The exotic pineapple plant conveys pure South Sea romance and promises unique fruit enjoyment. Only a few people know that they can grow the queen of tropical fruits themselves. Here, hobby gardeners can familiarize themselves with all the details about growing pineapples in their own green kingdom.
How to successfully grow a pineapple plant?
To grow a pineapple plant successfully, it needs a location in full sun with light shading, constant temperatures of 25-30 degrees Celsius, high humidity and a permeable substrate. The cultivation takes place from a leaf tuft of a fresh pineapple fruit or from side shoots of the mother plant.
When is the best time to plant pineapples?
In principle, you can start growing pineapples all year round. The time window with the best chance of success is open at the start of the season during the months of March and April.
What should the location be like?
Given its tropical origins, the pineapple plant places high demands on its location. Only start growing pineapple if the royal plant finds these conditions:
- full sunny location with slight shading in the blazing midday sun
- constant temperatures of 25 to 30 degrees Celsius
- high humidity of more than 60 percent
With a growth height of up to 2 meters and a width of 1 meter, the impressive pineapple plant takes up a corresponding amount of space. A large winter garden, a greenhouse or a spacious bathroom are ideal locations.
What expectation should the substrate meet?
If you want to grow a pineapple plant successfully, first-class permeability is the top priority for the substrate. In addition, a slightly acidic pH value of around 5 is recommended. Commercially available cactus soil, peat growing substrate (TKS1) or pricking soil are suitable. The addition of quartz sand or perlite contributes to optimization.
How is cultivation successful?
To grow a magnificent pineapple plant, the leafy head of a fresh fruit serves as a first-class starting material. Choose a ripe 'flying pineapple' that has not been stored in cool temperatures. How to do it correctly:
- cut off the leaf crown with 2-3 centimeters of pulp
- Carefully peel off the bottom two rows of leaves
- Remove the pulp around the stem with a spoon
- pay attention to the raised sprout points from which the roots will grow
- ideally let the exposed stem dry for a few hours
- half fill a pot with the recommended substrate
Before planting the prepared tuft of leaves, make a small depression in the potting soil. Plant the future pineapple plant so deep that the substrate reaches the lower leaves and water with lime-free water. Until the first shoots appear, put a plastic cover over it or place the growing pot in a heated indoor greenhouse.
What should you pay attention to when transplanting?
If cultivation goes according to plan, the first fresh leaf will appear within the leaf rosette within a few weeks. Any cover is now removed to prevent mold from forming. First, leave the young plant in the planter until it has completely rooted. Then replant like this:
- fill the cavities with soil up to the lower leaves
- choose a sufficiently large bucket with a volume of 30-40 liters
- Create a drainage system made of inorganic material, such as grit or pottery shards, above the water drain in the bottom of the pot
- fill the substrate halfway to create a hollow in it with your fist
- Unpot the pineapple plant and plant it in the hollow
- After planting, water with lukewarm rainwater, which you pour directly into the leaf rosette.
How long does the ripening period last?
If you grow a pineapple plant yourself from the tuft of leaves, you can look forward to the first flowers after 1 to 4 years. The more the site conditions simulate a tropical climate, the faster the process will take place after planting. The fruit then takes another 4 to 8 months until harvest.
Which method of propagation is recommended?
If pineapple cultivation is successful, the desire for more specimens grows. In addition to pulling a pineapple plant from the leaf crown, the use of side shoots is ideal for uncomplicated vegetative propagation. The dying mother plant produces these in the leaf axils and at the base. These are fully formed mini plants that you cut off to a length of 15 to 20 centimeters with a knife.
Planting this 'Kindel' follows exactly the same pattern as a leafy crop. Therefore, do not throw away the mother plant prematurely, but give it a little time for the shoots to grow.
How should sowing be handled?
Hobby gardeners with a penchant for gardening challenges opt for the generative propagation of a pineapple plant by sowing seeds. After the seeds have soaked, they are planted 2 centimeters deep and moistened. At temperatures of 28-30 degrees Celsius, germination takes several months. If you want to grow a new variety, sowing is the best approach.
Tips & Tricks
On warm summer days, a place on the sun-drenched balcony is very convenient for the sunny disposition of a pineapple plant. As long as temperatures do not fall below the minimum of 20 degrees Celsius, fresh air and sunshine have a beneficial effect on vitality.
