Sometimes a life change starts with something as small as growing a bunch of green onions in a glass of water.
What started as a way for one person to feel closer to their mom eventually became a gardening practice built from kitchen scraps, and a new perspective on food, family, and the natural world.
What happened?
On Reddit's r/Gardening community, the original poster said video calls with their mom led them to notice how quickly she was regrowing green onions and inspired them to try it too.
"I started gardening because I missed my mom," the OP wrote. "I never would have noticed this about her before, but she and I started sharing small parts of our days with each other… I was inspired [to try gardening]."
After trying to repeat their mom's green onion trick and seeing it struggle in water, the OP planted them in the ground, then added a jalapeño plant and a garlic bulb.
From there, the project kept expanding: potatoes, citrus, legumes, popcorn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, daikon, carrots, lentils, and more, all grown from food scraps instead of purchased seeds or starter plants.
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The poster summed up their transformation, writing, "Everything about gardening has really altered my brain chemistry…I now love gardening and it drives me crazy. It's this incredible."
They also said they want to build raised beds for their mom, who has wanted them for a long time because her garden is sprayed by a pest control company and she does not want to eat what grows there.
Why does it matter?
Growing even a small amount of food at home can help cut grocery costs, especially for produce people use often, such as green onions, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. Many gardeners also say homegrown food tastes better because it can be picked fresh instead of traveling long distances before reaching a store shelf.
There are health benefits, too. Gardening can encourage gentle physical activity, more time spent outdoors, and a routine that supports mental well-being.
"Gardening is such a lifeline and a source of hope and health and renewal," one commenter wrote.
Composting scraps, growing food at home, and avoiding unwanted chemical exposure can also help people feel more confident about what they are eating while reducing waste at the same time.
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