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Growing a Garden From Kitchen Scraps
What if the vegetable scraps you usually toss in the trash could turn into fresh, homegrown food? Growing a garden from kitchen scraps is one of the easiest and most budget-friendly ways to start gardening—no green thumb required. With just a little water, sunlight, and patience, everyday leftovers like celery ends, green onions, and potato eyes can spring back to life right on your windowsill.
Not only is this a fun and simple way to dip your toes into gardening, but it’s also a smart way to reduce food waste and stretch your grocery budget. Many common fruits, vegetables, and herbs naturally regenerate from parts you’d normally throw away, giving you a steady supply of fresh ingredients with minimal effort. Whether you’re looking to save money, live more sustainably, or try something new, growing plants from kitchen scraps is an easy win for any home.
Celery
One of the easiest vegetables to grow yourself is celery. Simply cut off the bottom portion or base of your celery and place it in a small bowl or cup with warm water. Water should cover just the bottom of the celery; do not submerge it. Place in a sunny location and within a couple of days, you will see new growth coming up from the middle. In about a week, the new growth should be thicker and greener, and it will be time to plant in the soil. You can grow it in a pot, either indoors or outdoors, or plant it directly in your garden. Celery likes cooler temperatures and regular watering.
Romaine lettuce
Romaine lettuce can be grown the exact same way as celery. Cut off the bottom portion and place it in water for about a week until new leaves form. Then you can plant in soil or leave it in the water indoors; this can be done year-round. You will need to change the water every couple of days, but you should have large enough leaves to eat within 10-12 days. Planting in the soil will provide more nutrients for the lettuce and should result in more leaves being formed. This method will work for most red and green leaf lettuce.
Cabbage
Cabbage can be grown from leftover leaves. Place cabbage leaves in a bowl with a small amount of water and place them in a sunny location. Replace the water every couple of days. When you notice roots forming, you can plant in soil, or you can continue to grow in water, the same as with the lettuce.
Green onions
Green onions are grown similarly to celery and lettuce. After using the green portion of green onions, you can take the root portion of the green onion and place it in a cup of water, roots down, change the water out daily, and within a week or two, you will have new green tops that you can cut off and use continuously.
Garlic
Garlic is really easy to grow, but choose organic or non-sprayed ones, as treated ones will probably not grow. Break your garlic bulb apart into separate cloves, leaving the skin on. For a summer crop, you will want to plant your garlic in the fall and cover it with straw or mulch to protect it through the winter. Plant 1-3 inches deep with the flat bottom of the garlic down and pointed end up. Plant each clove 3-4 inches apart. Water thoroughly. Harvest garlic in the summer after the foliage dies.
Potatoes
How many times have you found your potatoes have sprouted? Don’t throw them out, plant them. Potatoes should be planted outdoors in early spring, a few weeks before the last average frost in your area. If the potatoes are large and have several eyes, then you should cut them into 2-inch pieces, leaving at least one eye per piece. Let dry for a couple of days before planting outside.
Smaller potatoes can be planted whole. Dig a trench 6-8 inches deep, plant potato pieces cut side down, eyes up, 12 inches apart. Cover with 3-4 inches of dirt. In a couple of weeks, when sprouts appear, cover them with 3-4 more inches of dirt. Repeat every couple of weeks, mounding the soil up over the potatoes, creating a hill to protect the potatoes from turning green in the sunlight.
For the best potato harvest, after the plant’s foliage has died back. Cut brown foliage to the ground and wait 10-14 days to dig potatoes. Make sure to do so on a dry day.
These are some of the easiest vegetable scraps to grow on your own, but almost any vegetable or fruit can be grown from the leftovers. Experiment and have fun growing your own food.
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