Today we’ll talk about a spice that is probably present in the arsenal of any housewife, and the strong half of humanity, when preparing their favorite dumplings, rarely does without it.
We are talking about bay leaf, the cultivation of which at home will be the topic of our conversation today.
About the conditions for growing bay leaves
If you are going to grow a bay leaf at home, first you need to understand that the noble laurel gives us leaves for seasoning - evergreen tree, less commonly a shrub growing in the tropical zone of our planet. So, for example, in Russia, this plant is found in nature only in the Crimea or the Krasnodar Territory. In other regions of laurel cultivation in open field not practiced.
Therefore, the conditions for growing bay leaves at home should be truly tropical:
- temperature not lower than 20 degrees, optimally +25;
- high air humidity;
- short daylight hours with bright lighting.
This is achieved by placing plants on the southern windowsills with regular spraying or the use of artificial humidifiers.
Attention! Laurel will also grow well on northern windowsills, only it will be less lush with a rarer crown.
Growing on a windowsill summer time can be combined with plant removals to a balcony or loggia, and if you have Vacation home or country cottage area, then you can take the plant with you, as they say, into the fresh air. Naturally, when returning from the site in the fall, you should not forget the plant in the country, but you need to take it with you to the winter apartment.
Reproduction of laurel
To get your bay tree, you can go two ways:
- Growing bay leaves from seeds.
- Growing by rooting cuttings.
- Horizontal strips.
- Buying ready seedlings.
Let's consider all the methods in more detail.
Seed propagation of bay leaf
Laurel seeds can be obtained in two ways:
- buy in a specialized store;
- collect from branches of laurel, sold in the markets as spices.
Sowing seeds in the ground is best in early spring or in autumn, in summer, the embryonic processes in the seeds slow down a little and you can simply not wait for seedlings. Seeds are sown in small seedling containers.
The soil before sowing is moistened and slightly compacted so that the seed lies on a moist and dense bed. After that, it is sprinkled with a layer of nutrient soil one centimeter thick and moistened again. Having covered the container with a suitable lid, they put it in a warm place with a temperature of 25-27 degrees, for example, to a radiator or on a hanging kitchen cabinet.
Seeds germinate for a very long time, sometimes it can take several months. All this time, the container with crops must be periodically ventilated and, if necessary, moistened.
The soil for growing laurel does not have to be very fatty and nutritious, but great attention should be paid to its mechanical composition. The best mixture for growing lavrushka is a mixture of the following components:
- forest sod land;
- sand;
- peat.
To add airiness and friability, you can use coconut substrate or soil baking powders that are popular today, such as perlite or vermiculite.
It is very important that the roots receive free access to air, this is one of the conditions successful cultivation this useful plant.
Attention! Laurel does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil, so be sure to put some kind of drainage material on the bottom of the tank.
After the appearance of true leaves, the plants dive into a more spacious dish and take care, like other plants, making timely watering, fertilizing and transplanting.
Bay leaf cuttings
The cutting of a noble laurel is no different from that of a currant or gooseberry. Here's how it's done:
- We cut non-lignified green cuttings 6-10 centimeters long. At the same time, we make the lower cut under the kidney oblique, the upper one - a centimeter above the kidney - straight.
- We leave two upper leaves on the handle, and we shorten them by half for less evaporation of moisture.
- We deepen the cutting into the soil of the pot by 1-2 centimeters.
- We cover the pot with a film with holes.
- Ventilate regularly.
Rooting will occur in about a month. After that, you can transplant the finished seedling into a permanent container.
Bay leaf cuttings
If you have mature plant, then you can get a new plant by pinning one of the side shoots to the soil. In this case, an additional container with soil is used. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Near a laurel plant growing in a pot, a container filled with nutrient soil is placed nearby.
- The young branch is bent so that the lowest point of the bend is placed in a new container to a depth of 10-15 centimeters.
- In this place, the branches make an incision about 4-5 centimeters long.
- The branch is placed in a pot with soil and pinned. The end of the layer is tied to a vertical support.
- Cover the incision site with soil to the top of the container and water.
After some time, depending on the conditions environment, a new sprout will appear from under the ground. After that, the rooted branch can be separated from the mother plant.
Purchased seedlings of laurel
Everything is very simple here. The purchased plant must be transplanted into a large container with its own soil and grown as usual.
Laurel Care
Laurel care is easy. It is necessary to water the bush on time and spray warm water. Twice a year, you can feed the plant with some organic matter.
Advice! Top dressing is best given no earlier than three months after transplantation.
As it grows, it is necessary to transplant the bush into a new large container. At first, this is done every year, after 4-5 years of vegetation, the laurel slows down its growth, and it is transshipped every four years.
Important work is decorative pruning bush. Laurel is very responsive to pruning, and you can shape its crown as you wish.
Attention! Regularly picking off the leaves for spices begins in the fourth year of the laurel vegetation.
At home, diseases rarely appear in a noble laurel, but, nevertheless, they occur. This is due to low temperatures or waterlogging of the soil coma. In any case, you need to consult with experts or read the relevant literature.
Video - how to grow a bay tree at home
Today we learned how to plant a bay leaf and grow it at home. Good luck with your gardening endeavors.
One of the most popular evergreens grown at home is the laurel flower. He may be a small bush or a miniature tree.
In ancient times, bay leaf wreaths were worn on the heads of the victors and famous people. This plant is very convenient to grow at home, because it, apart from decorative ornament apartments, owns and useful features. No need to run to the store for a bay leaf, you just need to pick it from a tree.
Characteristics
Laurel is an indoor plant that is easy to care for. This can be done even by a beginner in flower breeding. In nature bay tree grows very tall. There are specimens exceeding 18 meters. Today, in the forests of Sochi, you can see the laurel, reaching 15 meters in height.
Although this plant is not very pretentious, but for its good growth requires the creation of a favorable environment. This houseplant is very fond of the sun's rays, but is able to grow well in a shaded place.
Laurel does not react to drafts, he is not afraid of drought. Laurel tree at home does not require much care, it is necessary that there is always enough water, without waterlogging the soil.
Home laurel perfectly copes with diseases, is not afraid of pests. To give a certain shape, laurel bushes can be trimmed. WITH Modern gardeners manage to grow tall laurel trees, differing from their counterparts in an openwork, intricately intertwined trunk.
Types of room laurel
This plant is divided into two groups:
- Noble;
- Canarian.
The Canarian laurel has wide large leaves, the edges of which look somewhat wrinkled. This species loses to the noble laurel in terms of the strength of its aroma.
The main botanical variety of laurel is divided into three types:
- narrow-leaved;
- Golden;
- Wrinkly.
Each variety is characterized by the shape of the leaf and its color.
How laurel is planted
Noble laurel should be planted in early spring. If you have already grown laurel before, then you need to pick up a pot whose diameter is a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one.
First, a drainage layer is laid in the pot. To do this, you can use expanded clay or broken brick. Substrate is placed on this layer. For a noble laurel, the soil should consist of sand, turf and leafy soil.. Such a composition is sold in a store as land intended for breeding cacti.
home laurel care
This houseplant is not very capricious. But, it must be constantly sprayed and cut so that the crown has decorative form. It is also necessary to monitor the appearance of pests or diseases in order to prevent their development.
For good growth, the laurel does not interfere much at all sunlight. It can grow well in partial shade. In summer, when the temperature is more than 25 degrees, the bay bush can be left on the balcony. At proper care, room laurel can live more than 15 years.
To obtain good growth indoor noble laurel, it is necessary to create conditions for him that resemble his native places. With the onset of cold weather optimal temperature, in which room laurel can safely be, is considered 18 degrees.
Where should the laurel bushes be in the apartment?
To grow nice flower laurel, it is very important to find the right location for it. It is desirable that the plant does not fall into drafts, the laurel does not like them. But you need to ventilate the room with laurel regularly.
It is not required to create special lighting for the noble laurel. Normal is enough room light. In order to achieve flowering of laurel at home, it is necessary to take care of it, trying to bring the conditions of its location closer to real ones.
For example, a pot with a tree should be placed where there is a lot of light. So, with a large number of scattered sun rays, laurel leaves will gain more decorative look. The bush will be very bushy, which rarely happens if the bay tree grows in more shaded areas.
How to water laurel bushes
In spring and summer, you need to water the bushes regularly. When it is very hot outside, watering should be more vigorous. But, prolonged waterlogging should not be allowed, because stagnation of water in the soil can lead to rotting of the roots and death of the plant.
watering schedule for winter time very different from summer. The substrate needs to be watered only after it starts to dry upper layer soil in a pot. You need to water with well-settled water at room temperature.
With the onset of heat, the noble laurel should be sprayed in the morning and evening hours. You can also install near the laurel pot, a container of water.
Experienced flower growers use another method. Pebbles are poured into the pan, then it is filled with water, a pot of laurel is placed on top.
How Laurel Reproduces
Usually the reproduction of this unpretentious plant carried out by cuttings, but laurel and seeds can be propagated.
To grow laurel from seeds, you need to have special soil. To obtain rapid growth, it is recommended to pre-soak the seeds in heated water and hold for a couple of hours.
Seeds do not need to be buried deep in the soil. It is enough to sprinkle them with earth and cover with a film.
When propagating laurel by cuttings, they must be cut from shoots that have not had time to completely lignify.
With the onset of spring, the cut shoots are planted in slightly moistened soil. It is desirable to remove all leaves from the trunk, leaving two or three. The length of the handle should not exceed 8 cm. In order for the plant to take root faster, it is worth using wet sand. Usually young seedlings take root well within one month.
How is a transplant done?
This operation does not need to be done very often. A small tree should not be transplanted into a large pot. Laurel will do great in a small pot.
When he grows up and the pot becomes cramped for him, another container is taken, with large diameter about 4 cm.
Transplantation is performed by rearranging an earthen coma. The missing soil is filled into the pot. Then the transplanted laurel is well watered. Interchange work usually done in spring or summer.
Problems that may arise when growing
- Shchitovka;
- Spider mite;
Laurel bush is usually affected fungal diseases. This may be due to over watering. At this time, brown spots appear on the bay leaf.
It is necessary to fight such diseases removal of damaged areas and transplanting the plant, with the addition of a new fresh substrate.
If you follow all the rules for growing laurel at home, you can always have a beautiful, fragrant and healthy plant in the room.
Laurel tree is used in interior design, landscaping of street flower beds and creating decorative compositions. Laurel differs in leaf shape and size, suitable for cultivation, as in room conditions as well as in open ground.
Laurel is used in pharmacology, leaves and fruits are used, from which extracts, infusions and oils are subsequently made. The plant is widely used as a diuretic, relieves flatulence, intestinal colic, laurel esters are removed from depressive states. Laurel leaves are used as a seasoning.
plant description
The laurel tree comes from a genus of evergreen plants in the laurel family. For a long time, laurel trees have been grown in many subtropical countries.
Laurel includes three types: camphor, noble and Azores.
The tree contains essential oils from 3.5 to 5.5%. The tree is dioecious, with a dense crown, has a pyramidal shape and evergreen foliage, hard and smooth. In nature, it reaches about 25 meters in height.
Flowering begins in spring, the tree is covered with umbellate, unisexual, axillary inflorescences of milky or pale yellow color. The fruits are single-seeded fragrant drupes of blue and black shades, ripening in autumn.
The life span of a laurel is amazing, a tree can exist for about three hundred years. An ennobled tree without proper care quickly runs wild. Bay leaves are considered one of the indispensable seasonings in brines and marinades.
Laurel is often found in Georgia, Greece, Crimea, Asia, on the Black Sea coast and Transcaucasia.
Types of laurel
Laurel tree is of three types:
Camphor, whose homeland is China. The plant is quite popular in Asia and India. It is an evergreen plant with hard, lanceolate, fleshy, speckled leaves.
Flowering lasts about one and a half weeks, yellowish inflorescences.
Laurel tree contains a lot of camphor oil, most of is in the trunk and wood of the laurel about 90%. The production of camphor is widespread in Japan and China, where oil is obtained from bay shavings and twigs by distillation.
In addition to camphor oil, laurel leaves contain a large number of selenium and tannins. Camphor oil is considered one of the best medicinal substances in the fight against heart disease, depression, and for the prevention of infectious diseases.
Externally, camphor oil is used to rub diseased joints and bruises, as an analgesic, distraction and anti-inflammatory agent.
Noble laurel. The most common type bay tree, grows in the southern part of the country and the Mediterranean. Laurel trees reach up to 5 meters in height. The branches are bare and fleshy.
The foliage is lanceolate, short-stalked, with a glossy surface, oblong in shape. Laurel blooms in spring, lasts about a week. inflorescences with small flowers collected in yellow umbrellas.
The noble laurel is used to make decorative compositions and decorate interiors. The noble species is unpretentious and resistant to drought, grows well in pots at room conditions. The leaves are used to obtain essential oil and as a spice.
A branch of noble laurel was awarded to the winners in ancient Greece, the plant was attributed a divine origin.
Azores laurel or Canarian laurel tree. The plant is native to the Azores. Trees grow up to 12 meters in height with large leaves, dark green in color, 5.5 cm wide.
Blooms in spring. Pale yellow inflorescences are collected in umbrellas and are located in the axils of the foliage. Azores laurel is often used for decoration.
The most common varieties of laurel tree are narrow-leaved and willow laurel.
How to grow bay tree in a pot
For home growing the noble type of bay tree is best suited. Timely care, pruning, watering and feeding are integral parts of a healthy plant.
It is best to grow a bay tree from a mature seed, southern species. auspicious time for planting laurel seeds is the end of winter - the beginning of spring, the seeds should be planted in a specially prepared substrate.
To do this, black soil is mixed with sand and peat in a ratio of 3: 1: 1, a pot is filled with it and a seedling is planted to a depth of 1.5-2 cm.
The soil must be disinfected before planting, for this, warm it up to 120 degrees in the oven.
For intensive growth, the tree will need a temperature of at least +22 degrees. The first “fruits” of planting laurel seeds will be visible after 3.5 months.
Lavrushka seeds do not require special preparation, but it will not be superfluous to keep them in a strong solution of potassium permanganate for a day to protect and increase the rate of sprout appearance. Excessive watering is not required, it will be enough to water the seedling 3 times a week.
The seed pot must be placed on a sunny windowsill and covered with a glass lid to better warm the soil, but do not forget to ventilate and make sure that the fungus does not start in the soil with high moisture.
As soon as the first green sprout appears, the glass is removed and the soil in the pot is not allowed to dry out, but also moisture is not allowed to stagnate. This should be taken care of in advance by laying out the bottom of the pot with expanded clay or river pebbles and making drainage holes in the container.
special attention the tree requires in the first year of its existence, since during this period the young plant is too vulnerable and capricious. A good lighted place, warmth, lack of draft and plenty of moisture are the first on the way to the healthy growth of an evergreen laurel.
Avoid prolonged direct exposure to sunlight young tree, otherwise the foliage may fall off, or dry out. It is better when the light is diffused or variable solar activity. A shaded window sill will not allow the laurel to grow in breadth, the tree will begin to hurt and stretch upwards, sometimes giving out ugly, long, bizarre forms of weeds.
In summer, the laurel tree can be left outside, in places with changeable sun, the temperature of the special comfort of the tree ranges from +16 to +22 degrees. Laurel will respond to daily spraying with a thick, dark crown, a glossy sheen of leaves and will acquire a wide trunk.
In the autumn months, the plant goes into a dormant phase, but just at this time comes heating season, therefore, the conditions for sleeping Lavrushka must be recreated independently, artificial way. Either place the plant on the south side of the insulated balcony, where the temperature would not fall below -3 degrees, or put it in a lighted room, but with a temperature not higher than +13 and maintain this temperature from November to the end of February.
How to care for a bay tree
Laurel, like other plants, needs care, and a young tree requires twice as much attention. The laurel tree does not like dry air and hot rooms; this can cause the plant to turn yellow or lose foliage.
For normal development and rapid growth, laurel needs a lot of light, direct sunlight with variable activity should become a reliable companion of a young plant.
In the summer, the plant should be taken out into the air, but accustoming to direct sunlight should occur smoothly to avoid possible sunburn. In winter, the bay tree is kept in a room with diffused light at a low temperature.
The optimal temperature regime for the bay tree is from +22 to +27 degrees. But during wintering, the tree should be at a temperature not higher than +12 degrees.
Watering should be carried out at least 3 times a week, and more often in hot weather. In winter, watering is limited and reduced to once a week.
Like any plant, the laurel tree prefers high humidity so spraying is necessary. An alternative can be a container filled with wet expanded clay, on which a pot with a plant is placed.
Top dressing is carried out once every 3 months with mineral fertilizers.
Laurel tree pruning is performed in order to transform the bush, into decorative purposes. The plant tolerates pruning well.
The bay tree can be given any shape, however, frequent pruning can harm the plant, so the tree should be radically cut once, and then only maintain the given shape. Frequent pruning can harm the laurel.
The bay tree grows slowly, but as the pot fills with roots, it needs to be transplanted. The need for a transplant occurs every two years. The tree prefers a non-acidic soil with a neutral PH level.
Laurel is watered to soften the soil and pulled out of the pot, along with the soil, into a new pot. bigger size expanded clay drainage, a substrate of soddy soil mixed with sand and peat are poured, then a tree is placed and sprinkled with soil on top.
The bay tree is propagated by cuttings, seeds and division.
The harvesting of cuttings is carried out in the summer, the branches should be mature, flexible, with several internodes, 7-9 cm long.
The prepared cuttings are planted in soddy soil to a depth of about 1 cm, and 1.5 cm of sand is poured on top and constantly moistened.
+ 17-21 degrees is considered the standard temperature for better germination of the cutting. The planted cuttings will take root in a month and a half, after which they can be transplanted into ordinary pots for permanent place growth.
Transplanted cuttings should be sprayed like mature trees so that they quickly produce layering and foliage. Top dressing is necessary for cuttings, they grow slowly, therefore, in order to avoid depletion, you should change the top layer of soil to fertile black soil or use mineral top dressing.
Diseases and pests of bay tree
Laurel is not very susceptible to disease, but there are some harmful insects that can lead to the death of the plant.
For example: 
the insect settles on the surface of the leaf and gradually sucks out the juice. Outwardly, it appears as a yellow or white spot, constantly increasing in size, until it covers the entire leaf, which dries and curls. Scale insects differ in the color of the shell (shield), due to which the pest got its name. Insects are white and light yellow, they multiply quickly and settle in neighboring plants. Therefore, it is very important to isolate the infected plant from healthy vegetation.
The scale insect does not die from insecticide treatment, the insect protects the shell. They can only be removed by hand, getting rid of them with a bandage treated by Ankara or an infusion of garlic with vodka.
The treatment should be carried out on all affected areas of the plant, with the replacement of the top layer of soil in order to get rid of the possible presence of larvae in it.
Another not me dangerous pest- spider mite. small insect, which is very difficult to see with the naked eye, but the web is in a pot and white coating on the plant should alert.
Prevention will be spraying the soil with a weak solution of manganese. In a neglected state, the bay tree is sprayed with insecticides or rubbed with foliage. soapy water, followed by rinsing.
Fungal disease accompanied by a touch of black. Does not lead to the death of the plant, but noticeably spoils appearance the tree itself, striking the foliage with black and large spots.
The fungus can be defeated fungicidal preparations for domestic plants, as well as treatment with Bordeaux mixture.
In addition to pests, the bay tree can shed its leaves or turn yellow, in order to prevent an undesirable phenomenon, the tree must be sprayed and bathed weekly. Protect from prolonged exposure to the sun, fertilize, do not exceed temperature regime, avoid standing water in the pot.
If you follow all of the above measures, a healthy plant will please the eye for a long time.
The use of bay leaves in cooking has become a tradition; not a single hot dish can do without it. But not many people know that you can grow bay leaves at home. He will revive home interior and fit into landscape design garden plot.
Laurel noble adapts to any place of stay. Some tricks and rules for caring for a plant make it possible to grow a beautiful green shrub even in open ground.
How to care for a plant at home
If you decide to grow laurel at home, you need to find a suitable place for it.
- You need to place the plant on the windowsill or on a flower stand, where there is a lot of light and sun. In the shade, the plant develops more slowly. Leaves should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
- Ventilate the room frequently to prevent discoloration and drying of leaf tips.
- Water as the soil dries out. The tree requires good drainage so that the root system does not rot from excess moisture. A refreshing shower and spraying will moisten the crown and avoid pest damage.
- It is worth maintaining the average temperature in the room, not higher than 25 degrees, in the cold season, the laurel should arrange a winter period at home, when the temperature is 10–14 degrees, and watering is reduced and is carried out 1 time in 2 weeks.
How to plant?
From proper fit depends on the growth and development of the plant. Before starting, it is necessary to prepare all the components of the process: layering, pot, soil, mineral fertilizer, drainage, spatula.
- Take a small pot, because the plant develops slowly, and a large container will inhibit growth.
- Fill the bottom with drainage (2-3 cm). You can take expanded clay or ordinary foam, which must first be broken into small pieces.
- Prepare the earth mixture: sand (1 part), peat soil (1 part), sheet soil (2 parts), turf soil (4 parts) - and fill the pot halfway.
- Place a bay leaf in the middle, pour over the mixture and lightly tamp.
- Water the plant with the diluted mineral complex.
A plant is transplanted at home into a new pot once every 2.5–3 years due to the slow development of the root system and the upper part.
An adult tree is transplanted 1 time in 4 years or the top layer is renewed 1 time in 2 years. In the warm season, the plant can be placed in open ground.
Reproduction methods
There are several ways to propagate a noble laurel at home:
- cuttings;
- planting seeds;
- offspring department.
Reproduction requires not only experience and skill, but also patience.
Cutting is one of the most time-consuming methods, for which a large, strong tree is used. To do this, you need to act according to the following algorithm.
- Separate carefully, using a clerical knife or blade, branches with 4 internodes.
- Dip each of them in the substance for active growth root system (it can be found in any specialized store). Put in a container with water until the roots form. Cuttings can be placed in moist perlite, covered glass jar above. The plant must be periodically ventilated to prevent decay.
- After the roots appear, transplant into a ceramic or plastic pot.
Propagation by seeds is the longest process, seedlings can appear 60–65 days after planting.
Sowing should be carried out in early spring, as a soil, you can use a universal mixture for planting. Seeds are placed at a depth of 1.5–2 cm, slightly moistened from above and covered glass containers, which must be removed periodically to ventilate and moisten the soil.
Opt for fresh seeds that have been recently packaged, because bay leaves tend to lose their germination quality quickly.
Growing a leaf by separating offspring is easy and fast way breeding. When transplanting an adult plant, it is necessary to separate the “children” with roots from it and plant it in a separate small container.
Proper garden care
Average frost resistance allows you to grow a shrub in the open field or in a greenhouse. Bay leaf can freeze at temperatures below 13-15 degrees.
If, nevertheless, you ventured to purchase a plant in a region where the temperature drops below this norm in winter, plant it in wooden tub or garden pot. This will allow you to transport the laurel to a warmer place.
Conditions to be observed when growing in the garden:
- choose a sunny place to land;
- neutralize soil acidity;
- provide moderate watering;
- timely fertilize the plant.
This plant easily tolerates pruning, therefore it is a favorite shrub. experienced gardeners. In the southern regions, laurel hedges are common, which are given various interesting shapes and adjusted to the design concept.
Bay leaf is an unpretentious plant, it can be grown with pleasure at home, having little experience in floriculture.
By planting shrubs in open ground, you will get a universal decorative element on personal plot. Simple Rules planting and caring for the plant will allow you to grow an environmentally friendly seasoning for culinary masterpieces at home.
One of the most famous seasonings of all housewives that can be found in the kitchen is bay leaf. Spicy bay leaves are one of the main components of many seasonings, not only for various dishes but also for marinades. Today, many housewives have learned to grow laurel themselves, especially since this plant does not require much care and attention.
Laurel tree is subtropical evergreen, which is able to give culinary fragrant leaves and its beneficial features- it aromatizes and purifies the air in the house. In order to provide a small family with bay leaves, you need to grow a 1.5-2-meter tree, and it will not be difficult to form its crown.
Flower growers, lovers know laurel as one of the hardiest indoor plants, which is not afraid of drafts, is practically not affected by pests, drought-resistant, able to tolerate shading, although it will be better to pamper this plant with sunlight. In the second year of the life of a laurel tree, you can already begin to form its crown, here your imagination is almost limitless. The crown of an exclusive tree can be formed in the form of a ball, cone, oval and even a pyramid.
In indoor floriculture, it is best to plant laurel in one of two ways - by seed or seedlings. The most reliable way to purchase a bay tree is to buy its seedlings. Here the main thing is to pay attention to its root system, which should be well developed and not contain indicators of infection and pests. Laurel should be planted in waterproof or airtight soil, for example, in sod and leafy, peat and sand, and it is advisable to put coarse sand in a layer of 3-4 centimeters on the bottom of the pot. A ready-made substrate for palm trees or cacti is suitable for planting a plant. February is considered the most favorable month for growing laurel from seeds. Seeds are best sown immediately after harvest, as they quickly lose their germination capacity. They need to be buried in the soil to a depth of 1 centimeter. The seeds must first be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, thanks to this simple method, the seedlings of the plant will appear earlier. Before sowing seeds, be sure to remove the oily pericarp. After planting, the substrate should be watered abundantly and cover the pot with glass. Once a day, the glass must be removed for 20-30 minutes so that the plant can breathe air. If you do not have glass with which you can cover the pot, then it is acceptable to use and polyethylene film which must never touch the ground. After 2-3 months, the seedling of the bay tree should sprout. At this time, you can remove the glass or film and carefully monitor the soil moisture, as even a slight drying may further affect the plant. Top dressing of laurel is best done 1.5-2 months after plant emergence. In spring and summer, top dressing should be carried out once a month, but in winter it is better to reduce it to once every three months. Except organic fertilizers, for feeding a bay tree, you can use mineral fertilizers. For a better life of the plant, the alternation of dressings is perfect.
In room conditions, a bay tree can grow up to 15 years, and an adult plant is recommended to be transplanted only once every two or three years. A seedling brought home may not grow for a long time, especially if it is planted during the dormant period - in summer. The main condition for proper cultivation bay tree - this is regular, without waterlogging the soil, watering, plentiful and frequent spraying of leaves. This plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture in the soil. In the warm season, the plant must be sprayed so that water can penetrate inside the crown. Will not harm the plant, especially in summer, evening watering from a shower or hose, washing the entire crown. Such a procedure can still save from the misfortune of pests. One of the common ailments of the bay tree is folding and yellowing of the leaves. As a rule, this happens due to low humidity in the house. Therefore, a problem of this nature is not difficult to solve.
Pruning of laurel branches in order to obtain leaves should be started from the age of three to four years of the plant. In autumn and winter, a third or fourth part of the crown should be cut. Cut branches are usually dried in a ventilated area without access to sunlight. Dried leaves are removed from the branches and stored in linen or thick paper bags. The next pruning of the leaves will need to be done no earlier than a year later.
Prepared by Nadezhda VESHTORT
