How to Grow a Pineapple in a Pot? A Complete Guide to the Latest Planting Method
The pineapple is one of the tropical fruits, native to the Amazon River basin region of Brazil and Paraguay in South America. It was introduced to China from Brazil in the 16th century and has now spread throughout the entire tropical region. Its edible portion consists mainly of the enlarged fleshy flower stalk and the flowers arranged in a spiral on the outer periphery. Let us take a look below at how to grow a pineapple in a pot!
Step 1: Choose a healthy pineapple. Because pineapples have been stored for some time, some have leaves that have already withered, so if you plan to grow a pineapple in a pot, you must buy one whose leaves look fresh, for example one whose white bloom on the leaves is still present and whose leaves are emerald green. To increase the success rate, you can buy one more, and plant two or three together in pots.
Step 2: After choosing the pineapple, use a knife to cut off the crown, tear off the lower bracts, and leave it in a cool place for 3 days until the cut surface is dry. Letting it sit for a few days mainly allows the plant to lose some water so that it is less likely to rot.
Step 3: Take a transparent bottle and fill it about halfway with water, insert the crown to induce roots. Root tips can be seen in about 7 days; then transfer it to a flower pot for planting. Potted pineapples have no special requirements for soil, and watering need not be too frequent; water only when the soil is dry. Whether or not to use a rooting agent is optional, because the pineapple is an easy-to-grow plant, and a pot with a diameter of 30 cm is sufficient.
Step 4: After the potted pineapple is planted, make sure it gets plenty of sunlight. With good care for most of the year, it can produce a flower bud, and from flower to fruit takes about 200 days. In winter, when the outdoor temperature is around 5°C, it should be brought indoors to overwinter, keeping it in light and frequently moistening the leaf surface; once spring arrives, move it outdoors.
Extra: The growing habits of the pineapple
1. Soil: The pineapple has a fairly wide adaptability to soil. Because its root system is shallow and likes air, a loose, well-drained, organic-matter-rich sandy loam or mountain red soil with a pH value of 5 to 5.5 is better. Barren, heavy, poorly drained soil and a high groundwater level are all unfavorable to pineapple growth.
2. Temperature: The pineapple originated in the tropical high-temperature arid regions of South America and prefers warmth. It grows best at an annual average of 24 to 27°C, can grow within the range of 15 to 40°C, grows slowly below 15°C, basically stops growing below 10°C, and 5°C is the critical temperature for cold damage.
3. Water: The pineapple is highly drought-tolerant. When the soil lacks water, the pineapple plant has a self-regulating function: it lowers transpiration intensity, slows respiration, and conserves the water stored in its leaves in order to maintain life activities. When severely short of water, the leaves turn red-yellow, and timely irrigation is needed to prevent them from drying up. When there is too much rain and the soil humidity is high, the root system will rot, and heart rot or wilting of the plant will occur.
4. Light: The pineapple originally grew in semi-shaded tropical rainforests and is fairly shade-tolerant. Because of long-term artificial cultivation and domestication, its demand for light has increased. Under sufficient light it grows well, the fruit has a high sugar content, and the quality is good. With insufficient light it grows slowly, the fruit has a high acid content, and the quality is poor. When light is reduced by 20%, the yield drops by 10%. However, when the light is too strong and combined with high temperature, the leaves turn red-yellow and the fruit is also easily scorched.