Planting
You can purchase plants at your local nursery. For gardeners looking to get the healthiest plants, this may be the best option. You can also start pineapples yourself from store-bought fruits. It’s best to get organic fruits if possible since they won’t have any inhibitors on them, but any pineapple with a top will do.
Twist off the top of the fruit. Remove a few layers of leaves from the base. Allow the top to dry in the air for one or two days. The wounds will harden off, and the plant is ready to pot.
Purchase high-quality potting soil or mix your own with a few simple ingredients.
- Peat or Coconut Coir
- Perlite or Vermiculite
- Screened Compost
Mix these ingredients in equal parts for a well-draining rich potting soil that most plants will love. Place the pineapple top lightly into the potting soil.
Caring For Pineapple Plants
If compost was an ingredient in your potting soil, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to feed the plant for a while. When it does show signs of yellowing or deficiency, feed it with some organic liquid fertilizer. Liquid fertilizer could be fish emulsion, compost tea, or manure tea. Whatever you choose, make sure it is well diluted and comes into contact with the leaves of the plant. A half strength fertilizer twice a month during the summer will be plenty. The leaves are where pineapples get most of their nutrients.
To check if the plant needs water, look into the crown. Where the leaves come together, they form little pockets. If the pockets contain water, then the plant is not thirsty. If they are dry, you can pour some water over the whole plant. Pineapples are like cacti in that they will grow with very little water. Underwatering isn’t good either though since it can reduce the size of fruit produced.
If you started your pineapple in a small pot, transplant it as it grows into larger containers. You can bring your plant outdoors during the summer to get maximum sunlight and fresh air.
What To Expect
It can take a few years for the plant to produce flowers. They will require ideal growing conditions to flower at all. Supplemental lighting will increase your chances of bringing the plant to flower in cooler climates.
