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.

regrow romaine lettuce

Also Try: Regrowing Green Onions, Regrowing Celery

Video: How to Regrow Romaine Lettuce from the Stem

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Regrow Lettuce from a Stem
On the left is a full grown leaf from a store bought romaine lettuce, on the right are 12 leaves regrown from a romaine stem after about 4 weeks

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

cut off stem 1 to 2 inches from bottom
put stem in water
regrowing lettuce on windowsill
romaine lettuce finished
lettuce ready to harvest

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.

four samples of lettuce from stem
Four different samples grown at same time.
harvesting regrown lettuce
If you notice brown spots starting, harvest right away. Cut around brown spots.

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.

planting romaine lettuce stem
This is lettuce that is bolting – it is close to producing flowers and seeds. The leaves taste bitter. It did not survive for very long after planting in soil.

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.

compare regrown lettuce to store bought
Don’t expect a full sized head of lettuce. These mini-me’s are ready to harvest.

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

lettuce cut
That’s four heads of lettuce! Better than nothing!
enjoying lettuce in wrap
Enjoying my lettuce for lunch in a falafel wrap.

What Else Can I Regrow From Stems?

Celery

I have had great success regrowing celery from stalk ends. I have even been able to successfully transplant celery to the garden. Read more in this article: Growing Celery from Stalks

celery with roots

Video: How to regrow celery from stem ends.

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Green Onions

Green onions are another highly successful vegetable to grow from the root ends. And yes, these can be transplanted outside as well. You can harvest repeatedly. Read more in this article: Growing Green Onions from the Fridge

regrowing green onions

Other Kitchen Scraps

I’ve tried regrowing avocado from the pit and pineapple from the crown, but I wasn’t too impressed. Sure I got greens to grow, but it would be years before you’d ever get anything you can eat! I’m not that patient, nor do I have a lot of room to grow bigger plants. It’s like the time my kids planted a seed from an apple – we got a sprout, but that poor little seedling never really had a hope!

Herbs

Herbs are a different story. Those you can clip, grow roots and regrow with much success. Basil, mint, cilantro, thyme, rosemary and oregano are all great contenders. One day, I may write more about that.

Have you ever tried regrowing any stem ends? I’d love to hear about your experience. If you try regrowing romaine and you’re on social media, take a photo and tag #getgettys so I can see it and like it!

62 Comments

    1. Well, it’s not legal to grow your own in my province and I don’t know much about how this plant grows. You’ll have to experiment and let us know.

  1. Hi Alyy, I have several questions. Would it make a difference if you split the root in half when you put it in water then plant provided it didn’t mold and then plant is soil or just plant directly into soil?
    Next if you grow from seed in soil and you cut the head off but leave the root system in the soil would that result in a better yield similar to original yield?

    1. Hi Deb,
      I have not experimented or tried any of the techniques you’re asking about, so what I’m about to say is based on speculation. With that said, I would be hesitant to split the bottom of the romaine before putting it in water. I treat it very tenderly knowing that it wasn’t harvested with growing in mind so the root end is likely very touch and go. I would also try to establish some root hairs before planting the stump end directly in soil. But please know, that you will not grow a full head of romaine, you’ll just get small, lose leaves. If you want to grow substantial amount of romaine outside, start from seed.
      Leaf lettuce grown in the garden from seed can be harvested several times. The key is to leave the center leaves and only harvest the outer leaves. Head lettuce will not work the same way.
      If you cut romaine lettuce 1 inch above the soil level, you will get some regrowth just like described in this article, but you will not grow another full dense head of romaine. They will be small, lose leaves like you will get when regrowing store bought romaine in water.
      Hope this helps,
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  2. My regrowth romaine hearts look nothing like what I’ve seen in photos, they are leggy and tiny and look almost how i imagine seedlings might look?

    I couldn’t grow them in containers, ther would mold out so i put them in my aquaponics system. Now they regrow but they definitely aren’t what I’m going for. Any help is appreciated, i can send a photo via email.

    1. Hi Alyy,
      Hmm, not sure why you’re not getting better results. Tall and spindly leads me to wonder if they’re getting enough light. Mold often sets in when there is too much humidity. If you’re goal is to grow a nice head of lettuce to feed your family, you’d need to ensure the plant gets proper light, heat, moisture and nutrients. I’ve never been that particular about those things with this regrowing technique; I have been doing it more as a fun experiment rather than a way of producing food. Good luck, sorry I can’t offer more specific help.

      1. Dialing in hydro/aquaponics i found is massively different than just sticking something in dirt (go figure). I am saving everything right now to regrow as corvid is messing up our food chains. I just planted a celery chunk and left the small fronds mostly intact in the middle. Its doing great!

        Keep up the great work my friend and stay safe! <3

        1. Hi Alyy,
          Yes, hydroponics certainly is a much different way of growing food and something I know very little about. Perhaps that’s why I’m so eager to put these greens in soil as soon as their roots have developed so they can get the nutrients they need.
          These are interesting times, stay well my friend.

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  3. Hello, thank you for all the good advice.

    I’ve tried this and after a week in water the leaves started withering and the scrap original lettuce bit started turning brown. Is there something obvious I am doing wrong? Thank you.

    1. Hi Olympia,
      Sometimes, it just doesn’t work. How big was the stump that you tried to regrow? I like to have at least one inch.
      Try again, you have nothing to lose!

  4. My stems grew happily few pretty new leaves but after a few days the stem would completely rot and mold underneath. Is that normal? I did change the water daily…

    1. Hmm, not sure what happened Ania. The first growth I usually see is right at the center of the stem where new shoots come up. Could it be that the temperature in your house is too warm? Lettuce prefers cooler temps. Not all of my stems grow well either – but most do pretty well and are fun to watch.

  5. I am having so much fun attempting to regrow the Romaine. My celery didn’t work out. I am going to try green onions next.

    1. You’ll have no problem with the green onions, they’re by far the easiest. Don’t give up on the celery, try again next time you finish a bunch – what have you got to lose?! It’s such a treat when it works and if timing is right and you can plant it outside – you’ll have a fantastic crop.

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    2. I started one celery plant about a week ago. The plant looks so cute, but it is too cold to plant. It has little stalks and many nice tasty leaves. Waiting for some organic soil to pot this and romaine on my deck.
      COVID-19 is making some foods hard to order, hoping to grow a few things on my deck. Grew potatoes from eyes last year. They were very good. .

      1. Hi Betsy,
        Sounds like you are well on your way!
        I would recommend waiting to plant your celery until you see a good amount of root hairs coming out the bottom. It sounds like your celery is doing well on top, give it another couple of weeks in water for the roots to develop. You’ll have a better chance of it growing in soil.
        I can’t wait for warmer days!!

        All the best, Getty

  6. Hi I wanted to know if my regrown lettuce is Ok. Mine has a little brown on the outer edge where the original lettuce was but the new growth is still a healthy green

    1. Hi Brittany,

      It should be okay. If the brown starts spreading then there’s a problem and your regrown lettuce might not be working out. But if it’s just on the edges and stays there, you’ll be able to enjoy the fresh green growth. If you have any doubts, don’t eat it.

      Hope that helps.

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    1. Yes, I have never tried it, but I’m sure they would work just like the green onions.
      I’m sure they would transfer well to the garden since you’d likely have good root development.
      Let me know how they turn out if you try them.
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  7. Hello, I am very pleased to say my romain lettuce is sprouting nicely so far. It’s my first attempt But I have a ? It seems so easy to just keep doing this over and over again, What about the vitamins? Don’t I have to put it in a good soil? and not just let it grow in water I am a NEW B Help! lol TYIA

    1. Hi Barbara,
      So glad to hear your romaine is working out! I don’t know about the nutrient content – but I suspect that eventually the plant will not be able to regrow due to lack of nourishment. If you get some root hairs, I would recommend you transfer it to soil. However, don’t expect this plant to grow into a big head of lettuce, even in soil. Enjoy growing and eating it but don’t rely on it for a major source of nutrients.

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  8. I love this post! I am currently growing green onions.scallions & romaine (1st time) in a glass. Being able to watch nature work is so awesome.

    1. It is awesome, I agree! I hope you’re having fun with the scallions and romaine. I’ve got a celery stalk going that I’ll be moving out into the flower bed as soon as the temperature is warm enough.
      All the best,

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  9. I tried to regrow lettuce a couple of years ago, but wasn’t successful. We now have a small amount of romaine lettuce from our most recent attempt that I’ll use in a tiny salad this weekend. I’ve had the most success with green onions. Super easy and they grow full size. I also tried celery at one point and that was another less-than-successful mission. I may try something like potatoes next.

    1. You’re right, green onions work really well. The lettuce and celery don’t always work, but there’s no harm in trying again. Like you, I’ve grown enough romaine lettuce to fill a couple of sandwiches or for a salad for one person. It’s fun though. My last few attempts with celery have been fantastic. I started them about two months before planting them in the garden. They grew into big beautiful celery plants and provided enough celery for us to enjoy during the summer.

        1. I have cut my green onions over and over again, but not the lettuce, so I’m not sure how often you could do that. I think the amount you would harvest would be smaller each time. Worth a try though.

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  10. I got 2 years worth of green onions from store boughts. Never had to buy them at the store again. They’re so easy to grow, and when I tell others, who are buying them, that they can be regrown, I get reactions of surprise. We really are programmed not to understand where the food comes from, only that it comes from a grocery store.

    1. Two years! That’s awesome, Dave.

      Let’s keep sharing good food tips to improve our collective understanding and appreciation of our food.

      All the best,

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    1. Hi Marie,
      I’m as amazed as you that this works without any added nutrients. Nature’s ability and determination to survive is remarkable.

  11. Hello I grew my first one and it’s working the cut stems withered away and the rest is growing it has a little root hair I tried to grow two more they grew for 5 days then started to rot. It’s a fun experiment.

    1. Hi Daniel,
      You’re right, it’s a fun experiment and not every stem will work out successfully. You won’t feed your family off this, but the process is interesting nonetheless and what have you got to lose, right?!

      All the best,
      Getty

    1. You could try for sure. I think regrowing lettuce like this is a lot of fun, it keeps my green thumb happy during long cold winter months. However, I’m not expecting too much from it – a handful of greens for a sandwich is great. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

    1. Hi Gail, I’m not sure about the nutritional value of regrown lettuce. But let me be clear – you will not regrow a full head of lettuce, you will get a handful of leaves – just enough to add greens to a couple of sandwiches. It’s an interesting and fun process with a tasty reward at the end. I would not rely on it as a good source of any particular nutrients.

  12. My plant acted unusual. Raised about 2 foot high then started producing stems above the lettuce and now yellow buds are appearing on the very top. I have a picture but can’t post it on this blog. Needless to say, its very cool looking

    1. Interesting, sounds like it was bolting and trying to produce seeds right away. Cool experiment none the less.

    2. Mine did the same thing. I was confused so i came to this site n now i know it bolted. So im gonna trash n re try.

  13. Wow! That lettuce actually turned out pretty good. I am trying the same thing with lettuce and basil. So far the lettuce experiment is looking positive, which is more than I can say about the basil. Any tips for that?

    1. I have not tried propagating basil. Here’s what I would do if I took a clipping from a basil plant – not sure if it would work with store bought, cut basil – it may have sat too long and not be hardy enough to sprout roots, but you never know. Anyway, cut just above a pair of leaves on the stem with at least two sets of leaves above the cut. Strip the bottom leaves and leave the top two, so you have a nice long leafless stem. Stick in water, change water every few days and see what happens. Good luck! Have you tried green onions and celery bottoms – super easy!

      1. I propagate basil from plants I started from seed. In fact I wire and bonsai the basil into trees. The prunings I propagate. I don’t have a 100% success rate on all clippings, but 30% sounds about right. I just take the clippings and stick them directly into organic potting soil.

    2. Basil is very easy to grow from seed. I grow some every year starting in April/May. Depends on where you live. I am in the northeast and want to put the pot outside by end of May: Buy a packet of seeds at the store. I use a 9″ plastic flower pot, fill with moist soil labeled for vegetables/herbs. Some soil is quite dry in the bag so make sure to let it soak and get moist all the way through. Fill soil to 2″ below the top rim of the pot. Sprinkle seeds on top of soil. Cover pot with plastic/cling wrap. I use a rubber band around the rim of the pot to stretch the wrap tight and to hold in place. Using a sharpened pencil, poke many air holes in the plastic wrap. Set pot near a bright window, but not baking in the sun. Once you see enough seeds sprout (maybe 15-20?) you remove sunwrap and watch the basil grow. Water when needed. I set the pot outside after the plants start to get sturdy, but I put the pot under a deck chair so it is shaded or receives partial direct sun. Pick basil as you like. If you pinch the heads off the plants will fill out.

      1. Excellent idea LawJ! Thanks for sharing. I’ve grown different varieties of basil from seed as well, starting them indoors like you suggest. So many different varieties! Thai basil, cinnamon basil, lemon basil and of course the classic Genovese sweet basil. Can’t wait for growing season!!

    3. Hi Nadine,

      I have propagated new basil plants many, many times from cuttings that have rooted. I simply cut a fairly long section off the basil plant and put it into a vase or jar with water near a window or outside on the porch railing. When the cutting has grown full, long roots, I transfer the plant to a pot with potting soil. I have had great success and a lot of fun with it!

      1. Thanks for this Lisa!
        I have not tried that with basil, great to know.
        Wishing you a happy fruitful growing season!

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  14. I have 2 heads now planted. I have MANY LEAVES on them… one is 2 and half wks in and other is 3 days in. I also have green onions and a pineapple… will send pics…

    1. Please tell me how you did it… I eat salad twice a day and don’t like iceburg, would love to grow my own Romaine, but not if it’s only going to give me enough to put on a sandwich or just a burger… please help Christi Gilliland !!! Thank you!!!

      1. Hi Michele,
        I’d love to hear Christi’s secret too!
        If you have a bit of garden space, or even a pot you can put on a patio or balcony, why not try growing some romaine or other type of lettuce from seed. Lettuce is quick growing and pretty easy to grow.
        All the best,
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    1. I would certainly try it! You have nothing to lose and only lettuce to gain. Good luck, let me know how it goes.

    1. I have done both – left it in water and planted it in soil. As you can see by the photos, I’ve never gotten more than 5 to 7 little leaves off the second growth. You can put it in soil when the bottom grows little root hairs.

  15. I was wondering….after you have planted the regrown lettuce do you keep harvesting the leaves as needed or do you pull it and start the end in water as you did the first time?
    Thanks,
    Sue

    1. Hi Sue,
      I have done it two ways. Plucked one leaf at a time to put on top of a sandwich and cut all leaves at once for several sandwiches. The lettuce did not regrow into a giant head of romaine like the original head of lettuce. I did not replant the end a second time as it just didn’t seem robust enough – but you could always try!

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