| Grow Your Own Pineapple |
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Don’t compost the top of your pineapple. Instead, use it to start an indoor garden with your favorite young or seasoned gardeners.
Next remove a few of the lower leaves to make rooting easier. The little bumps on the stem are the start of roots. Set the base of the stem in a container filled with a well-drained potting mix. Place the plant in a bright location out of direct sunlight and keep the soil moist. In a couple weeks the plant should have formed roots and can be moved into a bright sunny window for you to enjoy. A bit more information: You can force your pineapple to flower and fruit once it is full size and the roots fill the pot. Place the plant and a couple of slices of an apple in a clear plastic bag for three days. Keep the bagged plant out of direct sunlight. The apple gives off a gaseous hormone, ethylene, that initiates flowering and fruit ripening. Remove the bag and continue to care for the plant as before. Soon a flower and eventually a small pineapple will appear. |
You will use the leafy top of the pineapple to start your new plant. Put on some gloves as the leaves are sharp and then grab hold of the leaves and twist. Or use a knife to separate the leafy top from the fruit. Just be sure to leave the stem intact and remove any of the fleshy fruit clinging to the stem.
