How to grow a pineapple from kitchen scraps

From scraps to kitchen table. There are plenty of foods you can regrow from kitchen scraps, and pineapples are one of them. While it is a very slow growing plant, the method is foolproof. They need very little nutrients, or care and can be planted in nearly every soil type. They even do well in pots if you live in a colder climate or don’t have a garden.

All you actually need is a fresh pineapple and a glass of water. Can’t get any easier, right?

Step #1: Pick a fresh pineapple

The give your pineapple the best chance to grow, you want to buy a pineapple that is ripe, but not overripe. The leaves should still be green, not brown or yellow. You can smell the pineapple to do a quick check; it should have a sweet, heady smell. Also, you could check if he isn’t too ripe by pulling at its leaves, if they come right off, the pineapple is too ripe.

Step #2: Twist the leaves off

Take hold of the body of the pineapple and use your other hand to grab the base of the leaves. Twist the leaves; they should come off easily. Make sure the base stays intact since that is where new roots will sprout.

(Picture from wiki how)

Step #3: Strip off some leaves at the base

This will expose the stem a little bit more, which helps the sprouting process. Strip until a few inches are exposed.

Step #4: Soak the crown

Put the crown in a glass of water with its stem fully submerged. The leaves should stick out of the water. Place in a spot like your windowsill or counter, or any other spot where there is a plenty of natural light and wait for the little roots to sprout. This may take a few days or even a whole week. Make sure it never gets too cold or too hot. Every few days, change the water to prevent mold growth.

Step #5: Plant pineapple when the roots are a few inches long

You can plant it directly into the soil in a sunny spot in the garden if you live in a warm climate, or you can plant the crown in a pot. Keep the plant moist and warm. New leaves will grow after a few weeks. FYI: pineapples don't develop long roots so the pot shouldn't be too big or too deep.

Night temperature outside cannot drop below 65ºF (18ºC). So if you have a cool winter, make sure to take it inside during the colder months. Make sure to place it in a sunny spot. The more sun the better!

Water the soil lightly once a week

Step #6: Flowering plant

As I said, it is a slow grower, but eventually, a red cone should appear in the middle of the plant, which will then develop into a pineapple.

We had a few plants growing in the soil in our previous house.. so here's how they should turn out.

And here's a picture of the pineapple plants of one of the neighbors, who obviously loves pineapples given the amount of plants in his garden....

Also, I found a lovely site, Inside NanaBread's Head, with a beautiful picture of a pineapple growing in a pot! As you can see, totally possible.

Good luck!

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