Pineapple Water Requirements

Transpiration

• Pineapples take up very little water. This is because, much like a cactus plant, the pineapple plant closes its stomates during daylight hours and opens them at night. Its root system is shallow and thin, extending up to 3 feet. When the plant has taken up about 50 percent of the moisture available in the soil, it reduces its transpiration to conserve water and can use what is stored in its leaves during dry periods.

Ideal Watering

• Because pineapples don’t take up a lot of water during the daylight hours, they don’t require frequent watering. Ideally, just provide water when the soil is dry. Reduce moisture evaporation by mulching around your plant with an organic mulch and place your plants in shaded areas when growing outdoors. Inside, pineapples need as much light as possible during summer months. Avoid overwatering. Pineapples don’t like boggy soils.

Drought

• Pineapple plants can survive long periods of drought because of the ability to store water in the leaves. But this ability to survive does not mean that the plant will thrive during these periods. A lack of water can affect flowering and fruiting. Water shortage during flowering can hasten fruit development before the plant is able to produce quality fruit.

Overwatering

• Water plays a large role in the sugar and water content of the pineapple’s fruit. Typically pineapples have a water content of about 85 percent and a sugar content of between 10 and 14 percent. How much water your plant receives affects this ratio, particularly in the period before harvest, the exact timing of which will depend on several factors including climate, care and when you’ve planted your pineapple. Typically, as soon as it’s large enough, a pineapple will flower. Six months later the fruit matures and is ready to harvest when it begins to turn yellow. An abundance of water may lead to rapid stem and core growth and can decrease the sugar levels and the overall quality of fruit produced. Overwatering also makes the plant vulnerable to fungus and rot.