How to Propagate Pineapple Step by Step – With Video

Pineapple besides tasty is among the easiest fruits to propagate.  Today I explain two ways of how to propagate pineapple at home. We also talk about how long it takes a pineapple to produce, its care, and what to do when the pineapple does not bloom.

How To Propagate a Pineapple at Home

Many recommend unnecessary steps to plant and propagate pineapple. In this article, you will see the easiest way to do it. At the end of these steps on how to propagate pineapple, you will see a very interesting explanatory video.

Step 1: Acquire a pineapple

The first thing you need is a fresh, ripe pineapple. If you don’t live in a tropical country, you can plant pineapple indoors if it gets enough light.

Step 2: Cut off its crown

Using a sharp knife cut off the crown of the pineapple leaving one inch of fruit.

Step 3: Remove the leaves from the stalk.

Remove the lower leaves from the pineapple stem, exposing about an inch of bare stem.

Step 4: Place the crown in the ground.

pineapple flower

You should plant your pineapple outside if you live in a tropical country. You can plant it directly into the ground. It adapts well to different soils. However, avoid places where water accumulates.

To plant your pineapple in pots use a mixture of equal parts of good soil, compost, and river sand. Do not use a very large pot while the plant is establishing itself. We recommend this soil to be able to propagate the pineapple correctly (Order it here).

That’s it. You don’t need to put the pineapple to dry before planting, much less put it in water. These are steps that do not harm the plant but are completely unnecessary.

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how to propagate pineapple step by step

When to Repot Your Pineapple

If you are growing pineapple in pots you should repot it. Do this when you see that your pineapple has firm roots and begins to grow new leaves in the center. You can transplant your plant into a 10″ to 12″ pot. After a year of growth, transplant your pineapple to its final home, a large 5-gallon pot.

Another Way to How to Propagate Pineapple

The other way to propagate pineapple is by sprouting.

Step 1: Detach the shoots

When planting pineapples directly into the ground or in a large pot you will see some offshoots which we affectionately call “offshoots”. When they reach a reasonable size, detach these offspring from the mother plant.

Always leave the first offshoot on the mother plant. This offspring will share the root system of the mother plant. When the mother pineapple dies, the offshoot will remain.

Step 2: Plant the offshoots

Plant these offshoots in a propagation pot. Then follow the instructions above on when to transplant your pineapple.

How Long Does It Take to Produce a Pineapple

It depends.

1- If you plant a pineapple crown you should wait for a little over two years before you see any fruit.

2- If you plant a sapling you will be eating pineapple in 16 months.

It will be a long wait, but it’s worth it.

Learn more about how long for a pineapple to grow.

pineapple plant and fruit

How to Care for Pineapple Plant

Pineapples require little care and a lot of patience. They don’t need a lot of water, as they store the liquid in their leaves. Just make sure they are getting plenty of sunlight, especially if you live in a cold climate.

If you live in the Caribbean just plant it in the ground and forget about it. It only needs watering twice a week as it gets established. When watering it, wet the leaves. Remember that the pineapple is a bromeliad, which means that it accumulates water in its leaves.

To fertilize pineapple, use the dried banana peel in the soil. Learn more about pineapple fertilizer for bigger and healthier fruits.

pineapple offshoots
About Henry Morgan

We are the Morgans, Henry, and Julia, both agronomists from the University of Michigan, where we met. We are experts in putting our hands in the soil and developing organic foods and improving production processes for decades. Likewise, we have worked for companies such as Mondelez International, BASF, Monsanto, etc. currently in our role as science writers for TheGardenStyle.com as well as advisors in promoting large scale food growing in urbanized areas. In this website, we share what we are most passionate about, gardening and farming. Enjoy and see real photos on our website.