How do you root the top of a pineapple? 
Cut off the top of the pineapple about 1 inch below the cluster of leaves. Trim away the outer portion of the pineapple top leaving the tough, stringy core attached to the leaves.  Also, remove a few of the lowest leaves. The pineapple top should then be allowed to dry for several days. The drying period allows the moist core tissue to dry and discourages rotting. 

After drying, insert the pineapple top into perlite, vermiculite or coarse sand up to the base of its leaves. Water the rooting medium. Keep the rooting medium moist, but not wet, during the rooting period. Finally, place the pineapple top in bright, indirect light.  Rooting should occur in six to eight weeks. 
 
When the pineapple has developed a good root system, carefully remove it from the rooting medium. Plant the rooted pineapple in a light, well-drained potting soil.  Water well.  Then place the plant in bright, indirect light for two to three weeks. 
 
After two to three weeks, the plant can be placed in a sunny window.  Keep the potting soil moist with regular watering. Using a soluble houseplant fertilizer, fertilize the pineapple once or twice a month in spring and summer. Fertilization usually isn’t necessary in fall and winter. The plant can go outside in late May, but must come back indoors before the first fall frost. 

How can I prevent snow and ice damage to trees and shrubs? 
The weight of ice or heavy, wet snow can cause major damage to trees and shrubs. High winds during ice or snow storms often greatly increase tree and shrub damage. 

Multi-stemmed evergreens, such as arborvitae, and weak-wooded deciduous trees, such as green ash and silver maple, are most susceptible to storm damage. White oak, bur oak, littleleaf linden, ginkgo, ironwood and most crabapples are less susceptible to damage from winter storms. Most conifers (pine, spruce, and fir) also fare well in ice and snow storms. 

When selecting trees for the landscape, choose trees that are resistant to storm damage. After planting, deciduous trees should be pruned on a regular basis (over a period of 10 to 15 years) to develop a strong framework. Removal of structurally weak branches reduces a tree’s susceptibility to ice and snow damage. In late fall, arborvitae and other multi-stemmed evergreens can be wrapped with twine, rope or burlap to prevent damage in winter storms. 

When heavy, wet snow accumulates on shrubs and small trees, home gardeners can gently shake the snow from their branches or carefully brush off the snow with a broom. Sharply bent, ice-covered branches on small trees and shrubs can be propped up to prevent breakage. Don’t attempt to remove the ice by beating trees or shrubs with a broom or rake. This may only cause greater damage. Individuals should stay away from large, ice-covered trees. Nothing can be done to prevent damage to large trees during a storm.  ndividuals, however, can be severely injured or killed if a large, ice-laden branch or tree were to suddenly crash to the ground while underneath it. 

I have several small evergreens in my yard.  Do I need to uncover the evergreens if they get buried in snow?  No, there is no need to uncover the evergreens.  The snow will not suffocate the evergreens.  The snow acts like an insulating blanket and protects the evergreens from drying winter winds. 

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