Regrowing plants from kitchen scraps is one of the easiest ways to create a sustainable, cost-effective, and rewarding home garden.
Instead of tossing leftover vegetable stems, roots, or cuttings, you can give them new life and enjoy a continuous supply of fresh produce—right from your own kitchen or backyard!
This method not only helps you reduce food waste but also allows you to grow organic, pesticide-free food for your family. Best of all, most of these plants require minimal effort to regrow!
Here’s a detailed guide to 20 plants you can easily regrow from scraps—along with step-by-step instructions on how to do it.
1. Green Onions (Scallions)
How to Regrow:
- Cut the white base with roots attached.
- Place it in a glass of water with the roots submerged.
- Keep it near a sunny window and change the water every few days.
- In 5–7 days, fresh green shoots will sprout!
Bonus: You can continue harvesting by snipping off the tops as needed!
2. Lettuce
How to Regrow:
- Cut off the bottom 2 inches of a lettuce head.
- Place it in a shallow dish of water, ensuring the base stays submerged.
- Keep it in indirect sunlight and change the water every 2 days.
- New leaves will appear in 7–10 days!
Best Varieties: Romaine, Butterhead, Iceberg
3. Celery
How to Regrow:
- Cut 2 inches from the bottom of a celery stalk.
- Place it in a small dish of water and keep it in sunlight.
- In about 1 week, leaves and roots will begin growing.
- Transfer to soil for a full plant.
Tip: Celery grows best in cooler weather, so place it in a partially shaded area.
4. Carrot Tops
How to Regrow:
- Cut the top inch of a carrot and place it in a shallow dish of water.
- New green tops will sprout in 5–7 days.
- While they won’t produce new carrots, the tops are edible and great in salads or pesto!
5. Potatoes
How to Regrow:
- Cut a potato into chunks, ensuring each piece has 1-2 eyes.
- Let the pieces dry for 1–2 days to prevent rotting.
- Plant in loose soil and water regularly.
- In 2–3 months, you’ll have a new harvest of potatoes!
Pro Tip: Use organic potatoes, as store-bought ones are often treated to prevent sprouting.
6. Sweet Potatoes
How to Regrow:
- Cut a sweet potato in half and suspend it in a jar of water using toothpicks.
- Roots and slips (sprouts) will grow in 2–3 weeks.
- Once slips are 6 inches long, remove them and plant in soil.
7. Garlic
How to Regrow:
- Plant individual cloves in well-draining soil, pointy end up.
- Water occasionally and wait 8–10 months for a full bulb.
- For a quicker harvest, grow garlic greens, which sprout in 1–2 weeks.
8. Ginger
How to Regrow:
- Take a chunk of fresh ginger root with buds (growth points).
- Bury it 1 inch deep in a pot with soil.
- In a few weeks, shoots and roots will develop.
- Harvest new ginger after 4–6 months!
9. Basil
How to Regrow:
- Take a 4-inch cutting from fresh basil.
- Place in a glass of water, ensuring leaves stay above the waterline.
- After 2 weeks, roots will form.
- Transplant to soil for a continuous basil supply!
Best Herbs for Water Propagation: Mint, Oregano, Thyme
10. Onions
How to Regrow:
- Save the bottom 1-inch of an onion bulb with roots.
- Plant directly in soil with the root side down.
- Within a few weeks, new onion shoots will appear.
11. Pineapple
How to Regrow:
- Cut off the top (crown) of a pineapple and remove the lower leaves.
- Let it dry for 1–2 days to prevent rotting.
- Place in water or plant directly in soil.
- Roots form in 3–4 weeks, and fruit grows in 2–3 years!
Best for: Tropical or warm climates.
12. Leeks
How to Regrow:
- Place the white root base in a jar of water.
- Keep in a sunny window and refresh the water every 2–3 days.
- New leeks will sprout in about 7–10 days!
13. Peppers
How to Regrow:
- Save seeds from fresh bell peppers, jalapeños, or chili peppers.
- Dry them for a few days and plant in soil.
- Sprouts emerge in 1–2 weeks.
14. Fennel
How to Regrow:
- Cut 2 inches from the root base and place it in water.
- New fronds appear in 7–10 days.
- Transfer to soil for a full plant!
15. Cabbage
How to Regrow:
- Place the bottom part of a cabbage head in a shallow dish of water.
- New leaves will start sprouting in 3–5 days!
16. Turnips
How to Regrow:
- Place turnip tops in water.
- New green leaves will grow within a week.
- These greens are edible and great for stir-frying!
17. Beets
How to Regrow:
- Cut off the top portion of a beet and place in water.
- Leaves regrow in 1–2 weeks, perfect for salads!
18. Cilantro
How to Regrow:
- Take fresh cilantro stems and place them in water.
- Once roots form in 1–2 weeks, transfer to soil for full growth!
19. Mushrooms
How to Regrow:
- Take a mushroom stem and plant it in moist soil.
- Keep in low light & high humidity.
- New mushrooms grow in 1–2 weeks!
20. Strawberries
How to Regrow:
- Save strawberry seeds from the fruit.
- Dry them and plant in well-draining soil.
- Sprouts appear in 2–3 weeks!
Regrowing food from kitchen scraps is an easy and sustainable way to keep fresh produce at home while reducing waste.
Whether you have a large garden or just a windowsill, these 20 plants can thrive with minimal effort!
