To save money, you can reuse your kitchen scraps to get a recurring harvest of vegetables. Watch to see how to do it.
Mary from Mary‘s Nest is sharing ten vegetables you can regrow from kitchen scraps to create a recurring harvest. If you want a no waste kitchen, you can regrow potatoes, ginger, celery, carrot greens, onions and garlic, fennel, leafy greens, cabbage, beets, and herbs from scraps.
Do you want your garden to be both sustainable and fruitful? The answer to achieving these goals could be as simple as taking a closer look at your kitchen scraps. Believe it or not, some of the unused trimmings from fruits and veggies that most of us throw away can actually regrow if given the right amount of love and care.
Not only is this technique economical, but it’s also extremely rewarding – with minimal waste and effort, you can have lush vegetation in no time. In this article we’ll address some frequently asked questions – like how do you regrow plants from kitchen scraps? What plants can regrow from scraps? Can cuttings go straight into soil? How do I make sure my cuttings will root? And what is the best homemade rooting hormone – as well as providing a list of 10 vegetables that re-grow from kitchen scraps.
How Do You Regrow Plants From Kitchen Scraps?
Regrowing plants from kitchen scraps is a great way to reduce waste and save money. It’s easy to do and requires minimal effort. All you need is some water, soil, and a bit of patience.
To regrow green onions, cut the top off one or two inches above the roots, then put the roots in a cup of shallow water. Place the cup in a warm spot with plenty of sunlight and keep it filled with fresh water every few days until you see new shoots growing from the center of the base. Once they’ve grown enough, transfer them to soil and give them plenty of sunlight and water.
Lemongrass can also be regrown from kitchen scraps by cutting off the tops of a bunch of stalks and placing them in water. Place this container in a warm spot with plenty of sunlight and change out the water every few days until you see new green shoots coming up from the center of each stalk. Once they’ve grown enough, transfer them to soil or plant them outdoors in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 1-9 about eight weeks before first frost hits for bulbs next summer.
Ginger can also be regrown from kitchen scraps by cutting off small pieces that still have buds on them (also known as “eyes”). Plant these pieces flat into soil, cover with only 1cm deep layer of soil, give it a good watering once, then place it somewhere warm with lots of sun so it can thrive. With proper care your ginger will grow back quickly.
What Plants Can Regrow From Scraps?
Growing plants from scraps is an easy and cost-effective way to add fresh produce to your home. Many types of plants can be regrown from scraps, including leafy greens, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and pumpkins. Lettuce and other leafy greens are some of the easiest plants to regrow from scraps. Simply cut off the bottom of a head of lettuce or other green and place it in a shallow dish filled with water. Place the dish in a sunny spot and change the water every few days until you see new leaves growing. Garlic is another plant that can be easily regrown from scraps. Separate each clove of garlic and place them in soil with the pointed end facing up. Water regularly until you see new shoots coming out of the top.
Mango seed, avocado pit, pineapple top and lemon seeds can also be used to grow new plants at home. To grow mangoes or avocados from seed, simply remove the pit or seed from the fruit and clean off any remaining pulp before planting it in soil about 1 inch deep. Pineapple tops can also be planted directly into soil about 1 inch deep; however they may take longer to germinate than other types of fruits due to their thick skin. Lemon seeds should also be planted about 1 inch deep into soil; however it’s important to note that lemon trees grown from seed may not produce fruit for several years after planting them as they require pollination by bees or other insects for successful fruiting.
Finally, herbs such as ginger, lemongrass and fennel are all relatively easy to regrow from scrap pieces left over after cooking or preparing meals with these ingredients. Ginger root can simply be cut into small pieces with at least one bud on each piece before being placed in a shallow dish filled with water; change out the water every few days until you see new shoots coming out of each piece before transplanting them into soil when they have grown large enough for harvesting purposes again later on down the road. Lemongrass stalks should also have at least one node still attached before being placed in a shallow dish filled with water until roots start forming; once rooted they should then be transplanted into soil where they will continue growing indefinitely if given proper care. Fennel bulbs can similarly just have their base cut off before being placed in a shallow dish filled with water; once rooted they should then be transplanted into soil where they will continue growing indefinitely if given proper care.
Can Cuttings Go Straight Into Soil?
When it comes to regrowing vegetables from kitchen scraps, the answer is not as simple as yes or no. While some vegetables can be grown directly from cuttings placed in soil, others require more preparation. For example, potatoes and sweet potatoes need to be cut into chunks and allowed to sprout before planting. Onions, garlic, leeks and shallots must be planted as individual cloves with the root side down in potting soil. Similarly, celery bulb fennel and other root crops should have their tops removed before planting them in soil.
Leafy greens such as lettuce and bok choi can also be grown from cuttings but they must first be placed in water until strong roots form before being planted in a pot or garden area that receives lots of sun. Herbs such as basil, mint and cilantro can also be regrown from kitchen scraps by placing the tops of a bunch of lemongrass into water for a few days until strong root growth appears before planting them outdoors or in a potting container.
It is important to note that when regrowing vegetables from kitchen scraps they should always be spaced at least four inches apart when planting them into soil so that they have enough room to grow properly without overcrowding each other. Additionally, it is best to plant these vegetables during the fall season about eight weeks before the first frost hits so that you will have bulbs ready for harvest by next summertime.
How Do I Make Sure My Cuttings Will Root?
When it comes to making sure that your cuttings will root, there are a few key steps you should take. First, you need to make sure that the cutting is placed in water and in a sunny spot. Depending on the type of cutting, you may need to snip off the green part and an inch of the root. Additionally, for some vegetables like onions, it is important to cut off about an inch of the bottom before placing it in water but not submerging it. After this step, let your cutting dry on the counter for 24 hours before continuing.
Next, you should place toothpicks into each side of the onion to create an X shape which will help keep your cutting upright when placed in a bowl with water touching its base. This will ensure that your cutting has enough moisture while also allowing air circulation around it which is important for successful rooting. Furthermore, if you are looking to grow celery from scraps then all you have to do is cut off its base and lay it in a bowl with warm water at its bottom and place this bowl in direct sunlight as much as possible each day.
Finally, when attempting to regrow vegetables from kitchen scraps be sure to avoid anything treated with growth retardants which are used by grocery stores to prevent sprouting. Additionally, be sure that all necessary growing conditions are met such as providing enough moisture and air circulation around your cuttings as well as making sure they receive adequate sunlight throughout their growth period so they can develop properly and successfully root into new plants or vegetables.
What Is The Best Homemade Rooting Hormone?
The best homemade rooting hormone is a mixture of honey and cinnamon. Honey has been known to have some positive effects on plant growth, while cinnamon helps to reduce the chances of fungal infections. By combining these two ingredients, you can create a natural rooting hormone that can help promote root growth in plants.
To make the homemade rooting hormone, start by boiling two cups of water and then reducing the heat. Once cooled, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the water and mix it together well. Then take about a tablespoon of pure cinnamon and spread it out on a dry paper towel. Next, pour some of the mixture into a small vase or Mason jar and soak your cuttings in it for 24 hours. After that, plant your cuttings in soil-less medium in their own pot with moist planting medium. Cover loosely with either a cloche or plastic bag to prevent moisture loss by evaporation.
It is important to note that not all plants will respond positively to this homemade rooting hormone mixture; for example Queen of Philippines (Mussaenda philippica) showed no improvement over controls when treated with this method while Parkia biglobosa also did not show any significant increase in root growth when treated with honey alone as compared to when IBM (a commercial rooting hormone) was applied instead. However, there was some improvement seen when pre-soaking cuttings in honey before applying IBM as the rooting hormone instead; so if you are looking for an alternative option then this may be worth trying out first before investing money into commercial products.
Once planted, place your new cutting in an area where it will receive filtered light such as near a window or under grow lights if available; this will help promote healthy root development which should result from using this homemade rooting hormone mixture correctly.