Bay is a popular kitchen spice, without which it is difficult to imagine preparing fish soup or aromatic homemade soup. It has become an integral part of the seasoning mixture for second courses, a common ingredient for pickling vegetables and preparing food for the winter. Bay tree is easy to grow in room conditions– it is completely unpretentious. plant in flower pot It will become not only a handy seasoning, but also a luxurious decoration for the windowsill.

What types of laurel are there?

In their natural environment, representatives of the Laurel family can be found in the Mediterranean region, in the south Krasnodar region, in the Canary Islands, Germany, Transcaucasia, Georgia, Crimea and Asia. Although today there are more than 40 species of plants of the laurel genus in taxonomics, the main three are:

• Azores is a large-leaved crop that blooms in late spring with light yellow flowers. The height of these trees can easily reach 12-16 meters. The length of the leaves is from 10 to 15 centimeters.
• Camphor - so named due to its high camphor content. The shrub is characterized by a wide crown and a pronounced spicy aroma.
• Noble - leaves of this particular type are used in cooking. This perennial in natural conditions lives up to 100 years, popularly called laurel. At home this variety can grow up to 3 meters in height, in nature it reaches 8-10 m. In an apartment it is very easy to care for, which is why the noble laurel has become widespread as an ornamental crop.

Growing a noble variety

Despite its subtropical origin, an adult laurel tree can withstand temperatures down to -5. Young plants can get sick even at the slightest draft, so hurry to take them out in the spring. Fresh air not worth it. Laurel feels best in winter at a positive temperature of 10 to 15 degrees, and in summer from 23 to 28. None of the members of the family likes sudden climate changes.

When choosing a suitable place in the apartment for placing a pot with a laurel tree planted in it, you need to take into account that this plant feels best in a lit area, hidden from direct sunlight. sun rays and drafts. In addition, it is strictly forbidden to place the laurel near heating appliances.

When placing a plant in the shade, you need to be prepared for the leaves to stretch out and its appearance to lose its decorative effect.

Laurus nobilis prefers fresh air and high humidity, therefore, in order to provide him with comfortable living conditions, in winter it is advisable to periodically ventilate the room in which he is located. In summer, it is useful to take the plant out onto the balcony or into the garden, placing it in the shade to prevent burns. It is recommended to spray the tree with water once a week. room temperature, and a little less often - give the leaves a shower, covering the soil with polyethylene.

Watering regime as the basic rule of care

The watering regime for indoor bay trees directly depends on the time of year.

• To create the necessary humidity in summer, you can place it under a pot with a plant. large diameter tray and place moss in it, which needs to be watered as it dries. If possible and have free time, it is good to spray the tree with a spray bottle several times a day - morning and evening, with warm, settled water. If drops get on the leaves during the daytime, it can cause burns if the container is placed on a windowsill or in the garden. Watering the soil in summer time produced daily.
• Beginning in the fall, the amount of irrigation should be gradually reduced in order to moisten the soil only when it dries out in winter. It is also not worth spraying the tree during this period; the maximum is to wipe the leaves with a damp soft cloth.

Watering and spraying procedures play a big role in the development of indoor laurel, so do not neglect the rules for their implementation if you want to grow at home not only aromatic seasoning, but also beautiful bush.

Transshipment method of transplantation

As you grow bay tree requires transplantation into a larger container. However root system laurel really does not like to be disturbed, and therefore it is best to replant the tree by transferring it from one pot to another along with a lump of earth. Young bushes need to be moved once every 2 years, but if the crop is not growing very actively, then this can be done less often, focusing on filling the volume with shoots of the root system. Plants older than 4 years of age are replanted every 5 years, taking into account that the new “dwelling” should be 3 centimeters wider than the previous one.

Before placing the plant in a new pot, a drainage layer is placed on its bottom, which will reliably protect the laurel from stagnation water. Absolutely any soil can be used, even garden soil. In order to transfer a crop with a lump of earth from one pot to another without damage, you need to water it generously and wait until the soil leaves the walls of the container. After this, the tree is carefully removed and, laid on its side, the roots in the visible area are examined. If damaged shoots are found, they are cut off sharp blade knife

The drainage layer in the new prepared pot is sprinkled with 2-3 centimeters of soil, and then the laurel with a closed root system is carefully planted on top. The resulting voids are filled with soil and compacted. After transplanting is completed, the plant is watered abundantly.

Formative crown pruning

The crown of a laurel tree can be shaped quite well using spring pruning. After shortening the woody branches, new shoots develop from the buds located below the cut, causing the bush to become more voluminous. You can give the crown the shape of a ball, cone, etc. To speed up the process, you need to start annual haircuts from a very young age, shortening the shoots to a short length.

Some experts prune bay trees towards the end summer season so that young shoots can begin to grow in early spring.

Laurel propagation: 3 methods

Bay plant can be propagated different ways: layering, cuttings and seeds.

1. 1. The easiest and fastest way to get a new young crop is from layering. To do this, with the onset of spring, add a small amount of soil to the selected branch and systematically water it. Over the course of a season, the branch will take root on its own, and after a year it will be possible to plant a new cutting in an individual pot, cutting it off from the parent plant.
2. 2. Another very simple method of propagation is cuttings. For this purpose, non-woody cuttings are used, about 10 centimeters long, with a couple of buds or blossoming leaves. The soil in the container prepared for them is covered with a layer of sand and the cuttings are deepened into it by 1-2 centimeters.
3. 3. Laurel tree seeds should be sown in autumn. To do this, place a drainage layer on the bottom of the prepared pot, fill the entire volume with soil, then sow the seeds into it to a depth of about 1 centimeter and water it well. Plantings are covered with polyethylene.

Ideally, laurel seeds will germinate best in soil with the addition of humus, old leaves, peat, turf land and sand. But if it is not possible to prepare the soil mixture yourself, then any purchased from flower shop priming.

There are two ways to get rid of the disease:

1. 1. The chemical method involves treating the plant with insecticides. You just need to remember that eating the leaves after this will be unacceptable.
2. 2. The mechanical method involves removing scale insects using damp cotton pads until they are completely destroyed. The process is much longer, but also very effective and safe.

Change appearance plant damage does not always mean pest damage. Sometimes this indicates non-compliance with growing conditions and proper care:

1. 1. If the leaves curl at the edges, the air in the room is too dry. This problem can be solved by covering the plant plastic bag, which will create a greenhouse effect, and young leaves will soon begin to grow.
2. 2. If the leaves dry out and fall off, the temperature has significantly exceeded the norm that is comfortable for the laurel to live. You can move the pot to another room or lower the t in the room by any in an accessible way except for creating a draft.

It is not recommended to eat the leaves of the plant that grew and developed while the tree was in the flower shop, since the bay tree could have been processed chemicals. You should wait for the formation of new leaves, the safety of which will not have to be doubted.

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're talking about Bay leaf, growing 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 - an evergreen tree, or less often a shrub, that grows in the tropical zone of our planet. So, for example, in Russia this plant is found naturally 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 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, 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:

1. Growing bay leaves from seeds.
2. Growing by rooting cuttings.
3. Horizontal layering.
4. 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 autumn; in summer, the germinal processes in the seeds slow down a little and you simply cannot wait for seedlings. 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 nutrient soil one centimeter thick and moisten 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 successful cultivation 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:

1. 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.
2. We leave two top leaves on the cuttings, and we shorten them by half for less evaporation of moisture.
3. We bury the cuttings 1-2 centimeters into the soil of the pot.
4. Cover the pot with film with holes.
5. 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 mature 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. Place a container filled with nutritious soil next to a laurel plant growing in a pot.
2. 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.
3. At this point, the branches make a cut about 4-5 centimeters long.
4. The branch is placed in a pot with soil and pinned. The end of the layer is tied to a vertical support.
5. 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.

An important job is decorative pruning of the 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.

Bay leaf cultivation

One of the most popular evergreen plants grown at home is the laurel flower. It may be a small bush or miniature tree. In ancient times, wreaths made of bay leaves were placed on the heads of winners and famous people. This plant is very convenient to grow at home, because it, in addition decorative decoration apartments, also has useful functions. No need to run to the store for a bay leaf, you just need to pick it from the tree. We will talk about bay leaves, growing them at home will be the topic of our conversation today.

Types of indoor laurel

This plant is divided into two groups:

• Noble;
• Canary.

The Canarian laurel has wide large leaves, the edges of which look somewhat wrinkled.

This species is inferior to the noble laurel in terms of the strength of its aroma.

The main botanical variety of laurel is divided into three types:

• Narrow-leaved;
• Golden;
• Wrinkly.

Each variety is characterized by leaf shape and color.

Laurel propagation

To get your laurel tree, you can go two ways:

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

Let's look at some methods in more detail.

What kind of soil and pot are needed for a bay leaf?

“Correctly” selected soil for a plant is the key to its health and good development. Great importance for laurel it has drainage, so be sure to put a layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot (a special type in the form of small pebbles, sold in flower shops).

It is best to choose a laurel pot from natural material, be it clay or ceramics. Such material, unlike plastic, will not allow the roots to “suffocate”. The bottom of the pot should have a sufficient number of holes so that the water drains well and does not stagnate, causing fungus and rotting of the roots.

The soil for laurel bushes is suitable for universal soil, any that you can find in a professional store. You can also prepare the mixture yourself, for this you will need:

• Part leaf soil;
• Part of turf land;
• Part of quartz sand;
• Part of the humus (can be replaced with compost).

IMPORTANT: All soil components are taken in an equal ratio of one to one.

The soil reaction to acidity must be neutral; if you need to balance the acidity (this often happens when peat is present in the soil), add a little wood ash. The size of the pot depends on how you plan to grow the laurel; the larger the pot you choose, the stronger the root system, and therefore the bush itself, will grow.

Propagation of laurel by seeds at home

When growing laurel from seed, there are two main difficulties: laurel seeds quickly, in 3-5 months, lose a significant percentage of germination and, due to the high oil content, germinate very slowly, up to six months.

Therefore, the seed should be as fresh as possible, and in order to see the sprouted seeds, you should be patient. Laurel is sown in January-February. To speed up germination, the seeds are treated with a solution of a growth stimulator and then planted to a depth of 1-1.5 cm in moistened light soil.

Close plastic film, kept at 18 degrees, regularly ventilated and maintain substrate moisture.

IMPORTANT! Monitor the possible appearance of mold on the seeds, monitoring their condition weekly. If white plaque, remove it and wash the seeds in weak solution potassium permanganate.

Propagation of laurel by cuttings at home

For vegetative propagation This method is ideal for semi-lignified cuttings that can be obtained from another plant. If you do not yet have an adult donor laurel, then you can purchase the necessary parts separately.

Laurel cuttings are usually carried out with the onset of the first warm days, cutting off the shoots in April or early June.

Some gardeners carry out the cutting process in late autumn, but in this case you will not be able to plant the cuttings in the greenhouse or garden.

To prepare cuttings, laurel branches taken from the middle or lower part of the shoots are cut into pieces of 6-8 cm each. Such a cutting must have at least three internodes (three free areas between the places where the leaves are attached) and an oblique cut in the lower part. The first leaves are completely removed, and the top ones are only trimmed a little, leaving half a leaf in order to minimize the evaporation of moisture.

Laurel propagation by cuttings can take place in two main ways: using a pre-prepared substrate or by rooting in ordinary water.

The ideal soil for rooting laurel cuttings would be coarse sand, or a mixture of sand and peat. Also, turf soil and sand are often used (first, a layer of drainage is poured into the pot, then a layer of turf soil, and a layer of sand is added on top). After this, the resulting substrate must be well moistened and the cuttings planted to a depth of 1-1.5 cm according to the 10x10 pattern.

It's no secret that many indoor plants are often rooted in a regular jar or bottle of water. All you need is to pour five centimeters of water into a jar and place the cutting in it. The jar with laurel is left in a dark place without changing the water (it can only be topped up).

Planting rooted laurel cuttings is not much different from transplanting citrus plants, however, you still need to know which soil is best to use and how exactly to “relocate” the plant to a new place of residence.

Laurel transplantation at home

Young, first five years of life, plants are replanted, as a rule, every year, adults - once every 2-3 years, and then even less often.

The method of transplantation should be transshipment, in which the earthen lump is preserved as much as possible, and new pot not much, 2-4 centimeters, larger in diameter than the old one.

How to care for laurel at home

If you decide to grow laurel at home, you need to find him appropriate place. You need to place the plant on a windowsill or on a flower stand, where there is a lot of light and sun. In the shade the plant develops more slowly. Do not expose the foliage to direct sunlight. Ventilate the room more often to prevent color loss and leaf tips from drying out. Water as the soil dries.

The tree requires good drainage so that the root system does not rot from excess moisture. A refreshing shower and spraying will moisturize the crown and avoid pest damage. For irrigation, it is recommended to use an aqueous solution with baking soda. To prepare it you will need 1 liter. running water and ½ teaspoon of soda. It is worth maintaining an average temperature in the room, no higher than 25 degrees; in the cold season, the laurel should be arranged winter period at home, when the temperature is 10–14 degrees, and watering is reduced and carried out once every 2 weeks.

Laurel responds well to organic fertilizers . This could be, for example, pigeon droppings. It is diluted with water, preferably settled. For one part of litter take 20 parts of water. Laurel will also be well received mineral fertilizers. You can feed it once every three weeks.

In addition to the fact that it is a fragrant, well-known seasoning, laurel also has a number of healing properties. This applies not only to leaves, but also to fruits. They contain aromatic essential oils and tannins.

Thus, inhaling the vapors of tinctures prepared from plant components helps fight cancer. Experts also say that laurel, if cared for correctly at home, can prevent the development of diseases such as coronary heart disease.

Laurel is the most famous evergreen tree or bush, which came to us from the Mediterranean. IN Ancient Greece This beautiful plant It was called Daphne, in honor of the nymph Daphne. Captivated by love for her, Apollo wove a wreath from the laurel, which became his integral accessory, and from here came the glory of the laurel as a symbol of triumph and victory.

In our country, this same plant is the best and favorite kitchen spice. After all, without laurel it will not be possible to prepare delicious homemade soup, fish soup or borscht and, of course, aromatic main courses. It has become a common ingredient in preparing vegetables for the winter and pickles.

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

Laurel: description of a spicy plant

In nature, laurel can be either a tree or a very tall bush, 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.

The leaves of the laurel are whole, straight, bare, short-petioled and entire, reaching up to 20 cm in length and up to 5 cm in width. They are dark green above and lighter below. They have a very pleasant spicy aroma. Laurel flowers are small, yellowish and unisexual, appearing 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 does, it will bloom in late spring.

IN natural conditions laurel grows for more than 100 years; when grown at home, the lifespan of a laurel tree can be up to 15 years.

Is it possible to grow laurel indoors?

When grown at home, laurel is a noble plant; it is very hardy and easy to care for. Therefore, absolutely anyone can grow it at home.

But still, you should not start development; caring for indoor laurel, although minimal, is extremely necessary. At proper cultivation you will get a great plant that will thank you for the efforts spent on its development with lush, healthy foliage.

Necessary conditions for a bay tree

In indoor conditions, the Noble Laurel is best suited for planting. For the healthy development of a laurel tree, in addition to standard care, you will need timely pruning crowns and spraying to make the laurel feel comfortable. Laurel, like any indoor plant, requires attention to disease and pest control.

Location and light

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

During the hot season, you should avoid constant exposure to direct sunlight. 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 the windows, in the hallway or hall. The plant should be regularly ventilated, but do not create constant drafts.

Air temperature and humidity

In summer, the plant will feel great outdoors; it is unpretentious, but it will benefit from fresh air. The most comfortable temperature for laurel is 15-20 °C. In summer, the bush needs to spray the leaves twice a week to maintain a subtropical climate.

Starting in autumn, the plant needs rest. The dormant period for laurel at home is created artificially from October to March. The laurel should be placed 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? The dormant period is created to prevent the growth of weak, unwanted shoots that weaken the bay tree.

In the spring, if the frosts have stopped, 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 it at least once a week.

Soil requirements for successful growth

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

The soil should be light, any option is suitable for laurel universal primer, found on sale. Your own soil for planting laurel can be prepared from two parts of turf soil, one part of leaf soil, and half a part of fine, well-washed river sand. Before planting the seedling, the soil can be heated in the oven at a sufficient temperature for disinfection. Too much high temperature When warming up, it should be avoided so as not to destroy all beneficial microflora.

How to plant laurel, methods of propagation of laurel tree

Bay leaf is an indispensable ingredient in the kitchen of any housewife. It is an inexpensive spice, but it is much more pleasant when the leaves of this plant are grown and dried in a dish. Let's look at how you can grow laurel from seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush at home.

Sowing seeds

In order to grow a laurel tree as best and as efficiently as possible, it should be planted from seeds brought from the south. Best time to start 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 into the ground, the seeds can be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate for 3-5 days, this will speed up the germination process. After planting the seeds in the soil, the pot should be placed in a warm place, well moistened and covered with polyethylene or glass.

Before the sprouts appear, you will need to remove the polyethylene from the pot to ventilate it for at least half an hour a day. It is also necessary to monitor soil moisture, it should be moderate, and do not allow water to stagnate. In dry soil the seeds will die, and in too wet soil they will rot.

Important! Watering laurel seeds and sprouts should be done with settled and warm water. The water temperature should be 4-5 °C above room temperature.

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

How to plant a laurel by dividing the bush

You need to divide the bay bush very carefully; on each branch separated from the main plant, some viable roots should remain. 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 dividing the bush into a small number of parts for the first time. Separating 2-3 branches from a three-year-old laurel will be quite enough.

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

Laurel cuttings

You can propagate laurel either by seeds or by 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 mature laurel shoots are used as cuttings.

Cuttings 7-9 cm long are cut from the middle or lower part of the bush at an oblique angle. The lower leaves from the cuttings must be removed and the upper ones cut in half. Then the cuttings are planted in the substrate. The substrate is prepared from equal parts of leaf soil and bog moss; it is also recommended to add half a part of sand.

Place expanded clay drainage at the bottom of the pot, cover it with substrate and thoroughly moisten it. The 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 ensure that the soil is constantly moist. With proper care, the cuttings will take root in 1-2 months.

How to properly care for a bay 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 for the formation decorative look it needs to be trimmed.

Watering and fertilizing the plant

Watering the 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 should also be done with settled water, but the seasonal intensity of watering the tree should be distinguished.

In spring and summer, laurel needs constant watering to avoid drying out of the soil. In autumn, 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 spray their leaves for better growth; adult plants are sprayed to eliminate dust on the leaves and crown of the tree. The laurel needs feeding not only at the time of transplantation, but 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 the soil in which it grows.

What first comes to your mind when you hear the word "laurel" — evergreen shrub or a popular spicy seasoning? Or maybe a solemn laurel crown, which was used to honor the heroes of antiquity?

Once upon a time, the ancient Greeks decided that it would be nice to combine business with pleasure and began grow laurel at home.

Besides gardening and cooking, its leaves are widely used in folk medicine, and all virtues of the laurel taken together, they become a compelling argument to grow it on your windowsill.

Well, isn’t it tempting to have in your home a plant that was awarded in ancient times the most worthy of the worthy, Olympic winners, best poets and musicians?

And, of course, the great ancient rulers decorated their heads with laurel crowns, believing that the evergreen branch would bring them immortality. No wonder the most known species this plant was named "noble laurel".

Types of laurel

Laurel (Laurus nobilis)- a dioecious evergreen shrub or large tree, reaching 18 m in height with smooth brown or dark gray bark and a dense pyramidal crown.

Leaves are entire, on short petioles, arranged alternately; glabrous, leathery, simple, up to 20 cm long and up to 8 cm wide, lanceolate or oblong, narrowed at the base and sharp at the apex, glossy at outside and lighter on the inside. Have peculiar spicy smell.

Less known Azorean laurel (laurus azorica) decorative, tree up to 15 m tall and camphor laurel (cinnamomum camphora), the leaves of which contain 94% camphor - an aphrodisiac nervous system.

Features of care

In natural habitat laurel easily survives the most varied vagaries of nature: rain, wind, snow, drought. Therefore, at home, he can easily adapt to any, even the most unfavorable conditions.

Location and temperature

On which windowsill to place the laurel is not so important; it will withstand both scorching midday rays and shading. And yet, if you choose from two extremes, then better for laurel sunbathe in the sun rather than get bored in the shade.

Its tight strong leaves are not afraid sunburn, they are draft-resistant and love fresh air.

The life activity of the laurel is tuned to the natural cycle subtropical zone, with warm summers and cool winters. IN summer period The plant will be satisfied with the usual temperature for this season – from 20 to 27°C.

But in the winter season it will be better send a pot of laurel on the loggia - to be in complete peace. The temperature can fluctuate from + 2 to 15 ° C (optimally - + 5 ° C).

Home laurel after wintering need to get used to the sun again, gradually exposing him to the rays - at first little by little, then more and more by the son-in-law.

Watering and spraying

During the growing season In spring and summer, the home laurel bush requires regular and fairly abundant watering. On hot days summer days it should be daily.

And yet, make sure that the substrate in the pot has time to dry out a little: after all, the most common cause of serious illness and even death This plant is caused by waterlogging and stagnation of water on the ground.

For winter time The watering regime should be different: 1 - maximum 2 times a week. Use only soft, settled water with a temperature of up to +20 degrees.

All types of laurel are very popular spraying and high humidity. In the summer, don’t be lazy to give your bush a shower twice a day, morning and evening. You can solve the problem differently - place the pot in a tray with moistened pebbles or place a container of water next to it.

Planting, soil, replanting

Laurel planting carried out in the spring. First of all, you need to lay a good layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot, then fill it with soil. You can use a substrate that is sold in stores, or you can prepare it yourself. Soil composition:

• leaf soil - 1 part;
• turf soil - 1 part;
• humus – 1 part;
• sand - 2 parts.

Until the laurel reaches five years of age it is replanted every year, and then this procedure is done once every 2-3 years. When replanting, be sure to use fertilizers.

Ideal feeding for laurels - “Cactus”.

Take a slightly alkaline or neutral substrate for transplantation. The plant will be accepted better, if you do not take dishes “for growth”.

Prepare new pot a little larger in diameter (2.2.5 cm) and the same amount deeper. If your laurel is mature and grows in a tub, take a new one 5 cm larger.

For a master class on transplanting laurel at home, watch the video below:

Laurel propagation

Laurel is propagated mainly by seeds, less often by cuttings. In spring, the seeds are sown in pots, boxes or bowls filled with a mixture of 2 parts leaf soil and turf and one part sand.

The soil should not be cold (from 18 °C). In the phase of the first two leaves, the seedlings need to be planted in another container at a distance of 2 cm from each other.

When they are properly and strong, you can start transplantation each seedling into a separate bowl 7 cm in diameter. Here you will need a different soil composition:

• 4 parts of turf;
• 2 parts leaf soil;
• one part sand;
• one part peat.

Young seedlings you need to constantly water, spray, keep at a cool temperature (up to 10-12°C) and in a well-lit place.

Shoots for propagation by cuttings are cut in mid-spring or early summer.

Choose non-lignified ones, with 2-3 internodes, up to 8 cm long. Lower leaves needs to be removed, and then plant them in a box at a distance of at least 10 cm from each other.

The soil mixture should consist of 2 layers: 3-4 cm of turf on the bottom, and 2-3 cm of sand on top. Cuttings should grow at a temperature of 16-20°C, in a bright room.

Rooting will happen after about a month, then the seedlings are placed in permanent containers - 7-centimeter pots. The soil can be taken the same as when planting seedlings.

Diseases and pests

Most often, home laurel bushes are affected by greenhouse or leaf thrips, laurel psyllid, .

If the insect attack has just begun, and there are not very many of them yet, you can use mechanical methods control (in other words, collect pests manually).

AND spider mite This method of fighting is useless; they will have to be immediately hit with chemicals - for example, “”. If the moment is missed, then use appropriate pesticides against other insects, without forgetting about safety precautions.

Laurel is quite resistant to diseases. If any troubles happen to it, it is only caused by the plant owners themselves due to excessive watering.

Leaf spot– dangerous, and is precisely a consequence of stagnation of water on the soil surface due to excessive waterlogging.

This is what laurel is like – a noble plant of heroes and monarchs. In my homeland, in the Mediterranean, as well as in Abkhazia and Western Georgia, laurel grows on forested limestone slopes.

Grown as ornamental plant in Crimea, Krasnodar Territory and Azerbaijan.

Laurel leaves and fruits – drupes- collected in winter. They contain a lot useful elements: essential and fatty oils with triglycerides - lemon balm alcohol, lauric acid, hydrocarbons, resins and phytosterols.

From fruits (they are called “beans”) get bean oil to cure paralysis, rheumatism, tumors, heart disease and as a sedative.

Use in the form of infusions and decoctions. And, of course, what would a soup be without bay leaves!

Grow in your kitchen and pinch off the leaves - but only when necessary!