Care Guide | Pineapples

All avid pineapple eaters have the routine down to a science: Cut off the ends, stand it up and slice off the skin, cut around the hard core, and slice as desired. But when you buy a pineapple from Wellspring Gardens, you get something beyond what the commercially-produced grocery store fruit can provide: You can skip cutting around and tossing out the nutritious core, because all of our varieties have edible cores. Want an extra sweet pineapple? How about zesty white? Need a type that's perfect for Florida? We've got the pineapple—or pineapples—for you.

Pineapple Culture & Care

Plants have a culture they prefer, just like people from various countries and households have their own customs and traditions. To keep your plant happy, you don't have to live in a spot perfectly suited for the plant. You can give your plants the culture they crave by making a few adjustments. Read on to learn about the culture and care Pineapples need to thrive. For a quick bullet point answer, glance at the following list. For more information, read the full deets about each point below.

  • 📍 Origin: South America
  • 🌡️ USDA Hardiness Zones: 9b-11
  • 📊 Classification: Evergreen/perennial bromeliads
  • 📏 Height potential: 2-3 feet
  • 🏡 Planting location: Outdoors or indoors
  • ☀️ Light: Full to part sun
  • 💧 Soil/Watering: Well-drained, partially dry
  • 🍴 Fertilizer: 20-6-9
  • ✂️ Pruning: Not necessary
  • ❄️ Cold weather care: Protect from extreme temperatures when young
  • 🍎 Fruiting and harvesting: 1.5-3 years after planting
  • 🕷️ Common pests: Mealybugs, mites, scale, thrips, fruit flies
  • 🐈 Pet safe? Yes

📍 Origin

Pineapples (Ananas spp.) originated in South America and have become widespread due to their taste appeal. These bromeliads are named for their pinecone-looking fruit. 

🌡️ USDA Hardiness Zones

Can I grow pineapples where I live? Yes! Pineapples are generally hardy in zones 9b-11. On each product page, we list each plant’s USDA hardiness zone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture created the hardiness map to help gardeners identify the areas in which plants tend to grow well based on past average temperatures. On the USDA's site, you can enter your zip code to identify your hardiness zone. 

📊 Classification

Pineapples are in the Bromeliaceae (bromeliad) family. Bromeliads include a couple thousand different species that range from fruiting plants to flowering plants to epiphytes that grow roots by attaching to trees rather than being planted in soil. Pineapples are perennial (garden lingo which means they don't die annually but rather live for many years), and they are evergreen (meaning they don't lose their leaves in fall and winter, but they do slow down their active growth in the dormant season to focus on strengthening and keeping their roots warm). 

📏 Height potential

Pineapples only grow 2-3 feet. They often produce pups, so a single pineapple plant can eventually grow into a pineapple patch. So unless you're planting in a pot, plan space for a clump. 

🏡 Planting location

Pineapples grow well both indoors and outdoors as long as you give them bright light, warmth, and ample humidity. Indoors, you can use a humidifier if needed.

Pineapples can be tightly planted together in patches 12-18 inches apart.

🔆 Light

Pineapples thrive in full sun but they also tolerate part shade. If planting indoors, place next to a south-facing window to provide the maximum light. 

💧 Soil / Watering

Plant Pineapples in soil that drains well and keep the soil partially dry, allowing the top 1 inch of soil to dry out between waterings. This probably means you will need to water 3-4 times per week, but that can also depend on your climate and pot size. Pineapples do not like to be waterlogged and are prone to root rot if they get too much moisture. When mature, they are pretty drought-tolerant. Check out our watering guide to learn more about getting just the right amount of moisture for your plant. 

🍴Fertilizer

For pineapples, we recommend fertilizing every 4-6 weeks for the first 14-16 months. This will give your plant a growing boost and give it the nutrients it needs to be happy and healthy. Hold off on high nitrogen fertilizers after this period to encourage full development. Once the cooler temperatures of fall and winter hit, you can take a break from fertilizing as your plant goes dormant. 

All fertilizers contain three primary nutrients: (Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Pineapples thrive with a ratio of 20 Nitrogen (N), 6 phosphate (P2O5), and 9 potash (K2O) along with other micronutrients. We've got you covered with our slow-release 20-6-9 fertilizer fuel for fruiting plants.

✂️ Pruning

Pruning is not necessary, but you can trim/prune off any dying fronds to help keep it looking tidy, to keep it healthy, and to encourage new growth. Just don't remove too many fronds (more than half) so it has plenty of leaves to collect water and nutrients. It's best to do this as needed during the active growth of spring and summertime and/or after fruiting. 

❄️ Cold Weather Care

In the cold of fall and winter, your Pineapple may not be as vibrant as it is during the growing season. No need to fear though; once the season changes, it will naturally "wake up" from receiving more sunlight, warmth, and fertilization. Just help it through those tough cold spells if the place you live gets lower than 30 degrees Fahrenheit by keeping it indoors, on a patio next to your home, in your garage, etc. 

In areas with light frosts, the leaves can be damaged if not protected. Planting pineapples at the edge of tree canopies allows sunlight and offers some protection from frost.

    Learn more in our Overwintering Guide.

    🍎 Fruiting and Harvesting

    Since you're starting with a plant baby, fruiting time can take anywhere between 1.5-3 years after planting. Pineapples can fruit year-round, but their best production time is in the summer months. 

    You’ll know your pineapple is ready to harvest when the fruit starts to change color, begins to smell more like pineapple, and feels slightly softer when you touch it. Cut it off the stalk with a sharp knife and start slicing. If it isn’t quite ripe after you cut it off the stalk, you can let it ripen on the counter at room temperature.

    🕷️ Common Pests

    There are a few common pests that may affect your Pineapples: Mealybugs, mites, scale, thrips, and fruit flies. If one of these insects decides to make a home out of your plant, temporarily put your plant outside away from your other collection and then take a cotton swab with a little neem oil—a safe and organic oil that helps combat pests—and touch each insect with it; this will help remove it and will kill the bug as well. If you don't have any neem oil on hand, you can even use a little vegetable oil mixed with water. Once you know all the insects are gone, it’s safe to bring it back together with your other plants.

    🐈 Toxic to Pets?

    Pineapple plants are generally safe for pets, but some types have spiny leaves, so watch out for that with your furry friends. 

       


      Troubleshooting

      How should I care for my Pineapple after it arrives? Please give your plant a little TLC after its journey through the mail 📬. Here are a few steps we recommend:

      • Unwrap immediately to provide fresh air to the plant and soil.
      • Wait a few days before exposing to full sunlight so your plant can adjust after being in a dark box for several days.
      • Always protect from heat and cold because temperature extremes can be stressful or deadly for plants.
      • Water. Your baby plant may be parched and even a little wilted but thorough hydration will help it recover.
      • Grow out in a larger pot to increase your chances of success—i.e., a quarter gallon—Then transplant to the ground or the next pot size up once the roots fill to the bottom. This will help the plant get sufficient water and nutrients directly to the roots.

      Learn more in our After Arrival Care Guide. 

      What size pot should I use? We highly recommend growing your baby plant out in a larger pot 🪴 to increase your chances of success 🏆. Repotting helps focus the water and nutrients directly towards the roots. If the pot is too large or if your baby is planted in the ground, the water and nutrients have more room to spread to the wrong places where they aren’t needed. This can be extra detrimental to a baby plant that needs all the support it can get as it’s growing up.

      You don’t have to repot immediately, but the sooner you do, the more room it has to grow. 

      Here are some general repotting tips:

      • Start with a pot that's 1-2 inches larger in diameter than the starter-sized pot it came in. A pint or quart would be great.
      • Transplant to the next pot size up once the roots fill to the bottom.

      Learn more in our Repotting Guide. 

      Shop Pineapples

      Start or continue growing your pineapple collection with us.

      Happy planting! 🪴