How to grow Pineapple

Ananas comosus

Any soil that can support pineapple will do but it prefer more clay loam soils rich in humus.soils will become too acidic when planted too close so it is better to plant them individually in great distances to maintain good soil conditions.pine apples under mild climates of tropic will usually develop fruits 2 yrs from transplanting. Shoot from the base of fruit or the crown above the fruit are the planting materials.only few seeds can be seen in ripe fruits and.may take long time or laborious for gardeners.foliar fertilizers help significantly pineapple plants to complete its vegetative stage and flowering/fruiting developments.using magnifying glass inside the green house may provide controlled conditions needed by this epiphytes during winter months.In temperate zones, it is a big challenge for gardeners to grow pineapple plants succesfully as foliage plant and fruit bearing epiphyte.the secret lies in successful leaf growth with the use of fine sand as soil medium and foliar fertilizer as growth enhancer.once leaves are fully developed, application of flower inducer or foliar fertilizer for fruit setting is highly recommended.in the case of temperate climates, pineapple become a metamorphosed plant that can be considered as air plant( leaves are the center of growth activities and fruit setting).low temperature below 15C will cause development of few roots and this will cause the plant to rely on foliar fertilization.under cool temperate conditions, I think longer exposure to natural and artificial light will be needed to ensure continous growth of leaves that is needed for successful fruit setting.

Transplanting Pineapple

Pineapple or Pinya is an epiphytes.they can thrive in full sun with average temp. 20 degrees celcius but some varieties can tolerate partial shades under extreme heat of 35 degrees celcius.pineapple thrives well in porous soil, loam soil,clay loam soils.they need moderate watering during hot months and less watering during cool months or when fruits are ready for harvest.(dry conditions improve the sweetness of fruits infull sun and mild climate).if you want to grow pineapple in temperate zones, you need a green house to protect this plant from frost.under tropical conditions in higher altitudes 400 m above sea level, pine apple of hawaiian var. Produce large fruit with sweet juice and excellent sweet aroma!

Ensure that temperatures are mild (minimum night temperatures should be around 20°C / 68°F) and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Pineapple is a half hardy plant.

Harvesting Pineapple

Green fruits turn to yellow gradually under full sunlight and when temp . Is maintained at 23-27 degrees celcius.aroma coming from ripe fruits is obvious.In temperate zones, protecting this plant from frost damage will aid plant to.continue developing fruit the second year but the use of flower inducer will hasten fruiting within one year inside the green house with temp. 23 degrees celcius.

Seed Saving Pineapple

Suckers can be stored in shades at 20 degrees celcius with high humidity.

How long does Pineapple take to grow?

These estimates for how long Pineapple takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

Days to Germination How long does it take Pineapple to germinate?
63 days

Average 63 days | Min 48 days | Max 83 days (3)

Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out Pineapple?
+ days

Average days | Min days | Max days (0)

Days to Maturity How long until Pineapple is ready for harvest / bloom?
+ 365 days

Average 365 days | Min 21 days | Max 82 days (2)

Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow Pineapple?
= days

Pineapple Etymology

The botanical epithet is from the Latin comosus meaning “furnished with tufts of leaves or hairs”

Pineapple Folklore & Trivia

Fresh pineapple juice can be used as a meat marinade and tenderizer. In Philippines the matured leaves of this particular epyphyte is the raw material in making Pinya cloth that are used as a component of Fine Barong Tagalog and other artistic furnishing.2 Pineapple fruits once harvested will have longer shelter life at around 20C.Fruits that are ripened attached to plant has excellent sweetness and aroma compared to harvested fruits that are stored in cool ventilated store room.Pineapple grown organically must be kept at controlled watering before harvesting to ensure good fruit aroma.over watering before harvesting or within period of fruit development usually the primary reason of rancid or quite acidic taste of ripe fruit.

Other names for Pineapple

Pinapple,Pinya(Tagalog)

Footnotes

1 wgfoods.org

2 Wikipedia entry on pineapple


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