Laurel tree - growing at home

Probably, there is no such person who would not know about the existence of bay leaves. After all, one cannot do without them in the culinary arts. Lavrushka can be added to various dishes, it gives them a good aroma and taste.

The origin and appearance of the laurel

Laurel is an evergreen tree or shrub from the laurel family. It lives in a subtropical climate: in the Canary Islands, in the Mediterranean, Western Transcaucasia, in the south of the Krasnodar Territory. A laurel tree can be up to 15 meters high. Its leaves contain a very strong spicy smell.

Laurel tree

Types of laurel plant

There are 3 types:

• Camphor laurel. It has this name due to the large amount of camphor in the leaves and stems. Its homeland is China, it is also well known in India and other Asian countries. This species is distinguished by tough, thick and spotted leaves. Camphor laurel blooms for about a week and a half with yellow inflorescences. Camphor oil is used in medicine.
• Azores laurel. A plant native to the Azores. The tree can grow up to 15 meters in height. The leaves are large, ovoid, dark green in color. Blooms in May, inflorescences are pale yellow. Often, the Azores laurel is used as a decorative design.
• Noble laurel. It is considered the most common of all, as its leaves are added to food. It is a perennial tree or shrub that can live up to 100 years in good conditions. By this time, in height, it can grow up to 10 m. At home, it grows up to 3 m. Leaves up to 8 cm in size come almost from the very beginning of the stem. It blooms in spring with yellowish flowers.

Laurel care at home

Best of all for indoor growing is noble laurel. This is a completely unpretentious tree and can easily adapt to different conditions. But, like any plant, it needs good and proper care.

The laurel tree is very fond of light. It can also grow in the shade, but this will significantly slow down its growth. In no case should direct sunlight be allowed to hit the leaves. This can lead to drying of the leaves. For growing bay leaves at home, a windowsill or balcony is best suited. For uniform development of the crown, you need to turn the plant from time to time in different directions towards the sun.

Wood at home

The best temperature regime for a flower is at least +20 degrees. In the warm season, the plant should, if possible, be taken outside. It can be freely grown in summer cottages, in a garden, in a flower bed.

The laurel needs good humidity, but you shouldn't flood it too much. With a lack of moisture, the tree will begin to dry and will soon disappear. It is advisable to spray bay leaves at least once a day.

Reproduction

The laurel tree can be propagated by cuttings or seeds.

The stalk must have several internodes. To make it start well, it is placed in a solution of "Kornevin". Then the stalk must be planted in perlite or sand, covered with a transparent container on top. Sometimes the plant needs to be aired and watered.After the appearance of the roots and the first leaves, the seedlings can be opened and looked after according to the standard rules of agricultural technology. The shoot from a bay leaf at home begins to actively grow and develop in the spring.

Reproduction of laurel

The seed method to propagate a laurel flower is a little more difficult. First, the seeds are peeled. Then they are kept in water or in a special solution that stimulates growth for several hours.

Seeds should be sown in late winter or early spring. The soil is prepared from black soil, sand and peat, taken in a ratio of 3: 1: 1. The seeds are planted to a depth of 2 cm. If everything is done correctly, the sprouts will appear in 4 months. The first year they need to be looked after very carefully.

Outdoor tree care

When grown outdoors, remember that laurel is a thermophilic tree. Therefore, the following conditions must be met:

• good illumination of the site, but without excess direct sunlight;
• low acidity of the soil;
• regular and abundant watering;
• regular fertilization.

The laurel plant is not planted in an open place immediately. Initially, it is grown in greenhouses or indoor pots, so that the sprouts of the laurel additive will grow stronger. Then they are gradually transferred to a greenhouse, which is opened for several hours, hardening the plants. When the laurel sprout is ready for the right temperature, it is planted in the ground on a permanent basis.

Laurel tree is frost-resistant, old plants can withstand up to 15 degrees below zero. But in extreme cold, it is imperative to cover the plant so that it does not die.

The area for the laurel tree or shrub must be well lit. This will provide the plant with a high content of essential oil in the leaves. You need to prune the crop in early spring before the appearance of new buds and leaves. You can also choose a period in late autumn, when the plant prepares for a dormant period.

Outdoor care

Top dressing is a prerequisite for growing laurel. At the first time after planting the tree in the ground, top dressing is not needed. He has enough nutrients present in the soil. In subsequent years, small amounts of fertilizer are applied.

You need to fertilize laurel from spring to autumn once a month. The plant can be fed with mineral or organic fertilizers. In the latter option, you need to take 1 liter of ripe humus and dilute in a bucket of water. It is better to alternate fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers.

In the warm season, the tree is watered regularly, but not flooded. In extreme heat, it should be watered 2 times a day. The water should be warm.

In spring and autumn, laurel needs to be watered constantly, but in moderation. The soil should not be allowed to dry out completely. In winter, watering is reduced, once every 2 weeks will be enough.

Watering

Diseases and pests

The most famous disease in laurel is leaf spot. It occurs with high humidity, so you should adhere to the rules of watering and do not flood the plant.

Of the harmful insects, laurel can be visited by mealybugs, scale insects and spider mites. The scale insects are located on the surface of the leaf and gradually suck the juice from it. Yellow or white spots form on the leaves, which grow in size over time. At the same time, the leaves curl and dry out. Scabbards can multiply very quickly and move to neighboring flowers. Therefore, the infected plant must be removed from all others and sprayed with an insecticide.

Diseases

The first sign of the appearance of mealybugs on the laurel is a white foamy coating, as well as a sticky liquid on the stems and leaves. Treat the tree with soapy water, treating all the affected areas. Then they are sprayed with insecticides several times at intervals of one week.

The spider mite is very small in size, so it is difficult to see it with normal human vision. Its presence can be recognized by the cobwebs on the branches and white bloom. As a prophylaxis against this insect, soap solution and insecticides should be used. The soil can be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Pests

The bay tree is a wonderful plant. It is not whimsical to care for, so everyone can grow it both in a country house and in an apartment. The owner of such a plant will always enjoy its beauty and delicious dishes with spicy leaves. The laurel tree harmoniously fits into any interior, and its leaves purify the air from various infections.