Hello, From The Pineapple Team!

We hope you had a good week! We'd like to take a minute to recognize that there are some crazy things happening in the world as of late. Though these events are unfortunate, we'd like to wish you our best wishes. We will get through this together. 

As hopeful and positive as we are being, it seems like this quarantine period may go on for a bit longer than we expected. This is a good thing. None of us are well until all of us are well, after all! The good news is we have a perfect DIY for you all that will for sure keep you busy! We're showing you how to grow your very own pineapples! Without further ado, let's get started! 

Before you decide to grow a pineapple tree, it's important to know that they do not grow quickly, and they need to be in a warm climate! Other than that, you're pretty much set! 

How To Grow A Pineapple

 

1) Select Healthy Pineapple.

Look for healthy green (not all gray or brown) leaves with no sign of disease or insects. The ripeness is indicated by the gold colour, which forms from the base up: the more gold, the sweeter (and riper) the pineapple.
Over-ripe pineapples are orange and have a fermented fruit odour.

 

2) Detach The Top.

Remove the top by firmly grasping the leaves and twisting. The crown will detach from the base.
The base is now ready to eat.

3) Remove Lower Leaves 

Peel off several layers of leaves from the base of the crown so about 1-2″ is exposed. You’ll see little brown nubs that the leaves were covering up. New roots will sprout from these nubs.

4) Dry Crown

Lay the crown on its side and leave it to dry for 1-2 days out of the direct sun

5) Root Crown In Water 

Place the crown in a jar of clean, warm water, with only the leaf-free area submerged in the water. A mason jar works well for this.
Change the water every second day. You want to keep the water clean and fresh.
Don’t worry when the leaves start to dry and turn brown. This is normal. Some stay green, some do not.
If the plant is not going to root, the crown may suddenly dry out entirely. If this happens, try another pineapple.

After a few weeks, the crown will start to grow. This is what it should look like after 3 weeks in the water. Do not forget to change the water every other day. 

6) Plant In Potting Mix

After a month or so, when you have lots of nice long roots (3″ or more), plant the crown in potting mix suitable for succulents and cacti. 
Pineapple plants do not like to have their roots restricted, so choose a pot with room to grow.
Weeks 7-14
For the next few weeks, keep the plant away from the bright sun, and be sure the soil is consistently moist but not too wet. This is when the roots will grow in the soil.
After about two months, the plant should be snugly grabbing the soil (indicating root growth has taken place) and you should see signs of new leaf growth, coming from the middle of the plant.

Pineapple Plant Care

Light

• Pineapple is a tropical fruit plant, so provide bright sun without burning the plant or drying out the soil. A summer holiday outdoors near a wall for extra warmth is something to consider.
• You can also use grow lights if you do not have natural sun available.

Temperatures  

• Pineapples will die in freezing temperatures.
• Growth halts below 60°F (15.5°C) and above 90°F (32°C).
• The sweet spot is right in the middle: 68°F and 86°F (20-30°C).

Water

• Pineapples are somewhat drought-tolerant but it’s too easy to go to an extreme when growing indoors in a container. For this reason, I keep mine moderately moist at all times.
• Drought also slows or halts growth. Leaves become light green, then yellow or red and curled when drought is present.
• Overwatering is just as harmful: yes, even watering is key!

Fertilizer

• As your plant grows, it will need a balanced, slow-release, organic fertilizer  
• You may also want to research options for applying micro-nutrients a few times per year.

Pineapples are fairly slow growing Bromeliads. From slips, they take about a year to mature enough to form a flower for fruit. From suckers about 1 1/2 years to form flowers and from cuttings they can take 2 1/2 years to mature enough to flower. As soon as they flower it takes another 6 months for the fruit to develop. During this time, your pineapple plant will outgrow its pot a couple of times and need repotting.

We hope you've enjoyed this week's blog and please feel free to send us your Pineapple plant on Instagram @thepineappleeverything. Stay safe, stay inside and We will see you next week with another blog. While you're here, check out our favourite products of the week!