- If you’ve discovered a carrot in your kitchen with a green sprout poking out of the top—good news! Your carrot is showing signs of life. But before you get your gardening hopes up, here’s the full story on what you can and can’t grow from it.
- Carrots are root vegetables, which means the part we eat is actually the plant’s storage root. Once a carrot is harvested, it won’t regrow another full-sized root. However, if you cut off the sprouting top and plant it in soil, it will continue to grow—but what you’ll get are leafy greens, not another carrot.
- These fresh greens, often overlooked, are completely edible and surprisingly versatile. You can use them in soups, toss them into salads, or blend them into a vibrant pesto. While they may have a slightly bitter, earthy taste due to natural alkaloids, they are not toxic, as some myths suggest. In fact, carrot leaves are nutritious, offering a good source of vitamin K, chlorophyll, potassium, and other beneficial compounds.
- If your goal is to grow whole new carrots, though, you’ll need to start from carrot seeds, not a leftover top. Carrot seeds will give you the full root-to-greens experience, but they do require patience, loose soil, and a bit of care to thrive.
- So go ahead—plant that sprouting top and enjoy the green reward. It’s a great way to reuse kitchen scraps and bring a little greenery into your home or garden.
