How to regrow vegetables from kitchen scraps on a sunny windowsill – The Virginian-Pilot

Gardening naturally lends itself to reuse and recycling – just think of last year’s compost and seed trays. So if there is a way to reduce waste while saving money on products, count me among them. And one of my favorite ways to do both is to recreate veggies from kitchen scraps.

Instead of throwing away the bottoms (or tops) of veggies as you prepare them or composting them, you can grow them right on your windowsill into leafy greens and other tasty treats.

Before I go any further, it’s important to note that these methods are unlikely to produce plants that will grow well in your garden, so I don’t recommend replacing your seedlings this way. But they’ll likely provide a side dish or two, and you can never underestimate the value of a fun project.

General Tips: Leftovers grow best in a sunny spot. Use lukewarm water and replace it every day or two to avoid bacterial growth. Don’t worry if the submerged portion of your cuttings gets a little slimy, but if the whole thing starts turning brown, toss it on the compost heap and start over.

What I love most about turnips is that one plant provides two accompaniments – the tuberous root and the tasty leafy greens. While you can’t regrow a beet from a cutting indoors, you can certainly create more leafy greens: Snip off the top 1 1/2 inches from a beet and place cut-side down in a bowl that’s level contains enough water to keep the cut end submerged. New leaves will sprout from the top within a few days and you can start harvesting in a couple of weeks. (This method also works with parsnips and turnips).

Snip 3 inches from the bottom of a head of celery, then cut a slice from the very bottom of the 3-inch segment. Place it right side up in a shallow container and pour in 2 inches of water. In a few days, new growth will sprout from the center.

Cut the entire white part off the bottom of a stalk of leeks or spring onions, then place them, root-side down, in a jar or jar containing an inch of water. When the stem grows out of the jar, place it in a larger one. New growth can be harvested in a few weeks.

Snip 3 inches from the bottom of a head of romaine lettuce, then remove the outermost leaves. Place the 3-inch heart in a shallow container that you’ve added half an inch of water to. Within a week a sprout will come forth from its midst. As it grows, it is normal for some of the heart’s outer leaves to turn brown. remove them When the growth in the center is big enough to make a salad (or sandwich), cut it off and enjoy—then wait for more to grow.