It’s been a while since we last talked about pineapples, but after growing them for around six years now, some interesting facts have come to light.
As mentioned in previous columns, the humble pineapple is one of – if not the – easiest fruits to grow in a home garden.
All you need is a bit of spare space and plenty of patience to wait the approximately three years it takes for a pineapple to mature.
Yes, that’s a long wait –but the beauty of the pineapple is that you can plant it and virtually forget about it until the fruit appears.
Most home gardeners only plant a few, then face the long wait until maturity.
Many forget to “value add” by planting the “pups” – the new shoots that grow from the base of the plant – once the original fruit has ripened.
This step is key to expanding your pineapple patch.
A mature plant often produces at least two pups. Some produce none, while others can have four or five, in addition to the fruit’s crown.
So, if you start with just three plants, by year three you’ll have three pineapple tops and around seven pups.
Suddenly, your small patch has grown to at least 10 plants.
Planting a pineapple is dead easy. There are various methods, but in my experience, the simplest works best: slice off the top and plant it as is.
Cover the first small leaves, and within about three months, roots will form and the plant will be firmly established.
There’s plenty more to learn – so stay tuned for a follow-up story next week.
Till next time.
