Where do most pineapple producers get crowns for planting?

Question

I have to put together a pineapple production system plan for growing pineapples and need to know, when it is time to plant a new pineapple crop, do most farmers buy crowns to plant or do they use crowns from their previous harvest?

Please, no assumptions.

thanks

Answer 1

No. Large scale farmers don't use crowns as planting materials for pineapples. They use suckers as planting materials. Suckers are the 'baby' pineapple plants, growing from the base of the mother pineapple plants.

There are several suckers found on each matured pineapple plants. Just detach them and plant them direct to the field.

No particular season to plant pineapple, however for best results, usually planting is done during rainy season, so that u don't have to water then during the early growth stage.

Pineapple is very hardy plant, and can withstand long dry weather.

About 6-8 months after planting, the farmers will apply hormons to stimulate them to flowers. The inducement will stimulate all  the plants to produce flowers at the same time and this is commercially very important so that the fruits could be harvested all at one time.

Crown can also be used as planting materials, but usually it's used by backyard farmers only. Further more, crowns can only be produces when the plants are fruiting - one crown per fruit. It may takes a longer period to bare fruits.

Answer 2

The farmers use the crown of their harvest for it's more practical, economical and effortless to just use them.  Besides, the farmers have the chance to know if the variety they're using are of good quality.

Take care and GOD BLESS!

Answer 3

If you were to take a fresh pineapple from the supermarket and cut  the top off and set it aside for about a week and let it dry out you will be able to plant this and a new pineapple plant will grow out the top, Take the dried out piece and place it on some soil in a pot and let it do its thing, I think it takes a little over a year to bear edible fruit. I would imaging the large pineapple producers (Dole, Del Monte) save the tops of the fruit when they process canned pineapples and used later for planting.   Spanish Moss, Bromeliads, tillandsias, pineapples are all in the same family.  Go on-line and look up bromeliads and pineapples.

Answer 4

Mar time Growers