Growing Pineapples In a Greenhouse

Indoor Pineapple Growing Advice From Geoff Mansell at Kotare Subtropicals

Soil The best soils for pineapple production are non-compacted, well-aerated and free-draining loams, sandy loams and clay loams with no heavy clay or rock within one metre of the surface. Good drainage is essential because poor drainage leads to a weak root system, which makes the plant more susceptible to root and heart rot diseases. A soil pH in the range of 4.5-5.6 is optimal for pineapple production. 

Climate Temperature is the most important climatic factor affecting productivity. The optimum air temperature is 32°C during the day and 20°C at night.  Hence why in some climates they can only be grown in a Greenhouse. For every 1°C above or below, the optimum growth rates decrease by about 6 per cent. During periods of intense sunlight and high temperature (above about 35°C), fruit is susceptible to sunburn damage. A frost-free site is essential. For non-irrigated crops, rainfall should be well distributed throughout the year and more than 750 mm per year. 

A greenhouse can help with climate control in keeping it warmer in the winter (you can bring in a space heater if needed) and also using a shade cover in the hot summer months if you are growing them in the greenhouse over summer.

Slope Slopes between 2-6 per cent are best for pineapple growing. Below this range, it may be hard to achieve adequate drainage. Above this range, operational and erosion control costs escalate. 

Aspect The effect of aspect is more significant in the subtropics (ie NZ) than in the tropics. The best aspect is north-east, followed by north and north-west. Avoid steeper north-west slopes to reduce the risk of sunburn. The worst aspects are southerly ones because they do not get warm in winter. 

Water Good water availability for irrigation is recommended in drier areas/periods and is useful in all situations for watering at planting and up until 8-12 weeks before harvest in dry seasons. Pineapples are reasonably sensitive to saline irrigation water and yields tend to reduce if irrigation water’s electroconductivity is greater than 1.28 dS/m.

Pests and diseases of pineapples 

Below is a list of the major pests and diseases that affect pineapple crops in Queensland. It is unknown if any of these are present in NZ that have affected pineapple cultivation. Certainly I have had no problems at all with pest organisms advised below which occur in Australia. 

Insect pests 

• Nematodes 

• Symphylids 

• Whitegrubs 

• Pineapple red mite Diseases 

• Phytophthora root rot 

• Phytophthora heart rot 

• Mealybug wilt rot 

• Yellow spot 

Best to space them so you can deal with them independently if you are planning to grow together with other tropicals in the same bed inside. Nutrition wise I used Novatec classic periodically and osmocote 12-14mth plus when i planted. It is recommended to get a soil test done for your baseline conditions and to determine rates of application.

Cheers, 

Geoff