A name that makes no sense – pineapple. Neither a pine nor an apple, pineapples are not actually even a single fruit – they are in fact clusters of berries! It’s also a member of the bromeliad family – the only member that is edible and because it contains the bromelain enzyme, it can help break down proteins in your meat, making it excellent for marinades.

Nutrient rich and super delicious, pineapples are a great source of vitamins C and B, potassium, manganese, and fibre. One cup of pineapple is enough to meet your daily requirement of vitamin C and 70% of your daily dose of manganese. This makes it fantastic for immune system support and strong, healthy bones and connective tissue.

As far as growing them, they couldn’t be easier!

A pineapple ripening in the sun

When to grow pineapple

The best time to plant pineapple is during the warmer weather – late spring or early summer. That will give it the best chance to take root and thrive as they tend to hibernate a little in the cooler months. If you live in a cooler climate and want to grow pineapples, consider planting in pots and then relocating the pots inside or into a greenhouse during the cold months to protect them.

Pineapple varieties

You might think pineapples are all the same but on the contrary, there are a number of different varieties around the world that all have their unique features. Many of the different varieties are a result of hybridisation and long term development. Here are a few of the common varieties:

· Smooth Cayenne – a common US variety typically grown in Hawaii as well as in Australia with a larger, more cylindrical fruit that has a pale yellow colour

· Queen – A smaller, more compact pineapple with deep, golden yellow flesh and grey green leaves

· Red Spanish – mostly grown in the Caribbean, the fruit has a slight orange/red coloured skin with light yellow flesh

To propagate a pineapple plant, simply cut off the top & plant it

How to grow pineapple

Pineapples must be one of the easiest fruits to grow. Simply take a pineapple that still has the crown (top) attached, either twist the crown off or cut the top of the fruit off with the crown still attached and plant it in some good quality soil. Given a bit of water, the crown will produce roots and before you know it, the leaves will start growing.

Alternatively, you can take a pup/runner from an existing plant and put it into a pot or the garden in some good quality soil and it will grow from there.

Pineapples don’t have big roots, so they don’t need huge pots to grow.

They are drought tolerant and will survive if you forget to water them for a while but eventually they will die off so you can’t completely neglect them.

There is very little maintenance required – the only thing you may want to do is trim off any dead leaves from time to time but that’s not necessary.

How long does pineapple take to grow?

The hardest part about growing pineapple is the waiting! Most plants will take 2-3 years to fruit, so it is definitely a long-term project. You will probably want to plant a few to make the most of it so be sure you pick a variety that you enjoy.

The smell is the best indicator of when to harvest a pineapple

When to harvest pineapple

It’s not too difficult to work out when to pick a pineapple, as they are slow developing and you will notice the fruit starting to change colour. Some varieties will go a bright yellow colour, but others will stay fairly pale. The real indicator as to whether a pineapple is ripe is the smell. If you can smell that sweet, delicious pineapple smell, your wait is probably over and you can go ahead and harvest your sweet bounty!

Pineapple pests and diseases and how to control them organically

Bacterial heart rot and fruit collapse

As the name suggests, bacterial heart rot is caused by bacteria from other infected fruits that are spread by juices and insects. Essentially, the fruit starts to rot from the inside out. The only solution is to remove and destroy any infected fruits to prevent spreading the bacteria.

Top rot and root rot

Top rot and root rot are fungal diseases that can kill your pineapple plants. They are both caused by overwatering. Signs include drooping leaves and/or dead leaves around the centre of the plant. Ensuring you plant your pineapple crowns into good quality, well-draining soil is the best prevention for both types.

Nematodes

Nematodes live in the soil and feed off the nutrients in your plants roots, starving your plant. There’s nothing much that can be done to save the crop once you have nematodes, but you can prevent it being a problem for future crops by not planting anything that will be affected by it in the same soil and ensuring you clean all your gardening equipment thoroughly before using it elsewhere. You can, however, plant brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage etc in that same soil, as they exude a substance that kills the nematodes!

Pineapples often fall over as they ripen

Mealybugs

Fuzzy-looking white insects that hide under leaves, mealybugs are sap-sucking insects that affect a number of different plants in your garden. They do love pineapple and if you don’t keep them under control, they may just destroy the fruit you’ve waited so long to grow. The best way to treat them is to wipe them off the plant with a neem oil or rubbing alcohol but be thorough as they like to hide in the little crevices of the pineapple and its leaves.

Fruit Flies/Fungus Gnats

Fruit flies or fungus gnats as they are sometimes known are tiny but can show in plague proportions and wreak havoc on your developing fruit. You will notice them hovering around your plant and they love most soil. There are fruit fly traps or sticky traps you can hang nearby to catch them and letting the soil your pineapple is planted in dry out a bit between waterings to help deter them.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are tiny insects that live in on the undersides of leaves where they feed off plant cells and spin fine protective silk webs. They can be very difficult to see as they are so small and will likely spot the damage they are doing to your plant first. Look for yellowing foliage or leaves with yellow spotting. Controlling your infestation could be as simple as using a high-pressure hose nozzle and spraying them off the plant and keep spraying your mint leaves regularly as spider mites like hot, dry environments. There are a number of different home remedies that you can try too including white oil (here’s our recipe), lemon juice and water, alcohol and water, or pepper spray with garlic and onion. A quick google search will give you the ratios you’ll need for each one. Alternatively, neem oil is another option to help rid your plants of spider mites.

pineapple plants in pots

Mark’s top tips for growing pineapples

Don’t be too worried about getting your pineapples into soil straight away – they will last quite a long time either in water or simply lying around outside. Obviously the sooner you get them in, the sooner they start growing but they are very hardy and if you are short of time, your crowns will survive for weeks or even months without being planted. You may also want to check out Mark’s video “Regrow pineapples from store bought pineapples” for more tips.

Do you have any tips or questions about growing pineapple? Mark and the Self Sufficient Me team love hearing about your growing success so why not join our forum to let us know how you went growing pineapple?

If you had some trouble growing pineapple or simply want to pick Mark’s brain about your self-sufficiency goals or projects, you may want to consider becoming a patreon for exclusive content and email access for less than a restaurant meal each month!