Pineapples are one of the world's most unique as well as exotic tropical fruits although they can also be grown in temperate zones under extremely controlled conditions. You can grow a healthy, attractive pineapple plant in your home although it will not be as large as the main plaints look like. In order to grow a pineapple plant you will have to follow several guidelines which will include:
Planting a pineapple
Material supplied from the plant itself is what is used to grow the pineapple. You can use the crown of the pineapple which is the leafy top part of the fruit and later and then after planting this it will produce another planting material.
Preparing a crown
The crown of the pineapple should be removed either by cutting it off or by twisting. All the adhering flesh should also be trimmed off its base so that it does not rot after planting. After you have trimmed it you should cut the bottom of the crown which is its stem until you can see the root buds which are small round structures visible around the perimeter of the stem base. You are supposed to remove as little tissue as possible in order to avoid cutting into young stem tissue. After trimming and stripping you should place the crown upside down in a dry shaded place for up to seven days before planting. This permits the cut end as well as the leaf scars to heal and prevent rot.
Planting
The soil you use when planting pineapples should have good light and have a mixture of up to 30 percent well composted organic matter. Commercial potting soil will work well and will assure a disease free potting medium. An 8 inch red clay pot is a good place to start off your pineapple and you can later transplant it to a 12 inch pot when it has outgrown the first one. You should ensure that there is good drainage and this is because pineapples do not like "wet feet". You should avoid soil getting into the central leaves of the crown and add nutrients that can be purchased at a gardening store which will include hydroponic fertilizer which is a soluble mix that contains all of the essential plant nutrients and follow directions for shrubs.
Feeding
You should fertilize at planting and every two or three months thereafter with a good household plant food. If you use a solid plant food you should scatter it on the surface of the soil and wash it in by watering. You can also use a liquid foliar spray fertilizer.
Watering
The pineapple should be watered once in a week especially for the indoor plants as they don't get to have rainfall.
Light and Temperature
Freezing temperatures are not good with pineapple plants. During the cold months you can keep the plant in the house and during the summer you are only allowed to take the plant out when the danger of frost has passed. You should bring it in early during the fall and place it near a window or sliding door for maximum sunlight and move it away from the window to prevent it from freezing.
Pests and diseases
There are many pests and diseases that are can affect the pineapple plant and in order to avoid these you should wash the plant with soapy water and rinsing with clean water or spray with an insecticide.
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