How to grow pineapple - a tropical exotic at home. How to grow a fragrant delicious pineapple at home

Pineapple is a popular tropical plant that can be grown at home as well. An additional advantage besides exotic appearance, its unpretentiousness serves. However, there are several rules regarding correct fit and care for this culture.

Planting methods for pineapple

In nature, pineapple propagates by seeds and root layers, and at home you can easily get good plant from the top.

Tops

If you want to plant the top of a pineapple, then carefully consider the acquisition of the "mother" fruit. This fruit should be ripe. Examine the top carefully. It should be fresh, free from rot and defects and with a healthy heart of bright green color.

Suitable tops can be found late spring, early autumn and in the summer. The tops from "winter" pineapples will not work - they are often exposed to cold temperatures, freeze and therefore cannot develop into a good plant.

A top with a healthy green heart is suitable for further cultivation.

The planting process includes several stages. First you need to extract the top. This can be done in two ways:

1. Gently cut off the top, grabbing the pulp 2-3 cm.
2. Grasp the fruit with one hand, the top with the other and twist it several times.

The top of the pineapple can be cut or twisted

Then you need to prepare the top for planting. Try to carefully complete all the work, otherwise the workpiece will rot:

1. Completely clean the top of the remaining pulp.
2. Delete lower leaves so that a light cylinder 2–3 cm long is formed.

   Leaves from the bottom of the top should be removed

3. Disinfect the slices to avoid decay:
   1. Prepare a hot pink solution of potassium permanganate (1 g of powder per 200 g of water) and place the top in it for 1 minute. Then rinse and pat dry.
   2. Sprinkle the slices with activated charcoal (crush 1-2 tablets).
4. After processing, dry the top for 5-7 days in an upright position (the slices should not touch surfaces) in a dark, dry room at room temperature.

   Pineapple tops are dried upright

5. Root (optional):
   

After the preparatory work you can start planting the tip in the ground:

1. Prepare a small pot (200-300 ml) and make drain holes.
2. Fill the bottom with drainage (expanded clay, fine gravel), and then soil:
   
3. Moisten the soil and make a hole 3 cm deep in the center.
4. Add 0.5-1 tbsp. l. charcoal.
5. Place the tip gently into the hole and straighten the roots.
6. Sprinkle soil over the planting, lightly compacting, and water again.

   After planting, the soil must be slightly compacted

7. Cover the planting with a plastic bag so that the leaves do not touch the film, or place it under a glass container, and then put it in a warm, bright place.

   The microclimate under the glass cover will help the pineapple to root faster

Pineapple growers recommend spilling the soil with boiling water 2 days before planting in order to disinfect it and ensure the desired level of humidity.

The fact that the top has taken root is evidenced by the appearance of new leaves. Until that time, keep the workpiece under cover, providing it at first small (10 minutes 2 times a day), and then more and more prolonged airing until the cover is completely removed. Water in moderation. Experienced florists advise to moisten not only the soil, but also the outlet. Prevent condensation from getting on the leaves, wipe or change the film.

For all work and for further irrigation, only soft water is suitable - settled for a day, thawed, rain or boiled.

Seeds

This method is rarely used, since there are almost no seeds in the pineapples on the market. In addition, in stores you can often find hybrids, the seeds of which do not carry properties. mother plant, therefore, it is recommended to take material only from proven plants, for example, from those that themselves were grown from seed and gave good results.

Sowing pineapple seeds

In pineapple, the seeds are in the pulp just under the skin. If they are dark brown and hard to the touch, then they can be planted. Carefully remove the seeds with a knife and rinse in a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 200 ml of water), then remove, dry on a paper towel and start sowing.

Plantable pineapple seeds - dark brown, firm

Preparation and landing stages:

1. Soak. Place a damp material (cotton cloth or cotton pads). Place the bones on it and cover them on top with the same material. Place the workpiece in a warm place for 18-24 hours. The seeds should swell a little.
2. Sowing in the ground. Fill the planting container with a mixture of peat and refined sand (they should be taken in equal parts), moisten the soil and plant seeds at a distance of 7–10 cm from each other, deepening them by 1–2 cm.
3. After sowing, be sure to cover the container with foil or glass and place in a warm place.
4. The time of emergence of seedlings depends on the temperature: at 30–32 o C, the seeds will germinate in 2–3 weeks, in colder conditions the sprouts will appear not earlier than in 30–45 days.

Seedlings usually appear within 3-4 weeks, while the temperature should be at least 30 o C. Ventilate the plantings regularly (10 minutes, 2 times a day) and water the soil as needed. If you sowed seeds in a common container, then after the third leaf appears in the seedlings, cut them into separate containers:

1. Prepare pots with a volume of 0.5-0.7 liters. Make drainage holes in them and fill 1/3 with crushed expanded clay or fine gravel.
2. Add soil (turf soil (2 parts) + humus (1 part) + sand (1 part)).
3. Well moisten the soil in a container with sprouts 2 hours before picking.
4. Before picking, moisten the soil in containers and make holes in it 2 cm deep.
5. Gently remove the sprout, keeping a clod of soil on the roots, and place in the hole. Sprinkle with soil, lightly compacting it.
6. Cover the containers with plastic wrap and place in a warm, bright place.

The sprouts must be dived to provide enough space for the roots.

Keep the sprouts in the "greenhouse" until they take root (the signs are the same as at the top), allowing them to ventilate (20-30 minutes every day). Also, do not forget to water the soil when it dries.

Layers

You can plant pineapple this way if you already have adult plant... Unfortunately, the pineapple bush dies off shortly after it is harvested, and if you want to continue growing pineapple, you can easily do it with cuttings.

Layers are suitable for planting, the leaves on which have reached a length of 15 cm.

Pineapple can be propagated by layering

Step by step process:

1. Break off the root layers carefully.
2. Dry in an upright position with the rosette facing down for 5-7 days in a dark place at room temperature to allow tissue to form on the sections. Remember that the layers should not touch any surfaces.
3. Take a 0.3 L pot and fill it with:
   1. The drainage layer is 2-3 cm.
   2. Soil (turf soil (3 parts) + humus (2 parts) + peat (2 parts) + rotted sawdust (2 parts) + sand (1 part)). Pour boiling water over it 1-2 days before planting.
4. Make a hole 2–2.5 cm deep in moistened soil and plant the layers in it, after sprinkling the roots with charcoal. Compact the soil slightly.
5. Cover the planting with foil and place in a warm, bright place.

The sprouts must be covered before taking root.

Pineapple care rules

To get a quality plant, you need to follow several simple agrotechnical rules, paying special attention to lighting and temperature conditions, since the health and development of pineapple depends on them.

Lighting

For proper development, pineapple needs about 12 hours of daylight. It is advisable to place the plant in a bright place, partial exposure to direct sunlight is allowed.

V winter time pineapple must be supplemented with a fluorescent lamp.

Pineapple needs to be placed in a bright place, it needs about 12 hours of daylight

Temperature

Pineapple is a thermophilic crop, so it must be carefully observed temperature regime otherwise the plant will not be able to develop properly. In summer, the temperature must be maintained within 25-30 o C, in winter - 18-20 o C. Also, try to avoid sudden changes in temperature and drafts (especially in winter when airing), since hypothermia negatively affects the health of the pineapple and can provoke its death.

Transfer

It is advisable to replant pineapple every year in the summer. Annual plant can be transplanted into a pot with a volume of 1 liter, a two-year old - with a volume of 2-2.5 liters, a three-year old - with a volume of 3-4 liters. It is not worth planting immediately in a large container, since the soil can quickly sour. When transplanting, use the transshipment method in order to preserve an earthen ball and not damage the root system: for this purpose, do not water the soil for several days, when it dries up, turn the pot over and remove the plant. With each transplant, sprinkle the root collar (where the trunk transitions to the root) with 0.5 cm soil.

Step by step process:

Pineapple does not have a highly developed root system, so it is advisable to choose shallow wide pots for it.

Watering

There are several features that relate to correct watering pineapple:

• For irrigation, you need to use water with a temperature of at least 27 o C. It also needs to be acidified by adding citric acid (1/5 tsp of powder per 250 ml of water).
• There is no consensus among flower growers on how to properly water pineapple, so study different ways and choose the most convenient for you:
  • Watering into an outlet. If you want to water the pineapple in this way, then do it 1 time in 7-10 days, and moisten the soil only when it dries, or place the pot in a tray with a moistened substrate. If the water in the outlet stagnates, try to remove it, otherwise the leaves may start to rot. Also, a situation may arise that the outlet does not absorb water at all. In this case, go to watering the soil.
  • Watering the soil. It is carried out less often - about 1 time in 2 weeks, while it is necessary to moisten all layers of the soil, while avoiding stagnation of water, otherwise the roots will begin to rot.
• Spray the leaves every 2-3 days or wipe them with a damp cloth. If the pineapple absorbs water well, then you can leave a small amount of it in the bases of the leaves of the lower row so as not to dry out the roots.
• In winter, watering should be carried out 2 times less often than in summer. It is better to refuse spraying during this period.

Top dressing

You can use organic and mineral fertilizers... If you want to use natural fertilizer, then in this case mullein solution is best suited. It prepares like this:

1. Mix dry organic matter (50 g) with water in equal parts.
2. Leave covered for 7-10 days in a warm, dry place.
3. Before use, dilute the resulting solution with water, taking 1 part of the mixture with 9 parts of water.

You can prepare a solution for several feedings at once and store it in a tightly closed container. For the season, 2 cans with a volume of 3 liters are usually prepared. For one feeding of a young plant (2–2.5 years), 10–15 ml of solution is required, for an older plant - 20–30 ml, applied under the root in a pre-moistened soil. This method of feeding is suitable if it is possible to put a pineapple pot on the balcony or in a greenhouse for the summer.

You can also feed the pineapple with flower fertilizer (Agricola, Kemira, Azalea), preparing it according to the instructions, but taking 2 times less powder than is recommended for feeding other plants. In this case, the outlet and leaves should be sprayed. It is also better to use the mineral complex during flowering, and then return to organic matter again. It is undesirable to use lime and ash as fertilizers. You need to feed the pineapple after it turns 1.5–2 years old, once every 15–20 days from the beginning of March to the beginning of August.

Flowering stimulation

Pineapple usually begins to bloom in the 3rd year after planting. If this does not happen, then you can stimulate its flowering yourself by fumigating the plant with smoke or watering it with a special solution. But be careful: the stimulation procedure can only be carried out with strong, well developed plants whose leaves have reached a length of 60 cm, and the base of the rosette has a diameter of 8–10 cm.

Table: ways to stimulate pineapple flowering

Greenhouse pineapple care

If you have a heated greenhouse, you can try growing pineapple in it:

1. Prepare the ground. It should consist of a mixture of garden soil, humus, peat in equal amounts and sand (you need to take it 2 times less than any other component). The soil layer is 25–35 cm.
2. Moisten the soil and plant rosettes or layers in it at a distance of 1 m from each other in holes 3-5 cm deep.

The main condition is that the air temperature must be at least 25 o C, the soil temperature must be at least 20 o C.

It is best to grow pineapple in large boxes set on stands to hold heating appliances underneath.

Planting care is the same as at home. Try to water the plants with water acidified with citric acid, the temperature of which is not lower than the temperature in the greenhouse. Acetylene can be used to stimulate flowering rather than fumigation so as not to harm other plants.

Pineapples can be successfully grown in a greenhouse

Disease and pest control

Pineapple is a plant with a fairly strong immune system, but there are several problems that you may encounter when breeding this crop:

• Drying of leaves. This usually happens if the plant is in direct sunlight or the temperature is extremely high. Move the pot to a cooler or shaded area and spray it with water.
• Blanching of leaves. A sign of a lack of light, so move the plant to a bright spot.
• Decay of the base. This is due to high humidity and cold. Place the pineapple in a warmer place and let the soil dry. In the future, carry out moderate watering.

Table: Pineapple Pest Control

Photo gallery: who threatens the pineapple

A feature of pineapple bracts is the presence of stripes

The bush reaches a height of 0.3–0.5 m and has many dark green leaves. Suitable for planting at home, does not take up much space, propagates well by layering. Prefers porous, well-drained soils. Fruits form small, no more than 7-10 cm long and weighing within 0.5 kg, which can be used as food.

Caen's pineapple fruit can be used as food

That I just didn’t grow on my windowsill, but now I want to tell you about the "Kaena" pineapple. This pineapple was presented to me in the spring, on March 8th. The pineapple was beautiful, dense, with a beautiful rosette of small red flowers. After a certain period of time, a small pineapple fruit began to appear, at first green, then it began to turn yellow, from the fall of flowers to the appearance of a yellow fruit, probably half a year passed. The pineapple fruit tastes very, very sweet, soft, not the same as sold in the store. Of course, after peeling, there was almost nothing left, but my whole family was able to taste and appreciate. Pineapple (greens) itself is not high, 20-25 cm. And the fruit was about 7 cm.

Raspi

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The bush reaches a height of 0.8–0.9 m, forms long green leaves with a bluish bloom and thorns along the edges. At home, it is mainly used as ornamental plant without forming an edible fruit.

Champaka pineapple is often used as an ornamental plant

Growing a pineapple is not difficult, you just need to properly prepare it for planting and follow the simple rules of care. Follow all the recommendations, and you will get a wonderful plant that will not only decorate your home, but also delight the harvest.

If you want to grow some exotic plant in your apartment, then choose pineapple for growing. Growing pineapple at home is easy. And the result will exceed all your expectations. After 3-4 years, you can get fragrant fruits.

Preparing pineapple for planting

For planting, you can use the top of the pineapple - a tuft. If you buy pineapple specifically for planting, then pay attention to both the fruit itself and the crest. First of all, the crest should not be frostbitten. Most often, winter pineapples have already been in the cold. Therefore, pineapples purchased in summer or early autumn are best suited for breeding. Choose pineapple tufted. It should be intact. The inner leaves should be green and juicy.

Very carefully, with a sharp knife, we separate the tuft from the seed in the place where they join. We try not to hurt the flesh. We remove 3-4 rows of lower leaves, so that the "stump" is released approximately to a height of 1 cm.

There are 2 ways to process a slice:

Method 1: The crest is simply dried in an upright position for 2-3 weeks. During this time, the slice heals and moves to the root formation zone maximum amount nutrients.

Method 2: The cut of the tuft is treated with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, then the cut is sprinkled with ash and dried within 5-6 hours.

Preparing the substrate for growing pineapple

1 view:

We prepare the following mixture: we take 3 parts of sod land, 2 parts of leafy land, 2 parts of high-moor peat, 2 parts of birch sawdust, 1 part of coarse sand. Mix everything thoroughly. The mixture is calcined in the oven or steamed.

2 view:

We prepare the main mixture from 1 part of sod land, 2 parts of leaf humus, 1 part of sand, 1 part of peat. In addition, for the top layer of 3 cm, we prepare a mixture of sand and leaf humus in the same ratio.

3 view:

We take coarse river sand and peat in equal parts. A few days before planting, this substrate should be spilled abundantly with boiling water. This procedure disinfects the substrate and gives it the necessary moisture.

4 view:

You can simply buy substrate for bromeliads, which include pineapple, at a specialty store. In general, the soil for planting pineapple should be well permeable to water and air, with an acidic pH of 4-5.

Preparing a container for planting pineapple

We choose a small container. Its diameter should be slightly larger than the size of the tuft. The volume of the container should be no more than 0.6 liters. You can choose the usual flower pot suitable size... At the bottom of the pot we lay the drainage in a layer of 2-3 cm. Pebbles or caramzite will do. Then we lay the soil substrate, lacking 1.5-2 cm to the edges of the pot.

How to plant pineapple

In the center of the pot we dig a hole with a diameter slightly larger than the crest, the depth of the hole is 2-2.5 cm. Pour some charcoal into the hole. This will prevent the edges of the rosette from rotting. We insert the crest into the hole. We dig in a few sticks along the edges of the pot, 2-4, and tie the tuft to them with threads, for fixing. Sprinkle the ground and tuft with water and cover with a cap from a glass jar, plastic bottle or a plastic bag. We put the pot in a warm, bright place, but not in direct sunlight.

The optimum temperature for rooting is 25-27 degrees. In winter, the pot can be placed directly on the radiator by placing a board under it. Rooting occurs after 1.5-2 months. Its sign is the appearance of new leaves. The “mini greenhouse” can be cleaned after 2 months.

Pineapple care at home

Pineapple is a light-loving plant. That's why optimum temperature for growing pineapple in summer - 28-30 degrees, minimum - 25 degrees. In winter, the temperature should be maintained at 22-24 degrees, at least 18 degrees. If this minimum is reached, the plant will simply die. Overcooling of the root system can also lead to the death of the plant. Therefore, you cannot put the pineapple pot on a cold windowsill. Daylight hours for growing pineapple should be 12 hours. Therefore, in winter, if there is a shortage of pineapple, the house should be illuminated with a fluorescent lamp.

Pineapple requires moderate watering. Melted or rain water is used, it can be replaced with boiled or settled water. Before watering, the water should be acidified with oxalic or citric acid to a pH of 5-6. Citric acid can be replaced lemon juice... The acidity of the water can be checked using a universal indicator litmus paper. Pineapple should be watered at home only with water warmed up to 30 degrees. Water must be poured into a power outlet. Watering should be moderate, as waterlogging of the earth can lead to decay. The soil should dry out slightly between waterings. It is also necessary to frequently spray the leaves. warm water... Useful for pineapple so that there is water in the axils of the lower leaves. The extra pineapple roots are excellent at absorbing it.

Pineapple feeding

During the growing season, which lasts from late February to September, pineapple should be fed every 10-15 days. The best fertilizer- infusion of cow or horse manure. A complex of mineral fertilizers such as "Azalea" is useful. It must be applied at half the size required by other plants. Be sure to water and spray the pineapple with a solution of ferrous sulfate once or twice a month. It is prepared at the rate of 1 g per 1 liter of water. It is also acidified. It is strongly not recommended to feed the pineapple with alkaline fertilizers such as lime or wood ash.

Pineapple transplant

The pineapple at home needs to be replanted every year. The roots of the plant should not be allowed to grow strongly. The size of the pot should increase slightly each year. The pineapple root system is small. For an adult plant, a 3-4 liter pot is quite enough. For transplant, use the transshipment method. They carry it out very carefully, trying not to destroy the clod of the earth. The depth of the root collar is increased by 0.5 cm.

Flowering stimulation

Pineapple at home with proper care can bloom in 3-4 years. By this time, the length of the pineapple leaves has already reached 80-90 cm, and the diameter of the rosette is 10 cm. But sometimes the pineapple must be made to bloom. There are several ways to stimulate flowering.

Method 1:

The simplest stimulant is ethylene. To obtain it, dissolve 1 teaspoon of calcium carbide (it is used for gas welding) in 0.5 liter of water. We close the can and insist within 24 hours. After that, we drain the settled liquid, leaving sediment and impurities. 50 g of this solution is poured into the center of the outlet every day for a week. After such stimulation, flowering is guaranteed in a month and a half.

Method 2:

Fumigation. We put a plastic bag on the plant. We put several lighted cigarettes or smoking coals near the pot for 10 minutes. Be careful, follow the measures fire safety... Fumigation is carried out 2-3 times in 7-10 days. After 2-2.5 months, the pineapple blooms.

Method 3:

We put the pot in a large plastic bag. Place 3-4 ripe apples or tomatoes there. This method is simple, but does not always lead to flowering.

Pineapple flowering and fruiting

Flowering lasts approximately 2 weeks. As soon as the flowers appear, we replace the organic fertilizing with fertilizing with a complex of mineral fertilizers. Good "Kemira", "Agricola" or other fertilizers for flower crops... The fruit ripens in 5-7 months. The main indicator maturity - strong sweet smell and sufficient weight of the fruit. At home, pineapples can reach 0.3 - 1.5 kg.

At the base of an adult plant, lateral layers - "babies" often appear. There can be up to 20 such children. They can be seated in the same way as the crest. Over time, you can get a real pineapple plantation to the delight and envy of your friends.

Pineapple is native to the Mato Grosso plateau on the border of Brazil and Paraguay. This plant is widely cultivated in many tropical and subtropical countries, and it has also become widely used in the decoration of residential premises. It is used in cooking, cosmetics. For example, the most famous dish that any pineapple housewife can cook with her own hands is pineapple chicken salad, not to mention all kinds of uses of this fruit in sweet pastries. And in cosmetics there are whole pineapple series. And gastroenterologists recommend it to those who have problems with fermentation.

Growing and caring for pineapple

Large-crested pineapple aka crested

Large-crested pineapple is the most cultivated species. Belongs to bromylium and herbaceous perennial plants... Its stem is shortened, and the leaves are rigid, linear and xiphoid, up to 1.5 m long and up to 6 cm wide. Beautiful leaves possesses Ananas comosus var. variegatus - green-creamy longitudinal stripes that turn pink in bright light. Most varieties produce fruit without pollination.

An adult pineapple reaches a height of 1 m, and the peduncle ends with a spike-shaped inflorescence of lilac, white or purple color. Depending on the variety, after flowering, a fruit weighing from 0.2 to 15 kg is formed. The peculiarity of the fruit is the ability to germinate through it a shoot with normally developed leaves, which is called "sultan". It is carefully cut and rooted.

How to grow pineapple at home

1. Carefully cut off the apical shoot ("sultan") with the capture of 0.5-1 cm of tissue.

2. Dry for 2-3 days

3. Separate the pulp and plant it at a shallow depth in sphagnum moss or wet sand. When kept in a warm room and moderate watering, the roots appear at 2-4 weeks.

Another way is when the cut "sultan" is kept in water so that it barely touches the surface of the water and then waits for its roots to appear.

4. When roots appear, the plant can be transplanted into an appropriate substrate. In the first days after transplanting, cover the plant with a jar or plastic cap.

Substrate: 3 parts of sod land, 2 parts of deciduous land, 2 parts of peat and 1 part of sand.

V warm time to grow pineapple at home, the temperature of the pineapple substrate should be within + 25C and always moist, but not wet!

5. Place pots with plants on the southern, south-western windows, in a warm, well-ventilated room, only in sunlight.

6. Should be watered only with warm, settled water.

7.In winter period the substrate temperature can be reduced to + 15C, and watering can be reduced.

8. With the beginning of intensive growth (spring-summer), do-it-yourself pineapple should be abundantly watered and sprayed, fed with organic and mineral fertilizers.

Watch the video how to grow your own pineapple in an apartment

The first harvest can be obtained in 15 months at a night temperature not lower than + 16-17C, and if this is not observed, the harvest may appear only in the third year.

How to speed up the appearance of flower buds in pineapple

In the Azores, pineapple fumigation has been practiced for over a hundred years. This is done so that flower buds form faster. This is facilitated by ethylene, which is released during combustion. Naturally, no one recommends burning a fire in the premises, but there is a method that replaces this. Another gas that accelerates the appearance of flower buds is acetylene. The easiest way to get this gas is to combine carbide with water in a thick-walled, closed container. Part of the acetylene is "absorbed" into this water that water or spray the plants.

And the easiest method to speed up the appearance of flower buds is rotten apples. They are laid out around the plant and wrapped tightly with cellophane. Leave in this form for 24 hours. In addition, this operation is the most loyal to pineapples and people at home.

In about 19-20 months the pineapple will bloom, and in 4-5 months you can taste home-grown pineapple.

Pineapple belongs to the bromeliad family, which differ from most plants in their way of accumulating dew and nutrients where the leaves are attached to the trunk. From there, the plant absorbs moisture with special hairs, and thus can survive the dry season. But pineapple still uses roots as the main food organ.

To grow pineapple from a tuft, you need to purchase a mature, healthy fruit in the store. Strong, vibrant and green leaves are signs of health that do not detach even with great effort. The skin should be golden brown in color and smell of ripe pineapple without any impurities. Even if the pineapple looks great, but it smells like rot, this means that disease-causing processes have already begun in its core, which can prevent the top from taking root. Green, unripe pineapple smells nothing, you can take it for planting material, but it will be impossible to eat such fruit.

To increase the likelihood of pineapple top rooting, you can choose two fruits. To prepare for planting with a hand in a working glove, so as not to injure yourself on the sharp edges of the leaves, take all the leaves and turn it with force. A healthy crest is quite easily separated from the fruit, along with a small stem at the bottom. For particularly sturdy specimens, you can use a knife to cut off the top of the pineapple and then separate the flesh from the sides, otherwise decay will occur. Also, 3-5 lower leaves are removed, exposing the base of the trunk, from which the roots subsequently appear. After all the pruning and peeling procedures, the pineapple is left to dry for several days so that the leaf cuts and scars do not start to rot during rooting.

Most effective method rooting - put the top of the pineapple in a glass of water

The most effective rooting method is to place the top of the pineapple in a glass of water so that the water covers the entire exposed trunk. The amount of "Epin" or "Kornevin" necessary for the volume of water can be added to the water to stimulate root formation. The water should be slightly higher room temperature, not colder than 22оС. You need to change it every 3 days, and on other days, monitor the decrease in the level and add fresh on time. It takes about 3-4 weeks for a pineapple tuft to take root, and if something goes wrong, it will rot much earlier. You can plant pineapple when its roots reach 5-6 cm.

The substrate for the further growth of pineapple is made up of soil for indoor plants, river sand and peat, taken in equal parts. It is better to take a small pot for the initial planting, with half a tuft or slightly larger in diameter. Needed good drainage from expanded clay or pieces of charcoal, since with stagnant moisture, pineapple will rot very quickly, and it will be difficult to save it. Young pineapple loves moisture, but not bay. It is not recommended to leave it in direct sunlight, it is desirable to shade at least in the form of a sheet of paper.

The emergence of new leaves and the finding of old leaves in their places can be considered a good sign of survival. If the pineapple shows no signs of life for more than 2 months, this most likely means that it is sick. The plant must be carefully removed from the pot and looked at the roots. If they and the entire bottom are rotted, then this pineapple may have to be thrown away.

Indoor pineapples are transplanted annually, choosing each time a pot 1.5 - 2 cm larger than the previous one and adding new soil... In winter, the growth of pineapple stops, but in the spring, after a period of dormancy, it should recover. If this does not happen, then you need to inspect the roots of the pineapple, at the same time, transplanting it into new pot... Perhaps the plant has simply depleted the soil and after transplanting, growth will begin anew.

Grow with your own hands unusual plant always interesting. Now growers can replenish their collection with real pineapple. To grow it at home from the top, special skills are not needed, because this fascinating process quite simple. But, no less important, a native of the tropics will bring some exotic note into the room, and with proper care, will delight the owner with a delicious fruit.

General description of the plant

Pineapple is a perennial herb, and therefore it is erroneous to classify it as fruits and vegetables. The culture is a small one growing out of fibrous root stem riddled with sharp long leaves. It can be up to one meter in height and up to two meters in diameter. The fruit of the plant forms at the top of the main shoot, which lengthens after flowering. Some pineapple fruit weighs 3.5 kg.

Historical reference

The homeland of exotic herbs is Brazil. In Europe, an unusual fruit appeared thanks to the sailors of Christopher Columbus. It was they who, in 1490, brought the pineapple from South America... Wealthy Europeans immediately liked the taste of the fruit, but sending expeditions for a new delicacy in those days was very expensive, and besides, it would take too long to wait for their return. All that remained was to grow pineapples in Europe.

For a long time, no one managed to grow South American grass in the harsh European climate. Attempts were crowned with success only when the plant from the expanses of Brazil began to be planted in greenhouses and greenhouses. There, the thermophilic pineapple began to grow and bear fruit successfully.

Russia, following the example of European countries, also started growing exotic fruits. For more than a century, pineapple plantations existed in St. Petersburg and even on Solovki.

This changed in the 19th century when steamships made travel to South America quite affordable. Exactly then juicy fruits began to be brought directly from their homeland in huge quantities. Now the plant is one of the most valuable agricultural crops South America, Africa and South-East Asia... At home, you can grow pineapple from the top, as well as from seeds and root cuttings.

Growing from the apical rosette

For successful cultivation exotic plant at home, first of all, good planting material is needed. When choosing a pineapple in a store for growing at home, you need to pay attention to the fact that it is fresh and ripe. The peel of such a fruit is golden yellow, and the foliage of the apical rosette is lively, green and elastic, without any traces of spoilage or damage from cold. In addition, the inner leaves must not be dry. And you also need to keep in mind that if the growth point of the rosette is rotten or withered, then it will be very difficult to get a new plant.

If the purchased fruit meets all the specified requirements, then you can start preparing the planting material. To do this, with a sharp, clean knife, you need to cut off the top of the pineapple so as to capture not only the leaf outlet, but also part of the fruit itself three centimeters lower.

For a fully ripe pineapple, the rosette can simply be carefully unscrewed. To do this, hold the top firmly with one hand and turn the fruit with the other.

Having received the future planting material, it must be thoroughly cleaned of all residues of juicy pulp, as they can become a source of rot. In addition, the short bottom leaves of the rosette must also be removed to obtain a cylindrical stalk about three centimeters long.

Sections must be treated with a saturated solution of potassium permanganate or chopped charcoal... In addition, an epin solution is suitable for antibacterial treatment of the cutting, which will also speed up the emergence of roots.

To prevent decay of the planting material, it must be dried before rooting. To do this, it is best to hang the outlet for a day or two so that it does not touch any surfaces.

To stimulate the appearance of the root system, the part of the cuttings cleared of foliage should be immersed in water. To hold the outlet at the desired level, you can use plastic or cardboard circle as well as toothpicks.

When the first roots appear on the pineapple, the apical rosette can be planted in the ground, but deepened young plant better not higher than the lower tier of leaves. The soil around the seedling must be carefully compacted, taking care not to damage the fragile root system.

Temperature regime

In the future, pineapple cultivation takes place under plastic wrap or a glass jar so that the temperature around the plant does not drop below 22 ° C. If the air and soil in the greenhouse warms up to 25 ° C, then after about a month, young bright leaves will appear in the center of the apical rosette.

During the period of acclimatization and rooting of the plant, it is important to observe the following rules:

• protect the leaves from the ingress of condensation drops, as it can cause the development of mold and rotting of the outlet;
• water the plant regularly;
• gently ventilate the greenhouse, preventing the seedling from cooling.

Reproduction of pineapple seeds is considered the most difficult and time consuming, since seedlings can only be obtained from purchased seeds. In the fruits that are sold in stores, there are either no seeds at all, or there are only their whitish immature rudiments.

The seed of pineapple suitable for planting is brown or reddish brown. It has a slightly flattened semicircular shape. The length of the seed is from 0.3 to 0.4 cm.

To successfully germinate seeds, before planting, they are placed between layers of wet gauze or napkins for a period of 18 to 24 hours. Cover the container with seeds and put in a warm place. After the seeds have swollen a little, they can be planted in moist soil, consisting of peat and sand. To provide best germination seeds, they are deepened by no more than 1-2 cm.

The container with the planting is covered with polyethylene or glass, providing greenhouse conditions, since the germination of seeds and the time for the appearance of the first shoots depends precisely on the ambient temperature:

• At room temperature, seeds can take from three weeks to a month and a half to germinate.
• At temperatures between 30 and 32 ° C, pineapple seeds will germinate in 2-3 weeks.

It should be noted that it is important not only to maintain a certain air temperature and moisten the soil in time, but also to regularly feed the seedlings. For this, complex fertilizers are suitable, which include all the basic nutrients. Plants are fertilized once every 15-20 days.

When the seedlings form rosettes of several leaves, you can start diving. To do this, young pineapples, along with a small clod of earth, are transferred into the soil for adult plants. Making such a soil on your own will not be difficult, for this you just need to mix peat in equal proportions, garden soil, humus and sand. You can add a little crushed charcoal to the soil to protect the sprouts from possible infections. In addition, some of the sand can be replaced with perlite.

If there is already an adult pineapple at home, then it can be propagated using the daughter processes formed in the lower part of the plant stem or under its fruit. For planting, cuttings 15 to 20 cm long with several rows of leaves are suitable.

Like a rosette at the top of a pineapple, the stem of a plant can either be gently twisted or carefully cut with a sharp blade. Then the place of the cut must be sprinkled with charcoal, after which the cutting should be lowered into water for root formation... When the plant appears root system, it can be put in light soil consisting of the following mixture:

• peat,
• perlite or sand,
• ready-made substrate for indoor plants.

Some cuttings may already have root buds. Such specimens are planted immediately in a suitable earthen mixture.

Home care

Pineapple care is simple. It consists in providing the plant with conditions for normal growth and development, these include:

• Selection of the correct soil.
• Timely soil loosening.
• Create acceptable lighting as well as temperature and humidity.
• Competent watering.
• Regular feeding suitable for the plant fertilizers.

To successfully grow pineapple at home, you need to keep in mind that it has a weak surface type root system. Therefore, the soil and the pot must meet the following conditions:

• The earth must be permeable to moisture and oxygen.
• A drainage layer must be placed on the bottom of the pot.
• The container for the plant should be shallow, but wide enough.

Pineapple, like many southern plants, is light-loving enough, and therefore at home it is best to place it on the southern, eastern or western windows. At the same time, pineapple growing on the south side in the summer, when the sun is hottest, it is better to shade. But for the winter period, the plant must be provided with illumination, which will extend the daylight hours by 8 hours. If the level of light received by the pineapple is sufficient, then its apical rosette will form symmetrically.

The lower limit of the ambient temperature for the plant is 18 ° C, at which the development of the native of Brazil stops. In order for an exotic grass to actively develop, the air in the room must be much warmer, both in the spring and summer periods the optimum temperature is between 22 and 30 ° C.

An important part of caring for your homemade pineapple is watering it regularly and infrequently. For it, use settled water at room temperature. On hot days, the plant needs irrigation, but on cold days, wet leaves will inevitably cause illness and wilting. This is to be expected if the pineapple is exposed to cold air from an open window or dry air from a hot battery.

In mid-spring, the pineapple begins a period of active vegetation. It lasts until October. All this time, the plant needs feeding. Usually, the schedule is built depending on the state of the pineapple, but most often organic and mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil once every 1-2 weeks.

For the winter, feeding is stopped, and watering is reduced. In addition, the temperature in which the plant is kept is lowered.

Stimulating flowering for fruiting

The first flowers on the plant should appear approximately 2 years and 5 months after planting. If the appearance of the ovaries is delayed, then the pineapple should be fed daily for a week with 50 mg aqueous solution ethylene. To obtain this solution, one teaspoon of carbide is dissolved in half a liter of water, after which the resulting liquid is infused for a day and poured into a clean dish without sediment.

Moreover, for stimulate flowering the plant is fumigated with the smoke of burning coal 2 times with a break of 10 days. But this procedure can be replaced by placing the pineapple pot in one plastic bag with tomatoes or ripe apples.

During flowering, the apical rosette of the plant grows and basal buds appear. If the rosette has grown well, it will later give a large fruit. After the pineapple has faded, its old leaves must be carefully removed, and then continue watering the plant once a week.

Even in indoor floriculture, it is not difficult to grow pineapple from apical leaves if you pay enough attention to this plant. With proper care, the exotic herb will beautify the owner's home with its unusual appearance, and the florist himself will replenish his collection with a rare specimen, which is quite capable of repaying the care with delicious fruits.

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