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The other day, as I was eating pineapple, I noticed that it was full of seeds (see pic below for what they look like). I have grown plants from the crowns on top of the fruit (even a couple patented ones that were mutated to prevent propagation - don't tell anyone :P), but I'm actually interested in starting seeds.

  • What's the most efficient way to remove them from the fruits?

  • Do they require special cleaning (I wonder because of the enzyme content of the fruit)

  • How long do they store?

  • Do they require treatment before sowing?

  • What conditions do they require for good germination?

    • soil type
    • temperature
    • moisture
    • light
    • planting depth

  • What kind of fertilizer is best, and when to start applying?

  • How long until germination, and how long until fruiting-sized plants (under optimal conditions)?

Here's a picture of the seeds, for those who don't know how they look:

enter image description here

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2 Answers 2

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I don't know the answer to all of your questions but I will try to answer what I can.

What's the most efficient way to remove them from the fruits?

Cutting the pineapple into small chunks and extracting the seeds.

Do they require special cleaning (I wonder because of the enzyme content of the fruit)?

Rinsing in water and drying on a towel.

How long do they store?

Not sure about this one, but I would guess about a year.

Do they require treatment before sowing?

A quick rinse in water.

What conditions do they require for good germination?

A warm area without direct sunlight.

  • soil type

  • temperature

Warm

  • moisture

Moist after sprouting

  • light

Full sun

  • planting depth

Several centimeters deep.

What kind of fertilizer is best, and when to start applying?

A 6-6-6 fertilizer after the seedlings have been transplanted to 1-3 gallon pots and they are 3in tall.

How long until germination, and how long until fruiting-sized plants (under optimal conditions)?

  • Germination can take a few weeks.
  • From seed to a fruiting plant can take between 20 months and 3 years.

Source: Experience and http://www.ehow.com/how_7606004_grow-pineapples-seeds.html

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  • For temperature, you said, 'warm'. That's ... really broad. I was looking for an actual ideal temperature range. Also, how deep is 'several centimeters'? idk, but it seems like you'd run into problem if planting more than 3 cm. deep.
    – J. Musser
    Commented Dec 30, 2014 at 16:43
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    Since pineapples are tropical, they would probably do well between 83F and 93F for sprouting. As for depth, I would go with 1-2cm deep. The article suggests sprouting in a glass jar but i've never tried that method.
    – Apoc
    Commented Jan 1, 2015 at 1:15
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I put down twenty pineapple seeds picked out of fruit. Placed in seedling box with lid sprinkled soil over. Only one came up but its been 2 months n starting to look good

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  • That's awesome!! If you could put more detail in, so that others can do the same thing, that'd be awesome too!
    – J. Musser
    Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 22:17

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