Regrow Vegetables on a Sunny Windowsill

Gardening naturally lends itself to reusing and recycling — just think about compost and last year’s seed trays. So if there’s a way to reduce trash while saving money on produce, it is a wonderful thing. And a favorite way to do both is to regrow vegetables from kitchen scraps.

Instead of throwing away or composting the bottoms (or tops) of vegetables when preparing them, you can grow them into leafy greens and other tasty tidbits right on your windowsill.

It’s important to point out that these methods aren’t likely to produce plants that will grow well in your garden, so it is not recommended to use this method to replace your seedlings in this manner. But they are likely to yield a side dish or two, and you can never underestimate the value of a fun project.

General tips: Scraps will grow best in a sunny spot. Use lukewarm water, and replace it every day or two to avoid the growth of bacteria. Don’t worry if the submerged portion of your cuttings becomes a bit slimy, but if the whole thing starts to turn brown, toss it in the compost pile and start over.

BEETS

My favorite thing about beets is that one plant provides two sides dishes – the tuberous root and the tasty greens. Although you can’t regrow a beetroot indoors from a cutting, you can certainly generate more leafy greens: Cut off the top 1 1/2 inches from a beetroot and place it cut-side down in a dish that contains just enough water to keep the sliced end submerged. New leaves will sprout from the top within a few days, and you can start harvesting them in a couple of weeks. (This method also works with parsnips and turnips).