Who loves grouse, he knows how to grow pineapples

As soon as pineapple is not called a fruit, a berry, a palm tree, a bush, a tree, a grass ... If you follow an encyclopedic exact definition, then this is an evergreen herb with spiny spreading leaves and a fleshy fruit on a long stem. In order to see how pineapples grow in natural conditions, you need to visit, for example, eastern Bolivia or Peru. There you can find whole pineapple glades, however, not all are edible from 9 known species, but only one is really tasty - "Ananas comosus", it is also "Pineapple large-mouthed". It is from this species that all 80 varieties of the fetus habitual for us have been born, which have been cultivated throughout the world for three centuries.

Pineapple is very thermophilic, therefore in natural conditions it grows only in tropical countries, where the average air temperature is + 21-27 degrees. For 1.5 years, which are required for the maturation of the fetus, this herb reaches no more than 1.5 meters in height (stem length - 20-30 cm, leaves - 90 cm, peduncle - up to 60 cm). The special structure of the sharp, thick-skinned leaves allows the pineapple to feel comfortable during a tropical drought: they accumulate rainwater in their bosoms and then serve as a storehouse of water for a long time. In its form, pineapple resembles ordinary cabbage: the leaves are collected in a rosette, a short stem, on which flowers are densely placed (up to 100 pieces), later forming cobs in the form of cones. The roots of pineapple are weak and go to the soil by about 25-30 cm.

The period of flowering in pineapple is very short - only two weeks, but the fruit ripens not less than 4-7 months, on average, reaching a weight of 1-2 kg. With artificial cultivation - up to 15 kg. But the commercial cultivation of plantations is very different from how pineapples grow in the wild, where they multiply by seeds. For cultivated varieties, the vegetative method is used. As a starting material, they use rods - lateral shoots sprouted in the ground (the harvest is obtained 16-18 months after planting), after a couple of months they take a harvest from slips (shoots on the plant itself , below the fruit), and one more planting is made from crowns - The tops of fruits (the harvest is obtained within 20-28 months).

The yield indicator strongly depends on the state of the soil: the amount of trace elements, the content of humus, the granulometric composition , etc. Affects how pineapples grow on these or other plantations. This plant is quite capricious and prone to many diseases, including chlorosis. It constantly requires abundant fertilizer, drainage and manual weeding. This culture is cultivated in many countries, but Brazil, Hawaii, Thailand, India, Taiwan and the Philippines are leading.

Amateur gardeners often argue about whether it is possible to successfully grow pineapple at home. Yes, but without getting fruits, but simply as a decorative flower. One of the most common ways is to plant the top. It is necessary to cut off the rosette of the leaves and leave it to dry for a week, hanging it by the stalk. Then sprinkle the cut with coal powder and put in water, making sure that the tip barely touches the surface. In a couple of weeks, roots will appear, and then the pineapple can be planted in a pot with a special mixture for bromeliads or for cacti. Under the soil in the pot must pour a layer of drainage. If you want to grow pineapple with healthy leaves, then it should be watered no more often than once a week, and every three weeks to add mineral fertilizers to the soil.

Great success in the cultivation of pineapple at home has not yet been achieved, maximum in 2 years you can get a fruit the size of an apple. Therefore, it is best at home to enjoy the growth of pineapples of decorative varieties with wonderful colorful leaves. For example, "Variegatus" or "Ananas bracteatus tricolor".