Pineapple: the Second Coming!

[Skip to: pineapple: the beginning||previous fruit||2007 harvest]

2007: my Ratoon fruit
Cultivated pineapples can yield more than one fruit. The main fruit is expected to be the largest, and subsequent "ratoon" fruits which are usually smaller and sweeter form from the side shoots which will grow if conditions are favourable. This is detailed on the webpage Pineapple: Crop Description and Climate (a sub-site of the International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage website). There is also information on Wikipedia.

I first noticed the bud forming about two weeks ago (it is currently March 12) when I was inspecting for watering. I had not watered the plant for a month or so and it was quite dry, but seemed perfectly happy. Note that I didn't have to use "gassing" or any other forcing to encourage the new bud, but it has certainly been some time since the last fruit - nearly two years.

20070313

Wide angle view. This view shows the mass of foliage with the little bud inside.

Not so wide. Closer, showing the stalk beneath.

Close up! The images were captured in early morning with no sun. The colours come out well here: buttery yellows and reddish pinks.

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The plant has three side shoots - potentially three more pineapples! The new bud is growing quickly, and has a pinkish colour. There is no sign of buds on my other pineapple plants.

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1 week later 1 week later.

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20070401

Here is an excellent view on 1st April 2007 (new camera shows the colours much more vividly!) Macro setting on camera, of course. The picture has been resampled to 6cm at 144dpi. View from above (symmetry)

... and the "standard" side view. The bud has expanded (compared to March view) and has been raised up as the stalk grows. I'm now watering and feeding quite a bit. Three quarter view, April 1 2007

I include this out of interest. Believe it or not, this forest of greenery resides on my bedroom floor. It makes a trip to the wardrobe into quite a safari. The pineapple in the forground was grown from the crown of the first fruit from the large plant in the background! On the right can be seen my Deglet Nour date palm. Other exotic plants

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Showing purple petals 2 weeks later and, ah-ha! -we have little purple flowers (currently only at the base). Not what you'd call dramatic, but interesting anyway. Each little segment will produce one flower, with the topmost ones coming out last.

Close up, in bright sunshine A few hours later the sun came round. Unseasonably warm for April - up to 25C in the South of England. Note the familiar tuft of leaves forming on top. I'm amazed how close I can get with the macro setting on this camera.

Whole plant This image gives an idea of the real size of the inflorescence sitting amongst the leaves.

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20070419

Only a few days later, but the hot sunshine has encouraged the flowers to open wider. A very careful look at the end of the flower reveals a little anther poking out. The petals themselves are coloured a lovely rich purple. It just shows how tropical the plant really is - although it will tolerate our usual weather it takes a period sitting in a fully south facing large sunny window such as this to produce colourful flowers seen here - compare to my first flower in 2005!
[ -click for larger image- ]

20070419

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Summer's arrived! The last plants to leave their indoor quarters are always the pineapples.

Ooof! Getting this thing downstairs was a mammoth effort this year. The new fruit is growing right out on one side. The entire thing is very lop-sided and might need support later. Fruit outside!

Anyway, now its out I can sit and look at it with a good pint of Hogs Back TEA. A perfect little pineapple, born and bred in Surrey, England :) Fruit close up.

Another view. It was 26C in the shade today; just right for growing pineapples. Dates too, of which there are two behind the pineapple. Date palms seem to take ages to get going, and they don't grow at all if the temperature and light is too low. The ones here are five-year old Deglet Nour date palms. The small tree is a lemon. General view.

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2007: Late summer
Oh dear! The rest of our summer has been abysmal!
To see how the pineapple is faring, go to the >> next page >>.

[Skip to: pineapple: the beginning||previous fruit||2007 harvest]

	20070313
	This view shows the mass of foliage with the little bud inside.
	Closer, showing the stalk beneath.
	The images were captured in early morning with no sun. The colours come out well here: buttery yellows and reddish pinks.
	20070313

	20070401
Here is an excellent view on 1st April 2007 (new camera shows the colours much more vividly!) Macro setting on camera, of course. The picture has been resampled to 6cm at 144dpi.
... and the "standard" side view. The bud has expanded (compared to March view) and has been raised up as the stalk grows. I'm now watering and feeding quite a bit.
I include this out of interest. Believe it or not, this forest of greenery resides on my bedroom floor. It makes a trip to the wardrobe into quite a safari. The pineapple in the forground was grown from the crown of the first fruit from the large plant in the background! On the right can be seen my Deglet Nour date palm.
	20070401

	20070415
	2 weeks later and, ah-ha! -we have little purple flowers (currently only at the base). Not what you'd call dramatic, but interesting anyway. Each little segment will produce one flower, with the topmost ones coming out last.
	A few hours later the sun came round. Unseasonably warm for April - up to 25C in the South of England. Note the familiar tuft of leaves forming on top. I'm amazed how close I can get with the macro setting on this camera.
	This image gives an idea of the real size of the inflorescence sitting amongst the leaves.
	20070415

	20070419
	Only a few days later, but the hot sunshine has encouraged the flowers to open wider. A very careful look at the end of the flower reveals a little anther poking out. The petals themselves are coloured a lovely rich purple. It just shows how tropical the plant really is - although it will tolerate our usual weather it takes a period sitting in a fully south facing large sunny window such as this to produce colourful flowers seen here - compare to my first flower in 2005! [ -click for larger image- ]
	20070419

	20070609
Summer's arrived! The last plants to leave their indoor quarters are always the pineapples. Ooof! Getting this thing downstairs was a mammoth effort this year. The new fruit is growing right out on one side. The entire thing is very lop-sided and might need support later.
Anyway, now its out I can sit and look at it with a good pint of Hogs Back TEA. A perfect little pineapple, born and bred in Surrey, England :)
Another view. It was 26C in the shade today; just right for growing pineapples. Dates too, of which there are two behind the pineapple. Date palms seem to take ages to get going, and they don't grow at all if the temperature and light is too low. The ones here are five-year old Deglet Nour date palms. The small tree is a lemon.
	20070609