Spring has arrived and maybe you’re itching to garden? Did you know that it’s easy to grow many kinds of vegetables and herbs right in your kitchen no matter the season? Several vegetables have this ability to regrow endlessly thanks to only a bit of water and sunlight.

Do you know about plant propagation?

Plant propagation is a wonderful way to recycle the parts of vegetables that you would otherwise throw away, as well as to save money. And what a fascinating and stimulating project, to observe the vegetables grow before your eyes day after day! So, before throwing away a stalk of green onion, a lettuce or celery core, read what comes next.

How does it work?

Certain fruits and vegetables have the ability to multiply without going through the reproduction of seeds. Just put the stalk or core of the vegetable in a container and then add a bit of water. The water should touch the stalk or the core without completely covering it. Put your containers in the sun and change the water every day. Day by day, watch the magic happen.

Varieties that are easy to regrow

Celery: Put the base of the celery (about 5 cm high) in a little water and watch it grow back. In a few days, the first leaves will appear. You will have to wait about three weeks to harvest your first stalks.

Lettuce: Keep the core or the root of a head of lettuce, no matter the kind, and put it in a bowl and cover evenly with water. After only two to three weeks, you can harvest new leaves to taste them.

Green onion: Green onions are the fastest growing vegetable. In only five days you will have beautiful regrowth ready to use. Put the green onions, roots downward, in a glass, being sure that the roots are soaking in water.

Basil: Keep a sprig of basil with the stem and put it in water. After about seven days, the stem will have developed roots and you can then plant it in soil in a small decorative pot placed in the sun.

Fennel: Keep the core of the fennel bulb and put it in a little water in a sunny spot. You will see the stalks regrow in a few weeks.

Garlic: Growing garlic yourself at home isn’t rocket science! By sacrificing a single garlic bulb to cultivation in your kitchen, you will no longer need to buy more. Separate the garlic bulb into several cloves without damaging them and put them in a soil-filled container, head upward. Water only when the head is really dry. After about 10 days you can eat the tender and delicious green garlic stalks, cutting them as you go. After a few weeks, the garlic bulb will have grown to give you three to four new cloves.

Gardening is a relaxing and satisfying activity that can be done in any season, anywhere in the house. A little bit of water and sunshine, and simple vegetable sprouts can be seen turning into beautiful, tender and fresh vegetables. What’s more, they are foods that are extremely beneficial for your health.

Further on this subject, have you read our article about superfoods?

Did you know about this technique? Are you going to recycle your vegetables from now on? Don’t hesitate to tell us about your greatest successes!