9 Fruits and Vegetables You Can Regrow From Scraps

A basket of garlic cloves with a row of them in soil.

Fruits and vegetables are often one of the more expensive items on a grocery list. Fortunately, there are certain types of produce that can be regrown from scraps with a little bit of time and effort. From potatoes and lettuce to pineapples, here are nine fruits and vegetables you can regrow.

1. Garlic

You can grow a new bulb of garlic with just one clove. Plant a clove in some potting soil with the roots face down. Keep the pot in direct sunlight and cut the shoots back once they get established. This will help encourage bulb growth. After the bulb has reached maturity, take a clove and repeat the process for more garlic.

2. Bean Sprouts

You can get a new batch of bean sprouts with as little as a tablespoon of scraps. Soak the leftover sprouts in a jar with a little bit of water. Leave the mixture on the counter overnight and drain in the morning. With the sprouts back in the container, cover with a towel and rinse them the following morning. Repeat the process until the new sprouts reach the right size.

3. Celery

The end pieces of celery stalks.

Celery might be the easiest vegetable to regrow. Simply cut the base of the celery stalk and place in a bowl with warm water. Keep the container in sunlight and you will start to see the stalks thickening and growing from the base. Once this happens, transplant the veggie into soil to finish the growing process.

4. Avocado

You can regrow this superfood with a bowl of water and some toothpicks. Wash the seed thoroughly and suspend it over a bowl of water with some tooth picks inserted into the seed. The water should cover about an inch of the seed. Do not place the bowl in direct sunlight, but keep it somewhere warm. Add water on a daily basis as needed. A stem and roots will begin to appear, but it might take as long as six weeks for this to happen. When the stem gets to six inches in height, cut three inches off. Place the plant in soil once leaves start appearing.

5. Sweet Potatoes

You need half a sweet potato to regrow a new plant. Suspend the half of the potato with toothpicks over shallow water and wait for roots and sprouts to appear. When the sprouts hit about four inches, break them off and put them in a bowl of water. Once the roots in the new bowl reach an inch, it’s time to transplant to soil.

6. Pineapple

A cut pineapple on a cutting board against a wood background.

You can enjoy homegrown pineapple even if you live in a cold region. Cut the crown off the pineapple and suspend it over water with some toothpicks. Place the container in a lot of sunlight and keep it warm. Replace the water a few times a week to keep things fresh. After a week, you should start to see tiny roots forming in the base. When they are fully formed, place the crown in some potting soil. (Avoid keeping the plant outside if the temperature is anywhere near the freezing point.)

7. Potatoes

Potatoes are a resilient plant that can be regrown with just a few peelings. The trick is to make sure the peelings have eyes and are cut into smaller pieces. Each section should have about two or three eyes. Let the peelings dry overnight and then plant them in soil to a depth of about four inches. In a few weeks, you will begin to see a new potato plant sprouting leaves.

8. Lettuce

It's easy to regrow lettuce and cabbage with just a few scraps. Pour a small amount of water in a bowl and place the lettuce scraps inside. Make sure the bowl gets a lot of sunlight and mist the lettuce a few times a week. In three or four days, you will begin to see new roots and leaves growing. At this time, remove the lettuce or cabbage from the bowl and place in soil.

9. Carrots

A bunch of carrots with leafy tops against a white background.

You can’t regrow an entire carrot from scraps, but you can regrow their tops. The leafy tops of a carrot are edible and great for salads. Simply cut the top off the carrot and place it in a shallow container of water. Make sure the container gets plenty of sunlight, and it won’t be long before you start seeing leaves.