How to Grow Pineapples

Pineapples are exotic fruits that make great houseplants. Even in cold climates it is possible to get these plants to set fruit and ripen indoors. Store-bought fruit does not compare in taste or sweetness to a pineapple you grew yourself.

One reason for this is because the store bought pineapples were picked before they were fully ripe, unlike one you would grow in your home or yard that would be left on the plant until it was fully ripe and ready to eat.

Varieties of Pineapples

There are many varieties of pineapple plants. Some are ornamental and some are edible. The various types are sorted by class. There are four classes, according to Purdue University, ‘Smooth Cayenne’, ‘Red Spanish’, ‘Queen’, and ‘Abacaxi.’

Once the plants are two years old, they will flower, then set fruit. From the time the pineapple flowers to the time the fruit ripens on the plant takes six months, according to the pineapple research institute of Hawaii.

How to Care for Pineapple

For pineapple fruit to mature in six months, a temperature range of 55 degrees Fahrenheit to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, must be maintained according to the Pineapple Research Institute of Hawaii.

Pineapple grown in cooler conditions produces fruit that tastes more acidic, and the fruits take longer to mature. Water weekly making sure to soak the soil and use a time release fertilizer.

Light Requirements for Fruiting

When the pineapple plant is in active growth grow lights should be left on 12 to 14 hours per day.

Once your plant is old enough to set fruit, the pineapple research institute of Hawaii says that the light requirements change.

In nature, pineapples need 10 to 11 hours of sunlight daily to set frui. The short days and cool nights are what trigger the plants to bloom, according the pineapple research institute of Hawaii.

Plants grown with higher temperatures or given longer periods of light may not flower on time or the fruit maturation may be delayed.

How to Growing Pineapple at Home

Pineapple can be successfully grown at home, on the windowsill. To do this, you must either buy a plant that is already growing, or cut a leaf shed from the top of the pineapple bought in the store and plant it yourself.

In the latter case, the fruit selected must be as ripe as possible, the skin should be as yellow as possible. The skin should not have any crushed or rotten spots and the leaves in the rosette should not be  be dried out. The more light and heat there is, the faster the rooting. In winter, it may take longer to take root, but in the absence of other greenery, growing pineapple is fun!

To aid the roots to grow, the pineapple leaf peel must be cut so that about one centimeter of the flesh remains on it. In countries with warmer climates, the cut leaf is placed in the water and the roots are allowed to form before the plant is planted in the soil.

In colder conditions, it is recommended to spray the cutting area with charcoal powder and let it dry for a few days. This prevents the rotting. 

How to Harvest Pineapples

The proper time for harvesting can be difficult to judge, even though the approximate time to harvest will be six months. This is not a hard and fast rule, so look at your pineapple and note the changes. These changes will signal proper harvesting time.

The pineapple shell, which is the part you see, will change color from green to gold. When one half of the shell is changed, you can harvest it, but the longer you wait to harvest your pineapple, the sweeter it will be. Inside the pineapple, the white flesh is changing to yellow.