It's been a long time since I've talked about "garbage gardening," but our weather's halt of all outdoor gardening activities has me snuggled up indoors waiting out a potentially long, cold winter.

Garbage gardening is growing plants from seeds and sprouts that you would ordinarily just throw away. For example, you can grow your own pineapple from the leafy top of the fruit. Gently twisting off the leafy top should be fairly easy if the pineapple is fully ripe.

At the base of the leafy shoot, carefully pull off several of the lowest leaves, leaving at least a 3/4-inch base. You should see some little brownish root "bud" bumps called primordia. Then wait a couple of days to allow any damaged tissues at the base to dry.

Then press the base of the twisted pineapple top into an 8-inch pot containing well-drained and well-aerated potting soil. Pineapple plants don't like "wet feet." Gently firm the mix against the base and don't let any soil get into the leaf bases. Keep the soil moist while the roots begin to develop, in about a month or so.

Once the roots form, place your new pineapple where it will be warm and get lots of light. Once established, keep the soil slightly moist. Provide the plant with a water soluble houseplant fertilizer every two to three months. Your pineapple may never grow big enough to produce fruit, but what fun to grow your own from garbage.

Another simple project is growing your own lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit tree. Place a couple of fresh seeds -- plump ones that haven't been allowed to dry out -- in the soil and cover with about 1/2 inch of soil. Place the pot in a warm place and keep the soil evenly moist. Within a month or two the seeds should sprout. Save the strongest one. Your new citrus plant needs warmth and plenty of light. Keep the soil moist and fertilize regularly as your tree grows.

It takes a lemon tree 15 years from seed until it will produce fruit, so it's not likely that your citrus tree will ever produce fruit. However, you will get shiny green leaves that yield a delightful citrus scent when rubbed.

You can also start a apple or pear tree in the same way, except the seeds need a chilling period (to simulate winter) before they will germinate. Place the seeds in some slightly moist potting soil in a sealed plastic band and stick them in the fruit bin of the refrigerator for two to three months. They can then be taken out and planted in pots.

Garden note

If your fruit tree started from seed produces fruit, the fruit will not be true to variety. For example, seed from a Golden Delicious or a Honeycrisp apple will not be the same as the parent fruit, plus seed from fruit on grafted dwarf trees will not produce dwarf trees.

Potting soil hint

Since many potting soils use compost rather than peat moss as their major component, they're often too heavy for good drainage and aeration. I like to generously add perlite to these heavy potting mixes. Mix one part perlite to three or four parts potting mix.

* Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for the Washington State University Extension Office in Benton County.