There is nothing like eating your own homegrown vegetables and fruits and knowing exactly where they came from and what was or wasn't used on them while they were growing. Surprisingly there are a number of foods that will re-grow right from your food scraps without having to go back to seed.
Keep in mind, if you're starting your garden for the first time from these scraps, I'd recommend buying from a local organic farmer so you know your re-grown vegetables and fruits are good, healthy, and chemical free.
1. Cabbage - Cabbages will re-grow from their white root end. Cut the end off just like you normally would and place the white root end into a shallow container of water, just enough to cover the roots but not completely over the top of your cutting. Then place in a sunny window and occasionally spray your cutting with water to keep the top moist.
After a few days you should start seeing roots and leaves appear. After about a week, transplant it into soil with just the leaves above the soil and watch it continue to grow and start producing more cabbage.
2. Garlic - Re-growing garlic is very easy. Simply place a single clove, root end down, in soil with plenty of sunlight. The garlic will soon root itself and produce new shoots. Once established, just cut back the shoots and the garlic plant will put all of it's energy into producing a big garlic bulb.
3. Onion - Like garlic, onions are another easy vegetable to re-grow. Cut off the root end of your onion, leaving about a half inch of onion on the roots. Place the onion roots in a warm sunny location and cover the top with soil. Be sure to keep the soil moist!
4. Pineapple - Pineapples are a lengthy process, but can be done. To re-grow pineapples, you need to remove the green leafy piece at the top and ensure that no fruit remains attached. Either hold the crown firmly by the leaves and twist the stalk out, or you can cut the top off the pineapple and remove the remaining fruit flesh with a knife, otherwise it will likely rot after planting and could kill the plant. Carefully cut small, horizontal sections from the bottom of the crown until you see root buds (the small circles on the flat base of the stalk). Remove the bottom few layers of leaves leaving about an inch base at the bottom of the stalk.
Plant your pineapple crown in a warm and well drained environment. Water your plant regularly at first, reducing to weekly watering once the plant is established. You will see growth in the first few months but it will take around 2-3 years before you are eating your own home-grown pineapples.
5. Potatoes - We've all seen it, a potato in the cupboard that's growing eyes. These are exactly what we want when re-growing potatoes. Cut the potato into about 2-3 inch squares while ensuring each piece has at least 1 or 2 eyes. Leave the cut pieces sit at room temperature for a day or two to alow the cut areas to dry and callous over, which prevents the potato piece from rotting.
Potatoes are a high nutrient environment, so it's best to turn compost through your soil before planting. Plant the potato pieces around 8 inches deep with the eye facing upward, and cover it with around 4 inches of soil, leaving the other 4 inches empty. As your potato plant begins to grow and more roots appear, add more soil. If your plant really takes off, mound more soil around the base of the plant to help support its growth.
What other plants do you know of that can be easily re-grown and how was your success?
Keep in mind, if you're starting your garden for the first time from these scraps, I'd recommend buying from a local organic farmer so you know your re-grown vegetables and fruits are good, healthy, and chemical free.
1. Cabbage - Cabbages will re-grow from their white root end. Cut the end off just like you normally would and place the white root end into a shallow container of water, just enough to cover the roots but not completely over the top of your cutting. Then place in a sunny window and occasionally spray your cutting with water to keep the top moist.
After a few days you should start seeing roots and leaves appear. After about a week, transplant it into soil with just the leaves above the soil and watch it continue to grow and start producing more cabbage.
2. Garlic - Re-growing garlic is very easy. Simply place a single clove, root end down, in soil with plenty of sunlight. The garlic will soon root itself and produce new shoots. Once established, just cut back the shoots and the garlic plant will put all of it's energy into producing a big garlic bulb.
3. Onion - Like garlic, onions are another easy vegetable to re-grow. Cut off the root end of your onion, leaving about a half inch of onion on the roots. Place the onion roots in a warm sunny location and cover the top with soil. Be sure to keep the soil moist!
4. Pineapple - Pineapples are a lengthy process, but can be done. To re-grow pineapples, you need to remove the green leafy piece at the top and ensure that no fruit remains attached. Either hold the crown firmly by the leaves and twist the stalk out, or you can cut the top off the pineapple and remove the remaining fruit flesh with a knife, otherwise it will likely rot after planting and could kill the plant. Carefully cut small, horizontal sections from the bottom of the crown until you see root buds (the small circles on the flat base of the stalk). Remove the bottom few layers of leaves leaving about an inch base at the bottom of the stalk.
Plant your pineapple crown in a warm and well drained environment. Water your plant regularly at first, reducing to weekly watering once the plant is established. You will see growth in the first few months but it will take around 2-3 years before you are eating your own home-grown pineapples.
5. Potatoes - We've all seen it, a potato in the cupboard that's growing eyes. These are exactly what we want when re-growing potatoes. Cut the potato into about 2-3 inch squares while ensuring each piece has at least 1 or 2 eyes. Leave the cut pieces sit at room temperature for a day or two to alow the cut areas to dry and callous over, which prevents the potato piece from rotting.
Potatoes are a high nutrient environment, so it's best to turn compost through your soil before planting. Plant the potato pieces around 8 inches deep with the eye facing upward, and cover it with around 4 inches of soil, leaving the other 4 inches empty. As your potato plant begins to grow and more roots appear, add more soil. If your plant really takes off, mound more soil around the base of the plant to help support its growth.
What other plants do you know of that can be easily re-grown and how was your success?
