How to Grow Pineapple

There are several varieties of pineapples that you can choose from when deciding to grow your own. Some popular varieties include:

• Smooth Cayenne: This variety is the most commonly grown pineapple worldwide and is known for its sweet, juicy fruit. It's often the variety used for canned pineapples. 
• 73-50: Slightly sweeter than Smooth Cayenne but lower in acidity. Incredibly aromatic with golden-yellow flesh. 
• F180: A vigorous plant with large fruit. The flesh is sweet and low in acidity. 
• Aus Jubilee: A small-to-medium sized fruit with exceptionally sweet flesh. 
• Red Pineapple: This variety has a reddish-pink fruit with sweet, pink-yellow flesh. 
• Dwarf Pineapple: Produces sweet, miniature fruit; perfect for pots.

Choose a sunny or a dappled shade spot (if growing in hot zones) with well-drained soil. If your soil type is heavy and poorly drained, plant the Pineapple into a raised mound of free-draining soil.

Before planting, it is important to check the soil pH as Pineapples prefer an acidic soil with a pH of 5.5-6.5. If the soil pH is high or alkaline, it can be lowered by watering in Yates Soil Acidifier Liquid Sulfur. 

Improve the soil with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. It's a rich source of organic matter to help improve soil structure and water holding capacity, as well as attract earthworms and beneficial soil microorganisms.

Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root ball. Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

Place the plant in the hole and backfill around the roots with soil. The final level of soil should be at the same level as the original potting mix around the plant. Water in well to settle the soil around the roots.

Keep the soil slightly moist as the plant establishes. Applying an organic mulch, such as sugarcane, pear straw or bark chips, around the root zone will help keep the soil and roots moist.

Water deeply, once every 3-4 days, depending on weather conditions. Once established, water deeply once every week. Feed with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser every 6-8 weeks. When flowering and fruiting, feed fortnightly with Yates Thrive Citrus Liquid Plant Food.

Harvesting usually takes place from November to March. One way to determine if a Pineapple is ready to pick is by looking at its colour. A ripe Pineapple will be a golden yellow colour. Additionally, you can give the fruit a gentle tug – if it comes off easily, it's ready to be harvested. Pick and eat only when ripe as green immature Pineapples are toxic.

Once a Pineapple fruits, it will eventually die. This is a natural part of the plant's life cycle. However, before the plant dies, it often produces pups or offshoots which can be propagated to grow new plants.

To propagate Pineapple pups, carefully remove them from the parent plant and pot them up into pots filled with Yates Seed & Cutting Potting Mix. After 6-8 weeks, transplant them into the garden or into pots.

Pineapples make wonderful pot specimens, so they're perfect for small spaces or even a balcony. You can also bring them indoors to help liven up your space. Look for the 'Dwarf Pineapple', which produces sweet  miniature fruit.

Choose a pot at least 400 mm wide and at least 300 mm deep. Position in full sun or light shade (if growing in hot zones), with protection from strong winds.

Part fill the pot with quality potting mix, like Yates Premium Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter. Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

Place the root ball on the potting mix and backfill around the roots with more potting mix. The final level of mix should be the same as the level currently around the plant. Water in well to settle the potting mix around the roots.

Keep the soil slightly moist as the plant establishes. Applying an organic mulch, such as sugarcane, pear straw or bark chips, around the root zone will help keep the soil and roots moist.

Feed with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser every 6-8 weeks. When flowering and fruiting, feed weekly with Yates Thrive Citrus Liquid Plant Food.

Harvesting usually takes place from November to March. One way to determine if a Pineapple is ready to pick is by looking at its colour. A ripe Pineapple will be a golden yellow colour. Additionally, you can give the fruit a gentle tug – if it comes off easily, it's ready to be harvested. Pick and eat only when ripe as green immature Pineapples are toxic.

Once a Pineapple plant fruits, it eventually dies. This is a natural part of the plant's life cycle. However, before the plant dies, it often produces pups or offshoots which can be propagated to grow new plants.

To propagate Pineapple pups, carefully remove them from the parent plant and pot them up into pots filled with Yates Seed & Cutting Potting Mix. After 6-8 weeks, transplant them into the garden or into pots.

Did you know the Pineapple you buy at the grocery store or supermarket can be eaten and then used to grow another Pineapple plant? The Pineapple crown or top is removed from the fruit and with a little care, it will grow into a plant you can pot up, grow in the garden or simply use a potted indoor plant.

Purchase a ripe Pineapple that has its leafy crown still attached to the fruit.

Using a sharp knife, remove the crown from the fruit and remove all fruit flesh from the top.

Remove the lowest leaves to help expose the stalk of the crown, then let dry for a week in a cool, dry spot.

Fill a pot with Yates Seed & Cutting Mix, leaving a hole in the centre. Plant the top into the centre of the pot, backfill and water in well. Position in a spot with bright light, out of direct sunlight,  and keep the soil moist until roots develop. After 6-8 weeks or once roots are well developed, plant them in the ground or pot as per instructions above. Alternatively, sit the Pineapple top in a bowl or glass jar and fill with water, ensuring the base is covered with water at all times. 

Growing pineapples requires patience as a young or new plant can take up to 2-3 years to produce fruit, depending on the cultivar and climate. It still makes a pretty potted plant or garden specimen in the mean time!

One way to determine if a Pineapple is ready to pick is by looking at its colour. A ripe Pineapple will have a golden yellow colour on the outside with green leaves. Additionally, you can give the fruit a gentle tug – if it comes off easily, it's ready to be harvested.

Pick and eat only when ripe as green immature Pineapples are toxic. If you have Rats or Mice who like to steal from your garden, cut when the pineapple just starts to turn yellow, then leave inside for a few days to allow it to ripen.

Break off any baby plants or 'pups' from the mother plant and replant into a pot filled with Yates Seed & Cutting Mix (see 'How to Grow Pineapples From the Supermarket) – more Pineapple plants for you!

A Pineapple plant only fruits once, then it dies. But before it dies, it produces pups or offshoots, which grow between the leaves of the mother plant. Each pup can be removed and planted into a pot with Yates Seed & Cutting Potting Mix. Eventually, it will develop into a mature plant and produce fruit. 

Pineapples can be susceptible to pests such as Mealybugs and Mites. Regularly inspect your plants for any signs of pests. If sighted, spray thoroughly with Yates Nature's Way Vegie & Herb Pest Spray. Repeat in 7-10 days, if needed.

One possible reason why your Pineapple is not producing fruit could be its age. Pineapples typically need to reach a certain maturity before they start fruiting. If your plant is still young, it may simply need more time to grow before it can bear fruit.

Another common reason for lack of fruit production in Pineapples is insufficient sunlight. Pineapples thrive in full sun or light shade (in hot zones) so if your plant is not getting enough light, it may not be able to produce fruit.