So I read on a message board a while back that it's possible to cut the top off a pineapple and grow the plant from that. The guy who posted had several pineapple plants in his back yard, and the photos were quite enticing. I've tried a couple of times with varying amounts of success. One of them -- top cut off, planted in a pot with cactus mix, leaves sprayed with a water/miracle grow mix daily -- did really well until winter killed it. The dry summer heat here seems to have killed off my latest attempt, so I'm trying one in a small pot indoors. I read that they don't actually need soil, since they get their nutrients through their roots, so I have it (for now) in a small pot full of stones. It's getting sunlight from a really sunny window, and I'm misting it several times a day with water/miracle grow. I only planted it a couple of days ago, so I'm expecting it to die back a bit before rebounding, since that's what the successful one did.

Does anyone have any other advice that might be helpful? Special fertilizer that might be better than miracle grow for adding to my spray bottle?

I have long ago lost count of how many pineapples I have rooted. I believe, I have only had one failure. It has been some time since I used a pineapple top, because for a long time now I just use pineapple slips or suckers. Over the years I have never misted any top, sucker or slip. For a pineapple top, I either cut or twisted the top from the fruit, let it sit on the counter for a day, so that the flesh would dry (this prevents the possibility of rot), then bury the top 1/2 inch in sand, which I kept moist. Nothing more than that, and they rooted every time.

It is much easier, and MUCH QUICKER to obtain a fruit if you use a pineapple slip, or a sucker. However, you will first need to grow a plant from a top, in order to obtain a sucker or slip. Currently I have a lot of good size slips and suckers . If you would like one send me a private message with your address. All you have to do is simply stick it in just about any medium. I just stick them straight in the ground or a container, and keep the soil moist. A pineapple needs heat and light to mature and fruit. Inside a house, they will grow, but might never fruit. One point of interest. With a slip or sucker, you can lay them on a shelf for 5 or 6 months +, and they will still easily root. - Millet (531-)

I didnt know you'd been growing pineapples too! You must have so much packed into that greenhouse .
I have heard the best way to get the top is to twist rather than cut. Then peel off the bottom 1/2" of leaves. I have heard both plant right away and wait a day methods. Seems both work. I just picked up a pineapple that was almost completey yellow and very fragrant - a good sign of peek ripeness. How long from slip to fruit? In ideal conditions top to fruit is 12 months isn't it?

-Luke

Top from planting to fruit - 2 years
Slip or sucker from planting to fruit 1 year.

NOTE: Could be a little longer or shorter to obtain a fruit from a slip/sucker, depending on the size of the slip/sucker when planted. - Millet (531-)

Millet, what's the humidity like where you are? I'm worried about how dry the air is, here.

There is a greenhouse in my far future, and on the glorious day when that comes to pass, I might take you up on the pineapple slip offer. For right now, I feel better about growing tops, as it's not much of a loss if they don't make it due to my not having a good space for them.

I've heard the advice about cutting off the bottom couple of inches of leaves on a top. Have you found that it helps?

The ideal way to use a crown is to twist (as opposed to cutting) it from the fruit -- then it will break at exactly the right spot. Pluck off some leaves from the bottom, and let it sit out in the air to dry for a few days. No hurry here -- we once left one on a desk, in that condition, for 18 months, and it was still just fine.

Pineapples produce 4 kinds of planting pieces:

1. Ratoons. These come from underground rhizomes, next to the mother plant. They are the fastest growing, and will produce fruit in the least time.

2. Suckers. These come from within the crown of the mother plant, down among the leaves. They are the second best planting piece.

3. Slips. These come from the flowering stem, below the fruit. They are the third best choice (needing more time to fruit).

4. Crowns. From the top of the fruit. Slowest to bear, and no matter what you do, the fruit they produce will be smaller than the other pieces would have produced.

The one reason to avoid ratoons is if you have nematodes in your soil (we do, here in Florida), in which case, you should use one of the other parts.

Great info I didn't know all that. I twisted off the pineapple top the other day and it already had visible roots! So I pulled off the bottom 1/2" or so of leaves and potted it up.

-Luke

Next time I plant a pineapple crown, I'll try twisting the crown off. (Actually, I'll try getting my husband with his rough woodworking hands to twist the crown off, since the leaves are likely to cut up my skin. )

The guy I've got in my window seems to be doing okay. The old leaves are browning at the tips, but that seems to be par for the course. I think I see some new growth in the center.