How to grow a pineapple at home from the top - useful tips for beginners. How to plant a pineapple from the top at home We plant a pineapple at home

Indoor plants, the fruits of which are well known to us from fruit stands, have always been particularly popular. Pomegranates, bananas, avocados, tangerines and lemons can be grown not only in the tropics, but also on your windowsill. The indoor pineapple is no exception. It's not the most common of fruit plants, but it's definitely one of the most famous. The exotic appearance of pineapples is valued as much as their ability to bear fruit. And even the difficult nature of this plant does not deter people from growing it on windowsills.

Indoor pineapple. © 陶澤中

How does an indoor pineapple differ from a cultivated one?

Indoor pineapples are rightly called decorative. From the same cultivated pineapples that are grown in the tropical and subtropical zones of our planet, plants adapted to pot culture are still significantly different. Indoor pineapples cannot boast of species or varietal diversity. These are easily recognizable plants that justify their rather high price with their exotic appearance.

Pineapples are most widely represented in nature in Latin America. In the tropical forests of Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela, you can find 8 different species of these plants. As a cultivated plant, pineapples have spread far beyond their native Brazilian campos.

Ornamental pineapples are the result of long-term breeding and selection. We owe the appearance of this exotic fruit in indoor cultivation to the fashion for exotics for greenhouses and winter gardens. Pineapples, which at the beginning of their European history attracted attention in luxurious estates with amazing collections, are now increasingly found in ordinary living rooms.

Pineapples belong to the Bromeliaceae family; at a young age, and even before flowering, they can be easily confused with their brethren. True, the growth form of pineapples, unlike most epiphytic bromeliads, is terrestrial. In our country, pineapples are known only by their botanical name.

Growing pineapple near a private home (Hawaii). © Forest and Kim Starr

Features of indoor pineapple

Large-tufted pineapple (Ananas comosus) is the only species that can be found in potted form. It can safely be considered a fast-growing plant. This is not a very large plant, which during selection has acquired some compactness compared to the base species.

It has a shortened, reduced stem and hard, thick leaves that create a funnel-shaped rosette. Ensiform-linear, with a pointed tip, grooved, with very sharp spines, the leaves of adult pineapples can stretch up to 1 m, but in rooms they are usually limited to half a meter in size.

The grayish tint of the light green color is noticeable from afar. But the scales on the leaves can only be noted at close range. Pineapples cannot boast of a wide variety of colors, but in addition to ordinary green-leaved pineapples, you can find on sale more fashionable varieties with a longitudinal border or stripes on the leaves of a whitish color; in the right lighting they gradually turn pink.

Varietal pineapples, like the pink-white-green "Tricolor", do not differ in character from two decorative forms - the variegated white-green form (variegatus) and the cream-edged form (aureovariegatus). Pineapples gradually stretch out, but since the mother rosette is replaced after fruiting, pineapples in rooms remain compact.

The formation of babies begins after the infertility is fully formed. Pineapples look exotically strict. The clean lines of their leaves create a “spiky” silhouette; they look neat, bright and immediately attract attention.

Flowering and fruiting only decorate pineapples. Flowering begins under normal conditions in May, the plant does not lose its decorative appearance until the beginning of the dormant period in October-December, showing off first with an inflorescence, and then with a luxurious inflorescence with a bunch of rosette leaves on a shortened shoot at the top.

On powerful peduncles in simple spikelets of pineapple inflorescences sit far from simple flowers. Light purple, with bluish tints, the flowers are covered with cup-lanceolate, wide and very beautiful bracts, spirally folding into a spikelet. The general shape of the prickly star perfectly echoes the rosette of leaves. After flowering, those same legendary fruits ripen for four or five months.

Golden-yellow, formed by numerous ovaries fused with bracts, outwardly similar to a cone, the fruit gradually increases in mass and changes. The pineapple peduncle changes along with the fruit: at the top of the inflorescence axis, an apical shoot develops, shortened, similar to a mini-rosette, but still adding even more exoticism to the appearance of the plant.

Such shoots of pineapples are called sultans. From the moment of flowering to the beginning of fruit growth, at least 4.5 months usually pass, which allows us to call pineapples one of the most stable in terms of decorativeness and long-term fruit-bearing indoor plants. Despite its decorative status, indoor pineapple produces edible fruits.

Large-tufted pineapple (Ananas comosus) is the only species that can be grown at home. © Ohmymag

Conditions for growing indoor pineapples

Pineapples bloom and bear fruit only if they are provided with comfortable conditions all year round. These are heat-loving plants that do not tolerate hypothermia and require very intense lighting. In living rooms, pineapples usually get everything they need, but they can fit into a tropical conservatory collection.

Lighting and interior placement

One of the main problems of growing pineapple indoors is its light-loving nature. This plant can only be placed on a windowsill, without the slightest shading. Pineapple is not afraid of direct sunlight, but in summer it is better to protect the leaves from it. South or southwest windows are ideal for indoor pineapples, but if it is not possible to place the plant in such a place, then choose the brightest place in the house.

Pineapples respond well to artificial lighting. If there are signs of growth disturbance or insufficient level of natural light, the duration of daylight hours is increased with phytolamps operating for 10-12 hours. Plants develop poorly in completely artificial lighting, but they do not suffer in combined or partially artificial lighting.

You can change the lighting intensity for a pineapple, adjust the brightness by moving on the windowsill or between windows, focusing on the color of the leaves. Pineapples retain their attractive, intense, bright color only in good lighting. When shaded, the leaves turn pale and the plant, although it retains its viability, gradually begins to lose its compactness and decorativeness.

Despite the fact that pineapples are not the largest, in indoor cultivation they are limited to 50-60 cm in height; they are almost always twice as large in girth. Pineapple requires a lot of space and freedom; its “scattering” of leaves requires placement not in dense groups, but at some distance from other plants or individually.

In order for the rosette of leaves to develop evenly, it is advisable to rotate the pineapple in relation to the light source.

Temperature and ventilation

Recently, recommendations for new varieties of pineapple have stated that it is impossible to achieve flowering, fruiting and the greatest decorativeness from a pineapple without a cool dormant period. But, in general, pineapples not only do not require, but are also afraid of lower temperatures.

The minimum permissible readings for them are +16°C at night in winter. The plant responds well to normal room temperatures, even on hot summer days it feels quite comfortable. The optimal content is considered to be at an air temperature of +22 to +25°C. Temperature increases above 25 degrees Celsius, provided the spraying recommendations are followed, do not affect the beauty of its hard leaves.

The winter maintenance regime for pineapple does not require moving to places with lower air temperatures, but some changes in conditions (a drop of several degrees) will help the plant better withstand the period of reduced daylight hours. Only the lower indicators need to be strictly controlled, not allowing them to fall below +16-...+17°C.

Pineapple is not afraid of ventilation, but you should not expose the plant to strong drafts. In the summer, indoor pineapples can be taken out into the fresh air - onto the balcony or into the garden, but they must be protected from drafts. Pineapples cannot tolerate hypothermia of the root system.

Indoor pineapple with variegated white and green shape (variegatus). © 阿橋HQ

Caring for pineapple at home

Pineapple cannot be called a difficult plant to care for. Typical funnel watering, standard fertilizing, no need for formation and love for spraying allow it to be included in the collections of both experienced gardeners and beginners. But when caring for a pineapple, do not forget about important little things, carefully observing the development of this plant.

Watering and air humidity

The intensity of moisture for pineapples directly depends on their stage of development. During the dormant period, water the plant carefully, allowing the soil to dry completely, but during the period of abundant growth, flowering and fruiting, watering should be very abundant.

Stagnation of water and constant dampness should not be allowed, but the soil should be consistently slightly moist. The transition from the period of frequent and generous watering to winter maintenance should be smooth. Watering is reduced gradually, starting in September. For pineapple, watering is most often carried out directly into the rosette of leaves, changing to classical watering methods this method familiar to bromeliads only during the dormant period.

The main feature of pineapple is the requirement for watering with warm water. It should not only be soft, but also 5-10 degrees higher than the ambient temperature.

Pineapple, like any other tropical exotic, loves high humidity. It is not necessary to install humidifiers and their home analogues for it. For the plant, you can limit yourself only to spraying, which is carried out as often as possible on hot days. During the dormant period, spraying is not carried out (except in cases of cultivation in very dry air). Pineapples tolerate showering very well.

Top dressing and fertilizer composition

Pineapples are fed only in spring and summer. This crop prefers standard fertilizing once every 2 weeks, regardless of the type of fertilizer used.

For pineapples, you can use both complex and separate organic and mineral fertilizers, alternating them during feeding. Pineapples respond very well to organic matter. Long-acting fertilizers are not used for pineapple, as are any analogues that change the soil's reaction to alkaline.

Pruning and shaping a pineapple

For pineapples, pruning actually comes down to removing dry or damaged leaves. Sections are carried out by partially cutting off healthy tissue adjacent to the affected ones. When trimming leaves, it is better to use sharp tools and disinfect the blades after each cut.

The fruits of indoor pineapple take 4.5 months to form and are quite edible. © Ella Baron

Transplantation, containers and substrate

You should only change the container for indoor pineapples when it is really necessary. If the plants have a place to produce babies, they have not formed in such quantities that the rosettes cannot develop normally, replanting should be postponed. The plant is replanted before active growth begins, at the end of February or March.

Indoor pineapples are grown in wide and shallow containers that correspond to their shallow, medium-sized root system.

For pineapple it is very important to choose the right soil. It should not just be loose or light, but also quite rough, permeable, allowing the roots to breathe freely. The best option for growing is considered to be a special soil for bromeliads or any substrate for epiphytic plants, to which turf soil has been added for easy compaction.

It is better to check the composition of the soil when purchasing. After all, pineapples are often sold in a regular soil mixture - for example, consisting of equal parts of peat, turf and humus soil with sand. The optimal pH value for pineapple is from 4.0 to 5.0.

When working with the plant, especially when dividing, it is worth protecting your hands, since the spines on the leaves are quite sharp. A high layer of drainage must be laid at the bottom of the containers. If separation is not carried out, then it is better to limit ourselves to transshipment. Usually, when planting a pineapple, the depth level is increased by 1.5-2 cm.

Diseases, pests and problems in growing

Pests are not frequent guests on ornamental pineapples. Only in a neglected state can false scale insects, spider mites and thrips appear on the plant. It is better to combat pests immediately, starting with insecticides, taking appropriate measures to correct the conditions of maintenance or care.

Common problems in growing pineapple:

• drying of leaf tips in dry air;
• rotting, lethargy due to waterlogging;
• growth stops in the cold or when watered with not warm water.

Propagation of indoor pineapples

Despite their elite exotic status, pineapples are not at all difficult to propagate on your own. This plant is easy to grow even from seeds collected from ripe, overripe fruits. But much more popular are vegetative methods - separating daughter rosettes and rooting the apical cutting.

For cuttings in pineapples, the apical shoot that develops above the fruit is used. The sultan is carefully cut off with part of the pulp or broken out, twisting it out of the fruit, peeled from the lower leaves, exposing 2-3 cm of the stem, and the cut is allowed to dry for several days.

Root the apical shoots of pineapple in wet sand, maintaining a stable temperature from +20 to +22°C. Greenhouse conditions and covering with a cap or film are required.

Pineapple babies are simply separated during plant transplantation. Daughter rosettes are separated only when they grow to a height of 15 cm or higher. For rooting, you can use a peat-sand soil mixture and also cover the children with a cap or film.

If you already have an indoor pineapple growing at home, share your experience of growing it in the comments. This will be of interest to many readers of Botanichka.

Houseplants decorate the house; their breeding and cultivation allows you to feel connected to nature even in snowy winter.

It’s even more exciting to combine business with pleasure – to get the fruit of a real exotic plant at home. Pineapple is ideal for this purpose. After eating a delicious fruit from the store, you can grow your own.

Let's consider the sequence of actions for growing a pineapple from the top step by step - from choosing planting material to harvesting.

Choosing a pineapple is the key to success

The exotic fruit is native to South America and grows well in tropical climates around the world. This perennial herbaceous plant belongs to the Bromyelidaceae genus.

Ripe fruits reach a weight of 2-16 kg. They are sold together with tufts of green dense leaves. It is from this top that we will grow a new fruit. This is possible because the growth point is maintained at the top.

To be sure of the success of your work, you need to choose the right pineapple for seedlings.

What fruit should you buy:

1. The peel should be intact and shiny - brown-golden. Instances with scratches and cuts should be discarded.
2. The fruit for planting must be ripe, but not overripe. The juicier, riper and tastier the seed, the better the result. You should not choose cheap semi-green specimens for breeding on sale in the supermarket.
3. Planting is carried out by the upper part - the crown. The main attention should be paid to its characteristics. The leaves should be whole, bright, not torn or damaged. If you pull them down, they should spring back to their original position.
4. The pineapple should look alive and vigorous, and not like a runny little thing. Fruits that appear in late summer and autumn are best suited for this. At this time it is best to begin breeding work.

Choose winter specimens with caution - they may become frostbitten. For this reason, it is better not to choose fruit on the street.

To summarize, let's say - the less the fruit was lying around in the storage room, crumpled and transferred from counter to counter, the better germination it will show.

How to choose a ripe pineapple - video:

Top preparation

Planting material must be separated from the fruit. The lower part of the crown goes inside the pineapple and needs to be removed. For a well-ripened fruit, this is done like this: they tightly grasp all the leaves and turn them inside out, like a cork. A tuft without pulp remains in the hand.

If the fruit is not ripe, you will have to cut out the lower part of the tuft with a sharp knife. The knife is held at an angle of 45°, the top is separated from the fruit. After this, all the pulp from the crown is removed to avoid rotting.

It is also necessary to remove all lower leaves at a distance of 3 cm from the base of the crown. They are carefully cut with a knife. Brown nodules will become visible on the freed stem - these are buds that should not be damaged.

To prevent rotting, the edge of the crown can be treated with ash or activated carbon. Before planting, the workpiece is dried for 2 weeks, while keeping an eye on it so that no signs of decay appear.

Germination

After two weeks of exposure, the workpiece should be placed in water. For these purposes, simple tap water is suitable, which is simply left to sit for 2-3 days.

The roots are obtained in a small glass container - a glass, cup, small jar. Only the lower part is immersed in water; the leaves should remain in the air. Leave 3-4 cm from the bottom of the workpiece to the bottom so that there is room for the roots to grow.

The water is changed every 2-3 days. It is necessary to ensure that the heavy workpiece does not overwhelm the jar and the roots are not exposed to air. Germination usually occurs within a week. When the length of the roots reaches 2 cm, the plant is transferred to the soil.

Container and soil

What you should remember when planting a plant is that the root system of the pineapple is small, so you should choose a pot with a volume of about 0.5-0.7 liters. As the pots grow, they should be replaced by simply transferring the plant into a larger container without exposing the roots and adding fresh soil.

The pot for planting should have holes; drainage material should be placed at the bottom - expanded clay or river stones equal to ¼ of the volume of the container.

It is best to use ready-made soil for Bromyelids, sold in stores for summer residents and flower growers. If necessary, you can prepare the soil yourself.

The following composition is suitable for growing exotic fruit:

• sand – 1 part;
• peat – 1 part;
• natural soil – 3 parts.

The soil should be light and loose.

Growing a pineapple from the top step by step in the photo:

Landing

The pot is filled with earth 1 cm below the edge, a depression is made, into which the plant is carefully lowered to a depth of 3 cm without damaging the roots. The leaves should not go into the ground.

The workpiece should sit firmly in the ground and not wobble. If there is a danger of falling over, the plant must be secured by tying it to sticks. The pot should be placed in a well-lit place, but covered from direct sun so that the plant does not cook under the rays.

For better rooting, many advise helping the sprout by creating a greenhouse effect. To do this, put a plastic bag on the pot and keep it for 3-4 weeks. This is worth doing if the room is cool, very dry or there are constant drafts.

If the temperature stays between 21-27°C, it is possible to water regularly; you can do without a bag.

Rooting requires 6-8 weeks, sometimes up to 12. The pineapple should have young leaves or their rudiments. If you grab the top, the pot will lift up. When this happened, we can assume that the pineapple became a houseplant and took root on the windowsill.

Stages of growing a pineapple from the top in the video:

How to care?

Pineapple has taken its place in the apartment, let’s look at the features of growing it at home, the optimal temperature and other necessary conditions.

Required temperature

The exotic fruit is accustomed to living in a warm environment; there is no winter in its historical homeland. The optimal temperature for life is 22-25°C. Under such conditions, the pet will be able to fully develop.

When there is no sunlight, which provides additional heat, it is better to keep the temperature at 25-27°. For full growth at low indoor temperatures, you will have to use an air conditioner, heater or.

Watering

When watering, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. In spring and summer, watering should be increased. You need to focus on air humidity and water so that there is no stagnation of moisture, which can cause root rot.
2. For irrigation, use water at a temperature of 27-29°, which has settled well. You can use rainwater.
3. The plant is watered abundantly, but infrequently - once a week in winter, 2 in summer. Before the next watering, the soil should dry out 2 cm from above. Water should be poured not only on the ground, but also on the flower itself, and also spray the leaves from a sprayer once a week .
4. If the temperature on the windowsill in winter drops below 20°, growth slows down, watering should be reduced, and the plant should look for a warmer place.

If the tips of the leaves dry out and wrinkle, this may be due to lack of moisture, try increasing watering. Damaged leaves must be carefully removed by cutting with a knife.

Lighting

The permanent place should be well lit; the north side is not suitable for the seedling. The pineapple should be protected from direct sunlight to avoid burning the leaves.

Top dressing

To ensure a full growing season, you need to feed the seedling. For this, humus is suitable, which must be infused in water, and then used for irrigation. You can also use mineral fertilizers that are recommended for bromyelids.

It will be enough to fertilize the soil 2 times a month. Lime and ash should be discarded.

Transfer

As you grow, the pot needs to be enlarged. Transplantation is recommended once a year. In this case, you need to make sure that the pot is not excessively large. It is impossible to free the roots from the old soil. It is necessary to transfer the plant into a larger vessel, adding the missing soil.

After transplantation, the plant needs to be watered and fed after a week.

Pests

Usually pests do not threaten the plant. If ticks or other insects appear, you need to purchase appropriate means to destroy them. To start, you can simply wash the leaves with soapy water. Often this is enough.

If a fungus attacks, you will have to use fungicides. If the mushrooms can be defeated, the plant will produce a new shoot.

Stimulation of flowering

In nature, pineapples are low herbaceous plants up to 90 cm tall with very hard and spiny leaves. They begin to bloom 12-18 months after planting. To speed up flowering on plantations, plants are treated with acetylene.

The flowers are formed on a long stem without leaves; the inflorescence has the shape of a spike. The flowers bloom alternately from the bottom of the stem and are pink or lilac in color. Their number reaches two hundred.

Almost at the beginning of flowering, the flowers and berries join together and form a common fruit. That's why the pineapple looks like a cone, due to the fusion of a large number of small berries.

At home, flowering may begin at a different time than in nature. You can expect flowers when the seedling has reached 25 cm. The top of the stem will go up without leaves, and a bud will appear on it.

If the plant has reached the required size, but there is no flowering, it will have to be stimulated using the methods used on the plantation:

• dissolve 15 g of carbide in 1 liter of water;
• keep the solution until completely dissolved and carefully drain the sediment;
• take 30 ml of acetylene and pour it into the outlet in the place of active growth;
• repeat the procedure a day later.

Flowering should be expected 2 months after treatment. It is necessary to start stimulating flowering, if it does not come on its own, 2.5-3 years after planting in early summer or late spring. If there is still no flowering, the plant is not yet ripe for fruiting. We'll have to wait another six months.

Harvesting

It takes 4 to 7 months for a pineapple to grow and ripen. At this time, you need to provide warmth and good lighting. If the apartment is cool and there is not enough light, you will have to use a phytolamp.

The fruit grown at home can be up to 1.5 kg in size. After it ripens, the herbaceous plant will die. Before this, several lateral shoots usually appear, which can be used to plant new pineapples.

They should be carefully separated with a knife after each grows its own roots. Do not forget that the pots for new seedlings should be small.

To grow a full-fledged tasty pineapple from the top will take about 3 years, most likely even more. This is an exciting activity, each stage of which is interesting and will bring pleasure to those who like to tinker with plants.

You need to prepare yourself for a long wait and prepare enough space; a blooming and ripening pineapple will not fit on the windowsill. You can grow a fragrant fruit from the top in any apartment, if you have patience. No special knowledge is required for this.

Pineapple can be propagated in two ways - with the help of a tuft and children formed after the adult plant has flowered. The simplest option is to plant a tuft carefully cut from purchased fruit.

When purchasing such “seed” fruit, you need to pay special attention to the quality and healthy condition of the tuft. It should not be frostbitten, not even the slightest rotten or blackened leaves should be allowed, and most importantly, there should be a perfectly clean and healthy growing point - the upper young leaves. It is not advisable to buy infructescences for this purpose in autumn or winter. The best results are obtained from pineapples purchased in the summer.

The tuft should be cut with a well-sharpened knife at the junction with the pulp (the pulp should not remain on the handle). 3-4 rows of lower leaves are removed so that a bare stem about a centimeter in length remains.

After this, be sure to air dry the cuttings for 2-3 weeks until the wound dries out. All this time, the tuft should be positioned vertically, but the lower cut should not touch anything. If you plant the cutting directly into the substrate, then in most cases it will rot before it has time to take root.

In a small pot, a layer of pebbles 2-3 cm thick is poured onto the bottom for drainage, and then a substrate consisting of peat and river sand in equal proportions. A week before planting the tuft, the substrate should be poured with boiling water for disinfection. When the aging period has passed, the cutting is planted in the substrate to a depth of 1 centimeter and covered on top with a plastic bag, a bottle, and best of all, a glass jar, since it shades the plant the least. This entire structure must be placed in a bright place, but not in direct sunlight; the bright sun should not fall on the cutting even for several hours a day.

The crest takes about a month and a half to take root. During this time, you should spray the leaves with warm water four times, but you should water the soil only if it is completely dry. After the crest begins to grow, you need to transplant it into a slightly larger container, and two weeks after the transfer you can begin to gradually remove the cap. This operation is quite responsible, since if the microclimate changes too sharply, the plant can quickly dry out.

How to plant pineapple at home

First, the jar is placed on matches, after two days - on pencils, after another couple of days - on stands that raise it by 4 centimeters, etc. When the can is raised to half its height, you can remove it completely.

Pineapple is a very light-loving and drought-resistant plant. For faster flowering, it is better to keep it on the street, balcony or open south window. Watering is needed rare but plentiful, leaving water in the axils of the lower leaves. Feeding - once a month with mullein infusion. You can add superphosphate at half the dose intended for other plants. Under no circumstances should the temperature drop below +10 C. Bromeliad plants should be watered and sprayed with warm water.

With good care, pineapple blooms within 3 years. During fruit ripening, the plant requires increased feeding. After fruiting, the plant slowly dies, leaving behind several young shoots with which it reproduces. The shoots should be planted separately. The plants grown from them are stronger and often bloom earlier.

Many lovers of the fragrant taste of the exotic fruit are wondering how to plant pineapple at home in order to grow it themselves. Having analyzed the algorithm for planting one of its parts, namely the top, you will no longer want to throw it away when you manage to buy a juicy ripe pineapple again.

Description of the plant

In its natural habitat, which is the territory of Latin America, the Philippines, the USA, and Thailand, pineapple (Latin name - Anánas) grows as a herbaceous plant. This is a member of the Bromeliaceae family – Bromeliaceae. Known for its unique taste, the fruit ripens from an inflorescence growing in the center of a leafy, fleshy rosette.

Pineapple is completely adapted to dry conditions. Morning dew rolls into the central funnel formed by the leaves, serving as moisture to nourish the plant.

Cultivation of heat-loving pineapple in other countries is practiced in winter gardens, greenhouses, and greenhouses. Entrepreneurial and creative people have even developed an algorithm for growing a pineapple at home using its top.

Selection of planting material

To grow a pineapple from the top in a home flower garden, you need to specifically select a suitable ripe fruit in the store. There are several criteria to prevent mistakes.

• The upper crown should consist of elastic green fleshy leaves without gray rot and signs of mold. It is the top that attention is first paid to, since it will serve as planting material in the future. Even in the store, the leaves need to be pressed between your fingers to make sure that they do not soften and the decomposition process does not begin under the skin. Elasticity can also be checked by pulling one sheet to the side and releasing it. If it immediately returns to its previous position, then the fruit is quite fresh and has not been frozen.
• The peel is carefully checked for damage or deformation.

  How to grow pineapple at home - planting, care

  Take the specimen that has a hard surface with a golden color.

• It is advisable to purchase more than one fruit to ensure a reserve supply in case of failure.

Preparatory operations

In a correctly selected ripe fruit, the top can be separated from the pulp with a slight twisting movement. To prevent the leaves from being damaged, they should all be clasped with the palm of your hand during this operation. As a result, a tuft with a small stem remains in the hand.

It is even easier to cut off the top with a knife, capturing part of the pulp located below (about 3 cm), which must be carefully removed, freeing the base of the crown. To ensure more efficient further germination, it is advisable to remove several lower leaves. The prepared part can be hung indoors or placed with the freed stem up on a plate to allow the cuts to tighten a little. This will prevent rot from occurring. An additional measure is to immerse the cuttings for several minutes in a weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate before doing this. Treating it with powdered activated carbon or ash helps protect it.

After a few days, the dried tuft is lowered with the cleaned stem into the water, trying to prevent the leaves from immersing in the liquid. To do this, you can cut a circle out of cardboard with a hole in the center, the diameter of which coincides with the immersed part, and place it on top of the vessel. The germinated top should be placed in a bright place, for example, on a windowsill. You need to constantly monitor the water level by adding it. About once every four days, all the water is poured out and a fresh portion is added.

Landing

Pineapple roots appear in about three weeks. They will be ready for planting when they reach a length of two centimeters. By this time, it is necessary to prepare the soil substrate and a suitable container.

You can go to a specialized store and purchase ready-made soil designed for growing representatives of the Bromeliad family. If you decide to prepare the soil yourself, then you will need loose soil, to which sifted river sand and peat are added in equal volume fractions.

The rooted top should be planted in a small pot, focusing on a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the tuft. A drainage pad made from any available materials is placed at the bottom - small stones, brick fragments, small plastic bottles. This technique will allow you to avoid excessive stagnation of moisture, which is detrimental to delicate roots. The soil mixture is poured on top.

Before planting pineapples, a depression is made in the soil, into which powder of two to three crushed tablets of activated carbon is poured. The soil is moistened with a spray bottle and the root is placed in the recess, avoiding excessive deepening. After the roots are covered on top with a layer of soil, which is carefully pressed around the trunk, only the lower leaf tier should be submerged, and the entire tuft remains free above the surface.

In order for the seedlings to remain vertical at the beginning of the adaptation period, it is necessary to stick several wooden sticks into the edges of the pot, tilting them on all sides towards the planted top, fixing it.

A plastic bag is placed on top to create a greenhouse effect for the exotic seedling, and the pot is protected from drafts. To moisten the soil, the bag is removed and then returned to its place.

A planted pineapple takes a long time to take root. Sometimes this stage takes two months. The dominant indicator that a plant is viable is the growth of fresh leaves. Only after making sure that the cutting has begun its development is the bag removed. If by this moment there are no visual signs of the pineapple beginning to grow, then this indicates that it makes sense to try to start the experiment again. To avoid disappointment, it is advisable to plant not one, but two or three tops at the very beginning.

Further care

An established pineapple will require light but constant care. When fresh greens begin to sprout, you need to promptly trim off the dying old leaf plates to prevent them from rotting. Water the plant about once a week. They need a temperature of at least 22°C. Therefore, in winter it may be necessary to turn on heating devices.

A year later, a new pot is prepared, having a volume larger than the previous one by three to four liters. Drainage is also placed in it and a soil mixture suitable in structure and composition is poured into one third. The pre-watered plant is carefully removed from the old pot with a lump of earth and transferred to a new container. Soil is added to the top and gently pressed around the stem. This operation should be carried out annually until the peduncle appears.

Pineapple grows well if the pot is placed in a well-lit place in the apartment. It is important that the plant is not exposed to the burning rays of the midday sun. Watering the plant remains one of the important activities. In the winter season, all growth processes slow down, so little moisture is required - just so as not to completely dry out the earthen ball.

Since pineapple is transplanted every year, it practically does not require additional feeding. But if the leaves begin to lighten and growth slows down significantly, you can water the plant with a mineral complex composition without alkaline elements.

After the pineapple fades and the fragrant fruit ripens, it will no longer bear fruit. Although you can separate the root buds, using them as planting material, from which a new plant will develop faster than from the top.

Pineapple at home: myth or reality?

How to grow pineapple

If you decide to cultivate any exotic fruit yourself, we recommend growing pineapple at home. It is very easy to care for young shoots, and an adult plant does not require a special approach.

You will need:

• A pineapple;
• Cup;
• Water;
• The soil;
• Drainage;
• Pot with a hole;
• Glass jar.

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You don't have to run around agricultural stores looking for seeds. Go to the nearest supermarket, buy a ripe fruit and eat it.

Fruit selection

Pay attention to the leaves - they should be firm and rich green in color, without gray spots. The peel should have a golden-yellow hue. It is better to choose 2 fruits at once.

On our website you will learn about the intricacies of caring for the South American flora, and also see how a pineapple grows in pictures.

Preparatory stage

1. Place the entire bunch of leaves in your palm.

   How to grow pineapple at home?

   Twist it hard and you will see it come away from the fruit along with a small stem.

2. If you are worried that you won't have the strength to complete the above step, cut off the top of the main part. Then cut off all the pulp from the shoot. It is important not to damage the root primordia.
3. To grow a pineapple from the top, you need to remove several lower leaves from the bunch, so that 2-3 cm of the stem of the resulting cutting is exposed.
4. Leave the workpiece for a couple of days in a dry, well-ventilated area, allowing it to dry.

Let's get started

With proper care, after a few years, delicious fruits will appear on your windowsill.

We bring to your attention a photo showing how pineapples grow at home.

• It is better to use settled water for irrigation. You can add a few drops of lemon juice to the liquid. It is recommended to heat it up to 30 degrees each time.
• The pet should be repotted annually, slightly increasing the volume of the pot. It is better to do this by transshipment, so as not to damage the delicate roots.

We hope that our tips will help you both grow pineapple and introduce your children to the exciting activity of caring for plants.

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How to plant a pineapple from the top

Pineapple is a plant of the bromeliad family; tropical countries are considered its homeland: South America, Paraguay, Brazil. Dutch scientists have figured out how to grow pineapple in a greenhouse, and gardeners have developed a way to grow it at home. This method of growing pineapple is quite simple and does not require a lot of money. To do this you will need a quality pineapple fruit.

Recommendations for choosing a pineapple for planting in a pot:

- leaves are hard and green in color;
- golden skin;
- it is better to buy fruit in early autumn - this is the time of their ripening.

Which pineapple should you not buy:

- with dried leaves and the presence of gray spots;
- with dark brown skin;
- pre-frozen.

Main requirements for growing pineapple:

— air temperature in the room — 25 degrees;
— good lighting in the room;
— container for planting 0.5 liters;
- special soil mixture.

Instructions for planting a pineapple from its top

The first step is to carefully remove the tuft from the fruit. To do this, turn its leaves or cut off the top of the pineapple, but before planting, get rid of the pulp, because it will cause the death of the plant. Remove the pineapple pulp carefully so as not to harm the root buds.

The second step begins with stripping the crest. It is necessary to remove the leaves from the bottom of the tuft by 2 - 3 centimeters. This is necessary for the tuft to take root. After completing these steps, dry the pineapple crown for two days. This will allow the tuft to dry the damaged roots and prevent them from rotting after planting. For the tuft to take root, place it in a container of water and lower it 3-4 centimeters.

Homemade pineapple - growing, care, photo

The water in the vessel needs to be changed every 2-3 days. It is important that the seedlings are located in a place where there are no drafts or changes in air temperature.

The third step is planting the rooted tuft. Before planting, dip the roots in a solution of potassium permanganate and dry for 15 days, and then plant it in a pot.

To do this you need:

- a pot with a diameter appropriate for the crown;
- drainage, which is poured onto the bottom of the pot;
- soil mixture covering the drainage layer;
- drainage hole in the planting container;
— the depth of the hole for seedlings is 3-4 centimeters;
- the soil is always moist, but not wet;
- two sticks at the edges to support the tuft;
— film for greenhouses.

When the pineapple tuft is planted in the pot, cover it with film. It will serve as a greenhouse for the plant for 2 months. In winter, place the pot with pineapple on the radiator, but be sure to place a board. Water the pineapple with settled water with citric acid added to it, and its temperature should be 30 degrees. The pineapple is replanted once a year, and after 3 years it will bear fruit.

And even pineapples. It’s nice to watch a heat-loving miracle ripen on your own windowsill, and it’s especially nice to treat yourself to it as a reward for your efforts. The most amazing thing is that growing such plants is not much more difficult than, for example, growing orchids.

Of all the exotic fruits available for home cultivation, the most common are lemons and tangerines. As for pineapples, you don’t often see these beauties in a flower pot.

How to grow pineapple at home in different ways

Growing a pineapple from the top

For those who want to grow pineapple themselves, you should know that it is better to start this process at the end of summer, in August or September. It is then that you can count on the pineapple bought in a store or market being suitable as planting material. It is better to take several fruits to increase the likelihood of successful rooting.

So, the fruit for planting material should be ripe, but not overripe, golden brown in color with bright green, not too large leaves. They should not have gray spots, the presence of which indicates that the plant has been damaged by a mealybug - such fruits should not be used for planting.

The top of the pineapple is cut off and cleared of leaves.

Preparing the crown for subsequent planting:

1. Cut off the top of the pineapple, at a distance of 2-3 fingers from the leaves.
2. The pulp is selected along the ring from the crust, not reaching the center, where a round island is left, from which roots will subsequently sprout.
3. The lowest leaves are removed.
4. The inside is sprinkled with activated charcoal or charcoal; you can wipe it with a very weak solution of potassium permanganate to prevent rot.
5. The top of the pineapple is hung for 2 weeks so that it dries slightly.

Sometimes crowns planted 5 or 6 hours after treatment take root successfully.

The prepared crown is planted in a pot whose diameter is not much larger than the diameter of the seedling. A drainage layer, for example, expanded clay, is poured into the bottom of the pot. The soil may consist of a mixture of peat and sand, or you can buy a ready-made earthen mixture for cacti.

The hole for planting is made shallow to 2.5 cm. It is recommended to add a little crushed charcoal to its bottom. The soil should cover the seedling up to the lower leaves and be tightly compacted. After planting, the plant is watered, covered with a plastic bag or glass jar and placed in a warm and bright place.

Usually the seedling takes root within a month. All this time it needs to be watered and sprayed with warm water. After a month, the plant can be replanted by transferring it to a larger pot.

Growing pineapple from a tuft

You can simply unscrew the tuft from the pineapple - it separates from the fruit with a small stem. You need to remove 3-4 bottom leaves to expose the base. To prevent the trunk from rotting, after cleaning, leave it to dry for several days.

Now we put the pineapple tops in glasses of water - this is the easiest and most reliable way, as practice has shown. We put the glasses on the windowsill with other flowers.

The pineapple should only be in the water a couple of centimeters and not touch the bottom

You need to constantly add water, sometimes change it completely - and in two to three weeks the roots will appear.

Good roots - can be planted in the ground

As soon as they become a couple of centimeters, we plant them in the ground. We have already mentioned the composition of the soil; we bury the tuft three centimeters into the ground, or rather, the entire exposed base.

Good drainage is required so that the young plant does not rot. Pineapple loves moist soil, but should not be flooded. Find a bright place for it, but not in direct sun.

The pineapple will finally take root in one and a half to two months. This will be visible from the new leaves that will appear in the center of the tuft.

If new leaves are not visible for more than two months, then the pineapple probably has not taken root and it is better to try planting a new one.

As new pineapple leaves grow, old ones will turn brown and dry out - they need to be carefully trimmed. Young leaves will take their place. Young pineapples need to be watered rarely - once a week.

After about a year, the pineapple needs to be transplanted into a larger pot, adding soil for cacti. Be sure to have good drainage from expanded clay and gravel - because pineapple roots do not like stagnant water and the plant can die from excess moisture.

Replanting pineapple in new pots

In winter, the pineapple has a dormant period, and with the onset of spring it begins to grow rapidly. If a pineapple does not grow in the spring, it means it urgently needs replanting with a change of soil, since the soil is depleted.

When growing pineapple at home, you must follow certain care rules - create suitable conditions for this tropical plant for good growth and fruit formation.

Pineapple care

Lighting and temperature

For a green pet to feel comfortable, it must be light and warm. Pineapple comes from the tropics and cold weather, especially since it does not tolerate frost at all. In summer, indoor pineapple can be placed on the balcony or taken to the country house. The plant should be placed under the canopy of trees so that the light is diffused. It grows well in the fresh air. For good development of the plant, you need to keep it in a bright place for at least 6 hours a day at any time of the year.

In summer, pineapple loves to “walk”

In the winter months, be sure to keep the pineapple at home - preferably in the southern part for better lighting. Away from batteries, no drafts. Comfortable temperature for pineapple is +22-26 degrees.

Watering and fertilizers

Watering should be infrequent and plentiful. The soil in the pot should be moist, but stagnation of water should not be allowed; for this, good drainage is needed. On the one hand, pineapple is adapted to droughts, and it can be watered once a week in winter, and during the growth period it is watered more often and more abundantly.

In summer it is very good to spray the leaves with water, it will be absorbed by the leaves, and the excess will quickly dry out on the street. At home, especially in winter, do not do this - the water will stagnate in the leaves and the plant may rot.

Pineapple is fed with fertilizers only during the growth period, in summer. And this needs to be done carefully, little by little. If you spray on the leaves, make sure that the liquid fertilizer does not get on the young leaves - they can get burned.

Pests and diseases

With good care and compliance with the rules for growing indoor pineapple, it is almost not affected by pests. It can be affected by mites and mealybugs. It helps to combat them by washing the leaves with a soapy solution, then rinsing the leaves with clean water. In case of severe damage, you can use insecticides, diluting strictly according to the instructions.

Pineapple can become sick with heart rot under the influence of a fungus. In a diseased plant, the leaves in the center turn black and are easily removed from the trunk. You can save the plant by pouring any fungicide into the center. Over time, the plant will produce a side shoot, and the old one is then carefully cut off.

Is it possible to get pineapple fruits at home?

Of course you can. With careful care, the plant blooms after 2 or 3 years, and after the fruit ripens, it dies. But shoots remain that can be used to grow new plants.

Ripe pineapple fruit

When growing pineapple at home, the timing of flowering is difficult to predict; they can move in any direction. Usually at the age of one and a half months, when the flower grows to 25 cm in height, an inflorescence appears. A long stalk grows from the crown, at the top of which an inflorescence forms.

Pineapple blooms within two months and flowers appear for two weeks, every day. Bright blue flowers open only for a day, row after row - then they wither. The fruit begins to develop after the last flower withers. The pineapple fruit grows and ripens up to six months - depending on the conditions and variety of pineapple.

Pineapple gaining color

What to do if the pineapple does not produce fruit?

There are times when a pineapple does not want to bear fruit at all. If it is already sufficiently developed, then it can be stimulated to bear fruit. For all bromeliad plants, to which the pineapple family belongs, ethylene is a stimulant. To form it, pour 1 teaspoon of calcium carbide into half a liter of water. And leave it covered for a day. Then drain the liquid without sediment. You will receive an aqueous solution of ethylene.

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

After the fruit ripens, the plant will die, like all herbaceous plants. But this does not happen immediately and the pineapple forms many shoots. They are commonly used for commercial greenhouse propagation of pineapples.

How to root a pineapple correctly - video

Wonderful video and useful tips and observations on rooting pineapple.

Now you know how to grow pineapple at home. I wish you successful rooting and your fruits!

For many people who watched cartoons in childhood where drawn pineapples grow on palm trees, it becomes a real discovery that this tropical fruit in real life is The plant is herbaceous and grows on small bushes on the ground. We think that an even greater discovery for residents of our region will be that pineapples can be grown on your windowsill. After reading this article, you will find out that propagating pineapple at home- this is not such a troublesome task, although, of course, you will have to make an effort to achieve the desired result.

How to plant pineapple from seeds

The exotic fruit reproduces in four ways: seeds, side shoots, root division and using an apical rosette. The seed method is rarely used, since it takes the longest.

Before growing a pineapple from seeds, you need to take care of purchasing a fruit suitable for this activity. It must be well ripened. If you carefully examine the fruit, you can see that it is an infructescence consisting of many fused scale particles that are arranged in a spiral. The structure of the pineapple fruit is a bit like a cone.

Almost every scale contains one seed. You can see this for yourself by peeling the fruit or cutting it into slices. However, it may not be worthwhile to extract the seeds yourself; it is better and easier to purchase them in specialized stores.

How to prepare seeds and soil for planting

If you nevertheless decide to grow store-bought pineapple babies, then the brown droplet seeds must be removed, washed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried well. You also need to prepare the soil in a special way for planting pineapple. For sowing, leaf soil, sand and peat in equal proportions, or coniferous soil are ideal.

Pineapple seed propagation scheme

The seed propagation scheme is simple. The seeds are buried 2 cm into the ground. After planting, the soil is watered abundantly, then covered with a film or cap. Pots with seeds must be placed in a warm place. The ideal room for pineapple is a room where the temperature remains at 20-25°C.

Important!The temperature in the room where the cultivation of pineapple from seeds will take place directly affects the growth of the plant. The higher it is, the faster the seeds will germinate. For example, in the heat of 30-35ºС, sprouts can emerge within 15-20 days.

You also need to know that seeds do not grow equally, and the germination process of some of them can take a long seven (or even more) months.

How to care for crops

Seedlings require regular care. They need to be watered, protected from direct sunlight and fed. It is better to fertilize twice a month with special fertilizers or bird droppings (15-20 g per liter of water). As they grow, the film over the pots must be gradually opened slightly so that the sprouts get used to dry air.

Using the apical rosette for propagation

We have already learned how to grow pineapple from seeds. Now let's look at a more common method of propagation - from the top.

How to choose a pineapple for propagation

Particular attention should be paid to purchasing fruit in a store. It should be mature, but not overripe, and the leaves at the top should be green, firm, without damage or any kind of stains.

Did you know?You can tell if a pineapple is ripe by slightly pulling one leaf down. If it quickly returns to its original position, it means the fruit is overripe.

Those who have resorted to this method of reproduction are advised to buy two fruits at once - for a guaranteed result.

Rooting process

The apical rosette can be separated by twisting. To do this, all the leaves must be grabbed with your hand and turned sharply. A small stem will come out along with the rosette. You can simply trim the leaves with a knife, capturing some of the pulp.

Important!The pulp must be carefully removed from the trunk, otherwise even if a small amount of it gets into the ground, this will lead to purulent processes and the death of the plant.

After clearing the pulp, it is necessary to delicately cut off the bottom of the crown until the root buds are exposed (small dots or circles around the circumference of the stem). Try not to damage them, because these are the beginnings of roots. You can sprinkle the cut with activated carbon to prevent rotting of the flesh.

We remove the lower leaves so that a trunk 2-3 cm high remains. After cleaning, the apical rosette must be dried for two days, which will allow the scars at the ends of the roots to heal and avoid rotting.

Several methods are used to germinate roots. One of the most effective is germination in water. To do this, the trunk is lowered 3-4 cm into a glass or jar of water.

Did you know?In dark-colored containers, roots grow faster.

The water is changed every 2-3 days. For replacement, use only settled water at room temperature or warmer. Dishes with tops must be placed away from drafts, direct sunlight and temperature changes. For rapid root growth, you can add “Kornevin” (1 g/1 l of water) or “Zircon” to the water.

After the roots appear, you need to worry about what kind of soil is needed for the pineapple. The rosette with roots is transplanted into soil with the following composition: 3 parts turf soil, 1 part humus and 1 part sand. Ready-made mixtures “Cactus” and “Bromeliaceae” are well suited for planting.

The size of the pot in diameter should correspond to the diameter of the crown of the top. Before filling with soil, 2-3 cm of drainage must be laid at the bottom of the pot. We plant the apical rosette in the soil and place the pot in a well-lit place. It is not recommended to compact the soil in the pot too much.

Pineapple care

Pineapple care involves regular watering, observation and feeding. Watering should be done moderately - the soil should be moist but not wet. Complete rooting occurs within 6-8 weeks. It is not recommended to fertilize the plant at this time.

Important!If you notice rot on the surface of the plant or soil, then the pineapple cannot be saved. It's better to try growing a new perennial.

In the first two months of life, the old leaves at the top will die off, and young ones will grow in its center. Then the dry leaves will need to be removed. It is recommended to water no more than once a week throughout the year. After a year, the pineapple needs to be transplanted into a larger pot. Fertilize twice a month from May to August using nitrogen fertilizers and fertilizers for bromeliads.

Flowering can be expected in 3-4 years, when the leaves reach a length of 60 cm. Pineapple flowers look like tubes; during flowering, they change color within 1-2 weeks: from pale blue to dark crimson. In addition to bright colors, your room will also be filled with a delicate pineapple aroma during this period.

Subsequently, a fruit is formed. From the moment of flowering to full ripening, 4-7 months pass. The fruits usually grow small - up to 300 g, but can reach a kilogram.

After flowering, the daughter rosettes are replanted. If the pineapple does not bloom, then it is replanted every year.

Since pineapple is a herbaceous plant, it dies after fruiting. However, sometimes a perennial can still delight its owners for three years. Usually, by the time of death, the owners have already managed to plant a large number of pineapple babies.

Did you know?If the pineapple does not bloom for a long time, you can try to help it do so with a flowering stimulator: dissolve 1 teaspoon of calcium carbide (sold in building materials stores) in 0.5 liters of water. Leave the solution in a closed jar for 24 hours, and pour 50 ml into the center of the apical “palm” once a day for a week..

Pineapple can be affected by spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects, aphids and phylloxera. For treatment, wipe with soapy water and spray with Actellik (1-2 ml per liter of water).

There is another way to grow a pineapple from the top. The cut or twisted top is dried for two weeks, preferably with the leaves down, and then planted directly into the ground. Take a small pot. A 2 cm layer of pebbles and expanded clay is poured onto the bottom, the soil is mixed peat and river sand in equal parts.

Two days before planting, the substrate must be disinfected with boiling water. The top is immersed in the soil to the lower leaves and sprayed. A prerequisite for this planting method is to cover the pot with a plastic bag or plastic bottle.

Place the plant in a warm place (25-27°C). In winter, you can place it on a radiator, but be sure to place a board or book under the pot. Pineapple roots should form within a month. If during this time the soil in the pot dries out, then it must be watered with warm water that has been standing for 24 hours. If the leaves dry out too much, they need to be sprayed. After rooting, the bag or bottle is removed from the pot.

Propagation of pineapple by side shoots and basal suckers

Pineapple cuttings usually occur during or after fruiting. Vegetative organs are transplanted only after they reach ½ the size of the maternal crown, approximately 15 cm.

Preparation of planting material

For transplantation, daughter shoots and offspring are carefully broken out. Before planting, they are kept for 4-7 days. During this time, a tissue plug forms at the cut site, which will protect the shoot from bacteria and rotting. Dry the cuttings in a dark room at room temperature in a suspended horizontal position with the leaves facing down.

How to root a cutting

When propagated, a pineapple shoot can live without water for several months. When the scars on the cut heal, it can be powdered with charcoal and planted in a pot for rooting.

Recommended soil composition: turf soil, leaf soil, high-moor peat, birch sawdust, sand (3:2:2:2:1). A day before planting, it is necessary to disinfect the mixture - steam it or pour it over with boiling water. The cuttings are planted in a pot with drainage to a depth of 2.5-3 cm. The pot is covered with a plastic bag, plastic or glass container.

Features of caring for cuttings

The features of caring for cuttings are the same as when rooting the apical rosette using the “directly into the ground” method. Direct sunlight and excessive watering are contraindicated for the plant; spraying and warm temperatures are recommended. Rooting should occur after 1.5 months, as evidenced by the appearance of young leaves.

Now you know how to grow pineapple in a pot, and you can try it at home. However, you should understand that you will only grow an ornamental plant, and if it produces fruit, it will become a pleasant bonus for you.

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