Talk about a money-savvy way to get in your greens. A professional gardener recently shared a genius hack for turning often-discarded lettuce stalks into even more fresh leafy veggies.
The scoop
In a recent TikTok, Scott from Sharkey’s Greenhouses (@sharkeysgreenhouses) shared how he regrows fresh romaine lettuce from leftover stalks. He says that instead of tossing romaine stalks and rebuying lettuce during every grocery store trip, home gardeners can plant those inedible stalks in some soil to regrow.
@sharkeysgreenhouses It is really easy to grow your own Romaine lettuce from the leftover stalk. Give it a try! #gardening #lettuce #lettucegrow #growyourown #growyourfood #romainelettuce ♬ original sound – Sharkey’s Greenhouses
He advised saturating the soil well, giving it plenty of moisture so that the stalk will root properly. Scott said it takes about two weeks for the leftover stalk to become well-established.
“Now this is not a continual cycle. We’ll get about three or four more heads of lettuce from this,” he says, holding up a plastic bag of romaine from the grocery store. “But you don’t have to keep on buying these all the time.”
How it’s helping
Growing your own lettuce isn’t just a buzzy internet hack — it’s a great way to shrink your environmental footprint. Big Agriculture has a massively outsized impact on the planet, contributing to pollution, water overuse, and food waste. By growing food at home, you can opt out of this system — at least in part.
Our World in Data estimates that 26% of planet-warming pollution comes from food production. It doesn’t stop there: While growing food is an essential part of supporting human life on Earth, agriculture uses roughly 70% of the world’s freshwater withdrawals, putting pressure on rivers, lakes, and aquifers.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
The Environmental Protection Agency reported that in the U.S., farmers apply around 500,000 tons of pesticides, 12 million tons of nitrogen, and 4 million tons of phosphorus fertilizers to crops each year. These chemicals lead to toxic runoff that can pollute water, harm wildlife, and degrade soil.
Home gardening offers a more sustainable path: You control what goes into your soil — and what ends up on your plate. It may be more affordable than it seems. Experts estimate that a $70 investment in seeds, soil, and supplies can yield up to $600 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables per year. That’s without regrowing produce such as lettuce, onions, celery, and herbs from your grocery store scraps.
Growing your own food is also a powerful way to combat food waste. About one-third of all global food is lost or wasted before it can be eaten. But when you’ve spent weeks growing that juicy tomato or crisp lettuce, you’re far less likely to let it rot in the fridge.
The benefits don’t stop with your plate. Home gardening also offers many health benefits. The Mayo Clinic notes that gardening can provide light exercise, reduce stress, and even encourage healthier eating habits.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
What everyone’s saying
Budding home gardeners had mixed reactions to the lettuce-growing hack. Some were amazed by the promise of abundant lettuce from discards.
“I never knew you could do that,” one commenter wrote.
Some who have tried the hack, however, were quick to share disappointment with their results, saying their regrown lettuce was “bitter.” However, there’s a way to avoid that same fate when giving this hack a try.
House Digest said that bitter-tasting leaves are a common problem when lettuce is grown under improper conditions. Experts recommend growing lettuce in a shaded area with 1 to 2 inches of water per week. This will prevent bolting, which is when, in a plant’s life cycle, it starts to flower. Bolting can cause the leaves to turn bitter, as the plant is expending most of its energy not on succulent leaves but on stalk and seed production.
Keep that in mind, and your lettuce will be sweeter, more sustainable, and basically free.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
