Many people think that delicious and juicy pineapples grow on some tropical trees. But the exotic fruit belongs to the bromeliad plants that grow right on the ground. By the way of fruiting, pineapple is similar to cabbage, but it is a perennial herb. It is grown on plantations, in greenhouses and even indoors.
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Where does pineapple grow?
Exotic fruit grows on plantations in many countries in Asia and Africa, in Central and South America, Australia. In Russia pineapples grown in a greenhouse.
The fruit of a herbaceous plant is a cluster of seedlings that grow together and form a whole fruit. Therefore, from the outside it looks as if from cells. Each such cell is formed from a flower, which in nature is pollinated by hummingbirds. As a result of this pollination, seeds are formed, and the fruit does not grow. Therefore, in order to obtain a good and tasty fruit, self-pollinated pineapple varieties are planted.
For a perennial plant planted in the ground, a leaf rosette is initially created and the trunk thickens. Its tough leaves are concave and in the context of very juicy, which is explained by the lack of moisture in the places where pineapples grow. During drought, the juicy pulp of the leaves supports the entire plant. The fibrous root system is practically on the surface.
Pineapple begins to bloom 12-18 months after planting. It takes three to six months for the fetus to develop. At this time, lateral shoots begin to form in the leaf axils. The juicy fruit is cut off, the growth point is lost, but the plant continues its development due to lateral shoots.
How do pineapples reproduce?
Propagate an exotic fruit in several ways:
The tip, which is cut off and planted in the ground. The green tuft cut from a common fruit can become a valuable planting material. Even if it does not bear fruit, the plant will look very beautiful and impressive at home.- Lateral shoots, which are cut off only after they have given roots. Each adult plant has children on the sides in the form of cones, from which roots begin to grow over time.
- Seeds, which are located in the cells under the skin and resemble apple seeds. The seeds are collected from overripe pineapple. It is possible to grow a plant in this way, but it will bear fruit only after a few years.
Growing pineapples on a plantation
The largest plantations of exotic fruits are located in the southern United States, Australia, South Africa and Asia. To quickly get juicy fruits, early ripening varieties are used and intensive technology.
Already rooted cuttings, the height of which is at least 20 cm, are planted in the ground in two rows. The distance between the rows is made from one and a half to two meters.
To get a massive harvest and make the plant bloom, the seedlings are treated with acetylene.Under the influence of this gas, flower buds are formed on a young plant at the right time.
But to get a ripe fruit, the formed inflorescence must be covered to prevent pollination. For this, farmers use special caps or protective measures against insects and birds.
For irrigation, fertilization and pest control on plantations, mechanical means are used. Outdoors in the tropics, up to three pineapple harvests are obtained per year.
How to grow pineapple in greenhouse conditions?
For several centuries in a row in Europe, exotic fruits have been grown in greenhouses. Thanks to modern technology, it has become much easier to care for plants.
Surface type root system suitable for pineapple growing a small layer of earth mix... To prepare it, mix:
garden soil;- peat;
- humus;
- perlite;
- charcoal.
Young plants are watered with acidified water, since pineapples grow well on soils with slightly high acidity. The water for irrigation must be at the same temperature as the air in the greenhouse. Water stagnation should not be allowed, otherwise the root and stem may start to rot.
To obtain a harvest, pineapples grown in the greenhouse are fumigated with smoke or treated with acetylene. As a result, with proper care of high-quality planting material, plants in a greenhouse begin to bear fruit no later than those grown in open ground in tropical countries.
Growing pineapples indoors
Growing an exotic fruit at home may seem like an interesting and surprising idea. With proper planting and plant care, the top of a pineapple can make a beautiful plant with small fruits.
The choice of planting material
You should carefully choose the fruit from which the top will be cut off. Overripe or unripe fruit will not work. The leaves of the plant should be firm and rich green... Fruit with brown or yellow leaves is not recommended. It is necessary to carefully check that the fruit is not frozen, and that all its foliage is healthy. The pineapple itself should be yellow and not very hard.
From the fetus brought home, first of all, you need to remove the top. It is better to do this by hand, grabbing a bunch of leaves and slowly turning it. As a result, the stem should come out. Since the leaves are prickly, it is recommended to put on gloves beforehand.
It may not be so easy to turn out the stem from an unripe fruit. In this case, you need to use a sharp knife. The leaves should be cut along with the root, so they are cut from the fruit at an angle of 45 degrees. The pulp remaining on the stem and a few lower leaves are removed.
Top germination methods
Before planting in the ground, the top of the pineapple should take root. For this, a stalk peeled from leaves by 3-4 cm placed in a container with water room temperature. You can take an opaque glass or cup as a container. You need to put the future plant in a warm and well-lit place, protected from direct sunlight. The roots should appear in about a month.
In order not to injure the roots during transplantation, the cutting can be planted immediately in a pot. In this case, the cut off top must first be washed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dry for 3-5 days... The prepared stalk is planted in a pot filled with soil and slightly moistened. For better rooting of the top, you can make a greenhouse by covering the outlet with a plastic bag. The cutting takes root at a temperature of 25-27C, so the pot must be placed in a well-lit and warm place. The roots will appear in about a month and a half, during which the future plant needs to be watered with water at room temperature.
Pot and soil preparation
The pot in which the pineapple will grow should have the same diameter as the fruit. The capacity increases over time. However, even an adult plant should grow in a pot of no more than 3-4 liters.
Suitable for growing pineapple ready-made soil for orchids... But you can prepare an earthen mixture yourself by mixing for this:
- sod land - 2 parts;
- leafy ground - 1 part;
- humus - 1 part;
- sand - 1 part.
Drainage must be poured into the bottom of the pot.
Pineapple care at home
In the first year of growing, the plant will simply grow actively. It can release an arrow with a fruit only in the second year after planting. The appearance of the arrow can be stimulated artificially in several ways:
Ethylene gas can be obtained by spreading cut apples around the pot. The difficulty lies in the fact that it is impossible to calculate the required amount of gas for a probable bloom.- It is much safer to water the plant with a calcium carbide solution. To do this, one teaspoon of the drug is dissolved in 0.5 liters of water, closed with a lid and infused for about a day. The resulting liquid is filtered and used to water the young plant. The solution is poured into the center of the outlet once a day for a week.
Caring for pineapple at room conditions is to provide the plant with a temperature regime within 25-30C, watering with slightly acidified settled water and feeding with liquid complex fertilizers for bromeliads.
Some ornamental pineapple varieties are grown as a pot culture and are used to decorate the home or garden. For those who want to get a juicy fruit at home, you can try to grow an exotic plant from the top of a fruit purchased in a store. Provided it is properly cared for and cared for, after about a year and a half, you will be feasting on sweet pieces of self-grown pineapple.
