How would you like to save money and time by having the vegetables you need and want all year round without spending additional money to acquire them? In this post I'll introduce you to vegetables and herbs you can buy once and regrow forever. Vegetables may form a large part of your grocery budget and that's a good thing because it means you're eating healthy. But did you know you can grow your own produce just by buying them once ? The best part is you don't need to be an expert gardener to make it happen. You don't even need a large yard or garden. You can simply grow in containers or pots. Here is a list of 10 herbs and vegetables you can buy once and regrow forever.
1. Basil
When you buy fresh basil leaves from the grocery store or farmer market, take all the stems with at least 6 leaves on it. That is all you need to regrow this delicious spice over and over again for an endless supply. You can simply put the stem in a glass of water and allow it to root. Rooting takes place as early as the second day. Just make sure you change the water regularly( 3 days at most) to avoid bacteria growth. Pot your new basil plant once the roots have grown considerably. You can also plant it directly in your garden.
2. Garlic
Take a clove of garlic and prepare your container with well drained soil. Make a hole about double the size of the clove in depth. Place the clove inside and cover it up loosely. Keep it watered with access to ample sunlight. When it flowers stop watering and let it dry out before harvest. In about a month you'll be able to harvest useable garlic. Remember that each clove you plant will make a whole bulb. So if you want more garlic bulbs all you need to do is plant more cloves.
3. Ginger
Allow your ginger to sit for a few days until you notice some eye buds. Take the piece with eye buds and soak it in water overnight. The next day plant it in your garden or a pot of soil with the eye bud facing upwards. Cover it loosely with about an inch of soil and keep it watered. In a few weeks you'll notice the shoots becoming healthier and lusher. You can harvest useable ginger in about 3 months. Remember to plant each eye buds separately to give you plenty of harvest when it is time.
4. Green Onion
Select green onions with string roots. Rinse the dirt off the roots and place the stem in a glass of water. Place the glass on a sunny window sill and watch it grow. Take what you need whenever you need it ad the will keep gruowing as long as you change the water frequently and give it enough sunlight.
Take a healthy stem of mint and strip of all green the leaves except for a few located at the top. Place the stem in a glass of water and kept it close to a windowsill with enough sunlight. Replace the water every other day and wait for the roots to appear. Once there are visible roots, wait about a week before planting in soil.
6. Celery
Keep the base of the celery after you've cut off the part to eat. Rinse it, put it in a small container of water and place it on a window sill that gets ample sunlight. In a few days you'll notice leaves and stalks growing from the center. Don't be alarmed when the sides dry up. Just make sure to replace the water every few days and keeps the center nourished. Once the new growth starts to become dark green you can put it in a pot of soil and continue caring for it until is ready for harvest. Repeat the process.
7. Carrot
When you cut your carrots, keep the tops as this can easily be regrown. Place the tops in a tray of shallow water and keep the tray in an area that gets ample sunlight. Add water as needed. Within days you'll notice greens sprouting from the carrot tops. In about a week or so, you'll notice roots forming from the buttom. Soon after, they will be ready for planting in pots or directly in your garden. Tho it will not produce another carrot, you can get endless supply of leaves for salad dressing and get seeds for planting in the next growing season
8. Leeks
Place your excess leeks in a glass of water and place the glass on a sunny window sill. Whenever you need leeks just cut off what you need and leave those rower to regrow. As long as you change the water every few days the leeks will continue to grow
9. Lettuces
Don't throw out the base to u cut from your lettuce. Instead, place it in a shallow tray of water and place it near a sunny window sill. In just a couple of days you'll notice new leaves start to grow. Change the water every other day. In about 4 weeks you'll have a new head of lettuce to harvest. Repeat the process.
10. Sweet Potato
Place a sweet potato in a jar of water keeping about an inch above the water. Keep the jar in an area that receives ample sunlight. In a couple of days you'll notice some sprouts growing from it. Change the water every other day and watch the sprouts grow. Once the shoots are about 4 inches long, pull them off the potato and place them in
their glass of water. The sweet potato will continue making new sprouts with you u can cut off to grow new plants. Once the separated sprouts have rooted, pot them or plant them in yo ur garden. Keep it watered. It will take a few months before ywou can harvest your sweet potatos.
Growing these 10 vegetables and herbs can significantly reduce your food cost while you enjoy sweet organic produce from your own backyard. Give it a try!
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