Regrowing Produce

For those that live in an apartment without a yard, those looking to create a sustainable and regenerative source of food or even those just looking for a fun activity, try regrowing your store-bought vegetables and fruits. With a few simple tools and a sunny windowsill, you will be able to see some sprouting within just a couple of short days and before you know it, you can have a garden and some nice looking houseplants to brighten up your work-from-home space. Research indicates that exposure to greenery and particularly to gardening, is beneficial to mental and physical health.

One of the easiest vegetables to regrow are scallions or green onions. Just cut about one to two inches off from the bottoms and stand them up in a jar filled with about an inch of water. The scallions regrow quickly and will be ready to be used within days. Continue to change out the water every few days and the same scallions can be used over and over again.

Romaine lettuce and celery can be regrown in the same manner as scallions. Simply cut off about an inch or two from the base. Place in a bowl or cup of water and leave by a windowsill where they can get adequate sunlight. Within about a week new leaves will begin to sprout from the middle. This means it is ready to be transferred to a pot of soil for continued growth.

Carrots and other root vegetables such as beets, parsnips and turnips won’t regrow entirely but their stems will. Cut off the tops leaving about a half an inch of the root attached. Place the tops of the on a plate filled with about a half an inch of water and set in a location with plenty of sunlight. As the stems regrow, they can be used for garnishes, blended into pesto or incorporated into salads.

The pits from avocados can be grown into beautiful houseplants. The key is to remove the avocado pit without damaging it and cleaning it with warm water. The pointy end of the pit is the top and the flatter end is the bottom. Create a scaffolding around the circumference of the pit by sticking them with three or four toothpicks at a slight downward angle into the seed. Place the contraption on top of a clear glass or jar filled with water so that the bottom half of the pit is submerged. Place on a sunny windowsill and change the water every few days to prevent mold, bacteria or fungus growth. Within two to four weeks the pit will crack open and there should be sprouting. Eventually a sprout will begin to peak through the top of the pit. When the stem is about 6 inches long, cut it to about 3 inches and when the stem grows to six inches again, it is ready to be transferred to soil. Patiently wait and in time this will turn into a beautiful houseplant.