16. Regrow instead of Compost

Regrowing food is a creative way to upcycle your scraps. For avocados simply stick a few toothpicks in the pit to balance, with root side down, over a small jar of water. Make sure it gets plenty of sunlight, changing the water periodically. Once it reaches eight inches in height, your avocado plant is ready to pot!

Basil can be easily regrown by stripping leaves ¾ from the bottom of the stem and placing stems in a jar of water. Set it in an area that receives sunlight but isn’t too hot, changing water every other day. Once roots are 2 inches long, plant stems in a 4 inch pot.

Place a carrot top, cut side down, in a shallow bowl of water. Place it in a sunny windowsill and watch it sprout shoots! Don’t forget to change its water periodically.

For fresh onions, simply place an onion bottom in soil, and once roots appear, remove old onion bottom. Instead of tossing the green parts of leeks, green onions, and scallions, place them in a jar with water. Put them on a windowsill, changing the water every other day. In no time, you’ll have new veggies that you can harvest, but make sure to leave the roots in the water.

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