Here is a step-by-step guide to growing your own pineapple at home using a potted planter and soil.

Ahh… Pineapples. I have no idea why, but I always thought pineapples were grown on palm trees. In my mind, this tropical sweet fruit was harvested from majestic palm trees on some abandoned beach in the Bahamas like coconuts are.

Obviously I was wrong. Pineapples are actually grown in the ground like this:

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MIND BLOWN!

The good news is, that means you can grow pineapples at home, just like your run of the mill house plant.

Before we get started, let’s break down some of the benefits of the oh-so-delicious pineapple:

  • Helps improve oral and eye health
  • Boosts immunity and blood circulation
  • Helps prevent cancer, arthritis and heart disease
  • Protects against constipation
  • Reduces the risk of dementia
  • Makes delicious drinks (AHEM Pina Coladas!)

Now here’s the bad news. It can take up to 2-3 three years for you to actually grow the fruit of the pineapple, however, in the mean-time you can enjoy the stem as a tropical looking houseplant.

pineapple-3026355_960_720.jpgHere’s the step-by-step guide to growing your own pineapple.

1: Buy A Pineapple

You’ll want to make sure you buy a pineapple that is ripe, with bright green leaves coming out the top. Stay clear of a  pineapple that is browning or has dead leaves.

2: Slice Off The Top 

Slice off the top of the pineapple using a knife. Make sure you cut it off close to the crown of the pineapple. Remove all the flesh surrounding the crown of the pineapple to avoid any rotting down the line.

3: Remove Some of the Leaves

Rip out some of the leaves on the lower half of the pineapple stalk until about an inch of the stalk is visible.

4: Dry It Out

Dry the stalk out for a few days to avoid any future rot.

5: Plant It

Get a 6″ to 8″ inch flower pot and fill it with soil. You want a fast-draining mixture, so something like a cactus potting mix would do. Plant it about an inch deep in the soil. Make sure to keep it near a window because pineapple plants need sunlight for the majority of the day.

6: Water It

Lightly water the pineapple stalk, until the soil is a bit moist. The easiest way to kill a pineapple is by overwatering it, so make sure the soil is consistently a bit moist.

7: Wait it Out

It could take anywhere between one to four months for the pineapple stem to start to root and grow. Tug on it about a month into it to see if the stem is rooting to the soil. As it grows you might need to move it to a bigger pot.

Congratulations! You now know how to grow pineapple AT HOME!

How To Grow Pineapple