lower leaves to expose the stalk. Make sure there is no fruit flesh as that will rot the stalk.
Place the pineapple crown in a glass of water and allow new roots to sprout–this usually takes about three weeks. Then transfer to a pot with fast-draining soil. The plant should begin to resist gentle tugs at about two months. At this point, it means that your replanting worked, and that it’s time to look into pineapple plant care!
9. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are super easy, but you will need some serious real estate–it’s probably not suitable for an apartment. Stick toothpicks around a sweet potato to prop it up in at the rim of a glass, only half-emerging it in water. When the roots reach about three to four inches, plant it in soil.
10. Potatoes
Just leave your spud in a dark corner, forget about it, and it’ll just sprout. I know we’ve all been there. But there’s probably a quicker and healthier way to do it. Cut a potato in half. And where you see the dented “eyes” on the skin, plant the potatoes in soil with the “eyes” facing up. That’s where the plant will begin to sprout in a couple weeks.
Save Space & Money
Most of these veggies can be grown in relatively small spaces which is great for dense urban areas. All you need is a sunny widow, a few pots & some soil.
Here I am growing Green Onions, Celery, Carrots and Turnip.
Once I have a good root system, I will transfer all of them to potted soil that is big enough to hold the root base and enjoy my harvest.
Green onions and carrots I simply use the greens to add to soups or salads.
The celery & turnip will regrow fully or I can use the greens as the pop up.
What Do You Grow from Your Kitchen Scraps?
Regrowing food is becoming a hot trend. The price of groceries is expected to skyrocket along with potential food shortages makes this an economical solution as well as a great teaching tool for your children.
Please tell us in the comments what you grow and provide us any tips or tricks you have learned along the way.
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