by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: December 05, 2008   Last Updated: September 22, 2011

Growing plants is fun and rewarding. They add so much atmosphere to a home while purifying the air. They even have a calming effect. As fun as growing plants can be, there's something even more special about being able to take something you've purchased at the grocery store, or part of it, and turn it into a new houseplant that you can enjoy. It doesn't even matter if they don't produce food: they are still fun to grow, and they will make for some interesting conversations among visitors.

Here is a look at some of the easiest foods you can turn into houseplants

*Growing a pineapple from a top -

The top of a pineapple can be cut off the fruit. Remove about an inch to an inch and a half of leaves from the bottom after cutting the top off. Place the top in a container of water. Refresh the water every few days. Place it in a place where it will get some bright light. In a week or two, you will start to see roots develop. Allow it to remain in water for a while longer so it can develop a stronger root system. Then plant it in dirt. You will need a pot that drains well.

Pineapples are bromeliads. Bromeliads have shallow root systems, and they produce flowers that grow off of the center of the foliage. An edible pineapple is basically the flower of a bromeliad. It will probably take 2 or 3 years for your pineapple top to bear a fruit and during this time, you may have to re-pot the top once or twice. Don't over water it. A bromeliad can survive with little water for quite a while because they hold water in their leaves.

*Grow an avocado tree from a pit  -

The seed or pit of an avocado can grow into a lovely plant or perhaps an avocado tree. Wash the pit off thoroughly. Then allow it to dry out completely.

Once the pit is completely dry, place tooth picks in the sides of it up towards the top. The pointed end will be the top. You will want to be able to place your avocado pit so that it is suspended over a clear glass filled with water. It will grow slowly, but as the pit absorbs water, it will begin to split. This will allow a root to emerge, and from there, the pit will continue to split, allowing a stem to grow up and out of the water.

*Growing ginger from ginger root -

Go to the produce area of your grocery store and look for ginger root. The ginger root should grow quite easily. Plant it in good draining soil in a large enough pot to allow it to grow. Eventually the root will develop more roots, and a shoot will emerge from under the soil. It will probably

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