Vegetables You Can Grow From Scraps

Celery is probably the best food to start your regrowing adventure. It is so easy to grow a new celery from kitchen scraps. Just take the base of the celery bunch and put in a bit of warm water you have previously placed in a bowl. Place your bowl in a sunny spot and wait for the leaves to start at the base. This should happen in a week or so. Now plant your celery in soil and wait for full growth.

Lemons

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Lemon trees can be grown from seeds and if you live in an area that gets really cold winters, you can simply grow dwarf trees indoors. Meyer lemons tend to have smaller plants so choose these if you want an indoor lemon tree. You will begin to get lemons from your tree in just a couple of years so remember that you won’t actually get lemons the same year that you plant them. Just be sure to clean and dry your seeds before planting and choose a soil that is rich in nutrients for the best results.

Lettuce

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You can regrow this vegetable from its own leaves. Place the leaves in approximately one inch of water. Over the next four days, take a spray bottle full of water and mist the leaves. Once roots begin growing, plant the new lettuce in pots full of soil, or in the ground. Lettuce needs sunlight, so make sure you start somewhere like a windowsill or bright room.

Avocado

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Suspend cleaned seed over water in a bowl using toothpicks (only cover about 1/2 of the seed). Keep in a warm place, but not in direct sunlight, a root will regrow in about four to six weeks. Cut it back to 2-3 inches if it gets too long, and plant in soil once leaves begin to grow, leaving 1/2 above the soil when planted. Avocado trees grow very slowly, but are worth the wait!

Garlic

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If you happen to find a clove of garlic that has sprouted, try placing it in a small cup of water and grow yourself some garlic sprouts. While the shoots are still young, cut them off and chop them up to add a little flavor to casseroles or baked potatoes. You can also use sprouted garlic to grow a new head of garlic by planting it sprout-side up in the garden. This is best done in the fall so the plant has plenty of time to produce a big bulb before harvest.

Ginger

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Just a two inch piece of ginger root can be turned into a full ginger bush with a little bit of patience. Make sure to use organic ginger so it will sprout, and choose a piece with a bud. Soak the ginger until the bud begins to swell, then plant with the bud and half the root on the surface of the potting soil. Roots will form under the root, and it will begin growing.

Pineapple

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You can grow your own pineapple even if you don’t live in the tropics. You just cut the top off and insert a few toothpicks to hold it above a container filled with water. Keep the container in direct sunlight. If it is warm outside, sit it on the porch or deck during the day and bring it in at night. Remember to change the water every other day or so and keep the container filled so that it reaches just about the base. You will notice roots in about a week or so and once they are formed you can transplant into potting soil. If you live in a cooler area, it is best to grow your pineapple indoors.

 Sweet potatoes

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Suspend half of sweet potato over water in a bowl or jar using toothpicks. In direct sunlight they will begin to sprout roots from the bottom, and sprouts from the top. When the roots are an inch in length, remove the sprouts to a separate container of water, and plant in soil once they grow to an inch in length themselves.

Carrots

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Carrots are another fun way to gain children’s interest in their food. Cut the tops off of an existing carrot and place it in water, just enough to encourage growth. Keep the water fresh. Once you can see green tops and roots start, take the carrot and plant it in some good soil in a pot or garden.

Pumpkins

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If you tend to carve pumpkins on Halloween, you can save those seeds and plant them. Even if you prefer toasting your seeds for a yummy snack, you can save a couple for growing new pumpkins. Just spread the seeds out in a sunny area outdoors and cover with soil. You can also plant an entire pumpkin. Once you finish displaying that Jack-O-Lantern, just fill it with soil and plant the entire thing.

Potatoes

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Virtually everyone knows that potatoes can be grown from potato peelings. You need peelings that have eyes on them. Cut those peelings into two inch pieces, ensuring that there are at least two or three eyes on each piece. Allow them to dry out overnight and then simply plant them about four inches deep in your soil. Make sure that the eyes are facing up when planting. It will take a few weeks before you see the potato plant begin to grow.

Cherries