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Before you throw out those overripe or slightly damaged tomatoes, consider this: what looks like food waste can actually be a versatile household helper. Instead of heading straight for the compost bin, discover these four clever ways to repurpose tomatoes that are past their prime for eating.
1. Grow Your Next Tomato Plant
That soft tomato is packed with seeds ready to become new plants. It’s a simple and rewarding way to start your own garden.
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How to do it: Slice the tomato into ½-inch thick rounds. Place these slices flat on top of a pot filled with moist potting soil. Lightly cover the slices with a thin layer of soil (about an inch deep).
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Care: Place the pot in a sunny spot and keep the soil moist, but not soggy. In a few weeks, you’ll see tiny seedlings sprouting. Once they’re a few inches tall, you can thin them out, keeping the strongest plants to grow into your next harvest.
2. Whip Up a Simple Plant Fertilizer
Tomatoes are rich in nutrients like potassium and phosphorus, which are also beneficial for other plants.
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How to do it: Chop the damaged tomatoes into small pieces and place them in a jar or bucket. You can cover them with water (or used rice washing water for an extra boost) and let the mixture steep for several days until it becomes a nutrient-rich “tea.”
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Use: Dilute this fermented liquid with water (about 1 part tea to 4 parts water) and use it to water your plants for a natural, nourishing treat.
3. Restore Shine to Tarnished Metal
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