If you chop off the top of a pineapple and plant it, you can grow your own pineapple in 24 months. Tickled Red has step-by-step instructions.
Have you tried planting a pineapple before? Any helpful tips?
[via Pee-Wee Herman]
18 thoughts on “Planting a Pineapple”
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If you move the plant outside make sure to put something around it so an animal doesn’t run off with it before its ripe. It’s so frustrating!
2 years? Wow. I’ll have to wait to try this, since we know we will be moving in about a year (to a completely different climate).
This is incredible. Nature never ceases to amaze me!
I recall growing one and taking about that long. I live in Indiana so it was indoors during the winters but I would put it outdoors in the spring in a west-facing hot, sunny spot. It produced a nice sweet fruit. Definitely recommended. They are pretty plants too!
holy friggin crap. that is awesome! I’m gonna go and buy a pineapple!
I planted one last fall and it started growing new leaves. Then the neighbor’s lawn service took a weedwhacker to it….and it kept growing. But it didn’t survive the winter so I think I’ll try again with a pot.
I tried this in Sydney, Australia. After two years the fronds were vigorous but no fruit. I had about 12 growing on a hot sunny ledge in pots. Very ornamental if nothing else.
Some suggestions from South Florida where I grow them this way all the time:
1) Don’t slice the top off. The attached body of the pineapple just rots away anyway. Instead twist the top off the body with your hands.
2) At the base of the top peel the leaves off about 1″ up the top. These are mostly the brown dying leaves at the base. You will see white roots revealed under the leaves as they are pulled off.
3) Local lore says to leave the tops out in the sun for a week (turning regularly for an even tan) to kill pathogens like fungus. I usually skip this step but keep it in mind if you lose plants.
4) Stick the top in the ground with soil pressed down and covering the bare base.
5) Pineapples are remarkably drought tolerant, so after giving them a big initial watering, take it easy after that. They like all the sun they can get.
6) Keep about 18″ away from your plant open for both foliage and roots. Note that the roots often are shallow and horizontal.
7. Pineapples are relatively cold hardy (I’m talking mangoes, not peaches here) but if they’re going to see much sub-32°F weather consider having them in containers that can be brought inside or into a greenhouse.
I have about 20 growing in north Florida. I twist off the tops, peel back a few layers of elves and place in a cup of water to grow roots. Then I take a 5gal bucket and drill several holes in random places leaving the bottom inch or so without any holes. I fill the bottom of the bucket with about 1″ of dream stones and the the rest with coconut husk soil. I add the pineapple when there are roots. With the bucket method, water will drain out if you gave lots of rain but there will be a reserve pool of water at the bottom for when the soil goes dry. Pineapple plants don’t do well with lots of water. They will rot. With this method I can bring the buckets in for cold months or move them around the yard as needed. Works great for tomatoes as well.