Grow Bay Leaves At Home

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Laurel is a popular ornamental plant, it is beautiful and useful for the home microclimate. Today many people grow it on the windowsill. Let's talk about suitable varieties, breeding methods and agricultural rules

Benefits of bay leaves

In nature, laurel grows in warm climates as an evergreen tree-like bush or tree. It is appreciated for its decorative appearance and useful composition. According to mythology, laurel is a talisman of the house, protection from negative influences, a symbol of greatness, victory.

All parts of the plant are saturated with essential oils (3, 5-5, 5%.), Alkaloids, organic acids. Lauric, palmitic acids, camphor, cineole, pinene, linalool are especially appreciated. Contains tannins and resinous substances. Due to this composition, the leaves have a spicy-bitter taste, typical aroma, as well as bactericidal and medicinal properties.

Being indoors, laurel improves the microclimate, blocks the development of fungal microorganisms, bacteria

Volatile substances, relieve signs of fatigue, increase immunity, calm the nerves, help with insomnia. Taste qualities are appreciated by culinary experts all over the world; the leaves are used in many dishes.

Growing bay leaves on a windowsill

The cultivation of laurel, in the form of room culture, has been practiced since the 16th century. The young bush has a decorative appearance, looks spectacular in the interior, and develops well in any lighting. Housewives prefer to use fresh leaves for the preparation of the first and second courses. they are more fragrant than dried ones.

The unpretentiousness of laurel makes it a favorite plant for beginners. It grows in a sunny place, in the shade, in diffused light, not pretentious to drafts and temperature extremes. Maximum height up to 3 m.

A container with a seedling in the summer is taken out to the balcony or garden. A grown plant (2-3 years), in warm regions, can be planted in open ground (tolerates up to -10).

Laurel varieties for growing at home

In nature, laurel trees can reach 15 m. Compact species are suitable for indoor cultivation. Choose from two varieties.

Laurel

1. Azores or Canary have typical properties and external similarities. Differs in a rounded, egg-shaped leaf shape, lack of gloss and dark green color. The leaf is large, 10-13 cm, not used in cooking. It blooms profusely with fragrant yellow double flowers. It grows quickly and has an attractive appearance.

2. Laurel Camphor has three subspecies: narrow-leaved, golden, wrinkled. Leaves of uniform saturated green color, glossy. It is characterized by a dense crown and longevity. With quality care, she lives at home for 15 years. When formed, it looks like a bush. Leaves have all the beneficial properties, suitable for treatment and food use.

Laurel

Planting laurel

The easiest way is to buy a ready-made seedling in the store, if this option is not available, plant the laurel with your own hands. The best way is cuttings, but the problem of acquiring fresh cuttings excludes this option. It is popular to grow laurel from seeds and are available in online and flower shops. The seed is similar to a dry black and blue berry 1.5 cm in size.

The soil for planting should be light and moisture-permeable. It is ideal to use commercially available cactus mixes or versatile living soil. You can prepare the soil yourself from equal parts of humus, sand, peat, charcoal. A drainage layer (pebbles, expanded clay, etc.) is always placed on the bottom of the pot.

Sowing is carried out in February-March with preliminary preparation: the seeds are kept in a solution of Epin or another stimulant, then germinated for 3-5 days in a damp tissue. When sprouts appear, they are laid in the ground, with a depth of 1 cm. Before emergence, the container is covered with polyethylene. Watering is neat from a spray bottle. At the stage of appearance of 3-4 leaves, they are seated / dived.

For propagation by cuttings, the peak of active vegetation is selected: late spring - early summer. For planting, one-year-old mature shoots with a length of 8-10 cm are needed. An oblique cut is made from the bottom, the upper leaves are half-truncated, the lower ones are removed. The lower end is buried in moist, loose soil by 2-3 cm.

rooting

The sprout is covered with a plastic bottle without a bottom. Watering and irrigation of leaves is carried out periodically. After 1, 5-2 months, rooting will occur, and the seedling can be planted in a permanent place.

Laurel bush care

For a comfortable state, regular watering, top dressing, and irrigation of the crown are needed. The pot can be installed on the south and north windowsill. The grown plant is placed on the floor near the window. A glazed loggia is a good place, laurel winters well there if the winter temperature is stable (+ 10 … + 15).

As you grow, you should transplant into more spacious containers. Active flowering is possible only in good lighting conditions. The dormancy process begins in winter: growth stops, watering is reduced (2-3 times a month), top dressing is excluded.

Signs of improper care:

• spotting on foliage - excessive watering;

• yellowness, leaf curl - dry air.

The formation of the crown begins at the age of 4-5 years, is carried out in early summer. Any form can be created, usually spherical or pyramidal.