There is a lot of chopping in the kitchen: onions, leeks, potatoes, lots of herbs and, of course, lettuce. But most leftovers are not organic waste! With them, you can regrow many plants fairly easily.
We prefer not to eat the lettuce stem or the roots of the spring onions. But: Instead of throwing them in the organic waste or on the compost heap, you can grow more from them. This works quite comfortably on the windowsill . All you need is light and warmth, a clean container, water and, in some cases, soil later. Then you can start multiplying – or the more fashionable sounding regrowing – right away!
It doesn’t take much to grow your own vegetables from kitchen leftovers . A head of lettuce, a piece of carrot or just the roots of an onion. Just take a couple of small glasses or a bowl, fill them with water and put in the pieces of vegetables with the roots. It’s not only fun (you can almost watch a lot of it grow), but it’s also a way to help reduce the amount of waste on our planet. You can have success with these strains:
- spring onion
- Romaine salad
- carrot
- potatoes
- Saddlery
- Leek
- Rotate Bete
- Ginger
- Onion
- Basil
- Cilantro
- mint
- Pineapple
- Avocado
1. For beginners: spring onions
That’s how it’s done:
1. Cut off the root and about 4 to 5 cm (or even more like here) of the onion. It is best to use three or four spring onions right away.
Be careful with the roots, they are delicate.
2. Now place the onion roots in a glass (not too small) with fresh water that is not too cold and place on a sunny windowsill. Change the water every day or two.
3. After a short time you will see green things pushing up from the stalks. You’ll soon be able to use them again for cooking – and of course put the roots back in the water bath afterwards.
You can also put the onions in some soil after a few days in the water. Here, too, they need a light location and some water. Then you can cut off some if necessary or use the whole onion. In contrast to propagation in a water bath, the onion gets important nutrients from the soil and retains its strong taste. It’s best to try both for yourself.
2. It also looks good: leeks / leeks
Leeks are also a very suitable vegetable to regrow at home. When shopping, it is important to choose a leek where the roots are still visible!
That’s how it’s done:
1. Cut off the bottom of your leek so that you are left with a piece that is at least 5 cm long, including the roots. A little more is good too.
2. Now place the stalk in a glass of lukewarm water. The roots must be surrounded by water.
Leave in a bright spot for about five to seven days, change the water regularly.
3. When enough root growth can be seen, it’s time for the next phase: You can now transfer the leeks to a pot with soil. The head of the stalk should look out of the ground at the top.
3. Who has the biggest potatoes?
Old, wrinkled potatoes with lots of eyes are often sorted out before cooking, but are perfect for sowing in pots, for example.
That’s how it’s done:
1. If the potatoes have multiple eyes or shoots, you can divide them so that each piece has at least one eye. It is best to let the cut surfaces dry a little.
2. Fill the planter (large pot, bucket, sack, etc.) with drainage, for example expanded clay or potsherds. Holes in the bottom are also important so that water can drain away.
3. Then place the potatoes, eyes up, in nutrient-rich soil. Just cover the potatoes. Do not fill the whole pot with soil directly, because it will still be piled up.
The potatoes should only go outside after the frost!
4. Soon the first green can be seen. Then you can cover this with more soil. Water the potatoes regularly.
5. When the potato tops turn brown and die, it’s time to harvest. That takes a few months.
You should then no longer be able to rub off the skin of the potatoes with your fingers. In such a special pot you can follow the progress over the months and watch for the right time.
4. Hippes Superfood Avocado
The most important thing at the beginning: You will probably not be able to harvest your own fruit from your regrown tree. Because the climatic conditions here are often not sufficient and even in professional cultivation it takes four years before an avocado grows. You should not expect quick success here either, but bring a little patience with you.
But it’s still fun, of course, and an avocado looks good as a houseplant too!
That’s how it’s done:
1. Cut open the avocado and remove the stone, wash and dry.
2. Insert four evenly spaced toothpicks into the center just below halfway. These serve as a “buoyancy aid” when you place the construction on the edge of a glass container filled with water so that only the lower part of the core is in the water.
3. Now place the glass in a bright and warm location. Change water regularly!
4. After several weeks, the core breaks open at the bottom and roots develop. The first leaves should be visible soon.
5. When the plant is about 15 to 20 cm tall, you can put the plant in a pot with soil. Leave the top of the core free. Now she likes it light and also regular watering.
5. All-round mint
Mint is a herb that is very good for regrowing. It is important that the stems you use are as fresh as possible.
That’s how it’s done:
1. Cut off the bottom centimeters of the stalks, leaving the tips of the shoots about 7 to 10 cm long. Pick off the lower leaves.
2. Now put the mint in a glass of water for a few days. She prefers it to be sunny and warm. Change the water regularly.
3. When you can see some small roots, you can transfer the mint to a pot with soil. Tip: Use potting soil, because it doesn’t have that many nutrients that could “burn” the small roots. In addition, the roots then have to stretch down faster.
Don’t forget to water it regularly and place it in a bright spot – it also feels comfortable on the balcony or later in the garden.
