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Most of the fresh vegetables you purchase at the store have seeds. Seeds are typically the way to go when cultivating food. But today, let's take a quick look at something more fascinating—growing your food scraps into a garden. Yes, those bits you normally toss or, if you're eco-conscious, put on your compost heap. Many fruits and vegetables are surprisingly ready to be replanted, even after you cut them up. And here's the shocker—growing from scraps might actually be faster than growing from seeds. And you're already using what you've paid for, so it's on the house. You won't have to pay for seed packets or seedlings from a nursery. Believe it or not, a fantastic garden can be created from what you once referred to as rubbish. Here's how to do it, beginning with various parts of everyday kitchen vegetables.

The Stems

Any herb with green stems, such as basil, oregano, mint, tarragon, and others, can be propagated into a new plant. I have a spiral garden full of herb plants that provide me with fresh herbs every day, but I still propagate more each time I cook. All you need is a 3–4 inch cutting of the stem of a herb. Leave a few leaves at the top, and place the cutting in a water cup. Within a week or two, small white roots will begin to form. Once the roots are long enough, you can plant the stem in the ground, either in a pot or directly in the garden. Within a month or two, you will have a full plant of herbs ready to be harvested again.

The Tops

Some vegetables can be regrown from their tops, and one such vegetable is pineapples. They're a blast to grow, are unique-looking, and can handle even poor clay soil. To grow a pineapple, leave some of the fruit with the leafy top. Dry out in the sun for several days and then put the base in water. Wait for the roots to develop, then plant in the ground. Be patient: pineapples take a long time to grow—it may be two years before you get any fruit. But with some room and patience, you can keep growing them. Other veggie tops such as beets and radishes can be regrown, too, particularly for their leafy greens. Even carrot tops will grow green leaves—though not tasty, they're a blast to grow as decorations or for kids to play with.

The Bottoms

Most greens will also regrow from the bottom. Leafy greens such as romaine, cabbage, celery, green onions, leeks, chives, lemongrass, and fennel will all regrow if you do not cut off the lower inch or two. Some folks prefer to soak these first in water, but I have planted them in moist soil with excellent results. In a few days, you will have new shoots emerging. Usually, you can have several crops of greens from one leftover piece before the plant will no longer grow. If you have a sunny windowsill or a tiny patio garden, this trick is wonderful for having fresh salad greens without needing to shop.

The Skins

Potatoes are famous for sprouting from their skin, or technically, from the "eyes" on the outside of the potato. When you notice a sprout growing out of one of the eyes, cut off the portion of the potato with a little flesh, dry it out for a few days, and plant it. Plant it in a large pot, a bucket, or even a barrel. As the plant grows, continue to add soil around the bottom to encourage more roots—and more roots equal more potatoes. Sweet potatoes are just about the same, but they send out vine-like shoots from their eyes. When the shoot is a couple of inches long, cut it from the parent sweet potato and plant it in the ground. It will grow, and you can boost your harvest by trimming the vines and sticking the tips in loose dirt.

The Body Parts

The Body Parts Certain foods can regrow after a small cut. For instance, if you have a small green knobby bump on fresh ginger or turmeric, cut it off, and you can plant it. It is referred to as a rhizome and will grow into a new ginger or turmeric root after some time. Similarly, if garlic has been stored in your pantry for some time and sprouts, don't discard it—plant it! A full new bulb can be grown by each clove. In addition, the green garlic shoots that grow are edible and can be used as green onions or chives in your recipes.

When you add it all up, you will notice that your kitchen waste is more valuable than you think. You can plant basil, oregano, tarragon, mint, pineapples, beet greens, lettuce, cabbage, celery, leeks, green onions, lemongrass, fennel, potatoes, sweet potatoes, ginger, turmeric, and garlic—all without the need to purchase seeds or young plants. You can establish a thriving garden using some time and kitchen scraps.

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