Double or triple your return on scallions or green onions. Save about two inches of the stalks near the root and stick them into a cup filled up to about an inch with water. They'll regrow for easy, free, and deliciously fresh new scallions ready for cutting right at your kitchen window. You don't even need soil for regrowth, but replanting them into a pot or the ground is also an option.
By Linda from Seattle, WA
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My mother would just cut the green onions about a half inch above the ground. The onions would grow back very easily.
Yes, you can do the same with broccoli. You won't get a full head, but you will get a lot of side shoots, and they can easily add up to a full meal. If your season is long enough, you might get enough for a meal a few times. Just remember that broccoli is a cool weather crop. Don't give up if your yield is skimpy in the hottest part of summer, because it will bounce back in the fall.
Yes, what is the trick to growing garlic? All I get is green tops too.
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I save money by using the bottoms of onions and leeks to grow more of the same. When I clean onions and leeks for eating, I leave a small part of the white area connected to the roots, about a half inch for green onions and the bigger cooking onions, and an inch for the leeks. Then I either place them in a small amount of water to get more roots growing or place them in a plastic bag in the fridge and check them every day for growth.
I also do the same with cabbage. Cabbage roots easily, usually in a few days. I place the bottom of the cabbage in a tray with a little water. When I see good roots growing and the little cabbages sprouting on top, I cut the plant apart and plant each baby cabbage. Sometimes I get six or more free cabbages from one cabbage bottom. I do the same with big onions that that have gone bad or started to sprout. I can get three or more from a large onion. I just make sure that I cut between each part where I can see the beginnings of a new onion clear through the base of the onion and let root. Try it! I've done this for many years!
By Mary from Paris, Ohio
Wow, this is a great tip and money saver. I didn't know you could do this with cabbage. And I buy plants. I am going to try this one. Does it work with broccoli? I have tried garlic, but all I get is green tops. Have you tried garlic?
By valery
Hi, that is a great idea! Also, to make sure you are getting the best veggies ever, use organic veggies to sprout. You can save a bunch of money that way since organic is a lot more expensive but better for us. (11/15/2007)
By Gina
With cabbages another thing you can do - cut the full sized cabbage leaving the outer loose leaves still attached to the actual plant - and the roots still in the ground - then on the part where you have cut the heart of the cabbage out - cut a cross - and surprisingly quickly you will get another four little cabbages sprouting up inside the old outer leaves. They will not get as big as the first proper cabbage - but they are good for late winter greens - do make sure the variety of cabbage you do this with is fully winter hardy.
By L O'Brien
Hi, I save the seeds from my veges and fruits and dry them on a paper towel and put them up for spring. Works great! Thanks for the info.
(11/18/2007)
By Denise w
What a great idea! We had cabbage last night, and I cut the bottom off and put it in water. We'll see what happens. (02/01/2008)
I want to replant the roots of the store bought green onions. I read somewhere else where a someone does this and keeps the in her kitchen window as the growing location. My question is, when you go to harvest them: do you pull the whole plant up then replant the roots or can you just snip off the tops of the plant and leave the roots where they are to regrow? (04/15/2008)
By Haley
