After a long winter, are you dreaming of a tropical vacation with all of the perks—including snacking on tasty fruits like sweet, juicy pineapple? If so, grow a little slice of the tropics at home by rooting your own pineapple. After a couple of years of growth, the plant will even produce edible fruit.
A member of the bromeliad family, pineapples are surprisingly easy to grow indoors during the winter months. Once the weather warms and stays above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, you can move the plant outdoors. In addition to fruiting, pineapple makes an attractive potted plant.
To successfully root and grow a pineapple at home, keep the following guidelines in mind.
Purchase a ripe pineapple. Choose a fruit with golden-brown skin and green leaves that are firm and not brown or yellow. You want the fruit to be just ripening, not overly ripe. If the leaves are loose and easy to pull off, the fruit is too ripe.
Twist off the leaves as a unit, taking with them a small portion of stalk. If you are unable to do this, cut the leaves off the top of the fruit. In either case, you want to trim off excess fruit flesh hanging onto the stock, as it could cause the plant to rot when you root it. Air dry it for two to three days, which will allow the stalk to heal over and prevent rotting when you plant.
Place the stalk end in a solution of water and a pinch of rooting hormone. Leave the fruit in the solution for three to six weeks until roots form. Add more water when the level gets low.
Plant the rooted pineapple in a well-draining potting soil, such as cactus mix. Use an 8- to 10-inch clay pot with a drainage hole. Cover the roots with soil, leaving the foliage exposed. Place the container in a bright window or in a protected location outdoors that receives morning sun and afternoon shade.
Expect slow growth initially. The plant will take a couple of months to get established. You’ll know that it is growing when you see new leaf growth. Pineapple will grow 6 to 8 inches the first year, eventually reaching about 2 feet tall. After two years, expect fruit, which will pop up in the center of the crown and take six to eight months to mature.
Before the fruit ripens, baby pineapple plants will spring up near the mother plant and will be ready to take over when the plant is done fruiting. When the fruit ripens, cut it from the plant. Remove the plant to make room for the new plantlets.
Water when the top inch of soil has dried. The plant should remain moist but not soggy.
Feed twice a year with an organic vegetable or fruit fertilizer. Always fertilize when you see fruit forming.
Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.
