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Growing Pineapple


Guest snellma

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Guest snellma

I am going to attempt to grow a pineapple plant in the house.  I printed a number of great articles off the web, but was wondering if anyone has ever done this before.

 

Right now I have peeled off the lower leaves and exposed the root buds.  The directions said to let it dry out a few days so that is where we are now.  When I go home this afternoon it should be ready to go into the water to start to root.

 

The article said that it takes a pretty good sized pot and that I shouldn't expect to see any fruit for 2-3 years.  They also suggested planting a second one at the same time so we will probably do that.

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I have one that someone gave me a couple of years ago and this summer it is going out onto the deck to see if it will fruit.  The thing is huge and I have to keep it high so no one gets an eye jabbed out.  

 

Here's the basics for sprouting:

http://www.lofthouse.com/hobby/garden/pineapple.html

 

How to get it to produce a bloom:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/fruit/pineapple.html

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I tried one from the top of a pineapple once. It rooted and grew but never did much in the house and I wasn't able to get it outdoors at the time. You will probably have better luck in the south where you could keep it out a good part of the year.I remember reading that to get them to produce fruit you have to supply a source of ethylene gas like a ripe apple.

Pineapples are bromeliads and I believe they die after they flower. I just had a beautiful zebra striped bromeliad die after it flowered and the flower wasn't anything special.

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Guest snellma

I remember reading that to get them to produce fruit you have to supply a source of ethylene gas like a ripe apple.

I read that also.  It said to put it in a big plastic bag with an apple for 3-4 days.  I will have to keep that in mind.

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Guest snellma

Good luck with it! Have you tried an avocado? They make nice plants too. I've tried mangoes but never got a seed to germinate. I had a friend who called this "garbage gardening". One man's trash...........

No, I have not.  I really don't like avocado's so why grow them.  I guess if they make a nice plant I could try it.  I need some new varieties.  I have too many spider plants and peace lillies  :)

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In the era of huge houseplants as part of the decorating scheme, a lot of people grew them.  They get to be small trees.  One lady I know cut off the top and hung the long side branches from her living room ceiling with fishing line because it was her pet! Eventually it got too big for even that.

 

Hers's a picture of a young plant.

http://www.dreamstime.com/retroreeltoreelw/avocadoplantisolated-houseplant-image537845

 

They're fun for kids because they grow from a huge seed and they grow fairly fast.

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Yes, I have to trim the plant herd last fall and gave away some of my favorite plants but kept babies to grow again.

 

I wouldn't have space for one either but it might be fun to start and give away IF you liked Avocados and wanted to do something conctrustive with the seeds.

 

The Pineapple will take a big a big space when it gets mature enough to produce fruit. But after you have the fun of watching the fruit grow, then you start with another baby.

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That has to be one of the best and most thorough growing websites I have seen.  I sent it out to our gardeners.  Thank you!

 

The one I have had for a couple of years thanks you too.  I've been trying to kill it all winter but in actuality, it has been thriving on less water!  Oddly enough it has been leaning to one side.  Maybe it has ideas of its own.

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Guest snellma

I cannot wait to get mine planted and see what happens.  It is still rooting right now.  I should be able to keep mine outside quite a bit of the time and only have to bring it in for a few months since we are so warm.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest snellma

Unfortunatley the pineapple bit the dust.  I'm not sure what went wrong.  I did exactly what the directions said but as I was waiting for it to root it got a white powder fungus on it and died.  Any ideas?

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Sounds like it was too wet but since the base of it is supposed to be in water anyway, then maybe it was too ripe?  Maybe try again with a greener one (make sure a top leaf doesn't come loose easily when pulled) and make sure the growth collar is above water with just the rootlets under water.  Maybe in a room with a fan so the actual leaf area stays drier?  A little more light?

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You could try a little plant fungicide in the water but my guess is that the one you used was just plain dead. Not every cutting is going to root or every seed germinate. There are naturally produced hormones that make plants grow roots. You can also buy some of these homores.  If the cutting is too far gone to contain these or produce them you probably aren't going to get any roots.

The ends of pineapples do get smelly and disgusting. Change the water often and it doesn't hurt to wash away any rotting tissue that will wash away.

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  • 5 weeks later...
Guest snellma

Since I didn't have any luck with starting a pineapply plant I think I may have one of the kids get me one for my birthday.  I just had a birthday this week and the kids are asking what I want.  Went to ACE Hardware with my husband the other day and low and behold they have 2 red pineapple plants in pots and they both already have a small pineapple on them.  They weren't that expensive either so I think that is what I am going to ask for.  I will need to get a bigger pot to put it in and will probably put it on my deck.  I'll post a picture of it later.

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Guest snellma

Well, the youngest already went to ACE and bought it for me.  I think I will have my daughter get me a nice big pot and some dirt.  My middle child always gives me money for strawberry picking.  I'm an easy mom to buy for.

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