So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

I was wondering if the hang tags, besides the obvious numbers and words. could really tell me what tops I'm acquiring. Or is there a site that would match up with PLU/SKU information.

According to my research, which is no doubt flawed, the tops I'm currently growing from Chestnut Hills are MD-2s; they're my normal because of price and taste. But today I couldn't resist 99 cents with gloriously perfect tops (fruit looked okay) so I came home with a couple of "smaller than I like" Del Monte Golds described as "Extra Sweet Pineapple". They're ripening in my window so I don't know how they taste but would love to know what they are because, after waiting 10 years for a very healthy rooted top to stop laughing at me whenever I mentioned fruit when we both resided in MD, I am finally living where I can and will get my own fruits...hopefully before I croak...and I'd just like to know what I'm growing and someday perhaps eating.

PS I had the last laugh on that smirking, Miracle Grow hogging, non productive, recalcitrant piña. Disposing of it went against all my "you can't throw out a plant...surely you can use any and all stuff again--it's all stuff--don't support landfills" mantra but I, in good conscience, actually just dumped him, good soil and all, (saved the pot--good pot--I have my standards) in the trash and let the garbage guys have their way with the ingrate. I comforted myself knowing that any compost formed from its decomposition would be more than worthlessly lazy and fertilely challenged.

Perhaps even worse...be glad it's gone...be so glad...

Okay, enough about all that silliness. Help on IDing my potential pineapple plants would be so appreciated

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

Del Monte has a patent on their "extra sweet" pineapple, so that indeed is what it is. They are very protective of they're cultivar and punch the tag through the growth center of the top to prevent people from rooting it. That being said, I have no problem rooting at least 50% of them, but half of these will only grow suckers. I actually think the suckers grow faster though. I dont have much experience with other varieties of pineapples bc that's all I can get here. However I've read that pineapples don't ripen any further once they arw harvested, they only rot. Maybe I just like semi rotted pineapple then haha.

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

That explains things. I bought one of these "extra sweet" pineapples and the tag was punched through the center. I did not know it was a prevention of propagation. Well after most of the center rotted out it finally rooted and we will see what happens. Also I found some seeds while cutting the fruit and one of the seeds has sprouted. :nanadrink:

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

So I have a 50% chance--I can live with that. I have very few times seen a ripe pineapple in a US store; they were dead on ready when I shopped in Costa Rica. After cutting open a green one and tossing that vile stuff, I've always let them "stew" at least a few days on the counter until they were yellow and they were pretty good. Didn't think there were rotten but what do I know?

Why am I letting them cook in my BR window? Quite simply rats. Rats who think my house is their home. Former owner raised snakes as did next door neighbor who was evicted years ago and landlord released the parents; people who have snakes often raise pinkies and I suspect these somehow escaped because no matter what I do they find a way back inside--heck, one got in bed with me this past winter.

House is not nearly livable; I don't have a real kitchen so I don't cook much. But when I do I scrupulously clean my kitchen and dry out the sink so their only source of water is the toilet; I've rubber banded my cabinet where all they could eat were spices which they did before it was secured. Dried cilantro. Really? I finally bought poison expecting the carcasses to stink in the walls but apparently they don't or I'm so old I've lost all sense of smell. I had 3 including 1 black one. I know 2 are dead; 1 I found under a chair and the other staggered over my foot last Saturday night then found its way into the wall behind the toilet. Did I say this house was not nearly livable? Who doesn't put a ring around that hole in the wall where the hose comes in to the toilet? Buildings in FL are very odd.

Something inside ate my rooted tomato cutting. I declared outright war and put out more bait. I guess that prized rooting filled it up because bait lay there untouched for days.

However, I think (hope) the last might be gone now and perhaps croaked outside because I left my newly installed French doors open last night (I checked and no armadillo are now inside) and the bait was finally gone. I do shut my BR door at night even though I technically live alone because waking up to a gentle tugging on your sleeve at 3AM is a bit disconcerting.

I would love to know more about how to identify seeds and how to propagate them. I think I've encountered them before but don't know. Any links?

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

I would love to know more about how to identify seeds and how to propagate them. I think I've encountered them before but don't know. Any links?[/quote]

There is a ton of info online. Google-propagating pineapple plants, sprouting pineapple seeds, propagating pineapple tops.

You could spend a evening reading through all the info. Good luck!

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

Oh, I have already done the hours of research; I live alone and am totally alone save the rats so what else would I do with my nights? :ha:

I just checked my last 2 "just stick them in the dirt" M-2s and they rooted! I would have had 4 but was playing with cutting tops according to the information found An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie that didn't work for me but I'm terribly disorganized just now. (Not sure why it shows that "title" for the link but I found tandfonline.com by searching for sectioning pineapples and the above link works for me just not 40 plants from 1 crown.)

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

Have you checked out this website for searching PLU codes?
IFPS :: Search PLU Codes

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

That's a new one for me, CB, thanks!

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

So I gave one away but insisted on having the crown back; we'll see. The other I opened up; it's delicious! And so far I've found 10 seeds. Since this is a hybrid, I'm sure any babies from these will be odd but I'd like to grow them. How?

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

I placed mine on a moist paper towel and put the paper towel in a ziplock bag. Then placed in a sunny window. Out of 6 seeds only 1 sprouted. There may be other ways to sprout the seeds. The tiny plant is so small. Good luck!

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

I have been throwing away Sugar Loaf pups!

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

Oh, no! I've now given beautiful ripe pineapples to people 3 times and merely asked for the top back. Ingrates tossed them. So I only had 1 extra sweet top but it did root!

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

I dont need the tops back. The plants have so many pups, I dont have anywhere else to plant them. I put some in cabbage palms, just to see how well it can do as an air plant.

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

i always wondered why they punched the tag so deep, but like everyone else i have no problem getting the tops to root. take that del monte! ;P

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

And how are they doing?

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

I guess I'm just stupid but I don't know what "punching the tag" means. Is it a hole in the center? If so, it should make no difference. Supposedly you can cut a top into pieces to make many more than 1 plant. I've failed at doing so thus far and, since I don't have access to a lot of tops for experiements, I'm just doing solos.

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

I am talking about the way they attach the dole tag. They pierce into the heart of the crown.

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

We will see. I just did it a few weeks ago. So lets wait till after winter and see what happens. :)

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

[url=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=58606]
New pineapple plant growing from seed. Out of 6 seeds only 1 sprouted. They sure are small.

Re: So, as I ramble arund buying a pineapple every now and then
 

[url=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=58605]
After much of the center rotted and fell apart during the rooting process, new growth showed from under the soil. This plant didn't have much of a chance with the way the tag was attached. But it pulled through.