no pix.. i dont believe you.. lol ...

Was reading a very interesting article recently, think it was in the NY Times on how valuable pineapples once were and the extravagant lengths the super wealthy once went through to cultivate them. I will try to pass on the link. If the Britts managed to do it entirely under glass at above 50 N latitude in an overcast, gloomy climate, pretty sure it is doable at 40 N and lower in a relatively sunny climate in the Americas.

I now have three, two spiny ones and one smooth one I planted from a store-bought pineapple. Buying more pineapples tomorrow to eat and plant, both

I thought I read that the tops (crowns) from pineapples, when grown, produce the larger fruits. If you let the suckers or slips continue to grow from the mother plant, the resulting fruit will be smaller (but sweeter). So with that in mind, I guess it's usually best to either re-root the suckers or slips so they have their own root system, or start just a new plant from the crown top.

Commercially I'll bet they replant new slips directly into the ground after every harvest. For one, it would assure the entire crop is more unform and will mature at about the same time, and two, the fruit would be larger, although it's more labor-intensive.

It is super fun to finally get a pineapple from a planted top. We've done it a few times but be prepared to have an enormous, MEAN plant that will make you bleed and wants to poke your eye out. It won't harm the plant at all to cut the sharp point off of each leaf. Some people stick wine corks on them. The last one got neglected in a hallway with no windows for a month while hiding inside for winter and it still made a fruit when put back outside in the spring. They are extremely tough plants.

Tiffany, I have both the smooth spineless ones and the spined ones. Years ago, the ones at the markets were all spined and prickly. Today, they are all smooth. I like them both, so I have both the spineless ones and the smooth ones. I love their architectural grace.

That's very cool! Best luck with their progress. :)

I don't think there is anything that seems more tropical and exuberant than pineapples thriving in the North. I saw them growing in a local Cuban restaurant and they were growing so big and well, I needed to add a few, both prickly ones and smooth ones. LOVE'em!