Finding new and innovative ways to produce less food waste, and fostering your green thumb, all while being able to save money is the secret behind this green hack. Romaine lettuce is great for replanting and very easy to do! Imagine how much better your Caesar salad will taste knowing you grew the lettuce yourself. This fun hack is very simple, and it only takes a few weeks before you have a brand-new head of lettuce.
While some foods are able to be regrown in water, romaine lettuce actually does better in soil. Romaine lettuce fairs better in cooler climates and is able to survive long winters. However, for this hack you are able to do this during any season since you aren’t growing it from seed. Regrowing lettuce does not take much space, so if you live in an apartment or don’t have a backyard you are also able to grow your own delicious, fresh lettuce.
Where do I start?
Once you have finished up your head of romaine lettuce, you want to leave a good chunk of the bud of the lettuce on (It should be about a few inches tall). I always like to make sure that I buy organic fruits and vegetables, however, any kind of romaine lettuce will do.
- Make sure you keep the lettuce bud in an inch or so of water.
- Place it on the windowsill until you are ready to plant it in a pot of soil. This is to ensure that it does not dry up.
- Remember to change the water every day.
- You should only keep your lettuce bud in the water for about three days before it comes time that it should be placed in a planter with soil.
How do I grow it?
The next step is to get a planter and fill it with soil and place your lettuce head in the soil, make sure that you don’t completely submerge your lettuce under the soil.
Make sure the lettuce is able to get enough sunlight. If you are growing it indoors either place the lettuce under a grow light or by a window that gets enough sunlight. If you are doing this outdoors you want to make sure it is able to get some sun, but not full sun exposure.
What do I do next?
You should water it once a day and within the first week you should notice signs of growth.
After about 3-4 weeks you will have a brand-new head of romaine lettuce!
How do I know if I am on the right track?
- Leaves should be growing within the first few days of planting it.
- The colour of the lettuce should remain green.
- If the colour starts to change and becomes blue or brown the lettuce has gone bad and it’s best to start over and try again.
Regrowing lettuce is a fun and resourceful way to save your kitchen food scraps.
