Did you know you can use produce scraps to create a garden of your own? Replanting store-bought vegetables and herbs is a great way to live sustainably while also saving money in the kitchen! During the holidays, you may find yourself with more food scraps than usual. Here are some plants that you can regrow from your store-bought produce at home.
Basil
Cut a few basil stems with leaves and place them into a glass of water. Keep them in a sunny spot until the roots are about 2 inches. Transfer these stems into pots or into the ground.
Cilantro
Similar to basil, you can regrow cilantro by placing a few stems in a glass of water and transferring them to a pot once the roots are long enough. You will need to wait a few months before your first harvest.
Romaine Lettuce
Cut your lettuce until you’re left with just the bottom of the stump. Place the stump in half an inch of water. Refill when the water level gets too low. Once the leaves start to regrow, put them in soil.
Green Onion
Cut your green onions until you are left with about an inch from the roots. Place these ends into a glass with some water. After a few days, you should notice your green onions regenerating.
Celery
Cut off the base of your celery stalk and place it in a bowl of warm water. Leave the bowl in a sunny spot. Once the new leaves begin to grow and thicken, transfer it to a pot with soil.
Sweet Potato
If you have an extra sweet potato, place it in a jar of water in direct sunlight and let it sprout. Once it is well rooted, put it in soil in a planter or in the ground.
Ginger
Soak chunks of leftover ginger in water overnight and transfer them into a pot with soil. Leave the pot in a warm and sunny place.
These are just a handful of the many plants that you can regrow from scraps. Filling your garden with home-grown produce will help reduce your kitchen waste, make your cooking more exciting, and assist in reducing stormwater runoff. Soil and plants do a much better job at absorbing water than harder surfaces like cement, so do yourself and the environment a favor by setting up your own garden today!
Source: