Last year I tried to plant a pineapple. Actually, I tried three times. Each time, I bought a nice, fresh, organic pineapple at Whole Foods and, after eating the fruit itself, I prepped the crown for planting. The first time, I left some of the fruit attached to the crown and the plant did not do so well. After finding this nifty guide online, I learned that I should have cleaned away any remaining bits of fruit before planting, as the way the fruit decomposes in the soil would is not conducive to growth. Scratch plant number one.
Following the directions from the same guide, I cut away the stem to expose the "root buds" on the crown. The website also recommended drying the crown for several days before planting. Seven days later, my crown was clearly dead and unfit for planting. Two strikes.
Undeterred, I trimmed a third crown, dried it for only one day (a warm day) and popped the top into some potting soil. I made sure it had light, tried to keep it warm (even in winter) and I didn't over-water it. And yet it looks exactly the same as it did a year ago: some of the leaves are a bit brown, others are still green and it clearly has not gotten any larger. I'm reasonably certain that it isn't dead, and yet I have real doubts as to whether it will ever progress beyond its current state.
Depressed about my pineapple prospects, I searched for a couple more resources and finally found someone in Southern California who has successfully grown pineapples! While this has renewed my hopes about growing my own, I am still wondering whether the project is worth it. How many times should you try before you give up on growing a plant?
Second Helping of Slashfood - June 19
Competitive-Eating Contest to Pit Humans Against Elephants
The Backyard Boom - The Hungry Bride
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-09-2006 @ 7:38AM
Myron said...
I love the idea, and the pictures from the guy in CA are inspiring. Keep going. I might try it myself, although I seem to have a special talent for killing plants.
I wonder what other produce can be grown at home. My mom used to sprout an advocado seed once in a while but I don't know what, if anything, they grew into.
Reply
5-09-2006 @ 7:52AM
Nicole Weston said...
Avocados eventually grow into trees, but I imagine that it must take quite some time from a seed. You also need two trees in close proximity to be able to actually grow fruit.
Now, if only I had more room!
Reply
5-09-2006 @ 9:23AM
Finished.Law.School said...
Keep trying and keep us updated with photos. It is the perfect excuse to keep eating pineapple. If you have kids it would be a perfect project for them as well...
Reply
5-09-2006 @ 10:08AM
Miker said...
Here in Florida, I literally find a spot under a tree and stick the top in the ground. I have 3-4 going right now. -- Don't over think it.. Just Keep trying..
Reply
5-09-2006 @ 10:26AM
Conor said...
It can be done. I know my dad did it to win a bet. Eventually it ended up pot bound and he got rid of it, being as how we live in rhode island and this isn't exactly the prime climate for pineapples, but if it can be done here then it can be done anywhere.
Reply
5-09-2006 @ 11:00AM
z said...
I wonder if they may be treated to enhance keeping properties and inhibit sprouting? I used to be able to sprout an avocado seed any time, now I can't get any to sprout. Ditto for sweet potatos. I can't get Jerusalem artichokes to sprout either, but I never tried "in the old days" so I don't know if that's changed.
Reply
5-09-2006 @ 3:42PM
prentissbo said...
You might try putting it in a cup of water to get the roots growing after drying the top for a day or two. I do this all the time and my wife calls me the pineapple farmer. I currently have around a dozen growing of various ages. It is well worth it if you can get a plant to fruit, but it took me 4 years before I had a successful fruit.
Reply
5-09-2006 @ 7:39PM
David said...
Here in the New Orleans suburbs, I've grown one pineapple to fruit in a large pot, and I have 2 more going right now. It took about 2 years from planting to fruit. Sun, Sun, and more Sun.
Grocery store gardening is fun-I've also got a 7 foot Starfruit (carambola) in the ground grown from seed out of grocery store-bought fruit, and a 4 foot Avocado. While the fruit taste will probably never match a grafted, named cultivar (many will not grow true from seed), it's still fun.
Be Patient and persistent.
Reply
5-11-2006 @ 10:43AM
Me said...
We did it just by putting a top in some soil, watered it once a week, and other than that, left it alone. We have produced 3 gorgeous, delicious pineapples with little effort. I think living in So Cal helped. We have several plants now off of that 1st top from 5 years ago. Coincidently, we just picked #3 yesterday and plan to serve it for mother's day. Don't over think it, keep it watered, and make sure it has plenty of room to grow by putting it in a big pot. Good luck and let us know how it's going.
Reply