I never knew pineapples grow on trees. To be fair, I grew up on a farm where we raised cattle and took care of corn fields, so tropical fruits were not our forte.
I've been growing ginger, coriander, lemons, and basil in my home for years now. My kids love eating the fruits and vegetables I grow, but they would never help me out with taking care of the plants. I can't blame them, I wasn't into gardening when I was in middle school either.
But when my daughter started to become obsessed with pineapples, I asked her if she'd be willing to grow and take care of her very own pineapple tree. I promised her it wouldn't take much time out of her day, and it would be something fun to do.
We bought a fresh pineapple from the supermarket, and decided to grow it in our living room. I was surprised when my son wanted to help too!
It's actually pretty simple, and you only need to follow these five steps to get a pineapple growing in your home.
That being said, you must be patient. They don't grow overnight!
1. Remove the crown
Twist the crown of your fresh, store-bought pineapple until it's fully removed. Leave the severed crown on your kitchen table for a few days. This will allow the stalk to dry and prevent rotting.
2. Put the crown in a glass of water
Remove a few leaves at the bottom until the roots appear. Then place the crown in a glass of room temperature water. Leave for a few days, until the roots grow out at least an inch.
3. Place in soil
Once your crown has long enough roots, plant it an inch-deep in a flower pot, firming the fresh soil around it. Water it enough to just moisten the soil.
4. Water and let it grow
Use a spray bottle and water your very own pineapple every day. Make sure the soil is only moist, and not soaking wet.
Will you try it?