Have you ever wondered if you can stretch your grocery budget by regrowing vegetables at home? The good news is, you can! Many vegetables can be regrown from scraps or remnants, making it a fun and sustainable way to enjoy fresh produce. Here are ten veggies you can regrow from the grocery store:
Green Onions
Green onions, or scallions, are one of the easiest vegetables to regrow. Simply place the white roots in a glass of water, ensuring the roots are submerged while keeping the tops above water. Place the glass on a sunny windowsill and change the water every few days. In a week or so, you’ll notice new green growth sprouting from the tops.
Lettuce
Regrowing lettuce is straightforward. Save the base of the lettuce head and place it in a shallow dish of water. Keep it in a sunny spot and change the water every couple of days. New leaves will begin to emerge from the center, and within two weeks, you can harvest fresh lettuce.
Celery
Celery can also be regrown from its base. Cut about two inches from the bottom of the celery stalk and place it in a dish with a bit of water. Leave it in a sunny location and change the water every few days. After a week, new stalks and leaves will start to grow. Once the growth is significant, you can transplant it into soil.
Carrots
While you can’t regrow an entire carrot from its top, you can regrow carrot greens. Place the top of a carrot in a shallow dish of water, cut side down. Within a few days, you’ll see green shoots emerging. Carrot greens are edible and can be used in salads, pesto, or as garnishes.
Garlic
Garlic is incredibly easy to regrow. Plant a single garlic clove (pointy end up) in the soil and water it regularly. In a few months, you’ll have a new garlic bulb. For quicker results, you can grow garlic greens by placing cloves in a small glass of water. The greens can be harvested and used like chives.
Ginger
Ginger is another great vegetable to regrow. Plant a small piece of ginger root with the buds facing up in a pot of soil. Place it in indirect sunlight and water it lightly. New shoots will begin to emerge in a few weeks. After a few months, you can harvest fresh ginger by digging up the plant.
You can regrow basil from cuttings. Place a basil stem with a few leaves in a glass of water, ensuring that at least two inches of the stem is submerged. Place the glass in a sunny spot and change the water every few days. Roots will begin to form within a week, and once they are an inch long, you can transplant the basil into soil.
Potatoes
Potatoes are easy to regrow from scraps. Cut a potato into pieces, making sure each piece has at least one eye. Allow the pieces to dry out for a couple of days, then plant them in soil about four inches deep. Water regularly, and in a few months, you’ll have new potatoes ready for harvest.
Romaine Lettuce
Similar to other lettuces, romaine lettuce can be regrown from its base. Place the base in a shallow dish of water, ensuring the bottom is submerged. Keep it in a sunny spot and change the water every few days. New leaves will begin to grow from the center, and you can harvest fresh romaine lettuce in a couple of weeks.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes can be regrown from slips. Cut a sweet potato in half and suspend it with toothpicks in a glass of water, with half of the potato submerged. Place it in a sunny spot and change the water regularly. Shoots will start to grow from the top. Once the shoots are about five inches long, twist them off and place them in water to root. After roots form, you can plant the slips in soil.
Regrowing vegetables from grocery store scraps is a rewarding and eco-friendly practice. Not only does it save money, but it also provides a continuous supply of fresh produce. With a little patience and care, you can enjoy a thriving indoor or outdoor garden. Happy gardening!
