Whether you favor a plant-based approach or simply enjoy cooking (and snacking!) with the seasons, fresh produce is a mainstay in most kitchens. And while composting and repurposing leaves, cores, and stems offer a worthy means of upcycling your food, there’s another, more experimental option: there are certain fruits and vegetables that can be regrown from their own stumps and scraps. 

If you thought that your produce was only good for one use, think again. Certain plants are designed for propagation, ready to blossom into an easy-to-grow (and maintain) garden that can live in your kitchen.

Below are several fruits and veggies that can be grown from their own scraps. Don’t be discouraged if not every seed or scrap sprouts! Compost failed plants projects and try again with your next produce haul.

6 Fruits and Vegetables You Can Regrow From Scraps

1. Romaine Lettuce

Similar to green onions, you can save the base of your next head of lettuce. Place the lettuce base in a shallow cup or bowl filled with about one inch or less of water.

Submerge the base, keeping the majority dry above water level (a toothpick or skewer can help with this). In a day or two, a new head of lettuce will begin to emerge!

2. Cucumbers

Armen Adamjan knows a thing or two about regrowing veggies from scraps. Per the influencer, cut a cucumber in half (the long way) and scrape the seeds into a cup of water. Stir, and collect whichever seeds sink to the bottom for your regrowth project.

Place your seeds on a damp paper towel, sprinkle some cinnamon to prevent mold, and store in a sealed bag. After a few days, you should see some sprouts! Transfer your sprouted seeds to a soil-filled pot and keep in a sunny area.

Once real growth begins, stabilize your new cucumber plant with a stick and watch them grow.

3. Avocados

Avocado pits can be used to create natural dye—and to regrow new avocados! Submerge the pit in a glass of water for one hour, then peel off the skin. Use toothpicks to poke through the seed to keep a portion of the pit above water.

As your avocado pit sprouts and grows to around six inches, remove the top three inches and allow it to continue growing before transferring to a pot.

4. Green Onion

Rather than tossing your green onion ends, save the bulbs and place in a cup of water with the root side down, leaving a portion of the stem above water.

Position the cup in a sunny area, like your kitchen windowsill, and change out the water every couple of days. In no time, you will have your own miniature green onion garden. 

5. Ginger

Ginger is one of the most expensive products in our produce rotation. To save some money, soak a root in water for 8 to 12 hours, let dry, and chop into three pieces, making sure that each portion has an “eye” or a point.

Plant in a pot, point side up and lightly covered with soil. Water and position in the sun. In about two weeks, you should see some growth!

6. Celery

Begin by cutting your bunch of celery to reveal the core, creating a stump that’s 2 to 3 inches tall. Fill a container halfway with water, submerging the base of your celery stump and leaving the rest above. Place on a windowsill and prepare for growth!