How To Plant A Pineapple Top

Next time you're shopping for a houseplant, stop by the produce section at the grocery store and pick up a pineapple. Yes, you read that correctly. Once you have a pineapple, you can grow another one from the top. After chopping up the edible flesh, don't toss the remnants away. Recycle the pineapple's top by planting it to regrow it into a houseplant that will produce fruit. This easy indoor gardening method is a fun project for the whole family to take part in. Follow these steps to plant and grow a pineapple top.

Plant Attributes

Common Name	Pineapple
Botanical Name	Ananas comosus
Family	Bromeliaceae
Plant Type	Fruit
Mature Size	2-4 ft. tall, 3-5 ft. wide
Sun Exposure	Full sun
Soil Type	Loamy, sandy, well-drained
Soil pH	Acid
Bloom Time	18-24 months after planting
Flower Color	Red, purple
Hardiness Zones	10-12 (USDA)
Native Area	South America

Pineapple Care

The pineapple plant is native to South America. This member of the bromeliad family prefers to grow in soil, unlike the bromeliads we know as "air plants." The pineapple plant has long, stiff, swordlike leaves that eventually spread 3 to 6 feet wide and high. Pineapples can be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 10-12, but most people grow them as houseplants for at least part of the year. Give the plant plenty of space to grow in bright light and you'll have a ripened pineapple in 18 to 32 months. Follow the steps below for cultivating this tropical houseplant at home.

Light

Pineapples need six to eight hours of bright light each day to grow and produce flowers. Indoors, place your pineapple houseplant in a sunny window. If your space doesn’t get enough light, an artificial grow light can be used. Outdoors, give a pineapple plant a lot of morning sun.

Soil

Pineapples do not like to sit in water, and they prefer acidic soil. Plant in a mixture of potting soil, sand, and perlite.

Water

Be careful not to overwater a pineapple plant as it can cause root rot. Water weekly when the soil surface is slightly damp or dry. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings and make sure to plant in well-draining soil.

Temperature and Humidity

Pineapples are tropical plants that like warm temperatures. Outdoors, they cannot tolerate freezing temperatures. Keep them in a spot that stays above 50ºF, preferably 65ºF to 85ºF. If your home is dry, mist the plant occasionally.

Fertilizer

Fertilize a pineapple plant monthly during summer with a water-soluble fertilizer.

How to Plant a Pineapple Stem

Try one of two common planting techniques. The first method is to submerge a dried pineapple stem in a cup of water before planting.

1. First, prep your pineapple. Twist off the leafy top, and strip off some of the lower leaves so a few inches of the stem are exposed. The root buds around the edge of the stem should be visible.
2. Set the pineapple stem aside for several days to allow the cut end to dry out before planting (which will help prevent rot).
3. Place the stem in a cup in bright, indirect sunlight for about three weeks while the roots begin to grow. Be sure to change the water every couple of days.
4. When the roots have grown 2 or 3 inches long, it's time to transplant the pineapple stem.
5. Choose a container with good drainage and fill it with a mixture of potting soil, sand, and perlite.
6. Plant the stem so that the lowest leaves are just above the soil. Pack the soil tightly around the stem to keep it standing upright.
7. Place the pot in bright, indirect light, choosing a humid spot, if possible, to mimic the plant's native tropical environment.
8. Water when the soil begins to dry, and feed the plant a water-soluble fertilizer once a month in spring and summer.

How to Plant a Pineapple Crown

Another method is to skip the soaking step and directly plant a dried pineapple crown into a container.

1. First, slice the top of the pineapple just below the crown.
2. Allow the pineapple top to dry for several days.
3. Plant it in the same soil mixture mentioned above, burying the crown up to the base of the leaves.
4. Water thoroughly, then move the pot to bright indirect light.
5. About two or three weeks after planting, new leaves will begin to emerge from the middle of the pineapple crown.

Pruning

Pineapple plants don’t need much pruning, but it can keep them healthy. Indoor plants can be pruned any time of year. Outdoor plants should be pruned in spring. Cut off any dead or damaged leaves and brown tips.

Propagating Pineapple

Pineapple plants bloom only once. After the fruit has been harvested from a pineapple plant, the mother plant begins to die off. It sometimes produces pups or ratoons, baby plants that form around the base or under the soil. These pups can be planted into another pot as stated above to grow a new pineapple plant.

Repotting

Pineapple plants typically don’t need to be repotted, but do so if your plant is outgrowing its container. Once the pineapple plant is established, it can be repotted into a 5-gallon container if needed.

When to Grow Pineapple Outdoors

Like many houseplants, pineapples can be moved into filtered shade outdoors during late spring and summer to soak up warm rains and humidity. Don't overwater these shallow-rooted plants, though, as they are vulnerable to root rot. Check the soil for dryness before using the watering can. Temperatures under 60 degrees Fahrenheit will slow the plant's growth, but damage doesn't occur until temps drop below freezing.

Overwintering

At the end of the summer season, bring your pineapple plant back indoors so it won't be harmed by frost, once temperatures begin to cool in autumn. To reacclimate the plant to indoor conditions, gradually give it more shade before bringing it inside for winter. Keep the soil barely moist during winter.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Scale and mealybugs are common pests that invade pineapple plants. Wipe them off the plant’s leaves and treat them with neem oil until the pests are gone.

If you notice yellowing leaves or blackening at the base, the plant may have root rot caused by too much water. Remove the plant from its container, cut off any dead roots, and plant in fresh soil.

Harvesting Your Pineapple

Pineapple plants produce just one fruit. Be patient—it could take one and a half or two years for the plant to start blooming and another month or two for the fruit to start growing. But when you see a tiny pineapple start emerging from the leaves, you'll know it was worth the wait. Once the fruit turns golden brown and begins to smell ripe, remove your pineapple with a sharp knife.

After the pineapple is harvested, some plants produce pups. For a second crop, remove all but one large ratoon (the term for a pup that has emerged from under the soil). The ratoon will develop into a mature plant and grow a new pineapple.