Yes. Three (3) years.
Apparently, that is about how long it takes to grow a new pineapple! Who knew!? Quite a few people obviously, but not me. I just learned about growing pineapples about 7 or 8 months ago. Hadn't thought about it before that.
This past week I happened to have bought a pineapple at the grocery store and remembered hearing that you could plant the top of the pineapple after you cut it, and within 2-3 years it would grow a new one. Some say you have to set it in water first to start root growth before planting in soil, but other sources said that was unnecessary and just pop it into some nice potting soil.
I could do that. I also happened to have a #10 can on hand, AND a bit of potting soil.
After I had planted it, I realized I really didn't want to look at a a metallic silver can for the next two or three years so I took a random piece of fabric I had as well as some spray adhesive, and wrapped the can in fabric and just folded the excess under. I would suggest covering your container before planting though! It would have made it easier to manipulate.
UPDATED:
Updating already in December because Mr. Pineapple is not going to be living in my house for the next three years.
When researching planting the top of a pineapple, there were two basic ways to do it. One has you dangle the top over a bowl or glass of water with the bottom just touching until roots grow and then planting.
The second was to just pop the top into good quality soil and let it go.
I opted for that one.
I'm not impressed.
As you can see in the picture, the pineapple, although kept watered, had a lot of dying brown tips and bottom leaves.
I wasn't too concerned as I figured perhaps the bottom or 'old' leaves would die off as new growth sprouted, as you can tell from this picture, there are nice little 'newer' green 'baby' growth inside;
If I lived farther South (say... Florida) I'd have put this guy in the ground and let him grow... however since my climate is too cold for that, he has to live in the house in this pot.
As I inspected him this morning I realized he didn't smell all that great. I wiggled the plant a bit and it easily came straight out of the soil. The smell was a little stronger then! And I saw a little 'fruit fly' type gnat crawling around on the soil. (You know the pesky ones you get on ripe peaches and bananas left in your fruit bowl?)
Looks like the pineapple is just breaking down and composting like it probably should... and I'd be happy to let it do it's thing outside, but since we are inside... I'm just not going to live with an ugly, brownish plant that smells a little ripe and apparently is hosting a little gnat on it's soil.
My pineapple plant is heading to the bin today... but should the Lord see fit to relocate us to a warmer climate any time soon, I'm GOING to plant as many little pineapple tops as I can - outside - and will see how it goes.
For the record; If and when I do this again I'm going to go with the FIRST researched way of 'starting' the plant; putting just the 1/4 bottom in fresh, clean water and waiting for some roots to grow before planting in the soil. I wouldn't recommend this method even though some people on the internet say they've tried it and it worked.
