Pineapple Plant: Ways to Have at Home According to Experts 🍍
The pineapple plant’s reign in the world of tropical fruits is not only due to the imposing crown of leaves.
Its sweet aroma conquered the Indians for centuries: in Central America, they called it “nana”, which means “fragrant”, and, here, the Tupis nicknamed it “ibakati”, which has the same meaning. To top it off, the pineapple is still juicy and refreshing, especially in the heat.
At the beginning of the great navigations, the sailors who consumed it when they landed in new lands got rid of scurvy, a disease caused by the lack of vitamin C.
Even today, the fruit is still used to treat other problems, such as bronchitis and cough with phlegm. To make a kind of syrup, just macerate a generous slice with plenty of sugar, add a spoon (soup) of honey and ten drops of propolis, and take this preparation three times a day.
Meaning Of Pineapple Plant
The pineapple has been considered, since ancient times, a symbol of hospitality, so having a pineapple tree at the entrance is a welcome warning to visitors. Because it is a crown fruit, it is also considered “king of fruits”.
Benefits Of The Pineapple Plant
Pineapple can be consumed in several ways: in juices, jellies, ice creams, liquors, among others, although the healthiest form is fresh.
Among the main nutrients of pineapple is its high concentration of vitamin C (an antioxidant substance that helps increase the body’s resistance). Also, this fruit is rich in B vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, and manganese and in fibers, providing 10% of the daily requirement with just one cup of tea from the fruit.
Among other properties of the pineapple plant, it is a great ally in the digestion and hydration of the body, since it is composed of 90% water. Also, as an excellent diuretic, pineapple helps to decrease fluid retention and regulate blood pressure.
Finally, the pineapple plant fruit can help people who want to lose weight, since it helps to control the urge to eat sweets, gives satiety without adding too many calories to the diet and helps the body to recover after exercising.
Pineapple bromelain tenderizes the meat and breaks down proteins
However, pineapple does not live on glories alone. It contains bromelain, a substance that helps break down proteins – while facilitating the digestion of fatty meats, bromelain erodes fingerprints. That’s right, it “melts” the fingertips of the workers who work on the pineapple harvest!
How To Plant Pineapple At Home
Step 1:
Buy this fresh fruit from the market. Make sure the fruit is ripe, neither too ripe nor green. When buying, give preference to organic pineapples and avoid those full of chemicals.
Step 2:
Remove the pineapple crown. This process you can do by cutting with a knife or by turning and pulling the blush out. Remove the pieces of pulp that may remain stuck in the crown. In this way, you avoid crown rot in the process.
Step 3:
Fill a container with water. Dip the pineapple crown in that container and leave it there until you see the roots. To avoid water rot, you will need to change it daily.
Step 4:
When the roots of the pineapple plant start to grow, you have to prepare the place that will serve to maintain the adult plant. Find a large, deep jar and put a mixture of two parts of fertile soil and one part of white sand.
Step 5:
When you see the roots, I transfer the pineapple crown to the pot with the soil, which you have already prepared. In that case, expect the roots to be at least 1 cm long. After placing the crown in the pot, cover the roots with the soil, more than 2 cm from the base.
Step 6:
Place the pot inside your home (or in a place in your backyard), in a place with sunlight. If you place the plant indoors, remember that once a day you should water it and place it outdoors, in the sun.
Step 7:
After 3 weeks, the center leaves should start to grow. This means that the roots of your pineapple tree are already fixed in the earth.
Step 8:
The leaves of the pineapple plant continued to grow until they reached a large size. Over time, the plant will develop a stem in the center, which over time will become your delicious and juicy Pineapple.
Step 9:
Once the roots are fixed to the ground, you have to wait 15 to 24 months to get a result.
Some Important Tips On Pineapple Plant
1. Use a large vase at least 45 cm in diameter. Remember that the leaves of the pineapple plant will grow to a large size.
2. In addition to keeping the plant well hydrated, it is necessary to take care of the water drainage. If the pot is too big you can lose a lot of water with each irrigation.
3. Cover some holes in the pot with a little clay. If the pot has little drainage, add more holes and put some stones inside.
4. The soil must remain moist, but not in excess.
5. As a tropical plant, Pineapple cannot withstand low temperatures. pineapple plant dies at temperatures below 15 ° C.
6. Pineapple is an excellent decorative plant. In many homes, it is a houseplant, because besides being delicious it helps to purify the air.
Pineapple Plant Care
Pineapple is a tropical plant, so some pineapple plant care should be taken into account.
Light and temperature
Frost’s or freezing temperatures will kill you. If you live in a temperate climate, you should divide your pineapple’s time between your home and the balcony or garden.
Pineapple plants should obtain at least 6 hours of light per day. During the summer, place your plant on a sunny balcony or bury the pot in your garden.
Do not remove the plant from the house until all danger of frost has passed. When you remove the plant from your home, at first, keep it in a semi-shaded spot for several days to avoid sunburn.
Cold care
During the cold months, keep your pineapple plant in the house. Bring it in early fall. Place it near a window or glass door for maximum sunlight. At night, move it away from the window to prevent freezing.
The pineapple prefers a temperature of 23 – 32 degrees C. So if the room is warm enough for you to be comfortable, the pineapple will be at the right temperature.
You can also grow your pineapple plant indoors, for example, in a basement, using fluorescent tubes of “Plant-Gro” light. This light can also be useful if you don’t get enough sunlight in the room where you are keeping your plant. You should keep the light on for between 12 and 14 hours a day.
When the plant grows large enough to bear fruit, you should reduce the duration of this light to 10 to 11 hours until the inflorescence appears in the center of the pineapple plant.
Pineapple Plant Irrigation And Fertilization
The pineapple plant is not very fond of water, requiring only about 50 centimeters of natural rain per year. This means that you only need to water the pot once a week directly on the ground. If the plant is outside, spray the leaves in addition to wetting the soil so that the “cups” at the bottom of the plant are filled.
When it comes to pineapple plant care, it is also important that the land never dries out completely. Then again, you should never leave a soil soaked.
During the growing season, you will need more water than in the winter months.
Fertilize carefully and only about once every month during the growing season. If using a solid vegetable food, spread it on the soil surface and then water with water to seep into the soil. You can make excellent fertilizer yourself at home.
A liquid fertilizer (foliar spray) can also be used. Pour the solution at the base of the leaves and on the surface of the soil. Take special care not to spill the solution in the center of the plant, as young leaves can be injured.
Pineapple Plant Pests And Diseases
Like house plants, your pineapple will be subject to a minimum of pests and diseases if properly cared for.
The pests most likely to attack your pineapple plant are insects, mealybugs, and mites. All can be removed by washing the leaves with soap and water, rinse with clean water. Or spray with an insecticide. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label when using insecticides.
The only disease you would probably encounter would be mold rot. In rot, the central leaves turn black and are easily removed from the plant.
When rot occurs, the plant can sometimes be saved by placing a fungicide right in the center of the plant. If this stops the infection, a new shot rod will begin to grow on the side.
This new stem will become your pineapple plant that will eventually blossom and form fruit. Or you can remove this stem and start a new plant in another pot.
How To Plant Sweetest Pineapples
Luckily for you, you won’t need a mega-production if you want to have a sweet and delicious pineapple plant. A small flower bed or even a 30 cm wide pot is enough for the pineapple plant to grow. There is a good trick to getting sweet pineapples.
Dig a pit and mix in the remains of grass clippings and 300 grams of wood ash. Wait ten days and then plant the seedlings by adding earth, sand, and organic compost in equal parts. Make rows with 40 cm spacing between one plant and another, to ensure that each pineapple has enough space for its leaves, similar to those of bromeliads.
Despite being a long-lived pineapple plant (called “perennial” by botanists), each plant bears only one fruit. After harvesting, therefore, remove some seedlings and redo your planting. A good game to play with children is to bury the pineapple crown in the same mixture used for planting and wait for it to develop: in a few months, the seedling will be as big as the plant it came from.
What Is The Best Place To Grow A Pineapple?
1. Pineapples are tropical or almost tropical plants. Pineapples grow best where the average temperature is between 65 ° and 95 °. Pineapples can tolerate cold nights, but growth will be slower.
2. Prolonged cold and freezing temperatures delay maturity and make the fruit more acidic. The pineapple will be severely damaged at 28 °
3. Pineapples are grown outdoors in southern Florida, southern California, and Hawaii in the United States.
4. Plant pineapple in full sun; pineapples do not ripen well in partial shade.
5. Plant pineapple in clay-rich in compost. The soil must be well-drained; pineapple will not grow in soaked soil.
6. Pineapple prefers a soil pH of 4.5 to 6.5.
Pineapple Plant Care With Correct Water And Nutrients:
1. Keep the soil evenly moist for the best fruit production. When thinking about pineapple plant care, know that this species can withstand drought, but fruit production will suffer.
2. Feed pineapples every four months with a high nitrogen fertilizer; a fertilizer formulated for citrus will work. Magnesium will help to increase the weight of the fruit.
3. The pineapple can absorb nutrients through the leaves; use a diluted fish emulsion or leaf spray of seaweed extract.
4. Cover the plants with aged fertilizer to conserve soil moisture and protect shallow roots.
5. Pineapple is sensitive to ice; cover the plants with a blanket or lift a frame around the plant and cover it with transparent plastic sheets if there is a risk of frost.
Pineapple Plant Care Tips For Harvesting And Storage:
1. It takes 18 to 32 months for a pineapple to bear ripe fruit.
2. It is difficult to say when a pineapple is ripe; changes in size and color are not reliable indicators of maturation.
3. The “eyes” or scales that descend along the pineapple will turn a pale pale green color when the fruit is ripe.
4. Ripe fruits produce a solid, opaque sound when tapped by a finger. The immature fruit will make a hollow thud.
5. The pineapple does not continue to ripen after harvest.
6. Ripe fruits can be cut from the plant with a sharp knife; some fruits will come off the plant with a twisted push.
7. The fruits will remain for two or three weeks at 45 ° F.
Pineapple Plant Powers In Weight Loss
Every nutritionist always indicates the pineapple plant to assist in the diet.
In addition to being a great digestive food, it helps refine your blood, helps you lose weight. It falls very well at night, is a great diuretic juice, refreshing, makes the skin healthier.
In addition to having high levels of vitamin C and best of all, it is cheap and you can find it at any time of the year. Here are some tips for you to use pineapple;
1. Use it to taste the water
2. It is a great dessert
3. It has mute fiber
4. It is great for the Intestine
5. It is not fattening
Also, if you need to lose weight and keep up with the scale, you will have to eat more pineapple. Have you tried it with honey?
It is great, you can even go without lunch because it is so tasty and tasty. Now the question that does not want to remain silent …
