How To Regrow Romaine Lettuce From The Stem

Follow these steps to regrow romaine lettuce from its stem end. A fun way to use kitchen scraps.If you love growing things and fun kitchen experiments, here’s an experiment for you – regrow lettuce from the stem. Works best for romaine lettuce, but will work for any lettuce with a distinct stem end still intact.

Also Try: Regrowing Green Onions, Regrowing Celery

Video: How to Regrow Romaine Lettuce from the Stem

Unlike regrowing green onions or regrowing celery, you won’t be able to regrow a full head of lettuce. You’ll just regrow a few leaves 2-4 inches long. Enough for a sandwich. Regrown lettuce will bolt (send out a seed stalk) before it grows a full head of lettuce. But don’t let that stop you – it’s such a cool experiment.

Step by Step: How to Regrow Lettuce from a Stem

1. Eat your purchased lettuce, cutting the leaves at about 1 inch from the bottom.
2. Place remaining stem in a shallow dish of water (about 1/2 inch).
3. Place on a window sill or under grow lights.
4. Change water in bowl every 1 to 2 days.
5. Watch your lettuce grow. It is truly remarkable how quickly the new shoots start. You may also notice that roots will start to grow on the bottom.
6. After 10-12 days, your lettuce is going to be as big as it will likely ever get. It’s not going to be a full head of lettuce, it’ll just be enough to top a sandwich or make a small salad. But how cool is that!
7. If you leave your lettuce beyond this point, it will become spindly and bitter as it attempts to produce seed. It won’t be pleasant to eat at this point. You’ll know it has reached this point when the leaves start turning a blue green colour and/or the main stalk shoots up and leaves become less dense. Trust me, eat it when it’s like the photo below.

Here’s a photo journey

Does Regrowing Lettuce Always Work?

Not always, results will vary!

I’ve tried growing lettuce from the fridge at least twenty times by now. Not every lettuce will work perfectly. Sometimes it won’t grow at all, sometimes it will bolt (go to seed) very quickly and other times it will grow for a few days and then wither away. On some occasions you may even get weird brown spots. So, if the first lettuce you try doesn’t work, don’t give up – try again. Really, what have you got to lose? Here are some various results.

I have also tried potting my romaine lettuce, but I have not had great success with the plants thriving and turning into a full head of lettuce for us to enjoy. I’ve had much more success in this regard with celery and green onions.

In conclusion, don’t expect a full head of romaine lettuce to fill your salad bowl. Regrow lettuce for fun, for topping a sandwich and to become more acquainted with the food you eat. Enjoy the process!

How and When to Harvest Regrown Lettuce?

After about 12-15 days, or until it’s the size in the photos below, your lettuce will be ready to harvest. Do not wait much longer, hoping it will get bigger or better. At some point the lettuce will turn bitter, bolt or start to spoil.

Just cut or break the leaves from the plant and add to a salad, sandwich or wrap.