How to Regrow Vegetables

by Sarah Jane Dunaway

5 Minutes

Easy

I love gardening, but I’m certainly not the best at it. Though I’d say our vegetable garden had a mildly successful season this summer, there were many fruits and vegetables we still had to resort to buying. Luckily not all is lost! These great tips on how to regrow vegetables came in super handy for creating new life, with some becoming new additions to our vegetable garden.

how to regrow vegetables, gardening, how to

Basil

Before tossing that leftover basil, try placing a few of the clippings in a glass of water and place it in direct sunlight. Be sure the clippings have at least 4-inch stems in order for them to regrow. When the roots reach about 2 inches, replant them in pots of your vegetable garden to continue growing.

Bok Choy

Just like lettuce, place the root of your Bok Choy in water in a well-lit area. Transplant your root after 1-2 weeks in a pot of soil until a new head fully regrows.

Carrots

Next time you’re whipping up my delicious recipe for Ginger Carrot Cake keep the ends with the greens and place them in a dish with water. Set your dish in a windowsill and wait for the carrot tops to regrow which make a nice addition to salads or use as a decorative garnish.

Celery

Cut off the base of the celery and place it in a bowl of water with the stalk tips facing up. Be sure your water only covers the bottom of your celery, not the entire bulb. Place out of direct sunlight and wait for the celery to regrow!

Cilantro

Similar to basil, place your leftover cilantro in a glass of water in direct sunlight. Wait until the roots are just long enough, then replant in a pot and watch your Cilantro regrow before your very eyes!

Fennel

Just like with the Celery, cut off the base of the fennel and place it in a bowl of water with the stalk tips facing up. Be sure your water only covers the bottom of your fennel, not the entire bulb. Place out of direct sunlight and wait for the celery to regrow!

Garlic

Next time you find your garlic starting to re-sprout, plant it in a small pot with the sprouted tips facing towards the top of the soil.

Ginger

Replant a small piece of ginger root in a pot. Once it sprouts, dig up the whole plant, cut off what you need and replant the pot in fresh soil.

Green Onions

Next time you cut off the scallion portion of your green onion (the green part) for my Crawfish Étouffée, set aside the white bulbs and place in a glass of water in direct sunlight. Change the water every few days and before you’ll know it you’ll have new green onions!

Leeks

You know how leeks look a lot like great big green onions? They can be regrown the same way as green onions, too! Follow the same bulbs-in-a-glass-of-water routine the next time you have a leek or two leftover and you’ll wind up with your own supply for months to come.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are one of the trickier vegetables to regrow, but with careful attention you can do it! Plant the stalks in some soil with used coffee grounds. Be sure to keep their soil nice and moist and in a cooler temperature at night. After a few days your stems will either re-sprout or rot.

Onions

After chopping up some onion for my Cauliflower Rice, plant the discarded root end in a pot or directly outside in the soil to regrow.

Pineapple

Start by twisting off the top of your pineapple, as opposed to cutting it off. Peel back some of the bottom leaves at the base of your pineapple top. Be sure to peel enough to expose several layers of the pineapple base. Slice off the very tip of the base to remove any excess fruit. Place 3-4 toothpicks along the base of the pineapple.

Place in an empty glass and fill with just enough water to submerge the part of ‘your base where the leaves were peeled back. Place in a window-sill in direct sunlight, replacing the water every couple of days. Once roots are fully formed, replant in a container of soil or in the ground if you live in a warmer, more tropical climate. Within the next few months you should see a new pineapple beginning to sprout from the top of your plant!

Romaine Lettuce

Though you can regrow different kinds of lettuce, Romain Lettuce is the easiest. Just cut off the base and put it in bowl of water to regrow.

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Frequently asked questions

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2 questions

San374529 on Apr 15, 2016
Can you regrow sweet potatos

3
Nancy on Jun 02, 2016
How do I keep my romaine root from getting soggy and icky?

1

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2 of 85 comments

Farhana Kanta on Jul 19, 2016
Useful tips thanks save money

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Venia5578 on Oct 06, 2018

Interesting, thanks for the information Sarah. The first pineapple I grew was beautiful ( 3 ft high) but It died , however it never bared fruits. The second pineapple plant I don't know what happened. The plant was looking healthy once it started growing. four months later I was like 'what the...' anyway I love to play in the dirt lol. So I am going to try it again. I don't think I'll try the pineapple again soon. But I will try to resurrect some other veggies.

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