Pineapple

On another gardening forum that I belong to someone posted photos of a beautiful pineapple that she had grown in her greenhouse. I wrote that I thought it was a great idea and that would try to grow one also. She replied that it would take patience, which I have, but to speed up the process I purchased a plant on eBay for $5.99, the variety is Kona Sugarloaf. I was shocked when I opened the box today, as I expected a tiny plant. In any event, it should be interesting to try to grow one. For reference to the size of the plant, the black olive containers are three gallon nursery pots.

 

Nice - although it is pretty easy to chop the top off a pineapple - root that and eat the fruit

 

As I wrote, just trying to speed up the process.

 

Yeah I get that - but how much will it be sped up?
cheers
Ben

 

Don't know, but I'll buy a pineapple and start it this weekend so I do know.

 

Nice idea for a comparison
Not much point us trying for fruit, far too cold :(

 

Woman in Massachusetts grew these in her greenhouse. If you think the UK is cold you would never survive New York. I had four feet of snow outside the greenhouse for most of last winter.

 

I used to grow pineapples in my conservatory, from the tops of supermarket fruit.
I found it took me about three years, from rooting, to fruiting, on average.

The fruit I grew were generally smaller than you would normally buy, but bearing in mind I used to only grow in 8 in pots.
They dont have a large root system, most of the nutrient, being a bromeliad, is actually absorbed through the leaves.

 

just found a pic of one of mine back in sept 06.

 

Nice one Pete

My remaining front tooth still gets scared of them though, remembers what one did to it's mate

 

That looks soooo good. I bought one to start today. The one I bought on eBay is supposed to have huge pineapples. I guess only time will tell.

 

As with most things growing, you only get out, what you put in, I guess.

So some good foliar feeds should do the trick.

 

Well, we will see how this goes. I paid a little more than two dollars for the pineapple at Aldi's. I did learn that if the plant I bought on eBay came from a sucker, which it probably did as it came from a nursery, it will produce a fruit much faster, like only one year.
jackb

 

Apparently you can make them fruit at any time, within reason of course, by introducing ethylene gas.
Ripe bananas, apples etc. give off this gas.