12 Best Veggies & Herbs to Regrow from Kitchen Scraps

Best vegetables & herbs to regrow from kitchen scraps in water or soil. Start a windowsill garden indoors, or grow foods using grocery lettuce, beets, etc!

We love to regrow kitchen scraps, even just for the fun of it! It is easy and rewarding to propagate vegetable and herb trimmings for your garden, or to watch kitchen scraps grow with a sense of wonder.

regrow kitchen scraps in water and soil, great idea for homestead, green living, gardening activity with kids, home school ideas
This is our happy kitchen scrap garden! 🙂

Many vegetables and herbs from the grocery store will regrow easily in water or in soil. You can regrow fresh greens on a window sill indoors, or get a jump start on your herb and vegetable garden by regrowing kitchen scraps. 

Best vegetables & herbs to regrow from kitchen scraps in water or soil. Start a windowsill garden indoors, or grow foods using grocery lettuce, beets, potatoes, onions, etc!

*Some resources in article are affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

Part One here will focus on how to grow a vegetable garden from kitchen scraps or common groceries indoors and outdoors.

Part Two is here: how to grow beautiful unique garden and house plants from mango or lemon seed, avocado pit, ginger, and lots more!

How to grow 8 beautiful unique garden and house plants from mango or lemon seed, avocado pit, ginger, and lots more!

 There are so many amazing people sharing their great tips and ideas on regrowing kitchen scraps. Let’s take a look at some of the easiest veggies and herbs to regrow!

1. Regrow beets from scraps.

Regrow beets from scraps

When you cut the top off a beet, put it in a shallow tray of water. Beet greens will start to grow, which you can use in salads. ( Via Kimberly Stoney )

growing baby beet greens in water from beet scraps

You can also plant the beet top in soil for a longer harvest. This trick applies to many veggies and herbs! ( Image source: SnapGuide )

2. Growing carrots from scraps.

Carrots are also root vegetables like beets. You can use the same methods. Carrot top greens taste a bit like parsley. They are very nutritious, high in potassium and vitamin K. 

Growing carrots from scraps.

You can also grow them as a window sill garden for Easter fun! ( Via Instructables )

3. Sprout celery in water.

Sprout celery in water.

If your celery has a little bit of root at the bottom, you can sprout the leftover celery base in water. ( Via All recipes )

regrow celery in water and soil

New stalks will start growing in just a few days. plant the sprouted celery in soil for a long harvest. ( Via Colorful Kitchen )

4. Regrow lettuce scraps in water

Regrow lettuce from kitchen scraps.

A head of romaine or butter lettuce can regrow from the base we trim off. ( Via Vancouver Sun )

Regrowing Romaine lettuce scraps on windowsill

Just give it some water and sun light, you will have more fresh greens for salads in a couple of weeks. See this video tutorial below for more details!

5. Regrow scallions aka green onions from kitchen scraps in water

Here’s our tutorial on how to regrow green onions in water or soil. It is SO easy!

How to regrow green onions in water or soil
Regrow scallions and green onions from kitchen scraps in water

Scallions are some of the easiest and most rewarding foods to regrow from kitchen scraps! We have grown big bunches of them in pots from just little roots that we cut off.  ( Via Flicker )

Regrow  green onions in water

Leave about 1″ to 2″ of stem above the roots, place them in water or soil. In  a month you will have fresh green onions to trim off and enjoy! The green onion shoots will keep regrowing after cutting. ( Via Tasty Seasons )

6. Regrow onion tops

Regrow yellow and red onions

Bulb onions such as yellow and red onions are so easy to grow from scraps. Cut a 1″ thick piece from the root end an onion , set it on top of moist soil or in shallow water with the cut surface above water. ( Via Grower Flow & Youtube video below )

Like all the other kitchen scrap plants, the onion root will be more productive in soil, but it is also quite fun to watch it grow in water. 

grow onion bulb in water

You will get lots of green onions, and eventually stalks of flowers that produce seeds. Video tutorial below-

7. Regrow garlic from a clove

We have grown very nice garlic from grocery stores for many years. Each clove of garlic can potentially turn into a whole head of garlic.

Regrow garlic from a clove

You can also plant the cloves more closely in smaller pots to grow garlic greens, which are pretty looking and delicious.

If you try these DIY / decor / garden / craft projects, tag us on Instagram at @apieceofrainbow, we would love to see what you create!

8. Grow basil stems in water 

Grow basil stems in water

When you buy fresh basil, pick off most leaves but let a couple of leaves remain at the top of each stem, and put the stems in a jar filled with water. Roots will start growing in just a few days.

Plant these rooted cuttings in soil, now you have new basil plants! ( Via Kimberly Stoney )

9. Propagate rosemary stem cuttings

Propagate rosemary stem cuttings

Rosemary cuttings are more challenging to root than basil cuttings. Luckily, lots of people have figured out tips and tricks to propagate rosemary stems. ( Via SG Strawberries )

Rosemary stems take roots in water

Rosemary stems will take roots in water given a warm place and healthy cuttings. Try a deep container with shallow water . ( Via Oak Hill Homestead )

young green Rosemary stems are easier to propagate than old woody stems.

More tender green Rosemary stems are easier to propagate than old woody stems. These tutorials will give you some really good ideas to try! ( Via Tasty Landscape )

10. Grow grocery store potatoes

Similar to garlic, each potato can multiply into many potatoes. You can also grow potatoes from trimmings around the tiny sprouts growing from the eyes of potatoes

Grow grocery store potatoes in pots

We have grown potatoes in large pots and it works really well. ( Via Stihl )

11. Grow sweet potatoes in water

Grow sweet potatoes in water

Sweet potato is an attractive vine. You can sprout sweet potatoes in water easily. Here’s great video tutorial-

The sprouts with roots are also called slips, each of which can become a new plant ready for the garden.

sweet potato slips, each is a new plant ready for the garden.

You can also just enjoy the leafy sweet potato as an indoor plant for a few months. ( via Steemit )

12. Jerusalem artichokes sunflower garden

Grows like a potato, looks like a sunflower, Jerusalem artichoke (aka sunchoke) is such a delicious and nutritious root vegetable. One of our favorite in the vegetable garden, the plant can grow to 8ft tall.

Jerusalem artichokes grow like a sunflower garden

Here’s more information on how to grow grocery store Jerusalem artichokes. ( Via Guardian )

FAQ: Can you regrow any vegetables from scraps?

regrowing carrots, green onions aka scallions, cabbage, and beets in water

People often ask: “Can you regrow everything from kitchen scraps?” The answer is no. For example, you cannot regrow cauliflower or broccoli from scraps because they are basically flower heads which would not send out roots.

regrow kitchen scraps, great idea for homestead, green living, gardening indoors and outdoors, creative things to do with kids, home school ideas

Most of the vegetables and herbs that regrow easily have some roots at the base, or they are healthy stem cuttings that tend to root easily. Like shown in this lovely example by Simple Bites.

Some roots or stems such as cilantro or mushrooms do not regrow either, because cilantro stems do not propagate easily unless there are roots attached at the bottom. And mushrooms grow from spawns. If you are interested, here’s a tutorial on how to grow mushrooms in coffee grounds and cardboard! 🙂

oyster mushrooms growing out of coffee grounds
How to grow mushrooms in coffee grounds and cardboard!

Stay tuned for part two in a couple of weeks! Happy growing!

21 Comments

  1. I am new to gardening here in Nfld, Canada. My question to you about all this fabulous information, which I am so grateful for, is, “can I plant all these once sprouted, directly into the soil and will they produce?” Or am I to understand that just the tops are good. Does a sweet potato once sprouted go directly into the soil? I am just not sure the end result for some of these. I regrow green onions all year but now getting ready for a full garden. Thank you for information and clarification.

    • hi Nancy! yes you can actually plant a lot of these directly in soil. sweet potatoes for sure. just make sure it’s the right time of year outside 🙂

  2. Will all of these work at any time of year or is there a time that is best? I live in the UK so there’s a significant difference in light between summer and winter.

    Thanks for the great inspiration!

    • hi Ruth, a lot of these will work, they may just grow slower and less vigorously. scallions and lettuce be easier than the others. 🙂

  3. I have grown sweet potato in the past and have avocado growing right now but I have never tried any thing else like you have shown. Thank you so much, I can’t wait to get started. I got a late start on my gardening because of the corona virus. I could not believe that I could not find plants or seeds in my area by the time I went to look for them. Most every thing was out of stock! There was a run on plants and seeds, who would have thought!
    Because of health reasons I haven’t been able to get out to garden and this was to be my first year able to. I have been so bummed for weeks but this sounds like so much fun. Again, thank you, I am happy I came across this. You have made my year!!!

  4. How do I keep gnats away from the plants and prevent mold or grime from growing on the roots? I live in AZ so it’s pretty hot here. If I don’t have a legit window sill can you offer a suggestion?

    • hi Charli, if the plants are healthy and rooted, the water will stay clear with no mold or smell! keep everything out of direct sun unless they are growing in soil. a bright spot will work,, for example a shelf by a window. 🙂

  5. Do you use the green shoots that come up from replanted onions for anything while growing? Can they be used like a green onion for example or does the plant need them to continue growing? I replanted several onion scraps earlier this year and they all have long green “leaves” for lack of a better term that are just waiting to be eaten!

  6. Why offer a way to Pin this article then send a complaint to Pinterest so they remove my pin? Something about a digital copyright act??? This is a blog about gardening. Completely Ridiculous

  7. Wow!
    Great ideas to grow your own vegetables.
    I grow some Vegetables in my Backyard Garden and grow chick peas in water.
    Thanks for sharing the more useful ideas to grow herbs and more.

  8. I understand that these vegetables can be rooted and start to regrow in water. Do all the ones you discussed above reproduce the full vegetable? Do some only reproduce the greens if kept in the water but will fully mature if put into soil? Thank you.

    • hi tracy! the onions and greens can grow to full veggies if planted in soil, but beets and carrots will grow tops, and can produce seeds for future planting if planted in soil. 🙂

  9. Thank you so much! I didn’t know I could grow back so many kinds of vegetables and herd from scraps, gotta try it next time, start with celery and scallions.

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