Pineapples

John says...
I have grown one from a pineapple that I had just purchased from a supermarket. I just choped off the top, took off the bottom leaves and it sat there for about a week before planting. It took a long time before it did anything but after a while another one grew from the side. As for when it will have more fruit I am not sure, I think it takes about two years not sure. Well good luck.

Steven says...
Hi.

Yeah the best way to grow pineapples is either using the tops or slips. just get a good pinapple from a fruit shop twist the top off, take off the bottom leaves to about an inch and cut the bottom just enough so you can see the capillaries poking through (they look like the ends of little straws), leave it to dry for about a week and plant it in well draining soil. I put root hormone on mine and they all grew really well, but i dont think you need it.

as for looking after them, they are pretty much the same as all bromelaids. make sure the rosette in the centre always has water in it (they naturally grow in the mexican desert so they are pretty water hardy though). every couple of weeks i water mine with seasol and every couple of months sprinkle some chicken pellets over the leaves and into the centre. They feed and drink mainly through their leaves so its more important that the leaves get watered etc than the soil.

They prefer full sun 12 hours a day and dont like hail!

When they fruit its not really a matter of time, its more size. they will usually start to fruit once they get to about a meter in diameter usually this takes about 24months when they are grown from tops.

If you know anyone who grows them or there are any pineapple farms near you you can also grow pineapples via slips. these grow just beneath the base of the fruit and apparently fruit within about 12-18months rather than 24.

I hope this helps

Steven

Steven says...
Once they fruit they will die, but they will leave a couple of suckers growing at the base. If you break them off and just leave one and then plant the rest to grow more pineapples or give them to friends you should be able to do it in a way where you will get pineapples every season.

Rhys says...
On the topic of pineapples, the tips on mine have gone brown...i'm assuming its something to do with the cold weather, but i wanted to make sure it's nothing more sinister, and also if i should do something about it? Cut them off? Treat with something? Move it inside?

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Steven says...
I wouldnt worry about the browning on your leaves unless it starts to get much worse. my pineapples do that too an i ignore it. they will go downhill during winter but they'll pick back up in spring, just make sure they are watered every now and then and they havent dried out.

Tom says...
Hi asapp09,
We've had similar instances, but here's a trick that works every time to get them to start fruiting. I think it's supposed to work on all bromeliads, but I've only ever tried it on our pineapples. At the expense of a good apple, you'll get your plants to set fruit; then you'll wait almost a year for the fruit to ripen, and a possum or racoon will sneak in the night before you intend to pick it and take one big bite out of it and leave the rest for you (at least that's what happens here often.) By the way, is that jacksonville FL, just up the road from us; or is that a jacksonville in Oz?

Lift up the leaves and wrap loosely together with string so that the plant isn't spread out so much. Tuck an apple (doesn't matter what kind) up close to the stem and cover the pineapple plant and the apple with a plastic garbage bag. I always use a white one so that light still gets in; plus it won't retain as much heat as black. Tie the bag shut at the ground where the stem goes through with the apple inside, and let it there for a week. If a critter doesn't rip open the bag to get the apple, the apple ripens and emits enough ethylene to trigger a bloom on the pineapple which should appear in about 4 to 6 weeks. Ours have been in the ground for almost eight years, and they don't die after they fruit; they just make babies and get bigger (just like people!).

A friend at work gave me that hint years ago, and it's worked every time.
Tom

Steven says...
Thats an interesting tip to know, i never thought that would work to get plants to fruit. i know you can get a banana to ripen fruit for the same reason but i never knew you could do it with a living plant.

Ill have to try that.

Thanks

Steven

Rev says...
For backyard
grow the 'roughs'
the spiney edged leafed types
harder to handle but oh so much better tasting
but an increasingly rare commercial breed

you know this by their market premium!
a good rough you can knock the top of and eat with a spoon

they are in season now
if you cannot get, ill gladly sell you at cheap rates the trimmed tops, you can subsidize my childrens good nutrition!
once you have them, you always have them

Rev says...
lol
howeer much the pienpple costs plus postage :)

atm thats about $2.50 a top
roughs are always at a premium over the canning types

Ill trim them, dip them in sulphur and let them dry a week
at any rate i should get eating...

trikus says...
cristate or monstrose fruits are common with over fertilization .

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Salsta says...
Hi Rev

I'd love to try. I have a couple of lovely winter warm micro-climates in the garden and I have another couple of pineapples growing, so if you can spare some roughies, I'd please let me know.

You can contact me at edwardsDOTsallyAT gmailDOTcom

Cheers!

Salsta says...
My local fruit shop told me that they usually have roughies on Mondays. I forgot to go looking last week. I must remember tomorrow.

Jojo beanz says...
Hello everyone,

I am need of some help. I have had this pineapple plant for 1.5 years, after the first year it starting becoming less green, the leaves close shut, is very brittle and started getting these spots. Ive read up on so many websites and tried spraying it with diluted soapy water, fertilizing it, changing the soil, let it dry a bit (thinking maybe over watering was a reason) etc. Nothing has worked. Does this look familiar to anyone? I dont know what it is and dont know where to take it to get more info on how to treat it. Its still alive but getting worse. Any help is great! Thanks in advance!