How To Replant A Pineapple Plant – Guide

Categories:

Young pineapple plant with broad leaves, ready for replanting.

If you are thinking about how to replant a pineapple plant, it is a relatively easy task but requires a bit of patience.

Pineapple can be grown outdoors or indoors. Though known as tropical fruits, they do well in non-tropical climates. Warmer areas tend to produce high-quality fruits compared to cold regions.

What’s more, the plants do not need a lot of water.

Pineapple takes several years to mature, and there are several ways to plant them. They are planted using the stem or crown as well as seedlings.

This guide will explore how to replant a pineapple from a top and how to replant a mini pineapple.

Planting a Pineapple

Pineapples are a unique and interesting fruit, with their flavor and texture a fusion of up to 200 individual flowers that have grown on top of a bromeliad plant.

Growing a plant pineapple plant from the crown, sucker, pups, or slips of the fruit is a rewarding and satisfying experience and can be achieved with a little knowledge and patience.

To begin the process, the pineapple must be planted in a pot filled with well-draining, loamy soil.

The pot should be placed in an area that receives plenty of sunshine, as pineapples are native to the tropics in South America, where the warm temperatures and acidic, well-draining soil help the plant to thrive.

How Long Does a Pineapple Plant Grow?

The pineapple plants can take anywhere from 18 to 24 months to flower and produce fruit, which requires an additional 6 months to ripen.

With the right conditions and patience, you can be rewarded with a delicious pineapple plant in your home and the satisfaction of knowing that you grew it yourself.

How to Replant a Pineapple Top

Pineapples are known for their sweet juice. A backyard garden is a surefire way of saving on buying fruit from the local grocery.

Here are 7 steps on how to replant a pineapple top:

Step 1: Buy a Fresh and Healthy Whole Pineapple

Visit the local grocer and select an evenly ripe and healthy pineapple fruit. Ensure the leaves are green and still attached to the top or crown. You should avoid fruits with yellow leaves because this is a sign of being overripe or pest infection.

Step 2: Cut Off the Top or Crown

Cut the crown or top-bottom off with a very sharp knife. Clean the crown bottom by ensuring there is no fruit flesh at the base of the crown to help speed uprooting. Any flesh left might cause the entire pineapple top to rot. Clean the crown bottom by slicing until some brown dots appear on the stalk.

These are the roots waiting to sprout.

And then, these would start growing once the top is exposed to water.

Step 3: Cleaning Leaves From Stalk

Cleaning the leaves from the stalk of the crown is very important. This is where the stalk goes into the soil when planting and should be approximately an inch in length. You can pull the leaves off using your fingertips.

Step 4: Drying the Pineapple Top

Growing a pineapple calls for patience, and drying the top takes a few days. This helps in reducing the chances of rotting, and at the same time, it helps in healing cut wounds. A dry crown produces roots faster than a freshly cut one.

Step 5: Replanting Pineapple Top

The actual planting is the easy part. This can be done in a pot indoors or in the backyard garden. However, to make the top root fast, dipping the root end side in root-enhancing hormone is advisable but not a must. Plant the pineapple top at least one inch deep in the soil. Then, gently press down the surrounding soil to firm it.

Step 6: Watering the Pineapple Top

Pineapples do not do well in waterlogged soils. The stalk has a lot of water, so you should water it lightly because it needs enough moisture. Spraying with a water bottle does the trick. Always check the soil and water only when it is dry. At this stage, do not use any fertilizer.

Let the pineapple top use the food stored in the stalk. Once the stem is overwatered, it might start rotting from the inside, with the leaves still maintaining a greenish color. Use a moisture meter to check the soil moisture level.

Step 7: Monitoring For Rooting

Give the pineapple root one to three months before rooting. Test rooting by tugging the top to see if the roots are holding to the soil. Do this gently to avoid breaking the fragile roots. However, when rooting begins, leaves will grow from the crown center.

Pineapple maturity depends on the variety, climate, and how well they are taken care of. It might take approximately 24 months before it is mature or ready to harvest.

Mature pineapple plant with fruit.

How to Replant a Mini Pineapple

It is easier to replant a mini pineapple than a top or growing one. You can also get pineapple suckers, slips, or pups straight from the farm of the nursery. Just like the top, get healthy suckers for your garden or indoor replanting.

Here are steps to take when replanting mini pineapples:

Step 1: Getting the Mini Pineapples

Visit a local pineapple farmer and get suckers or mini pineapples. They can direct the right “seed” to meet your needs. They will also advise on a suitable variety for your project.

Step 2: Cleaning the Mini Pineapple Stalk

Before planting, you must clean the pineapple stalk. Pluck off the bottom leaves at least 1 inch (2.54 cm) to give the mini plant space for its roots to sprout.

Step 3: Replanting Mini Pineapple

Carefully inspect the mini pineapple tops and ensure the center is not broken. Dig a 1 to 2-inch (5.08 cm) hole and insert the sucker. Then, put the soil back and firm it for the sucker roots to hold firm.

Step 4: Watering the Mini Pineapple Sucker

Pineapple suckers come up in the form of fruit and leaves. Watering should be minimal, and you must also avoid excess water; it may cause the rotting of the sucker. Put enough water to give the plant enough moisture at least once a week or when the soil is dry.

Step 5: Adding Manure To Compost (optional)

If the pineapple leaves change color to purple or reddish, it is a sign of underfeeding. You can also add compost or mulch at the bottom of the plant covering the base and lower leaves.

Step 6: Monitor The Growth

Once the roots start developing, the leaves start sprouting. This is a sign that replanted mini pineapple is getting enough nutrients, enough light, and the right amount of water.

Final Words

Replanting a pineapple is easy; after the first leaves appear, most of the work is done. They do not require a lot of attention. However, growers should have patience as the plant takes months to mature. Apart from the dietary value that the fruit adds to the table, the plant also adds aesthetics when used indoors.

They also add an indoor character to homes, act as antioxidants and immunity boosters, and are used to ease digestive disorders.

Read More

Related Articles

The Ultimate Guide to Organic Landscaping: Tips and Techniques

A guide to A healthier environment with beautiful sustainable outdoor space.

Growing Hydroponic Tomatoes – All You Need To Know

In today's agricultural sector, we can see the evolution of plants that don't need soil, direct sunlight, and water to survive. All they need is...