Can you regrow radishes from kitchen scraps?
Written by
Benjamin Miller
Reviewed by
Prof. Martin Thorne, Ph.D.Radish greens provide a second chance from kitchen scraps. Unfortunately, the roots will not regenerate. After cutting radishes, keep the 1-inch crown with leaf buds whole. Set it inside a shallow dish, with the cut end down. Change the water every day; you will see new shoots growing in leaves after 72 hours.
Setup Requirements
- Container: Use wide-mouth jars or egg cartons
- Water depth: 0.5" (1.27 cm) to prevent rot
- Light: Bright indirect light, no direct sun
Harvesting Greens
- First harvest: 7-10 days after sprouting
- Cut method: Snip outer leaves first
- Yield: 2-3 harvests per scrap
The scientific explanation for this lies in meristem cells high concentrations to the crown - these undifferentiated cells are triggered by water to produce leaves without producing root tissue. To have continuous greens, stagger scraps every five days. My kitchen windowsill easily holds 6 jars, and is enough to have salads once a week.
Recipe Ideas
- Pesto: Blend with walnuts and olive oil
- Stir-fry: Add last 2 minutes of cooking
- Soup garnish: Float leaves on hot broth
Nutrition Boost
- Vitamin C: 6x higher than roots
- Calcium: 200mg per cup
- Iron: Comparable to spinach
Expand your green production through the transplanting of water-sprouted crowns to the soil. Begin with peat pots that have drainage holes. Use equal parts of potting soil and vermiculite for the seeds. This harvesting method produced triple my yield, and the leaves remained tender for 14 days compared to 7 days growing with water media systems only.
Read the full article: How to Grow Radishes: 7 Pro Tips for Bumper Harvests
