Don’t Throw Away The Vegetable Scraps: Plant Them And Get More Food

You only need a corner of the balcony or terrace and some pots to get the remains that you were going to throw away to grow back. If you don’t have pots on hand, you can convert water jugs, cans, or wooden boxes. Anything goes as long as you watch your vegetables grow.

11 foods that sprout again

1. Onions and chives

They are especially easy to grow and care for, as they usually already have small roots. Select the onions that have started to sprout and are spoiling to place in glasses of water, 3-4 cm from the bottom submerged and the sprouts facing up.

Change the water regularly so the roots can thrive and the plant doesn’t rot. The roots will grow quickly and fill the glass. After a week, you can plant these bulbs in a pot, but you can also leave them in the glass of water and harvest them right there.

With this crop you will not get more onions, but leaves that are also edible. Cut the ends of the leaves with scissors and chop them very finely to use in the preparation of different dishes in the same way as if they were onions. They are ideal in tortillas, pizzas and salads.

2. Celery

The celery stalk from which the branches start should not be thrown away, because you can quickly and easily get a new plant from it. Cut the leaves of the celery that you will use in the kitchen, remove the two or three outer stalks and place it in a bowl with a little water , which you should change approximately every two days.

Not much patience is required, because the first leaves sprout after about 5 days. When you see the new leaves emerging, transplant it into a pot with a good amount of compost. After a few weeks, you can harvest fresh celery.

3. Ginger and turmeric

Ginger and turmeric are true immune boosters. The tubers are healthy and taste great as a spice, in soups or infusions. If you store the tubers at room temperature, small sprouts will emerge after a few days. You can simply separate those shoots and put them in a pot with soil with the tip facing up.

Keep the soil moist, but not wet. Plants like warmth, which is why they grow best on the windowsill in spring. When the leaves of the plant have died, you can harvest the root.

4. Garlic

If garlic is stored at room temperature for several days, it will begin to sprout. This is no reason to stop using it or throw it away. Put the garlic cloves in a bowl of water and wait for the sprouts to develop. When they are about 10 cm long, you can eat the sprouts.

You can use them to flavor soups, salads, etc. The sprouts taste slightly milder than garlic cloves and are particularly fresh.

5. Aromatic

You can get new aromatics with old sprouts of rosemary, thyme, oregano, or mint. Cut the individual stems under the emerging leaves with a sharp knife. Then remove the small leaves along the stem and place one or more stems in a glass of water. It won’t take long for new roots to form.

These plants are happy if they have sun, so place the glass of water with the branches in a bright place, such as a window sill.

6. Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a must for anyone who loves to cook Asian dishes. You can easily root the stems by placing them in a glass of water. When the roots are about 2 cm long, plant them in a pot with soil. Lemongrass thrives particularly well in a warm, sunny, room-temperature location or on the balcony in summer.

7. Dried pea sprouts

Pea sprouts are rich in vitamins and minerals and taste wonderfully fresh, especially in salads and soups. To do this, wash the dried peas well. Then put the legumes in a glass jar and cover them with about 3 cups of water. After about 4-5 hours, pour out the water and add fresh water to cover the peas. Close the jar with a cloth and a rubber band. Change the water daily to prevent mold from forming. After 4 to 5 days you can harvest the shoots.

8. Potatoes

Potatoes start to sprout after a few weeks at room temperature. Then you should not eat them anymore, since the solanine toxin is mainly formed in the sprouts and can make you feel bad when you eat them. But that doesn’t mean you should throw away the potatoes. Plant them in a pot with soil or better yet, in an old burlap sack filled with soil. After a few months you will be able to harvest your own potatoes.

9. Carrot leaves

You cannot remove a new carrot from the carrot stump, but you can harvest the leaves, which are rich in vitamins. What many throw away tastes wonderful in salads, smoothies, or soups. To get the leaves, place the 3 cm long carrot stump in a shallow container and fill it with enough water so that only the bottom of the stem is in contact with it. As soon as the first green shoots appear, you can plant the carrot and after a week or two you can harvest the leaves.

10. Fresh fennel

Fennel sprouts are slightly spicy and perfect for an infusion or to add a special touch to salads and soups. To do this, place the fennel bulb in a bowl or glass of water and let it rest for a few days. After a few days, you can harvest the fresh shoots.