Save money, reduce waste, and get growing, right from your kitchen!
If you’ve ever thrown away a sprouting onion or the stub of a lettuce, you might be tossing out your next homegrown harvest without realising it! Growing food from kitchen scraps is an easy, eco-friendly way to cut down on waste and save money, and you don’t even need a garden to get started. Here are five super simple foods you can grow from scraps, perfect for windowsills, balconies, or small gardens.
1. Spring Onions. The zero-effort regrower!
How: Save the white root ends of your spring onions and pop them into a glass of water, root-side down. Place them on a sunny windowsill and watch them shoot up in just a few days.
Why: You’ll have a never-ending supply of spring onions for salads and stir-fries, and they grow incredibly fast!
2. Lettuce. Grow a fresh salad from your leftovers.
How: Keep the base of a Romaine or Little Gem lettuce and place it in a shallow dish of water. Change the water every couple of days and, in a week or so, you’ll see new leaves begin to sprout.
Why: It’s a great way to regrow part of a shop-bought lettuce, and it’s a fun project to do with kids.
3. Herbs like Basil and Mint. Always a versatile kitchen favourite!
How: Snip a healthy stem, remove the lower leaves, and place it in water. Once roots appear, plant in soil and keep on a sunny windowsill.
Why: Fresh herbs can be expensive to keep buying, and this way you’ll always have some ready to pick.
4. Potatoes. Yes, really!
How: If you’ve got a potato with eyes (those small sprouts), cut it into chunks with at least one eye per piece. Let the cut sides dry out for a day or two, then plant in soil, eye-side up.
Why: Growing your own potatoes is surprisingly easy, and kids love to dig them up like buried treasure!
5. Carrot Tops – not the whole carrot, but still useful!
How: Save the top of the carrot and place it in a shallow dish with a drop of water. It won’t grow a new carrot underground, but you’ll get lovely feathery greens that can be used in pesto or salads.
Why: It’s a great way to get more out of your veg, and carrot greens are often overlooked but super nutritious.
What’s in it for you?
- Gives your scraps a second life and reduces food waste. You’ll feel great for doing your bit!
- Fewer trips to the shop for herbs and greens, meaning you save money.
- Growing food from scraps is educational for children and enjoyable too!
- It’s super eco-friendly.
- There’s nothing quite like eating something you’ve grown yourself, which makes it super satisfying.
Ready to get growing?
Share your scrap-growing success with us on social media @arcshoppingcentre and inspire others to start their zero-waste garden. No allotment required!
Why not grab some of our free printable plant markers, perfect for colouring in and labelling your home-grown scraps!
Create Your Own Plant Markers!
Get creative at arc with our free Design Your Own Plant Markers! Download, colour, and label your own markers to brighten up your garden. Fun for all ages!
Don’t miss our Grown Your Own Workshops!
Join us on May 28th in Charter Square for some incredible live workshops teaching you how to grow your own vegetable patch at home and how to create a beautiful butterfly garden!
