Pineapple Project - Phase 2 - The Front Yard Planting

[cbss_daviefl]

When ever your spouse, who is not a fruit tree addict, allows you to plant something fruit bearing in "restricted space", AKA "the forbidden zone", it is cause for celebration!  My wife granted me permission to plant pineapples in the front yard.  My front yard is relatively barren except for palm trees and a loquat tree that was probably planted as an ornamental.

Back in May/June of this year, I executed phase 1 of my plan.  I acquired a stupid number of tissue cultured pineapple plants.  I offered them up to you all, my brothers and sisters who share my fruit tree affliction. Luckily for me, not many of you took advantage.  I have not had a single casualty either.  These plants can take some abuse.

Now that the weather has cooled a bit, I decided to execute my incursion into the forbidden zone. In the middle of my front yard is a lonely palm,  planted in an over-sized raised area.  Previously only weeds covered the empty space.

Behold the pineapple greatness!!! (well, at least the beginnings of it)  25 plants in the ground so far and that has barely put a dent in my stocks.

[jc]

Sweet!👍

[socal10b]

Looks great

[bradflorida]

I like the looks of that arrangement!  Thanks for the idea.  I have about a dozen slips that need to be planted

[fyliu]

Nice. Good idea for a low hedge too.

[jcaldeira]

Brilliant!   You are NOT going to regret this.  Within two years they'll be fruiting and you can move on to the next phase. 

[Doglips]

Not to be a downer, but the thieves may not regret it either.

Looks good tho.

[zands]

Nice project!!!!
I have 4 pineapples growing in my front yard because they will look so good and get people thinking where a pineapple comes from.
So they are edible and decorative. Your wife approving also means they are decorative.

My pinapples growing are just from mutts from the store

[jez251]

Looks great, Brandon.

Are you selling some of your remainder plants?

Jaime

[redhaus]

Glad to hear the wife came around Looks amazing and well thought out. I wish I had a front yard like that!

[cbss_daviefl]

Thanks all!

Not worried about theft.  I have faith in my fellow man not to steal more than half of them.  This is Southwest Ranches, lots of gun owners here.  If you don't plant it, you guaranty no fruit.

Yes, I am willing to sell some of the remaining plants.  $5 each, local pickup.  I still have White Jade, Sugar Loaf, and Florida Special.  I probably have a few Elite Gold left too.

[emegar]

I'm trying to contain my jealousy!  I don't have much space for pineapples in-ground in my garden, though I do have my first fruit forming.




Question:

I know pineapples can be fruited in 5g pots, but does anyone know what the optimal size container is, in terms of producing full-sized fruit?  Also, any thoughts on whether my fruit is likely to ripen properly, as winter approaches?  Best advice on when to harvest?  Thanks!

[From the sea]

I have had best luck with 15 gal pots, I harvest mine when they are all yellow and smell like pineapple candy. It took 3-4 months for mine to ripen in zone 11

[gnappi]

What a great idea for ground cover!

[emegar]

I have had best luck with 15 gal pots, I harvest mine when they are all yellow and smell like pineapple candy. It took 3-4 months for mine to ripen in zone 11

Thanks for the advice!

[murahilin]

Question:

I know pineapples can be fruited in 5g pots, but does anyone know what the optimal size container is, in terms of producing full-sized fruit?  Also, any thoughts on whether my fruit is likely to ripen properly, as winter approaches?  Best advice on when to harvest?  Thanks!

I used to have about 20 different pineapple cultivars with maybe 30 plants total. They will grow and produce a full sized fruit in a 7 gallon container if they are well watered and fertilized. No need to go any larger. I've even been able to do it in a 5 gallon. It's better to squish them all close together though in order to keep the fruit from tipping over once they start to produce.

[emegar]

That's great to know. Thanks!

[MangoFang]

Brandon - just a really cool and simple design!  It actually adds a neat
touch to the front yard.....yeah, great move into the Twilight Zone
of yard space......


Gary

[socal10b]

I'm atarting growing couple of pineapple tops I bought from Costco, usually how long you can expect them to produce fruits? Thx.

[phantomcrab]

I'm atarting growing couple of pineapple tops I bought from Costco, usually how long you can expect them to produce fruits? Thx.

2016 - Pineapples have a normal fruiting/flowering cycle of 18 months in the tropics. I use 3 gallon pots for growing individual pineapple plants. Keep the pots close together so the plants support each other. Another option is 3 plants in a 7 or 10 gallon pot.

[cbss_daviefl]

Around three years.  After you plants produce fruit, slips from the mother plant generally fruit in about 2 years.  Leave one slip on the mother plant and it may produce another pineapple. When crowns are your only option, select the largest possible.

I'm atarting growing couple of pineapple tops I bought from Costco, usually how long you can expect them to produce fruits? Thx.

[TnTrobbie]

Very cool project. How much sun do pineapples need? Can they still fruit well (thrive) with shade?

[phantomcrab]

Look in this thread for pineapple cultivation info-
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=349b3c23e2fe31c92c0013ac60402ff6&topic=111.msg3962#msg3962

[cbss_daviefl]

Full sun is best.  I have planted them under large clumps of queen palms where they probably only got 4 hours sun and they fruited.  The problem with this is falling fronds will sometimes knock the fruit off prematurely. I have lost a few this way. 

Very cool project. How much sun do pineapples need? Can they still fruit well (thrive) with shade?

[Mark in Texas]

Nice job!  Very well laid out.  I too hope you don't have security problems.

Got 7 in the greenhouse, 4 from store bought, others hybrid clones.  3 gal. pots.  Man do these things grow fast!  Where some were 6" across 5 months ago, they are now 18" across.