Use kitchen scraps to grow fresh food in your kitchen garden or windowsill. Kitchen scrap gardening is a simple way to grow vegetables at home while reducing food waste. This DIY kitchen gardening approach is easy, sustainable, and perfect for small spaces.

1. Garlic

Step 1: Place budding cloves or a whole garlic bulb in a transparent bowl.

Step 2: Add water until it just touches the bottom of the cloves. Do not submerge them, or they may rot.

Step 3: Change the water every other day.

Step 4: You can also plant the cloves in soil with compost. Over time, each clove will grow into a full bulb.

Tip: Trim the shoots and use them in salads, chutneys, stir-fries, and egg dishes. Do not trim more than one-third at a time.

2. Ginger

Step 1: Place a piece of ginger horizontally in potting soil with buds facing down.

Step 2: Keep the pot in indirect sunlight.

Step 3: Once it develops roots and shoots, you can replant it in your garden.

Tip: Separate pieces with nodes to grow multiple plants.

3. Carrot Greens

Step 1: Place carrot tops in a shallow dish with about an inch of water (do not submerge).

Step 2: Keep in direct sunlight.

Step 3: Change the water every other day.

Step 4: Replant in soil once shoots appear.

Tip: Use the greens in salads, soups, or as garnish. Do not cover the shoots with soil.

4. Lemongrass

Step 1: Save the stalk ends after cutting the tops.

Step 2: Place in a glass of water near sunlight.

Step 3: Once roots grow, plant in soil.

Tip: Lemongrass thrives in bright sunlight.

5. Onions

Step 1: Place onion bottoms in a shallow dish with roots facing down.

Step 2: Keep near a sunny window.

Step 3: Once shoots appear, plant in soil.

Tip: Use the shoots as fresh onion greens.

6. Pineapple

Step 1: Choose a pineapple with fresh green leaves.

Step 2: Twist off the top and remove some lower leaves.

Step 3: Trim the base until root buds are visible.

Step 4: Suspend over water using toothpicks.

Step 5: Place in sunlight and change water regularly.

Step 6: Once roots form, plant in soil.

Tip: It may take 2–3 years to fruit, but it’s worth the wait.

7. Potatoes

Step 1: Cut potatoes with at least 1–2 eyes each.

Step 2: Let pieces dry for a few days.

Step 3: Plant about one foot apart in soil.

Step 4: Add compost and water regularly.

Step 5: Keep covering stems with soil as they grow.

Tip: Grow in stacked tyres or containers for higher yield.

8. Avocado

Step 1: Clean and dry the pit.

Step 2: Insert toothpicks and suspend over water.

Step 3: Keep near sunlight and change water regularly.

Step 4: Once roots and shoots appear, plant in soil.

Tip: Trim top leaves for a bushier plant.

9. Romaine Lettuce

Step 1: Keep the base after cutting leaves.

Step 2: Place in shallow water and keep in sunlight.

Step 3: Change water regularly and replant once it sprouts.

Tip: Cut above the base to allow regrowth.



10. Basil & Mint

Step 1: Remove lower leaves from stems.

Step 2: Place stems in water in a sunny spot.

Step 3: Change water daily.

Step 4: Plant once roots grow (about 2 inches).

Tip: Pinch tops regularly for bushier growth.

Have you tried regrowing food from kitchen scraps? Or do you have other tips to share?

Tell us in the comments — we’d love to hear your experiences!

If you love growing your own herbs, explore our range of dried herbal infusions and salts made from seasonal mountain produce.