Transform Your Scraps into Fresh Produce: A Guide to Regrowing Vegetables and Introducing Them to a Hydroponics System

Reducing food waste and saving money on groceries can be achieved by regrowing vegetables from scraps. Don't throw away the root ends and leafy tops of some vegetables. Instead, you can give them a new life by planting them in soil or water. This sustainable activity is not only fun and rewarding but also encourages self-sufficiency.

To regrow vegetables from scraps, start by choosing a fresh vegetable with a root end or a leafy top. Cut off the root end or leafy top, leaving about 1-2 inches of the vegetable intact. The propagation method varies depending on the vegetable you want to regrow:

Lettuce: Place the root end in a small bowl of water and change the water daily. Within a few days, new growth should emerge from the center of the lettuce. Once the roots have grown, transfer the lettuce to soil, making sure to cover the roots.


Kale: Cut off the bottom inch of the stem and place it in a small bowl of water. Change the water daily and wait for new leaves to grow. Once the leaves have grown, transfer the kale to soil and water regularly.


Bok Choy: Place the root end in a small bowl of water and change the water daily. Within a few days, new growth should emerge from the center of the bok choy. Once the roots have grown, transfer the bok choy to soil and water regularly.


Carrots: Cut off the top inch of the carrot and plant it in soil with the cut side facing up. Water regularly and wait for new carrot tops to grow.


Onions: Cut off the root end and plant it in soil with the flat end down. Water regularly and wait for new onion shoots to emerge. Once the shoots have grown, thin them out and allow the remaining shoots to grow into mature onions.


Leeks: Cut off the root end and plant it in soil with the flat end down. Water regularly and wait for new leek shoots to emerge. Once the shoots have grown, thin them out and allow the remaining shoots to grow into mature leeks.

If you want to take your regrowing game to the next level, you can introduce your vegetables to a hydroponics system. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, using nutrient-rich water instead. The propagation method for each vegetable is the same as above, with the added step of transferring them to a hydroponics system once they have grown roots or shoots.

In conclusion, regrowing vegetables from scraps is an easy and sustainable way to reduce food waste and save money. By following the appropriate propagation method for each vegetable, you can enjoy fresh produce all year round, whether in soil or a hydroponic system.