Kitchen Witch Tip: Regrowing Some Vegetables and Herbs from Their Cuts

Did you know that some vegetables and herbs you buy in the store can be regrown from the sterms and bases? It’s true! As you can see, I am regrowing a celery plant from the left over bulb after I used the last stalk. The picture to the right is just two days after I placed the base in some warm water and spritz the top. The second shot it two weeks later when I potted the bulb. It continues to grow and soon I will have my celery plant! 

There are several vegetables and herbs that can do this as well and can be a great addition to your Kitchen!

Here are just a few

Basil

Place a three inch sterm of basil in a glass of water and leave it in a sunny spot. Change the water every few days. As soon the roots are a few inches, transfer to a pot and soon you will have your own basil plant.

Ginger

Pick a ginger root that’s got a green eye bud and pot it in soil with the bud facing upwards. A few months and some regular watering will result in lots more ginger for you to use in your curries. Remember to save another root so you can repeat the process for more free spice.

Potatoes

Potatoes can be regrown from the peeled skins! You need peelings that have eyes on them. Cut those peelings into two inch pieces, ensuring that there are at least two or three eyes on each piece. Allow them to dry out overnight and then simply plant them about four inches deep in your soil. Make sure that the eyes are facing up when planting. It will take a few weeks before you see the potato plant begin to grow.

Garlic

You can grow a whole bulb of garlic from one clove. Just take one clove and place it in some soil with the root facing down. Garlic likes plenty of direct sunlight so in warmer weather, keep it outdoors in the sun during the day. Once you notice that new shoots have established, cut the shoots back and your plant will produce a bulb. You can take part of this new bulb and plant again.

Onion

Onions are very easy to grow indoors or out. You just have to cut the root of the onion off and make sure that you leave about a half an inch of onion when you do. Cover lightly with potting soil and keep in a sunny area. For green onions, simply put the white base with the roots intact in a container of water and place in direct sunlight. Change the water out every few days and the green will continue to grow. Just snip what you need and allow it to grow as long as you like.

Peppers

You can grow a number of hot peppers from the seeds that are leftover. Just collect the seeds from your habaneros, jalapenos or any other peppers that you have on hand. Plant them in potting soil and keep in direct sunlight unless it is warm outside and then you can just plant them in your garden area. Peppers grow relatively fast and don’t require a lot of care. Once you get a new crop, just save some of the seeds for replanting again.

Cilantro