If you’re composting your gardening scraps, then you’re already in the habit of recycling. But did you know that some of those leftovers can actually be used to produce more plants? It’s true. We’ve listed 7 of the most popular vegetables and fruits that can be re-grown from scraps. Now that’s recycling!
You can grow both white and sweet potatoes from their respective scraps. Find a 2-3 inch white potato with 1-2 eyes on it and allow it to dry thoroughly at room temperature. Plant in an 8-inch container and cover with 4 inches of soil. As more roots appear, add more soil. For sweet potatoes, take a different approach: bury an entire potato with many eyes.
Cover a ½ inch onion root with soil and leave in a sunny place. After watering as needed, you’ll notice how quickly these guys sprout.
Plant a single clove with its root facing down. Some sunny time later, cut back its shoots and you’ll end up with a new, fresh garlic bulb.
4) ROMAINE LETTUCE
Place roots in a dish of water, but don’t fully submerge the entire plant. Spray with water once a week and keep in the sun.
Remove all fruit traces as well as the green stalks at the top of the plant. Cut sections horizontally from its crown until you see its root buds. Leave only about an inch of leaves at the base. Plant in a warm place with adequate drainage and water regularly. Once established, water less frequently (once per week). This requires a patient gardener, as your first harvest won’t appear for 2-3 years.
Similar to lettuce, put celery in a water-filled dish and cut stalks back to one inch above its roots. New celery will sprout with plenty of sun and a spritz of water once or twice per week.
Like lettuce, place cabbage roots in a bowl of water, being careful to keep standing water away from the rest of the plant. Hydrate the plant 1-2 times per week and keep in a sunny location.