12 Best Veggies & Herbs to Regrow from Kitchen Scraps
We love to regrow kitchen scraps, and propagate vegetable and herb trimmings for our garden. It is such a rewarding and fun thing to do, especially in winter and early spring.
Many vegetables and herbs from the grocery store will regrow easily in water or in soil. You can regrow fresh greens on a window sill indoors, or get a jump start on your herb and vegetable garden by regrowing kitchen scraps.
Part One here will focus on how to grow a vegetable garden from kitchen scraps or common groceries indoors and outdoors.
There are so many amazing people sharing their great tips and ideas on regrowing kitchen scraps. Let’s take a look at some of the easiest veggies and herbs to regrow!
1. Regrow beets from scraps.
When you cut the top off a beet, put it in a shallow tray of water. Beet greens will start to grow, which you can use in salads. ( Via Kimberly Stoney )
You can also plant the beet top in soil for a longer harvest. This trick applies to many veggies and herbs! ( Image source: SnapGuide )
2. Growing carrots from scraps.
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Carrots are also root vegetables like beets. You can use the same methods. Carrot top greens taste a bit like parsley. They are very nutritious, high in potassium and vitamin K.
You can also grow them as a window sill garden for Easter fun! ( Via Instructables )
3. Sprout celery in water.
If your celery has a little bit of root at the bottom, you can sprout the leftover celery base in water. ( Via All recipes )
New stalks will start growing in just a few days. plant the sprouted celery in soil for a long harvest. ( Via Colorful Kitchen )
4. Regrow lettuce scraps in water
A head of romaine or butter lettuce can regrow from the base we trim off. ( Via Vancouver Sun )
Just give it some water and sun light, you will have more fresh greens for salads in a couple of weeks.
5. Regrow scallions aka green onions from kitchen scraps in water
Here’s our tutorial on how to regrow green onions in water or soil. It is SO easy!
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Scallions are some of the easiest and most rewarding foods to regrow from kitchen scraps! We have grown big bunches of them in pots from just little roots that we cut off. ( Via Flicker )
Leave about 1″ to 2″ of stem above the roots, place them in water or soil. In a month you will have fresh green onions to trim off and enjoy! The green onion shoots will keep regrowing after cutting. ( Via Tasty Seasons )
6. Regrow onion tops
Bulb onions such as yellow and red onions are so easy to grow from scraps. Cut a 1″ thick piece from the root end an onion , set it on top of moist soil or in shallow water with the cut surface above water. ( Via Grower Flow )
Like all the other kitchen scrap plants, the onion root will be more productive in soil, but it is also quite fun to watch it grow in water.
You will get lots of green onions, and eventually stalks of flowers that produce seeds.
7. Regrow garlic from a clove
We have grown very nice garlic from grocery stores for many years. Each clove of garlic can potentially turn into a whole head of garlic.
You can also plant the cloves more closely in smaller pots to grow garlic greens, which are pretty looking and delicious.
If you try these DIY / decor / garden / craft projects, tag us on Instagram at @apieceofrainbow, we would love to see what you create!
8. Grow basil stems in water
When you buy fresh basil, pick off most leaves but let a couple of leaves remain at the top of each stem, and put the stems in a jar filled with water. Roots will start growing in just a few days.
Plant these rooted cuttings in soil, now you have new basil plants! ( Via Kimberly Stoney )
9. Propagate rosemary stem cuttings
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Rosemary cuttings are more challenging to root than basil cuttings. Luckily, lots of people have figured out tips and tricks to propagate rosemary stems. ( Via SG Strawberries )
Rosemary stems will take roots in water given a warm place and healthy cuttings. Try a deep container with shallow water . ( Via Oak Hill Homestead )
More tender green Rosemary stems are easier to propagate than old woody stems. These tutorials will give you some really good ideas to try! ( Via Tasty Landscape )
10. Grow grocery store potatoes
Similar to garlic, each potato can multiply into many potatoes. You can also grow potatoes from trimmings around the tiny sprouts growing from the eyes of potatoes
We have grown potatoes in large pots and it works really well. ( Via Stihl )
11. Grow sweet potatoes in water
Sweet potato is an attractive vine. You can sprout sweet potatoes in water easily.
The sprouts with roots are also called slips, each of which can become a new plant ready for the garden.
You can also just enjoy the leafy sweet potato as an indoor plant for a few months. ( via Steemit )
12. Jerusalem artichokes sunflower garden
Grows like a potato, looks like a sunflower, Jerusalem artichoke (aka sunchoke) is such a delicious and nutritious root vegetable. One of our favorite in the vegetable garden, the plant can grow to 8ft tall.
Here’s more information on how to grow grocery store Jerusalem artichokes. ( Via Guardian )
FAQ: Can you regrow any vegetables from scraps?
People often ask: “Can you regrow everything from kitchen scraps?” The answer is no. For example, you cannot regrow cauliflower or broccoli from scraps because they are basically flower heads which would not send out roots.
Most of the vegetables and herbs that regrow easily have some roots at the base, or they are healthy stem cuttings that tend to root easily. Like shown in this lovely example by Simple Bites.
Some roots or stems such as cilantro or mushrooms do not regrow either, because cilantro stems do not propagate easily unless there are roots attached at the bottom. And mushrooms grow from spawns. If you are interested, here’s a tutorial on how to grow mushrooms in coffee grounds and cardboard! ?
