The pineapple can take a long time to grow, but the attractive foliage and shape make it a fun indoor plant.
Pineapples are native to Brazil and Paraguay. Cultivation spread up the Americas to the West Indies, where Columbus first saw the fruit. It became an important food source on ships to prevent scurvy. Pineapple plants produce a fruit that is reminiscent of the tropical places where they are grown. The flesh is at once sweet and tangy, and the golden color is a reminder of all the sun it took to create the juicy fruit. Pineapple groves are found in warm-weather climates such as Hawaii, Florida and Southern California. Pineapples can be grown at home from the crown of a fruit purchased at the supermarket. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Cut off the top or crown of a pineapple at the foliage base with 1 to 2 inches of flesh attached. Set it aside for two days to harden off the base. A refrigerator or a cool location is best for this process to discourage fruit flies.
2. Fill a 1-gallon pot with organic potting mix. Bury the pineapple top in the soil until the fleshy base is covered but the leaves are out of the soil. Water the plant until the excess drains out of the drainage holes in the pot. Thereafter, water it every two to three days.
3. Place the pineapple plant where it receives full sun and temperatures are at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures might confuse the plant into going dormant, and the growing would cease. Pineapple plants can take up to two years to flower and fruit.
4. Give the pineapple plant kelp fertilizer diluted at the rate recommended on the package. Put the mix in a spray bottle and foliar feed it by spraying the leaves every two months. The plant can be moved outdoors in summer but will need to be brought in before temperatures drop below 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Transplant the plant in 1 year to a 4-gallon pot. When it is full size or 3 to 4 feet tall, encourage fruit production. Place a large plastic bag over the plant with an apple inside. Move the plant to a shady spot. Industrial pineapple producers discovered that ethylene gas causes uniform fruit production. The apple will release ethylene gas and encourage flowering and fruiting. Remove the bag and fruit after four days.
Tags: degrees Fahrenheit, fruit production, Pineapple plants