Growing plants from scraps?

We’ve all seen the srories about re growing plants from left over pieces of produce.

But does it work? I personally have had limited succes trying it, in fact unti only recently I’d had nothing but failures.

But then I found part of a forgotten cabbage way back in the back of the fridge still in it’s original packaging. I’d cut off part of it expecting to use the other half for a meal the next day but plans changed.

While cleaning the fridge I found the lonely cabbage in a terrible state and decided it was headed off to the compost pile.

However on dumping it out I noticed it was just the outside leaves that had turned, the part I’d cut off had all but regrown and there were new roots started at the base of it. So I peeled off the bad part and brought it back in.

After having no luck in the past I decided to try things differently for a change. So I put a little rooting hormone powder on the base, put it in a small flower pot and then into a zip lock bag, letting it drain out the excess water from soaking the dirt first. I don’t think you need rooting hormone, I just happen to have some on hand.

A week later and it’s growing well!

My new method with a zip lock bag as a mini green house seems to be working well. I even have an onion growning using the same technique.

At first I exhale deeply into the zip lock bag to hopefully give a little CO2 to help growth, make sure to leave a small gap in the zipper part so your plant can breath.

I’ve lost count how many times I have tried to grow an onion from the old root part of an onion I’ve cooked but everytime they have dried up or rotted away before growing. This time I actually have some greens growing and roots are growing into the soil as well. I tried to pick up what you see in the picture and the pot lifted up as well.

I will try carrots next using this same method to see it it helps, that is something else I’ve never had any luck with. From what I’ve read the root parts will not make another carrot but they can produce seeds and then there’s the greens so I figure it’s at least worth giving a try.

If you’ve had luck please feel free to share your sucess here or if you’re like me and haven’t had much luck feel free to share that as well.

Best of luck in all of your ventures and may your efforts be met with great success !