You find them shriveled at the bottom of the vegetable drawer — wrinkled skin, mushy flesh — and straight into the trash they go!

But what if we told you that an overripe, even slightly spoiled tomato could still work wonders around the house? From the garden to your indoor plants — and even cleaning — these tired-looking fruits are far more useful than they seem.

Intrigued? Wait until you see what you can do with them before tossing them out.

Easy-to-plant seeds — no green thumb required

You don’t need to be a gardening expert to grow tomatoes at home, especially when you’re starting… from an overripe tomato! It’s as simple as it gets.

Got a tomato that’s gone too soft? Just slice it into rounds and place the slices on a layer of light potting soil in a well-drained pot. Cover with a thin layer of soil (about half an inch), water lightly, and keep it in natural light. After about a week, you should see small green sprouts appear. Once they’re big enough, simply transplant them individually.

Bonus tip: For best results, use organic tomatoes or ones from your own garden — they tend to have more fertile seeds.

A simple, free, homemade fertilizer

What if your overripe tomato could become a natural homemade fertilizer for your plants? It’s totally possible with this easy recipe for liquid plant food. Here’s how to do it:

Cut your spoiled tomatoes into small pieces.
Place them in a plastic bottle with some clean water or rice cooking water (saved after draining your rice).
Let it ferment for 5 to 7 days in a shaded area, opening the bottle daily to release gas.
Once fermentation is done, strain the liquid, dilute it (1 part fertilizer to 5 parts water), and use it to water your plants.

The result? A natural concentrate packed with essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — perfect for boosting the growth of indoor plants or your garden.

Pro tip: Don’t overdo it. Once or twice a week is plenty — too much can overload the soil.