Thanks! I just tossed two Mama plants out today thinking it’s done with growing. I have 30 plants but if I can get more out of her the better. It’s so sweet home grown. I’m going back in my pile to retrieve it. You learn something new everyday
Great information. The pine apple heads that are drilled can still be used to produce plants. Cut the top that has been drilled into 4 quarters and place into some compost for about 30 days and each quarter should produce a young plant. Transplant them when they are large enough. Something worth trying, I think. I have done it when I needed to increase my plant stock.
Not necessarily being sneaky. I"ve been told that growers drill (I'm told it's called "gouging") the tops/crown before harvest to stop the top from growing further while the fruit continues to mature. Big crowns take up too much space for shipping. My pineapples have much bigger tops than I see at the grocer
I tried to grow one that had been drilled because I didn't realise that they drilled them and I think out of sheer luck I ended up getting 2 side shoots and roots anyway. 👍😸
@@kathrynpalmer-smith6959 What you can do too is cut the crown into quarters _4 pieces), plant each piece and each will give you one or more new shoots. I've heard that sometimes when you see it gouged out like that it is because it is a white pineapple or a special breed that they don't want us to propagate so the try to discourage is from doing so by cutting out the heart of the crown.
THANK YOU for the intro. to suckers and slips. You did a wonderful and thorough job in demonstrating the basics for me. I don't like pineapple, but would love to grow them since they are quite majestic looking.
I needed help for those suckers and now i know exactly what to do. Thanks a bunch! I'm in puerto vallarta mexico and they are so easy to grow down here and it takes about 4 months for the fruit to ripe..
Hey Mr. Ranstrom, I love the video; and your set-up (especially Barbie and the gnome). I'm heading out to the back yard to harvest two slips to plant them today. Thanks for the practical and down-to-earth video; much appreciated. John in Miami
I have a pineapple plant that finally bloomed ! I planted the top in 2013 December and it didn't bloom until 2017 January. I was almost ready to give up but I am so happy I didn't!!!!
flaviuvacanta1 I kept mine on front porch with morning sun during warm/hot days in TN and moved it in late fall through winter in room facing west and sun after having pineapple on it and still growing about to pick off. Keep moist at all times.
Gerry Dave sorry for a dumb question but I just planted my first one a few days ago.. if it does not flower for a year or more, how do you know it is healthy in the meantime? What should I be looking for?
Thanks for the info.didnt know they drill out the centers! Anyway I had a good laugh at ur reaction to # of compound plants u have now, it was cute. Thanks I needed that!
Thanks a lot, this video helped me learn what a slip is! I just pulled one off of my pineapple. Ive been growing them for 7 years and just got my first slip.
Same here! I've had my tops growing for 6 years and no slips or suckers. Finally found one today! So exciting. This guy really cuts out all the guesswork. Good luck with your plants!
Nice video! Thanks for the advice. We started trying to grow one for years, but never had one take. Last year we got two to root, and they are growing good, but slow. I didnt know about the suckers.. Thats good to know, and Ill plant them once these plants frout.
Good info. I just planted a ton of crowns but I have a few good mother plants producing suckers. Might just dig some up instead of waiting on the slow process and fill my space I have with plants that will produce much quicker and larger fruit. Glad I watched before I went and planted all crowns and had to wait a couple years!
Regarding drilling out to prevent growing at home: That is not the reason the crown is "gouged". This is done to improve the grade of the pineapple. Pineapples are graded on crown to fruit ratio. The ideal ratio (as far as I can tell from reading the grading guide) is 1 part crown to 2 parts fruit. I am growing several plants from gouged crowns here in Texas. I just started July 2014. I am using a gouged crown to produce suckers. It will actually produce more suckers than an un-gouged crown due to "apical dominance". The apical bud suppresses stem bud growth.
Drilling to stop the "top" from growing makes sense as many of the fruits I grow produce tops way bigger than any I've seen in grocery stores (probably not conducive to efficient shipping). I didn't realize that was the reason for drilling. I don't grow from tops anymore as I'm inundated with suckers and slips
+Jeff Ranstrom Thanks so much for the video! I started about a month ago and recently noticed my top was gouged... However, i do have two suckers!! Now I know what to do with those suckers. :) Thanks for showing the process.
A very good video, thanks. My pineapple top has been sitting in dirty water for over four months and just noticed that it has some roots and sneaked out a sucker without me noticing. The centre of the pineapple top pulled out soon after getting the thing but clearly didn't put it off. Thanks a lot for the info.
I started out with 3 slips about 8 years ago. I found out that you can only eat so many pineapples in a year. I am surprised they are not grown commercially here in Florida because they are hardy plants resilient to disease and insects with a good degree of drought tolerance and will grow in sandy soils in full sun or partial shade. The varieties I have are smooth Cayenne and red Spanish. Sometimes they hide and I find fruits I did not know were there. One would be hard pressed to eat a store bought once spoiled by homegrown, I have had the best luck growing them in larger, self watering containers, where they will not need to be watered for months at a time, especially if a plastic mulch cover is used that will allow rainwater down the sides. Thank you for the video.
I don't cut the top off. it will do another pineapple next year. I started with 5 planning and last summer I got about 50 Pineapples. I found on here where they can be canned.
Yes I'm aware that more than one fruit is possible but I've found plants that get to be 1.5+ years look weathered and we use the plants for decor and fruit. I prefer a rotation of young and maturing plants that give me around 15-18 fruits a year... I have harvested 30+ in a year but takes too much space.
My pineapple top is not growing so well but the suckers are growing just fine. I say this to say I don't think my original top will ever produce another pineapple. Anyway, I look forward to planting the suckers and seeing them take off!
I think you only get one pineapple per plant. Leave 1 sucker on base of original plant after harvesting your pineapple and it will grow the next one much quicker.
Thank you so much for the information on the suckers as I have two. My original plant is doing great but is not in a lot of soil as I could not get any during lockdown. Would it harm it if I repot it after I harvest the beautiful pineapple that’s on it at the moment?
“My pineapple account is way big now..” Man I learned so much from you just now!!! Pineapple 101? Try pineapple M.A.!! Thank you. just discovered you. You’re modest, with so much know,edge and experience. Thank you for sharing!! Can NEVer have too many pineapples😀 You look rich btw!
My pineapple has taken 3 seasons n now starting a pineapple.i use coco coir and just use 15/11/30 bloom booster early spring and in autom use general all purpose miracle grow.what am I doing wrong to make it produce so slow.im in Venice Beach californi
Enjoyed watching your excellent presentation and tips on growing pineapples. Would you agree that home grown tastes so much better? Also I let mine turn a deep golden color before harvesting for best flavor. Thumbs up!!
Not a pineapple finatic, or planning on growing any however this video provides me with great comedic entertainment. Thank you for sharing pineapple man;)
Hi Jeff - I planted a pineapple top, and it is growing a stalk. It hasn't flowered yet, but it has produced a sucker. Should I leave the sucker on, or remove it? If I leave it on, will it take nutrients and energy away from the plant that has yet to flower?
Danita Such A stalk growing from the middle makes me suspect that you may have planted a top that was "drilled" or "gouged." I believe growers do this to prevent tops from becoming too large while allowing the fruit to continue ripening (it's a marketing thing). The tops will root, grow, and produce offspring (suckers) but they are less likely to actually grow a fruit. If nothing else you have a start on future plants. When you harvest suckers, the mother plant instinctively produces more suckers. When they're 5-6 inches long (or even longer), hold at the base and slowly twist, wiggle and break the sucker off right where it attaches to the stalk/stem of the mother. And your current plant may eventually bloom as well... they're very resilient!
What state are you growing these in? How are you keeping them alive during winter? I am growing one now (not long from getting to pick it) but I’m able to easily bring it indoors when winter hits North Florida. Sorry if these questions were already answered.
So I think my plant is doing ok for now, but I planted it in bad soil.. thick and not good drainage, before I knew better. Would it be ok to dig it up and transplant to a better pot with better soil? About a month old in my pot
I have 4 crowns that I've started rooting and I plan to quarter them so I can start with a dozen plants. How long would it take for them to fruit after I plant them? Hopefully not several years. You said it takes longer for crown propagated plants to fruit, so you just throw away your crowns and only grow from suckers and pups?
@@UTinFL only one crown survived the rooting in water so I didn't quarter it. It's now in a teeny tiny pot coz I got rid of all the old leaves before potting it.
So my mom bought me one and it’s drooping I thought it was dying because I was over watering it or not using the right soil and I’m not sure where to look because someone said it was because zinc deficiency but another said it needed a sandy soil what should I do?
Amazing. I've always thought of growing pineapples in the same light as compounding interest. I'm glad you think the same way. Planted my first one the year I started financial advising
Best pineapple video ever! But I saw another video which was also pretty good, instead of twisting the top he cut it off and planted it with about an inch of fruit, says it works great too. I planted mine that way a week ago, will it be ok?
I generally use the cheapest potting soil. Very important: pineapples need good drainage; make sure pots have holes and put in 1-2 inches of pebbles/gravel on the bottom
Love your video thanks! I planted a top about 2 weeks ago and the leaves are going yellow! I may have made some mistakes.. I clipped any leaves that were already brown. Also maybe watered too much every day? And put it in full sunlight. What do you think?
need to watch center of the top to see if new, green growth is starting that's where the new plant comes from. I usually water only weekly if hasn't rained. |
Have some yellowing of the leaves. Have fertilized and watered daily. In huge pot. Has pineapple growing now. Any recommendations. My husband grows everything but this is new for us. In north Florida
In my experience yellowing comes from a plant being in a soggy soil. If you're using a pot make sure it has drainage...holes in the bottom of the pot that aren't plugged. Preparing a pot with a couple inches of gravel in the bottom helps keep them draining. Pineapples can take a lot of moisture/rain if they have good drainage but watering daily isn't necessary. I water about weekly or so if it doesn't rain
Pots make them mobile. When the occasional freeze or hurricane is imminent, I can bring them into the garage or inside the house. Also, when they start to turn golden, they get a sweet, fragrant smell.... that's when raccoons and possum from nearby woods are sure to show up... I can bring them inside our lanai (screened in patio) to finish ripening rather than feed the critters
Jeff Ranstrom , I got lucky, so far I have two baby plants...I live hot california. Am hoping they’ll grow well here in 110 degree weather in summer time.
Would you recommend growing them in big pots, or right in the ground? Will they be okay through winter around 40 degrees? How often do you water? Thank you so much!
I've grown some big plants in 12 inch diameter pots but I would recommend 14-15 inch. Wherever you you plant make sure you have good drainage. In pots I can move them to the garage in freezing weather.
use inexpensive potting soil or top soil. make sure you have good drainage (pots have to have holes in the bottom). Fertilize every six weeks or so with miracle gro all purpose
I have pineapple plants which are between 6-12 months old which were grown from tops so I am looking to get some pineapples within the next year or so. On my grandparents old Banana farm there's still a 50 year old pineapple 🍍 plant there which is still growing suckers off the original plant,the farm has been sold after my grandfather died in a nursing home 5 weeks before his 98th birthday in 2017 & my grandmother is now in a nursing home. They are typically grown from where they lived in the North coast of New South Wales in Australia (40 kilometres north of Byron Bay) then up through Queensland but they will grow down my way (Newcastle) in New South Wales !
I would put a freshly harvested slip directly into soil if I have a pot ready. Slips remain viable for several weeks, they're very resilient. If they've been around awhile, strip off any brown leaves at the base and put in soil. BTW I'm no botanist, this is just what I've observed after growing dozens of pineapples
Jim C "slips" grow on the stem right under the fruit. "Suckers" grow from between the fronds or from the ground next to an existing plant...they're all pups, clones, offspring of the "mother plant"
Angie Hdz you can remove suckers at anytime really. Suckers are a bit trickier than slips to remove. Letting them grow bigger gives you more leverage to twist/wiggle so the sucker will break right where it's attached. I've broken them halfway up sometimes and it doesn't work out so well
Hi Jeff. I have three really good sized fruit on three plants that I planted and harvested once already. Here is my question. right under one of the large pineapples, is a little baby. Is that a 'slip' or a 'sucker'. And, what do I do with it? Twist it off or leave it on the stauk. Thanks ahead of time for the help. BTW, these plants are almost ready to harvest.
Ty this will b my 1st harvest with pineapples,I have 4 that are fruiting and 1 of them has that slip on it.i thought it was a mutant lol.like why is a top coming out the bottom of my dang pineapple!???!!!what kind of Fertilizer should I use on them?yours are beautiful.mine....not so much
I use a very common liquid plant/vegetable fertilizer...blue crystals that are dissolved in water... it's pretty much the most common garden fertilizer
Hey Jeff sorry to bother you with so many questions! But I just planted my first pineapple after rooting in a glass - I planted one a few weeks ago cutting the top and it never grew. So this one I really want to grow. My question, I read I should give it full sun as much as possible and water once a week. Is that true when it is freshly planted also? Full sun, and water one week later?
Jeff Ranstrom cool.. so far she looks good. Last question I hope, when you water do you water the dirt around the plant, or water down the middle of the leaves? I have seen videos saying different ways
Me and my wife planted a pineapple top about a month ago. The real only sign of life is a tiny sucker started to grow at the base of the top. About half of the main plant has turned brown. Is the main plant dead or dying, or maybe it hasn't been long enough?
I've heard of people using apples or bananas to create ethylene gas and force blossoming. I also understand that a chemical reaction created using commercially available calcium carbide will also more efficiently do the same thing. I'm sure there is info on this available online . I have never tried to force my plants to flower and I suspect doing so may result in a undersized fruit. Here in Florida pineapples will start flowering approximately 6 weeks after the days begin increasing in length (early Feb) and a second batch will flower approximately 4 weeks after the days begin waning in length (mid July). Rogue plants can fower at any time but the consistent weather here in FL makes them relatively predictable.
Please help ! We have a pineapple plant with our first pineapple . Our pineapple is about six inches or like a red solo cup but we have about 6 slips just under first level of leaves by pineapple . Three of them are getting big and we done know when or how to get them off! The pineapple slowed down on growing but we don’t want it to die !! Please help us with what is the next step
Slips can usually be twisted off rather easily. Unless there is some other issue with your plant, removal of slips shouldn't have any adverse effects. I frequently leave them on until fruit harvest
Great video. My first pineapple plant is fruiting. I put too many plants too close togeather and have no access to the base of my pinapple without risking injury. Got a bunch of those suckers can't even count them. I have to purchas a good pair of gloves. Now I know what to do. It's a bit addictive growing these beasts.
Here are some Watering tips: 1) make sure you have good drainage! If you plant in pots they should have drainage holes 2) watch the weather. Where I live during spring/summer it rains frequently, I may not water for weeks. During fall/winter however, there's not as much precipitation and watering is required more often. 3) My personal watering gauge is the herbs (basil, parsley, oregano) I grow. If they look a bit wilted, I water everything
