To answer the question right away, it is entirely possible to grow a pineapple at home and it will carry fruit for you to harvest. However, it may take longer to grow a pineapple, than you might expect. So keep that in mind!
But there is nothing more satisfying than eating your very own grown pineapple, that you grew in your own home! So let´s get to it.
How to Grow a Pineapple at Home?
First, you will need a pineapple fruit with the crown intact.
A pineapple crown is basically the top green part of the pineapple fruit. Twist the pineapple crown gently. Remove the leaf from the stalk and leave the stalk to dry for about 2 to 3 days.
This is because we need to let the wounds heal so that the roots that grow, later on, will be strong and healthy.
Next, make sure to leave only the largest 6 to 10 leaves standing and plug the others so that the maturing process of the pineapple plant will be faster.
After that, fill a glass of clear water and dip in the part of the leaf that has already been cut into the water. Make sure the stem is fully submerged in the water. Leave it in the water for about 3 weeks somewhere indoors, where it’s not too cold. So maybe not in the cellar.
Make sure the plant is being hit by light but not by direct sunlight!
You should regularly change the water in an interval of 2 days. This is extremely important as this will enable the plant to grow healthier and faster.
After about three weeks, you may notice some roots growing out of the lower part of the stem. This means that your pineapple stem is ready to be planted in soil.
Now, that you have successfully prepared your pineapple to be planted we will have a look at the right soil, that you should use in order to grow your pineapple plant indoors!
What Is The Best Kind Of Soil For Your Pineapple Plant?
The best soil for a pineapple plant is well-drained soil.
Well-Drained soil is basically a type of soil in which water is able to move through faster.
A good example of a well-drained soil is sandy loam.
This is because a pineapple plant cannot stand an overflowed growing medium. In other words, the pineapple plant hates a medium that has a high amount of water in it.
An interesting fact about the pineapple plant is that it may still be able to survive during a drought period. However, an equal amount of water is necessary for a healthy fruit to develop.
In this case, sand allows for a rapid movement of water throughout the planting medium and hence it is highly recommended to use a sandy-loam as the soil for your pineapple plant.
How much water does a pineapple plant need?
At least 1 inch of water per week.
Keep in mind to always use fresh clean water to avoid any issues with polluted water.
What Should I Be Cautious About, If I Want To Grow My Plant Indoors?
First thing first, make sure the area in which you place your pot has a medium amount of light, not too dark and not too bright.
Secondly, make sure your potting mix consists of 2 parts of hummus, 2 parts of soil and 1 part of sand.
Thirdly, look at your container and check if it has at least 3 drainage holes at the bottom part. If it doesn´t then you shouldn´t use it. If your pot doesn´t support sufficient drainage then your plant may be getting too much water and it may die or it won´t develop properly or healthy.
Finally, add some pebbles on the bottom of the pot so that the water can be efficiently absorbed by the plant as much as possible.
However, you don’t have to worry if your pineapple plant is not getting a lot of water as it has been proven scientifically that a pineapple plant consumes 80% less water than any normal plant does.
What Is The Ideal pH Value Of The Soil For My Pineapple Plant?
It’s from 4.5 to 6.5.
It’s important to check the pH value of your soil regularly so that you can balance the acidity and basicity of your soil.
If the soil is too alkaline, treat it with sulfur to lower the pH value.
You have t fertilize the plant every 2 – 3 months in order for you to ensure a healthy fruit development.
By fertilizing correctly, you may be able to enhance the quality of your yield produced so that the pineapple fruit that you will harvest shall be sweeter and juicier than any other Pineapple!
How Do I Fertilize My Pineapple Plant?
There are a lot of options to choose from depending on your budget.
If you don’t mind spending your money on fertilizer, you can buy a water-soluble all-purpose plant fertilizer to fertilize your pineapple plant.
Keep an eye out for a fertilizer that has 6 to 10 percent of nitrogen as nitrogen is vital to the development of the pineapple fruit.
You should fertilize your plant every 7 to 14 days when plants are actively growing. Usually, when you bought a fertilizer, there will be instructions on the box regarding the best frequency of fertilizing your plant. It can vary from fertilizer to fertilizer, so be sure to read how to use the fertilizer optimally.
You can also fertilize your plant organically without buying fertilizer. Just soak a banana peel in about 600ml of water. Then blend it and finally, pour it around your plant. The banana peel contains phosphorus, calcium, and potassium which will seep in the soil and help the healthy growth of your plant. And that almost completely free!
What kind of container should I use for my pineapple plant?
The size of the container has to be quite wide. This is because the pineapple plant’s swordlike leaves will be growing up to 5 feet or approximately 1.5 meters long hence it’s important to have a wide base to ensure the stability of your pineapple plant.
The plant doesn´t require as much space for its roots as it does for its fruit which will be located on top-center of the plant.
It is going to be heavy on top. The container has to be at least 3 feet in diameter and weighs about 100 pounds to prevent the plant from toppling.
You can also use a container that is made of clay. This way, the moisture and air are able to penetrate through the walls of the clay surface.
However, this also means you will need more water than you usually need but since pineapple plant requires 80% less water than a usual plant, it is recommended to use a clay pot.
That doesn´t mean you have to. You can use any container for as long as the width is at least 3 feet wide to ensure that the plant will be stable in the future and will not topple due to a simple air movement.
What Pests To Look Out For And How You Get Rid Of Them!
Examples of pests that you should really look out for are mealybugs, scale insect, thrips, fly, beetle, weevil, termite, and mites.
The first line of defense will be water. Spray the insects with beams of water to remove them from your plants. Wear a pair of gloves and use your hand to pick these insects from your plants. Besides that, by using a wet towel, wipe the surface of your plant to remove the insects.
Your last line of defense is by using an insecticidal soap and spray it on your plants as well as on the insects if it is there.
In my personal opinion, it’s better to plant pineapples indoors to avoid these pests although this will not guarantee that 100% of all the pest stated will not harm your plant, but planting your pineapple in a greenhouse is a much safer and wiser step to take as this will not only protect your plants from pests but also from uncertain weather changes.
How Long Does It Actually Take For A Pineapple To Grow?
Pineapples required a reasonable amount of time to grow. If you compare it to other fruit trees that require years to mature, then you should be thankful at how fast you are able to harvest and enjoy the joy of eating your very own pineapple at a reasonable time.
Below is the pineapple plant’s growth timeframe from a pineapple top. However, the time required may vary due to various factors such as weather changes, type of soil, and planting conditions.
- Setting up the foundation. From the moment of planting the plant to having healthy roots and leaves. (2 to 3 months)
- Flowering. Growing the plant until it starts to flower. (15 to 18 months)
- Fruit period. From the point, it is flowering until it starts to bear fruit. (2 to 3 months)
- Harvesting. The time it takes for the fruit to ripen. (3 to 5 weeks)
So, all in all, it will take around 25 Months for a Pineapple plant to produce a ripe fruit!
How many times can I grow a pineapple from its plant?
You may notice suckers begin to grow by the pineapple plant at the base or on the side.
Just assume these suckers that grow are the pineapple babies. The plant will soon die once you remove the pineapple from it despite the fact that some people said that if you continue to care for the plant, another pineapple will be grown by the suckers on the exact same plant.
You may also plant the suckers to grow a new pineapple if you remove the suckers when they mature.
Do Pineapples Grow On Trees?
Unfortunately, no they don’t grow on trees.
The Pineapple is one of the members of a family known as Bromeliads and it is the only one that is edible in its family.
There is a lot of variety in the Bromeliads family which vary in size from the size of a thimble to that of the mature pineapple plant which has a height of 3 feet tall which is approximately 1 meter.
But there are no trees in the Bromeliads-Family.
Do Pineapples Have Seeds?
Yes, they do. However, you need to keep in mind that the great majority of pineapples are harvested before the seeds are able to mature.
By planting the leafy top of the plant that is twisted from the fruit is how pineapples are propagated.
However, these seeds can be grown in a container together with a moist paper towel on the bottom part of the container. In order for you to stop dehydration and keep it out from the sunlight, I strongly suggest you put a lid on otherwise the seeds will over heat.
What Are The Signs That My Pineapple Plant Is Dying?
The most obvious sign is the yellowing or browning of the leaves which indicates, that you may be overwatered the plant which can lead to problems such as root rot which is quite common especially to plants, that are grown inside of a container.
If this happened to your plant, try to brush the soil away from its roots and look for brown roots. Please let the soil dry out and after it is dry enough you could reuse it.
However, the pant should not be out of the soil for longer, than a few hours! So I would recommend to et new soil for your plant and use the previous sol for another project after it dried enough.
Also remember, after you harvest your pineapple the plant will die no matter what you do.
How Do I Know Whether Or Not My Pineapple Is Ripe And Ready To Be Harvested?
Look at your pineapple and make sure that one third or more of the pineapple is yellow.
After that, the fruit should be allowed to ripen at standard room temperature and as stated earlier, the time needed for a specific pineapple plant to yield ripe juicy fruit most entirely depends on the variety, climate change, and care.
How Much Cold Can A Pineapple Plant Tolerate?
Pineapples do not tolerate temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit which is approximately negative two degrees Celcius.
Temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit which is approximately 15.5 degrees Celcius and above 90 degrees Fahrenheit which is approximately 32 degrees Celcius may slow the growth of the pineapple plant but does not kill it.
The optimal temperature for a pineapple plant growth and development range between 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit which is approximately 20 to 30 degrees Celcius.
What Kind Of Climate Do Pineapples Need To Grow?
Pineapple usually grows in a humid and warm climate.
It is mostly grown at a low ground elevation in areas with a temperature range in between 15 to 30 degrees Celcius. Due to the 80% less water consumption compared to other plants, pineapple plants may withstand a drought.
Can A Pineapple Plant Survive The Winter?
Gardens in Southern California, the Southwest, and Florida have successfully grown pineapples as potted plants.
Winter protection is needed to make sure that your pineapple plant survives when winter comes around, however.
If the temperatures go down to less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit for more than a few hours, transferring the plant indoors is the best thing that you can do to save the plant from dying.
As long as you keep the plant warm enough and as long as the plant gets enough sunlight then it will survive and grow into a healthy fruit-bearing plant.
How To Water A Pineapple Plant Properly?
The plant needs only about 20 inches of natural rainfall water per year as the pineapple plant is miserly with water, and that is if the water is well distributed.
You only have to make sure that the soil is wet once every week and it is best to evenly spread or apply the water to all parts of the soil especially if your plants are indoors.
When you put your pineapple plant outside, be sure to spray on the leaves so that the cups at the bottom part of the container is filled. It’s also important to make sure that the soil of your plant never completely ran out of water.
Never let your plant sit in soggy soil. Your plants may need more water during its growing season compared to during the winter months as there are changes in the humidity of air which then causes the rate of transpiration of your plant to decrease depending on the weather and season.
Are Coffee Grounds Good For Pineapple Plants?
Absolutely! Coffee grounds have a high level of nitrogen and pineapples absolutely love and need nitrogen.
Sprinkle the coffee grounds on top of the soil and spray a little bit of water on it. But don´t do this every day! Once a week should be enough!
How Big Does The Pineapple Plant Grow?
Mature pineapple plants usually reach between 3 and 6 feet in height and width.
A typical pineapple plant’s root system is broad and shallow which typically may be able to reach up to 6 feet long.
How Much Sunlight Does A Pineapple Plant Need?
To produce the best grown and juiciest fruit, a matured pineapple that is grown needs a full all-day sunlight spot! Around 6-8 hour a day.
Does A Pineapple Die After Fruiting?
Yes. Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a perennial plant which flowers once and yields a single pineapple.
The mother plant will slowly wilt once fruiting is completed.
However, the mother plant leaves large suckers that will survive and continue to grow and eventually grow into delicious fruits themselves.
Can A Pineapple Plant Be Transplanted?
Pineapple plants have a small root system and they depend a lot on their leaves for nutrients and water.
Consequently, it is okay to actually dig them up and transplant them somewhere. You may fully utilize this advantage by planting those small suckers.
