2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Today, few people are surprised by a pot with an exquisite and demanding orchid in indoor floriculture. But there is one representative of the orchid family, which is able to interest even the most sophisticated in home crop production. It's about vanilla. This fragrant "aristocrat" is a delicacy in the kitchens of baking lovers, but it can also become a wonderful decorative element of your interior
Features of vanilla
Vanilla is not the most attractive member of the orchid family. However, it also has the grace and aristocracy of these amazing plants. In its natural habitat, the flower, with the help of a strong climbing stem and aerial roots, climbs high up the trunks and branches of trees. Well, in indoor conditions, the pet owner will need to take care of the support for such a pet. The most suitable material for this will be decorative bark or dry thick branches. In the process of growth, the shoots must be directed to the support, otherwise the vine can crawl down.
Care and attention will be rewarded with many large flowers collected in the axils of luscious, beautiful oval leaves. Light green buds dissolve their yellow petals alternately and for just one day. But since there are about ten of them in one bunch, the flowering period of vanilla stretches for a long time.
It is worth noting that indoor flowering is rare. Nevertheless, even without wonderful buds, the plant has a very decorative look. And the leaves of the perennial continue to stick and grow on the stems for many years.
Maintenance and care of vanilla in room conditions
Keep the vanilla pot warm. Cold air damages the flower. In the room, he is given a place by the window, it can be placed on windowsills well-lit by the sun. But you should protect the plant from drafts.
In summer, the vanilla should be watered abundantly. It is also recommended to spray the plant with water. In addition, during the summer, top dressing should be carried out every ten days. For this, a weak aqueous solution of mullein is suitable - in a ratio of 1:15. In the winter months, the soil mixture should be moistened moderately.
Reproduction of vanilla at home
A nutritious substrate for growing vanilla is prepared from the following ingredients:
• peat - 1 part;
• leaf land - 1 hour;
• chopped fern rhizomes - 1 tsp;
You can grow vanilla from seeds. Also, the plant is propagated in a vegetative way. For rooting perennial cuttings, you will need a container with wet sand.
Harvesting spices and making spices
Vanilla begins fruiting at the age of 3. But to get the fruits of natural vanilla, flowers must be artificially pollinated. This procedure is carried out not only at home, but also in industrial conditions, since natural plant pollinators have a very narrow habitat. But this will not ensure that all the ovaries bear fruit. In addition, the development of the fetus from the ovary lasts about 9 months. Therefore, the pods of these plants are highly prized. And in ancient times, they were even used as money.
The crop is harvested before it has matured and the pods have not yet opened. On average, in this phase of development, the pods reach a length of approximately 20-25 cm. While they are devoid of a characteristic odor, and in order to obtain the cherished aroma from them, they must be processed in a special way. To do this, first of all, the raw materials are poured over with boiling water. This is followed by a long drying and drying process. But you do not need to dry them until they crunch. Quality vanilla sticks are soft. To prevent them from losing their aroma, they are kept in a tightly closed package. And if you immerse one of these in a sugar bowl, the sugar will very quickly absorb this magical smell and become vanilla.
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