How to grow pineapple at home

Pineapple is a tropical fruit that practically does not grow in our temperate climate. However, it can be grown at home and even fruiting. You just need to know how to do it. Growing pineapple takes a lot of time and effort, but the result is worth it.

How to plant a pineapple

In order to properly grow a tropical fruit at home, you can use one or several methods at once:

• growing from the top of the fruit;
• reproduction with the help of young shoots;
• growing fruit from seeds.

How to choose pineapple

First and foremost, it is important to get a healthy and ripe fruit. The leaves of this fruit should be solid and dark green.If they already show signs of wilting and yellowing, then this fruit is not suitable for growing. In winter, all the fruits in the markets are usually slightly frozen, and it is almost impossible to grow another pineapple from such a pineapple.

Signs of pineapple, from which you can grow a new fruit:

1. Healthy tops. This indicates the ripeness of the fruit. You can check this and another way, simply by pulling out one piece of pineapple. From ripe fruit it will be easy to do. And if the tops are not torn off, it means that the fruit is not ripe.
2. The pineapple peel should be a uniform brown color. In no case can not buy a fruit with a green crust, since from such a fruit it will be impossible to grow anything. Also on the peel should not be stained. Before buying a pineapple, you can knock on it. If the sound is clear, then the fruit is fresh and ripe.
3. If the smell of pineapple is very sharp, then this fruit cannot be called fresh. On the contrary, a good ripe fruit smell should be barely noticeable.

Growing out of the top

The easiest way to grow a pineapple is to grow it from the top of another fruit. And if the pineapple is already bought, then it’s time to move on to fruit production:

1. You need to remove the top of the pineapple. To do this, grab all the leaves and gently turn to the side. Thus, as if it is a jar with a lid. This should be done carefully and then the stalk will easily come out.
2. If the pineapple is not ripe, then difficulties may arise. You have to cut the stem from the fruit with a kitchen knife.
3. Then from the base of the stem all the leaves are peeled off. Often at the base of the stem can be found roots. They will no longer grow, but in no case can they be cut off.
4. If the top of the pineapple was cut with pulp, it must be well dried. The top is left in a dark place for two weeks, previously sprinkled pulp with activated charcoal. Without this, the pulp will start to rot quickly.
5. Then the stem gently sinks 3-4 cm into the water. A cup or glass is best for this. The top of the pineapple can not be put in the sun, but hide in a dark place is also not necessary. It must be a moderately clarified place. Every two days you need to change the water in the cup. After 5–7 days, small roots will appear.
6. Many do not wait and immediately put the top in the ground. But in this case, it rarely gives roots, so it is better to first wait for their germination.
7. After the formation of roots, the stem must be planted in the soil.The tank should be large enough so that the plant does not have to be replanted often afterwards. A garden pot with a diameter of 30 cm and the same height is suitable.
8. In the pot you need to make holes for the flow of fluid. A drainage layer is placed on the bottom, not exceeding 3 cm. From above everything is covered with earth. Pineapple sits not deep, 3-4 cm.
9. The soil around the pineapple must be tamped. Then sprinkle with water and cover the plant with a plastic bottle cap. You should get a mini-greenhouse, which is then placed in a warm and well-lit place. Pineapple is not allowed in the sun.

After approximately 7 weeks, the plant will take root and release new leaves. If all this time the pineapple does not show signs of life, it means that the planting was unsuccessful. With the growth of new leaves will die old. Therefore, from time to time they need to be cut off. After a year, if necessary, the pineapple will need to be transplanted into a more spacious pot for the plant. In the ground you will need to add a special mixture, which is similar in composition to the soil for growing cacti.

Stagnant water must not be allowed, so the drainage system must be very good.In winter, pineapples do not usually grow, but in spring it continues to grow. If the plant does not develop further, it is possible that the soil is highly depleted and the plant needs feeding. For this, mineral fertilizers or bird droppings are used.

Breeding shoots

Pineapple can be easily grown from young shoots that the plant produces before it begins to bloom. They can be used only when they reach a size of at least 20 cm. Usually, the shoots are cut, but they can also be broken off. Place the slices with coal and leave them for 6-7 days in a cool room.

As soon as the sections on the shoots will heal, the plant can be rooted. For this, the soil is prepared as follows: turf soil is poured at the bottom of the pot, then a layer of leafy soil, a layer of humus and two layers of sand. The soil temperature should be around 25–26 ° C. Once the soil is ready, it can be planted shoots. Then the pot is covered with a film so that the cuttings are not touched.

For cuttings, good lighting, high humidity and heat are important. Every day it is necessary to monitor the condition of the plant and the soil, as well as to open the film for a few minutes. If the landing was successful, soon the first young leaves will appear.The first roots are formed in 1-2 months.

After that, the pineapple needs to be transplanted again. This will require a small pot. The soil should be exactly the same as when planting cuttings for the first time. Two thirds of the pot is filled with drainage, and the rest is filled with soil.

How to sow pineapple

This tropical fruit can be grown from seed. To do this, you must purchase a fresh fruit and carefully remove the seeds from its pulp. Their color should be either yellow or brown. Then they are thoroughly washed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried slightly. Pineapple seeds need to be planted shallowly, 1–2 cm is enough. Pot on top must be covered with glass.

A pot of pineapple seeds should be immediately put in a warm place. It must be ensured that the plant has enough light. Water it regularly. Also, several times a month, the plant requires good feeding. To do this, you can use the purchased mineral fertilizers or independently make a solution from bird droppings. Once the young leaves reach 5-6 cm, they can be transplanted into the ground.

Conditions of detention

Pineapple in no case can not be kept in the cold. At home, in the winter it is better not to leave it on the windowsill. It is better to pick it up in the room and do not put it near the heater. The more often the grown pineapple is in the fresh air, the faster it will grow. In addition, he always needs a lot of light, so every day for 5-6 hours the plant should be in a well-lit place. The normal temperature for the plant is 25 ° C.

Watering and feeding

When the pineapple is already grown, it does not need to be watered often, as the plant is quite tolerant of drought. During growth, it must be watered 1-2 times a week. Water must be at room temperature, but not colder and not hot. If the pineapple is in the open for a long time, from time to time all leaves should be sprayed with water. Then the plant will take moisture from them. It is important to ensure that the soil in the pot does not dry out much or rot. If mold has appeared on the ground and it smells unpleasant, it must be completely replaced with a new one.

Feeding is also pretty simple. The plant does not need a lot of fertilizer. Top dressing is required only during the growing season, and then only once a month. The easiest way to feed the plant through the leaves, simply sprinkling it with special compounds.But it should be ensured that the liquid does not fall on the young leaves. Otherwise it will hurt them.

Diseases and pests

If the care of pineapple is correct, then there will be practically no pest problems. Despite this, even in an apartment, the plant can be attacked by a mealybug or tick. Therefore, pineapple leaves from time to time need to be washed with water and treated with chemical means. This should be done according to the instructions.

Pineapple has another unpleasant disease that can completely destroy the plant. This is a fungus that provokes rotting of the core. The leaves of the infected pineapple fungus quickly turn black and fall away from the stem. It can be cured with a fungicide solution. The tool is poured directly into the plant. When the infection is destroyed, the pineapple will release a young sprout, and the old one will eventually be removed.

How to bloom and fruiting pineapple

To produce a new fruit, the plant takes about 25-26 months. If pineapple grows at home, then these terms may vary. Usually after 15-16 months, an inflorescence appears.It forms at the top and grows on the stalk, gradually moving away from the top.

After two months, the plant begins to bloom. It lasts about 10–14 days. Pineapple flowers are usually blue and bloom one after another in just one day. As soon as the last flower fades away, the development of the fruit begins. Full maturity occurs in 4-6 months.

Often, home-grown pineapple does not bloom. But it can be carefully stimulated to this, of course, if he has grown enough. Ethylene is used for this. You can get it as follows - 1 tsp. Calcium carbide is filled with 500 ml of water and left for a day in a closed container.

Then the liquid is drained separately so that the precipitate does not fall into it. It is with this solution that you need to water the pineapple to make it bloom. Once a day for 7 days, about 50 grams should be poured into the base of the leaves. ethylene. Then you need to wait until the flowers appear. If you do not want to use this method, you can do it differently. On top of the pineapple you need to put on a regular cellophane bag, putting in some slightly rotten apples. This can also stimulate pineapple for flowering and fruiting.

This usually occurs after 5–6 weeks.If the flowering has not begun, it means that either the pineapple is sick, or it is not yet ready to bear fruit. After the pineapple brings its fruit, it dies. But this does not happen immediately, usually pineapple "dies" within 2-3 years. Therefore, the plant has time to release a sufficient number of young shoots. With their help, you can continue to grow pineapples, especially since it can be done faster.

In order for the grown pineapple to give fruit, it is necessary to take care of it for a long time, not forgetting about watering and feeding. In general, this is an unpretentious plant, and if it is protected from sudden changes in temperature, it will please both beautiful flowers and tasty fruit.

Video: rooting and cultivation of pineapple at home