Pineapple

Yes, we’re all used to picking up a tin, or even these days, picking up the whole fruit in the supermarket, but how about growing your own? It’s surprisingly simple. You need to find a good fresh pineapple with a solid green crown which you remove from the fruit with around an inch of the pineapple flesh left below it.

Now you need to remove that flesh, pulling it away while wearing gloves, to leave a hard core. Leave to dry overnight or for several days in damp weather. As the plant dries you can begin to pull away the smaller bottom leaves which will reveal some tiny previously hidden rootlets that were hidden rootlets which will grow to become proper roots. Now you can plant the exposed core of the pineapple an inch or two deep into a pot of well-drained sandy compost. Water moderately. Do not cover but place in a moderately light spot away from direct sunlight. Water it sparingly for a few weeks. After about four to six weeks the pineapple should have started growing proper roots. It can take six years for a pineapple to flower in a greenhouse or conservatory and once it has, you need to pot up side shoots and use them to replace the main plant which will be exhausted.

Fascinating facts:

The Lost Gardens at Heligan in Cornwall have produced ripe pineapples in their restored pineapple pit. Due to the huge amount of labour involved, these pineapples cost between £600 and £1,000 each to produce in 1997.

Workers who cut up pineapples eventually have no fingerprints, this being due to the action of the proteolytic enzyme, bromelain, which dissolves them.

© blueworldgardener.co.uk