Regrowing is the simple process of growing leftover vegetables on the windowsill or in your own garden. What exactly is behind it and how regrowing exactly works, you will learn in this article.
Regrowing: How the trend works
Vegetable scraps and supposed kitchen waste can grow back into fresh, new greenery with regrowing. This can contribute to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
- What many don’t realize is that even after harvest, vegetables are still able to absorb new moisture and regenerate. Leftover vegetables that would otherwise end up in the kitchen trash still have the power to grow new shoots and leaves after use.
- To regrow, the stalk, base or shoot must first be placed in a container filled with water for up to two weeks. This allows them to absorb new liquid and muster the strength to form new roots or leaves. To prevent the offshoots from beginning to rot, the water must be renewed regularly.
- After the vegetable offshoots have formed new shoots, most of them can be placed in a pot filled with soil. Here, growing soil or a substrate of coconut fiber blocks are suitable. The soil must be kept moist at all times. You should place the pot in a bright, warm place to give the vegetables an optimal place to grow.
- For beginners garlic and green onions are suitable for regrowing, as are herbs such as mint or basil. If you’re a little further along, you can also try your hand at Chinese cabbage or lemongrass. For the pros, sweet potatoes, pineapple or ginger are suitable.
- Unsuitable for regrowing are various types of fruiting vegetables, such as zucchini, peppers, cucumbers or legumes. As the flowers of the fruits have to be fertilized in order to grow, they are not suitable for regrowing.
How to regrow basil
If you are a newbie, basil is great for regrowing. Here’s how to proceed if you want to regrow basil:
- Carefully cut a shoot about five to ten inches long from the old plant. The lowest leaves must be plucked off carefully so that they do not hang in the water. Now place the shoot in a glass with fresh water.
- Place the jar on a well-lit windowsill, ideally facing west or east, to provide the plants with optimal light. To ensure good root development, change the water at least every third day.
- After about two weeks, the shoot is ready to be planted in a pot with soil. You should always keep this moist so that the basil can grow well.
Regrowing with garlic
Garlic also grows back easily.
- First you need a ten-litre-pot with drainage holes. Fill it almost to the top with soil and then put three garlic cloves into it, slightly offset. Cover them with a three to five centimetre layer of soil.
- Moisten the soil well and place the pot on a bright windowsill so that shoots can form. Again, keep the soil moist at all times.
- Once the leaves that have formed the cloves are long enough, you can cut them off and use them like wild garlic in cooking or garnishing dishes.
