Palma: An Overseas Curiosity In Our Homes

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

In the list of decorative deciduous plants, the palm tree occupies a special place. In her homeland, in the countries of Asia and Africa, since ancient times, she was revered as a sacred tree, as she was both the breadwinner of the peoples and the protector of water sources from drying out. At the same time, the palm tree provided wood for the construction of houses, raw materials for the manufacture of baskets, mats, ropes, and its leaves turned into real books. With its many virtues and unusual beauty, the palm tree has earned the honor of decorating the most famous palaces in the world. And from there, miniature copies of it came to our homes

Keeping a palm tree indoors

Palm trees are home to warm, sunny countries. And for this reason, palms are extremely light-requiring. In indoor conditions, they need to choose a place closer to the windows. However, the leaves must be protected from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, otherwise they will burn. Light curtains made of tulle will cope with this task.

The thermophilic nature of the beautiful palm tree does not tolerate cold air and drafts. Therefore, during airing, especially in the cold season, it is not recommended to leave the palm tree in front of an open window, and it is even better to cover the window with a curtain. In autumn, when airing, the pot is covered with a sheet of cardboard or covered with a small blanket so as not to expose the roots looking out of the ground to cold air currents in a relatively warm room.

The optimal temperature regime for keeping palms is + 15… + 20 ° С. When the thermometer in the room rises higher, the tips of the plant begin to dry out, and then the edges of the leaf plates. To protect your pet from this scourge in the sultry summer, the leaves are regularly sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

Dry areas can be trimmed, but so as not to touch the live parts of the leaves. It is impossible to save a leaf if its petiole has become completely yellow to the very bottom. This means that it has grown old, and it is time to remove it from the plant.

Caring for a palm tree at room conditions

It is better to water the palm tree with warm water slightly above room temperature - approximately + 25 … + 30 ° С. In the warm season, on hot days, watering is carried out so that there is water in the pan. But before the next moistening of the substrate under the palm tree, the old water from the pan must be removed. In addition, in the heat it is useful to wrap the base of the plant trunk with moist moss. On cooler days - with the arrival of autumn, in spring - the saucer is emptied as soon as the water drains.

On a summer morning, it is useful for a palm tree to carry out water procedures. Before that, dust is swept from the leaves. It is convenient to do this with a soft, wide cosmetic brush with thick bristles or a cotton swab. Then, from the petiole to the sharp tip, the leaf plate is washed with a stream of water from a spray bottle. This prevents yellowing of the leaves and has a positive effect on the growth of the palm tree.

During the winter months, such procedures are carried out every two weeks. But instead of a spray bottle, a sponge is used. The washcloth should be often rinsed from dust accumulated with washed off on the leaves.

Potting soil for indoor palm

They begin to transplant palms in the spring, before the process of their active growth begins. Such work must be carried out very carefully so as not to damage the root system. These plants are hard to tolerate such "wounds" and often die because of them. If, during transplantation, you find rotting areas, they must be removed to living tissue, and the cut site should be treated with charcoal crushed into dust.

For transplanting a young palm, a soil mixture of a lighter structure is made:

• deciduous land - 3 parts;

• humus earth - 2 parts;

• sand - 1 part.

In the future, clay-sod soil is gradually added to this composition. For specimens that are more than 5 years old, the following substrate is suitable:

• clay-sod land - 8 parts;

• deciduous land - part 2;

• humus earth - 2 parts;

• peat - 1 part;

• sand - 1 part.

In summer, the nutrient substrate under the palm tree is fertilized with an aqueous solution of slurry.