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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Raised pineapple beds a success!
« on: February 10, 2012, 01:37:44 PM »
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.
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.
