My Pineapple Plant Attempt

ReptileAddiction · Mon Oct 01, 2012 2:21 pm

So since reading the other recent pineapple thread I decided to start my own. I tried a while ago but all I could figure out to do (using the internet) was cut the top off and plant it. It did nothing but mold so it got tossed. Hopefully I will have better luck with this one. I followed the standard procedure of twisting the top off, peeling away bottom leaves, and planting. I was thinking that if it is small enough when it starts to cool down I could through it in my greenhouse (that I will hopefully have) to keep it growing. Do you think this will have ill effects?

ReptileAddiction · Mon Oct 01, 2012 3:17 pm

My pineapple plant came with a tag on it with a website. I went to the website hoping to find the variety and such. Mine is an MD2. I also found out that they induce flowering at 7 to 8 weeks after planting the pups!

gumbo2176 · Mon Oct 01, 2012 6:04 pm

ReptileAddiction wrote:So since reading the other recent pineapple thread I decided to start my own. I tried a while ago but all I could figure out to do (using the internet) was cut the top off and plant it. It did nothing but mold so it got tossed. Hopefully I will have better luck with this one. I followed the standard procedure of twisting the top off, peeling away bottom leaves, and planting. I was thinking that if it is small enough when it starts to cool down I could through it in my greenhouse (that I will hopefully have) to keep it growing. Do you think this will have ill effects?

I've not lost one in a while since I did similar to what you did except after twisting off the crown and peeling off a few bottom leaves I'd take a knife and cut a bit off the bottom until I saw a series of dots in a circular pattern near the outer edge of the cut end. These little dots are the root nodules that will grow a root system. I'd then place it in a coffee cup or cocktail glass in enough water to slightly cover the bottom of the cut end. I prefer the cocktail glass since it is clear and you can see the roots being grown. When the roots get to about 1/2 inch long, I plant it in a good potting soil and off they go.

My largest one is now about 30 inches tall with several smaller ones giving chase.

ReptileAddiction · Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:46 am

I didnt do that because the roots that grow in water are different from soil roots. The water roots die when placed in soil.

applestar · Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:12 am

The side shoot/ratoon pups are different from the crown and crown pups, and are bigger and mature faster.

I've grown three crowns so far.

When you took the crown from the fruit, did you twist it off rather than cutting it off? Then you peel the outer leaves until you end up with about an inch of bumpy stem. THEN LET IT DRY for 2-3 days. THEN plant in sandy soil -- I used 50/50 sand and potting soil.

It took forever in the winter covered with a plastic produce bag. Only about a month when done in warmer months. Definitely needs high humidity and warmth.

The winter one was nearly dead and losing leaves by spring, but I kept it and just before it gave up its last ghost -- around mid-summer, I found three pups growing next to the rotten crown. That one was a couple of years go, but I mentioned elsewhere how I neglected them due to circumstances and I'm currently at two steps back, growing pups of the pups.

BTW each of the plants I have been growing have grown at least one new pup every summer so you won't lack for subjects to experiment/practice growing techniques once you get one going. I technically have two different pineapple varieties (according to the original tag that was on the fruits) but I didn't know sharpie marker fades in the sun and so the writing on the labels disappeared and I have no idea which is which until they fruit.

ReptileAddiction · Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:23 am

I know the pups are different

I didnt bother drying it because I didnt feel it was needed. It is incredibly dry here so I am going to go put a produce bag over mine to give it more humidity.

applestar · Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:41 am

In the drying process, the plant produces callus cells -- essentially scabs -- to protect the wound from infection. Keep us posted. Take pictures!

ReptileAddiction · Tue Oct 02, 2012 2:31 pm

I didnt know about the callus cells. A lot of people always just plant it. I will start another thread with lots of pictures tomorrow. Today there was quite a bit more yellowing, which I know is normal but I was surprised. It also was much more sturdy which tell me that the root nodules had taken hold. I put a bag over it to give it some more humidity. Today it got really hot again and was over 100

.

ReptileAddiction · Wed Oct 03, 2012 1:04 pm

Here is the whole thng with the bag

[img]https://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd452/reptileaddiction/photo-16.jpg[/img]

Here is the top without the bag

[img]https://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd452/reptileaddiction/photo-14.jpg[/img]

Here is a birds eye view

[img]https://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd452/reptileaddiction/photo-12.jpg[/img]

PunkRotten · Wed Oct 03, 2012 2:53 pm

Pretty cool. I was thinking about giving pineapples a go too. But thought it was too much hassle. I am not familiar with how they grow and fruit. I am pretty interested now so I will start to look up info to grow them.

ReptileAddiction · Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:11 am

Ya. The rooting part is easy.

PunkRotten · Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:16 am

I happen to have a pineapple in the kitchen. Maybe when I get home today I will read about how to grow them.

ReptileAddiction · Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:42 am

There are many good websites. This is a pretty good blog type one. At the bottom of the page there are links to further parts of care like flowering and harvesting.

https://www.unirom.co.uk/nhaggett/MyPineapples/mypineapples.html

Here is another.

https://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/growing-pineapples.html

PunkRotten · Thu Oct 04, 2012 7:47 pm

Seems pretty damn easy to grow. Now I just have to think where am I gonna plant it. I may remove a bunch of aloes and replace them with pineapples.

applestar · Thu Oct 04, 2012 8:45 pm

REALLY?

My pineapples huddled under lights and in sunniest windows, shut inside for the next 6 months of cold and freezing weather, are totally green with envy

[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/3049681E-DC65-413A-99A8-4279DA737F47-132-0000006A4E2E8657.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/0E9355D4-E74C-4CFE-8ACA-FA8708E01409-132-0000006A2E3B3484.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/3B9144C0-EDF4-44CA-AEDD-7E6FFD48CC33-132-0000006A1F01E216.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/48B9FEE1-D2CD-4338-9C06-0A79C868BD3C-132-00000069E9956CF5.jpg[/img]

First four are pups of the original crowns. The two in the last photo are the newest pups of the pups in the first photo.

rainbowgardener · Thu Oct 04, 2012 9:44 pm

Looks good! I can't imagine where you have room to put all the stuff you bring in for the winter, Applestar! Do you expect the top two to fruit next year (if all goes well)?

PunkRotten · Fri Oct 05, 2012 5:35 am

How much cold can they tolerate? That was the only reason I haven't bothered with them. But if they can be outdoors year round in Zone 9/10 then I will plant some.

applestar · Fri Oct 05, 2012 6:28 am

In my [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=160460#160460]Minimum Night time Temp thread[/url], pineapple USDA Zones is noted as
Pineapple 10b (35) ~ 11 (40)
And that they enter dormancy at below 60Ã‚Â°F (in my notes that usually means 55Ã‚Â°F-60Ã‚Â°F)

Maybe they would make it with a little extra protection?

ReptileAddiction · Fri Oct 05, 2012 1:14 pm

I live in zone 10 but surrounded by mountains so it will get down to 30 occasionally but I plan on using a mixture of mulch and plastic if they don't make it. I will report back!

ReptileAddiction · Sat Oct 06, 2012 7:28 am

So I just went outside to check on it and there was mold on the leaves! I was shocked! Then I realized it has been in 90 degree weather with humiidty at about 100% because of the bag. I also checked the bottom and there were lots of more roots! Next time I will forgo the back completely and just keep it well watered and see how that one does. I will also let it dry out for a couple days so there is less chance of mold.

ReptileAddiction · Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:58 am

I have another pineapple top I am going out to plant now. I left it to dry first. I am going to compare results. I am also going to take of a lot more leaves. I can tell on the other one I didnt take enough off.

PunkRotten · Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:01 pm

I twisted a top off a few days ago and let it dry. Now I put it in cactus mix and did not water. Am I ok?

ReptileAddiction · Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:07 am

Did you pull the bottom leaves off till you stopped seeing roots? I would say that you should water it. I am currently conducting tests to see if different ways of doing ti give different results.

PunkRotten · Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:34 pm

Yes I also removed a bunch of bottom leaves. Only reason I did not water was cause I was unsure. When you do this with succulents you don't water. The upper leaves are dried/drying but the middle and bottom, as well as the core is still green.

baldwinshere · Mon Oct 22, 2012 7:20 pm

Your all luck, your climate is well suited to growing pineapples.

PUNKROTTEN said is was to much hassle. but in the Uk we can grow pineapples and it is a lot of hassle.

The basics are the same, cut the top of and plant it on the soil but we have to create a large heated bed for them to sit on (Common name = Tar Pit) three foot deep out of manure and bark to create warm enough heat for root growth. Its tricky.

For further reading on british pineapple growing: https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/pineapples/pineapples.htm

applestar · Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:35 pm

I love horticultural history -- thanks for posting that link.

ReptileAddiction · Tue Oct 23, 2012 9:43 am

Yes we are lucky growing them is a breeze here!