Here’s a simple guide on how to grow pineapples in different ways.
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Spongebob Squarepants!
Did you know that Hawaii produces about 1/3 of the world’s pineapples? They must have a lot of planting space and patience, given that a single pineapple plant only produces one fruit at a time every two or three years.
Eating pineapples benefits the body in a lot of ways. First off, they’re low in calories but very rich in nutrients! That means you can enjoy pineapples guilt-free (but still in moderation)! They’re also rich in Vitamin C which helps strengthen the immune system and manganese which boosts metabolism. It also has a lot of antioxidants that help prevent cancer, diabetes, and other heart diseases.
How to Grow Pineapple from Seed
Before learning how to grow a pineapple from seed, first look for pineapple seeds online or at the market. However, you can also just buy a pineapple and get its seeds. These are very small black or brown seeds that almost look like flax seeds. They’re usually found near the skin of the pineapple, so try not to cut too deep into the fruit. After getting the seeds, rinse them with water so that they’re clean and ready for planting.
To begin seed germination, wet a paper towel, and place the seeds on them. You can then place it inside a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container and wait for them to sprout into seedlings. Be patient, though, as this process alone could take up to six months.
Once the seeds sprout, you can transfer them to a five-gallon pot with draining holes. The soil should be light and well-draining.
The good news with a pineapple plant is that you don’t always have to keep the soil moist. You will only have to water the plant when the soil is dry and if the little pockets where the leaves meet the plant don’t have water in them anymore. If you need to water the plant, make sure to do it over the top and not only on the soil. Putting liquid fertilizer once a month would help your plant grow better.
Planting in a yard
If you’re planting your pineapple in a yard, space them about five feet apart. If you’re growing them in pots, placing them three feet apart will do. Make sure to place them where they get the most sun, as they will need at least six hours of it daily.
Again, in growing pineapples, you have to be patient as its first fruit usually arrives only after two or three years. After this, it could still produce a fruit or two, but only after another two years before the plant wears out.
How to Grow a Pineapple in Water
Learning how to grow a pineapple in water is very easy. Although, you would still have to transfer these to a pot or in your yard for it to bear fruits.
First off, cut the top part of a ripe pineapple. If you’re buying from a supermarket, try to find one that’s very yellow and has healthy green leaves instead of dry brown ones. Doing so allows you to have better chances at growing pineapples.
Once you’re done cutting the top part off, remove some of its base leaves. Also, remove the fleshy part of the pineapple that sometimes gets cut together with the leaves until you see only brown, bumpy root buds at the bottom of the crown.
After this, get a glass (like the ones you drink water in) and fill it with water until the bottom of the pineapple top just touches the water. You can then leave this on a kitchen counter or a windowsill. Change the water once a week or once it gets cloudy.
After just a few weeks, you’ll see that the roots would start to grow on the root buds. Before transplanting the pineapple tops onto the soil, make sure to let the stalk dry up first so that the plant doesn’t rot.
Pineapple Plant Care
In order to raise your plant well, here’s some basic pineapple plant care tips to guide you.
Pineapples grow best in temperatures between 70ºF and 80ºF (21ºC – 27ºC). If you’re planting in a yard, it’s okay to plant them in slightly shady areas especially during late spring and summer, as long as they get at least six hours of sunlight daily.
Pineapples also do not need a lot of water to grow, so you could say it’s a fairly low maintenance and easy-to-grow plant. Make sure to let the soil dry up before watering it, as overwatering could do more harm to it as opposed to underwatering it.
Lastly, over the course of its growth, pineapples would produce what some people would refer to as ‘pups’ or ‘suckers’. These are baby plants that can form below the soil, between the leaves, or along the flower stalk. Most of them don’t necessarily root, although still survive in spite of it.
If you want to keep growing pineapples, it would be best to get these pups and plant them so that you get an endless supply of pineapples at home. Or, if the temperatures aren’t right yet, you can always put these pups in water so that they can root before you transplant them into your yard or pot.
And that’s about it for learning how to grow pineapples.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter whether you like pineapples on your pizza or not. What matters is that now you can confidently say you know how to grow pineapples. (Maybe even with your eyes closed?)
It’s all fairly easy, although it really needs patience. Don’t worry, though. I’m sure after you see your first-ever homegrown pineapple, all the waiting will be worth it. And you’d probably want to plant more because why not, right?
You can do whatever you want with your harvest, but here’s a little bonus – cutting pineapples the right way. First cut off the top and bottom parts so that you can stand it up on the table. Then, cut off its skin as thinly as possible, as pineapple tastes the sweetest around its outermost flesh. Lay the pineapple on its side and start cutting them diagonally. You can eat the core, but you can also just throw it out if you don’t want it. Enjoy your fresh pineapples!
If you are interested in Hydroponic farming read my other article about it, as well my other post on sustainable farming.
