Raised pineapple beds a success!

[GwenninPR]

One year ago, I made these raised beds to keep the pineapples high and dry.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropicalfruits/msg011604593435.html

Bed one is about 1/2 in fruit/flower!  The weed cloth did a pretty good job, but I did have to reach in and hand weed a little.
We just added a 3rd bed.

[Tim]

Looks great Gwenn.  I wonder if you have "tree rats" and the likes in PR, I've seen a lot of home plantings done around fruit trees to deter squirrels.  Did you force bloom on them or they're all about the same in age and bloomed roughly the same time?

[GwenninPR]

We don't have squirrels, but we do have rats and mongoose, iguanas  etc.  But so far, nothing has bothered the pineapple fruit.

They bloomed naturally- a few different types, all around the same age.

[natsgarden123]

I have a zillion ( close) pineapple plants- we had 30+ pineapples this past summer- would have had more but my husband gave a lot of the plants away. Here ( zone10a) they thrive on neglect. Dont plant them in the ground. Keep them in pots, rootbound, dry. Soon the pots will be bursting with pineapple offshoots. the pine island website says that they are difficult to grow- not. We are overrun...And it all started with a few supermarket pineapples....

[sultry_jasmine_nights]

I love your raised beds. I grew some in pots in Lake Havasu AZ once (think no moisture and 120+ F in the summers) I grew them in the shade on the patio and they hardly got any water. I was able to fruit them that way.  I am in FL now but we don't have the best soil. I should try some raised beds here.
 What are the dimensions of your raised beds? What different varieties did you plant?

[GwenninPR]

They are pretty big- about 10ft by 5ft. 6-7 rows of mounded good dirt, about 4 plants per row.

Mostly MD2, but a few other small coreless  but very thorny (don't know the name).  A few others from grocery store.  MD2's are great- taste fantastic and very few thorns.

I got about 6-8 cultivars in bed 2 that came from germoplasms from Hawaii repository.
Tried a "Trinidad" yesterday.  Unfortunately picked too early, but still sweet.

[Ethan]

Wow Gwen your results turned out awesome, congrats!  The plants look great and so much fruit, soon you'll have so many pineapples you'll need to start making wine.

-Ethan

[fruitlovers]

Looks real nice Gwenn. Here the rats only bother the pineapples if you let them get too ripe on the plant, i think the strong smell attracts them. If you can get the white sugarloaf that is a VERY tasty cultivar!
Oscar

[GwenninPR]

Oscar- can you ripen a pineapple off the plant?  I heard once it is picked that is it.
How do you know when they are fully ripe? This Trinidad was golden almost all the way around and smelled wonderfully ripe, but wasn't.   

[fruitlovers]

Gwenn, Once they start coloring up yellow you can pick them. Yes they will be sweeter if you let them get fully yellow on the plant. But you also run the risk of varmints eating them. If your pineapple was fully colored then it was ripe. It may not have tasted good due to lack of proper ferts., bad cultivar. Ripeness is not the only factor in quality.
Oscar

[GwenninPR]

hummm, fertilizers for pineapples. I gave them 20-20-20 a few times.
I really want good tasting pineapples after all this work/waiting. What do you recommend for a fertilizer and schedule?

[fruitlovers]

I'm not a pineapple farmer, but had a friend here who was and he told me they really liked molasses in the soil to activate micro organisms. I think he mostly sprayed their leaves with foliar fertilizers and had plants over 6  feet tall and monster ONO (delicious in Hawaiian) fruits.
Oscar

[GwenninPR]

I can try to up the foliar fertilizer sprays a few more times.  I did it once, but we had such a wet year, I hated to add more water to them!

Molasses-  I just saw at the hydroponic store "FloraNecter"  Pineapple Rush, which looks like it is a pineapple essence molasses product.  I was wondering if it would work on planted plants.  I will look into using plain molasses (it has to be way cheaper than this product).

[phantomcrab]

Have you had any problem with your pineapples sunburning? I have some white pineapples sent from Hawaii that I'm planting this spring. There are warnings on the internet that these can sunburn while ripening.

[murahilin]

Gwenn,
Your plants look great.  If you are interested in other varieties let me know. I can send you slips from my plants once they are available.

[GwenninPR]

Have you had any problem with your pineapples sunburning? I have some white pineapples sent from Hawaii that I'm planting this spring. There are warnings on the internet that these can sunburn while ripening.

Most of my fruit are just starting out, but so far nothing has gotten sunburned.  But we are very humid here, so maybe that helps.

Gwenn,
Your plants look great.  If you are interested in other varieties let me know. I can send you slips from my plants once they are available.

Thanks- yes, I would be interested.  I sent you some coreless tops a (long) while back...did they ever do anything for you? Mine of that batch  didn't really take off like expected.  I got some more from my friend and some of them are doing well, I can send you some of them.

[fruitlovers]

Have you had any problem with your pineapples sunburning? I have some white pineapples sent from Hawaii that I'm planting this spring. There are warnings on the internet that these can sunburn while ripening.

Sunburn usually only happens if the pineapple plant falls over and the fruit is therefore fully exposed to the sun. That is why they are usually planted in multiple rows, close together...so that the plants don't fall over.
Oscar

[phantomcrab]

Thanks. That explains why the commercial guys plant them in staggered double rows about a foot apart and then leave a gap between the double rows. I had wondered why that particular spacing was used. 

[fruitlovers]

Thanks. That explains why the commercial guys plant them in staggered double rows about a foot apart and then leave a gap between the double rows. I had wondered why that particular spacing was used. 

Yes, that is so they interlock and the plants don't fall over from the weight of the fruit. The gap ofcourse is so you can walk thru without getting punctured too badly. 

[phantomcrab]

Gwenn:
This week I attended a talk in Sarasota given by a pineapple cultivation consultant. Here's a rundown on what he said.

The best way to start a pineapple plant is with a crown with the growing point intact. Pineapples grow in an 18 month cycle. They must have good drainage so raised beds are recommended. They are very thrifty with water. For the homeowner, 3 gallon pots work fine but must drain very well. Stake isolated plants so the fruit does not fall over and sunburn. Chilling ripening fruit damages its flavor. They naturally grow in soils with a pH of 4.5-5 but this is not critical. Pineapple plants are extremely sensitive to all environmental conditions so the same cultivar grown in neighboring yards may appear quite different. In completely tropical regions, the plant will naturally bloom at 12 months old when the plant's weight gets over 5 pounds and it's about 3-4 feet (this varies) tall. Ethylene and temperatures less than 57-58F will also force blooming and less than 48F will stun the plant. Frost can be lethal. DO NOT fertilize after blossoms form. DO NOT overhead water after flowers form (can cause internal rotting) although ground irrigation is OK. DO NOT water while the fruit is ripening since this can dilute the flavor. As the fruit matures, the 'eyes' will flatten out and it will change color. This color change is totally dependent upon the temperature regime and ranges from yellow to blue-green. The ripeness of a mature fruit can't be accurately judged by color or smell. The plant converts carbohydrates to sugars in its vegetative body and then transports the sugars to the fruit so pineapples do not sweeten any further after harvested. When fully ripe, a pineapple will form a thin callus at the base of the fruit similar to that of a dead leaf on a tree. This can be tested by holding the stalk with one hand and bending the fruit over with the other. If it breaks off, enjoy.
He gave a fertilizer regimen too but it was tailored to FL conditions. Outdoor FL growers should start their plants in January or February to take advantage of summer growth and then winter cooling to force flowering at 12 months though.

[natsgarden123]

South Florida Pineapple Growing: start with the top off a pinepple. Hang it over water and let the roots grow until long.
Do not plant in the ground. Use bagged garden soil. Place the pineapple head into the moist soil. Put it in the sun and so nothing. Don't water, fertilize, test...do nothing at all. Suckers will soon form. Leave them in the pot. Let them get rootbound.  If the suckers cascade over the side, then take them off and just stick them in another pot of soil.  Remember. The plants like to be dry, rootbound, in pots and neglected. Ill post pics.

[fruitlovers]

Gwenn:
This week I attended a talk in Sarasota given by a pineapple cultivation consultant. Here's a rundown on what he said.

The best way to start a pineapple plant is with a crown with the growing point intact. Pineapples grow in an 18 month cycle. They must have good drainage so raised beds are recommended. They are very thrifty with water. For the homeowner, 3 gallon pots work fine but must drain very well. Stake isolated plants so the fruit does not fall over and sunburn. Chilling ripening fruit damages its flavor. They naturally grow in soils with a pH of 4.5-5 but this is not critical. Pineapple plants are extremely sensitive to all environmental conditions so the same cultivar grown in neighboring yards may appear quite different. In completely tropical regions, the plant will naturally bloom at 12 months old when the plant's weight gets over 5 pounds and it's about 3-4 feet (this varies) tall. Ethylene and temperatures less than 57-58F will also force blooming and less than 48F will stun the plant. Frost can be lethal. DO NOT fertilize after blossoms form. DO NOT overhead water after flowers form (can cause internal rotting) although ground irrigation is OK. DO NOT water while the fruit is ripening since this can dilute the flavor. As the fruit matures, the 'eyes' will flatten out and it will change color. This color change is totally dependent upon the temperature regime and ranges from yellow to blue-green. The ripeness of a mature fruit can't be accurately judged by color or smell. The plant converts carbohydrates to sugars in its vegetative body and then transports the sugars to the fruit so pineapples do not sweeten any further after harvested. When fully ripe, a pineapple will form a thin callus at the base of the fruit similar to that of a dead leaf on a tree. This can be tested by holding the stalk with one hand and bending the fruit over with the other. If it breaks off, enjoy.
He gave a fertilizer regimen too but it was tailored to FL conditions. Outdoor FL growers should start their plants in January or February to take advantage of summer growth and then winter cooling to force flowering at 12 months though.

If you can get a plant sucker (sideshoot) they will fruit a whole lot faster than starting from a crown, one vear versuse 2-3 years. About watering diluting the flavor: the pineapples grow and taste great here were rainfall is very high, so this obviously is not true.
Oscar

[ericalynne]

My pineapples grown in Naples and now in Venus do not do well without plenty of water. I watered overhead with no problems. Did lose a few during tropical storms when wet is not the word for it. My pineapples in Venus have survived and thrived down to 24 degrees and also that long 10 days of freezes last winter with just sheets thrown over them.
I have mix of pineapple plants from all over, store bought, some purchased supersweet variety, some seedlings from PR. For crowns, I cut off the fruit and let it dry out and then stick the crown in the ground. Side shoots I just stick in the ground.
I do tell ripeness by how they smell. Seems to work for me. Works for the critters too. Sometimes I share them (involuntarily) with the coons and possums.
I just grown pineapples for me and small and sweet is fine.
Erica

[murahilin]

Gwenn:
This week I attended a talk in Sarasota given by a pineapple cultivation consultant. Here's a rundown on what he said.

The best way to start a pineapple plant is with a crown with the growing point intact. Pineapples grow in an 18 month cycle. They must have good drainage so raised beds are recommended. They are very thrifty with water. For the homeowner, 3 gallon pots work fine but must drain very well. Stake isolated plants so the fruit does not fall over and sunburn. Chilling ripening fruit damages its flavor. They naturally grow in soils with a pH of 4.5-5 but this is not critical. Pineapple plants are extremely sensitive to all environmental conditions so the same cultivar grown in neighboring yards may appear quite different. In completely tropical regions, the plant will naturally bloom at 12 months old when the plant's weight gets over 5 pounds and it's about 3-4 feet (this varies) tall. Ethylene and temperatures less than 57-58F will also force blooming and less than 48F will stun the plant. Frost can be lethal. DO NOT fertilize after blossoms form. DO NOT overhead water after flowers form (can cause internal rotting) although ground irrigation is OK. DO NOT water while the fruit is ripening since this can dilute the flavor. As the fruit matures, the 'eyes' will flatten out and it will change color. This color change is totally dependent upon the temperature regime and ranges from yellow to blue-green. The ripeness of a mature fruit can't be accurately judged by color or smell. The plant converts carbohydrates to sugars in its vegetative body and then transports the sugars to the fruit so pineapples do not sweeten any further after harvested. When fully ripe, a pineapple will form a thin callus at the base of the fruit similar to that of a dead leaf on a tree. This can be tested by holding the stalk with one hand and bending the fruit over with the other. If it breaks off, enjoy.
He gave a fertilizer regimen too but it was tailored to FL conditions. Outdoor FL growers should start their plants in January or February to take advantage of summer growth and then winter cooling to force flowering at 12 months though.

Was the speaker Ian Greig? The info you posted sounds like the stuff he said at the Rare Fruit Conference last summer at the F&S Park.

I recently bought some calcium carbide from eBay to force my pineapples to fruit if the cold does not do it. One plant has been in the ground for 3 years and still has not flowered. I am worried it may never fruit.

[phantomcrab]

Yes. Ian Greig was the speaker. The reason he said no watering during ripening is that natural summer rainfall will be enough to supply the plant with any moisture needs since vegetative growth and fertilization have ceased. Additional water on the  plants would be detrimental. During the last 4 months of fertilization, K levels are quadrupled so the plant has the resources on hand to generate a fruit. Most of his talk was geared to commercial production techniques that stress uniform quality and minimizing cost. That's why Smooth Cayenne MD2 is grown so much. It is tasty, uniform, not too prickly and it ships well.