Homegrown Pineapple
Back in April, I posted about our potted pineapple plant that had finally bloomed after about 5 years. Well, as of September 2, 2023, I noted that the stalk was starting to turn brown under it, and the fruit had completely turned a golden yellow color, so I snapped it off. Here is Rosie showing it off, so we can see how small and cute it is.
And here is a bit closer view, so we can see how perfect it is. The top isn’t all munged up like they usually are in the grocery store.
So let’s see, it apparently bloomed around mid-March, and the fruit was ripe as of September 2, so that is about 5 months from flower to fruit (give or take a couple of weeks). The plant that it came from started turning brown and the leaves were curling up, and pineapple plants only fruit once anyway, so we disposed of it. Sam wanted the pot for one of her date palms anyway[2].
I unfortunately didn’t get a picture of it when we cut it up and ate it, but I can certify that it was absolutely delicious. It was sweeter and less acidic than the ones that we get from the store, probably because it fully ripened on the plant instead of being picked a bit green for shipping. And, you know how full sized pineapples have a hard, inedible core that is a bit over an inch in diameter? Well, this one only had a core about the diameter of a pencil, so there was more fruit yield than it looked like it would have.
There was enough that each of us got to eat a quarter. The only downside is, now we might be spoiled for regular commercial pineapples.
Anyway, I cleaned and repotted the top, and it is currently regrowing on our kitchen windowsill. And meanwhile, a second pineapple plant is in the upstairs window and is big enough that it could fruit Any Time Now. So who knows, maybe we will get another one next year!
[1] Back in January 2023, we had some dried dates that still had pits, and Sam said, “hey, do you think these will grow?” So she planted four of them in coffee-cups of soil. And after 3 months, three of them came up. And, as of just a couple of weeks ago, they had gotten big enough that they needed repotting, so she transferred one of them into the big pot that used to have the pineapple plant. This is turning into a bit of a hobby, taking seeds from tropical fruits that we buy in the store and seeing if they can be grown as potted plants. She also has a mango sprouted (although after a brisk start it is looking like it is having difficulties), and is starting some pomegranates and a sweet potato.
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Pineapple plants are also somewhat attractive (although somewhat of a space-hog), and seem more resistant to plant pests than my other houseplants. I too also planted my home-grown pineapple crown, and at a year old is doing well, despite my general neglect of leaving it outside in the spring/summer and only occasionally watering it.
Btw, the “submit comment” button seems to not be sending the comment encrypted (I get a warning about the form being insecure). Not I care about my blog comments being encrypted, but it might point to a configuration error on your blog.
Yes, pineapples are quite a space-hog,with leaves sticking out up three feet. This wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the little spikes on the end, which I have taken to removing with a pair of nail clippers to make sure it doesn’t poke somebody’s eye out.
As far as I know, the security warnings aren’t due to any changes on the blog site, they are due to web browsers getting pickier about things that they used to let slide. I’m seeing this on a lot of sites I visit that have been in operation for a while, even though they don’t appear to be any riskier than they had been in the past.