How to grow pineapple at home: tips, instructions. Can you grow pineapple from seeds? from the crown I don’t know how to cut it correctly Preparing a landing site

The most delicious fruit is pineapple, native to South America. European inhabitants learned about the existence of this fruit five centuries ago.

But, only in the 17th century, it was possible to grow a miracle - a fruit in a greenhouse. Nowadays, pineapple cultivation is practiced at home.

There are two ways to grow pineapple at home: using seeds or the top of the fruit.

Step 1

Collect a brownish seed from an adult plant.

Step 2

Prepare a weak solution of potassium permanganate and rinse the seeds, then let dry.

Step 3

Sow seeds no more than 2 cm. into the ground.

Step 4

Pour warm water.

Step 5

Cover with foil. Germination of seeds can be 2 months, and maybe 6.

Step 6

Leaves up to 5 cm. transplant into a separate pot.

To grow pineapple in the second way, you should follow the following algorithm of actions

Step 1

To begin with, you need to choose a good, ripe pineapple on the shelves of a store or bazaar. Its maturity is indicated by elongated, firm structure leaves of rich green color. If there are yellow or brown spots on the foliage, or damage to the fruit, then this product is not suitable for planting.

Also a sign of a ripe pineapple is a yellowish tint in the middle of the fruit, this area should not be too hard. And, of course, the ripe fruit has a pleasant aroma. For germination, you should buy in the summer or early autumn. If you are a beginner, then buy two copies.

Step 2

If you can’t unscrew the top, then the fruit is unripe and you should resort to the second method.

With a knife, cut out part of the leaves with the root, should be cut at an angle. If there is pulp left on the root, remove it.

Step 3

Lower the crest by 3-4 cm into water at room temperature (). Previously, having cleared the stem of the base from the leaves by 2-3 cm.

It is necessary to monitor the amount and purity of water, change if necessary. Place the container with water and the “crown” in a warm, well-lit place. Roots should appear within three weeks.

Step 4

Landing. For a new plant “pet”, a large pot is suitable, 30 cm high and 10-15 cm in diameter, or a small one, close in diameter to the base of the “crown”, followed by a transplant. At the bottom, a drainage layer up to 3 cm should be used, gravel, expanded clay will do.

For better rooting, it is necessary to choose loose and nutritious soil, with the addition of peat and river sand. We plant "Crest" up to 3 cm deep.

If possible, create a greenhouse effect. This can be achieved, for example, by covering the pot with a bag. The rooting process takes 6 to 8 weeks. The formation of new leaves means that the plant has taken root.

Step 5

It is necessary to water only with warm, settled or rain water. Watering should be regular - once a week. Do not be zealous with pouring the pot, or wait for the complete drought of the soil. It is also recommended to spray and dust the leaves.

Step 6

Flowering begins in 2-3 years. But, as a rule, it depends on the care. It may start earlier or not bloom at all.

Thus, having an exotic plant at home and surprising guests is quite real! Each landing method has a positive result. It remains to decide which one to use.

Perhaps, how to grow a pineapple is interesting to everyone. After all, this is one of the few exotic fruits that you can grow at home on your own. There is a misconception that pineapples grow on a tree, but this is not at all true. In fact, it is a herbaceous tropical plant that can reach a height of sixty centimeters. Its homeland is South America. Pineapple has many varieties and is grown in many hot countries of the world.

Translated from English, the name of this plant pineaple translates as "cone-apple" or "pine apple". In Spain, where this fruit first came thanks to Columbus, it was called pina, which translates as "bump". However, in all other languages, the name of the plant is closer to Russian.

When choosing a pineapple, it is important to know that this fruit, unlike a banana, does not continue to ripen after it has been plucked. For this reason, you should not choose a fruit with a rich green color, as it will no longer become sweet.

Pineapple contains many vitamins and nutrients that have a beneficial effect on health. A feature of this fruit is the content in it of a high percentage of bromelain. This enzyme has many beneficial properties. In addition to a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, it helps to break down fats. This important feature makes it a valuable product that is used by people who want to lose weight.

Fishing nets and mats have been made from pineapple leaves since ancient times in some countries. And at present, the technology allows the production of environmentally friendly fabric from them, which is becoming more and more popular every year. They make clothes, shoes, bags and much more from it.

How to grow pineapple at home

Speaking of how to sprout pineapple at home, It should be noted that this can be done in several ways:

• Seeds that are immediately under the peel.
• vegetative way. Growing from the top of a pineapple.
• Propagation by root cuttings.

Usually in our area we are used to buying pineapples in supermarkets or markets. But did you know that with patience, you can grow a pineapple at home? It turns out that this is not at all as difficult as it might seem. There are two main ways.

How to grow pineapple at home from seeds

This method of growing pineapple is considered quite complicated and time-consuming. It is important to know that only purchased seeds are suitable for this purpose, because those pineapples that are sold in supermarkets either do not contain them at all, or the seeds in them are immature and absolutely unsuitable for germination. Therefore, in order to purchase high-quality seeds, you need to order them, or buy them in specialized stores. In addition, the method of growing pineapple from seeds will take you 5 to 8 years, which is not cost-effective in every sense.

How to grow a pineapple from a cut top

It is much easier to grow a pineapple from the top of a ripe fruit. We will stop at this option and consider everything step by step, since at home this is the easiest way, which in 90% of cases will lead to the successful cultivation of pineapple.

So, first you need to choose the right fruit, since this will determine what the final result will be. During the purchase, you should not rush and do not take the first pineapple that comes across. Pay attention to the peel - it should be golden yellow. Pay special attention to the inspection of the top of the fetus. Its leaves should be undamaged, green, firm and resilient. For the experiment, take one of the inner leaves with two fingers and pull slightly towards you. If the fruit is of high quality and ripe, then the leaf will smoothly return to its place. In no case do not buy a pineapple whose leaves are frozen, either dry or stained - most likely nothing will grow from such a fruit. The best time to buy a fruit is summer or the first half of autumn.

Now you need to carefully separate the top of the pineapple from the rest of the fruit. It can be gently unscrewed if the fruit is soft and ripe enough. But twist in such a way that a small inner stem is preserved. Or, if you want, you can cut off the green "tuft" with a knife, but in such a way as not to damage the inner stem - leave it about three centimeters. Then scrape off the excess pulp so that it does not rot, and put the resulting top in a dry place to dry for about two weeks.

The next stage is the germination of the roots. If at this stage something goes wrong for you, then growing a pineapple from the top will no longer work, so it is better to prepare 2-3 tops for germination at the same time.

Experts advise to germinate the roots in ordinary water, preferably settled. As a container, a dark glass jar is very suitable. Secure the top of the pineapple over the jar so that the bottom of the pineapple is submerged about three to four centimeters in water. Place the jar in a warm, but lit place, and so that there are no drafts, the ideal place is on the windowsill, as there is light and heat from the battery nearby. Do not forget to change the water in the jar every two or three days, otherwise it will quickly become cloudy and acquire an unpleasant odor. Periodically observe the process, somewhere in a week the roots will have to sprout, and when they reach a length of about three millimeters, the top can be planted in the ground.

Further, after the appearance of the roots, it is necessary to grow pineapple in a pot. A container with a drainage drain is best suited so that excess moisture does not linger in the pot. The diameter of the container should be wider than the diameter of the green top of the pineapple. At the bottom of the pot, lay out a layer of expanded clay or drainage pebbles, and fill it with specially prepared soil on top. You can make a suitable soil yourself by mixing peat with coarse-grained river sand in proportions of 1: 1. However, you can buy ready-made mixtures in stores. A couple of days before planting, pour plenty (but in moderation) of the soil in a pot with boiling water - this will disinfect the soil and create the degree of moisture necessary for growth.

When everything is ready, for the subsequent cultivation of pineapple from the top, it is necessary to plant the "tuft" in the ground, after making sure that the roots have sprouted enough. Plant it so that only the top and leaves remain above the soil, and the entire lower part with roots should be in the ground. After planting, lightly compact the soil around the plant, pour water over it and cover with a glass jar or transparent polyethylene. Then place the pot in a warm and well-lit area in your home. It is recommended that the air temperature be on average +25°C. Use enough water for irrigation so that all the soil in the pot is moist, but not excessively. Usually watered 1-2 times a week.

It will take 2 months for the plant to fully root. All this time, watch the seedling: ventilate the room, make sure that there is enough sunlight and the temperature is maintained. Dying leaves from the "tuft" must be carefully removed, and the emerging young leaves in the center should be lightly sprayed with warm water. For irrigation, it is better to use melted water or boiled water. Water temperature - no more than +30°C. You can add quite a bit of citric acid to the water.

After two months, the plant will be well established and should be transplanted into a larger pot to give the root system enough room to grow normally. It is no longer necessary to cover the top with a cap or polyethylene. Repeat this procedure every year, eventually bringing the volume of the pot to three liters.

In the summer, you can keep the plant on the balcony, but in a place protected from rain. A backyard greenhouse is also suitable. Make sure there is always enough light so that the soil in the pot does not become dry. During the vegetative period (from February to September), it is necessary to feed the plant with mineral fertilizers once or twice a month, and treat the leaves with ferrous sulfate by spraying. In cold autumn and winter, you can keep the pineapple on the windowsill, but do not let the plant freeze and avoid drafts.

After about 2 years, the first flowers should appear. If there are no ovaries by this time, use the following recommendation: prepare an aqueous solution of ethylene to feed the plant. The solution is prepared as follows: dissolve one teaspoon of carbide in half a liter of water and leave to infuse for one day. Then pour the solution into a clean container so that the sediment remains the same. Water the pineapple daily with this solution at the rate of 50 milligrams of liquid at a time. The fumigation of the plant with smoke from burning coals also stimulates the flowering process well. This procedure can be done twice with an interval of 10 days.

During the flowering period, the apical rosette will grow, and root buds will appear in it. Each root bud must be carefully separated from the plant - it is also able to bloom and bear fruit, so it should be transplanted into the ground, each separately. After flowering, do not forget to remove old, dried leaves. If the plant has grown well and profusely, then the fruit can be quite large. The fruit ripening period is usually four to six months.

As you can see, growing a pineapple from the top at home is not so easy, but the process is quite easy to master. By carefully observing all the conditions, in about three years you will be able to have your own pineapple plantation, which will definitely surprise your friends and acquaintances!

Video how to grow a pineapple at home from the top

Home breeding of pineapple is very simple. It is enough to buy this fruit in the store and properly root its top or plant a seed. The plant looks very attractive, so that even before the first fruits appear, it will undoubtedly be a wonderful decoration for the house. How to grow pineapple at home, we will describe in detail in the article.

Variety for planting

Three varieties of pineapple are grown at home and in greenhouses:

1. The variety A. comosus is characterized by green, narrow leaves and bears fruit well.
2. A.comosus Variegatus variety has shorter and wider striped leaves. This plant looks very beautiful in the interior, decorating it, but rarely bears fruit.
3. Variety A. bracteatus Striatus is the largest plant compared to the above. Characterized by green-yellow leaves.

Fruit grown in a pot usually reaches a small size (a little over 50 cm in height). It forms a rosette of long leaves arranged in a spiral. With proper cultivation, you can get a fairly large plant that can bloom and even bear fruit.

How to choose a pineapple for growing

One of the conditions for the successful cultivation of pineapple is the right choice of fruit. In order not to be mistaken, be guided by the following rules:

1. Notice the leaves. In high-quality pineapple, they have a rich green color and a solid structure. If you find a fruit with yellow or brown leaves, you should not buy it.
2. The skin color should be golden yellow.
3. A healthy fruit has moderate elasticity. Don't choose a pineapple that's too hard. But if the fruit is too loose, then this is also an indicator of its poor quality.

Unacceptable is the presence of gray spots on the peel.

It is recommended to purchase pineapple for home cultivation in late August or early September. If you buy a fruit in the winter, make sure that it is not frozen. From such planting material it will not be possible to obtain a healthy plant.

When growing pineapple, the upper part of the fruit is cut off with a sharp, clean knife, capturing not only the leafy rosette, but the fruit area three centimeters lower. If the pineapple is fully ripe, you can carefully unscrew the socket, holding the tuft tightly with one hand and the stem with the other.

If the fetus is not ripe, this procedure may be difficult. Then use a knife and use it to remove the leaves and root. Keep a 45° angle when cutting. Do not place the knife horizontally.

Step by step - detailed description:

1. Remove the pulp that remains on the stem, otherwise the planting material will begin to rot. From here, the root system of the pineapple will develop.
2. Step back from the tuft 2-3 cm and cut off the top along with the leaves. The result should be a stalk with a crown.
3. The lower leaves are also removed. Make sure the kidneys are not damaged.
4. The next stage of preparation is preliminary germination. Pour settled water at room temperature into a glass and lower the stalk there. It should sink 3-4 cm.
5. Place the glass in a warm, well-lit place with a stable temperature. Change water every 2-3 days.

After 3 weeks, roots will appear on the top, after which it can be transplanted into the ground.

Important! Treat the cutting with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, this will help prevent it from rotting.

There is also an alternative preparation option. The stalk is suspended on a rope in a vertical position with the crown down. For 2-3 weeks the plant is dried. It is believed that after such a procedure, the tip takes root better.

If there is no suitable dish, you can use the following life hack: insert a few toothpicks into the base of the stem at a height of 3-4 centimeters from the bottom and use them as a support. When the top is immersed in water, toothpicks will not allow it to sink completely into the glass.

Landing

Prepare the pot. In size, it should not be inferior to a pineapple cut at the tuft. Since the plant will have to be transplanted into a larger space as it grows, you can immediately use a pot with a diameter of 30–35 cm. But if this is not possible, a container of 15 cm in size will do at this stage. moisture. Pineapple is recommended to be planted in a pot with low sides, but with a large diameter. This is due to the peculiarities of the development of the root system, which is located in the upper soil layer.

At the bottom of the container, pour a layer of expanded clay with a thickness of 2-3 cm.

Fill the pot with soil. The soil can be purchased at flower shops or prepared independently. 2 days before planting, it must be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water.

There are several options for the soil composition for pineapple:

• mix equal proportions of peat and river sand;
• combine sod and leaf soil, peat, birch sawdust and coarse sand in a ratio of 3:2:2:2:1;
• mix leaf humus, soddy soil, sand and peat (2:1:1:1).

In the middle of the container, make a hole 3 cm deep, place the top with the roots down and fill it with soil to the level of the leaves. Lightly compact the soil with your fingers. Water the plant with some water. The soil should be slightly moist.

Place the pot in a warm place with adequate lighting. If you started planting in cold weather, cover the seedling with plastic wrap, this will create the necessary microclimate. In order for the plant to take root, the room temperature should be 25-27 ° C. This process takes 1.5–2 months. Do not leave pineapple in direct sunlight.

When the first leaves appear, remove the film.

While acclimatization and rooting of the pineapple plant is in progress, it is important:

• protect against drops of condensate falling on the outlet, which causes the development of mold and rotting of foliage;
• regularly moisten the soil;
• ventilate the plantings, preventing the plants from cooling.

A pot with a pineapple plant is exposed to a lighted place where the outlet will not be threatened by the direct rays of the sun.

The pineapple will fully take root in six months. A flower will appear from the center of the leaves - a red cone, from which blue petals will subsequently form, and then the fruit. The first flowers begin to appear about 1.5-2 years after planting.

Growing pineapple from seeds

The most difficult and time-consuming method is considered to be propagation by seeds. Firstly, seedlings can only be obtained from purchased seeds. In the fruits sold in supermarkets, seeds either do not exist at all, or only their whitish immature rudiments can be found.

A germinating pineapple seed has a somewhat flattened semicircular shape, reaches a length of 3-4 mm and is colored with a brown or reddish tint of brown.

Before planting, the seeds are placed for 18–24 hours between layers of a damp cloth and, covered, put in a warm place. Then, when they swell a little, they are planted in a wet mixture of purified peat and sand. So that small seeds can easily sprout, they are deepened by no more than 1–2 cm.

The containers must be covered with a film or glass and put in heat. It is from the temperature provided to the seeds that their germination and the timing of the appearance of the first sprouts will depend:

1. At normal room temperature, germination can take from 3-4 weeks to one and a half months.
2. If, however, the seeds are kept at a temperature of about 30–32 ° C, sprouts can be seen in 2–3 weeks.

It is important to maintain not only the temperature regime, but also to moisten the soil in time, and also not to forget about feeding the seedlings. To do this, with an interval of 15–20 days, crops are fertilized with complex compositions, including the main nutrients and trace elements.

When a few leaves appear on young rosettes, they swoop down, transferring them together with a small earthen lump into the ground for adult plants. Such soil can be made independently by mixing equal parts peat, humus, garden soil and sand. To give structure and a kind of protection against infections, crushed charcoal is added to the soil up to 5% by volume. And part of the sand can be replaced with perlite.

Propagation by root cuttings

If there is already an adult pineapple plant in the house, it can be propagated using the daughter processes formed in the lower part of the stem or under the seedlings, which are easy to break and root. As planting material, you can use cuttings that have already given several rows of leaves and have reached a length of 15–20 cm.

Like the rosette from the top of a pineapple, the stalk can be unscrewed or carefully cut with a sharp blade. The place of the cut should be sprinkled with coal chips, and then they act with the handle by analogy with growing pineapple from the top at home.

If the rosette already has the beginnings of roots, it can be immediately planted in light soil from a mixture of peat, perlite and a ready-made substrate for indoor plants.

Care after landing

In order for the plant to fully develop, it is necessary to provide for it a certain level of temperature, regular watering, top dressing and lighting. Pineapple is not capricious and unpretentious. It does not require special care, frequent watering and constant fertilization. However, there are a number of conditions that should not be neglected.

Temperature

Pineapple loves warmth and light. In winter, maintain the required temperature with heaters or lamps. If the plant lives on the windowsill, carefully protect it from drafts and frostbite.

1. In the room where the pineapple grows, keep the temperature at 22-25 ° C.
2. In winter, lower it to 16-18°C.
3. If the temperature does not meet the required indicator and the room is too cool, use heaters.
4. If the plant is on the windowsill, it must be protected from drafts and frostbite.
5. In the cold season, it is better to rearrange the culture in a warmer area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe apartment.

Watering

Remember that pineapple in nature is accustomed to a tropical climate, which means that it can tolerate heat. He has to go without water for several months. Therefore, the main mistake you can make is to overdo it with abundant watering. It is enough to water the pineapple a couple of times a week, and even less often in winter. If your plant needs more moisture, drying leaves will tell you. Then you will need to water more often or plentifully. But excess moisture can lead to decay and death.

Culture does not tolerate an excess of moisture! In winter, reduce the regularity of watering to once every 7 days.

Focus on the condition of the soil and plants. If the soil is dry or the leaves begin to wither, this indicates that the pineapple needs to be moistened. You need to water it in a rosette of leaves, which is filled by 2/3 of the volume. Use only settled or filtered water at room temperature. You can add a few drops of lemon juice to the liquid.

Important! Too much moisture will cause the plant to rot.

Lighting

Pineapple is a light-loving crop. But exposure to direct ultraviolet rays is highly undesirable. The most suitable place for it will be the east or west side. It is not recommended to place the plant on the south window.

It doesn't need to be rotated. Pineapple develops well with one-sided lighting. In late autumn and winter, the plant needs an additional source of light. Install a fluorescent lamp next to it at a distance of 20 cm. Light up the pineapple for 8-10 hours a day.

top dressing

Fertilizers are applied during the growing season

From the end of February, the growing season begins, which lasts until September. At this time, pineapple must be systematically fed. Fertilizers are applied every 10-15 days. The process itself has the following features:

1. Pineapple is fed with horse or cow dung. Prepare a bucket and fill it 1/3 with organic fertilizer, top up the remaining volume with warm water.
2. Stir the mixture periodically for 3-5 days.
3. After that, the solution should be infused for a week.
4. Then dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:10. For 1 liter of soil, 50 ml of fertilizer is required.
5. Spray the pineapple with a solution of ferrous sulfate 1-2 times a month (1 g of the drug per 1 liter of water).

Important! Don't feed your pineapple with alkaline fertilizers like wood ash or lime.

Transfer

Plant the growing pineapple in a timely manner into a new, larger pot. This must be done at least once a year. Try to gradually increase the volume of the pot, do not transplant the plant into too large a container.

Do not allow a strong growth of the root system. With each new transplant, use a pot that is 2-3 liters larger than the previous capacity. Move the plant along with a clod of earth. The procedure is carried out in the same sequence as landing. A similar soil composition is used.

How to stimulate flowering

Pineapple at home cultivation begins to bloom in 3-4 years. If it doesn't, try one of the following tips:

1. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of calcium carbide in 500 ml of water, leave to infuse for 24 hours. Then drain the liquid, leaving impurities and sediment. Pour 50 ml of this composition daily into the middle of the outlet for a week. After 1-1, 5 months, flowering will begin.
2. Cover the plant with a plastic bag. Place some smoking coals near the pot. Pineapple will bloom after 2-2.5 months. But such a procedure should be carried out 2-3 times with a week break. When the coals stop smoking, remove them and remove the plastic from the pineapple.
3. Place the pot in a large bag, put 3-4 tomatoes or apples in the same place. When the fruits begin to deteriorate, replace them with new ones.

first fruits

A crop will appear 6-7 months after flowering. When grown at home, pineapple reaches a weight of 0.3–1.5 kg. You can identify ripe fruits by their sweet smell. During this period, it is not recommended to use mineral fertilizers, feed the plant only with organic substances.

After the end of fruiting, new shoots will appear on the pineapple within 2-3 years. Then the plant dies. Children can be re-planted. They are planted in the same way as the top.

What to do if there are no fruits for a long time

For all bromeliads, to which the pineapple belongs, the stimulant is ethylene. To form it, pour 1 teaspoon of calcium carbide into half a liter of water. And leave it closed overnight. Then drain the liquid without sediment. You will receive an aqueous solution of ethylene.

Every day, pour 50 grams of the solution into the center of the pineapple leaves for a week. Usually after this procedure, flowering begins in a month. If nothing happens, the plant is either not ready to bear fruit, or is sick.

There is hardly a person who would not like pineapple. This is one of the favorite desserts for adults and children.

However, pineapple is not only a tasty and fragrant fruit, but also a beautiful ornamental plant that can be successfully grown indoors and produce fruits.

How to grow pineapple from seed

• ripe pineapple;
• priming;
• pot;
• glass or polyethylene film.

Remove the seeds (they are small, yellow-brown in color, slightly curved in the form of a sickle) from well-ripened fruits. Then wash them in a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate and air dry.

Prepare the substrate for sowing seeds. Take leafy soil, peat and sand in equal proportions. Sow the seeds in the soil to a depth of 1-2 cm. Pour settled water at room temperature and cover with glass or a transparent film on top.

Place the seed container in a very warm room (the temperature here should not fall below 20°C). The rate of emergence of the first shoots directly depends on the temperature. The higher it is, the faster shoots will appear. At a temperature of 20-24°C, the seeds will germinate in a month and a half, at 25-27°C in about three weeks, and at 30-35°C the first sprouts will appear in two weeks. Pineapple seeds germinate at different times, so you will need patience. Individual seeds can sprout in six months.

Water and spray small plants regularly. Feed them twice a month with a solution of mineral fertilizers or bird droppings (15-20 g per liter of water). On very hot days, hide young plants in the shade from direct sunlight. In addition, gradually accustom the seedlings to drier air by opening the film or glass shelter daily.

As soon as the leaves reach a length of about six centimeters, pick them into loose soil. Prepare it from equal parts of leafy soil, peat, well-rotted humus and sand, add a small amount of charcoal. Suitable and ready-made soil for orchids or bromeliads.

Pineapple constantly needs good nutrition, especially nitrogen. Every two weeks, water it with mullein infusion, this will be enough, since it contains all the main trace elements.

Keep caring for your pineapple, and in a couple of years you will be able to enjoy the fragrant fruit grown by your own hands.