In pursuit of a beautiful appearance, you may stumble upon a beautiful Laurel tree. An additional effect of growing it indoors will be a pleasant aroma, and a bonus – protection from blood-sucking insects!
Laurel (from Latin Laurus) is a low evergreen plant of the laurel family. The most common and popular is the Nobilis or Noble laurel variety. The homeland of this tree is the Mediterranean region, from where it then spread throughout the subtropical part of Europe. In Russia, it is often found in the southern part of the Krasnodar Territory and in the Crimea.
Types of laurel
Noble (from Latin Laurus nobilis)
- in conditions open air and soil grows up to 12 meters high. It has a pleasant and strong aroma of leaves.
Canarian, also Azorean (from Latin Laurus azorica)
- the tree is even taller, reaching 15 meters in height. The leaves are larger than those of the noble one, have a wavy edge, but the aroma is somewhat weaker than that of its brother. 
How to care for laurel at home?
Lighting
First of all, choose a bright place, preferably with bright diffused light - an east or west window, a spacious ventilated balcony without direct sunlight. Then you need to select the soil and prepare the plant itself - germinate a seed, root a cutting or root layer, or take an already grown bush from a flower shop.
The soil
The tree is unpretentious to soil, but it is better to choose light soil for indoor laurel - for example, a mixture of garden soil and sand in a ratio of 5:1. When buying soil in a store, pay attention to mixtures for indoor palm trees or cacti - they will also be suitable in composition. It is better to grow Laurel nobilis domestica in small pots, gradually changing them - it is recommended to replant the young plant regularly.
Temperature and watering
At home, caring for laurel is quite simple. After the small tree has taken root and turned green, it is important to provide it with comfortable conditions and proper regular watering. IN summer period The laurel is watered with water at a temperature of 25–30 degrees. If tap water is too hard in your region, it needs to be filtered or boiled first. The plant should not be flooded - too wet soil is much more harmful than dry soil, and can even kill the tree. On particularly hot days, you can also spray the leaves with a spray bottle twice a day (morning and evening). This will help remove dust and dirt from the leaves and reduce the likelihood of pests.
IN winter period common laurel prefers special care: a relatively low temperature - +15 degrees at room humidity. Therefore, it is recommended to remove the pot with the plant away from heating devices, leaving it on a cool windowsill or insulated but not heated loggia. Watering in winter is usually less intensive - a couple of times a week is enough.
Fertilizer
Caring for laurel nobilis at home includes feeding during rapid growth. For this purpose, ready-made mineral or organic fertilizers for domestic plants are used, both special “Lavr” and those intended for cacti and palm trees. The frequency of feeding is up to two times a month.
Transplantation and transhipment
Laurel transplantation is carried out, depending on the age of the plant, once a year for young tree and after a year or two - for an older tree. Carry it out better in spring before the start of the active period. Growing laurel is usually done in small pots, each new pot selected 5-6 centimeters larger in diameter. Laurel transplantation at home occurs in the following order: first, the root ball is removed from the old pot and some of the soil is carefully shaken off; then transfer it to a new pot with drainage placed on the bottom and half filled with soil; The roots are carefully straightened, covered with earth and compacted so that the tree holds tightly. It is important not to add too much soil, maintaining the same relative level as in the old pot. If everything is done correctly, the laurel will grow with new strength, continuing to delight with its beauty and aroma. 
Reproduction
How to grow from seeds?
Growing laurel from seeds at home is not a difficult process, but you need to be patient. Seeds can remain viable for up to a year after ripening on a tree, but this is only possible if the right conditions storage, so most often they are recommended no later than after 3 months. Before planting, you can remove the “shell” - the pericarp - from the seeds, this will speed up the germination process. Laurel from a seed at home without pre-treatment sprouts quite slowly - sometimes the sprouts can remain in the ground for up to six months. There is no need to despair; it is only important to water the soil periodically. When the seedlings hatch and unfold two or three leaves, it is time for picking - the plants are dug up and the root is pinched to 2/3 of its length. After this procedure, laurel seedlings are planted for a permanent “place of residence.”
How to grow from cuttings?
If among your friends there is already a gardener who grows laurel, a new seedling can be obtained from an old tree by cuttings. The most the right time For propagation of indoor laurel by cuttings - spring, but if necessary, you can root the cuttings both in summer and autumn. Branches are cut 6-8 cm long (two or three internodes) from mature but not yet lignified young shoots. Then, for better rooting, they are kept in a solution of heteroauxin or potassium permanganate for a day, after which they are buried in the ground half their length and cared for in the same way as in the case of growing laurel from a seed. 
Visual design
Forming a laurel at home is a simple and, one might say, optional process. Regular, careful pruning creates beautiful shape crown and enhances branching, due to which even small indoor tree make it look like its tall street counterparts, giving it the appropriate appearance - a ball, a pyramid or a classic standard one. 
Pests
Among indoor laurel pests, scale insects are more common, spider mites, mealybugs and aphids. At the first signs of an unhealthy tree: massively falling yellow or gray leaves, white cobwebs on the leaves and branches, damage to the bark and sprouts of the plant, you should immediately begin isolating it from its healthy neighbors. Scale insects damage almost the entire plant: leaves, branches and trunk. If the infestation is weak, the pests can be removed using a cotton swab with a soapy solution, but if the infestation is severe, you will need Actellik or Karbofos insecticides (after this treatment, the leaves become unsuitable for consumption). Spider mites appear on trees in dry rooms with high air temperatures. The signal for tick damage is grey colour fallen leaves, the juice of which it feeds on. Aphids migrate to Nobilis from other plants, including those brought from the garden. To combat it, it is recommended to use tobacco decoction with soap, which is sprayed repeatedly on the plant.
Diseases
Improper care at home leads to the deplorable state of home laurel. Overwatering causes leaf spots and root rot, while underwatering causes leaves to turn yellow. IN winter time Without proper care, the tree may lose its leaves.
Application
At home, some housewives grow bay laurel as a fresh and affordable spice. The leaves of the plant have a pleasant aroma and bitter taste, well suited to fish and meat. They are often found in soups, main courses, and autumn preparations. The light scent of wood essential oil refreshes the air and helps reduce the number of insects in the room - for example, mosquitoes do not like it. Home laurel is unpretentious in care and takes root in the most different apartments. With proper care, this decorative foliage plant will delight you with its beauty and aroma for many years.
Grow an overseas spice on your windowsill? Nothing could be easier! Contents1 Description of the plant2 Where it grows3 Types4 Use5 Beneficial features And...
Very often in houses and apartments you can find a well-known plant called laurel. This plant in their own way natural features can be grown at home, either in the form of small bush, and a relatively compact size tree.
It is commonly called a “noble plant.” The flower received this name back in ancient times. It was quite often used to decorate wreaths, which were placed on the heads of noble people in order to show them their respect and gratitude.
Growing laurel plants at home is very simple. In addition, the plant will be able to complement not only the interior of the home, but will also perform a large number of preventive functions. For example, if you need to add an unusual flavor to cooking, then all you need to do is pick a few leaves from a tree and your dish will become much tastier and more aromatic!
If you are planning to breed indoor laurel, then it is very important to familiarize yourself with information about this flower in advance. A large number of interesting facts will be of great help to you in daily care behind the plant.
Landing
In order for the laurel to take root in the house from the very beginning, it is very important to plant it correctly.
The best time for this process is spring. First of all, you need to lay a small layer of drainage on the bottom of the selected pot (usually it is 3 centimeters). Then a small amount of prepared soil is poured on top. You can prepare it yourself or purchase it at a flower shop.
Laurel is not fussy, so it can easily grow in ordinary soil for houseplants.
Location and lighting
An interesting feature of the bay tree is its love of cold. It is for this reason that it is best to place the plant in a cool room.
The plant will feel comfortable on the windowsill, both on the south and north sides. It will be easy for him to tolerate both bright sun and slight shade.
Most experts say that it is necessary to place a laurel in the kitchen. Like, such a tree will always come in handy when preparing dishes! But at the same time temperature regime in the kitchen during cooking does not at all correspond to the preferences of the plant. Therefore, in such situations you need to be extremely careful not to damage the flower.
As for lighting, laurel tolerates bright sun very well. Since it has fairly dense and hard leaves, it is not in danger of any burns that can be caused by sunlight. After wintering, it is important to gradually accustom the flower to the bright sun. After all, during a period of rest, he becomes unaccustomed to such conditions of existence.
Pot sizes
Like most house plants, normal existence bay tree will largely depend on the correct selection flower pot. Usually, when replanting, experts advise replacing the pot with a larger one (2-3 times larger than what was used before).
If you know that the flower is growing quite intensively, then you will need to purchase a pot 4-5 centimeters larger than the standard one.
When choosing housing for a laurel, it is also worth considering the material from which the pot is made and its stability.
The soil
In order for laurel to grow well at home, when planting it, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the issue of soil preparation.
By its nature, laurel is not capricious, so for its cultivation you can use soil that will be quite nutritious and perfectly permeable to liquid. It is best to pay attention to the soil that is intended for cacti. “Universal” soil is also suitable for planting.
You can prepare the soil for the plant yourself. To do this, you will need to mix leaf soil, turf soil, humus, coarse sand and peat. All ingredients must comply with the proportion 2:1:2:1:1. You can also add a little charcoal to this mixture.
Remember, if a plant suddenly stops growing, this indicates that the soil is not suitable for it, or the flower lacks fertilizer and feeding.
Transfer
If the plant is young, then it should definitely be replanted every year. Because root system bay tree does not develop too quickly; the pot is most often not replaced. In a transplant situation, the issue of changing the tank must be decided on site.
When you decide to leave a flower in the same pot, then caring for it should become more diligent.
When the plant is 5 years old, the replanting procedure can be reduced and replanting can be done once every 2-4 years.
In order for the plant to receive nutrients, it is necessary to partially replace the soil. To do this, you will need to remove the top layer of soil (5 centimeters) and fill the flower with new soil.
Rare transplants very often become the reason that in a few years, the laurel can grow very much. In such situations, the transplantation procedure can cause a lot of difficulties and questions!
Upon completion of the transplant, do not forget that the plant needs to be watered. Afterwards, it is also important to observe the transplanted flower for several days. If no negative changes are noticed within a few days, it means that the laurel has adapted to the new growth conditions!
Fertilizer and feeding
Laurel needs to be fertilized throughout most of the year. Basically, the feeding procedure is carried out from March to October.
Laurel accepts fertilizers of mineral and organic origin quite well. For a better effect, you can use liquid fertilizers, which must first be diluted in small quantity purified water.
Fertilization is carried out once every few weeks.
Watering
Indoor laurel is a fan of abundant watering. But in this situation, this does not mean that the plant needs to be filled with a large volume of liquid every day. Most often, it is necessary to water the flower in summer and spring period. If the moisture in the pot does not evaporate in a timely manner, this can trigger the process of rotting of the root system. Which in turn will lead to the death of the flower.
With the onset of the first cold weather, the frequency of watering decreases significantly. In winter it is very important to stop feeding. After all, it is during this period of time that the plant prepares to bear fruit.
If your laurel does not need to rest and blooms all year round, then its watering occurs without any special changes!
Temperature
Indoor laurel comes from subtropical countries. For this reason, most often the plant adapts to the corresponding temperature conditions of these regions. The plant will survive without any problems warm summer and cold winter. Temperature changes do not pose any danger to the laurel plant. Therefore, such qualities can be considered the most important in the process of growing a flower.
In hot weather, the room temperature can fluctuate from 20 to 26 degrees.
In winter, the mark on the thermometer can drop to 5 with a + reading.
When severe frosts and sub-zero temperatures occur, the laurel will also be able to survive. This applies to those flowers that were previously planted in open ground. In such cases, the roots of the plants are much stronger and more protected from negative external influences. When a flower grows in an ordinary pot, subzero temperature can cause laurel to die.
Air humidity
In order for the laurel to actively grow and bloom, it is very important to provide it high level room humidity. To implement these requirements at home, the plant will simply need to be sprayed more often, bathed with small streams of water (you can use a shower), and also place moistened expanded clay or moss under a tray.
If the air is too dry, the flower becomes very weak, making it an easy prey for various types of pests.
Trimming
Laurel by its nature is very beautiful plant with unusual shapes. That is why the flower does not need to be cut.
If pruning is carried out, the crown of the plant can be changed beyond recognition. It is possible to give her the most different shape: cone-shaped, oval, square, etc.
When the plant stops actively growing (usually at the end of August), it is necessary to trim the mature leaves. Once dried, they make an excellent seasoning for any dish.
The places that remain on the plant after pruning (they are called “eyes”) are restored over the winter. And with the onset of spring, the flower can please you big amount new shoots. When pruning, it is necessary to get rid of areas that are located in the upper part of the plant.
Dangerous diseases and possible pests
First of all, you will need to remove the plant from its “neighbors”. This will prevent damage to other flowers.
Scale insects, in turn, have a negative effect on the condition of the leaves and trunk of the laurel. At the same time, the leaves change their color to yellow and begin to fall off quickly.
If the plant is infected, the pest must be eliminated using cotton wool. It is also recommended to spray with insecticidal solutions. Actellik 0.15% or Carboforce are perfect for this. If the plant is severely damaged, the procedure is repeated 7-10 days after the first treatment.
Bloom
Most often, laurel blooms in spring. At this time, flowers are formed on it, which settle in the axils of the leaves themselves. That is why they are compared to the shape of an umbrella. Since the plant during this period very much resembles a “rain protection product”.
The flowers are quite small and do not differ in any unusual characteristics. More often they acquire white, yellow or cream shades. On plants female fruits that are colored in color can also be formed Blue colour. Such berries are not edible. Most likely, they serve as an additional decoration for the laurel.
Reproduction
In home cultivation, laurel can be propagated by cuttings and seeds.
Rooting of cuttings lasts approximately 3 months. The same time will be needed for the seeds to sprout.
To propagate by seeds, it is necessary to prepare them in the autumn. They should be stored in a cool place (refrigerator). It is recommended to sow seeds in February. Required condition climbing is to regularly moisten the soil and maintain high humidity in room.
When using cuttings, rooting must be done in March. To do this, shoots measuring 10 centimeters are cut off. After which the cutting is placed in the ground, most of which consists of sand. To quickly strengthen horses, you can use fertilizers. Planted cuttings must be covered plastic bag or regular jar. During propagation by cuttings, the room temperature should be no less than 24-25 degrees.
Rest period
The dormant period of indoor laurel occurs in winter. Although there are cases where the plant continues to actively grow and bloom all year round.
If all the rules of basic plant care have not been followed in winter, the flower may shed its leaves. Don’t be afraid of this and get rid of it in advance. With the onset of spring, the plant will gain strength and very quickly restore its appearance. In this case, you also need to spray the laurel.
Plant toxicity and beneficial properties
The phytoncides contained in laurel make the plant very useful for human body. They help kill various pathogens and bacteria.
A decoction based on laurel leaves stabilizes appetite and has a beneficial effect on the digestive process. Also, using such a decoction will help you cope with kidney disease (especially if stones are detected).
Most of the healing properties of laurel allow it to be used in modern medicine and cosmetology. He provides positive influence on immunity and can be an excellent seasoning for food.
Indoor laurel is not poisonous. It poses a danger only if it has been pre-treated with disinfecting solutions.
By deciding to plant laurel in your home, you gain faithful assistant. As in life, so in the kitchen!
Laurel is an evergreen tree of the Laurel family, native to the Mediterranean. From its homeland, the plant spread throughout the subtropical part of Europe. IN wildlife in Russia bay tree found in Crimea and in the south of the Krasnodar Territory.
The laurel tree forms a densely leafy crown of a pyramidal shape. The leaves of the plant are alternate, entire, with wavy edges. The flowers of the tree are collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences, white, cream or yellowish-green. After flowering, a fruit is formed - an inedible black-blue berry with a diameter of 15 millimeters.
Types and varieties of indoor laurel with photographs
The laurel genus includes three plant species.
In nature it grows in the coastal zone, at an altitude of 300 meters above sea level, in Western Transcaucasia. The plant is a shrub or tree with a height of 4 to 8 meters. The leaves are simple in shape, lanceolate, leathery, 7 to 20 centimeters long, with pointed ends. The flowers are small, formed in the form of umbrella inflorescences, yellow.
Varietal forms of this species:
- Narrow-leaved.
- Golden.
- Wrinkly.
Photo. Noble laurel
Inhabits humid forests in the Canary Islands. Azores Islands, Madeira Island. The height of the tree is about 15 meters. The leaves are ovate, 10-12 centimeters long, dull green. Flowers form inflorescences in the axils of the leaves, light yellow in color.
Photo. Laurus Azores (Canarian)
Originally from southwest China, o. Taiwan, Korea and other Asian countries. Found naturally in the USA, Australia, Africa, Brazil. A plant with alternate leaves, lanceolate in shape, covered with small translucent dots.
The flowers are small, yellowish-green, collected in paniculate inflorescences. Plant parts contain essential oil, the main component of which is camphor. This substance is used as a component of some medicines.
Photo. Camphor laurel
Necessary conditions for growing a bay tree at home
The bay tree has been grown as an ornamental houseplant since the 16th century. Laurel – unpretentious plant and is able to grow even with a lack of light. But under these conditions, the crown of the tree will be poorly leafed and less decorative.
If you create ideal conditions for growing bay leaves at home, you can get good results within three years. The plant is a source of bay leaf, which is used as a culinary seasoning and an ingredient in some medicines.
Location and lighting
The laurel tree needs diffused, but fairly bright light, so it must be placed in the apartment on western or eastern windows. IN summer time It is recommended to install the plant on ventilated loggias or balconies. If such a possibility exists, it is better to place the pot with the plant in a slightly shaded place outside for the summer.
Direct sunlight on laurel foliage is not desirable, so you should not grow it on a south-facing window. But this is only in the spring-summer season. In winter, when there is not enough sunlight in the room, you can move the tree to a south or south-west window.
Bay tree loves good light, but direct Sun rays dangerous for him.
Requirements for soil and containers for growing
Laurel needs light, breathable soil. When buying ready-made land, you should opt for substrates for palm trees or cacti.
You can prepare the soil yourself by mixing the following components:
- Garden soil - 3 parts.
- Humus - 2 parts.
- Sand – 1 part.
plant Bay leaf Can be placed in any pot: the material of the growing container does not matter. Laurel feels fine in ceramic, plastic pots and wooden tubs. The main condition is that the volume of the dish should leave room for the development of roots, but not be too large so that the soil in it becomes sour.
Required air humidity and temperature
Like anyone tropical plant, laurel requires high air temperature and humidity. The temperature of summer laurel content is acceptable within the range of 20 to 27 degrees. In winter, the plant needs lower temperatures. Laurel feels most comfortable at a temperature of 12-15 degrees.
The optimal temperature for growing laurel in summer is from 20 to 27 degrees Celsius.
Important. The plant may not tolerate air temperatures below plus 5 degrees.
Laurel is demanding on air humidity, so it should not fall below 50-60%. Optimal humidity it is necessary to maintain it by regularly spraying the tree, placing the pot on a tray filled with expanded clay and water, and placing an artificial fountain next to the tree. These events are especially relevant in the spring-summer period when elevated temperature air.
Watering and fertilizing the plant
The bay tree needs to be watered regularly in spring and summer. For irrigation, well-settled or melt water is used. room temperature. On hot days, the amount of moisture needs to be increased. The soil in the pot should be evenly moistened, but without stagnant water. Therefore, after watering excess moisture It is recommended to drain it from the pan.
In winter, watering is sharply reduced. It is necessary to moisten the soil only after the top layer has dried to a depth of 4-5 centimeters. If the plant is kept in a room with a temperature below 10 degrees Celsius. There is no need to water it at all in winter.
Throughout the entire period of growing laurel at home, the plant needs regular feeding. The basis for feeding a young plant is a nutrient substrate, which is renewed annually.
The laurel watering regime should be observed: the soil in the pot should always be moist.
Additionally, plants are fed with liquid organic fertilizers, which are widely available for sale. Once every 30 days, mineral mixtures are used as feeding. Experienced flower growers recommend purchasing special Laurel fertilizers or formulations intended for feeding palm trees and cacti.
Transplanting a plant
The schedule for transplanting a laurel depends on its age. Young trees are transplanted into a new container every year. Mature tree replanted every 2-3 years. For replanting, select a pot that is 5-6 centimeters larger than the previous one.
Transplantation is carried out using the transshipment method so that the roots are not damaged. The plant is removed from the old pot along with a lump of earth, being careful not to destroy it, and placed in a new pot. The remaining space is filled with nutrient soil. After transplantation, the plant should be placed in a shaded place.
Important. When placed in a new pot, the planting level is left the same as in the previous pot.
Crown formation
The crown of a laurel tree is easily formed by pruning.
The laurel crown is easy to shape, so correct pruning allows you to get a beautiful appearance of wood. Pruning also stimulates the formation of new shoots and the crown becomes dense.
With proper pruning, the laurel tree can be shaped into a pyramid, ball or standard. The pruning procedure is optional. But if you decide to start forming the crown, this should be done from mid to late March or late August early September, until the end of the growing season. The eyes remaining on the plant will have time to develop before winter, and in the spring the plant will begin to actively grow.
Low plant in standard form can be obtained by the following steps:
- A one-year-old seedling is pinched at a height of 15 centimeters.
- After some time, numerous shoots appear on the main stem. Of these, 5-6 pieces are left.
- Shoots that have grown to 14 centimeters are pinched.
- When the next row of shoots appears, they are pinched again, growing up to 14 centimeters. Repeated pinching allows you to form a lush crown.
Reproduction methods
The bay tree reproduces by seed and vegetative methods.
Sowing seeds
Reproduction of laurel by seeds is the most reliable way obtaining a strong, viable plant, adapted for cultivation in the conditions of a specific apartment. Growing under the same conditions throughout the entire life of the tree eliminates stress for the plant.
Laurel seeds can be found for sale in specialty stores or online stores. The germination of seeds depends on their freshness. Before sowing, the seeds must be stratified in the refrigerator for 30 days and then soaked in water for 3-4 days.
Growing bay trees from seeds is the easiest method for obtaining this plant.
Advice. Adding growth preparations such as Epin to the water for soaking seeds increases the speed and energy of germination.
Seeds are sown in containers filled with any fertile soil. Upper layer The soil is 2-3 centimeters thick and consists of coarse sand. It is pre-steamed in a water bath or calcined in the oven or microwave. Sand is the most favorable environment for germination and development on initial stage bay leaf seedlings.
The seeds are placed in a moistened substrate to a depth of 1-1.5 centimeters and moistened with a spray bottle. The container is covered with film and placed in a warm place. You should not expect sprouts to appear quickly, since laurel seeds germinate within 4-6 months. In this regard, it is recommended to sow in January so that seedlings emerge at the most favorable time in terms of temperature and light. After the first shoots appear, the film is removed from the seedling container.
Caring for bay tree seedlings
A container with laurel sprouts is placed in the brightest place in the apartment. The room temperature should not exceed 20 degrees, otherwise the seedlings will stretch out. In the phase of two true leaves, seedlings can be planted in separate pots.
You can grow a bay tree from seedlings.
The height of the seedlings at this time is about 8 centimeters.
Pots with a diameter of 10 centimeters are prepared for them and filled with soil mixture:
- Soddy soil - 2 parts.
- Humus (manure that has been rotted for at least 2-3 years) – 2 parts.
- Sand – 1 part.
- Peat – half part
After transplantation, the plants are placed in a shaded place: direct sunlight during this period should not fall on the plants. After 2 weeks, the transplanted plants are placed on a lighted windowsill.
Vegetative methods of propagation
If a laurel bush grows at home or in a friend’s apartment. You can get new specimens using vegetative propagation methods.
Cuttings
For cuttings, shoots are used after pruning the plant. The procedure is carried out in early spring. The blanks should have 2-3 buds. The shoot is cut at an angle of 45 degrees, then lower leaves deleted. The top leaves are cut to half their length. The lower cut of the cutting is treated with a root formation stimulator. The cuttings prepared in this way are placed in damp sand, perlite or vermiculite.
Bay tree cuttings take root within 1-3 months.
The cuttings can be rooted in any substrate. But only with a neutral acid reaction. The shoot will not survive increased acidity of the soil.
Rooting of the cutting occurs within 1-3 months. After the roots of the cuttings have become stronger, the plant can be planted in a pot.
Dividing the bush
Dividing a laurel bush is the separation of shoots from it. The procedure is carried out exclusively with plants over the age of 3 years and only during the dormant period (from October to March). Severing shoots during the period of active growth of a bush can destroy it. Also, you should not tear off shoots from laurel under the age of 3 years.
The shoots are separated in such a way that part of the bark of the main trunk of the tree remains on the lower part. You can plant a laurel shoot in any moist substrate with low acidity.
Attention. No more than 3 shoots can be separated from one bush.
Features of care for diseases and pests
Of the pests, the main enemies of the bay tree are scale insects, spider mites, aphids and mealybugs. An insect attack on a plant is indicated by a white or sticky coating on the leaves, falling or yellowing leaves.
The appearance of spots on laurel leaves indicates the development of the disease.
If the infestation can be caught at the very beginning of the appearance of pests, bathing in a soapy solution followed by a shower for the tree will help to cope with them. In case of severe infection, it is necessary to spray the laurel with an insecticide (Aktara, Fufanon, Aktellik, Iskra).
If you follow the rules of care, laurel is practically not affected by diseases, since it is resistant to viruses and fungi. Its only enemy is root rot when the soil is waterlogged. When the roots of the laurel rot, the leaves turn black. You can save the plant with the help of an antifungal drug (Gamair, Glyokladin). Before using the fungicide, the soil in the pot must be thoroughly dried.
Growing problems and ways to overcome them
Improper care of indoor laurel affects its appearance:
- Leaf spotting occurs when there is excess moisture. Due to excessive watering, the roots of the plant begin to rot.
- Yellowing of leaves occurs when there is a lack of moisture in the soil and air. Also, the leaves turn yellow when laurel is grown in too dense soil.
Even a novice gardener can plant and successfully grow a laurel tree at home. With a little effort, the housewife will have bay leaves in her kitchen to use as a homemade seasoning.
We invite you to watch a video in which a florist tells everything about growing a laurel tree at home.
Today we’ll talk about a spice that is probably present in the arsenal of any housewife, and the stronger half of humanity, when preparing their favorite dumplings, rarely does without it.
We are talking about bay leaves, the cultivation of which at home will be the topic of our conversation today.
About the conditions for growing bay leaves
If you are planning to grow bay leaves at home, you first need to understand that the leaves for seasoning are given to us by the noble laurel - evergreen tree, less commonly a shrub that grows in the tropical zone of our planet. For example, in Russia this plant is found in natural nature only in Crimea or Krasnodar region. In other laurel growing regions in open ground not practiced.
Therefore, the conditions for growing bay leaves at home should be truly tropical:
- temperature 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 the summer can be combined with taking plants out onto a balcony or loggia, and if you have Vacation home or a summer cottage, then you can take the plant with you, as they say, to Fresh air. Naturally, when returning from the site in the fall, you should not forget the plant at the dacha, but you need to take it with you to your winter apartment.
Laurel propagation
To get your laurel tree, you can go two ways:
- Growing bay leaves from seeds.
- Growing by rooting cuttings.
- Horizontal layering.
- Purchasing ready-made seedlings.
Let's consider all the methods in more detail.
Seed propagation of bay leaves
Laurel seeds can be obtained in two ways:
- buy in a specialized store;
- collected from laurel branches sold in markets as spices.
It is best to sow seeds in the ground in early spring or in autumn or summer, the germinal processes in the seeds slow down a little and you simply cannot wait for germination. Sow the seeds in small seedling containers.
Before sowing, the soil is moistened and slightly compacted so that the seed rests on a moist and dense bed. After this, it is sprinkled with a layer of nutrient soil one centimeter thick and moistened again. Cover the container with a suitable lid and place it in a warm place with a temperature of 25-27 degrees, for example, next to a radiator or on a hanging kitchen cabinet.
Seeds take a very long time to germinate, 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 must be paid to its mechanical composition. The best mixture for growing laurel is a mixture of the following components:
- forest turf land;
- sand;
- peat.
To add airiness and looseness, you can use coconut substrate or today's popular soil disintegrants, 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 waterlogged soil, so be sure to place some kind of drainage material at the bottom of the container.
After the true leaves appear, the plants are planted in a larger container and cared for, like other plants, with timely watering, fertilizing and replanting.
Taking bay leaf cuttings
Cuttings of noble laurel are no different from the process on currants or gooseberries. Here's how it's done:
- We cut non-lignified green cuttings 6-10 centimeters long. In this case, we make the lower cut under the bud oblique, and the upper one – a centimeter above the bud – straight.
- We leave two top leaves on the cuttings, and we shorten them by half for less evaporation of moisture.
- We bury the cuttings 1-2 centimeters into the soil of the pot.
- Cover the pot with film with holes.
- We ventilate regularly.
Rooting will occur in about a month. After this, you can transplant the finished seedling into a permanent container.
Bay leaf layering
If you have an adult plant, 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:
- Place a container filled with nutritious soil next to a laurel plant growing in a pot.
- Bend the young branch so that the lowest point of the bend is placed in a new container to a depth of 10-15 centimeters.
- At this point, the branches make a cut about 4-5 centimeters long.
- The branch is placed in a pot with soil and pinned. The end of the layer is tied to a vertical support.
- Fill the cut area with soil to the top of the container and water it.
After some time, depending on conditions environment, a new sprout will appear from under the ground. After this, the rooted branch can be separated from the mother plant.
Purchased laurel seedlings
Everything is very simple here. The purchased plant needs to be transplanted into a large container with its own soil and grown as usual.
Laurel care
Caring for laurel is easy. You need to water the bush and spray it on time warm water. Twice a year you can feed the plant with some organic matter.
Advice! It is better to give fertilizing no earlier than three months after transplantation.
As it grows, it is necessary to transplant the bush into a new larger container. At first, this is done every year; after 4-5 years of growing season, the laurel slows down its growth, and it is replanted once every four years.
The important work is decorative pruning bush. Laurel is very responsive to pruning, and you can shape its crown to your liking.
Attention! Regularly picking leaves for spices begins in the fourth year of the laurel’s growing season.
At home, diseases rarely appear in the noble laurel, but they still occur. This is due to low temperatures or waterlogging of the soil coma. In any case, you need to consult with specialists or read the relevant literature.
Video - how to grow a bay tree at home
Today we learned how to plant bay leaves and grow them at home. Good luck with your gardening endeavors.
Perhaps one of the most popular evergreen laurel (bay leaf) is considered to be grown in houses and apartments. This noble representative indoor flora It can be either a small shrub or a compact tree. In addition, laurel is one of the noble plants, it’s not for nothing that wreaths from its branches adorned heads talented people and honorary winners. Growing it at home is very convenient, as laurel performs not only a decorative, but also a practical function. If you need a fragrant seasoning, you just need to simply pick a leaf from the tree. And in this article you will find the information you need that will allow you to grow laurel at home, care for it without any problems, and also propagate shrubs.
Known to everyone, the bay leaf, without which almost no dish or marinade can be prepared, can grow at home, like the most common houseplant. Moreover, the plant’s undemanding nature and simple care are not difficult even for young plant growers.
IN natural environment laurel is capable of growing, reaching from 10 to 18 meters in height. At home, a noble laurel bush can grow to a height of only 1.5 to 2 meters, becoming, first of all, a decorative addition to the interior. The genus of these plants consists of only two representatives - Canary and Noble.
And most often the second type is found in houses and apartments. As you can see, the Noble Laurel is a shrub with bare branches on which foliage grows. Each sheet reaches approximately 10 cm in length, 3 to 4 cm in width, and has an oblong shape and a glossy surface.
This plant blooms at home, usually in mid-spring (April or May) with small yellowish flowers.
The indoor laurel tree is not demanding. But this does not mean at all that he does not need care at all. Laurel Noble, growing in apartments and houses, in addition to standard procedures, loves spraying and pruning, which is most often carried out to give a decorative shape to the crown. It is also important to notice signs of disease and the presence of pests in order to take timely measures to treat the plant.
Laurel is able to adapt to both abundant sunlight and partial shade. In the summer, you can absolutely safely take the laurel bush to the balcony or veranda. And if you do basic laurel care with it, it can live with you for about 15 years. We suggest you familiarize yourself further with what exactly conditions this tree needs to grow.
Landing
In general, laurel care at home requires starting with proper planting.
As a rule, this procedure is performed in the spring. Initially, a drainage layer is laid on the bottom of the pot, for example, fine crushed stone, expanded clay, after which the soil can be filled in. For growing decorative laurel at home, the most common flower soil, which can be purchased in specialized stores, is suitable. Many gardeners prepare their own soil mixture using:
- 1 tsp leaf soil;
- 1 teaspoon of turf soil;
- 1 tsp humus;
- 2 hours of sand.
Transfer
The indoor Noble laurel bush does not need frequent replanting. As a rule, transplants are carried out as needed; when the container for growing the plant becomes crowded, it means it’s time for replanting. But at the same time, the new pot must be only a couple of centimeters more spacious than the previous pot.
It is best to use the transshipment method for this procedure. Thus, it is possible to move it to a new container with minimal risk of damage to the plant’s root system. It is recommended to replant the laurel bush in the spring, or at least until mid-summer.
Care in terms of its location in the room plays a significant role in raising such a pet. Laurel is not fussy about lighting, but, like other indoor plants, it does not really like drafts. However, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room with the laurel growing in it.
For those who want to achieve such a rare phenomenon as laurel flowering at home, it is advised to care for the tree, trying to bring the surrounding conditions as close as possible to natural ones. So, for example, it is better to place it in a well-lit place. A lot of diffused sunlight will have a positive effect on the development and appearance of the plant - each leaf will become more decorative. And in general the bush will be dense, which is difficult to achieve when the laurel bush grows in shaded places.
Watering
In spring and summer, watering must be regular. On hot days it is even more plentiful than usual. But you shouldn’t overfill, because the most common cause of death of such indoor plants is just prolonged waterlogging and stagnation of water in the soil. For winter, the watering schedule will be different. During this period of time, it will be necessary to moisten the substrate in the pot with laurel only as the top layer dries. For irrigation you need to use soft or settled water at room temperature.
As previously mentioned, the Noble Laurel loves spraying and high humidity. On hot days, you can spray the plant with water twice - in the morning and in the evening. You can also place wide vessels with water near the pots of laurel. More experienced gardeners use another method - pour pebbles into a tray and fill it with water, placing a pot with a bay tree on top.
Feeding
Caring for indoor Noble Laurel in terms of feeding will also not be difficult for the owner. As a rule, procedures for fertilizing a plant are carried out once every 14 days during the period of its active growth. Both mineral and organic complex fertilizers are suitable for these purposes.
Trimming
Laurel Noble has no bad attitude towards “haircuts” and pruning and tolerates such procedures quite calmly. With the help of pruning, the tree can be given an interesting decorative shape so that, like a plant, the bay leaf looks as impressive as possible in the garden. home environment. The best time to form a bush is the end of summer. After all, August coincides with the end of the growing season of the plant.
How to propagate a plant
At home, laurel propagation can be carried out:
- using seeds;
- dividing the bush;
- cuttings.
The seed method is used less frequently among plant growers than others. This is all explained by the fact that, growing a bay leaf from a seed to an adult bush, you can spend quite a lot of time. Although care with this method of reproduction is not considered difficult.
Propagation of laurel by cuttings is more common. This procedure must be carried out either in spring or summer. As cuttings, you can use ripened, but not yet lignified, shoots from 6 to 8 cm long, something like this. It is necessary that each cutting has at least 2 internodes. It is better to use a substrate for planting shoots from two components, which need to be laid out in a pot in layers: 1 lower - about 4 cm of turf soil, 2 upper - 2-3 cm of sand.
To root the cuttings, they need to create a mini-greenhouse and maintain a temperature of approximately +16 to +20 degrees. During the entire period of rooting of shoots, they require the most minimal care, including watering and ventilation. Under the right conditions, the bay leaf will “take root” within a month, after which the shoots will need to be planted in a larger container.
Possible problems during cultivation
The most common diseases you encounter are fungal. As a rule, the causes of such a disease can be excessive watering, as mentioned earlier. When the first signs appear (the bay leaf becomes affected by brown spots), the damaged areas must be removed and the plant itself, if possible, replanted, adding fresh substrate to a new container.
