Pineapple is the fruit that comes from a tropical plant. It does not require excessive care and is found mostly in South American countries. This is a very important detail to know when it comes to growing pineapple at home, since it will grow much better when the climate is temperate or tropical.
This exotic fruit is very common in any part of the world, and can be grown without problems in the garden or in pots. In the latter case, it must be borne in mind that the plant is a bit large, so it will be convenient for the pot to be of a good size.
How to grow pineapples at home?
It will be necessary to keep certain things in mind before proceeding to plant a pineapple. A pineapple plant does not require large amounts of water, this is because its leaves are very strong and will not lose as much water. Nor will it be necessary for the soil to have the best quality. Being part of the bromeliad family, it does not generate too many roots.
Get a fairly ripe pineapple
Finding a pineapple is not very complicated, it is possible to find this fruit in supermarkets or farmers markets. You just have to choose a pineapple that looks nice and is ripe. Once this is done, the pineapple that is chosen will be the ideal one to start the cultivation process.
Cut the crown of the pineapple
With the fruit duly selected, now all you have to do is take the crown and cut it using a knife. The crown is the leaves that are above the pineapple, specifically about 3 cm above the pulp. It is very important that the leaves of this pineapple do not have a brown color, have any disease or are dead. Otherwise, the pineapple cultivation cannot be carried out correctly.
Remove all the leaves that remain on the stem
There are usually a few leaves left on the stem, which must be removed and when doing so, the stem will remain approximately 3 cm with nothing, that is, it will be bare.
dry stem
Among the things that make pineapple plants characteristic is their sensitivity to injuries. Due to this factor, it will be necessary to place the stem to dry for a few days. When this is done, it prevents rot if it is placed directly in the ground.
Placing the stem to dry is quite simple, it should only be placed upside down for a week near a window. With this, all the wounds will close and the jar will dry properly. After the corresponding weeks, it will be possible to sow the crown in a pot. However, there are those who prefer to leave it soaking.
sow the stalk
You should choose a pot that is between 12 and 14 cm deep. Once you have the pot, the next thing will be to place soil of two different types. White sand and a little fertile soil, you can also place pebbles. The latter will make the soil have excellent drainage. This will prevent the formation of puddles, which would cause damage to the plant.
If desired, a little rooting hormone is used before planting the stem. The recommended thing when it comes to growing pineapples is to plant the stem at least 3 cm deep. It is necessary to slightly compact the soil around the stem in the pot.
Lightly water the stem
To irrigate the stem of the pineapple, it will be necessary to do it with little water. It will be more than enough to keep the soil moist. A great resource for this task is to fill a spray bottle with water. Plants like this develop better when they receive enough light, so the pot should be placed in a place where it receives a lot of sun.
Another aspect to take into account when growing pineapple is that they are plants that do not tolerate low temperatures.
pineapple settlement
After having sown the stem of the plant, it will be necessary to wait at least a couple of months, allowing the plant to settle in the soil correctly. After two months, to be sure that the pineapple has settled, you have to gently pull the crown. It should not be pulled too hard, since the roots would break and the pineapple crop would be interrupted.
Make the pot change
Over time, the pineapple plant will develop more leaves, and when this happens, a pot change will be necessary. This should be a little larger than the first, between 20 and 25 cm in diameter. The preparation of the soil is the same as with the first pot, although the stones should be a little smaller. In the course of a year, if desired, the plant can be sown in the garden.
Grow pineapples by soaking the stem
As already mentioned, another alternative when growing pineapples is to soak the stem. If you want to do this, it is necessary to choose a container where the crown of the pineapple fits very well. Although it must have a small mouth to avoid being completely submerged.
The next thing will be to stick some toothpicks into the stem so that it is attached to the container. They have to be placed under the leaves, in such a way that they serve as a support. The stem should only be submerged two fingers or so, and its leaves should protrude above the surface.
Once the stem is correctly placed in the container, it must be placed in a place that receives sufficient sunlight. A few weeks will be more than enough for the roots to develop. Avoiding cold temperatures is essential, but in addition to that, the water will have to be changed. This has to be done every three days, thus avoiding the formation of mold in the part of the stem that is submerged.
After the corresponding weeks, the roots will have come out and the stem will be planted in a pot.
Pineapples are planted regardless of the time of year, although it would be ideal for this procedure to be done between the months of September and November. This is because this is the time when the rains abound, facilitating growth for the roots of the plant.
How is the growth of pineapples?
For the most part, the pineapple fruit does not have a seed inside. For this reason, to grow pineapples, the crown or stem is required. When this process is done, there are greater chances of obtaining a healthy plant. Something that does not happen the same when using a seed to grow the plant.
The growth of the flowers takes a few years, once the plant has been planted. But when the flowers appear, they will be seen as a red cone coming out of the leaves. Then they will turn a blue color and the fruit will finally appear, which will take approximately six months to fully develop.
There is a faster method to obtain pineapples, and that is to contact a person who already has the plants. In this way, a shoot is obtained, which will be extracted from the main plant. This shoot has to be planted in a pot or, if preferred, it can be in a seedbed. When the plant has grown enough, it should be changed to a pot or moved to the garden.
pineapple fertilization
Pineapples, being bromeliads, have very hard leaves with impressive resistance. It is for this characteristic that these plants should not be watered too much. Added to this, it will need organic material as fertilizer, at least once a month. The fertilizer must contain a lot of potassium and enough nitrogen, to guarantee a good development of the plant.
Among the fertilizers that are most used for the cultivation of pineapple, is the extract of the algae or the emulsion of the fish. Using a watering can to spread the fertilizer is the best tool. Another of the fertilizers used is chicken manure. For its application, you just have to add a little to the ground near the stem.
Diseases that affect pineapples
Some of the diseases that usually affect pineapple fields are the well-known nematodes and mites. What causes the appearance of these diseases are winter climates, which is why it is recommended that the temperature for cultivation be warm.
If the soil of the plant is excessively moist, it could cause significant damage, such as diseases that decompose the bud, the appearance of mealybugs and also beetles.
Another important aspect that must be taken into account when growing pineapples is not to water the plant directly on the ground. If the opposite happens, it would cause the roots to rot and the plant to die.
harvest pineapple
Probably the fruit of the plant appears after a few years; however, the approximate time to harvest the pineapples is between 15 or 24 months, after the plant has been planted. In addition to this, the plant will develop suckers, which will be born from the sides and can be transplanted if desired.
The pineapple has to be harvested when it is observed to be ripe, since it will not ripen further after removing it from the plant. After you have removed the pineapple from the plant, it will die and the procedure will have to be repeated again.
Having harvested the pineapple, it is worth keeping in mind that it is possible to keep it for a few weeks. For this, it is important that the place is kept cool and with enough shade. It is important not to forget that pineapples suffer a lot of damage when stored in very cold places.
Tips for choosing ripe pineapples
Mostly people have been through this anytime when buying pineapple at the store. However, we will mention some tips to choose the best pineapples:
1. The ideal color for a pineapple is usually gold, with a few light touches of green and they are tones that continue from the bottom to the top. Observing that the upper part has a slight golden color, it means that it is a good sign of maturity in the fruit.
2. Observing carefully the coloration of the leaves in the crown is important. This is what determines whether the fruit is in good health, and it is an aspect that is related to the flavor of the pineapple.
3. What follows will be to check the maturity of the fruit by touch. For this you have to hold the pineapple firmly, feel it and notice if there is any part that is somewhat soft. Although you will also have to pay attention to the weight of the fruit. If the weight is quite low and added to that it has a soft part, it means that the fruit is not in optimal conditions.
4. One of the things that surely is easy to notice is the smell of a pineapple. This smell is citric with a touch of sweetness, but if this is an old smell, the fruit is not good to consume.
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