Everyone's looking to cut costs these days, and grocery bills are a good place to start. Though not all of us have the luxury of space to start growing our own veggies, herbs are generally low-maintenance and low-material plants you can grow in your own kitchen. Not only that, but some of them you don't even have to buy seeds or a plant for. Here are five herbs you can start from the ingredients you buy at the grocery store for a lower grocery bill and fresher ingredients. Mint Mint is a plant that is famously easy to grow and hard to kill. This is because (when planted in-ground) it's actually considered invasive, meaning it grows robustly, choking out other plants for light and nutrients. In a container on your kitchen counter, however, this just means an endless supply of fresh herbs. To start your own plant, take a few sprigs from the grocery store and place the stems in water. Ensure that no leaves are touching the water, as this can lead to rot, mildew, and mold. Change the water every few days, and in a few weeks, you should start to see root growth. Take these sprigs, plant them in a small container, and ta-da! You've got a plant that will continue to give fresh ingredients whenever you need them. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Basil Basil is not only easy to grow in the kitchen—It will also add a lovely aroma to your space. As with mint, simply pick a few leaves with developed, long stalks from what you bought at the supermarket and place them in water. After a few weeks of changing the water regularly, roots should begin to appear. Replant them in a medium-sized, well-draining pot, and harvest leaves as needed for cooking. Oregano Though it might take a while, oregano is yet another herb you can grow from supermarket propagations. Follow the same steps as for mint and basil: Pick a few healthy stems, put them in a cup of water, and pick off any leaves that might sit on or below the waterline. Change the water every few days to prevent mold, mildew, or rot. When you see roots form, transplant to a well-draining pot with soil. Water and provide light as with any other plant. Rosemary Grow supermarket rosemary the same as basil: Pick sprigs with long, hardy stems and put them in water (with no leaves touching the water). Change water frequently, and plant in a pot when roots have grown out. Thyme For thyme, follow the same processes as for other herbs: Pick strong stems, place in water, replace water every few days, and—when roots have formed after a few weeks—transplant to a well-draining pot with soil and care for normally.

Tomatillos produce green or purple fruits encased in a papery husk. Distant cousins to a tomato with a tangy, slightly acidic flavor, tomatillos are ready to harvest 75-100 days after the seedlings are settled in the garden. The fruit will completely fill the husk and easily pull off the plant. As an indeterminate plant, tomatillos continue to flower and produce fruit throughout the summer until frost. Because of the husk and green color, it can be confusing about when to harvest a tomatillo. Follow our tips for the best harvesting results. 5 Signs Tomatillos Are Ripe and Ready to Pick It's been 3-4 months since you planted. The first tomatillos are usually ready to be harvested 60 to 75 days after the seedlings are placed in the garden or settled into a container for the summer. The fruit is firm. If a tomatillo feels soft, it's likely overripe and less flavorful. It's reached peak color. For example, a purple tomatillo variety will be firm, purple, and no longer green when ready to pick. The husk changes from green to a light brown. The husk will be dry surrounding the tomatillo. The papery husk has not yet split. A fully-split husk means the fruit is overripe. When to Harvest Tomatillos Since tomatillos are indeterminate, they will not flower and set fruit all at once. Harvesting should be done every few days throughout the growing season. The fruit should be firm, the papery husk should be full, and a good hack to follow that tomatillos are ready? The fruit will often drop off the plant before it is fully ripened. These fruits can be gathered and stored in a cool, dry place in the husk until fully firm and ripe. After You've Harvested Every Tomatillo for the Season At the end of the season, the entire plant can be removed from the garden or container and hung upside down in a cool area. Any fruit remaining on the vines will continue to ripen and be good for several months. During the growing season, mature fruit should be placed in a cool location immediately following harvest and can be refrigerated in the husk in a paper bag for up to three weeks. How to Harvest Tomatillos the Right Way Tomatillos are easy to remove from the mother plant by hand or with pruning shears. Harvest by hand by giving the fruit a slight twist from the stem. If it does not yield easily, the fruit isn't mature. Keep a basket or bucket nearby to collect the fruit and place it in the container gently to avoid bruising and cracking. 6 Additional Tomatillo Growing Tips Always plant at least two tomatillo plants. They are not self-fruitful so two plants are needed for cross-pollination by insects. An individual plant may produce 64 to 200 fruits in a season. Tomatillos need about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week and full sun to maximize production. Tomatillos should be staked or caged to keep the fruit off the ground. Since the plants often drop their fruit before it is fully ripe, provide a bed of straw under each plant to keep the fruit dry and away from the soil until you can collect it. The fruit will be sticky when it is removed from the inedible husk. Wash with mild soap and water before eating or processing the tomatillos.

Eucalyptus mostly enters our homes as cut branches that we use to add a nice smell to our homes. In nature eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea) is an evergreen tree that grows up to 60 feet high in its natural Australian environment. (It's also a favorite food of koalas.) Planted in a home garden, it stays at 6 to 10 feet tall. Eucalyptus are best planted in spring and don't require any staking or other support structure. They have a fast growth rate and can gain several feet per year. It features reddish-brown bark and silvery, blue-green leaves. The bark, leaves, and sap of eucalyptus are toxic both to humans and pets. Eucalyptus Plant Care Here are the main care requirements for growing eucalyptus: Plant in well-draining soil with full sun exposure. Plant in a location with enough space to accommodate the tree’s full height and spread. (Multiple eucalyptus trees should be spaced at least 8 feet apart). Prefers warm temperatures. Harvest mature leaves and branches later in the growing season. Light Eucalyptus likes a lot of light, so place your plant somewhere that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Likewise, eucalyptus plants grown indoors should be kept near a bright window, preferably one that faces south. Soil Eucalyptus can tolerate most soil types, but it needs soil with good drainage. For container plants, use a well-draining potting mix. A slightly acidic to neutral soil pH is best. Water Eucalyptus is somewhat drought-tolerant once it's established. However, long periods of dryness may cause it to drop leaves. A good rule of thumb is to water when you can stick your finger into the soil and feel dryness at your fingertip. Temperature and Humidity Eucalyptus prefers warm temperatures between roughly 65°F and 75°F, and it likes a moderate humidity level. It cannot survive prolonged exposure to temperatures below 50°F. So if you're growing your plant in a container, bring it indoors when you expect chilly temperatures. Fertilizer If you're growing your plant in the ground, it typically won't need fertilizer. However, container plants will deplete their nutrients more quickly. So fertilize them with a low-nitrogen houseplant fertilizer throughout the growing season, following label instructions. Types of Eucalyptus In addition to Eucalyptus cinerea, there are hundreds of other eucalyptus species. They include: Eucalyptus globulus: Known as blue gum, this species features smooth bark and is particularly adaptable to a variety of growing conditions. Eucalyptus gunnii: Commonly referred to as cider gum, this species has better cold tolerance than most other eucalyptus species. Eucalyptus platypus: Commonly called moort, this is an especially hardy species that can tolerate heavy soils, cold, and drought. Pruning Eucalyptus trees generally don’t need much pruning. However, you can prune overgrown, broken, or misshapen branches to keep the plant looking attractive. The best time to do so is in the summer, but avoid pruning during very humid weather. Pruning Tip No pruners? No problem! We've tested over 10 top-rated pruners to help you choose the right one for your comfort and personal needs—there's an option for everyone. Propagating Eucalyptus Eucalyptus trees are most commonly grown from purchased seeds or nursery plants, but they can also be propagated via cuttings. The best time to take cuttings is when a tree is between 2 and 12 months old; rooting mature stems is difficult. Aim to take your cuttings in the late summer. Here’s how to grow eucalyptus from cuttings: Fill a small pot with a 3-1 mixture of composted tree bark and perlite, and add a slow-release fertilizer. Moisten the soil. Cut a stem that’s around 5 inches long with four to eight leaves. Cut just above a leaf node. Remove the leaves on the lower half of the cutting. Dip the cut end in a rooting hormone, and then plant it in the growing medium almost up to where the leaves are. Place the container in bright, indirect light in a room that’s around 70°F. Keep the soil lightly moist. Roots should form in about a month. Once roots have formed, move the plant to a sunnier spot and space out waterings. How to Grow Eucalyptus From Seed When considering how to grow eucalyptus from seed, note that the seeds first must be chilled in the refrigerator for two months before planting. Sow them in the late winter indoors roughly 10 to 12 weeks before your area’s last projected frost date. Use a seed-starting mix in peat pots that you’ll eventually be able to plant right into the soil to avoid disturbing the roots. Sow seeds on top of the growing medium, only lightly covering them. Place the pots in a warm spot with indirect bright light, and keep the growing medium moist but never soggy by misting it. Seeds should germinate in two to three weeks. Once the seedlings are about 6 inches tall, they’re ready to go outdoors. Potting and Repotting Eucalyptus Growing eucalyptus in a pot is a great option for gardeners who want to grow the plant outside of its hardiness zone. You can bring it indoors during winter. Eucalyptus plants don't like having their roots disturbed, so it's best to start with a large, 5-gallon container to avoid having to repot. Choose an unglazed clay or plastic pot with plenty of drainage holes. If you must repot, go with a pot 2 inches wider than the previous. Overwintering If you’re growing a container eucalyptus plant outside of its hardiness zones, you must bring it indoors to survive the winter. Do not let your plant be exposed to frost, which can damage or kill the foliage. Place it near your brightest window, preferably a southern-facing one, for the winter. Do not fertilize the plant, and slightly back off on watering. Harvesting Eucalyptus Leaves It is best to wait until late in the growing season to harvest eucalyptus. If you just want the leaves, simply snip them off with pruners or by hand. Air-dry them on a paper towel or drying screen in a cool spot out of direct sunlight. Wait until the leaves are slightly leathery or crispy, and then store them in glass jars with tightly sealed lids. Common Pests and Plant Diseases Eucalyptus plants are fairly free of any major pest or disease issues. But you might occasionally spot eucalyptus long-horned borers, especially on stressed plants. Holes in the bark, oozing sap, and foliage discoloration are signs of an infestation. Remove the infested area of the plant immediately, as insecticides are not effective against borers. Eucalyptus can be prone to leaf spots, which can appear black on the underside of the leaves and brown on the upper side; cankers; and root rot. The trees are also susceptible to heart rot, which is when the center of the tree begins to rot and decay, extending to the branches as well. Once heart rot occurs, it is impossible to save the tree as the fungus weakens and softens the inside, causing permanent damage. The tree will need to be removed. Common Problems With Eucalyptus Eucalyptus trees remain relatively healthy when in their preferred environment. However, in suboptimal conditions, they can come down with certain issues. Leaves Turning Brown Leaves turning brown on a eucalyptus tree can be a sign of too little moisture. That’s likely the issue if you notice leaves curling up or dropping as well. In that case, up your watering to keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy. Brown leaves also can be a sign of disease, especially fungal diseases. If just a small area is affected, remove that portion promptly. Or treat with an appropriate fungicide. Falling Branches Due to their prospective size and height, eucalyptus trees can become very heavy, causing their branches to fall or break.