growing a pineapple top?

[Monie]

I have a couple pineapples and would like to try to grow the tops. Has anyone ever done this successfully? If so, do you have a tried-and-true method? I tried google, and it seems that everyone has different opinions on how to do it.

thanks!

[serenetabbie]

I took a class not long ago, and the guy who taught it was really into growing pineapples (and ginger, garlic and anything else he could get from the store). Here is what he said to do from his handout;

"Pull off the top of the pineapple, remove the bottom leaves. Stick it in some rooting media and wait 30 months."

He also said to use a 5 gallon bucket, and that it really will take about 2 or 3 years to get a harvestable fruit. Use an apple to help the plant set flower ("induce flowering by placing pieces of an apple on the rosette and adjacent leaf axils"). Once the flower s die, the original plant will die off. He said he takes it outside as long as it is warm and puts it in full sun.

I have not tried it yet, but he had a lot of pineapples with him and the photos are very impressive. HTH a little.

[Contrariety]

My dad tried this with a pineapple he brought home from Hawaii. It seemed to be going well, but then the pot fell off the porch...

Though I recall finding some really informative sites online. I think I just googled something like "grow pineapple."

Ta-da!

[Monie]

thanks!

[greeny]

My dad just sticks the top in water and it grows roots and he plants it in a pot with soil.

I've tried with zero success.

[ripcurlgirl26]

I grew one a few years ago. I got the top from the grocery store, when they do the pineapple samples. I was instructed to bury the entire bottom half of it (didn't pull off any leaves). I'm sure I watered it normally. It did grow, but it was slow. I want to say it took a year until it grew the tiniest pineapple I had ever seen that was eaten by a raccoon before I even picked it!

[Toolip]

I root them in water first, that way you get the satisfaction of watching the roots grow and you know it's alive!

I pull off the bottom leaves and stick 3 toothpicks into the sides (to keep it from falling in the glass) then just put it in a glass of water.

I have grown a few pineapples, they haven't gotten very big.

You do have to pollinate them but that comes later

Good luck, it's easy and fun! They grow on my windowsill with all my avocado pits!