Pineapples

Francis from Billingham wants to try to grow something more exotic in his greenhouse, and fancies his chances with pineapples.

He would like to know if you can really grow them just by cutting off the top group of leaves from the fruit.

MANY interesting and novel houseplants can be grown from tropical fruit. While some of the plants are simply decorative, others even offer the promise of a crop if you’re patient enough.

The pineapple is a herbaceous perennial plant which can grow up to 1.5 metres (or 4.9ft) tall, with 30 or more pointed leaves one to 3ft long, surrounding a thick stem. The pineapple is an example of a multiple fruit: multiple flowers along the axis each produce a fleshy fruit that becomes pressed against the fruits of adjacent flowers, forming what appears to be a single fleshy fruit. The natural pollinator of the pineapple is the hummingbird. But pollination is only required for seed formation, as the presence of seeds adversely affects the quality of the fruit.

Cultivation of pineapple fruit can be a fun, if lengthy and productive pastime.

Choose a pineapple with a healthy green rosette of leaves or topknot, then cut or twist this off and enjoy eating the fruit.

Now prepare the topknot by trimming off the excess skin and flesh around it and pulling off any brown leaves at the base. Plant the pineapple top in free-draining, but moist compost and place it in a heated propagator or in a warm, light spot; the conservatory is perfect. Once roots develop, pot it up into a larger container.

New green leaves will soon develop from the centre of the topknot to form an attractive plant for a bright window sill or conservatory.

Continue feeding and watering regularly, potting on as required, and your plant may go on to produce a central flower and small fruit in about three years’ time. The plant will only ever produce one fruit this way, but it will send out side shoots which can be cut or pulled off, planted up and used as fruiting plants themselves.

Jobs this week

Check alpines for signs of rotting foliage. Top up grit mulches to provide a free-draining layer between the foliage and the ground.

Check ties on recently-planted young trees to see if they have become tight and restrictive. There should always be a little play there.

Plant new hedges, trees and shrubs firmly into well-prepared holes enriched with well-rotted compost or fine, composted bark.

■ Hear Brigid talk more about gardening every Sunday between 11am and 2pm on BBC Radio Tees. For questions on the day, ring 01642-225511, or text 07786- 200995. Written questions can be sent to Lazy Dayz Plant Centre, 10 Farm Road, Houghall, Durham, DH1 3SF.