Vegetables are an indispensable part of our diet, even if some of us may not necessarily consume enough of them.
Aside from trying to preserve your veggies as long as you can in the fridge, you can also try regrowing them. Endless greens for all!
But before we teach you how to properly regrow your greens, here are some benefits of doing so.
Benefits of Regrowing your Veggies
It’s Cheap
If you live in an apartment or anywhere else where cultivating a garden is impossible, regrowing herbs and veggies are the way to go.
For those that need just a little bit of water for you to keep alive, all you need is a glass or plastic bowl or cup.
No expensive gardening equipment, fertilisers or compost needed.
Takes Up Little Space
When regrowing greens you need but a small dedicated corner in your home.
No plot of land or garden needed.
The kitchen windowsill, your balcony, even the dining room table, can all be great places for your plant friends to thrive. As long as there’s plenty of sunlight for them to grow strong and health.
It’s Convenient
For those who love cooking (and cook often), herbs and veggies could be the main staples in your recipes.
But imagine going all the way to store just for a small packet of spring onions?
So, having some growing on hand means that you not only save money, but time as well.
It’s Easy
However, not all veggies can be regrown. Or at least no easily.
Some require a plot of land or plenty of soil to grow in.
Others just need a little bit of moisture to keep sprouting endless greens.
Here are some ones that you can easily regrow on a kitchen windowsill in nothing but a glass of water.
Veggies That You Can Regrow (In Nothing But Water)
Lettuce
If you’re a fan of salads, then here’s some good news for you!
Lettuce can basically regrow for eternity as long as they get enough sunlight and fresh water.
After buying and de-leafing of your lettuce, save the ends (the root nib) and store in a small bow of water. Make sure there’s still some greens at the top.
You will have fresh new lettuce leaves in about 2 weeks.
Green Onion
If you have some gnarly old onion lying around at the bottom of your fridge, don’t throw it out. Not if you love spring onions.
Just drop the onion in shallow bowl of water and let it grow out.
After about 3 weeks to a month, you’ll have new shoots long enough to be harvested.
Celery
While it may be a less popular ingredient in Malaysian dishes, celery is an important component in some flavour bases.
So, if you do use and enjoy celery often, you can regrow them from the root ends.
Just stick a toothpick in four equal corners of the celery nub and suspend in a shallow dish of water.
It will take about 4 months for it to fully regrow.
Cilantro
Also often known as coriander, you can regrow cilantro if you buy it fresh with the roots intact.
And just like other herbs, you don’t need to wait until all the greens are used up before you can regrow them.
Just submerge the root part of the herb into some water and the little plant will sprout endless greens for you.
This goes for any other common herb like rosemary, basil, mint.
However, the re-growing times could vary with some taking as little as two weeks and other taking longer than a month.
But the same rules apply if you want to do so.
Cabbage
Just like with celery and lettuce, cabbage can also be regrown in nothing but a bowl of water.
Save the nub after your initial use and suspend in a shallow dish of water.
You can use the toothpick method, if you want.
After this, you can see new shoots sprouting in as little as 3 to 4 days.
But if you want bigger, crunchier leaves you can wait up till two weeks to a month. Then, you can harvest.
Regrowing Greens Infinitely
Regrowing greens in water can be easy if you put your mind to it.
Just remember to change out the water every few days or weeks or when you notice it getting a little too cloudy.
Yes, this does mean there has to be some maintenance.
Greens will grow indefinitely, as long as they get some minimal care and attention.
If you want to make sure they grow faster, and you have a few Ringgit to spare, invest in some water-soluble fertiliser.
You’ll get more greens for your cooking in no time!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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