Buying fresh herbs for one recipe can sometimes leave you with a bundle that you don’t know what to do with. Instead of letting those leftovers wilt in the refrigerator, you can try growing them again. Several grocery store herbs to regrow can produce fresh leaves at home with surprisingly little effort.
You don’t need a large backyard or expensive gardening equipment. A sunny windowsill, a small container, clean water, and some patience can be enough to get started. While some herbs grow easily from cuttings or roots, others are better suited to planting in soil.
8 Grocery Store Herbs
Here are eight grocery store herbs worth trying and herbs you can regrow.
Green Onions
Green onions are one of the easiest kitchen herb garden plants-to regrow from grocery store leftovers.
Save the white ends with the roots attached and place them in a small glass containing a little water. Keep the roots submerged while leaving the green portion above the water.
Place the container near a bright window and change the water regularly. New green growth can appear within days.
Once the roots become stronger, you can transfer the onions into soil for longer-term growth.
Basil
Fresh basil can often be grown from healthy stems purchased at the grocery store.
Choose stems that are green and healthy, then remove the lower leaves. Place the stems in water, keeping the leaves above the waterline.
After roots develop, transfer the cuttings into a small pot filled with suitable potting soil.
Basil needs warmth, sunlight, and regular watering. Harvest the leaves regularly to encourage fuller growth.
Mint
Mint is another excellent candidate for growing from grocery store herbs.
Select a healthy stem and remove the leaves from the lower section. Place the stem in water until roots begin to form.
Once the roots are established, plant it in a container with well-draining soil.
Mint can grow aggressively, so keeping it in its own pot is usually a good idea. With enough light and moisture, you can continue harvesting fresh leaves for drinks, desserts, sauces, and salads.
Cilantro
Cilantro can be more challenging to regrow than basil or mint, but healthy stems with roots have a better chance of continuing to grow
If your grocery store cilantro still has roots attached, place the roots in moist soil and keep the plant in a bright location.
Cilantro generally prefers cooler growing conditions. Harvest the outer leaves as needed rather than removing a large portion of the plant at once.
For a continuous supply, growing cilantro from fresh seeds is often more reliable than repeatedly regrowing supermarket bunches.
Parsley
Parsley can sometimes be propagated from healthy stems, although growing it from seed is generally more reliable.
Choose fresh stems and remove the lower leaves. Place the stems in water and wait for roots to develop.
Once rooted, transfer them to a small container with quality potting soil.
Give parsley plenty of light and keep the soil lightly moist. You can then harvest small amounts whenever you need fresh parsley for cooking.
Rosemary
Rosemary is particularly suitable for grocery store herbs.
Take a healthy green stem and remove the leaves from the lower portion. Place the cutting in water or directly into moist propagation medium.
Once roots develop, move the cutting into a pot with well-draining soil.
Rosemary prefers relatively dry conditions compared with many other herbs, so avoid keeping its soil constantly wet. Give it plenty of sunlight and good airflow.
Thyme
Thyme can also be propagated from fresh grocery store stems.
Choose a healthy stem and remove the lower leaves. Place the cutting in water or a suitable propagation medium until roots begin developing.
After rooting, transfer it to well-draining soil.
Thyme generally prefers plenty of sunlight and does not like sitting in overly wet soil. A container near a sunny window can make a convenient indoor herb garden.
Oregano
Oregano can grow from stem cuttings when you start with fresh, healthy stems.
Remove the lower leaves and place the stem in water. Once roots appear, transfer the cutting to a container filled with well-draining potting mix.
Keep the plant somewhere warm and sunny. Trim the growing tips occasionally to encourage bushier growth.
Fresh oregano can then be used in pasta, pizza, sauces, roasted vegetables, and other dishes.
Can Every Grocery Store Herb Be Regrown?
No. Some herbs are much easier to regrow than others.
The condition of the herb also matters. A fresh stem with active growth has a better chance than a wilted or heavily processed bunch.
Some herbs are most successful when grown from cuttings, while others are better grown from seeds. Store-bought herbs may also have been harvested in ways that make regrowth difficult.
For beginners, green onions, basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, and oregano are good herbs to experiment with.
Tips for Keeping Regrown Herbs Healthy
Once your herbs start growing, a few simple habits can help keep them productive.
- Give them enough sunlight.
- Use containers with drainage holes when growing in soil.
- Avoid overwatering.
- Harvest small amounts regularly.
- Remove damaged or yellowing leaves.
- Give aggressive herbs such as mint their own containers.
- Use fresh potting soil when transplanting rooted cuttings.
- Don’t overcrowd multiple herbs in one small container.
Conclusion
You don’t always have to throw away leftover herbs after cooking. With the right conditions, several grocery store herbs to regrow can become the beginning of a small home herb garden.
Green onions, basil, mint, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and oregano are all worth experimenting with. Some may regrow quickly, while others require more patience or are better propagated from seeds.
Start with one or two easy options, place them somewhere bright, and see how much fresh flavor you can grow from your next grocery trip.
