Growing new greens from kitchen scraps? It really does work! Through a process known as ‘regrowing’ – that is, regrowing plants – you can give certain types of fruit and vegetables a new lease of life. Instead of throwing away stalks, root ends or cores straight away, with a bit of patience you can grow new leaves, shoots or even whole plants from them.

Regrowing isn’t just a simple way to make good use of food scraps and reduce waste; it also brings fresh greenery into your home. All you usually need is a glass of water, some soil and a bright spot on the windowsill. We’ll show you which foods are suitable for regrowing and what you need to bear in mind.

1. Lettuce & spring onions

Lettuce and spring onions are well suited to regrowing. Both can produce new leaves or shoots from their lower ends.

Here’s how it works:

  • Use the bottom 3 to 5 cm of the lettuce or spring onion, including the root end.
  • Place the pieces in a shallow dish or a glass with a little water, so that only the lower part is submerged.
  • Place the container in a bright spot and change the water regularly.
  • As soon as new leaves or shoots appear, you can harvest them or transplant the plants into soil so they can continue to grow.
  • Whilst spring onions often produce new green shoots several times, lettuce usually only regrows a small amount of fresh leaves.

2. Carrots & radishes

Carrots and radishes can also be used for regrowing. However, the scraps do not produce new carrots or radishes. Instead, new, edible leaves grow from the top part. These are very aromatic and are particularly well suited to pestos, soups and salads.

Here’s how it works:

  • Use the top end with the leaf base of the carrot (2 to 3 cm) or radish (about 1 cm).
  • Place the piece, cut-side down, in a shallow bowl with a little water.
  • Place the dish in a bright spot and change the water regularly.
  • As soon as new leaves start to form, you can plant the pieces in soil if required.

3. Ginger & garlic

Unlike lettuce or spring onions, ginger and garlic are best planted directly in soil. With garlic, the aromatic green tops can be harvested after a short time. To develop new bulbs, garlic needs a period of cold weather and should therefore be planted in a bed in the autumn. Ginger also takes several months to form new rhizomes and be ready for harvest.

Here’s how it works:

  • Choose a fresh piece of ginger with a visible bud or a clove of garlic, ideally with a small shoot.
  • Plant the ginger horizontally and flat, with the bud facing upwards, in soil. Plant the garlic clove with the tip facing upwards, about 3 cm deep.
  • Place the pot in a bright spot. Ginger also prefers warmth and should be protected from intense direct sunlight.
  • Keep the soil slightly moist and avoid waterlogging.

4. Pineapple & Avocado

It’s not just vegetables that are suitable for regrowing. New plants can also be grown from the leftovers of certain types of fruit. However, pineapple crowns and avocado stones do not usually produce new fruit, but only decorative houseplants.

Here’s how it works with pineapples:

  • Carefully cut or twist off the pineapple crown.
  • Remove any remaining fruit flesh and some of the lower leaves.
  • Leave the cut end to air-dry for one to two days.
  • Then place the crown in a flowerpot filled with loose, well-draining soil.
  • Place the flowerpot in a warm, very bright spot and keep the soil slightly moist.

Here’s how it works with avocados:

  • Wash the stone of a ripe avocado and remove any remaining flesh.
  • Insert 3 to 4 toothpicks into the side of the stone and use them to hang it halfway, with the broad side facing downwards, in a glass of water.
  • Place the glass in a warm, bright spot and change the water regularly.
  • Once roots and a shoot have formed, you can plant the stone in a pot with soil.

It usually takes four to eight weeks for an avocado stone to germinate.

Throw less away, regrow more

Regrowing shows that there is still potential in many kitchen scraps. Whether it’s fresh greens from spring onions, new leaves from a lettuce stalk or a tropical houseplant from a pineapple: with simple methods, you can put food scraps to good use.
Just give it a go after your next cooking evening and watch as your leftover fruit and veg are given a new lease of life on the windowsill!

Happy regrowing!
Your Dole Team