White Jade Pineapple

[fyliu]

Yeah, they bent over when they got heavy. All 4 of my white jades did that but all 3 store ones had short stalks.

[simon_grow]

Thanks Scott,

I have several White Jades that are huge and should Fruit very soon, probably this Winter.

Is it me or is White Jade a naturally big bromeliad?  Mine are getting well over 3' across.

Yup, White Jades can get huge, here’s one that’s just over 5 feet across. This one will probably flower this Winter



Simon

Looking back at this picture I previously posted, it’s such a shame I lost all those leaves and with it the photosynthetic capacity of those would be leaves. I wonder if the bottom part or core of my plant has any stored energy or carbohydrate reserves? The base of this plant is very thick, hopefully it has a lot of stored energy.

Since I have so many baby WJ plants now, im going to try to minimize Nitrogen to avoid all the baby plants growing on the fruit like what happened to my first fruit.

I’ll keep everyone updated and I’ll definitely stake up this fruit.

Simon

[simon_grow]

Here’s a quick update of a couple White Jade Pineapples. It’s been approximately 6 months since the bloom spike first popped and the color of the pineapple is turning yellow on the outside so I decided to harvest this small fruit.

This fruit is so small because it is one of the ratoons or slips from the original parent plant that fruited and it was growing in a super small pot for the longest time. I finally transplanted it into a larger pot but it flowered immediately after the transplant.





The size of the fruit is proportional to the size of the plant so bigger plant means a bigger fruit. Here’s one that’s larger but the plant got frozen back last Winter and lost most of its leaves. Some of the ratoons or slips are growing large and is probably feeding the fruit since the original plant that formed the flower has pretty much froze back and has ver little leaf surface area.





Simon

[roblack]

I found a new way to add edibles; convince my wife they are ornamental.

White Jade question:

Both of the plants below came from the same seller, in the same order in fact. Neither has spines on the leaves. But they look different to me. One has shorter leaves that are a bit more stout. The other has longer skinnier leaves that get blown and twisted easily.

Are they both White Jade?

[Mark in Texas]

Nice job Simon!  Taste report please.

I hope to fruit a bunch of WJ and Sugarloaf plants next year.  Many are getting up to 3' across and better from little liner plants bought this spring.  Man, do they love Peters 25-5-15.  Brad started using it in his orchard and is really pleased regarding their performance I believe.

https://www.amazon.com/77900-Performance-Fertilizer-25-5-15-25-Pound/dp/B008JSIKCU/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_1

[spaugh]

Ive been using the 25 5 15 on my avocados.  They seem to respond really nicely.  Sounds like pineapples will use it too.  Do you mix it and measure the TDS level or how much do you apply Mark?

Ive got about 10 white jade plants going that Simon gave me.  Seems too hot and dry here for them.  Been using combo of different foods on them but they just don't seem super happy. 

[Evildeadguy]

Here’s a quick update of a couple White Jade Pineapples. It’s been approximately 6 months since the bloom spike first popped and the color of the pineapple is turning yellow on the outside so I decided to harvest this small fruit.

This fruit is so small because it is one of the ratoons or slips from the original parent plant that fruited and it was growing in a super small pot for the longest time. I finally transplanted it into a larger pot but it flowered immediately after the transplant.





The size of the fruit is proportional to the size of the plant so bigger plant means a bigger fruit. Here’s one that’s larger but the plant got frozen back last Winter and lost most of its leaves. Some of the ratoons or slips are growing large and is probably feeding the fruit since the original plant that formed the flower has pretty much froze back and has ver little leaf surface area.





Simon

Awesome Simon.... not the biggest but I'm sure they will still taste great.... i know it was from the cold damage so hopefully next time they will get to grow bigger.... i know i said in the past i wouldn't grow white jade again but i ended up getting some more.... i found a guy here in florida down south that sold me some suckers so they should grow alot better than they did when i tried growing them from Tissue Culture

[Mark in Texas]

Ive been using the 25 5 15 on my avocados.  They seem to respond really nicely.  Sounds like pineapples will use it too.  Do you mix it and measure the TDS level or how much do you apply Mark?

Ive got about 10 white jade plants going that Simon gave me.  Seems too hot and dry here for them.  Been using combo of different foods on them but they just don't seem super happy. 

1/2 tsp./gal. in the cup overflowing into the pot.  Your faves need a high N like Peters.   They do prefer moderate to high humidity.

Change gears, we're floating away in central Texas, literally!  I watched boats, houses, a few livestock, parts of bridges float over damns that run down our Highland Lakes to Austin.  So much non stop rain that water is seeping under my greenhouse walls and it's predicted to continue for another week. 

[simon_grow]

I found a new way to add edibles; convince my wife they are ornamental.

White Jade question:

Both of the plants below came from the same seller, in the same order in fact. Neither has spines on the leaves. But they look different to me. One has shorter leaves that are a bit more stout. The other has longer skinnier leaves that get blown and twisted easily.

Are they both White Jade?

Roblack, i can’t identify Pineapples by looking at the leaves so I’m not sure. The difference in leaf shape may be caused by coming from a top vs a slip or something like that.

Simon

[simon_grow]

Thanks Mark, I’ll give a taste report when I cut it open, probably tonight. It smells amazing. I have noticed that Pineapples respond very well to fertilizer applications, my only problem is that I get busy or lazy to consistently foliar feed them so I ended up putting some Nutrikote in between the leaves which seems to do the job until they get washed away.

I just brought those WJs to Brads place not too long ago so I think they will start to take off soon, especially if put inside the hoop house.

Thanks Jimmy, I’m glad you’re growing the WJ. It’s a great Pineapple. The tissue cultured plants take forever to establish so hopefully these new plants will grow much better for you since they’re not TC.

Simon

[roblack]

Thanks Simon. That makes sense. They have been grown close to each other, but one may have received a little more sun the other. So, that may be part of it too.

Time to fertilize!

[fyliu]

roblack, your plants do look like they're not getting enough sun. WJ leaves should have the reddish color like the ones in Brad's photos.

Brad, are the bigger pots short 5 gal or 3 gal?

Is it a good time to fertilize pineapples now? I did the osmocote in the center like Jim Neitzel suggested before but it burned the core. Now I apply it off center and mostly just forget to fertilize.

[spaugh]

roblack, your plants do look like they're not getting enough sun. WJ leaves should have the reddish color like the ones in Brad's photos.

Brad, are the bigger pots short 5 gal or 3 gal?

Is it a good time to fertilize pineapples now? I did the osmocote in the center like Jim Neitzel suggested before but it burned the core. Now I apply it off center and mostly just forget to fertilize.

The larger pots are 7gal pots

[Evildeadguy]

roblack, your plants do look like they're not getting enough sun. WJ leaves should have the reddish color like the ones in Brad's photos.

Brad, are the bigger pots short 5 gal or 3 gal?

Is it a good time to fertilize pineapples now? I did the osmocote in the center like Jim Neitzel suggested before but it burned the core. Now I apply it off center and mostly just forget to fertilize.

Hi osmocote shouldn't be put on the plant or in the center.... osmocote is slow release and needs to be put in the soil around the plant... just put some on top of the soil and mix it in good

[roblack]

roblack, your plants do look like they're not getting enough sun. WJ leaves should have the reddish color like the ones in Brad's photos.




I think you are right. They were on the edge of the yard amongst trees and other potted plants, getting partial sunlight. Now they are on the pool deck (1+ week) in the fancy pots, getting full on blasted by the sun all day. My guess is they are going to get happy.

[simon_grow]

As others have stated, I put slow release between the leaves but avoid the center. When I placed slow release in the center, some of the newly forming leaves got burned.

Simon

[simon_grow]

I just cut open this runt of a pineapple but before I cut it open, I smelled it and smelled like candy. This fruit is only the size of a softball and after skinning it, it was even smaller.

The taste was sweet and creamy but it was definitely much less sweet than I was expecting. I didn’t write down the date I first saw the bloom spike so I believe I harvested this fruit a bit early. It had a Brix of 16% but had relatively low acid although it did have acidity, especially noticeable because of the lower Brix.

The core was extremely soft and my daughters are eagerly chomping down the last few pieces as I type. The flavor of this pineapple is excellent, sweet and creamy. I just wish this particular fruit were a bit sweeter.

To me personally, the White Jade tastes exactly the same as the Kuai White Sugarloaf. I’m sure the fruit we grow at Brads place will be much larger and sweeter. I neglected my plants and they still turned out decent so I can imagine that a properly grown fruit will be even better. Here are some pictures.









Simon

[Mark in Texas]

Nice job Simon, am surprised at the low brix.  The store bought "twistees" are not only sweet and rich, they're free starts.

My dos centavos - no Osmocote near the leaves or cup, only scratched into the top of the soil.  The salts are too concentrated at the tissue where it's contacting.   I use a Polyon 18-4-9 or Osmocote Indoor/Outdoor which is still high N.  Trust me, that Peters applied often in the cup with an occasional fresh water flush will set those plants on fire.  That's what they do in the commercial fields, fertilize using overhead spray booms running down the rows.

 

[spaugh]

Nice job Simon, am surprised at the low brix.  The store bought "twistees" are not only sweet and rich, they're free starts.

My dos centavos - no Osmocote near the leaves or cup, only scratched into the top of the soil.  The salts are too concentrated at the tissue where it's contacting.   I use a Polyon 18-4-9 or Osmocote Indoor/Outdoor which is still high N.  Trust me, that Peters applied often in the cup with an occasional fresh water flush will set those plants on fire.  That's what they do in the commercial fields, fertilize using overhead spray booms running down the rows.

 

Mark, I put some osmocote pro 8 month in all the pots and some of the fancy organic stuff with innoculant when I made the mix.  I used cactus mix and perlite in 7gal pots.  Using RO water 2 to 3 times then RO with dynagro foliage pro.  And foliar feeding dynagro and seaweed extract occasionally.   I can switch it up and use the peters jacks high performance on it too.  Im going to run half of them in the greenhouse over winter.  Only issue with that is when I bring things outside in spring the foliage is not as hardened off as plants that stay outside.  Even its a problem on dragonfruit.  The plants get a bit spoiled in the GH with all the humidity and shade cloth.

[Mark in Texas]

Mark, I put some osmocote pro 8 month in all the pots and some of the fancy organic stuff with innoculant when I made the mix.  I used cactus mix and perlite in 7gal pots.  Using RO water 2 to 3 times then RO with dynagro foliage pro.  And foliar feeding dynagro and seaweed extract occasionally.   I can switch it up and use the peters jacks high performance on it too.  Im going to run half of them in the greenhouse over winter.  Only issue with that is when I bring things outside in spring the foliage is not as hardened off as plants that stay outside.  Even its a problem on dragonfruit.  The plants get a bit spoiled in the GH with all the humidity and shade cloth.

Sounds like a plan Brad.  I've been using Dyna-Gro products for decades.  It's great as a foliar spray for the vineyard.

I've got a dozen foods in my toolbox also.  Boyz with the most toys......... 

BTW, am getting some weird very light striations or tunnels in the Frankie's Red.  Looks like leaf miners' tunnels. Can they attack pitaya?

[spaugh]

Not sure about leaf miner on DF.  Probably if they arent allowed on your oranges they have to go somewhere...

[simon_grow]

The Frankie’s Red has lots of thorns and are prone to scratching. When they get surface scratches, it creates a raised bump that looks a bit like leafminer.

Thanks for the tip Mark, I’ll try the Jacks on the pineapple.

Simon

[Mark in Texas]

Not sure about leaf miner on DF.  Probably if they arent allowed on your oranges they have to go somewhere...

May be weather related. After our sudden drop in temps they look white and mottled like some of my pineapples especially the  rooted Frankie's Red cutting.   

Facebook post:

"Speaking of cold - with that last cold front when the temps dropped from the 90's in the greenhouse to the low 50's, outdoors 39F, all but my White Sugarloaf and White Jade pineapples have these large white splotches on their leaves due to stress."

I'd say on some plants the white blotches cover the older leaves 20-40%.  Am really pissed and a bit stumped as this is a first.

[simon_grow]

Here’s an update of one of my White Jades. This fruit is one of my larger fruit. It is almost completely yellow on the sun exposed side but the shaded side of the fruit is still half green although the eyes have yellowed. The night time low temperature is around 50F now and based off the last white jade I harvested, the fruit is slow to increase sugar content and I believe leaving the fruit on the plant as long as possible will significantly increase the eating quality.

I’m hoping the Brix of this fruit will be closer 18%. At 18%, I know that the Sugar content will balance out the natural acidity of this fruit and the candy and vanilla flavors will stand out more.

For those that have not sampled a White Pineapple before, the candy and vanilla background flavor is absolutely delicious and cannot be compared to any other fruit that I can think of. Hopefully this fruit will fully ripen before animals get to it. Here are some pictures.
Sunny side

Shaded side and top view



Simon

[beicadad]

Simon, this white jade is much bigger than your last one, hopefully tastes better too!