Fresh produce can be expensive, especially if you buy them off-season. You can buy fresh food once and then grow it again in your home. It takes a bit of dedication, effort, and motivation to grow fresh foods. Some vegetables can be grown in just water, while others require that the water be used and then transferred to the soil.
Teachers could do a great project about growing food. It is educational and a great way to learn how to grow fresh produce. This activity would be great to do with your kids, especially during the summer months when it’s hard to find something to keep everyone busy. Growing your vegetables will not only keep you busy, but you can also save money. These are 18 foods that you can purchase once and then grow again.
Lettuce
Re-growing lettuce is a great option when trying to grow vegetables again. It’s super simple and requires only a bowl full of water to grow. Romaine lettuce is the most popular, but you can also use other types of lettuce. You will need to cut the bottom off your lettuce head and place it in a small bowl.
Garlic Greens
Important to know that if you wish to grow garlic bulbs outdoors, you must do so in a controlled environment. You can, however, grow garlic greens indoors from the bulbs of garlic that you already have. They are a great addition to many dishes as a garnish or seasoning and have a milder flavour than fresh garlic.
To grow them indoors, you will need to plant three to four garlic cloves in potting dirt. Place them on a sunny window ledge and water them well. Garlic greens can be used in your meals if they have grown within 10 days.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are delicious, sweet and juicy. They can also be easy to grow. If you decide to grow a tomato, take some seeds with you.
To dry the seeds, you will need to remove them from their container and place them on a towel. After they have dried, you can place them in potting soil for indoor growth. Once the tomatoes have grown a few inches, it is a good idea for them to be placed outside in a sunny location. You should water your plants regularly and be careful if any animals live in your yard.
Pineapple
Pineapple is well-known for its sweet and juicy flavour. But did you know that you can purchase this fruit and grow it again? You should know that pineapple grows best in warmer climates. Also, keep your plants away from freezing temperatures. A pineapple plant will thrive if it gets enough sun during the day.
First, remove the top of the pineapple (also called the crown) and then cut off the rest. To encourage root growth, place the crown in a cup with water. After you see root growth, you can transplant the pineapple crown into a container with potting soil. To allow it to grow, you will need to plant it in a pot at least 10-12 inches in diameter.
Green Onion
Green onions can complement many dishes and add some flavour to salads as a garnish. Another fresh food is green onions, easily regrown in water.
Keep the white bottom of the onion intact. Roots should also be kept. Place the base of your onion in a tall, narrow glass. You can watch your green onions grow by checking your water every day and changing it as needed.
Carrot Greens
You don’t have to throw away your carrot tops. Instead, regrow them for their greens. Although carrot greens are a bit bitter, they taste great in salads and provide a lot of nutrition. To lessen their bitter taste, you could blanch them and serve them with a meal.
You can regrow carrot greens by removing the top. Place the top of the carrot in a bowl filled with water. The carrot top should start to sprout roots soon after. You can either eat the baby greens as they are, or you can plant your sprouted carrot top to harvest later.
Potatoes
If you’ve ever kept potatoes for a while, you will have seen them sprout. These potatoes should not be thrown away. Instead, you can use them to grow your potatoes.
Cut the potato into halves. Each half should have at least two eyes, also known as sprouts. The potato pieces should be dried at room temperature. This can take from a few hours to several days. After they have dried to touch, you can plant them in 8 inches of soil. Each potato should be at least one foot apart. Before harvesting your potatoes, make sure that the vines or top of your potato plant have dried out.
