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Frugal folks know that there are a lot of ways to pinch a penny until it screams, especially when it comes to the food bill. The cost of groceries seems to climb with every year that passes by, so it takes some creative maneuvers to be able to feed a family.
One of the easiest methods that people who are frugal often use to make food stretch is to regrow it from the seeds, stems, and tops of it that are left after the majority of it is eaten.
Read on for ten of the easiest fruits, veggies, and herbs that can be regrown over and over again.
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1. Season With Saved Scallions
Snip off only the top green part of each scallion. Then, plant the remaining bulbs in a shallow pan of dirt.
Veggie Gardener says that if you do this each time that you use the scallions from the pack that you purchase, you will soon have a crop of scallions that you can harvest each time that you need some for making a meal.
2. Force Celery Bulbs Fast
Celery grows to almost two-feet tall, so many people don’t realize that it is actually a root vegetable. The stalks grow from a base that can be cut back to a few inches. But instead of planting this base directly into the ground, it has to be prepared first.
According to Mother Nature Network, you should set it in a bowl of warm water in front of a window. Replace the water each day. Make sure you never use cold water because it will stop the growth process.
In about a week, the center of the bulb will show fresh stalks with leaves sprouting up. Once the leaves get to be a few inches high, plant the root.
But remember, always leave at least one stalk in the middle once the celery multiplies. Never harvest them all because you will have to start the process all over again.
3. Replant Carrot Tops
Most people eat the orange root of a carrot. The top of it is edible too though. That is why it is so hard to keep rabbits from eating it in the garden.
According to Epic Gardening, you only need a bit of the top part of the root to regrow a carrot. The green portion isn’t necessary. Bury the piece of root in the garden. It will take a couple of weeks, but soon the root will grow back.
4. Have All the Lettuce You Want
The easiest type of lettuce to regrow is head lettuce. It shoots up from a base that can be sprouted again if it is kept wet and cool.
However, Gardening Knowhow says that you can successfully propagate lettuce from just a leaf. It has to be misted regularly in a bright, sunny spot though. As soon as roots form on the leaf, it has to be planted in soil.
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5. All You Need is One Lemongrass Leaf
Although it isn’t very visible, the end of a lemongrass leaf has a white portion, which is actually part of the root. If it is kept in a glass of water that just covers the bottom of it, this root will grow larger.
It only takes one lemongrass leaf to get a cluster of them started because they multiply so fast.
6. The Freshest Ginger Root You Can Get
The health benefits of this common herb make it disappear off the shelves of the produce section fast. But part of the reason that it is hard to keep in stock is also because so many people throw most of it away.
Ginger has a very strong flavor. It only takes a small piece of it to brew a cup of tea or season a dish. So it usually ends up sitting in the fridge for a long time.
However, Natural News says that if a person cuts just a small piece from the bottom of the root, then puts the rest of it in the soil, it will keep growing. Each time that someone needs ginger, they can pull it up to harvest it.
7. Saving Pineapple
According to Tropical Permaculture, this fruit can get started from the leaves that sprout from its top. Cut the leaves just a little below, so some of the top of the pineapple is attached to them. Put the bottom half of it in some soil.
A pineapple plant will grow best in a warm, humid environment. So keep it in the sun as much as possible.
8. Grow Garlic From a Clove
The Old Farmer’s Almanac says that all it takes is one clove of garlic to grow another bulb of it. Don’t rinse or cut into the clove. Simply plant it in the garden, and wait for it to sprout.
As soon as there is several inches of growth, cut the leaves back. This will encourage the plant to focus on increasing the size of the root instead of the leaves.
9. Have Pumpkins Whenever You Want
Any fruit that has a seed in it can be multiplied by planting the seeds after the fruit is eaten. Pumpkins are the easiest to regrow because they have so many seeds inside them.
Scoop them out onto a tray. Then, rinse them off. Let the seeds dry for a few days before planting them.
10. Get Garden Fresh Mushrooms From Stems
Mushrooms are a type of edible fungus, which makes them easy to propagate. Start by pulling the tops of them off carefully. Leave the stems whole.
Plant the bottoms of the stems in a pan of dirt. Mist them occasionally. It will take a few weeks, but they will regrow the tops.
Add These Foods to Your Pantry Today
These are just ten common fruits, veggies, and herbs that can be regrown. Many others can be propagated from leftover plant parts just as easily. For more information about regrowing food, check out this video.
If you have ever tried regrowing your food using any of these methods, let us know! Feel free to comment below with some of your frugal gardening experiences.