help with tops please

My poor pinapple plant that i boughth from lowes lost its baby. I havent ever started started my plant from the top. Can someone give me some tips please? Thanks

Tops are quite easy. Just twist the top off, let it set on a counter for two or three days to dry. then plant it in the ground or pot. Should root and begin to grow in 7-14 days. DO NOT OVER WATER as the top will rot.

Can i save the plant the baby came from ???

THANKS for your help

You do not want to save the original pineapple plant. After, the fruit is cut from a pineapple plant, the plant produces 2 or 3 side shoots called pups. Break these side shoots off of the plant and stick them in the ground or in a container. They will root and become your next plant. Due to rot, over watering pineapple plants is a real killer.

Here's a top that's ready to pot up. This is the 3rd generation from a Dole Pineapple that I bought in the supermarket. I root the top, then plant it. When it produces a fruit...I harvest it, save the top and do it again. This top spent 2 months under the mist system in pure perlite. They're easy to root. Pineapple is one of best known of the Bromeliad clan...probably the most $ignificant dollar wi$e too!

I've been very successful with rooting Pineapple. The key is to allow it to dry a bit before you plant it. I have used the rooting hormone that contains fungicide, to minimize rotting risks. I grew it in a fast draining potting mix. will root within 1 to 2 weeks.
Bass

Looks good, whats your soil mix for this. Dale

I rooted my Dole pineapple (first generation) in a glass of water on the window sill this summer. I was too impatient to dry it out, but I had read that exposing the nodes on the bottom of the top (sounds topsy/tervy) is helpful. The visable air roots on the sides do not actually develop into useable roots. If you shave very fine cross-sections of the bottom off until you expose the underlying nodes, that will give the rooting process a good jump start. Mine had very healthy roots within 2 weeks, I potted it after the roots were about 3-4 inches long, at about the 3 week mark after enjoying the fruit. Like I said, though, this is the first generation, but it looks healthy and happy and I hope by mid summer to see signs of a baby.

My pineapple is keeping my little citrus trees company in my makeshift third floor greenhouse in the same well draining mix I use for the trees. I have only watered it twice since early November, monitoring the soil the same way I do the citrus' soil. I do not think it is gaining in maturity this winter, but I am concerned about root rot so am being very careful. The soil is not dry/ not wet, but moist to the touch. If I had a warmer place to keep it I would probably see more growth. Barbara

By the way, Citrus Joe, those are fabulous roots. Mine had more roots when I planted it, but shorter and less mature looking. Should I have left is root longer? Barbara

Thanks! Normally I would have potted the PA up sooner...just got too busy with other issues and wasn't watching it as closely as I should have been. Potting it up with less roots wouldn't have been a concern to me but the extra roots are insurance for a successful transplant. They do appreciate warmth.