In order to grow, plants need water, oxygen, nutrients, and some support to keep themselves upright. The size of container should be relative to the size of the food you’re growing. You don’t need a lot of water, just enough to cover the roots, otherwise the food can get moldy and slimy. Put some plants cuttings in glass bottles with plain water, and it is best to use spring or well water if possible, as it is high in minerals. You should not use chlorinated water, as the bleaching chemical can damage the plant tissues. Make sure to replace the water once a week to avoid mildew growth.

Since the herbs themselves need to be exposed to sunlight in order to grow, you will need to place the container, vase, or jar near a window. The herbs will need around 6 hours of sunlight a day. Use colored bottles or warp a piece of paper around the bottle as the roots should not be exposed light. You can regrow multiples of the same plant as long as you’re not overcrowding the area.

Here are plants that can grow hydroponically, meaning they can survive without potting soil, in just a jar full of water.

Food Plants That Regrow in Water:

Green Onion

Keep the white part of the onion with any roots that are in still intact. Place in a glass with water but don’t fully submerge them and you’ll have a never-ending supply of fresh green onion.

Lettuce

Cut off the bottom of the head of lettuce and place it in a small bowl with a half inch of water, check the water level daily, and marvel as the stump began to grow anew. Spray with water a couple times a week. New growth begins from the center of the in as little as 3 days and you’ll have a new half-head of lettuce in about 2 weeks. Romaine Lettuce is one type of produce easy to find in the organic form. Often packaged as three hearts of romaine, spend just a dollar or two more, and you have salad free from any unnecessary pesticides.

Garlic

When garlic begins to sprout, you can put them in a glass with a little water and grow garlic sprouts. The sprouts have a mild flavor than garlic and can be added to pasta and other dishes that traditionally call for green onion chives like salads and baked potatoes.

Thyme

Take some newly grown, green cuttings, in the mid-spring or early summer before the thyme starts flowering, place them in water, and spray the parts which are under the water to avoid its drying. As soon as it is grown, cut the stems to boost branching.

Leeks

Cut off the bottom 2-3″ of the stalk and place in a cup of water. New growth will come from the center of the plant. Usually only the green part of the leek is used in cooking, but it can be used interchangeably with onions for a delicious, mellow flavor.

Peppermint

This herb is high in the volatile substance menthol which provides a cooling sensation on the skin or tongue and does not change the temperature. Just put a few fresh cuttings in water, as it is the easiest herbs you can grow in water.

Lemongrass

Cut off 2-3″ from the bottom and place in a tall container with 1/2″ or so of water. New lemongrass shoots will grow from the center.

Celery

Herbs often have medicinal, relaxation and culinary properties, and it is great if we can have them throughout the entire year in the home.