A pineapple can go colder than that without damage...but the key is what type of potting mix you're using. A fast-draining soil is essential for those of us in colder areas. Fertilizing is also essential.

Josh

Sounds like it may be getting too much water and is experiencing root rot. Pineapples are bromeliads. I've grown a couple from the tops of store bought pineapples. This was many years ago before I learned about gritty mix, which I think would work well for them. I grew them in an orchid mix that was mostly fir bark. I didn't water often and hardly ever fertilized. They eventually grew pineapples of their own. If only the outer leaves are dying off, you may be able to save it by removing them and getting it into a much drier potting mix. They grow new leaves from the center. Their roots are sparse and don't need much room.

I agree with Ohio, and never water down the center, I grew mine in a gritty soil mixture and let dry between watering. I dont bring plants in & out, once in they stay in. I'm one of those believers that you confuse plants by moving them around to much.
Christine

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I was watering about once a week around the base since the roots aren't very long, and water sometimes went down the center.
I'll repot it right now into drier soil and bigger pot. The leaves are looking worse than they did yesterday. Sorry for the bad pics.

And a close up of the leaves.

One more question - should I cut off the yellowing parts of the leaves?

No, don't trim the leaves yet...let them dry back naturally.
To my eye, that doesn't look like typical yellowing associated with overwatering, but others can help confirm. That almost looks like sunburn...or external chemical burn.

Josh

I agree with Josh -- it doesn't look like the result of overwatering. That would start at the base of the leaves. It could be sunburn, but I think that would only happen if you had put it in full sun after an extended period (weeks) in shade. I've seen pineapple growing in full sun all day in the tropics where nothing like that happened. Any chance of drift from an herbicide in a neighbor's yard? Did you try foliage feeding? The rapid deterioration suggests chemical burn, as Josh suggested. It may survive. Pineapples are very tough.

I grow quite a few Bromeliads and have always made watering into the leaves the routine not the exception. I am not growing pineapple but don't see any difference. Mine are blooming regularly and producing pups. Al

Pineapples are terrestrial bromeliads, unlike most bromeliads people grow as houseplants, which are epiphytic. They get most of their nutritional needs and moisture from their roots. Although it doesn't hurt for a little water to get into the crown of the plant when it is growing vigorously in warm summer sun, when temperatures drop or the pineapple is grown indoors, pouring water into the crown can lead to rot. There is a bromeliad forum on Gardenweb where someone may be able to tell you what's going on with your pineapple.

Here is a link that might be useful: Info on growing pineapples from the Bromeliad Society

I'm glad to hear your pineapple is doing well. I was really thrilled when mine grew a baby pineapple. It took me about 5 years to get that baby, but I didn't grow it under the best conditions. Since you are growing it under lights, you may get a flower spike in two or three years. You can remove unsightly leaves at any time. They produce a lot of them and they get longer as the plant grows. My pineapple grew to more than three feet in diameter and had very painful barbs on its leaves.

You will probably never know what caused your problem. I was thinking of drift from Roundup, which my neighbors use in early fall to kill poison ivy. I highly doubt that onion or garlic would hurt a pineapple.

Jiffypop27, Did your plant bounce back? I recently brought mine in from outside and it did the same thing. I’ve been searching online for something that looks like mine does, and this is the only thing I’ve found! It’s weird, yellows in the middle followed by brown spots and thins out.