To start scrap gardening, simply recycle some of your kitchen scraps into whole new vegetables and fruits—no fancy equipment required. Just choose your starters wisely. “Some things are gardenable, but some are merely amusements,” says Barbara Pleasant, gardening expert and author of Homegrown Pantry. In other words, you can’t turn a random bit of produce leftover from last night’s dinner into a full-grown squash just by planting it in the yard. You may have tried growing an avocado from the seed–by putting an old avocado pit with toothpicks in water–and had lackluster results. But with the right kitchen scraps, you won’t have to wait a decade for your investment to pay off. (Take planting pumpkin seeds.) With just a little water and attention, you can grow your own fresh veggies in as little as a week or two. “Use a dark-colored earthenware jar, so the root section of the stem is not getting light,” Pleasant says. “Having their heads in the sun and feet in the shade encourages rooting.” Here’s how to help your favorite fruits and veggies take root—and where to plant them once they’ve grown. Grab your gardening tools and get planting. “They’ll last longer,” Pleasant says. “And if they take root, you’ll get a whole new plant.” Easy-grow plants like mint definitely work, but even basil and rosemary may sprout with a little coaxing. Once the roots form, plant the herbs in your garden or a pot on your windowsill. RELATED: The Easiest Herbs to Grow Indoors “It’ll regrow, but they’re scrawny and may not have a good texture,” Pleasant says. “Any potatoes you buy in the spring have been dormant for so long, they’re ready to grow,” Pleasant says. You can cut larger potatoes into small chunks with a few eyes on them, and smaller potatoes can go into the dirt whole. Sweet potatoes are also easy to grow from leftover vegetables—just let the vine grow out from one of the tips. While you may not be able to harvest another potato, a sweet potato vine makes a great houseplant, and the leaves are edible, Pleasant says. Keep in mind that you may not get the exact same type of tomato out of it. “Supermarket tomatoes are probably hybrid tomatoes, which have unstable genetics, Pleasant says. “They are not going to grow into the same type of tomato.” If it’s an open-pollinated heirloom tomato, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect. RELATED: When to Start Planting Vegetables in Your Garden, a Month-by-Month Guide
