Most pineapples you find in a grocery store come fromtropical regions.
Gardeners in other zones can only grow indoor potted pineapple plants and move them outside for the summer.
With a bit of luck and the right growing conditions, your plant might flower and produce pineapple fruit.
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Next, put the stem end into well-draining garden soil or a container offresh potting soil.
Keep the garden soil or potting mix moist until roots form, which will take two or three months.
After the pineapple top is well-rooted, let the soil dry slightly between waterings.
Repot once roots or green leaves appear.
Pineapple plants can be tricky about flowering and fruiting.
The apple will produce ethylene gas, which encourages flowering.
Keep the plant out of direct sun and remove the bag after a week.
Pick the new fruit when the bottom half turns gold.
The original plant will die after fruiting.
Indoors, near a south-facing window, is a good choice.
Acactus and citrus potting mixis ideal.
Temperature and Humidity
The pineapple plant grows best in temperatures between 68F and 86F.
If youmove your indoor pineapple plant outsidefor the summer, gradually expose it to outdoor conditions first.
Then,bring potted pineapple plants insidewhen the temperatures drop below 60F.
Otherwise, a blanket or mulch may help protect outdoor plants, although they can still suffer damage.
These tropical fruits grow slowly below 60F.
The lowest temperature a pineapple plant can survive is 28F.
Aim forhumidity levelsaround 60% for optimal growth.
Plan torepot into a slightly larger containerwhen the plants roots fill the entire space.
A mature pineapple plant can reach 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide.
However, its likely to stay smaller as a potted plant.
Your pineapple plant can produce offshoots.
Once an offshoot reaches 12 inches, gently twist it off or cut it with a sterile blade.
Plant it in a shallow container with vermiculite.
Its ready for a pot when it reaches 4-6 inches tall.
If needed,apply an insecticidal soap, making sure to follow all label directions.
Gently wiggle your plant around in its pot to test for this.
Low iron can make pineapple plant leaves turn bright green or yellow.
Fix the problem with a foliar spray of iron.
Unlike some fruits, pineapples dont continue to ripen after they are picked.
The color of the pineapple is one indicator of ripeness.
If the fruit is green, it isnt ripe.
Wait until the bottom three-quarters of the fruit turns yellow.
Also, a ripe pineapple gives off a fabulous tropical aroma.
Pineapples are native to South America and the Caribbean, but they’re also grown in tropical Asia.
Costa Rica, Indonesia, and the Philippines grew the most pineapples in 2021.
