Laurel tree at home. Noble bay leaf - secrets of care and reproduction

I had a laurel tree that I bought in a store. The first couple of years I looked after him in the same way as for all other plants: I reduced watering in winter, in summer I monitored soil moisture.

But after a while, obviously, the plant began to lack something: the leaves began to darken, dry. At first, I could not figure out what was the matter: the preparations against the fungus and feeding did not help.

Then I decided to transplant the tree and in the process of transplanting I saw that its roots were rotten. I began to study this issue and realized that I watered too much laurel in the cold season.

It turned out that the root system of the plant was in a cold wet soil, which was disastrous for the southern laurel. In addition, I had not transplanted a tree for a long time, which also deprived him of his strength.

I ended up removing the rotten roots, preparing fresh soil suitable for the laurel tree, and my laurel survived! Began to turn green even better than before. Of course, he never bloomed with me, but his beautiful dark green foliage is enough for me.

It looks great and decorates the living room. Now I do not forget to replant it and in winter I watch with special attention the moisture content of the soil.

Not so long ago I was able to propagate a plant to give to a friend. It turned out to be quite simple: a healthy bush gives excellent layering, which quickly take root and grow. I will tell you about my experience of growing laurel in this article.

The laurel tree looks great in the interior: it has dense leaves of an intense dark green hue with beautiful, slightly wavy edges. The leaves are tough, and this gives the plant a unique, unusual look: we are accustomed to the fact that houseplants, as a rule, have soft leaves, which makes the silhouette of the plant plastic.

But laurel is straight, clear lines. He's especially good at modern interior, which is characterized by purity and uniformity of color and minimalism.

Laurel, in addition to its appearance, it is also good because it actually affects the energy of the house. It is no coincidence that the dry leaves of this plant are used for cooking: the laurel contains a lot essential oils that can fight airborne pollution and bacteria.

Also, do not forget that laurel is a plant of winners. It was not by chance that ancient civilizations chose this tree to make wreaths for heroes from its branches. There is something noble and beautiful in the laurel.

And it's so great that such a legendary plant can grow beautifully on our windowsills and delight us with its appearance! Moreover, caring for laurel is not difficult at all.

By the way, for culinary purposes, bay leaves can be plucked directly from your homemade laurel - such a seasoning will be even more useful and fragrant, and will improve the taste of the dish. If you plan to use laurel as a living source of bay leaves, remember simple rules: the leaf should not be immediately thrown into boiling water, dry it for two days.

Thus, the advantages of the plant:

• Spectacular appearance
• The ability to use the bush as a source of bay leaves
• Unpretentiousness
• Indoor air disinfection

Caring for a noble laurel at home

Miniature laurel tree will grow well and will not get sick if you follow simple rules. In many ways, caring for laurel is similar to caring for many other houseplants, but there are some specifics.

Laurel is unpretentious, it is able to grow in open ground even in the southern regions, but where there are no long periods with temperatures below minus five degrees.

The plant loves sunlight but will survive in the back of the room. It is better to judge here by his well-being: if you see that a tree is growing in the living room, it has enough artificial light, it grows and turns green well, then you can leave it in this place. But if the bush is sick, it does not look good, it is better to rearrange the pot where the conditions will be better.

Laurel loves very much to be cut, it is good for him. Don't be afraid to grab a pair of clippers or pruning shears and shape the bush. He will have more strength and health. But laurel should be trimmed only when the bush has grown, from about the age of five. It is better to do this in the fall.

The tree loves moisture, but not in the soil. Therefore, you may not even water your bay tree very often, but if possible, spray every other day or two in the summer and once a week during the cold season.

As for watering, everything is logical here: in summer and spring, when the tree lets in new shoots and is actively growing, it is required regular watering... At the same time, you should always monitor the condition of the soil: laurel does not like waterlogging! Also, the plant prefers only settled water at room temperature. Ice water is destructive for him.

If the heat comes, then the bush can be sprayed in the morning and in the evening, laurel will only be grateful to you for such care.

Remember to replant the laurel either every spring or after a couple of years. The nutrient substrate is depleted, the soil needs to be changed! When transplanting, it is important to lay a high-quality drainage layer of expanded clay or broken brick. Cactus soil or universal soil is best.

The main conditions for optimal maintenance:

• Spraying
• Lean watering
• Regular transplant in the spring
• Bush trimming
• Top dressing in summer

How to grow a bay bush at home

Laurel can be grown:

• Seeds
• Cuttings
• Air layering

The easiest way is propagation by cuttings. You will definitely not have any problems with it! It is best to do this in the spring, when everything is growing and the tree is ready to multiply.

The procedure is standard:

• you are cutting a sturdy stalk with several leaves (from the bottom of the tree)
• remove a couple of lower leaves on the handle
• put the cutting in water for a week
• root it in wet sand, covering it with a film
• ventilate your future tree, water it on time
• a month later, the grown young laurel is planted from a separate pot

Genus laurel (lat.Laurus) belongs to the laurel family and has only 2 species. Grows in the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean. Up to forty species of laurel per this moment is counted in today's English taxonomy.

Laurel are evergreen shrubs or trees. Simple leaves leathery to the touch, the edge of the leaf is solid and slightly wavy. Axillary inflorescences are in the shape of an umbrella.

If the plant is well looked after, then young specimens can grow at high temperatures and low air humidity; adult specimens will grow poorly under such conditions.

Planting and caring for laurel (in short)

• Bloom: the plant is grown as an ornamental deciduous plant.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• Temperature: in spring and summer - 20-26 ºC, in autumn the temperature is gradually reduced to 12-15 ºC.
• Watering: during the growing season - regular and abundant, as soon as the top layer of the substrate dries. In the heat, watered twice a day. With the onset of autumn, watering is reduced, and in winter they just make sure that the substrate does not dry out completely.
• Air humidity: high: in the heat, the plant should be regularly sprayed and kept on a pallet with wet expanded clay.
• Top dressing: during the growing season - once a month with a complex mineral fertilizer. In winter, laurel is not fed.
• Rest period: from October to March.
• Transfer: young plants - once every two years, adults - once every 3-4 years.
• Substrate: two parts of humus land, two parts of leaf and one part of peat, turf and sand.
• Cropping: pruning is carried out in mid-August.
• Reproduction: seeds, cuttings.
• Pests: scabbards, spider mites, mealybugs.
• Diseases: sooty mushroom.
• Properties: the plant is a popular spice and has medicinal properties.

Read more about laurel cultivation below.

Laurel - photo

Laurel care at home

Lighting

The laurel plant at home safely tolerates direct sunlight, so it feels good on southern windows with bright lighting. In summer, the laurel is best carried out on Fresh air... Despite the fact that laurel normally tolerates direct sunlight, after wintering or immediately after buying a plant, it is gradually taught to the sun in order to prevent sunburn. In winter, the plant is kept in a cool and bright place.

Temperature

The optimum temperature in summer is 20-26 ° C. Starting in autumn, the temperature should be gradually reduced, and in winter, in order for the wintering to pass as painlessly as possible, the temperature should be in the range of 12-15 ° C.

Watering laurel

In summer, home laurel should be watered abundantly with soft water as soon as the topsoil dries up. You can also water it a couple of times a day if the temperature is very high. Since autumn, watering is reduced, and in winter it is watered only 2-3 days after the topsoil has dried.

Spraying laurel

The laurel plant needs high air humidity - it must be constantly sprayed with settled water. It will not be superfluous to put the pot with the plant on a pallet moistened with expanded clay or peat, making sure that the bottom of the pot is not immersed in water.

Top dressing laurel

Indoor plant laurel during the growing season needs to be fed monthly with mineral fertilizers.

Pruning laurel

You can trim the room laurel - they tolerate a haircut well. You can give the plant any shape. You need to prune when growth stops, usually in mid-August. Those eyes that remain on the plant will develop well before winter, and when the plant begins to grow in spring, they will give shoots. When pruning the laurel in the spring, you need to remove the strong eyes at the top, and from the remaining weaker eyes, the increase will be small.

Laurel transplant

Laurel flower grows slowly. Young plants should be repotted about once every two years if the roots have filled the pot completely, and adult plants - every 3-4 years. The earthen mixture is composed of leaf, humus, sod land, sand and peat (2: 2: 1: 1: 1). The substrate should be neutral or slightly alkaline. Because indoor plant laurel grows well in small pots, then it should be transplanted into a pot that is no more than 2 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. The size of the tub is increased by no more than 5 cm. Do not forget to build high-quality drainage at the bottom of the pot.

Laurel from seeds

Seeds of laurel are sown in the spring in pots, bowls or boxes with a soil mixture of two parts of leaf and sod land and one part of sand. When sowing, the soil temperature should be at least 18 ° C. In the phase of one or two leaves, the seedlings dive at a distance of 2 cm from each other into the same substrate. When the laurel seedlings get stronger, they are transplanted one by one into individual pots 7 cm in diameter in a substrate of 4 parts of sod land, 2 parts of leaf, 1 part of peat and sand. Young plants should be regularly watered and sprayed at temperatures between 10 and 12 ° C in a lighted area.

Propagation of laurel by cuttings

When propagated by cuttings, shoots are cut either in April or early summer. The cuttings should not be woody, have 2-3 internodes and be up to 8 cm long. They are planted to a depth of 1.5 cm at a distance of 10 cm from each other after shortening the leaves. The soil mixture consists of two parts: sand is poured 2-3 cm from the top, and three to four centimeters of sod land from the bottom. Laurel cuttings should take root in about 30 days; the temperature should be kept at 16-20 ° C. After the cuttings take root, they are planted in 7-centimeter pots - the substrate and care are the same as when propagating by seeds.

The healing properties of laurel

The leaves have a stimulating effect and are a spice. Bay leaf stimulates the removal of fluids from the body, is used for hysteria and colic. Also, leaves and fruits are used for flatulence.

With localized tumors in folk medicine use extracts from any part of the plant as an anti-cancer agent. With the help of the same extracts, they take care of the skin of the face. The composition of ointments used for rheumatism includes laurel oil.

From dried bay leaves, you can prepare a tincture - the crushed leaves are filled with 40% or 70% alcohol in a ratio of 1 to 5. The container is tightly closed and left to infuse for a week at room temperature. After that, it is filtered and poured into a bottle, which is stored in a cool dark place.

The highest level of essential oils in bay leaves is found from November to December - it is at this time that you should collect the leaves of the bay, which will be used in cooking. Leaves are harvested from four to five summer plants.

Diseases and pests of laurel

The laurel turns yellow. Due to insufficient air humidity, laurel leaves may turn yellow and curl. In this case, the humidity must be increased.

Laurel pests.

Laurel is the most famous evergreen tree or shrub that came to us from the Mediterranean. V Ancient Greece this beautiful plant was called Daphne, after the nymph Daphne. Overwhelmed with love for her, Apollo weaved a wreath from laurel, which became his integral accessory, and from here went the glory of the laurel as a symbol of triumph and victory.

We have this same plant is the best and favorite kitchen spice. Indeed, without laurel, it will not be possible to cook delicious homemade soup, fish soup or borscht and, of course, fragrant second courses. It has become a common ingredient in the preparation of vegetables for the winter and pickles.

This irreplaceable plant can be grown quite simply at home. Laurel is very unpretentious to grow, and it will take very little effort to grow normally. If we can grow laurel at home from seeds or in another way, then it will become not only useful as a spice, but it will be an effective home ornamental plant..

Laurel: a description of a spicy plant

In nature, laurel can be both a tree and a very tall shrub, 9-11 m high.The thickness of its trunk can reach 40-45 cm.When growing laurel at home, it grows only up to 2 m.Its bark and shoots are smooth, mostly brown in color ...

Laurel leaves are solid, straight, naked, short-petiolized and whole-edged, up to 20 cm long, and up to 5 cm wide. They are dark green above, and lighter below. They have a very pleasant spicy aroma. Laurel flowers are small, yellowish and unisexual, appear in inflorescences at the ends of branches, 6-12 staminate and 2-3 pistillate.

Did you know? If you grow laurel at home, it may not bloom at all, and if it blooms, then in late spring.

V natural conditions laurel has been growing for over 100 years; when grown at home, the life span of a laurel tree can be up to 15 years.

Is it possible to grow laurel indoors

Laurel when grown at home is noble plant, he is very hardy and unpretentious in care. Therefore, absolutely anyone can grow it at home.

But still, you should not start development, caring for a room laurel is at least minimal, but extremely necessary. At correct cultivation you will have a great plant that will thank you for the effort you put into developing it with lush, healthy foliage.

Prerequisites for a laurel tree

V indoor conditions for planting, the Noble Laurel is best suited. For the healthy development of a laurel tree, in addition to standard care, timely crown pruning and spraying will be needed to make the laurel feel comfortable. Laurel, like any houseplant, requires attention to disease and pest control.

Location and light

A bay tree needs a well-lit area with diffused light. Since this plant is shade-tolerant, it can be kept in a shaded place, but when grown in conditions of diffused light, the laurel can bloom, and the bush itself will be thicker than when grown in a shaded place.

In the hot period of the year, you should avoid the constant hit of direct sun rays... In summer, the laurel can be safely taken out into the garden or onto the balcony. In an apartment, pots can be placed on the floor near windows, in the hallway or in the hallway. The plant should be regularly ventilated, but do not create constant drafts.

Air temperature and humidity

In summer, the plant will feel great on the street, it is unpretentious, but fresh air will not be superfluous for it. The most comfortable temperature for laurel is 15-20 ° C. In the summer, the bush needs to be sprayed with leaves twice a week to maintain a subtropical climate.

Since autumn, the plant needs rest. The rest period for laurel at home is artificially created from October to March. You should put the laurel in a place with low light and humidity. The temperature should not be higher than +10 ° C and not lower than -5 ° C.

Did you know? A dormant period is created to prevent the growth of weak, unwanted shoots that weaken the bay tree.

In the spring, if the frost is over, then from April the plant can already be taken out into the garden. If it is still cold at this time, then it is better to keep it in the house until the warm period and do not forget to spray at least once a week.

Soil requirements for successful growth

Bay leaf saplings, after we can grow them from seeds, will need replanting. When transplanting a seedling into a pot, it is imperative to fill in a good drainage layer of expanded clay. Laurel loves moist soil, but water stagnation should not be allowed, this can lead to the death of the plant.

The soil should be light; any version of the commercially available universal soil is suitable for laurel. Independently, the soil for planting laurel can be prepared from two parts of sod land, one part of leafy land, and half a part of a fine, well-washed river sand... Before planting a seedling, the soil can be heated in an oven at a sufficient temperature for disinfection. Too high temperatures during heating should be avoided so as not to destroy all the beneficial microflora.

How to plant laurel, laurel tree propagation methods

Bay leaf is an indispensable ingredient in the kitchen of any housewife. It belongs to an inexpensive spice, but it is much more pleasant when the personally grown and dried leaves of this plant are used in the dish. Consider how you can grow lavrushka from seeds, cuttings and dividing a bush at home.

Sowing with seeds

In order to grow a laurel tree as best as possible and with the best quality, it should be planted from seeds brought from the south. The best time for the beginning of sowing - this is mid-February, early March. Laurel seeds should be planted 1 cm deep in the prepared soil. The soil temperature should be approximately 20 ° C. In this case, the seeds will sprout in 3-4 months.

Before planting laurel from seeds in the ground, the seeds can be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate for 3-5 days, this will speed up the process of their germination. After planting the seeds in the soil, the pot should be placed in a warm place, well moistened and covered with plastic or glass.

Before the sprouts appear, it will be necessary to remove the polyethylene from the pot in order to air it for at least half an hour a day. It is also necessary to monitor the moisture content of the soil, it should be moderate, and water stagnation should not be allowed. In dry soil, the seeds will die, and in too wet soil they will rot.

Important! Watering the seeds and sprouts of laurel should be carried out by standing and warm water... The water temperature should be 4-5 ° C higher than room temperature.

After transplanting the seedling, the plant must be placed in a dark place for 2-3 weeks, remembering to maintain soil moisture. After 2-3 weeks, the seedling is moved to the light to start its active growth.

How to plant laurel by dividing a bush

It is necessary to divide the bay bush very carefully, on each branch separated from the main plant, a part of viable roots should remain. The division should be carried out only at a time when the laurel is in a dormant period, and this is from October to March. The laurel is divided after 3-5 years of its growth. It is worth the first time to divide the bush into a small number of parts. Separating 2-3 branches from a three-year laurel will be quite enough.

Important! It is categorically not recommended to divide the laurel bush during its development, a weak, not fortified plant may die.

Laurel cuttings

You can propagate laurel by both seeds and cuttings, but this is much more difficult to do than growing laurel from seeds. Laurel cuttings are carried out in late spring and early summer. Annual and matured shoots of laurel are used as cuttings.

Cuttings 7-9 cm long are cut from the middle or lower part of the bush at an oblique angle. Bottom sheets remove from the cutting, and cut the upper ones in half. Then the cuttings are planted in the substrate. The substrate is prepared from the same parts of leafy soil and marsh moss, it is also recommended to add half a part of the sand.

Drainage from expanded clay should be placed at the bottom of the pot, covered with substrate and thoroughly moistened. Cuttings are planted 2 cm deep and covered with polyethylene or a regular glass jar.

The seedling must be sprayed and ventilated every day. You should also make sure that the soil is constantly moist. At proper care The cutting will take root in 1-2 months.

How to properly care for a laurel tree

After planting the laurel, the work does not end, because when growing, you need to regularly take care of its condition, water and fertilize the soil. And to form a decorative look, it must be cut off.

Watering and feeding the plant

Watering laurel is important at any stage of its development. When planting seeds and for the development of roots in cuttings, you need to use warm, soft and settled water. Watering an adult plant also needs to be carried out with settled water, but one should distinguish between the seasonal intensity of watering the tree.

In spring and summer, laurel needs constant watering to avoid drying out the soil. In the fall, watering is reduced. In winter, it must be strictly limited, and if the laurel is in a room with a temperature below 6 ° C, then watering should be stopped altogether.

Young plants need to be sprayed with leaves for better growth, adult plants are sprayed to remove dust on the leaves and crown of the tree. Top dressing of laurel is needed not only at the time of its transplant, but also throughout its entire life period. An adult laurel is a slow growing tree, so in order to avoid depletion of the plant, you need to change the top 3-4 cm of soil in which it grows.

One of the most popular home-grown evergreens is the laurel flower. An additional effect of growing it indoors will be a pleasant aroma, and a bonus - protection from blood-sucking insects! It may be a small bush or a miniature tree. In ancient times, laurel wreaths were worn on the heads of the winners and famous people... In conditions open air and the soil grows up to 12 meters high. This plant is very convenient to grow at home, because, besides decorative decoration apartment also has useful functions. You don't need to run to the store for a bay leaf, you just need to pluck it from the tree. In our article, you will learn about caring for a laurel tree at home.

Varieties of indoor laurel

This plant has only two types:

• laurel noble;
• Canary laurel.

Unlike its compatriot, the Canarian species has large, wide leaves, slightly wrinkled at the edges. But his aroma is somewhat weaker than that of a noble brother. There are several varieties of noble laurel trees.

An indoor plant, the care of which is quite simple, is in high demand among flower growers. The main botanical species has three varieties: narrow-leaved, golden and wrinkled. All of them differ from each other only in the shape and color of the foliage.

Soil for growing laurel tree

Bay leaf saplings, after we can grow them from seeds, will need replanting. When transplanting a seedling into a pot, it is imperative to fill in a good drainage layer of expanded clay. Laurel loves moist soil, but water stagnation should not be allowed, this can lead to the death of the plant. The soil should be light; any version of the commercially available universal soil is suitable for laurel. Independently, the soil for planting laurel can be prepared from two parts of sod land, one part of leafy soil, and half a part of fine, well-washed river sand. Before planting a seedling, the soil can be heated in an oven at a sufficient temperature for disinfection. Too high temperatures during heating should be avoided so as not to destroy all the beneficial microflora.

Propagation of a laurel tree by cuttings

Before the shoots start growing in April, cuttings are cut, about 10 cm long.Then they are rooted in heated leafy ground with the addition of sphagnum moss (1 + 1), covered with a glass jar or plastic bag to maintain moisture. It is desirable to maintain constant temperature+ 22 ... + 28оС. With the appearance of leaves, rooted cuttings are transplanted into the same potting soil as when growing by seeds. The transplanted plants are constantly watered, preventing the soil from drying out, and sprayed with cool water.

Propagation of a laurel tree by seeds

Laurel seeds are large, in the shape of an oval and are up to two centimeters in length, with a thin shell, which prevents the seeds from drying out and their premature germination.

Laurel seeds do not like drying and can germinate only in the first 3-5 months (and then only when proper storage). Before sowing, the seeds must be freed from the shell and sown in separate pots, or simply on permanent place... Seeds usually sprout from April to August. It also happens that sometimes the seeds can germinate in January, but in severe frosts, the seedlings are likely to die. It will be best to keep plants in a room at a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, and in spring it is advisable to take the plant outside. In the first year, feeding the seedlings is optional, but from the second year, mineral fertilizers in small doses can be used as feeding. Laurel will tolerate any soil except waterlogged. If you grow laurel in your home, you will get beautiful forever. green plant that will delight the eye every day.

Laurel tree care

The laurel plant itself is quite unpretentious, loves light and fresh air, is not afraid of drafts. When caring for a laurel tree at home and in the open field, you must observe some points. Let's consider them in more detail.

Watering the laurel tree

Laurel is very fond of water, the plant needs a constant flow of soft water. In summer, during dry periods, the plant can be watered twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. However, watering is necessary if the plant has completely absorbed water and does not allow waterlogging. During the autumn-winter dormant period, watering is reduced, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out. Try to comply temperature regime with a watering regime and then the plant will be able to gain strength and grow in the natural cycle.

Air humidity plays a very important role for laurel. You need to spray the plant daily with soft, filtered water, avoiding moisture on the leaves at the peak of the heat, otherwise the leaves will get burned. In winter, you can replace spraying with wiping the leaves with a damp cloth. You can determine for yourself whether there is enough moisture in the air because the leaves turn yellow.

Top dressing of the laurel tree

It is necessary to feed the laurel tree only in the warm spring and summer period once a month. For this, it is best to use a liquid or complete mineral fertilizer. In the winter season, laurel does not need feeding.

Lighting for growing laurel trees

Laurel is a quite hardy plant; it will grow in moderate light, but it will thrive best — and branch out actively — in bright, predominantly diffused light. It should be protected from the excess of scorching sun rays.

Laurel prefers bright light, but grows very well in the shade. It is advisable to protect the tree from direct sunlight, otherwise it can dry out quickly.

A balcony or loggia, slightly darkened with curtains or special reflective paper, would be a good place. Ventilate the area regularly, but beware of drafts.

For the successful growth of the crown, the tree periodically needs to be turned towards the light source.

Temperature for growing laurel tree

Before growing laurel at home, you need to know that the best summer temperature range is from 18 to 20 degrees, and the winter one is from 10 to 15 degrees.

Lavra is most pleasant to live in the fresh air - on the balcony, in the courtyard or in the country, including throughout the year - if winter temperatures keep at the level of + 5-6.

The best temperature during the growing season is 17-19 degrees.

In the spring, during a warm period, take the plant to fresh air. The laurel tree is not afraid of wintering, so it easily tolerates even slight frosts. V winter period can be grown on cold side windows.

If you live in a mild climate, laurel can be grown in the garden and used as a hedge.

Pruning laurel tree

Prune the tree. The best time is the border of summer and autumn. This will stimulate the laurel to grow in breadth rather than upward. By pruning, you can shape the plant and prevent it from growing too much. Starting at 2 years of age, use garden scissors to form a crown in the form of a ball or any other shape.

Diseases and pests of the laurel tree at home

The bay species is very resistant to disease. Very rarely, laurel can be affected by a sooty fungus. A red bloom appears on the leaves, which is simply washed off with water. The development of the plant is not affected by this disease, but the plant loses decorative view... For treatment, you can use a weak solution of soda and green soap in water - 5 g of each drug is enough for one liter of water.

Of the pests that most often settle on domestic plants, the laurel can be threatened by scale insects, mealybug and spider mites.

As you can see, with proper home care, you can grow a laurel tree.

Good day, dear readers. Today we'll talk about a spice, which is probably present in the arsenal of any housewife, and a strong half of humanity, when preparing their favorite dumplings, rarely does without it. We are talking about a bay leaf, the cultivation of which at home will be the topic of our conversation today.

If you are going to grow bay leaves at home, first you need to understand that noble laurel gives us leaves for seasoning - evergreen tree, less often a shrub that grows in the tropical zone of our planet. So, for example, on the territory of Russia, this plant is found in natural nature only in the Crimea or Krasnodar Territory... In other regions, laurel cultivation in the open field is not practiced.

Therefore, the conditions for growing bay leaves at home should be truly tropical:

• the temperature is not lower than 20 degrees, optimally +25;
• high air humidity;
• short daylight hours with bright lighting.

This is achieved by placing plants on southern windowsills with regular spraying or using artificial air humidifiers.

Attention! Laurel will grow well on northern windowsills, only it will be less lush with a sparser crown.

Growing on a windowsill in summer can be combined with taking plants 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, one should not forget the plant in the country, but you need to take it with you to your winter apartment.

Reproduction of laurel

There are two ways to get your laurel tree:

1. Growing bay leaves from seeds.
2. Growing by rooting cuttings.
3. Horizontal layering.
4. Buying ready-made seedlings.

Let's consider all the methods in more detail.

Seed reproduction

Laurel seeds can be obtained in two ways:

• buy in a specialized store;
• collect from the branches of lavrushka, sold in the markets as spices.

Sowing seeds in the ground is best in early spring or in the fall, summer, the embryonic processes in the seeds slow down a little and you can simply not wait for the germination. Sow seeds in small seedling containers.

Before sowing, the soil 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. Covering the container with a suitable lid, 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 sprout 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 oily and nutritious, but great attention should be paid to its mechanical composition. A mixture of the following components is best suited for growing lavrushka:

• forest sod land;
• sand;
• peat.

To add airiness and looseness, you can use coconut substrate or popular today soil leavening agents, such as perlite or vermiculite.

It is very important that the roots receive free access to air, this is one of the conditions for the successful cultivation of 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 container.

After the appearance of real leaves, the plants dive into more spacious dishes and look after, like other plants, making timely watering, feeding and transplanting.

Cuttings

Cuttings noble laurel is no different from that on currants or gooseberries. Here's how to do it:

1. We cut non-lignified green cuttings 6-10 centimeters long. In this case, the lower cut under the kidney is made oblique, the upper one - one centimeter above the kidney - straight.
2. We leave two upper leaves on the handle, and we shorten them in half for less evaporation of moisture.
3. We deepen the cutting into the soil of the pot by 1-2 centimeters.
4. Cover the pot with foil with holes.
5. We ventilate regularly.

Rooting will occur in about a month. After that, you can transplant the finished seedling into a permanent container.

Layers of bay leaves

If you have adult 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:

1. A container filled with nutritious soil is placed next to a laurel plant growing in a pot.
2. A 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.
3. At this point, the branches make an incision about 4-5 centimeters long.
4. The branch is placed in a pot of soil and pinned. The end of the layering is tied to a vertical support.
5. The place of the incision is covered with soil to the top of the container and watered.

After a while, depending on the conditions the environment, it will appear from the ground new sprout... The rooted branch can then be separated from the mother plant.

Purchased seedlings

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 simple. It is necessary to water the bush on time and spray it with warm water. Twice a year, you can feed the plant with some kind of organic matter.

Advice! It is better to give top dressing 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 reloaded every four years.

An important work is the decorative pruning of the bush. Laurel is very responsive to pruning, and you can shape its crown as you wish.

Attention! Regularly picking off the leaves for the spice begins in the fourth year of the growing season of the laurel.

At home, diseases of the noble laurel rarely appear, 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 laurel tree at home

Today we have learned to plant a bay leaf and grow it at home. Good luck with your gardening business. I wrote an article for you experienced gardener Polyakov Yuri Nikolaevich.