Before you toss those vegetable ends in the compost bin, take a second look—you might be throwing away your next harvest. Many common kitchen scraps can sprout into brand-new plants with just a little water and care.
Whether you have a full garden or just a sunny windowsill, these 10 veggies can be regrown again and again, saving money and cutting food waste in a surprisingly fun way.
Green Onions
One of the easiest vegetables to regrow, green onions bounce back fast. Place the white root ends in a glass of water, and they’ll start sprouting within days. Snip what you need and let the rest keep growing.
Celery
Cut the base of a celery bunch and set it in a shallow dish of water. In a week or so, you’ll see new leaves and stalks forming from the center. Once roots develop, transplant it to soil for a full regrow.
Lettuce
Romaine and other leafy lettuces can regrow from their base. Sit the stump in a dish of water near a sunny window, and soon you’ll spot fresh leaves. While you won’t get a full head again, you’ll have plenty for sandwiches or salads.
Garlic
Single garlic cloves can sprout into new bulbs. Plant a clove pointy side up in soil, and it’ll grow roots and shoots. Harvest the greens like scallions or wait for full bulbs to form in a few months.
Carrot Tops
While you can’t regrow the carrot root, the leafy green tops are edible and make a great garnish or pesto. Place carrot ends in shallow water and enjoy the fresh foliage in just a few days.
Leeks
Just like green onions, leeks regrow easily from the root ends. Pop the white base in water and watch new growth emerge from the center. Perfect for soups and sautés!
Bok Choy
This crunchy green can regrow from the base just like celery. Set it in water, give it some sunlight, and fresh leaves will shoot up in no time. Once established, it can be moved to soil for full heads.
Sweet Potatoes
Stick toothpicks in a sweet potato and suspend it halfway in a jar of water. It will soon grow leafy slips, which can be planted in soil to produce more tubers. Each potato can yield multiple new plants!
Basil
Place fresh basil cuttings in a glass of water, and they’ll sprout roots in about a week. Once rooted, transfer them to soil to grow full plants—no need to buy a new bunch every time.
Fennel
Regrow fennel from the white bulb base by sitting it in water with the root end down. After a few days, new fronds will sprout. Once established, transplant to soil for a full regrow.
With just a bit of water and light, your kitchen scraps can become a renewable source of fresh veggies and herbs. It’s an easy, rewarding way to stretch your grocery budget and reduce waste. Try it once, and you may never look at veggie trimmings the same way again!
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