QUESTION:
Can carrots be regrown from tops? Can I save my kitchen scraps to grow more carrots?
ANSWER:
The orange vegetable known as carrots cannot be cultivated by growing the top portion alone. However, what is referred as carrot tops can be easily grown from harvested carrots.
This practice of growing carrot tops is widely implemented and popularized in children’s gardens since it yields fast results within a matter of days and is effortless to undertake.
In addition, frequently growing carrot tops provide the benefit of well-behaved houseplants which are seldom demanding. The fern-like leaves add charm to a flower garden. Eventually blooming lacy white flowers add even more allure.
Your top carrot plant will not yield another root but instead serve as an attractive windowsill houseplant suitable for container gardens placed indoors or outdoors.
There are three methods for growing carrots, all of which are easy and have a high success rate. One method is growing carrot tops in a small dish of water. Cut the carrot about one inch of the root top.
To perform the experiment, balance each carrot stump on a small glass with four toothpicks; one on each side to hold it up.
The glass should then be filled with water until it reaches the level of stump’s bottom. Put the glass into places where there is good indirect sunlight and monitor keeping the water level high and fully covering the bottom part of the stump.
Now, as time go by roots will begin to grow out of the carrot stump and this is sign enough that you can transfer to soil for optimal growth healthily carrots continue to thrive.
An additional simple approach to cultivate carrot tops is via marbles, water, and either a glass or ceramic pie plate. Add a single layer of marbles in the pie plate then place around six or seven stumps on top of the marbles.
Fill the container with water such that it reaches both the tops of the marble and bottoms of the carrot stumps. Once they start to grow collectively towards one center point, it would be quite breathtaking.
Similarly, you can also sprout carrot tops by layering damp newspaper vertically. After soaking a paper, lay it flat on the bottom of any other plate ensuring there’s no excess water standing. Then place the carrot tops over the wet newspaper.
Within two weeks, you’ll observe extensive roots along with shoots emerging upward. Ensure that paper remains wet and after root formation occurs, transition them into soil where they will transform into small decorative plants.