I know, I know. Hear me out! I make every effort to avoid the use of plastic. It’s terrible for the planet & for us. That’s exactly what I was thinking the first time I grew pineapple years ago: “I’m not going to contribute to plastic waste. I don’t mind weeding.”

Commercial pineapple growers typically lay plastic fabric across their fields to make weeds a non-issue. I determined this to be wasteful & unnecessary. So I grew my pineapple- organically, of course- & without the use of any weed barrier. Turns out the commercial pineapple growers knew something I didn’t 😦 What ensued was a very long (it can take 2 years for pineapples to fruit) & painful growing season for me.

The fruit was called a “pineapple” for its resemblance to a pine cone. Like a pine cone, the pineapple fruit & leaves are covered in spikes thought to protect the fruit from animals. As you might imagine, these spikes make for a tortuous weeding process; even with gloves & long-sleeves. Open wounds & soil aren’t a good combination, so this becomes a work hazard.

In addition to a short-lived aversion for pineapples, the other gain from my first experience growing pineapples was a commitment to the use of a weed barrier the next time I grew pineapples.

Well…the “next time” is now.

After determining that I was ready to grow pineapple again, I began my search for a weed barrier. If I’m going to use a plastic product, it must be more than single use. I purchased a highly rated product that purports to stand up to wear, so I expect to get years of use from it.

I think it’s important to make conscientious decisions when considering one’s environmental impact. It’s not about a pursuit of perfection, because that’s an impossibility. Aiming to live in a way that causes minimal harm isn’t without pitfalls, but all of my decisions require that I ask myself “Could this be done a better way?” I get to define “better” for myself. Sometimes the answer is ‘no,’ but landing on a decision made consciously is the goal. The pineapples are looking happy in their new plastic-lined home; I’ll use the weed barrier for multiple years before recycling it & my hands & arms won’t be ripped to shreds tending to the patch. I think that’s as good as it can get in this situation. Now let’s just hope the pineapple spikes do their job of keeping the animals away from my fruit!