Did you know you can plant a pineapple from the cutting of a grocery store pineapple fruit? If you want to try it out, the earlier the better! Pineapples take time to grow. In fact, once you plant a pineapple stem in your garden, it can take about two years for the plant to reach a height of about 25 to 30 inches. At this stage, you can see the plant producing fruits.
Growing a Pineapple from Stem
In order to grow pineapple from the stem, it is vital to get a good, juicy pineapple. Using a knife, slice off the leafy part of the pineapple at 1/2 inch below the leaves. You can see some of the fruit sticking onto the leafy part that you have just sliced off. Cut this out completely as you will need to use this part for planting and fruit parts will only rot away. After removing the fruit part, make circular cuts till you can see little round circles on the cut surface. The circles are the root buds, which will be the root of your new pineapple plant. You can see a lot of leaves around the side of the plant, which can be removed. Now the top must be left off to dry for a week, after which it becomes ready for planting.
Starting Your Pineapple Plant in a Container
Pineapple plants can be started in water, but planting in soil first is likely to work better. Prepare a pot by using good potting soil that drains off water properly as pineapples get easily damaged by standing water. Place the pineapple top on the pot’s soil and press the soil firmly around the stem top. The pot must be placed in a warm area, but at the same time, it should be able to receive good enough sunlight. The outdoor temperature must be not higher than 60 degrees Fahrenheit and the soil must be watered evenly, until it is just moist, but not completely wet.
In the Garden
When the plant shows some significant growth, then it’s time to move it to a sunny spot in the garden. Of course, it is going to take a while for the plant to show growth. The first sign is the appearance of a small flower blooming right in the middle of the plant. The first signs of a baby pineapple are when you see a small cone appearing. You can begin to pick the fruit from the garden when the pineapple is about the same size as the one you planted and when it turns in a completely yellow in color.
Tips
Once you have planted your pineapple fruit, it is important to water the fruit regularly and also put some water on its leaves. However, watering must be done lightly and there must be no chance given for sogginess in the roots. Fertilize the plant suing fertilizer, twice a month, when it is spring and summer. After a year has passed by, it is best to re-pot the Pineapple plant so that it can continue to grow without becoming root-bound.
Chris is the writer for How to Plant, where you can find more information on How to Plant Pineapple and How to Grow a Pineapple Stem.
