In the absence of our regularly scheduled outdoor travel and adventure this year, we’re on the hunt for clever, resourceful, and easy ways to stay healthy and have fun. This one hits the mark! Did you know your compost can be repurposed right inside your kitchen? So before throwing out your kitchen scraps, think again! Many of your fresh greens can be regrown in water with minimal hassle. It’s so easy we even laughed at how simple it was.

Reusing your green kitchen scraps to generate more edibles is totally free. It saves money at the grocery store and allows you to have more control of what food goes into your body. Did we mention how easy it is? Just add water and watch them grow.

We’ll prove it!

A few basics to start with:

• You will only need about ½-2 inches of water to get your plants up and growing. (Remember a little water goes a long way.)
• Change your water out every 2-3 days to prevent fungus from growing, and make sure to remove any floating plant particles.
• Make sure you don’t overcrowd your plants.

Now that you’ve got the ground (or water) rules, you’re set and ready to grow!

Here is a list of 5 plants that can be grown in only water:

1. Celery
   How: Chop the celery stalks approximately 2 inches from the base. Rinse off the base of the stalk and place it base side down in a shallow cup or bowl of water approximately 1-1½ inches deep. Place in a sunny location.
   When: New growth should begin to appear in approximately 5 days.
2. Green Onion
   How: Use your leftover green onion roots (the white part of the plant) and place them with the roots pointing down in a shallow cup or bowl with enough water to cover the roots and place in a sunny location.
   When: New growth should begin to appear in approximately 1 week.
3. Lettuce
   How: Cut the lettuce leaves approximately 1 inch from the bottom of the plant, leaving the stem. Place the stem in a shallow cup or bowl of water about ½ inch deep and place in a sunny location.
   When: New growth should begin to appear in approximately 3-5 days.
4. Garlic Chives (The green that grows from the garlic)
   How: Place a clove of garlic in a small glass or container with enough water to cover the bottom of the clove.
   When: New growth should begin to appear in approximately 3-5 days.
5. Lemongrass
   How: Cut the lemongrass about 2-3 inches from the bottom of the stalk and place the stalk in a shallow cup or bowl with about 1½ to 2 inches of water.
   When: New growth should begin to appear in approximately 3-5 days

There are many more fruits and veggies that can be grown by starting them in water. Some can be grown indoors year-round and others will have to be transplanted to soil once they have roots and new green growth, but if you’re already into gardening or interested in getting started, this is the perfect way to begin.

Here is a list of edible plant scraps that can be easily started/grown using water:

• Apples
• Avocado
• Basil
• Beets
• Carrots
• Cherries
• Cilantro
• Ginger
• Lemons
• Lemon Balm
• Mint
• Mushrooms
• Nectarines
• Onions (white/yellow/red)
• Parsnips
• Peaches
• Pineapple
• Plums
• Potatoes
• Rosemary
• Sweet Potatoes
• Turnips

We rarely think about the edible plant scraps that we dispose of on a daily basis. With just a little time and effort, you can easily grow many of your favorite edibles right in your own kitchen.

Growing your own food is fun and rewarding! We at Sunday Afternoons encourage you to stay safe and be well. Remember to be gentle with yourself and each other and always follow the important instructions of your local Public Health Authority. We love hearing about outdoor adventures! If you’ve got a story to tell about how you enjoy the outdoors, let us know. We’d love to hear from you.