Edibles You Can Grow From Scraps

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Edibles You Can Grow From Scraps

Have you ever left your potatoes or yams in the pantry for so long only to realize that they have developed new stems? This happens a lot with most vegetables. Meaning that you can grow them from leftover pieces aka scraps.

So, if you’re making plans for a new garden, you should consider replanting those leftover veggies and herbs you’ve got lying around. This helps reduce food waste.

Without further ado, here are some vegetables and herbs you could grow from scraps in your garden with detailed instructions on how to do so.

Carrots

Edibles You Can Grow From Scraps2

To regrow carrots, we’re going to need several carrot tops which many of us do not eat. So you’re going to need:

A kitchen knife: This is used to cut off the carrot tops. Those having leaves on them will grow much faster but either way, it’s fine.

Water: This will be the first growing medium.

Soil: Loose sandy or loamy soil is preferred for growing carrots as they are root crops and need to grow easily in a well-aerated, less dense soil.

Container: This harbors the carrot tops in the water medium. It should be big enough to house the carrot tops without them being fully submerged to prevent rotting.

  • Cut off the top of your mature ready-to-eat carrot with a knife.
  • Arrange the carrots in the container with its leaves facing upwards.
  • Pour some water into the container. Remember, not to have them fully submerged, else they’ll rot.
  • Place the container in the shade and watch them grow.
  • After some days, its leaves will begin to sprout, and thereafter roots will begin to form.
  • Transfer it into a bigger container filled with soil or onto a prepped garden bed.

Now, you’ve got a carrot garden!

Sweet Potatoes

To regrow the inedible leftover sweet potatoes in your kitchen, you’ll be needing:

A kitchen knife: This is used to cut the potatoes into several smaller pieces.

Water: This will be the first growing medium.

Soil: Loose sandy or loamy soil with a pH ranging between 5 and 7.5 is preferred for growing sweet potatoes.

Toothpick: This is used to suspend the potatoes in water.

Container: This is needed to grow the potatoes in both soil and water mediums.

  • Cut the sweet potatoes in half.
  • Poke through the cut pieces with several toothpicks.
  • Fill a container with water ensuring that it doesn’t completely submerge the potatoes.
  • With the cut portion facing down, let the free ends of the toothpicks rest on the container such that the potatoes are suspended.
  • Place in partial shade and away from pets and rodents.
  • After some days, roots and stems will start to form.
  • Once the sprouts have grown 5 inches in length, twist them off and transfer them to another container slightly filled with water (it has to be shallow).
  • You’ll notice that slips will begin to grow from the roots.
  • Once the roots are about an inch long, you can proceed to plant them in your prepped garden beds.

Garlic

To replant those extra tiny cloves you couldn’t be bothered to peel, you’ll be needing:

Water: This will be the initial growing medium.

Container: The garlic will be initially grown here.

Soil: A loose, well-draining type is best for optimal garlic growth.

  • Place a section of the bulb base or stem in a shallow bowl of water.
  • After some days, when you notice new green material sprouting from it, replant it in your garden.
  • Finally, ensure that it has partial to full exposure to sunlight.

Basil

Before you throw that extra basil cutting away, kindly note that you can grow a whole plant from it. To grow it, all you’ll need is a glass of water and your prepped garden bed.

  • Place the stem cutting in a glass of water. Ensure that it isn’t totally submerged.
  • Once roots begin to appear, quickly transplant the stem cutting into your prepped garden bed.

Pineapples

When you cut your pineapple into several pieces, do not throw away the top of the fruit because it’s all you need to grow a new pineapple fruit. To do so, get the following:

Water: This stimulates root formation.

Toothpicks: This will be used to suspend the leaves.

Container: This will hold the water.

Soil: Sandy loam is the best soil for growing pineapples because it’s less likely to become waterlogged. Pineapples cannot thrive in waterlogged soils.

  • First, remove any extra layer of fruit around its leaf layer.
  • Then using a toothpick, poke through it halfway.
  • Fill the container with water. It mustn’t submerge the pineapple leaves.
  • Suspend the pineapple leaves by letting the free ends of the toothpicks rest on the edges of the container.
  • Ensure that the container is in a sunny area.
  • Keep changing the water every few days until roots begin to appear.
  • Finally, once the roots are fully formed, transplant the leaves into your prepped garden bed with sandy loam soil.

Celery

To grow celery, all you need to do is cut off its base. Then you place the cut base in a shallow glass of water. Keep this glass exposed fully or partially to sunlight. Once you notice its leaves beginning to grow, you can transplant them into your garden.

Cabbages

Cabbages are leafy vegetables and you know what that means. It means that you can always regrow them from their leaves. You can also regrow them from their rooting section. To grow cabbages and any other leafy vegetable you can think of from its leaves, you’ll be needing a bowl of water.

Place the leaves in a shallow bowl of water. Leave it for some days, till you notice some root formation. Once the roots are fully formed, transplant them into your garden soil.

About 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted worldwide yearly and we could help reduce this by replanting those that we can. What more? It is an economical way to grow produce without spending a lot buying seeds from the store.

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