How Pineapple Leaves Catch Water on Dry Hills
I just was sitting outside for a little while yesterday afternoon because it was so hot outside and it reminded me of a number of plants that have been planted on this farm and in other places around the world that are able to survive quite well in environments where there would seem to be very limited opportunity for growth, and today I would like to speak about pineapples.
First off, if you live in a tropical place with lots of hot weather and your ground is made up of lots of red soil which are inclined, then you can grow pineapples even when the rest of your crops have died off. In fact most people would imagine that in order for a plant to drink plenty of water it would need deep roots.
Well not pineapples because even though their roots are very shallow their main function is to hold the plant upright so that it doesn’t get blown over. In fact, if the roots of a pineapple do get wet for too long a time then they can start to rot.
Pineapples capture the majority of their water and nutrients through their long leaves. Rainfall drips down the long leaves which are stacked in a circle. The water then trickles down through grooves near the base of the leaves and is held for the plant to slowly drink from over long periods of time, even during dry seasons.
Each row of pineapples is planted very close together.
Local farmers work with nature in this respect as the long leaves of the pineapple stretch across the ground in a circular fashion. The wide leaves serve to block the strong sun rays to prevent scorching of the soil and roots below. It keeps the soil and roots of the plant cool, thus stopping moisture from turning to steam.
Looking forward to tomorrow as well.
Posted with Speem