Growing vegetables from scraps is an easy and rewarding way to reduce food waste and have a fresh supply of produce on hand. Many common vegetables can be regrown from their scraps, including:
Onions: Cut off the bottom centimeter or two of an onion bulb, then place it root-side down in a jar of water. Set the jar in a sunny spot and change the water every few days. In a couple of weeks, roots will start to grow from the bottom. Once the roots grow to at least 2 centimeters long, plant the onion bulb in a pot or garden.
Garlic: Separate a garlic clove from the bulb and press it into a pot of soil, root end down. The clove germinates and starts growing a green shoot. You can use the cloves for cooking once the leaves are 10-12 centimeters tall.
scallions: Cut off the roots and the top 2-3 centimeters of a scallion, leaving about 5-7 centimeters of the scallion intact. Place the scallion in a jar of water and set it in a sunny spot. Change the water every few days. Within a week or two, roots should start to form at the base of the scallion. Once the roots are at least 2 centimeters long, you can plant the scallion in a pot or garden.
Lettuce: Place the bottom 2-3 centimeters of a lettuce head in a bowl of water. Set the bowl in a sunny spot and change the water every few days. Within a few days, new leaves will start to grow from the center of the head. Once the leaves grow to about 5-7 centimeters tall, you can plant the lettuce in a pot or garden.
Celery: Cut off the bottom 5-7 centimeters of a celery stalk. Place the celery in a jar of water and set it in a sunny spot. Change the water every few days. Within a week or two, roots should start to form at the base of the celery. Once the roots are at least 2 centimeters long, you can plant the celery in a pot or garden.
Before regrowing vegetables from scraps, keep a few tips in mind:
- Make sure to use organic vegetables or vegetables that have not been treated with pesticides.
- Use a clean container for regrowing the vegetable.
- Place the container in a sunny spot to encourage growth.
- Change the water in the container every few days to prevent rot.
- Once the vegetable has started to grow, plant it in a larger pot or in the garden.
Regrowing vegetables from scraps is a simple and environmentally-friendly way to enjoy fresh produce. With a little care and attention, you can easily grow a variety of vegetables right in your kitchen.
