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How to Grow Vegetables From Kitchen Scraps
The return of springtime has our real estate agents thinking about gardening again! Whether you have a huge yard with lots of room for planting, or simply want to try out container gardening on your back patio, you might be surprised how much you can grow.
Did you know that some of the most common fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be regrown from kitchen scraps? It's true! Those kitchen scraps can create a fun project that entertains and educate kids, and gives your old veggies a new lease on life!
Are you wondering which plants can be regrown? You'll be amazed…
- Onions. Members of the onion family (including garlic, scallions, and leeks) are some of the easiest vegetables to regrow from scraps. Save a small piece of the base of the bulb or stem, with the roots still attached, and place it in a shallow container of water. New shoots will start to come up very quickly, and you can harvest them as needed, or plant the whole new bulb in your garden.
- Potatoes. You've probably had the experience of leaving potatoes in the bag too long and seeing them start to sprout. To get them to regrow, all you have to do is cut potatoes into pieces so that each piece has at least one "eye" (the indentations that the sprouts grow out of). Plant the pieces in the soil with the eyes facing up.
- Celery. Simply cut off the stalks so that you have an inch or two left at the base. Set the base in a shallow dish with a bit of warm water at the bottom, leave it in a warm, sunny place, and wait for new leaves to start. Once they do, you can replant the celery in the garden, where it will become a new, full-sized plant.
- Carrots. Keep the tops off your carrots. Just place the tops in water, and they will start to grow new roots, as well as greens that you can harvest as needed.
- Leafy Greens. Lettuce and most other head-forming greens can be regrown simply by keeping the rooting portion of the head and leaving it in water so that new leaves can grow. Lettuce and bok choy can also be regrown from a single leaf. Just place the leaf in a bowl with a little water in a sunny spot. Mist the leaf every day to keep it moist, and eventually, new roots will start to grow.
- Herbs. Many herbs can be grown from scraps too, including basil, cilantro, and mint. All you have to do is place 4 inches of the stem in a glass of water so that the leaves are above the water. Roots will start to grow, and soon you will have whole plants that can be transferred to the garden.
Regrowing veggies in your kitchen is fun, but when you're ready to expand your gardening horizons, we're here to help. Our team has helped countless families find beautiful Bradenton homes for sale and Sarasota homes for sale, including houses with ample room for backyard gardening!
Contact us today to learn more about life in the Bradenton and Sarasota areas, and talk to our team about finding your dream home.