 | Kids will love to take part in this project. They love to grow things and pineapples are something that is not grown in temperate climates. It will give them something to look forward to for months and it’s easy and it’s fun.
Go to the supermarket and pick up a fresh pineapple. Be sure it’s not overly ripe. To test for ripeness, try tugging gently on one of the leaves. If it comes out easily, the pineapple is over-ripe. Choose one that requires more pulling to remove the leaf.
When you get the pineapple home, ask the kids to help you prepare it for planting. Slice off the crown (top) and remove all of the pineapple flesh. If you don’t, the pineapple plant will rot in the soil.
Next, slice thin, horizontal slices off of the crown until you can see the root buds. These look similar to tiny dots and can be found close to the pineapple’s skin in the bottom of the crown. These root buds are where the roots of the pineapple will emerge and shove into the soil. If you’re lucky, your pineapple may already have started to form small roots.
Strip off approximately one inch of the lower leaves. These will provide a stem for planting. Next, set the top in a dry, dark place for a full week to allow it to dry. If the top doesn’t heal and dry before you plant it, it will rot.
Pineapples belong to the Bromelid family. They are not air plants and require soil to grow. Use regular potting soil and add a small amount of sand. Mix well.
Pineapples do not require much moisture, so just keep the soil a bit damp; never wet. Use a terra cotta plant to allow the soil to breath. This will help the soil to dry out more quickly. Only water the pineapple once a week and give it very little. After watering the soil, spray the leaves with a fine mist of water. The pineapple plant will need to be fertilized at least four times a year, but no more than six times.
Pineapples require lots of light, so keep the plant in a window or in front of patio doors during the winter. Be sure there are no drafts in the location or the pineapple plant will die. Do not allow the plant to become cold. Pineapples need temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit to flourish.
During the summer, put the pineapple plant outdoors. When you first take it outside, place it in a location where it will get sun/partial shade. Once it has been outside for a few days, place it in a full sun location.
When your pineapple plant has reached a height of 24 to 30 inches, it will begin to form a flower. If you live in a temperate climate, it will take a pineapple plant two years or more before it is tall enough to flower. However, there is a way to force the plant to bear fruit.
Pineapples bear fruit during what are the winter months in the temperate zone. During this time, put your pineapple plant into a plastic bag with a few apples. When the apples rot, they will give off Ethylene gas. This gas will fool the pineapple plant into flowering and it will not produce any new leaves at this time. Leave the pineapple and apples in the bag for 15 days. When you remove the plant, place it in a window that gets lots of sun. Soon, a flower will appear at the plant’s center.
When several months have passed, the pineapple’s flower will dry out. At this time the fruit will form at the end of the stem. Wait for the new pineapple to ripen and turn yellow before harvesting.
When you pick the new pineapple you will probably notice new shoots on the plant. Remove them and plant them in the same way you did the original plant and you can start yet another plant from the harvested pineapple. This will give you several new pineapple plants to grow over the next few months.
Don’t expect home-grown pineapples to be as large as the ones you buy in the supermarket that are commercially grown. Your pineapple will be much smaller, but sweet and delicious. Enjoy planting, harvesting and eating your scrumptious home-grown pineapple. The kids will love it.
|  |
|
