Although these plants tend to be choosy about conditions, they can be grown indoors as long as they get plenty of sunlight, heat, and quality soil. You can either buy a pineapple plant or propagate your own using the top of a store-bought pineapple. Choosing a soil that has plenty of organic matter is also important. “The organic matter provides nutrients for the plant, and good drainage prevents the roots from rotting,” explains Lindsey Hyland, gardening expert and founder of Urban Organic Yield. Ideally, look for potting soil that contains compost or peat moss. So how often should you water your pineapple plant? Tripp and Carmen Eldridge, small-scale farming and gardening experts who currently manage a 5-acre farm at Arden, suggest watering the soil once a week and misting the leaves occasionally to maintain proper humidity conditions. A rule of thumb is to let the soil dry out before giving your plant another drink of water. Get in the rhythm of checking in on its soil every three days or so. “If you’re growing inside, make sure to place your container in a spot where it’s exposed to sunlight for at least six hours per day,” the Eldridges suggest. This means placing your plant far away from any drafty windows, air conditioning units, vents, etc. “The time between planting pineapples and harvesting ranges between 18 to 24 months,” say the Eldridges. “You’ll know when it’s almost time to harvest as you’ll see a fully formed pineapple on the plant,” adds Tandt. “It will start to turn from green to yellow in color.” Once at least half of your pineapple is yellow, you’re good to go. When it comes to how to harvest, you have a couple of options. Either twist the pineapple from its stem, or carefully slice it off the plant with a sharp knife. “Each plant produces one fruit, and then will die off," explains Tandt. “However, they often produce smaller ‘pups’ around the main plant, and one of these will often grow up to replace the plant that dies off.” When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time in her garden, experimenting with ingredients in the kitchen, or spending time by the ocean. See her portfolio on her website.
