How to Grow Veggies from Scraps

Did you know you can grow vegetables on your windowsill from scraps? Green onions and romaine lettuce can easily grow with a little bit of water and some sunlight—no gardening required. In the article How to Regrow Vegetable Scraps, Simple Bites blogger Aimee explains how to start growing your own veggies from scraps.

For an easy start with quick results, try regrowing scraps of garlic and green onions. Place about 3 inches of the white parts of green onions (including the roots) in about 1 inch of fresh water in a jar. Place on a windowsill or counter that receives partial sun. Change the water out daily. In a few days, you'll start to see regrowth! For garlic, choose bulbs that have started to shoot out green sprouts.

The following veggies will regrow their tops that can be used in pesto, salads and for garnish:

• carrots
• beets
• turnips
• radishes
• daikon

Cut off about 1 inch from the top of the vegetable and place in a jar of water. Do not submerge the entire scrap. Change the water daily.

The following veggies will regrow if you submerge their roots/ends in water:

• garlic
• green onions
• fennel
• celery
• romaine lettuce
• bok choy
• onions
• lemongrass

Cut 1-3 inches from the bottom and place in a jar of water. Do not submerge the entire scrap. Change the water daily.

Notes/Tips:

• Keep the regrowing vegetable away from a direct heat source or they will just bake instead of grow.
• Not everything will sprout. If you’ve waited a week and seen no sign of life, try again.
• The taste on the regrown vegetables will be milder than from fresh vegetables.
• Slimy bottoms are normal.

If you want to keep some of these veggies growing into full-on plants instead of just greens, such as carrots and beets, they'll need to be transferred to soil in a garden outside. However, celery, green onions and romaine lettuce can regrow into full-on plants if tended to properly.