Claiming you might grow fresh vegetables and herbs from food scraps might sound fantastical.
But it’s actually possibleand very easy to do once you know how.
Cut the leaves about an inch from the bottom of the lettuce bunch.
Credit: Jacob Fox
Place the lettuce stem in a shallow dish of water.
This tender lettuce is perfect formaking small saladsor topping sandwiches.
As with lettuce, cut the celery base from its stalks, leaving about 1 to 2 inches.
Credit: Jacob Fox
The central part of the celery contains the nutrients for producing new stalks.
Place the cut celery base into a bowl of water.
Change the water every other day to keep the roots fresh.
Credit: Jacob Fox
Transplant the roots into soil after eight days in water.
Soon you’ll be enjoying quick-and-easy ants on a log usinghomegrown celery.
Grow Fresh Basil in Water
There’s nothing better than a bunch ofhomegrown basil(pesto, anyone?
Credit: Jacob Fox
), and the ability to regrow the herb in your kitchen makes it even easier to enjoy.
Cut the plant a few inches below its highest set of leaves.
You’ll want a few inches of bare stem to reach the water.
Credit: Jacob Fox
Transfer to a pot once hairlike roots have sprouted, typically around the 15-day mark.
Cutting right at the white part will mean a longer regrowing time.
Place onions, roots down, in a small water-filled glass, and set in a sunny spot.
Credit: Jacob Fox
New growth should be ready to harvest after 7 days.
Grow Onion Bulbs from Scraps
Onions may be multilayered, but regrowing them is actually quite simple.
Slice the bulb so you have a one-inch sliver of the root end.
Credit: Jacob Fox
Cover the onion piece with about an inch of dirt and water well.
Green shoots will start to appear, which you’re able to harvest like spring onions.
The action happens fast: Most sprouts begin to appear within a week.
Credit: Jacob Fox
Just don’t use potatoestheir sprouts and leaves are toxic.
There are two methods for sprouting, depending on your willingness to sacrifice a whole vegetable.
Expect to be able to harvest greens for about a month.
Water regularly to keep the soil moist.
Discard the entire vegetable when it stops sprouting new leaves.
