Regrowing Vegetables I've Bought at the Store - In My Windowsill

Rooting Celery, Scallions and Romaine Lettuce

Here is a dandy way to reduce food waste, save a little money and garden in the middle of winter all at once - use the ends of your lettuce and other vegetables to grow new ones on your windowsill.

I didn't grow up on a farm and sometimes I miss the most obvious things.  One is that those vegetables I buy at the supermarket can often be used to grow a whole crop of new vegetables.  Peppers, onions and garlic are an example.  Then just a few weeks ago Elizabeth Andrew (who by the way is about to publish a great new novel) circulated this great blog post
 "10 Vegetables & Herbs You Can Eat Once and Grow Forever".  Now that is an idea that appeals to me.  Does growing garlic sprouts, carrot greens basil, scallions, Romaine lettuce, bok choy, onions, cilantro, ginger and mushrooms in the middle of winter appeal to you?  Me too.  Read that post for details.

The onions & ginger will require some soil right away, but all of the other vegetables can be grown or at least started in water right by a bright window.  I've started the Romaine, scallions and celery so far.  It seems amazing to me that I can grow a new head of Romain from the stump of an old head that's been sitting in the fridge a week, but, by gum, there is a nice little head of greens forming.  It's about an inch and a half tall after a week - no roots.  The greens are just popping up from the middle of the stump.  I have no idea how big they will grow, but I'm hoping for something harvestable.  Here's a close up:

Romaine Growing in Water

I've only started the scallions, from some slimy ones in the bottom of the crisper drawer.  The celery stump has been at it just under a week.  There is a root growing and a tiny bit of green coming up from the center.  It's going to be fun to see how they grow.