Solanum lycopersicum‘Hawaiian Pineapple’
RegardingSolanum lycopersicum‘Hawaiian Pineapple ’ tomatoes , I have good news and mayhap bad some news for home gardeners .
The good intelligence : These pretty , bicolor heirloom tomatoes taste mildly gratifying and fruity , and look glorious cut into sunset - hued slice .
The possibly bad news : If you were looking to grow a variety with a connector to the Hawaiian island , this one would n’t work .
Photo by Fanny Slater.
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It did not originate there , its flavor does n’t resemble pineapple , and it ’s not a pineapple shape , either .
But if that ’s not a deal breaker for you , this could become your go - to heirloom to grow in the home garden .
Points in its favour include that lovely color dodge , its extra - magnanimous fruit , its power to double as a cooking orslicing love apple , and its vigorous vines you’re able to turn vertically to keep open space in the garden .
I ’m here to share many other ways this Ananas comosus tomato plant mixture is special , along with tips for sow in and grow it .
Here ’s what I ’ll cover as we go along :
What You’ll Learn
What Are ‘Hawaiian Pineapple’ Tomatoes?
They do n’t have a connection to Hawaii , but ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ heirloom tomatoes have so many other incontrovertible attributes , their stick cultivar name becomes irrelevant .
Like all love apple , they aremembers of the nightshade family , theSolanumgenus , and thelycopersicumspecies .
Annuals suited to USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 11 , this variety can also be raise as perennials in Zones 8 to 10 .
They’reindeterminate tomatoes , meaning they will remain to produce fruit from the time they maturate until inhuman weather halts the harvest time .
As we say in East Tennessee , “ they ’re big ‘ uns , ” with tough , regular folio vines that reach six to eight fundament magniloquent and spread a couple of foot full .
The mature fruit will weigh between 16 and 32 troy ounce each , so this variety could be a contender if you ’re vying for locality “ adult tomato ” honors .
They ’re considered beefsteaks , or slicers , and have the unshakable flesh and few seeds that make them ideal for BLTs and tomato sandwich . Lots of BLTs , actually – one fruit ’s enough to fill three or four sandwich .
The fruit are renowned especially for their looks .
They mature to a yellow - orange tree hue streaked with red inside . Not on the dot a pineapple colour scheme , more like a sunset . But this variety does have a distinctively sweet-smelling , fruity flavor with a spike of citrus fruit .
No one will ever be tempted to bake it beneath batter in an upside - down patty , but it does have a sort of tropical savor . Maybe ?
There ’s not a quite a little of information about the source of this fussy cultivar , but it was probably first bred in Kentucky or Eastern Ohio , like many bicolorbeefsteak types .
It was introduced to the world by the name ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ by Merlin Gleckler of the famed kinfolk - own seed concern “ Glecklers Seedman ” in the 1950s .
Merlin ’s boy George Gleckler thinks there ’s a possibility that ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ is the same cultivar as other tomatoes called ‘ Georgia Streak ’ and ‘ Marizol Gold . ’
This variety is also one of the parent plant for the ‘ Black Pineapple ’ or ‘ Ananas Noire ’ cultivar institute to market place in 2005 by Belgian horticulturist Pascal Moreau .
Other pineapple plant love apple smorgasbord include a type that is still green when advanced and a smaller , brighter ‘ Pineapple Pig ’ that in reality is the same color as the tropical fruit , as well as a ‘ Potato Leaf Pineapple ’ that is much the same as ‘ Hawaiian ’ but with potato parting rather than regular I .
‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ has also been used to breed hybrids admit the ‘ Giant Yellow Oxheart ’ cross known as ‘ Oxheart Pineapple . ’
Who know when one of these will capture our fancy ? For now , allow ’s research the most democratic pineapple tomato , the ‘ Hawaiian . ’
Propagation
Since it ’s so uncommon to find starts of ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ grown and trade locally , it ’s a good idea to know how to start this assortment from seed .
You ’ll desire tosow the seed indoorsfour to six weeks before transplantation , which you could do once the stain and atmosphere have warmed and all threat of rime has passed .
Since the number of days to maturity for this variety hovers around 90 , it ’s necessary to cautiously time indoor sowing . You ’ll need to have works that are big enough to transpose in plenty of time to reap fruit before nerveless weather arrives .
Count back 28 to 42 day from your average last frost escort to get an thought of when to sow in , and be sure to mark the particular date in yourgardening journalor set a mobile phone phone reminder to sow the germ on time .
While you want the starts to be ready when the weather condition gets tender enough , especially in areas with shorter growing season , it ’s also important not to sow or constitute them out untimely .
Tomatoes sown indoors can chop-chop get spindly if you bulge seeds too ahead of time . Those leggy transplants wo n’t give rise as well as stocky , healthy start between four and six week previous , or eight weeks old max .
See our template for more point on planning when to imbed love apple .
You ’ll need a tray or cell filled with a specialised seed - start formula , or regular potting grime amend with sand or perlite so it ’s lighter and has good drain .
entreat the seminal fluid gently into moist soil , and gently cover them with about a quarter - column inch of the growing mix , then pack it down ever so gently with your forefinger .
cover up the container with a clear bonce or credit card wrap and place it where the temperature will systematically be about 70 to 75 ° fluorine , using a heat Master of Arts in Teaching if needed .
Keep the soil moist with a spray bottle , and appear for seed to sprout within seven to 14 day .
As shortly as they break through the grease , remove the dome or charge card motion picture and move the tray where the sprout will get full sun ( or spark from a grow igniter ) until you transplant them out of doors .
you’re able to obtain moredetailed instructions for go tomato from cum in our guide . It covers the of import step involved in sowing , hardening off , and transplanting the seedlings .
In general , you should transpose store - bought or seed - started seedlings only after the intermediate last frost date in your area has make pass , in soil temperature of at least 50 ° F , and air temperature that are systematically at least 60 ° F by twenty-four hour period and above 50 ° atomic number 9 at dark .
While it may seem counterintuitive , you ’ll demand to sink the seedlings late into the soil , leaving just the top couple of inches of stem and two or three set of straight farewell above the soil line .
Some people strip the bottom leaves off first , but I ’ve always just buried them with the roots and stems , and cut that step has worked just fine for me . plant the leaf nodes beneath the soil helps the plants work strong roots to stay hydrous later in the season .
Backfill with soil from the garden patch and urine in well . From that stop on , the plants should take off with only moderate endeavor on your part .
More tips on sustain ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ for the 90 days between organ transplant and harvest are come up !
How to Grow
If you’re able to keep up with lachrymation in the summer ’s heating system and obviate common pests and diseases , ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ plants are comparatively easy to grow .
mark yourself up for success by prefer a site with full Sunday and rich , well - run out soil you ’ve amended with a couple inch of cured manure or othercompost .
This location should also be somewhere you have n’t grown other nightshades in the retiring two season – or the past three seasons if you ’ve had trouble with tomato disease before and want to be extra safe this go-’round .
The ideal pH scale is 6.0 to 6.8 , which you could find out with asoil exam .
If you choose to grow these in a container , check that each industrial plant has its own seven - gallon pot that has drain holes and retains wet , not one made out of glassless clay .
Learn more about meeting all the growing motive for container tomatoes in our templet .
pot ahead of transplanting so the young transplants do n’t have to compete for moisture or nutrition with bigger plant life that have more aggressive roots .
Give your plant plenty of room to spread out , spacing them 24 to 48 inch apart in rows three or four invertebrate foot from each other .
Be sure to take cages or other support that are marvellous enough for a vine that will transcend six metrical unit in height , and strong enough to support both its weightiness and a full harvest of one- to two - quid fruit .
Learn more about constructing a Florida weave trellis in our usher .
Install any supports while the plants are modest , at transplant time if potential .
I utilise four - by - eight - foot Bos taurus panels for vine this vigorous . I usually attach the panels to their poles first , then plant the tomato seedlings nearby .
That way , I do n’t have to worry about forgetting to support the plants until it ’s too recent to do so without disturbing the roots or the rest of the garden .
Once they ’re a couple of inch tall , mulch ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ plants with atwo - column inch level of pine strawor untreated grass clipping to retain wet and combat weed .
Be sure to get out a four - column inch circle of space between the mulched area and the center stems to trim the chance of spreading pathogens from mulch to plant .
As the plant grow , they ’ll imprint side branches . You may want to hook those off since they ’re unlikely to farm bloom or yield , but they sap vim from the plant .
Unless pelting provides at least an in of water per week during the growing time of year , you ’ll call for subsidiary hydration to ply that amount – or more if temperatures are soaring .
Drip irrigation and soaker hosesare good for growing tomatoes since they avail you avoid wet leaves that can advance fungous disease .
If you do weewee with a lacrimation can or yourgarden hose , take aim the water at the soil aerofoil instead of letting it cascade over the leaves from above .
Make trusted to irrigate in the morning so the plants can take over the wet ahead of the bake sun . Also water too soon enough so the leave can dry out off before nightfall bring in increase humidness , since overly dampish conditions advance certain pathogens .
Once the plant life begin to set up yield , they ’ll benefit from an app of 5 - 10 - 10 NPK fertiliser . dilute fish emulsion , granulated organic fertilizer , andcompost teaare all ripe pick .
Growing comfrey ? Compost tea made from this plant life is another suitable fertiliser pick . see more about comfrey afternoon tea in our guide .
Reapply your fertilizer of choice a second time about a month subsequently .
You ’ll find more details about fecundate and mulching , along with unnumbered other tips , in our generaltomato growing template .
Growing Tips
Where to Buy
Should you snoop ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ start at a local nursery or farmers market , I ’d advise you to break down them up !
Of course , they may be labeled merely as “ Ananas comosus ” tomatoes , but chances are they ’ll be this type – the variety that yields oversized beefsteaks with sunrise - imbue flesh .
To be certain that you ’ll have plant life from this particular bicolor heirloom variety , I ’d invest in some semen pronto , from a reputable seller .
you may always freeze any extra , and they should persist practicable for another five years if you do n’t require them for this season .
‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’
One ejaculate source isBotanical Interests , which offers 25 - seeded player packets .
An gasbag of 20 - plus seminal fluid is alsoavailable from Seed King Express via Amazon .
And you’re able to purchase seeds in a kind of packet sizes and in bulkfrom True Leaf Market .
Managing Pests and Disease
When you space your plant to offer undecomposed circulation and provide ample nutrition and urine , you could reduce the risk of pests and disease damaging your tomatoes .
Bugs may still find them , however .
Those sizable gullible tomato hornworms always seem to make an appearance . Read about preventing , detecting , and eliminating hornworms in our guide .
A few other insect and creepy crawlies to watch for includeaphidsandslugs .
Even with duteous spatial arrangement and care , ananas tomatoes can still be susceptible to certain fungal diseases and bacterial pathogens .
That ’s why veteran vegetable growers religiously destroy plant debris at the oddment of the season and plant tomatoes in a raw pip from twelvemonth to year . Those are the best way to void soil- and waterborne pathogens , some of which overwinter in the remains of crops or green goddess .
A few Lycopersicon esculentum ailments you might encounterinclude anthracnose , early blight , septoria leaf spot , and a physiological disorderliness know as catfacing .
Not at all cute like a pussycat , catfacing forms cryptical grooves in the gravid love apple that make them look chunky and unappetizing , though they may still be edible if the catfacing has n’t progressed too far .
receive tips to prevent catfacing in our guide .
Harvest and Storage
Prepare for an unvanquishable simple summertime pleasure : Eating the pineapple tomatoes you harvest !
When you ’re this near to victory , it ’s no time to lose your forbearance .
As we discussed earlier , these are not run low to be the first in the garden to ripen . With the typical telephone number of day to adulthood being about 90 from transplant , it may be August before you get a fortune to eat on these honeyed heirlooms .
In the meantime , keep an eye on your plants , contain to see if they ’re flower and developing gullible fruits as the days go by , and then noting when the fruits start out to interchange colour .
You ’ll involve to waitress for the plant to grow tall enough to produce blooms , which can take 30 days or so for this assortment , and then wait another three weeks for them to produce green tomatoes and have them acquire to full sizing .
After that , the fruits need time to mature – mayhap another three or four week .
‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ colour up substantially at temperature between 68 and 77 ° F . A short warm is hunky-dory , but when temperatures exceed about 85 to 90 ° F , the mature summons slows or potentially grinds to a halt . Shade cloth can help to provide protection .
Should it cool down to 55 ° F , that ’s yet another postponement , maybe a calendar week or more added to the total number of day to harvest .
Worth the postponement ? I think you ’ll concord that it is when you bite into your first firm - but - juicy fade of ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple . ’
But if the delays go on so long that you start worrying that the dark-green fruits will never plough the signature bicolor chickenhearted and roseate hues , refer our guide to helping green tomato ripen , either on the vine or after a harvest of unripe fruit .
When all goes well , and the fruits are the right coloring and yield to a finger pressed to the side , it ’s time to pick !
I recommend letting them mature on the vine for full flavor , but you may also pick them when they ’re still firm and let them ripen on the tabulator for a few days .
These are pretty large , so use both hands so you wo n’t drop any as you softly remove the fruit from the vine , give each a gentle whirl until it descend off in your script .
Once the harvest time window opens , pick each tomato as it becomes ripe . Left on the vine , they’refair biz for birdsand bug , orthey may break .
They can also descend to the ground when they get overripe , where they ’ll get dirty or mawkish cursorily .
Four - legged love apple fiends may also find them , like my chihuahua - Jack Rusell desegregate Pookah .
She in particular enjoy eat white-livered tomato for some reason and will pounce on a fall ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ fruit in three seconds , though this is bound to give her a gastralgia .
She does have the right idea about eating these heirloom without holdup . They ’ll taste best refreshing , especially if you ’ll be run through them new .
If you plunk any that ca n’t be directly consumed , you may store themon the kitchen return for a few day if they ’re not to a fault good .
Some old timers swear by lay them bow - side down for this room - temperature storage , but I ’ve never note a deviation in the quality , so I do n’t bother .
Slightly less - than - right tomatoes should never go in the electric refrigerator because the moth-eaten check ripen . But the ones that are fully ripe and cut towards getting mushy can go in the veggie crisper .
Just do n’t give them in inhuman repositing longer than three days , and lease them come to room temperature overnight before you use them for the good flavor .
If your friends are sports fan of that real tomato predilection , you probably wo n’t have any extras waiting for someone to eat them . But when you develop several plants and are reap by the bushel , you may want to preserve the premium or at least some of it .
I ’ll share inspiration for stock the freezer or pantry with ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ next .
Preserving
Popular as a slicing tomato for fresh feeding , beefsteak ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ fruit are also a in force pick for uphold .
One option is dehydrate . you may come up directions for that inour scout to drying tomatoes .
This motley does have high urine content than thetomato cultivars well suited for canning , but you could still use the fruit to make sauce to freeze .
Just be certain to add to the simmering time so the water supply will have time to evaporate and the sauce will be the idealistic consistence .
cool down the sauce and lay in it in airtight container in the freezer , where it should keep for at least six months .
It ’s also possible to freeze the whole yield . When they unthaw , they wo n’t be the proper texture for fresh eating , but they ’re still plenty tasty add to stews , soups , or sauces .
Find elaborated directions for block tomato plant in our guide .
And if you ’re an enthusiastic home canner , consider preserving a batch of ketchup in the water bath canner . Not only will pineapple tomato contribute a certain fragrancy to the admixture , but their colouring is also a sport switch from the typical redness .
Foodal providesa basic homemade tomato ketchup formula and you canfind basic canning instructionsthere as well .
Recipes and Cooking Ideas
Gazpacho and fresh salsa are my top selection for showcasing the vibrant colors and the fruity taste of pineapple tomatoes .
If you do n’t already have a recipe for gazpacho , Foodal offer this one .
I ’ll go in advance and admit I eat gazpacho made with colourful heirlooms for breakfast and tardy - night snacks all summer .
So I guess you ’ll have me to thank if grow pineapple tomatoes lead you to the same tasty , sanitary use , and the thought take me smile .
Of of course , this firm , sweet-scented slice variety is also an ideal addition to tossed gullible , pasta , or caprese salad – or in BLTs or ‘ mater sandwiches .
But you should n’t waffle to also use this variety for cooking . Peeled whole or chunked ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ can run in most recipes that call forRomaor other cooking tomatoes .
Since the anatomy incorporate more water , it will need to be cooked longer than thick - fence in spread tomatoes to reach the same consistency .
But if you ’re willing to put in the surplus cooking time and portion out with the muss and fuss call for to peel larger , more tricky tomato plant after blanching , you ’ll find these sweet , citrusy beefsteaks are delicious in any number of recipes .
They would lend a beautiful colour toFoodal ’s recipefor Italian loot and Lycopersicon esculentum soup , for illustration , though you ’ll believably have to simmer the tomato plant about 10 minutes longer than what ’s called for to permit it to thicken .
They ’d also be tasty in homemade beef steak pizzaiola , also from Foodal , though they ’d make the sauce a bit sweet than the paste tomatoes the recipe calls for . ( Again , add at least 10 minutes to the simmer time to calculate for that additional pee . )
You may never get to these recipes , though , not if parole gets out that you ’re harvest these tasty heirloom from your mid to belated - summertime garden .
I ’ve see that unremarkably shy people will speak the right way up to request I share my harvesting with them .
Even when I plant four or five plants , there never seem to be leftover after we ’ve all used them for BLTs and the alike .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
A Hula-va Heirloom Tomato
One of the thing that make abode gardening so beguiling is the power to grow a prized veggie you ca n’t reliably regain at the store or Fannie Merritt Farmer market .
In the case of ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ tomatoes , being able to develop the plants from seed when you ’re unable to find starts is even more satisfying .
When you ’re unforced to do a flake of weed and lacrimation , and get dirt on your hands , you could cater yourself with tasty , sustainable food you ca n’t obtain any other way .
Yay , gardeners !
Are you already produce ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ ? Be certain to partake any crest and experiences with a input in the surgical incision below .
We also welcome enquiry not enshroud above and will get back to you as quick as potential .
And whether you ’ve selected ‘ Hawaiian Pineapple ’ as your go - to or you ’re still librate your options , you ’ll probablyenjoy these heirloom tomato guide :
exposure by Fanny Slater and Nikki Cervone © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . Product photo via Botanical Interests . Uncredited exposure : Shutterstock .
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Rose Kennedy
