By
Loren Bottem
Pineapples
are one of the world’s most unique and exotic tropical fruits.Although
you may not be able to grow as large of a pineapple as the ones grown in
Hawaii or other tropical regions, the following information should help
you to grow one in your own home.
Creating
a Pineapple
Preparing
the Crown
First
you need a pineapple to grow a pineapple.First
you remove the crown (the green leafy top) from the pineapple by cutting
it off.Next you trim some of the
lower leaves on the crown to make planting the crown easier.After
trimming, place the crown upside down in a cool, dry area for 1 week.This
will help the pineapple from rotting and prevent disease when you plant
it.
Planting
According
to the web page “How to Grow Pineapples,”“the
easiest way to grow a pineapple is in the soil.”Use
a light soil that is made up of about 30 percent organic matter.A
commercial potting soil will also work.Begin
with an 8-inch porous clay pot.Plastic
pots can be used as well, but extra care will be needed to see if the pot
is giving the plant proper drainage. First
you need to add about half an inch of gravel at the bottom of the pot (this
will help with drainage). When you’ve done that you can now add the soil.Next
you can put the crown in the soil and tamp the soil firmly around the base
of the crown and try not to get soil on the leaves of the crown.
Fertilizing/Watering
The
pineapple really does not need that much water.In
nature they only require about 20 inches of rainfall a year.So
when watering only water the soil and just get it wet, do not let it over
flow and don’t create a pool of water. “To
fertilize, only fertilize at planting and about once every two months.Remember
to scatter the fertilizer only on the soil and wash it in by watering”.
(How to Grow Pineapple)
Light
and Temperature
Pineapple
is a tropical plant so it requires a lot of light.During
the summer, set your plant on the porch or bury it in the garden, but leave
it in a semi-shaded area so it does not sunburn.During
the Fall to Spring keep the pineapple indoors by the window for more light,
but keep it away from the window at night.(Pineapple
is a tropical plant and frost will kill it)If
the room is warm enough for you it is warm enough for the plant.You
can also use “Plant-Gro” fluorescent lights to provide light for your pineapples.You
should only give it light for about 12 to 14 hours a day.But
when the pineapple begins to bloom reduce the light to about 10 to 11 hours
a day.
Flowering/Fruiting
When
your pineapple is about 24 inches tall and 12 months old it should start
to produce inflorescence buds that begin to form at the center of the leaves. Flowers
in colors of light blue should start to bloom. Your fruit should produce
in about 2 months later. Your pineapple should be ripe in about 20 months
and sometimes even longer.
Harvesting
your Pineapple
When
your fruit is about six months old, about 4 months after flowering, changes
begin to occur.The shell on the
pineapple changes from green to gold.When
the pineapple is halfway between green and gold you can sit back and enjoy
some fresh homegrown pineapple of your own.
Pineapple
Princess of 1939
How to grow a pineapple in your home