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Step 1
Place an ananas in a well lit spot. They grow best in as much direct sunlight as you can give them and the variegated forms will have better color in high light.
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Step 2
Mist the foliage occasionally and place the plant on a tray of pebbles to increase humidity around the plant. The plant can live in dry air, but will thrive on humidity.
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Step 3
Give the plant warmth. Ananas plants need a warm environment all year long. Temperatures over 65 degrees Fahrenheit are good and 70 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
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Step 4
Allow the potting mix to partially dry out before watering. In intense light this pineapple plant requires water once a week, but be careful not to water the plant if you can feel moisture when you stick your finger a couple inches into the soil.
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Step 5
Use small, heavy pots. Ananas plants have small root systems and therefore require small pots, usually not over 8 inches in diameter. Check the plant every spring and when the roots have wrapped around the bottom of the pot, upgrade to the next biggest size pot, but do not expect this to happen every year. Place the plant in a heavy clay or ceramic pot because the plant's foliage will grow heavy and lean to one side.
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Step 6
Wait two years for an ananas plant to grow a pineapple. The plant will spend one year producing foliage and the next a flower stalk, followed by fruit. Although the plant changes its focus every other year, your care doesn't need to be adapted. Consistent care is best.
Comments
onejo2go said
on 5/5/2009 Very well written article. I just got one of these for an early Mother's Day gift.