Question about a pineapple plant

*Dearly Depotted* · 10-28-2020, 10:33 PM

I have a couple of different varieties of pineapples now. I would like to know once a pineapple plant fruits does the plant die off then? Just like a banana tree does. I would think it would die off and you would have to buy another one!

Thanks in advance!

Yug · 10-28-2020, 10:51 PM

I think where I live (plenty of pineapples) the growers have said that you can get about 3 pinapples off the same plant, but after the first fruiting, the successive fruit get somewhat smaller in size. They might continue to live even longer, but after the third one, they usually just dig up the field and replant.

*Dearly Depotted* · 10-28-2020, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yug

I think where I live (plenty of pineapples) the growers have said that you can get about 3 pinapples off the same plant, but after the first fruiting, the successive fruit get somewhat smaller in size. They might continue to live even longer, but after the third one, they usually just dig up the field and replant.

Oh, really?! That’s good news! I am glad because I’d hate to have to throw them away! I just bought one this year from an Ebay seller and he said that it was already starting to fruit or at least just about ready to! Very excited now! Thanks so much for your help and replies to me too by the way!

Yug · 10-28-2020, 11:46 PM

George Webster · 10-29-2020, 09:36 PM

Also, if you save the top. Let it dry a couple of days and plant it will sprout roots and grow. Mine has fruited twice.

*Dearly Depotted* · 10-30-2020, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Webster

Also, if you save the top. Let it dry a couple of days and plant it will sprout roots and grow. Mine has fruited twice.

Really?! I didn’t know you can save the tops and replant it! Pretty smart! I think I’ll have to give it a try! Oh and yes I’m quite impressed yours fruited twice as well! Thanks so much!

LaBananaGwr2018 · 10-30-2020, 08:18 PM

You can start them from tops, that is how my kids and I started the ones we have. So from what I have read, the plant makes pups(suckers) like a banana plant does.

*Dearly Depotted* · 10-30-2020, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaBananaGwr2018

You can start them from tops, that is how my kids and I started the ones we have. So from what I have read, the plant makes pups(suckers) like a banana plant does.

I think it’s nice that you and your kids got to grow a plant together as a family! Nice!

I’m quite impressed that the pineapple grows pups just like a banana plant! Pretty cool! Thanks for the reply & help!

Yug · 10-30-2020, 09:23 PM

The local growers I've talked to tell me that a sucker will grow into a fruiting plant much faster than growing them from a discarded pineapple top. I wouldn't know, I've never done a comparison.

Also, if you get the older spiny varieties (the spiny-ness was bred out of many varieties), you can plant them under windows to strongly discourage burglars.

*Dearly Depotted* · 10-30-2020, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yug

The local growers I've talked to tell me that a sucker will grow into a fruiting plant much faster than growing them from a discarded pineapple top. I wouldn't know, I've never done a comparison.

Also, if you get the older spiny varieties (the spiny-ness was bred out of many varieties), you can plant them under windows to strongly discourage burglars.

Well, that’s good to know! I guess if you think about it, it does makes some sense! The pup was already established with roots and stuff compared to top that has to start growing it’s own roots and isn’t established. So now I’m glad I bought some already growing plants! I should have a better start then! Hey, either way you should end up with a nice plant though!

OMG! You comment about planting spiny plants under the window is hilarious!

I love it! You’re right it certainly would cause them to not want to bother with you or your house! Great idea!

twotallgirls · 10-31-2020, 11:39 AM

So yes, you can usually continue to have more fruit … Once I pick the fruit, there usually is a “sucker” that I look for on the mother plant that I focus on to continue growing. I’ve been able to have a few generations by growing the suckers from one plant but eventually the base stem gets too long, lays on the ground, and that when I get rot. A single one of my pineapple plants can put off 5-8 different types of pups so I pull up the plant if it gets stem rot as I can easily replace it with one of the pups. I live in S. FL so I don’t worry about weather (just too much water).

So you can usually propagate pineapple from different kind of growths from the “mother” plant. Seems everyone mixes up the names so they usually just call them pups. The type of “pup” matters as each grows differently.

1. So growing the “crown” or top of a pineapple fruit is easy way to start. I “pop” off the top (rather than cut the top), peel back a few layer of the bottom leaves, let it dry for a day or two, and stick it with well draining soil in a pot. I live in Florida so I just transplant in a month or two into the garden. You can start in a glass of water but I find it takes longer to get the plant into growth mode and it rots half the time. For me, a crown it the slowest way to grow (2+ years)

2. Slips (or hapas) grow from the stalk just below the fruit. I usually get a few per fruit. Jut pop them off when they get big enough (look like tiny plants). You can leave them on the stalk after you pick the fruit as the bigger they get the faster they will produce. Supposedly removing them early will help the fruit grow bigger, but I can’t tell. For me, next slowest way to grow. (1-2 yrs.)

3. Suckers grow out from between the leaves. You can pop them off or just leave them on. Leaving them on the mother plant is best way for me. This is usually how people say they get second or third fruiting as the new sucker will produce another fruit. Don’t know technically if still “mother” plant or now a “daughter” plant but whatever… I focus on one sucker and pop off any extras. It grows faster as it already has an established root system. (1+ year). Best way to grow.

4. Ratoons come from underground off the mother plant stem. Also a fast way to grow… but I pop them off and stick in pot too.

From my experience, just don’t overwater. Pineapples are in the bromeliad family so rain / sprinkler will usually is all I do. I give a little minor nutrients but find they do need chelated iron. What is really doesn’t like is wet feet; it’ll rot pretty quick in standing water / continuous wet soil. I plant mine in a small mound but if in pot make sure its well-draining.
They are pretty easy to grow and the flowers are fascinating to watch grow into fruit.

*Dearly Depotted* · 10-31-2020, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twotallgirls

So yes, you can usually continue to have more fruit … Once I pick the fruit, there usually is a “sucker” that I look for on the mother plant that I focus on to continue growing. I’ve been able to have a few generations by growing the suckers from one plant but eventually the base stem gets too long, lays on the ground, and that when I get rot. A single one of my pineapple plants can put off 5-8 different types of pups so I pull up the plant if it gets stem rot as I can easily replace it with one of the pups. I live in S. FL so I don’t worry about weather (just too much water).

So you can usually propagate pineapple from different kind of growths from the “mother” plant. Seems everyone mixes up the names so they usually just call them pups. The type of “pup” matters as each grows differently.

1. So growing the “crown” or top of a pineapple fruit is easy way to start. I “pop” off the top (rather than cut the top), peel back a few layer of the bottom leaves, let it dry for a day or two, and stick it with well draining soil in a pot. I live in Florida so I just transplant in a month or two into the garden. You can start in a glass of water but I find it takes longer to get the plant into growth mode and it rots half the time. For me, a crown it the slowest way to grow (2+ years)

2. Slips (or hapas) grow from the stalk just below the fruit. I usually get a few per fruit. Jut pop them off when they get big enough (look like tiny plants). You can leave them on the stalk after you pick the fruit as the bigger they get the faster they will produce. Supposedly removing them early will help the fruit grow bigger, but I can’t tell. For me, next slowest way to grow. (1-2 yrs.)

3. Suckers grow out from between the leaves. You can pop them off or just leave them on. Leaving them on the mother plant is best way for me. This is usually how people say they get second or third fruiting as the new sucker will produce another fruit. Don’t know technically if still “mother” plant or now a “daughter” plant but whatever… I focus on one sucker and pop off any extras. It grows faster as it already has an established root system. (1+ year). Best way to grow.

4. Ratoons come from underground off the mother plant stem. Also a fast way to grow… but I pop them off and stick in pot too.

From my experience, just don’t overwater. Pineapples are in the bromeliad family so rain / sprinkler will usually is all I do. I give a little minor nutrients but find they do need chelated iron. What is really doesn’t like is wet feet; it’ll rot pretty quick in standing water / continuous wet soil. I plant mine in a small mound but if in pot make sure its well-draining.
They are pretty easy to grow and the flowers are fascinating to watch grow into fruit.

Wow! I am amazed at how much information there is about how to grow pineapple plants! I guess I don’t know much if anything at all myself about it!

Thanks so much for sharing both your knowledge and experience with me! I genuinely think that after reading this I feel much more confident in growing pineapples in any way possible!

I really appreciate it!

crazy banana · 11-02-2020, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twotallgirls

So yes, you can usually continue to have more fruit … Once I pick the fruit, there usually is a “sucker” that I look for on the mother plant that I focus on to continue growing. I’ve been able to have a few generations by growing the suckers from one plant but eventually the base stem gets too long, lays on the ground, and that when I get rot. A single one of my pineapple plants can put off 5-8 different types of pups so I pull up the plant if it gets stem rot as I can easily replace it with one of the pups. I live in S. FL so I don’t worry about weather (just too much water).

So you can usually propagate pineapple from different kind of growths from the “mother” plant. Seems everyone mixes up the names so they usually just call them pups. The type of “pup” matters as each grows differently.

1. So growing the “crown” or top of a pineapple fruit is easy way to start. I “pop” off the top (rather than cut the top), peel back a few layer of the bottom leaves, let it dry for a day or two, and stick it with well draining soil in a pot. I live in Florida so I just transplant in a month or two into the garden. You can start in a glass of water but I find it takes longer to get the plant into growth mode and it rots half the time. For me, a crown it the slowest way to grow (2+ years)

2. Slips (or hapas) grow from the stalk just below the fruit. I usually get a few per fruit. Jut pop them off when they get big enough (look like tiny plants). You can leave them on the stalk after you pick the fruit as the bigger they get the faster they will produce. Supposedly removing them early will help the fruit grow bigger, but I can’t tell. For me, next slowest way to grow. (1-2 yrs.)

3. Suckers grow out from between the leaves. You can pop them off or just leave them on. Leaving them on the mother plant is best way for me. This is usually how people say they get second or third fruiting as the new sucker will produce another fruit. Don’t know technically if still “mother” plant or now a “daughter” plant but whatever… I focus on one sucker and pop off any extras. It grows faster as it already has an established root system. (1+ year). Best way to grow.

4. Ratoons come from underground off the mother plant stem. Also a fast way to grow… but I pop them off and stick in pot too.

From my experience, just don’t overwater. Pineapples are in the bromeliad family so rain / sprinkler will usually is all I do. I give a little minor nutrients but find they do need chelated iron. What is really doesn’t like is wet feet; it’ll rot pretty quick in standing water / continuous wet soil. I plant mine in a small mound but if in pot make sure its well-draining.
They are pretty easy to grow and the flowers are fascinating to watch grow into fruit.

Best explanation of different propagation techniques right here. And I second the watering advice.
Would add, that pineapple plants multiply like weeds, so don’t be shy to separate ratoons, slips or suckers into new pots or growing spots.

*Dearly Depotted* · 11-02-2020, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy banana

Best explanation of different propagation techniques right here. And I second the watering advice.
Would add, that pineapple plants multiply like weeds, so don’t be shy to separate ratoons, slips or suckers into new pots or growing spots.

Thanks! I appreciate your help as well!

10-28-2020, 10:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
Dearly Depotted Find me on the map! Zone: 6A Name: Mary Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 646 BananaBucks : 97,688 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 607 Times Was Thanked 442 Times in 301 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Question about a pineapple plant I have a couple of different varieties of pineapples now. I would like to know once a pineapple plant fruits does the plant die off then? Just like a banana tree does. I would think it would die off and you would have to buy another one! Thanks in advance! __________________ It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

10-28-2020, 10:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
Yug Yug's Photo Gallery Location: Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 10-11 Name: Knobby D. Holme Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,465 BananaBucks : 57,835 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 4,009 Times Was Thanked 1,742 Times in 812 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 463 Times	Re: Question about a pineapple plant I think where I live (plenty of pineapples) the growers have said that you can get about 3 pinapples off the same plant, but after the first fruiting, the successive fruit get somewhat smaller in size. They might continue to live even longer, but after the third one, they usually just dig up the field and replant.

10-28-2020, 11:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
Yug Yug's Photo Gallery Location: Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 10-11 Name: Knobby D. Holme Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,465 BananaBucks : 57,835 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 4,009 Times Was Thanked 1,742 Times in 812 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 463 Times	Re: Question about a pineapple plant

10-29-2020, 09:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
George Webster Location: St. Louis, Missouri Zone: 6 1/2 Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 137 BananaBucks : 24,638 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 302 Times Was Thanked 139 Times in 70 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 99 Times	Re: Question about a pineapple plant Also, if you save the top. Let it dry a couple of days and plant it will sprout roots and grow. Mine has fruited twice.

10-30-2020, 08:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
LaBananaGwr2018 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Zone: 9A/8B Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 143 BananaBucks : 5,536 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 217 Times Was Thanked 131 Times in 102 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 33 Times	Re: Question about a pineapple plant You can start them from tops, that is how my kids and I started the ones we have. So from what I have read, the plant makes pups(suckers) like a banana plant does.

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10-30-2020, 09:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
Yug Yug's Photo Gallery Location: Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 10-11 Name: Knobby D. Holme Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,465 BananaBucks : 57,835 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 4,009 Times Was Thanked 1,742 Times in 812 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 463 Times	Re: Question about a pineapple plant The local growers I've talked to tell me that a sucker will grow into a fruiting plant much faster than growing them from a discarded pineapple top. I wouldn't know, I've never done a comparison. Also, if you get the older spiny varieties (the spiny-ness was bred out of many varieties), you can plant them under windows to strongly discourage burglars.

10-31-2020, 11:39 AM	#11 (permalink)
twotallgirls Location: Marco Island, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10A Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 100 BananaBucks : 18,264 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 206 Times in 69 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 5 Times	Re: Question about a pineapple plant So yes, you can usually continue to have more fruit … Once I pick the fruit, there usually is a “sucker” that I look for on the mother plant that I focus on to continue growing. I’ve been able to have a few generations by growing the suckers from one plant but eventually the base stem gets too long, lays on the ground, and that when I get rot. A single one of my pineapple plants can put off 5-8 different types of pups so I pull up the plant if it gets stem rot as I can easily replace it with one of the pups. I live in S. FL so I don’t worry about weather (just too much water). So you can usually propagate pineapple from different kind of growths from the “mother” plant. Seems everyone mixes up the names so they usually just call them pups. The type of “pup” matters as each grows differently. 1. So growing the “crown” or top of a pineapple fruit is easy way to start. I “pop” off the top (rather than cut the top), peel back a few layer of the bottom leaves, let it dry for a day or two, and stick it with well draining soil in a pot. I live in Florida so I just transplant in a month or two into the garden. You can start in a glass of water but I find it takes longer to get the plant into growth mode and it rots half the time. For me, a crown it the slowest way to grow (2+ years) 2. Slips (or hapas) grow from the stalk just below the fruit. I usually get a few per fruit. Jut pop them off when they get big enough (look like tiny plants). You can leave them on the stalk after you pick the fruit as the bigger they get the faster they will produce. Supposedly removing them early will help the fruit grow bigger, but I can’t tell. For me, next slowest way to grow. (1-2 yrs.) 3. Suckers grow out from between the leaves. You can pop them off or just leave them on. Leaving them on the mother plant is best way for me. This is usually how people say they get second or third fruiting as the new sucker will produce another fruit. Don’t know technically if still “mother” plant or now a “daughter” plant but whatever… I focus on one sucker and pop off any extras. It grows faster as it already has an established root system. (1+ year). Best way to grow. 4. Ratoons come from underground off the mother plant stem. Also a fast way to grow… but I pop them off and stick in pot too. From my experience, just don’t overwater. Pineapples are in the bromeliad family so rain / sprinkler will usually is all I do. I give a little minor nutrients but find they do need chelated iron. What is really doesn’t like is wet feet; it’ll rot pretty quick in standing water / continuous wet soil. I plant mine in a small mound but if in pot make sure its well-draining. They are pretty easy to grow and the flowers are fascinating to watch grow into fruit. __________________ Blue Java, Raja Puri, Goldfinger FHIA-01, Mona Lisa FHIA-02, Sweetheart FHIA-03, Pitogo, Saba, Dwarf Cavendish, Super Dwarf Cav., Namwa, Brazilian, Mysore, Dwarf Red, and a mystery or two

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