Pineapple

[Alison]

Remember seeing the pineapple pits at Heligan when we were there in 2006, really interesting but not that practicable for the average gardener! Think you can grow them for a bit of fruit in normal heated greenhouses / conservatories but am guessing it's a bit of a challenge.

[Flummery]

On holiday once in the Lake District we had a pineapple at a picnic. We 'planted' the top in the little clearing in the woods where we'd eaten lunch. I've always had a little mental picture of some mad botanist recording it as a first for Britain!

[valmarg]

Grandad grew pineapples in the late 40's, early 50's. They were absolutely fantastically delicious.
He also grew peaches, which were fantastic.

When imports had been in short (non-existent) supply, we had home grown exotic fruit.

He never bothered with bananas.

But my abiding memory is his muscat grapes. All right they had pips in them, but the FLAVOUR was out of this world!!

Grandad was a 'Victorian' gardener. Their methods might be a bit outdated now, but they certainly 'came up with the goods'!!

valmarg

[Paul Wagland]

There's a book in that, Valmarg!

[pigletwillie]

Whilst on holiday in Sri Lanka we wnt to a pineapple farm and were shown how to grow them. Basically it goes like this

• Buy yourself as good firm but ripe pineaple.
• Grasp its body in one hand and the top growth in the other.
• Twist one hand one way and one hand the other to twist of the top growth and a core of flesh from the top of the pineapple.
• Plant the top growth into good, well drained compost and keep quite warm and light.
• Eventually the pineapple with throw up a shoot, off which the new pineapple will grow.

[valmarg]

There's a book in that, Valmarg!

I've got a lot of grandad's old books on fruit and flower growing, plus a set of The Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening. I could perhaps plagiarise them as they are all well out of copyright.

The fruit and flower growing books are beautiful. Although they are not in good condition, the illustrations are watercolour prints, covered with a sheet of tissue paper.

valmarg

[Paul Wagland]

How jealous am I?!

I've started collecting old gardening books - mostly from boot fairs - but the only thing I've inherited is a hand-written planting diary. The 'blog' of its day, I suppose.

[drichard12]

Pineapple growers did you know that store bought pineapples have seeds? Yes they do!. The seeds are very small and lie just inside the outer skin of the pineapples flesh if you look closely you will find 'em. It's kinda of another fun way of trying to grow 'em. This is how I do it, find the seeds place 'em on paper toweling fold the toweling to cover the seeds, give them a good wash in fresh water to clean 'em. You may need tweezers to remove them after this. Place the clean seeds on a new piece of paper toweling fold and wet this, place inside a baggie keep warm. you will see the seeds germinate within the baggy, Once they germinate again use your tweezer and plant 'em in peat. keep moist. some may die others may grow. anyway it's fun. Give it a try and lets us know.

[Snadger]

How jealous am I?!

I've started collecting old gardening books - mostly from boot fairs - but the only thing I've inherited is a hand-written planting diary. The 'blog' of its day, I suppose.

I've read a book fairly recently that was based upon a gardeners hand written diary found at a car boot sale methinks!

[drichard12]

Google has many books that has been archived on the web as well as scholar papers. hope this helps.

[gardenplot]

I remember reading about growing pineapples, think it takes 2 years to grow in a well heated/ light place and should fruit in its second year.
Good luck and keep us informed, would love to know when it fruits

[drichard12]

gardenplot, Many people grow from seeds for the fun and joy. Some citrus seeds will take up to 15 years to fruit others in a few years. It's all about the joy from growing something from seed and enjoying the plant.

[gardenplot]

It's all about the joy from growing something from seed and enjoying the plant.

I have never grown a pinapple, and i'm very intrested to know if what i read is true, and i agree its all about the joy of growing from seed.
But you sure have confused me with your reply "Many people grow from seeds for the fun and joy. Some citrus seeds will take up to 15 years to fruit others in a few years. It's all about the joy from growing something from seed and enjoying the plant".

[drichard12]

Hmm, Ok when you was little did you ever plant a citrus seed. Just for fun! to have a citrus tree. this was fun as my Mom did it. we all wondered if it was going to have oranges.

[Lizzy]

Just had to let you know, I followed drichard12 advice and saved some pineapple seeds which have now produced three little plants. I am very excited, hoping for some attractive plants.

Liz