I grew two pineapples in the same manner which you describe. By the end of the summer one pineapple was maybe 6 inches tall - not counting the greenery at the top - just the fruit. As it was getting late in the year I decided that the larger of the two had matured as much as it was going to and I cut it off the plant. I sliced it open. It was pale yellow, fairly juicy. I took a bite and thought I'd been poisoned. It was AWFUL! I think our weather here just isn't right - even if you keep it in the greenhouse. I just read the book Hawaii by J. Michener and in it is a great description about the trials and tribulations of growing pineapples. Apparently pineapples are voracious users of all kinds of minerals that must be added to the soil in order for them to prosper - and be sweet. Maybe you will have more luck with your pineapple that I did. I'm currently growing a mango tree in a pot - which will probably NEVER produce a fruit. Lemons, limes and grapefruit have done exceptionally well for me. Good luck!

Mine has been growing outdoors and in the greenhouse for 2 years. I suspect that you are correct....that it won't be edible.
Another dumb question: Will the plant keep on growing after it produces a fruit?

Will the plant keep on growing after it produces fruit? Don't know. I seem to remember hearing/reading somewhere that pineapples are something like bromeliads. After they fruit, they die. The mother plant produces pups -like the bromeliad - and after the fruit is ripened and picked it dies. The pups are then separated from the mother and replanted. Don't take this info as gospel. After I threw out the disgusting fruit the experiment - and fun - was over and the plant went in the compost heap. It was too pointy, big and not especially attractive anymore.

sydneylanier is right. A pineapple is in the Bromeliad family and dies after fruiting and producing pups.

i grew one here in 5 gal bucket, delmonte gold..

2 years to fruit and we waited for the fruit to turn orange color and had sweet, sweet smell.. cut it off and was just fine.. really juicy and sweet..

once you cut the fruit off, fruit doesn't ripen any more..

happy growin.

hg

Here is a link that might be useful: pics

My Pineapples always taste fine. Unfortunately, fruit usually takes about 4 months to ripen. Allow fruit to remain on plant until Golden Yellow. The more Golden the sweeter the Pineapple. Best to pick when you can smell the fruit. Picked fruit lasts for around two weeks or more before decay sets in. If you grow in pots make sure you allow the soil to dry between waterings. In the ground I water only after no rain for several days. Small offset plants can be transplanted to pots for next year, but mother plant will die after fruiting.