How fast does a pineapple grow? How and where does pineapple grow in nature How long does pineapple ripen at home

Do you want to grow some unusual plant at home, which will also bear fruit? Most exotic fruiting plants are best grown from cuttings or grafted. Otherwise, a lemon or pomegranate grown from a seed can bloom in 15 years. It is unlikely that you will want to wait that long. The date palm begins to bear fruit only when it reaches a height of at least 4 meters. And where, I wonder, will you grow it? But there is one plant that does not require too much trouble and enters into fruiting relatively quickly, and it gives truly royal fruits.

A pineapple. © Matias Dutto

So, are you ready to grow a pineapple at home?

To start, a little introduction. Pineapple is a herbaceous fruit plant of the bromeliad family. Its homeland is semi-arid regions in the northeast of South America.

Accordingly, pineapple is a perennial, heat-loving, photophilous and drought-resistant plant. Its linear leaves with spines along the edges are collected in a rosette and reach a length of 90 cm. The inflorescence on a fleshy pedicel is collected from flowers densely and spirally arranged on the axis. Flowers are bisexual.

Pineapple seedlings are similar in structure to raspberry seedlings. It consists of individual juicy fruitlets sitting on a central rod penetrating the fruit from the base to the top, on which a bunch of leaves is located. The color of the fruit, depending on the variety, is yellow, golden, red and even purple.

You don’t have to tell about the taste of pineapple - this is a great dessert that can decorate any table. While eating a pineapple, its green top is usually thrown away as unnecessary. And in vain. You can master the technology of waste-free eating of pineapples and even plant a small plantation. Of course, this will be more of a botanical experiment than practical, but growing a crested delicacy is an activity that will give you many pleasant minutes.

Pruning pineapple for growing at home. © Anne K. Moore

So, the green rosette of pineapple must be cut off at the very base of the fruit, without pulp, and washed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Then the cut should be sprinkled with ash or crushed coal - activated charcoal tablets from a pharmacy are suitable. After that, the cut should dry properly for 5-6 hours.

The dried socket is planted in a pot with a capacity of not more than 0.6 liters. Drainage is poured onto the bottom of the pot, and then a loose earthen mixture consisting of soddy soil, leaf humus, sand and peat in a ratio of 1: 2: 1: 1. A mixture of leaf humus and sand is poured on top of a 3 cm layer in a ratio of 1: 1. But in general, it’s easier to buy a ready-made earthen mixture for bromeliads in the store.

In the center of the pot, a hole is made 2-2.5 cm deep with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the outlet. A little crushed charcoal is poured into it so that the tip of the outlet does not rot. A socket is lowered into the recess, after which the earth is well tamped. 2-4 sticks are placed along the edges of the pot and a socket is attached to them with ropes.

The soil is moistened, a transparent plastic bag is put on the pot and placed in a bright place. The socket takes root at a temperature of 25-27 ° C. If you take up the rooting of pineapple now or during the New Year holidays, you can put the pot with the handle on the battery, after placing a foam or cork stand under it.

After 1.5-2 months, roots form and new leaves begin to grow. The plastic bag is removed only 2 months after rooting. In an adult pineapple, lateral layers often grow at the base of the stem. They are rooted in the same way as a rosette from the top of the fruit - and the thoughts of your own plantation cease to seem like a fantasy.

Pineapples need to be replanted annually, but do not get carried away and do not give the roots of the plant space - the capacity of the pot is increased very slightly. The root neck is deepened by 0.5 cm. They are transplanted only by transshipment, without destroying the coma of the earth. The root system of a pineapple is very small, so a 3-4 liter pot is enough for an adult plant.

The most important conditions for growing pineapple are temperature and light

In summer, the temperature should be 28-30°C, well, at least - 25°C. On warm sunny days, the plant can be taken out into the street, but if at night the temperature drops below 16-18 ° C, then it is brought into the room in the evening. In winter, pineapple is kept at a temperature of 22-24 ° C. At temperatures below 18 ° C, the pineapple stops growing and dies.

Hypothermia of the root system also has a detrimental effect on the plant, so it is undesirable to put it on the windowsill, close to the cold window. In winter, the plant must be illuminated with a fluorescent lamp so that the daylight hours are at least 12 hours.

pineapple care

Pineapple is watered only with warm water, heated to 30 ° C, acidified with lemon juice.

When watering a plant, water is also poured into the outlet, but it must be borne in mind that excessive waterlogging leads to rotting of the roots, so the earth should dry slightly between waterings. In addition to proper watering, pineapple needs frequent spraying with warm water.

Every 10-15 days, the plant is fed with liquid complex mineral fertilizers such as Azalea. Necessarily 1-2 times a month, pineapple is sprayed and watered with an acidified solution of iron sulfate at the rate of 1 g per 1 liter of water. Alkaline fertilizers such as wood ash and lime are not tolerated by the plant.

With proper care, pineapple begins to bear fruit in the 3-4th year. Usually, at this age, the length of its leaves reaches 80-90 cm. True, an adult pineapple still needs to be forced to bloom. This is done with the help of fumigation: a tight plastic bag is put on the plant, next to the pot for 10 minutes. Put a few smoking coals or a couple of cigarettes, observing fire safety measures.

The procedure is repeated 2-3 times with an interval of 7-10 days. Usually, after 2-2.5 months, an inflorescence appears from the center of the rosette, and after another 3.5-4 months, the inflorescence ripens. The mass of ripe fruits is 0.3-1 kg. Beauties!

Pineapple is a cluster of small fruits in a single whole. These small particles are formed from the inflorescence, where each has its own little flower. To confirm this, an external structure consisting of many cells. The pollination procedure lies on hummingbirds. After pollination, fruits form in the middle of the flowers.

Pineapples first appeared in South America. Back in 1502, the Portuguese first planted these exotic bushes on St. Helena. Since the time the plant has been brought to the territory of Africa, as well as India. In Europe, they appeared much later.

Where do pineapples grow?

If we analyze the consumption of all fruits, then this fruit takes a worthy second place. This fruit has 20% of the total production of exotic fruits.

According to the results of statistics, it can be argued that almost 70% of all grown pineapples are consumed by the population living where they are mass grown. The first countries where the plant was cultivated are:

• Brazil;
• Paraguay.

You can also highlight the countries that are engaged in the cultivation of pineapples at an industrial level, they are the largest importers. This:

• Costa Rica;
• Brazil;
• Mexico;
• Thailand;
• Nigeria;
• Indonesia;
• China.

The largest jump in the growth of production, as well as the sale of pineapples, has been observed since 1960. According to statistics, every second pineapple is sold.

Pineapples are sold fresh as well as canned. In addition, they are actively used for the production of juices, jams, and fillers.

How do pineapples grow?

Many people may mistakenly think that pineapples grow on a tree. But, as it turns out, this is far from the correct opinion. They represent a tropical perennial plant that looks like a grass bush. Open air positively promotes growth, due to which the height of the bush can reach about 1.5 meters. The height largely depends on the variety.

The leaves have a fairly rigid, as well as fleshy structure. They are closely intertwined with each other. The fleshiness of the leaves is explained by the fact that the plant accumulates moisture in it, which is later used if drought occurs.

On an industrial scale, pineapples are grown in huge plantations, where they grow in long rows. The spectacle is simply incredible. Lush bushes are decorated with unusual cones, golden hue.

It is worth noting that by the taste of the acquired pineapple, you can determine the method of its ripening. If it is completely sour and tart, then it was plucked before it was fully ripe, because the fruit that managed to acquire its characteristic yellow color while still on the bush will be very sweet and juicy.

How long does it take for a pineapple to grow

In natural, that is, natural conditions for him, it blooms only after 3 or 4 years. Right now, the length of its leaves can be about 60 centimeters, and the base has a diameter of almost 10 centimeters.

Since much depends on weather conditions, the flowering period may come later. It also takes a decent amount of time for the fruit to fully form and ripen.

It takes about 5 months. If we consider the production conditions, when the most favorable conditions are created for the plant, up to 3 crops per year can be achieved.

The parameters of the fetus can be up to 25 centimeters relative to the diameter and up to 40 centimeters in height. At home, the size of the fruit can be much smaller.

How to grow your own pineapple

This unusual fruit can be grown in three ways:

• with the help of seeds;
• shoots that form on the side of the bush;
• from a tuft.

The simplest and most common way to grow pineapple with your own hands is considered to be growing from a tuft, that is, using only the top.

In order to have high-quality planting material, you must try to acquire the most ripe fruit. It should have a topknot with well developed green and strong leaves, the surface of which does not show any damage. The peel should be a characteristic brown color with a golden hue.

After the purchase, you need to carry out the following algorithm of actions:

• using a sharp knife, cut off the crown of leaves;
• eliminate the remnants of the pulp on the cut top;
• carefully cut off the lower leaves, because in the process of growing roots will soon appear there;
• leave the workpiece where it is dry, warm, so that all sections dry.

It is very important to dry the resulting workpiece for about a few days, because if you immediately start planting, then there is a high risk of decay, and this, as you know, will lead to death.

• Place the crown in a small container of water. The water level should be such that the part of the tuft without leaves is completely covered;
• Place the container in a warm and dry place. It is best to place it on the windowsill;
• Top up water regularly to the correct level.

If everything is done correctly and all the necessary conditions have been created for growing, then after about 3 weeks the first roots will appear. Planting can be carried out when the length of the root system is 2 centimeters.

In order for the pineapple to grow and develop perfectly, it is necessary to try to create the most optimal conditions for it. For the basis of the soil, you can take the one where there are equal shares of peat and sand. Do not forget about the drainage layer. If we are talking about a young pineapple, then moisture is great for its development, but it should be moderate. An older pineapple should be watered once a week, but not more often.

In addition, light is needed, but there should not be direct exposure to sunlight. In proportion to how the plant will increase in size, it is necessary to carry out the transplantation procedure into a larger flowerpot.

The plant should correspond to the temperature where it grows. It is important that he is constantly warm, but at the same time the sun does not scorch his leaves with rays. If possible, you need to take the plant to the open air, as this contributes to better growth and development.

With the onset of cold weather, you need to try to protect the plant from drafts. and at the same time you need to put it as far as possible from the heating devices.

It is clear that I really want the bush not only to grow, but also to please with its fruits. When growing this plant at home, flowering can be achieved no earlier than 16 months from the date of planting. The height of the plant is approximately 25 centimeters.

A bud is formed on top of the plant, which blooms only 2 months after its formation. As soon as the bud fades and dries, the fruit immediately begins to form.

In some cases, growing pineapple at home, flowering has to wait for years, and under certain circumstances this does not happen at all.

Then you can take action and carry out the stimulation procedure for flowering. This can be done with ethylene.

It is necessary to take a small container and mix calcium carbide there in an amount of 1 tsp, as well as 500 ml of water. It is best to cover the container with the resulting solution, leave to infuse for about 24 hours. After that, you need to very carefully pour the solution into another container so that there is no sediment. The resulting product for 7 days, it is necessary to pour the base of the upper leaves.

As a result of this procedure, flowering will appear within 4-6 weeks. After the fruit fully ripens, the bush itself begins to gradually die. In this case, most often it forms several side shoots. If they are planted in time and provided with proper care, then you can get a new bush, and then a long-awaited exotic fruit.

A pineapple?! So what? Yes, it is full on the shelves of our hyper- (what can I say) and not hypermarkets ...

Full of it, dear friends, and in overseas countries. Pineapple can be found everywhere:

• - on the highways (Thai hard workers sell it right on the roads, just like our enterprising strawberry peasants);
• - in fruit markets, where they lie in bulk on some kind of folding beds, at best (they cost, by the way, a penny (< 1$) и продаются поштучно);

• - at breakfast at the hotel (in two different countries, Thailand and Sri Lanka, where we were lucky enough to visit, this same pineapple was raw, pickled and even fried).

• - in all kinds of cafes, where pineapple was served with everything that was possible (the dish in the pineapple itself was especially in demand).

• - in addition to everything, one cannot help but recall juices, fresh juices, pineapple cocktails.

And all why? Yes, because. In all these warm exotic countries, he, the very familiar pineapple, is simply AWESOMELY DELICIOUS. Yes, yes ... If you think that you know the taste of the yellow cone thoroughly, then I will have to disappoint you: you absolutely do not know what PINEAPPLE is.

Thais say: "Add a little salt - and you will enrich the taste of pineapple as much as possible."

Honestly, I have not tried it, but I will definitely try, which I advise you.

Delicious bright yellow flesh, juicy and very sweet. So delicious that you close your eyes with pleasure and imagine the warmest Andaman Sea (well, maybe not the Andaman Sea).

What do we know about this fruit? Yes, I will honestly tell you that I am not strong in encyclopedic knowledge. Although I can still draw one big plus for myself: I saw how it grows ... Well, perhaps that's all ...

“Not a lot,” I thought, and climbed into the Internet for knowledge, information from which flows like from a cornucopia.

Where does pineapple grow? On the ground!

Pineapple is a herbaceous plant. And what do you think, which of the Europeans saw it first? Of course, the discoverer Columbus! In 1493, landing in Guadeloupe (America), he saw pineapple plantations.

However, a little later it turned out that Guiana and Brazil are the birthplace of this fruit. From there, local residents, who used pineapples not only for food, but also as a raw material for obtaining fiber, as well as for medical purposes, distributed it everywhere.

A long time ago, pineapple fibers were used to make fabric like jute! Pineapple fibers are very tough and durable.

How does a pineapple grow?

The trunk of a pineapple grows up to eighty centimeters, hard, sharp leaves depart from it. Many varieties have thorns resembling a cactus. Pineapple leaves are juicy, concave, as they are designed to accumulate water in the arid regions where our hero grows. On concave leaves, water and dew flow to the center of the outlet, nourishing the entire plant with a moisture deficit. The leaves themselves also store moisture in order to be able to give strength to the plant during times of drought.

pineapple flower

A year and a half after planting, the pineapple may already bloom. Pineapple flowers resemble a spikelet on a long thick stem. The flowers are small (up to 2 cm), lilac or pink, collected in an inflorescence (up to 200 pcs.). At first, they open at the bottom of the ear, then bloom closer to the top. Up to 15 small flowers can bloom per day.

After the faded ovaries are combined into one fruit, which we know under the name pineapple.

To make pineapple ears bloom on plantations, they are treated with a special gas, and earlier they used fire smoke for this purpose.

To prevent the plant from producing seeds, it is carefully protected from pollination. They put special caps on the inflorescences so that the hummingbirds cannot pollinate the pineapples.

The fruits are harvested using special equipment.

History of the pineapple

It is interesting that pineapple appeared in Brazil, and especially spread to the Caribbean islands. The locals even grew it to eat, make wine from it, and clothes from the leaves.

Europeans decorated their feasts with pineapple. If this fruit was on the table, then the owner was rich enough. One pineapple cost the same as a full-grown bull.

Ana-ana in translation from the language of the Indians - a strong smell. Рineapple from English. - apple cone.

In Russia, pineapples began to be cultivated in greenhouses under Catherine the Great. To the Russians, pineapple looked like cabbage. Therefore, it was used in pickled, stewed form, and sour borscht and were prepared from it.

Where do pineapples grow?

Pineapples were born on one of the high plateaus of South America. Today they are grown

• in Brazil
• in Mexico,
• in India,
• and even in Africa and Australia.

Thailand, where we recently visited, exports pineapples all over the world. The most delicious varieties grow here.

Pineapple flavor

The fruit has a sweet and sour taste. If you get an unripe pineapple, you risk burning your lips, it will be so caustic.

The benefits of pineapple

A ripe fruit can be called a mini-pharmacy in the range:

• – pineapple is able to slow down aging: antioxidants in its composition prevent free radicals from destroying body cells;
• - vitamins A and beta-carotenes have a beneficial effect on the skin;
• - Enzymes improve the function of the gastrointestinal tract. The presence of this enzyme (bromelain) can be felt by the degree of "corrosion of the tongue". Therefore, pineapple juice can be added to the steak, and it will quickly soften the meat.
• - this miraculous enzyme breaks down protein cells, thereby minimizing the risk of getting cancer. After all, malignant cells are proteins.
• - Vitamin C promotes collagen synthesis. Collagen is an essential protein that maintains the integrity of tissues, organs, blood vessels;
• - Vitamin C is essential for immunity. Pineapple pulp can relieve the symptoms of SARS.
• – pineapple can speed up wound healing;
• – delicious fruit is a powerful antidepressant;
• - the fiber in its composition helps to reduce weight, dulling the feeling of hunger and improving digestion;
• - because of its water content, the fruit helps in the prevention of thrombosis, as it thins the blood.

Important!

To feel the benefits of pineapple, it is enough to eat half the fruit a day.

Harm of pineapple

• excessive consumption of pineapple damages the mucous membranes of the mouth, tooth enamel, causes diarrhea;
• you can not eat fruit with gastritis and stomach ulcers;
• pineapple is harmful to pregnant women, since the substances in its composition cause muscle contractions, increase tone;
• in children under 6 years of age, irritation of the intestinal mucosa may appear,
• pineapple is contraindicated for allergy sufferers and those who cannot tolerate the components in the fruit.

How to choose a pineapple

1. Delicious fruit is 90% water, so a very light fruit will definitely not taste good.
2. When choosing, you can not pay attention to the color of the peel: green pineapples can be ripe.
3. Pineapple leaves should be bright, fresh. They can be easily extracted from the fruit.
4. With light pressure, the peel should not form dents.
5. The most delicious and juicy pineapple should not have any stains.
6. Too strong a smell indicates that the pineapple is overripe and should not be bought.
7. The healthiest pineapple is yellow-fleshed.

In general, eating pineapple in moderation is more beneficial than vice versa. I won’t tell you where to find hazel grouse, but the fact that you will find the most delicious pineapples in the Kingdom of Thailand is verified by yourself. Therefore, pack your bags if you want to be forever young and slim, and go on a trip. It may not be possible to get to Thailand, but any trip in good company will be a panacea in the fight against old age and bad mood.

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Pineapple is a very unusual fruit, about which we know very little: how to eat, peel and what to cook from it. But how pineapple grows and whether it is possible to grow it at home - information for many is completely new.

To begin with, a small clarification, pineapple is still a plant, although we are used to considering it a fruit. Let's take a closer look at how pineapples grow in nature.

Pineapple is a herbaceous plant, and a perennial, which is grown in the ground. At an already mature age, it can be about 150 centimeters in height. The stem is low, mundane, covered with stiff foliage and therefore more like a shrub than a plant.

But, large fruits are usually obtained if planting occurs on plantations or in greenhouses. Under normal natural conditions, the plant grows much smaller, and the fruit weighs up to one kilogram, and the pulp tastes different from the one we are used to.

Otherwise, if we compare the process of growth in the wild or in other conditions, it is completely the same.

In the middle of the shrub, a peduncle is formed with an inflorescence, the color of which can be from red to burgundy. All flowers form a small berry, they grow together into one whole and the usual fruit is obtained.

In which countries is the plant common?

How a delicious fruit is formed is understandable, but where do pineapples grow and in what countries can they be found?

Interestingly, 20% of the world's tropical fruits are pineapples.

The plant is native to the arid regions of Brazil and Paraguay. It was in these countries that they were cultivated, where they are consumed a lot and immediately, just ripened, so 70% of the crop is sold among the local population and only the remaining percentage goes to other countries.

The Philippines, China and Thailand produce more than half of the world's total. Slightly less grows in India, Indonesia, Costa Rica.

About forty years ago, a special variety was bred, which was supplied only to certain countries, but over time cheaper options appeared and it lost its popularity.

Growing pineapple on plantations

Huge plantations are now in Asian countries, the USA, South Africa. For the fastest ripening of fruits, a special technology is used, and varieties that quickly bear fruit are taken.

Already rooted cuttings are sent to the ground in two rows, and their height must be at least 20 centimeters, and the distance between the rows reaches two meters.

A large yield can be obtained by treating the plant with acetylene. It promotes the formation of kidneys at the right time.

Juicy and ripe fruits are obtained only if the flower has not been pollinated, so they must be covered with caps and protected in every possible way from insects and birds.

For processing pineapples and watering, mechanical means are used that simplify the process. For a year in the ground, you can collect up to three crops.

Is it possible to grow a plant in a greenhouse?

For normal development, warm rooms and diffused light are necessary. It is possible to grow plants in this way - European countries and regions of southern Russia have long resorted to this. Instead of soil, a layer of earth mixture is used here and watered with acidified water in order for the plant to grow better and faster. Prerequisite: the liquid must be the same temperature as the air in the greenhouse. It is impossible to allow stagnation of liquid in the soil, from this the plant may die.

How does pineapple grow at home?

It turns out that you can grow a fruit at home. Of course, it will not be so big, rather, several small fruits will form, but the process itself is quite fascinating.

• To get started, choose a fruit for planting. It should be ripe, with hard and rich green leaves. The fruit is chosen in a beautiful yellow color, not too dense. Manually remove the top of the pineapple along with the stem. We clean it slightly, put it in water, put it in a bright room and wait for the roots to appear.
• Another way - we place the cropped top in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, dry it and send it to a pot with soil. We put it in a warm place where the air temperature will be from 25 degrees, but not more than - 28, and wait for the formation of roots, not forgetting to water it periodically.

Ordinary flower soil is suitable as a soil, and the pot should be the same size as the fruit. But even an already adult plant should not be placed in a container with a volume of more than 4 liters.

• After the top has been planted or the stem has been placed in water, in order for the roots to finally appear, you will have to wait at least a month, or even all two, unless of course all conditions are provided.
• If the plant has given roots, this does not mean that the fruit will grow quickly. It will still take at least a year, during which it will develop and increase in size. And only after this period will the long-awaited arrow with the fruit appear. Of course, this process can be speeded up a little, for example, by surrounding the container with apples cut into pieces, but this method is not very reliable. Another option is to water the pineapple with calcium carbide. To do this, you need to dissolve one spoon in 500 milliliters of water, insist, strain and use for irrigation.

You can get the finished fruit, if all the planting rules have been followed and the process is going correctly, in about eighteen months.

If you want to use the plant as a decorative ornament, get evergreen stems without fruit, then after six months it will begin to delight you with an increase in leaf mass.

Not every lover of delicious and juicy exotic fruits knows how pineapple grows. Some of them think that these fruits, which have a unique smell and juicy pulp, are collected from tropical trees. To see how pineapples grow, you will have to go to one of the countries located in the subtropical zone of our planet.

Where are pineapples grown?

The Russian climate is completely unsuitable for growing these heat-loving plants, so most of the fruits come to us from plantations located in South America, Australia and many countries in Asia and Africa. The appearance of plantations where pineapples are grown is reminiscent of cabbage fields. So you can be sure that the tropical tree has nothing to do with them.

Pineapple is a type of bromeliad plant that grows right on the ground. The fruit is formed from many fruit fused together, so it has a peculiar appearance. From the outside, it looks like cells. Each of them is formed from a flower, which in nature requires pollination. This work is occupied by the smallest known birds - hummingbirds.

However, this type of pollination does not allow the fruit of the plant to develop. As a result of the work of birds on the pineapple, seeds are only formed. Therefore, pineapples on plantations are represented only by self-pollinating varieties. The exotic fruit is a perennial plant. In the first year of growth, it develops a leaf rosette, and the trunk becomes thicker.

Although the leaves are tough on the outside, they are juicy on the inside. It is able to supply the plant with moisture in dry times. The root system is fibrous, it is impossible to distinguish the main root from it. It is clearly visible, since the roots are almost on the surface.

How long do pineapples grow? The period from planting to flowering is long. The plant takes 12-18 months to complete this process. For the resulting fruit to reach maturity, it will take almost another six months. As it matures, side shoots form in the rosette of leaves. Thanks to this, the plant continues to develop after cutting the fruit.

How pineapples grow (video)

reproduction

After receiving information about where and how these exotic fruits are grown, many are interested in how they reproduce. There are several ways to reproduce them. One of them can be used at home. Having bought a fruit, you should carefully cut off the green top from it. This is not just a fruit decoration, it can be used to grow a new plant. It may not bear fruit, but it looks very impressive.

The second way to get new plants is to use side shoots. They are cut off only after the appearance of roots on them. First, babies appear on the sides of the plant. In appearance, they resemble small cones. Gradually, roots will grow from them.

Plants can also grow from seeds. They are collected from the cells of an overripe fruit, where they hide under the peel. In appearance and size, they resemble apple seeds. Fruits planted with seeds will grow for a long time, you can wait for their fruiting only after a few years.

For this reason, rooted plant cuttings are used for planting on plantations. After planting, special technologies are applied in which the pineapple ripens many times faster.

Cultivation in farms

The maximum income from tropical fruits grown on plantations can only be obtained by breeding early-ripening plant varieties. However, the use of selected varieties when planting is not the only way to get a rich harvest. Technologies that can speed up the ripening of fruits help to quickly get a bountiful harvest.

Work on growing pineapples begins with planting plant cuttings. The cuttings should already have roots, and their height should reach 20 cm. Future fruits are planted in a two-row way, the distance between the cuttings can reach 1.5 m, and the row spacing is left even wider.

The tropical climate, systematic watering, the use of modern pest control methods and fertilizers help plantation owners to harvest ripe pineapples three times a year. But that's not all that farmers use to get the planned harvest. It is not so easy to achieve mass flowering of plants.

Many years ago, smoky fires were lit on pineapple plantations for this purpose, forcing pineapples to bloom en masse. Today, pineapple bushes are treated with acetylene. Exposing the plants to the gas has become a way to speed up the formation of flower buds. However, the appeared inflorescence does not guarantee a harvest.

It has already been said above that pollination of plants does not allow the fruit to develop fully. After pollination, seeds begin to develop, but the fruit itself does not grow to the required size. Therefore, farmers in various ways prevent the pollination of inflorescences.

More often this method becomes the fight against insects, however, in some countries, hummingbirds are engaged in pollination. In order not to harm miniature birds, a protective cap is put on each pineapple inflorescence.

How to grow pineapple at home (video)

Growing in greenhouses

The European climate does not allow growing pineapples on plantations. However, already in the 16th century they were used for landing guests from the tropics. The greenhouse-grown pineapple had the same flavor as its tropical counterpart, only slightly smaller in size. Today, pineapples are successfully grown in greenhouses, where their care facilitates the use of modern technologies.

In greenhouses, plants are provided with maximum comfort. The required temperature is maintained, long daylight hours and timely watering are provided. Specialists draw up a schedule for fertilizing plants with fertilizers. The soil layer in the greenhouse is used by about 20 cm, since the root system of pineapples is located almost on top of the soil.

The soil for growing pineapples in a greenhouse is prepared with slightly increased acidity, reaching 5 units. To do this, peat, perlite, humus and carefully crushed charcoal are added to the garden soil in certain proportions.

When watering use acidified warm water. Do not over-moisten the soil, as rotting of the roots of the plant is possible. The water temperature should correspond to the air temperature in the greenhouse. To obtain a crop, as in open ground, acetylene treatment is used.

With proper care, the term for obtaining a pineapple crop in a greenhouse does not differ from the time for growing them in open ground.

Pineapple on the windowsill

Fans of exotic plants have long learned how to grow pineapple at home. This tropical plant in the form of a pot culture is especially common in warm countries. It becomes a magnificent decoration of the house and garden. For planting, they usually use not the type of pineapple that is present on the shelves of the store, but its small-fruited varieties.

There are several subspecies of them with bright and variegated foliage. Their fruits are small, but they are also edible. Their taste, of course, is not as bright as that of those growing on plantations. Although they are successfully used as food, their main function is decorative. However, you can also try growing a large, sweet pineapple at home from the top of a store-bought fruit.

To do this, you need to know the rules for planting and caring for this guest from the tropics. First of all, this is providing the plant with heat and light, watering and fertilizers. Proper preparation of planting material is also important. The leaves of the fruit selected for planting preparation should have a rich green color.

It is necessary to remove the top from it. It is easy to pull it out of a ripe fruit with gloved hands. As a result, the stem will come out along with the leaves. When using an unripe pineapple, you will have to cut the leaves along with the stem with a knife. They are cut at an angle of 45º, and then carefully cleaned of pulp and the lower leaves are removed.

How to sprout the top of a pineapple

For germination, the stalk, cleaned of leaves, is placed in an opaque container with water to a depth of 3-4 cm. The container should be placed in a warm, lit place. However, the direct rays of the sun should not fall on it. You can create a greenhouse effect by covering the seedlings with a transparent bag. In about a month, roots will appear on the plant.

For planting the cuttings, you can immediately use the pot. Before planting, it should be washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried in air for about 3-5 days. Then you can plant the stalk in a pot filled with soil. The soil should be slightly damp. For the rooting of the cutting, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of about 27 ° C.

Place the pot with the cutting in a warm, lighted place, cover with a plastic bag. The roots should appear in 1.5 months, subject to systematic watering with water corresponding to the temperature of the air surrounding the plant.

The volume of the pot in an adult plant should be no more than 4 liters. The soil can be used ready-made, intended for orchids. Drainage must be poured at the bottom of the pot.

After a year and a half, a fruiting pineapple may appear in the house if its care was correct. To stimulate flowering, pieces of cut apples can be spread around the plant. You can also use a solution of carbide (1 tsp of the preparation for half a liter of water), pouring it into the center of the outlet for a week once a day.