Regrow your leftover vegetables endlessly: Book Review "Regrow Your Veggies"
Today I'm getting to know Melissa Raupach. Melissa, along with her business partner and good friend Felix Lill, wrote the book REGROW YOUR VEGGIES , which was published by Ulmer Verlag in August. The book was already on my desk when I started my first day with the city gardeners on October 1st. I immediately took it home and devoured it in a weekend. The topic of "regrowing" is illustrated with wonderful illustrations. The reader is guided through individual regrowing instructions in an almost playful way. The book has one immediate effect: the desire to start regrowing immediately!
After a few seconds, a friendly voice answers: "Hello, this is Melissa." I immediately like the pretty young woman, whom I already recognize from photos, and it quickly becomes clear that we're on the same wavelength. Instead of a stiff interview, a relaxed conversation quickly develops – about the book REGROW YOUR VEGGIES, about Melissa herself, her ideals, her ideas about a green lifestyle, and her collaboration with Felix Lill, the co-founder of their major joint project: the digital gardening magazine Plantura . 
But what does all this have to do with the book "Regrow Your Veggies"?
"Regrow your veggies - Letting vegetable scraps grow endlessly" deals with the topic of not throwing away vegetable and fruit scraps, i.e. kitchen waste, but reusing them for home cultivation. It covers everything from classics like lettuce to the regrowing of avocados and pineapples. It all actually started with romaine lettuce, Melissa explains. She had seen instructions online for regrowing romaine lettuce and quickly copied them. When she saw the first results, Melissa became curious and tried regrowing with other vegetable scraps as well. For the book, Melissa tested the cultivation of each individual vegetable herself. When she recalls how the Plantura office was "full of plants in all the stages," you can hear how much fun she and Felix had with this project. "It's always an experiment," she says, laughing.
The term "regrowing" actually means little more than the vegetative propagation of plants. The process could also be compared to propagation from cuttings. The basic principle is quite simple: instead of throwing vegetable scraps away, they are replanted and thus given new life. The first part of the book explains that this isn't just about growing your own vegetables. It's primarily about promoting a more sustainable lifestyle and raising awareness of the zero-waste lifestyle. A call to action against the throwaway society, not with a wagging finger, but in a friendly, empathetic way. Melissa says herself: "I wouldn't say I lead a zero-waste lifestyle, but I am aware of the problems." She firmly believes that everyone can make a difference and, through conscious action, can have a positive impact on the greater good. And above all, it should be fun!
"Regrow Your Veggies" is a book for everyone. To try regrowing for yourself, you don't need a lot of space, a garden, or a particularly green thumb. Previous experience isn't necessary either. This handy book has something for everyone. From beginner regrowing models to more challenging candidates, it's covered, and "...everyone should just give them a try." "Regrowing" is also a great experience for children, as they can get hands-on from the very first minute!
Just give it a try...
If you're now curious, don't hesitate. Regardless of whether the plant you grew yourself from vegetable scraps actually bears fruit again, a cozy home can never have enough pretty, green plants. More tips and tricks can be found in the gardening magazine Plantura . There, you'll find not only informative articles on various gardening topics, but also illustrative videos on the topic of " regrowing " from the authors themselves.
Personally, I enjoyed reading the book and am enthusiastic about Melissa's approach: that absolutely everyone (!) can make a difference in the world. I now see my 2-meter-tall ginger plant with completely different eyes. What I tried as a self-directed experiment in February to bridge the dreary, gray spring now even has a name: Regrow your Veggies!
