Jun. 6, 2009 - We grew a pineapple!
When our friends were leaving island we bought a pineapple plant from them and continued the lengthy process of growing a pineapple. Our friends had already had the plant for several months. A few months after we got the pineapple it flowered. Here is it is on week three from when it flowered:
Following the typical timeframe for pineapples to ripen, it took about 17 more weeks for the pineapple to ripen. Our pineapple is 2.6 pounds. The plant grew two shoots, one on either side, which we learned are called ratoons. We have left them on the plant and will continue to water them and we may get pineapples from them after another year. It is a long wait but fun to watch. We had a little accident when one of the neighbor kids fell against the plant and so we had it propped up with boards. We are SO glad that it continued to ripen despite the injury.
Here it is at week 16. Notice the ratoons:
