Once an outlandish berry (or fruit) from the tropics smoothly migrates to the windowsills of exotic lovers. Many innovative flower growers have already mastered the cultivation of the indoor pineapple.
Buying a useful and tasty fruit can turn into a fascinating process of getting your own pineapple crop. It should be noted that the tropical plant develops very slowly. It can take several years from rooting to ripe fruit. In addition, not every fruit is capable of sprouting.
How to choose a pineapple for planting
Aiming to grow a room pineapple, you should know that the tropical succulent is a plant with sprawling saber-shaped leaves. Over time, the exot will occupy the lion’s share of the windowsill of the brightest room. The process of budding followed by flowering will fill the experiment with an unforgettable experience. The ripening of the fruit lasts at least six months and all this time the pineapple will be the focus of attention of the household.
When choosing a pineapple in the store to sprout, you should pay attention to the top cap of the leaves. A ripe fruit is said to have a dry greenness. The nutritional value negatively affects the germination of the cuttings. To successfully grow pineapple at home, preference should be given to fruit with lush greens.
Also of importance is the country of origin. The greater the distance from the producer to the retail outlet, the less chance of germinating the cuttings. Pineapple for planting should be as fresh as possible. Freshly harvested fruits that have not been frozen are suitable for breeding.
How to get a cutting from a pineapple fruit
The isolation of the planting material from the pineapple fruit is one of the most responsible processes.
There are two methods:
- Unscrewing the central bud;
- Cutting off the top of the fruit.
Sometimes pineapples are propagated by seeds. However, this process takes too much time. Germination of the “poppy” appears to be a more efficient method.
Twisting the central bud is a very laborious process requiring a great deal of force. Not every man can accomplish this mission.
Twisting the central kidney is done in the following way:
- The green “top” of the pineapple is grasped at the base with the leading hand;
- Hold the fruit firmly with the other hand;
- The top of the fruit is slowly rotated around its axis.
- A cone-shaped notch will remain in the pineapple after the bundle of green leaves is separated.
- Obtaining a cuttings from the cut off crown is done in this sequence:
- The top of the fruit is separated with a sharp knife as close to the green crest as possible;
- The knife should be held at such an angle as to make a cone-shaped funnel.
In both cases, the same result is expected – a rosette of green leaves with some sort of a sprout. This core should be stripped from the lower layer of leaves to reveal a thick trunk with a growth heel. The leaves should be separated one at a time, without removing the top layer of the rind. It is in the top layer of the rind that the growth points of the future root system are located. The height of the bare part of the rind should be at least three to five centimeters.
Rooting methods for pineapple
Subsequent rooting of the cuttings takes place taking into account the general rules of germination of succulent plants. It is possible to root a leaf rosette in two ways:
- In water;
- In the substrate.
Both methods take approximately the same amount of time and have similar productivity. Many growers prefer to germinate in water because they can monitor the process.
Rooting in water.
Rooting in water has a number of features unique to this plant:
- “Pineapple” is placed in water without delay. There is no need to conduct pretreatment with fungicides, stimulants;
- Water is poured into a container of light or transparent glass. Experienced florists claim that the roots germinate faster in transparent glasses;
- The naked part of the “sprout” is immersed in water by one or two centimeters. It is extremely important that the rosette of leaves remains dry;
- The lower edge of the core should not touch the walls or the bottom of the vessel. For some unexplained reason, such contact prevents root germination;
- A few drops of aloe juice are added to the water for disinfection. The water is not changed, but only monitored for its level and refilled as it evaporates.
The glass with the cuttings is placed on a window sill in a warm room. It takes two to three weeks for the buds to awaken. The cuttings are transplanted into the substrate when the young roots grow two to three centimeters.
Rooting in substrate
This method includes an obligatory stage characteristic of all succulents. The cuttings should be dried outdoors. The bundle is placed so that the cuts have free access to air. The process can last from one to three weeks. The duration of drying depends on the juiciness of the fruit, the humidity of the air in the room.
Pineapple cuttings can be planted in the substrate when all the cuts have a dry surface.
For germination, use a commercial substrate for succulents or prepare a mixture yourself. The optimal variant is a composition of equal parts of peat, sand, humus and turf soil. It is allowed to use a sand and peat mixture.
The cuttings are buried in the moist substrate to the base of the leaf rosette. The green bundle is necessarily covered with a transparent cap to create greenhouse conditions. At home, the care of the pineapple greenhouse consists of regular airing and moistening.
The substrate and leaves are moistened with a sprayer. Rooting takes two to three weeks. The first new leaf will report successful root germination. From this moment, the hood is removed from the greenhouse and switch to overhead watering. The indoor exot is transplanted to a permanent place after the formation of three to four permanent leaves.
How to take care of a room pineapple
Further success of the experiment lies in the proper care of the exot grown at home. Compliance with simple agrotechnics will allow you to get a sprawling succulent with unique decorative qualities.
The indoor plant requires certain microclimate parameters:
- The air temperature in the room should not fall below +17°C. The most comfortable temperature is in the range of +22+25°C;
- Pineapple, like any succulent, requires a lot of light. Duration of daylight hours should not be less than 10 hours;
- Watering rules correspond to succulent plants. Exot requires abundant watering after complete drying of the ground ball. Stable alternation of generous watering with short-term drought corresponds to the natural conditions of growth. It is noteworthy that the adult plant is watered at the green rosette of leaves;
- The plant is characterized by a pronounced dormancy period, which lasts from November to February. Watering is reduced to a minimum, and spraying is stopped altogether;
- Exot responds positively to being outdoors in summer with frequent spraying and showers;
- Fertilizers are applied every two to three weeks. It is allowed to use organic fertilizers. Of industrial mineral complexes, the composition for succulents is a priority.
Pineapple flowering and fruiting
With the right circumstances and proper care, the exot can bloom in a year and a half after rooting. Do not panic if it does not. The plant must be mature enough to enter the flowering phase. There are simple techniques for initiating the budding process.
The fleshy flower stalk reaches half a meter in height. The dense inflorescence forms synchronously with the growth of the fleshy stem. The pineapple flower opens for only one day and has no aesthetic value. The exotic fruit on a long stem plays a decorative role.
The plant begins to intensively release root cubs after the fruit matures. In this way you can get the next generation of seedlings for future harvests.
