Grow Your Own Scrap Garden

We have been doing a lot of planting this week. Between homeschooling science lessons and, well, spring arriving, it was the perfect time to put some seeds in the ground and begin a new life cycle.

Getting ready to transplant my scallions. 

Yesterday, while I was adding to and transplanting my endless supply of scallions on my counter, I was reminded of a video a friend shared on my Facebook wall on what is commonly known as "cut and come again" gardening.

A cut and come again garden, or scrap garden, is exactly what it sounds like. A variety of plants, including most leafy green plants,  celery, onion varieties, beets, and even potatoes, continue to grow and reproduce from the pieces we would normally discard, producing a new and endless supply without having to continuously replant seeds.  For instance, have you even had an onion sprout a green stem or some potatoes grow "eyes?" Well, you can plant these pieces into the ground and re-grow the same vegetable.

Some other varieties of "cut and come again" vegetables include: amaranth, basil, beetroot, chicory, coriander, chard, corn salad, dandelion, endive, celery, lettuce, mustard, pak choi, parsley,  radicchio, red kale, and spinach. Many can remain potted indoors to grow during the winter and will easily transplant outdoors. Or, like my scallions, you can keep them on your kitchen counter within reach.

As you can see in the photo, the roots will extend when planted. Some veggies will root better when first soaked in water and then replanted into the soil. 

Creating your own "cut and come again" garden  is a great way to introduce gardening to your children while having fun. It reduces food scraps and will save you money on groceries in the long run...It may also convince your kids to eat their veggies as well. 😉

Preparing some onions and garlic to plant. 

You don't need a lot of room to grow your scrap garden All you need is a small container and a sunny spot. Some vegetables will begin to regrow almost immediately, where as others, like bulb veggies (think garlic and onions) will take some time, but they are definitely worth the wait. It is so fulfilling to have the veggies you need on hand and even more so knowing that you are growing them yourself.


To learn more you can check out the video below.