Foods you can re grow from scraps are parts of vegetables or fruits that can be used to grow new plants. Instead of throwing away the leftover scraps, you can plant them in soil, water, or another suitable medium, and they will eventually sprout new growth.
Some examples of foods you can regrow from scraps include: Lettuce and other leafy greens – place the base of the plant in a shallow dish of water, and new leaves will grow from the center. Carrots, turnips, and beets – plant the tops in soil, and they will grow new greens. Onions – plant the bottom of an onion bulb in soil, and it will produce a new onion.
Here are 14 foods that you can regrow with just a little bit of time, patience, and care:
- Green Onion
- Onion
- Kale
- Sweet Potato
- Leeks
- Ginger
- Basil
- Mint
- Garlic
- Rosemary
- Potatoes
- Cilantro
- Romaine Lettuce
- Celery
1) Green Onion
Green onions, also known as scallions, can be easily regrown from scraps. Simply place the root end in a glass of water, making sure the water covers the roots. Change the water every few days and watch as new green shoots emerge from the top. Once the shoots are a few inches tall, you can transplant them into soil.
2) Onion
Onions can also be regrown from scraps. Cut off the bottom 1/2 inch of an onion bulb and plant it in soil, making sure the pointed end is facing up. Keep the soil moist and watch as new green shoots emerge from the top, eventually growing into a new onion bulb.
3) Kale
Kale is one of the 14 foods that you can regrow from scraps. Simply take the base of the kale plant and place it in a bowl of water, ensuring that the leaves are above the water level. Place the bowl in a sunny area and change the water every few days. Soon enough, new kale leaves will start to sprout.
4) Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is another food that you can regrow from scraps. Cut a sweet potato in half and submerge one end in water, leaving the other end dry. Use toothpicks to hold the potato in place. Place the container in a sunny area and change the water every few days. Once roots and shoots appear, transfer the potato to soil and watch it grow.
5) Leeks
Leeks are yet another food that can be regrown from scraps. Save the bottom two inches of the leek and place it in a bowl of water. Place the bowl in a sunny area and change the water every few days. Once new roots and shoots appear, transfer the leek to soil and watch it grow into a new plant.
6) Ginger
Ginger is a root that can be regrown from scraps. Save a small piece of ginger with a bud on it and plant it in soil with the bud pointing upwards. Keep the soil moist and in a warm, shady spot. Soon enough, new shoots will emerge and you’ll have a fresh supply of ginger.
7) Basil
Basil is an herb that can be regrown from scraps. Cut a four-inch stem from the basil plant and remove the lower leaves. Place the stem in a glass of water, ensuring that the remaining leaves are above the water level. Place the glass in a sunny area and change the water every few days. Once roots appear, transfer the basil to soil and watch it grow.
8) Mint
Mint is another herb that can be regrown from scraps. Cut a few inches of stem from the mint plant and remove the lower leaves. Place the stem in a glass of water, ensuring that the remaining leaves are above the water level. Place the glass in a sunny area and change the water every few days. Once roots appear, transfer the mint to soil and watch it grow.
9) Garlic
Garlic is a bulb that can be regrown from scraps. Save a clove with the paper intact and plant it in soil with the pointed end facing upwards. Keep the soil moist and in a warm, sunny spot. Soon enough, new shoots will emerge and you’ll have a fresh supply of garlic.
10) Rosemary
Rosemary is an herb that can be re grown from scraps. Take a four-inch stem and remove the lower leaves. Place the stem in a glass of water, ensuring that the remaining leaves are above the water level. Place the glass in a sunny area and change the water every few days. Once roots appear, transfer the rosemary to soil and watch it grow.
11) Potatoes
Potatoes are a vegetable that can be regrown from scraps. Cut a potato in half and place each half in soil, making sure that the cut side is facing downwards. Cover with a layer of soil and keep the soil moist. Once the plants start to grow, continue to mound soil around the stems to encourage more potatoes to form.
12) Cilantro
Cilantro is an herb that can be regrown from scraps. Cut off the bottom inch of the cilantro stems and place them in a glass of water. Place the glass in a sunny area and change the water every few days. Once roots appear, transfer the cilantro to soil and watch it grow into a new plant.
13) Romaine Lettuce
Romaine lettuce is a leafy green that can be regrown from scraps. Save the bottom two inches of the lettuce and place it in a bowl of water. Place the bowl in a sunny area and change the water every few days. Once new leaves appear, transfer the lettuce to soil and watch it grow into a new plant.
14) Celery
Celery is a vegetable that can be regrown from scraps. Save the bottom two inches of the celery and place it in a bowl of water, cut side up. Place the bowl in a sunny area and change the water every few days. Once new leaves and roots appear, transfer the celery to soil and watch it grow.
Regrowing these foods from kitchen scraps is not only a sustainable practice but also a rewarding one. It allows you to enjoy the satisfaction of cultivating your own food while reducing waste.