Today we will grow pineapple. Real tropical pineapple at home. To do this, we need directly the pineapple itself and a pot of earth. Only and everything. If you have these ingredients, and patience in addition to them, everything should work out. From us - advice and step-by-step instructions, from you - actions and faith in success.

A little about pineapple

Pineapple is a tropical herbaceous plant, the fruits of which are famous for their juiciness, unique sweet and sour taste and aroma. Pineapple grows mainly in the tropics, the leaders in its production are the United States, Latin America, Thailand and the Philippines.

Contrary to popular belief, pineapples do not grow on palm trees at all. This fruit develops directly on the ground from inflorescences on densely growing grassy shoots. Today it is popular all over the world, but before the voyages of Columbus in the Old World, it was never heard of. Having tasted an outlandish fruit, the Europeans soon began to make attempts to grow it at home in greenhouse conditions. This tradition has come down to us, so we are not the first to try to grow a pineapple in a pot: gardeners have been doing this for more than half a century. The passion for growing pineapples came to Russia a little later. But already in the 19th century, the presence of a pineapple greenhouse in a noble estate was considered a sign of special prestige.

Interesting: the word "pineapple" in the Indian dialect means "the smell of smells."

Preparing for landing

Necessary materials

We will need:

• a pineapple;
• flower pot small size (0.5 l);
• soil mixture;
• covering material.

When choosing a pot, keep in mind that its diameter is not less than the pineapple cut at the tuft (from 15 cm). Water drainage is required.

The quality of the soil mixture largely determines whether the plant will take root. For a plant, a mixture of river sand and peat in a ratio of 1: 1 is suitable. Perfect option- a mixture for growing tropical (bromeliad) crops, which can be purchased at specialized summer / flower shops.

To create a warm, gentle microclimate for the first couple of months, provide the plant with an improvised greenhouse-cap made of polyethylene, glass or cut plastic bottle.

Fruit selection

One of the most important conditions for the success of an enterprise is the choice of the right pineapple. Correct, it means that it is ripe enough, but not overripe and fresh. The maturity and freshness of the fruit can be judged by the golden yellow color of the peel. Make sure that the fruit is elastic, but not hard, soft, but not loose. The ripened fruit is slightly crushed when pressed. Equally important is the condition and appearance of the foliage. It should not be dry or frostbitten, the presence of gray spots is also unacceptable. The optimal season for buying pineapple for cultivation is the end of summer or the beginning of autumn. It is from the green tuft crowning the pineapple that we will grow a new fruit, so the leaves must be flawless: firm and rich green.

Step-by-step instructions for growing pineapple at home

The preliminary stage of planting is the preparation of the top of the pineapple. This is done in one of the proposed ways.

This is interesting: pineapple leaves have such strong fibers that they are used as a spinning crop. From the leaves of the plant, a light, translucent, but at the same time durable fabric called "payna" is obtained.

In a number of sources, it is recommended to dry the plant in an upright position for 2-3 weeks. To do this, it is hung on a rope crown down. It is understood that after prolonged drying, the plant takes root better.

Drying the top of a pineapple takes anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.

However, other craftsmen advise immediately placing the pineapple stalk in water for preliminary germination. Do not use for this purpose plastic utensils. Place the prepared tuft in a glass of water at room temperature so that the water covers the exposed stem. Keep seedlings in a well-lit, warm place, protected from drafts and temperature changes. Change the water every 2-3 days.

Stages of germination and planting pineapple

After about three weeks, the tuft will acquire confident roots and will be ready for transplanting into the ground. During this time, the crown of the plant will be enriched with new leaves.

Video: top preparation and germination

Pour a layer of drainage and soil into the pot

The appearance of new leaves will tell you that the plant has taken root.

Video: planting and growing

Cultivation and care

Pineapple is not capricious and unpretentious. It does not require special care, frequent watering and permanent fertilizer. However, there are a number of conditions that should not be neglected.

Air temperature

The optimum temperature for growing pineapple is 22–25°C. Pineapple loves warmth and light. V winter time support required temperature using heaters or lamps. If the plant lives on the windowsill, carefully protect it from drafts and frostbite.

soil moisture

Remember that pineapple in nature is accustomed to a tropical climate, which means that it can tolerate heat. He has to go without water for several months. Therefore, the main mistake you can make is to overdo it with abundant watering. Best advice: watch your plant, feel it. It is enough to water the pineapple a couple of times a week, and even less often in winter. If your plant needs more moisture, drying leaves will tell you. Then you will need to water more often or plentifully. But excess moisture can lead to decay and death.

Important! Remember a simple rule: you should only water the pot when the soil in it is completely dry.

fertilizers

Pineapple does not need additional fertilizers. However, if you want to definitely feed your pet, you can do this with organic or complex flower fertilizers. At the same time, avoid the use of alkaline substances that are harmful to pineapple.

Transfer

Plant the growing pineapple in a timely manner into a new, larger pot. This must be done at least once a year. Try to gradually increase the volume of the pot, do not transplant the plant into too large a container.

home grown pineapple

Bloom

Pineapple blooms in the third year of life. In this case, the apical rosette grows, and root buds appear. A densely overgrown crown will give good fruiting. At the end of flowering, you need to get rid of old and dry leaves. Now you have every chance to grow a real pineapple and enjoy the fruits of your labor. After the fruit is removed, the plant gradually dies. But even during the flowering period, you can separate the root buds from it and transplant into the ground. From them, the plant will develop much faster than from the cut top.

Lovers of home floriculture have gained experience in growing pineapple in room conditions. At right approach it turns out a fruit that does not differ in taste from its counterpart grown in the tropics. It is important to choose well planting material and create for the plant favorable conditions similar to natural ones.

Selection of planting material

The right choice of fetus is the first important condition to grow pineapple at home. Main criteria:

• leaves have a rich green color and a rigid structure;
• the peel is golden yellow (the presence of gray spots is unacceptable);
• pleasant sweet smell;
• the fruit is moderately elastic (too hard or excessively friable - a characteristic of poor quality pineapples);
• summer - the beginning of autumn - the optimal time to purchase planting material (in winter, there is a high probability of freezing of the fetus).

Preparing to plant the top

Most affordable way growing an exotic plant - plant a pineapple from the top. It is also called a rosette or a crown. The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Grasp the rosette of leaves with your hand and gently unscrew it. Together with the leaves, the stem should separate (this is a small cone-shaped shortened structure).
2. In an immature fetus, the crown does not separate well. In this case, it is cut with a knife directed at an angle of 45 °. It is impossible to make a horizontal cut so as not to damage the stem.
3. The future root system of the pineapple grows from the stem. It must be thoroughly cleaned of the remnants of the pulp to prevent the process of decay.
4. Cut off the top along with the leaves, stepping back from the tuft 3 cm. Carefully remove the lower leaves so as not to damage the buds.
5. Pre-sprout the cutting, place it in a container with settled water at room temperature to a depth of 3-4 cm.
6. Place the container with the handle in a warm, bright place with a constant air temperature. Change water every 2-3 days.
7. The first roots appear after about 3 weeks, after which the outlet can be planted.

Soil mix and capacity

For the first planting of the cutting, an ordinary low flower pot with a diameter of 30–35 cm is suitable, because the root system of the pineapple is formed in top layer soil. At the bottom there must be a hole for draining water. For future transplants, it is important to choose low flowerpots with large diameter. To grow pineapple at home, you will need loose nutrient soil, which can be purchased at a flower shop (Universal is suitable) or prepared independently. Soil Mix Options:

• peat and river sand (1:1);
• soddy soil, leafy, peat, birch sawdust, coarse sand (3:2:2:2:1);
• leaf humus, soddy soil, sand, peat (2:1:1:1).

Landing

Correct fit- the key to the successful development of the plant. Action algorithm:

1. 2 days before planting, treat the soil with boiling water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
2. At the bottom of the flowerpot, pour a layer of expanded clay (pebbles, perlite, crushed granite). The thickness of the drainage layer is 2–3 cm.
3. Fill the container with prepared soil.
4. In the middle of the pot, make a hole about 3 cm deep, place a rooted cutting in it, fill it with soil to the level of the leaves.
5. Compact the soil.
6. Water the plant large quantity warm water.
7. Put the flowerpot in a warm place with plenty of light (the plant should not be exposed to direct sunlight).
8. In cold weather, cover the seedling with a transparent cap. With the appearance of the first leaves, the protective device can be removed.
9. A pineapple seedling takes root for 1.5–2 months at a temperature of 25–27 °C.

Care rules

Pineapple growing at home requires special care. It is important for the plant to create favorable conditions:

Flowering and fruiting

At proper care indoor pineapple blooms in 3-4 years. The process of the appearance of flowers can be stimulated. For this purpose, use:

• Dissolve 1 teaspoon of calcium carbide in 500 ml of water, let it brew for a day. Drain the clear liquid (the sediment and impurities are unusable). 7 days in the middle of the outlet pour 50 ml of solution. Flowering will come in 1-1.5 months.
• Cover the pot with the plant with a plastic cap, put smoking coals next to it. The procedure is carried out until the moment when they stop smoking. It is necessary to perform stimulation 2-3 times with a week break. Pineapple will bloom in 2-2.5 months.
• Place the flowerpot in a plastic bag, put 3-4 apples or tomatoes there. Change them periodically.

The harvest ripens 6–7 months after flowering. A sweet smell indicates the ripeness of the fruit. Their weight is 0.3–1.5 kg. During fruiting, plants can only be used to feed organic fertilizers. After fruiting, the plant forms new shoots for 2–3 years, after which it dies. "Children" are used as planting material.

Pests and diseases

Pineapple grown at home is not immune from diseases and pests. Problems can arise if the rules of care are not followed. Some signs to look out for:

Video

– it's amazing tropical plant native to the tropics of South America. In European countries, they began to grow it in greenhouses, creating the necessary conditions climate.

But with a little effort, growing pineapple can be done even at home. And after a while it interesting plant will surprise us with his appearance and fruits.

Pineapple: plant description

– it is a herbaceous plant, in the center of which a stem sprouts. In the center of the stem, at the top, there is an inflorescence, which, after fertilization, turns into a seed.

Outwardly, it can be seen that the individual parts of the berries of the infructescence grow together into one fruit - pineapple. The stem is surrounded by a rosette - fleshy and thick leaves.

The pineapple fruit has an oval, cylindrical shape, consists of separate numerous small parts, fused together. A rosette of leaves forms at the top.

The dense scaly shell of a mature fruit has a dark green, yellow, brown or even reddish tint. Inside the fruit is a bright yellow flesh. It has a pleasant taste and good aroma. Ripe pineapple fruits reach a weight of 4-5 kg.

What conditions does a pineapple need for successful growth?

Pineapple, when grown at home, is very demanding on the conditions that will be created for its successful ripening. Since it is a tropical plant, it is extremely important to maintain proper lighting, air temperature and humidity.

Lighting

Pineapple needs at least 6 hours a day, regardless of the time of year, to be in a well-lit place. V summer period the plant can be taken out on a balcony or in a garden, in a moderately lit place. In the cold season, the pineapple should be kept on the south side to evenly receive sunlight.

The plant should not be rotated, as this can slow down growth, one-sided lighting is enough for it. If the season and weather conditions do not allow for a hit sun rays, then the pineapple can be highlighted with additional lighting - fluorescent lamps. Just keep in mind that when using lamps, pineapple should receive lighting for at least 8 hours a day.

Temperature and humidity

Pineapple is very afraid of the cold. If in the summer it is quite satisfied with the temperature environment, then in the winter it is worth considering ways to keep warm in the room and the soil of the plant. It should not be kept on a cold floor or windowsill, in winter it is best to keep the soil temperature at 18 - 21 ° C, the maximum temperature for the winter period is 27 ° C.

The plant should not be kept near batteries and heaters; it is also worth considering the absence of drafts. To maintain humidity, use a pot with wet drainage. You can spray water around the plant, do not spray the leaves, as water can accumulate inside the outlet and cause them to rot. They should be wiped from dust with a damp cloth.

How to plant a pineapple

Before planting a pineapple at home, you should first acquire a ripe, fresh and healthy fruit.

A good pineapple fruit should:

1. Have a light sweet aroma.
2. Have no external damage, the color should be uniform, golden brown.
3. The pineapple should feel firm to the touch. If the fruit is soft, then it means that it is overripe. If the fruit is hard, then, on the contrary, it is unripe.
4. The leaves at the top should be fresh, green with slightly dried edges - this is an important sign of fruit maturity. If there's gray spots, then this means that the leaves are damaged by worms, and the use of such a fruit should be discarded.

By observing the following rules, we will be able to grow a good pineapple at home, which will delight us with its unusual appearance and will bear fruit in the future.

Separation of tufts from the fetus

Separating a crown of leaves from a pineapple can be quite simple. You need to grab all the leaves with your hand and turn it very carefully, as if unscrewing the cap of a bottle. If everything went right, you should have a crown of leaves in your hand with a small stem at the bottom.

If you are worried that you may not be able to do everything neatly, you should use a knife. With a knife, you need to cut off the top crown of the pineapple and cut out all the flesh to prevent rotting.

Preparing the crown for root germination

It is necessary to remove a few lower leaves with a knife to expose the trunk, from which we will grow roots. After trimming the leaves and cleaning the trunk, leave our future pineapple to dry for a couple of days to prevent the scars and leaves from rotting after pruning.

Then the dried crown must be placed in a transparent bowl with water so that it covers the bare trunk of our plant. Water should be at room temperature. Place the dishes in a bright place, on the windowsill. You need to carefully monitor the water level, periodically changing the water. If done correctly, the pineapple will take root in 3 to 4 weeks.

Planting pineapple in the ground

After the roots have grown 3-4 cm, the pineapple can be planted in the ground. For the initial planting, it is better to use a small pot with a hole for drainage of water, suitable in size to our crown. A 3-centimeter layer of drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot; expanded clay can be used.

You need to fill the pot with loose, nutritious soil. After backfilling the earth, it is recommended to pour into the soil hot water. After that, you can plant our plant. You need to plant 5-6 cm deep, after planting it is good to water the pineapple with warm water. You need to put the plant in a bright and warm place. Pineapple takes root for 2-3 months.

Important!An important sign that the pineapple has taken root is the appearance of new leaves.

In the future, the first leaves will wither and die, but new green shoots will begin to grow in their place. Old leaves should be carefully cut and cleaned. A grown pineapple should be watered once a week with warm water. After a year of growth, the pineapple is replanted into a larger pot.

You still need to place a drainage layer on the bottom, this time you can use gravel. The soil should be used from a mixture of two parts of peat, one part of river sand and three parts of natural soil. V winter period pineapple growth slows down, but you should not worry: with the onset of a warm period, it will begin to develop profusely, only for this you will need to feed the soil.

Did you know?If possible, during the primary and secondary planting of pineapple, it can be placed under a plastic cap for 2-3 weeks to create tropical climate conditions and better plant survival.

Pineapple Care Rules

Watching how our pineapple grows at home, we see that pineapple is a very heat-loving plant. It needs to be watered, but stagnant water should be prevented. It also needs periodic top dressing of the soil.

Do I need to water my pineapple?

The soil in the pineapple pot should not dry out, but the water should not stagnate either. So mature plant need to be watered abundantly once a week with warm water.

If the plant is on outdoors, then its leaves should be sprayed: they will absorb moisture, and the rest will evaporate. During the period of active growth, watering the pineapple can be changed: water twice a week, but reduce the amount of water poured. It is best when the water completely passes through the drain and flows out.

If there is a swamp smell in the pot or mold appears on the soil, then it must be replaced as soon as possible, otherwise the plant may die.

Important! root system pineapple is very small, so a 3-4-liter pot is enough for an adult plant.

Feeding an exotic plant

During the growing season, pineapple should be fed twice a month. good fertilizer regular cow dung will come out. You can also make a complex mineral fertilizers, which are sold in garden stores, but the dosage should be halved compared to other plants.

It is also necessary to spray the plant once a month with a 0.01% solution of ferrous sulfate. Alkaline fertilizers, lime and wood ash are contraindicated for pineapple.

Secrets of successful pineapple flowering

In the natural environment, it takes 26 months for a pineapple to flower. At home, the timing of flowering can vary in different directions. When 16 months pass, and the height of the plant is more than 20 cm, you can count on the beginning of flowering. Pineapple blooms according to the following description.

At the top of the trunk, a bud begins to form, it gradually rises up on the stem growing from the trunk. After a couple of months, flowering begins and lasts literally two weeks. The flowers are bright blue. One flower opens for just one day. After flowering, the last flower begins the period of fruit development.

The ripening period ranges from 3 to 7 months, it all depends on the growing conditions and the pineapple variety.

It may happen that the pineapple has reached the desired age and developed normally, but flowering does not occur; in this case, the beginning of flowering can be stimulated. Works well for this task. water solution ethylene.

To prepare it, you need to take 1-2 teaspoons of calcium carbide and pour 0.5 liters of water. Keep this solution in a closed vessel, then pour, filtering from the sediment. This solution should be applied 50-55 ml per week to the upper part of the leaves of the plant. After such stimulation, the pineapple should give a bud in 4-6 weeks. If this did not happen, it means that he has not yet matured or is sick.

Did you know?Pineapple is a herbaceous plant, so after fruiting it will die. But it will leave behind several side shoots that can be used for further cultivation.

How to deal with pests and diseases of pineapple

Growing pineapple as a houseplant, we must be prepared for the fact that pests can attack it, like other plants. Also, if the rules for caring for pineapple are not fully observed, the plant may experience certain problems.

If the leaves begin to dry out, this means that the plant is in a very hot or sunny place. It needs to be sprayed with water and rearranged in a cooler place. If the leaves begin to turn pale and curl up, the plant should be put in a brighter place.

If the stem of the plant rots, it is worth moderating watering and stopping it until the plant returns to normal.

Pineapple can be attacked by such pests:

• . It affects the leaves of the plant, it can be removed with a cotton swab dipped in ethyl alcohol. Also, the plant should be treated with an insecticide, which can be bought at garden stores.
• mealy worm. Covers the leaves with a continuous film. You can remove it by washing the leaves with soapy water, then treat with Karbofos emulsion.
• root worm. It affects the root system. If it is found, it is worth stopping watering and treating the soil with insecticidal preparations.
• spider mite. It forms a thin cobweb on the leaves, it must be removed with soapy water, moistened with soft water and treated with a light insecticide.
• orchid aphid. small insect which lives on upper leaves plants and feed on its sap. Having found aphids, the plant must be treated with Actellik.
• Honeydew. This is a sticky coating formed as a result of insect secretions. If it is found, the leaves should be washed with soapy water.
• Fungal diseases. Fungi are formed due to the application of fertilizers containing nitrogen. If they occur, the plant must be treated with a fungicide.

How to propagate pineapple

You can propagate pineapple with the help of daughter shoots, which are formed after the pineapple bears fruit. On average, up to five shoots are obtained from one plant. Child shoots should be separated from the main part with a knife. They should reach a height of 15-20 cm and have their own roots.

177 times already
helped

Pineapples, which first came to Europe in the 16th century, quickly fell in love with the local nobility. Travel in that era was extremely expensive and lengthy, so plants from the Brazilian highlands began to be grown in greenhouses and conservatories. Not far behind the European powers and Russia. Here, for more than a century, outlandish "cones" have grown almost on an industrial scale in St. Petersburg and even further north, on Solovki. But the steamboats that appeared in the 19th century changed the situation, and juicy fruits were imported from South America.

This is happening today, but still, interest in growing pineapples at home does not weaken. Despite the overseas disposition, the plant turned out to be rather picky, and a viable and fruitful bush can be obtained even from a tuft cut from a fresh fruit.

In nature, the culture grows up to 60–80 cm and consists of a small stem, studded with sharp long leaves, a fibrous root and seedlings, which form at the top of the main shoot that lengthens after flowering. It is thanks to this seed, which hides the juicy pulp under the keratinized skin, the plant has become one of the most valuable crops not only on the South American continent, but also in Africa and Southeast Asia.

In a warm tropical climate, a rosette of pineapple leaves can reach a diameter of two meters. In an apartment, it will not be possible to achieve a plant of this size, but after 2-4 years, with due attention and care, an edible fragrant fruit will grow on a pineapple at home. And although you will have to be patient to achieve success, the unusual development of the plant is worth the effort and time spent.

To grow a pineapple, you can use seeds or cuttings that form on the stem of an adult plant. But the easiest way to grow a pineapple at home is from the top, cut from a ripe fresh fruit.

How to grow pineapple from seeds at home

The most difficult and time-consuming method is considered to be propagation by seeds. Firstly, seedlings can only be obtained from purchased seeds. In the fruits sold in supermarkets, seeds either do not exist at all, or only their whitish immature rudiments can be found.

A germinating pineapple seed has a somewhat flattened semicircular shape, reaches a length of 3–4 mm and is colored with a brown or reddish tint of brown.

Before planting, the seeds are placed for 18–24 hours between layers of a damp cloth and, covered, put in a warm place. Then, when they swell a little, they are planted in a wet mixture of cleaned and sand. So that small seeds can easily sprout, they are deepened by no more than 1–2 cm.

The containers must be covered with a film or glass and put in heat. It is from the temperature provided to the seeds that their germination and the timing of the appearance of the first sprouts will depend:

• With normal room temperature germination can take from 3-4 weeks to one and a half months.
• If, however, the seeds are kept at a temperature of about 30–32 ° C, sprouts can be seen in 2–3 weeks.

It is important to support not only temperature regime, but also moisten the soil in time, and also do not forget about feeding the seedlings. To do this, with an interval of 15–20 days, crops are fertilized with complex compositions, including the main nutrients and trace elements.

When several leaves appear on young rosettes, they swoop down, transferring them together with a small lump of earthlings to the ground for adult plants. Such soil can be made independently by mixing peat, humus, garden soil and sand. To give structure and a kind of protection against infections, crushed charcoal is added to the soil up to 5% by volume. And part of the sand can be replaced with perlite.

How to grow a pineapple from the top at home

If you can not always and not everywhere find seeds of an exotic culture, then growing a pineapple at home from the top of a fruit bought in a store is quite possible even without special knowledge. True, it is worth approaching the choice of delicacy, which is destined to give planting material, with full responsibility. The pineapple should be fresh, with a green, springy rosette of foliage, with no signs of spoilage, cold damage, or wilting. On examination, you need to pay attention to the growth point of the outlet, if it is rotten, dried up or simply absent, it will be extremely difficult to get a new plant.

At home, when growing pineapple, the upper part is cut off with a sharp, clean knife, capturing not only a leafy rosette, but also a section of the fruit three centimeters lower. If the pineapple is fully ripe, you can carefully unscrew the socket, holding the tuft tightly with one hand and the stem with the other.

When the future planting material is received, all remnants of juicy pulp, which can become a source of rot, are carefully removed from the outlet. The short lower leaves are removed to obtain a cylindrical stalk up to 3 centimeters long.

Sections must be treated with a saturated solution of potassium permanganate, crushed charcoal, or, which will speed up the appearance of roots, with a solution of epin.

To protect the cutting from rotting, it is advised to leave the pineapple for drying for a day or two before rooting. And it is better to hang the outlet so that it does not come into contact with any surfaces. A video on how to grow pineapple at home will reveal all the intricacies of the process and clearly show all its stages.

Rooting is carried out by immersing the part of the cutting cleared of foliage in water. To hold at the desired level, you can use a cardboard circle or toothpicks, as shown in the photo.

When the first roots appeared on the pineapple, the outlet can be planted in the ground, and buried young plant above the lower tier of leaves is not worth it. The substrate around the seedling carefully, trying not to damage the numerical roots a little, is crushed and compacted.

Further cultivation of pineapple at home takes place under a film at a temperature not lower than 20–22 ° C. If it is possible to achieve warming of the air and soil to 25 ° C, in about a month new bright leaves will appear in the center of the outlet.

While acclimatization and rooting of the pineapple plant is in progress, it is important:

• protect against drops of condensate falling on the outlet, which causes the development of mold and rotting of foliage;
• regularly moisten the soil;
• ventilate the plantings, preventing the plants from cooling.

A pot with a pineapple plant is exposed to a lighted place where the outlet will not be threatened by the direct rays of the sun.

Reproduction of pineapple by basal cuttings

If there is already an adult pineapple plant in the house, it can be propagated using the daughter processes formed in the lower part of the stem or under the seedlings, which are easy to break and root. As planting material, you can use cuttings that have already given several rows of leaves and have reached a length of 15–20 cm.

Like the rosette from the top of a pineapple, the stalk can be unscrewed or carefully cut with a sharp blade. The place of the cut should be sprinkled with coal chips, and then they act with the handle by analogy with growing pineapple from the top at home.

If the rosette already has the beginnings of roots, it can be immediately planted in light soil from a mixture of peat, perlite and a ready-made substrate for indoor plants.

How to care for pineapple at home?

Caring for homemade pineapple is to provide all the conditions for the growth and development of the plant.

• For pineapple, it is important to select and maintain loose nutrient soil.
• Create acceptable lighting, temperature and humidity conditions.
• Pineapple needs well-organized watering and feeding.

When planting a pineapple and caring for it at home, you need to remember that the plant does not have a very powerful surface-type root system:

• The soil must be permeable to both moisture and oxygen.
• The pot must provide a decent layer of drainage.
• The container itself should not be deep, but pineapple treats wide pots very well.

It is best to grow a light-loving southern pineapple at home on the southern, western or eastern windows. At the same time, in summer time when the sun is hottest, it is better to shade pineapples on the south side, but in winter, plants need lighting that extends daylight hours by 6–8 hours.

In a healthy specimen, young foliage has a bright green tint. And the leaves from the lower rows are not dry and withered, but gray, tight and juicy. With a sufficient level of light, the rosette is formed symmetrically.

The lower air temperature limit for pineapple at home is 18 ° C. in such air the plant falls into "hibernation". And for active development, the air must be warmer. In spring and summer, the optimum temperature can be between 22 and 30 °C.

Home pineapple care includes regular, infrequent, but plentiful watering, for which warm, ambient temperature, settled water is taken.

On hot days, the plants are irrigated, but wet foliage on cold days inevitably causes disease and wilting. The same effect should be expected if the pineapple gets cold air from an open window, or there is a drying effect of a hot battery.

From mid-spring, when active vegetation begins, and until October, pineapples are fed at home in the scope of care. The schedule is organized depending on the condition of the plant, but more often organic matter and mineral fertilizers are applied once every 1-2 weeks.

In winter, top dressing is canceled, watering is reduced, and the temperature of the content is reduced.

How to make homemade pineapple bloom and care for it?

The time of fruiting in pineapples begins 2-4 years after the formation of the rosette. True, even with industrial plantings, fruits are obtained by treating plants with acetylene or acetic acid using a special technology. At home, when growing pineapple, such methods are not very acceptable, but even here you can force the obstinate plant to form an inflorescence.

Regular feeding of the plant with liquid becomes a good stimulant. If a pineapple receives such top dressing twice a month during the entire growing season, then after 2-3 months you can wait for flowering. Some experts advise shedding for several days inner part sockets with a solution of acetylene obtained from a liter of water and 15 grams of carbide.

A similar effect is given by placing a jar with a small amount of water and a piece of smoking carbide next to the pot. During the procedure, it is better to cover the pot with a bag or put it in a greenhouse. Ordinary apples, which emit ethylene during storage, can also provoke a plant. To do this, next to the pot standing in the greenhouse, fresh apples are laid out for several days.

Most often, flower growers use fumigation of the plant with ordinary smoke to activate flowering. This procedure should last 10-15 minutes and be repeated 2-3 times a week.

2-3 months after treatment, with proper care for pineapple at home, an inflorescence appears first, and then, after 30 days, the ovary. The ripening of the fruit lasts from 4 to 6 months, after which you can try your own grown pineapple.

How to grow pineapple at home - video

If you want to grow some kind of exotic plant then choose to grow pineapple. Growing pineapple at home is not difficult. And the result will exceed all your expectations. After 3-4 years you can get fragrant fruits.

Preparing a Pineapple for Planting

For planting, you can use the top of a pineapple - a crest. If you are buying a pineapple specifically for planting, then pay attention to the fruit itself and the crest. First of all, the tuft should not be frozen. Most often, winter pineapples have already been in the cold. Therefore, pineapples bought in summer or early autumn are best suited for breeding. Choose a pineapple by crest. It must be intact. The inner leaves should be green and juicy.

We very carefully separate the tuft from the seedlings with a sharp knife in the place where they connect. We try not to touch the pulp. We remove 3-4 rows of lower leaves, so that the “stump” is released approximately 1 cm high.

There are 2 ways to handle a slice:

1 way: The tuft is simply dried in an upright position for 2-3 weeks. During this time, the cut heals and the maximum amount of nutrients moves into the root formation zone.

2 way: The cut of the tuft is treated with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, then the cut is sprinkled with ash and dried for 5-6 hours.

Substrate preparation for growing pineapple

1 view:

We prepare the following mixture: we take 3 parts of soddy soil, 2 parts of leafy soil, 2 parts of high-moor peat, 2 parts of birch sawdust, 1 part of coarse sand. We mix everything thoroughly. The mixture is calcined in the oven or steamed.

2nd view:

We prepare the main mixture from 1 part of soddy land, 2 parts of leaf humus, 1 part of sand, 1 part of peat. Additionally, for the top layer of 3 cm, we prepare a mixture of sand and leaf humus in the same ratio.

3rd view:

We take in equal parts coarse river sand and peat. A few days before planting, this substrate should be poured abundantly with boiling water. This procedure disinfects the substrate and gives it the necessary moisture.

4th view:

You can simply buy a substrate for bromeliads, which includes pineapple, in a specialized store. In general, the soil for planting pineapple should be well permeable to water and air, with an acidic pH of 4-5.

Preparing a container for planting pineapple

Choose a small container. Its diameter should be slightly over size crest. The volume of the container should be no more than 0.6 liters. You can choose a regular flower pot of a suitable size. We lay drainage at the bottom of the pot with a layer of 2-3 cm. Pebbles or Karamzit will do. Then we lay the soil substrate, not sleeping 1.5-2 cm to the edges of the pot.

How to plant a pineapple

In the center of the pot we dig a hole with a diameter slightly larger than a tuft, the depth of the hole is 2-2.5 cm. Pour a little into the hole charcoal. This will protect the edges of the socket from rotting. We insert the crest into the hole. We dig in a few sticks, 2-4, along the edges of the pot, and tie a crest to them with threads to secure. We sprinkle the earth and the crest with water and cover it with a cap made of glass jar, plastic bottle or plastic bag. We put the pot in a warm, bright place, but not under direct sunlight.

The optimum temperature for rooting is 25-27 degrees. In winter, the pot can be placed directly on the battery by placing a plank under it. Rooting occurs after 1.5-2 months. Its sign is the appearance of new leaves. "Mini-greenhouse" can be removed after 2 months.

Pineapple care at home

Pineapple is a photophilous plant. Therefore, the optimum temperature for growing pineapple in summer is 28-30 degrees, minimum - 25 degrees. In winter, the temperature should be maintained at 22-24 degrees, a minimum of 18 degrees. If this minimum is reached, the plant will simply die. Hypothermia of the root system can also lead to the death of the plant. Therefore, you can not put a pot of pineapple on a cold windowsill. Light day for growing pineapple should be 12 hours. Therefore, in winter, with a lack of pineapple at home, it should be highlighted with a fluorescent lamp.

Pineapple requires moderate watering. Water is used melt or rain, can be replaced with boiled or settled water. Before watering, water should be acidified with oxalic or citric acid to a pH of 5-6. citric acid can be replaced with lemon juice. The acidity of water can be checked using universal indicator litmus paper. Pineapple at home should be watered only with water heated to 30 degrees. Water must be poured into the outlet. Watering should be moderate, as waterlogging of the earth can lead to decay. The soil should dry out slightly between waterings. It is also necessary to frequently spray the leaves with warm water. It is good for pineapple to have water in the axils of the lower leaves. Additional pineapple roots perfectly absorb it.

Top dressing pineapple

During the growing season, which lasts from late February to September, pineapple should be fed every 10-15 days. The best fertilizer- cow's infusion or horse manure. A complex of mineral fertilizers such as "Azalea" is useful. It must be applied at a rate two times smaller than required by other plants. Be sure to water and spray the pineapple with a solution of ferrous sulfate 1 or 2 times a month. It is prepared at the rate of 1 g per 1 liter of water. It is also acidified. It is strongly not recommended to feed pineapple with alkaline fertilizers such as lime or wood ash.

Pineapple transplant

Pineapple at home must be replanted every year. The roots of the plant should not be allowed to grow strongly. Each year the size of the pot should increase slightly. The root system of pineapple is small. For an adult plant, a pot of 3-4 liters is enough. For transplantation, the transshipment method is used. It is carried out very carefully, trying not to destroy the coma of the earth. The depth of the root neck is increased by 0.5 cm.

Flowering stimulation

Pineapple at home with proper care can bloom in 3-4 years. By this time, the length of the pineapple leaves is already 80-90 cm, and the diameter of the rosette is 10 cm. But sometimes the pineapple must be forced to bloom. There are several ways to stimulate flowering.

1 way:

The simplest stimulant is ethylene. To obtain it, we dissolve 1 teaspoon of calcium carbide (it is used in gas welding) in 0.5 liter of water. We close the jar and insist for a day. After that, the settled liquid is drained, leaving sediment and impurities. 50 g of this solution is poured into the center of the outlet daily for a week. After such stimulation, flowering is guaranteed in a month and a half.

2 way:

Fumigation. We put a plastic bag on the plant. Near the pot for 10 minutes we put a few lighted cigarettes or smoking coals. Be careful, observe fire safety measures. Fumigation is carried out 2-3 times in 7-10 days. After 2-2.5 months, the pineapple blooms.

3 way:

We put the pot in a large plastic bag. We put 3-4 ripe apples or tomatoes there. This method is simple, but does not always lead to flowering.

Flowering and fruiting of pineapple

Flowering lasts approximately 2 weeks. As soon as the flowers appeared, we replace the top dressing with organic matter with a top dressing with a complex of mineral fertilizers. Good "Kemira", "Agricola" or other fertilizers for flower crops. The fruit ripens in 5-7 months. The main indicator of maturity is a strong sweet smell and sufficient fruit weight. At home, pineapples can reach 0.3 - 1.5 kg.

At the base of an adult plant, lateral layers often appear - “kids”. There can be up to 20 such children. They can be seated in the same way as the crest. Over time, you can get a real pineapple plantation to your delight and the envy of your friends.