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: