Q&A for How to Grow a Pineapple

Yes. In a few years, the plant may produce another pineapple. You can harvest this pineapple and plant it just like the first one.

Pineapples can grow outside in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11. In the US, this includes the south, west coast, and Hawaii. Pineapples need lots of sun, but don't require much water.

Yes, you can plant your pineapple plant in the ground if you live in a warm location. Just choose an area in your yard that gets at least 6 hours of direct light. Make sure the area you choose doesn't flood or pool with water when it rains, as pineapple plants don't do well when they're constantly wet.

Pineapples need room for the roots to grow, and the top of the plant can get quite large. I would not plant more than one per pot.

At least 12 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep so the roots have room to grow.

The pineapple is ready to be harvested when the crown has turned yellow. Make sure it is ripe before picking because it will not continue to ripen after it is picked.

It depends where you live. If you live somewhere where it gets really cold during the winter, you should take it inside and set it next to a window, as it won't cope with outdoors, even if covered. If you live somewhere where it stays warm in the winter and doesn't get any snow or ice, you can keep it outside. If in the tropics, just let it be. Make sure it gets enough warmth and sunshine to keep growing!

When pineapple has turned yellow up to the crown, it's time to pick your fruit. Pineapple will not continue to ripen after picking. The fruit is at its best when thoroughly sun ripened.

The plant will only fruit once. Then it dies. But not before it gives off a few suckers. Plant those and you will get bigger and faster fruit, compared to planting the green tops. This is what pineapple growers do.

Over time you will see growth in the pineapple's leaves and, if it's far enough along, a little red flower will began to grow in the middle of the leaves.

No, removing lower seemingly withered leaves does not help and can even be harmful to the pineapple plant. Although a very resistant plant, the pineapple is prone to rotting and removing not fully withered leaves can allow rotting funghi and other bacteria into the plant. avoid, be patient, and whatever you decide to cut, just shred them and put them back on the soil to turn into compost.

One fruit per crown.

That depends on conditions. Generally, it takes months to be ripe. When it's golden bottom to top, it's ready.

If you bought the plant from a store it was probably encouraged to fruit at an abnormal rate so as to be sold as a novelty. It is more than likely a real pineapple plant but the fruit will not get very large on such a young plant.

No, the plant will be in shock and might not take up water as well. Give it partial sun and plenty of water for the first 2 to 6 days

No. That can cause bacteria and fungi to grow and kill the pineapple.

You should use a soil that's neutral and has slow-release fertilizer for juicy fruit.

Suckers are small planters that develop near the base of the parent plant. They can be separated from the parent plant and grown into new plants.

Yes. Since you live over south, where it is warm and it doesn't get very cold. Sometimes it may get cool and frostbite may appear and if that is likely to happen, you should bring it in. But any other time you are okay to leave it outside.

I grow pineapples in Kenya. Once we harvest the fruit, we leave the stem and new suckers grow and they produce new fruit. We usually leave the mother stem to live and produce for almost 7-8 years.

You may discard it.

I get a five-gallon bucket about half full with dry soil. The top of the leaves sit on the soil without damage.

The pineapple comes out of the middle of the leaves.

When the pineapple turns yellow from the base to the top, it is ripe and needs to be harvested. You can use garden bamboo sticks or small diameter PVC pipe to insert into the soil and loosely tie the pineapple to it to keep it upright.

Plants flower. That's where the pineapple grows from.

Pineapples, like all plants, need sunlight to thrive. The only way to grow a pineapple without sun is with heavy use of grow lights, and even then it will grow slower than if it were in the sun.

No, always dry it out first for at least 5-7 days. I’ve tested this several times, and every time I don’t dry it for at least 5-7 days, it moisture-rots from the inside out. The leaves will turn brown, but not from the tips like normal. They start at the inside and rot their way out. It may seem dry enough right away, but it still has a lot of moisture built up inside from being part of the fruit.

If you like growing plants inside. The winters are too harsh to grow pineapples, but they'll be fine in the summer.

The pineapple is ripe when it is golden brown to the top to bottom. But don't let it get overripe if you want to replant it.

If it's near the crown then that's the flower (step 5), which will turn into the fruit.