DETROIT, Mich. (WXYZ) — If you're looking to save money on produce, have you ever thought about growing your own? It might seem like an intimidating task but it can as simple as using the scraps from your last dinner.
Whether you have a farm or just a kitchen counter top, re-growing your produce can save you money. Instead of throwing away the seeds and stems from your produce, plant them!
Watch Kiara Hay's report below
Leandra King is the owner of Detroit Farm and Cider. The four-acre working farm is situated on the city's west side, hidden in the Dexter Linwood neigborhood.
“Self-sustainability and self-sufficiency is at the heart of survival," King said.
With King having struggled with food insecurity growing up, nothing goes to waste here on the farm. Old food is either used for compost or re-planted, like a potato past it's prime.
When you see an eye on your potato, cut an extra inch around the potato and plant it eye side up. In about 10 weeks, you can get 10 more potatoes. King keeps hers "in totes next to goats", but a planting pot in your kitchen works too.
The same "eye" method applies to ginger and tumeric.
"These grow fast, your gingers and tumerics grow fast," King said,
Even pineapples get new life!
I know this looks complex and time consuming, but there are easy ways to re-grow produce right on your kitchen window sill, like this wilted lettuce.
“You would take the crown, this is what we call the crown. You can take two plastic forks a jar of water and then your romaine, your green rather will start to grow.”
You can use this same process for most leafy greens like kale, spianch, even celery. Herbs like mint, thyme and rosemary will regenerate too.
“You want to take the leave off because you don’t want it to rot. so you take the first set of leaves off and ill reuse this, put it in here," King said.
When you see roots, you can replant it or leave it in water, but you would have to change the water every day to prevent rot and bacteria and throw it away if an odor develops.
The regrowth can happen as soon as 2-10 days, and if you have a little extra time and patience, you can harvest seeds.
"A rule of thumb is to keep seeds and seedlings moist," King said. To do that, you can place them in a damp paper towel, making sure to spray them every day.
"You could do it right in your house or your apartment," she continued.
