Every pineapple provides plenty of starting material for growing the next generation. You can choose from various methods of propagation. Dive into the exciting world of offspring breeding here.
How can I propagate pineapple?
Pineapples can be propagated either vegetatively through the leaves or generatively by sowing the seeds. In vegetative propagation, interfaces are dried and placed in soil; in generative propagation, seeds are sown 2 cm deep and germinated at 28-30 degrees Celsius.
Vegetative propagation – just don’t throw away the leaves
Knowledgeable hobby gardeners see the lush green leaf crown of a pineapple not just as green waste, but as a promising starting point for uncomplicated propagation. The vegetative method has the advantage that you can create precise offspring with all the attributes of the original plant. Although you can use this technique all year round, starting the season in March/April is the ideal time.
- cut off the leaf with some pulp
- peel off the bottom two rows of sheets from top to bottom
- Remove the pulp around the stem with a spoon
- The roots will later sprout from the sprout points exposed in the process
- let the interface dry on the heater for a few hours
- fill a pot with standard soil, pricking or cactus substrate and some sand or perlite
Place the dried stalk in a hollow so that the soil reaches the bottom row of leaves. At temperatures of 25-30 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 70-80 percent, keep the substrate constantly moist with lime-free water. Ideally, you place the offspring in a heated indoor greenhouse (€58.00 on Amazon) or put a plastic bag over it, which is removed again when budding begins.
Generative propagation – this is how sowing the seeds works
The propagation of pineapples by sowing seeds is rarely practiced. The technique is delicate and requires a lot of patience. Anyone who loves a challenge as a hobby gardener will at least give it a try. The small, reddish-brown seeds are located just below the shell.
Sown at a depth of 2 centimeters, germination occurs within 8-12 weeks at temperatures of 28-30 degrees Celsius. It takes between one and four years for the seedlings to develop into finished plants and a flower to appear.
Tips & Tricks
An extra uncomplicated variant of propagation is perfect for beginners in hobby gardening. Before the mother plant dies, it develops side shoots at its base or in the leaf axils. These are fully developed mini plants. Simply cut it off and treat it using the leaf crop method. The roots will sprout within 8-10 weeks.
