DIY: Grow A Piece of Hawaii
An exotic plant that I’ve always wanted to try to grow is a Pineapple. I just can’t believe that cutting the top off of a pineapple and planting it can actually lead to a plant, but my research indicates that not only is it possible to do this but it is not that difficult to do. Pineapples are members of the Bromeliad family and while they are generally grown for their foliage it is possible that they may produce fruit for you in about 3 to 5 years.
Here Are The Steps To Follow:
- Take a ripe pineapple that you purchased from the grocery store and with a sharp knife cut the top of the pineapple about 1 inch to 1 ½ inches from the spot where the leaves meet the exterior skin of the fruit.
- Take the part of the fruit that you have cut off (the part with the leaves on top) and scrape out as much of the fruit from inside of the crown as possible. Be careful not to damage the part of the crown that is immediately below the leaves.
- Lay the crown in a spot away from direct sunlight and allow it to dry for several days.
- Take the crown and cut away the remaining skin (the part that looks like tree bark) leaving the section immediately below the leaves intact. What you have left will be the leaves with a small amount of the crown below it.
- Take the remaining piece of the leaves and plant it in a pot (10” to 12” in diameter) with potting soil for houseplants. Plant it so the leaves are just above the soil line.
- Rather than water the soil directly you can generously spray the leaves as this is the best place for the pineapple to absorb moisture. Water the pineapple in this manner several times a week (every other day at least) for about a month.
- The plant should root and start to grow. New leaves will be the indicator that the plant has rooted.
Other Growing Tips:
- Pineapples grow pretty large so a bigger pot will be needed in the future.
- Pineapples actually like to be kept dry so only water when the soil is dry several inches below the soil line.
- Pineapples don’t need a lot of fertilizer. One application a year during the summer months is sufficient.
- Pineapples can be kept outdoors during the warmer months but should be brought indoors before temperatures drop below 40 degrees.
- While pineapples are tropical plants they require only a few hours of direct sunlight a day. If you put them outdoors for the summer they will prefer some protection from hot afternoon sun.
- It is possible for the plant to flower and bear fruit but it will take several years to do so.
Kristi.zeman@sbcglobal.net Feb 19
This is great. I have planted pineapple before and it grew, but no fruit. I never did the part of removing the fleshy fruit. I will try this next time.
Glad you enjoyed the post. Let us know how you make out!
beckywoodall39@yahoo.com Feb 26
How large does a mature pineapple plant grow to be?
It can grow up to 5 feet tall but size can vary. In an indoor environment/not its native climate it would likely be smaller