Laurel: care at home. Laurel cultivation at home. Laurel - photo
Laurel is a plant known to all. In our time it is difficult to imagine a dish cooked without laurel leaves, giving the food a specific taste and aroma. Even in ancient Rome, cultivated a home laurel. Care for an unpretentious plant is simple, in addition, it does not get along well on loggias and balconies.
Main characteristics
Lavr - houseplant, care for which underforce even to novice growers. Under natural conditions of growth, this tree can reach a height of 18 meters. By the way, in the vicinity of Sochi, you can find specimens that have a 15-meter height.
Despite the fact that the laurel does not require special care,it is still desirable to create the most favorable conditions for the plant. The room culture prefers to be in a sunny place, however it will grow well in the shade. Also, such a plant as a laurel is not afraid of drafts and drought. Care at home should be done so that he does not experience stress due to lack of water, or, conversely, did not suffer from waterlogging the soil. Laurel is resistant to diseases and pests, it can be cut, giving different shapes. Many gardeners manage to grow large trees that have a delicate intertwined trunk.
Varieties of the room laurel
This plant has only two types:
- laurel noble;
- laurel of Canary.
Unlike his compatriot, the Canarian species has large wide leaves, slightly wrinkled along the edges. But his fragrance is somewhat weaker than that of a noble fellow.
Several kinds of noble tree are knownlaurel. Houseplant, care for which is quite simple, is in high demand with the florists. The main botanical species has three varieties: narrow-leaved, golden and wrinkled. All of them differ from each other only in the form and color of the foliage.
Healing properties
In addition to the fact that it is fragrant, known to allseasoning, laurel has a number of healing properties. This applies not only to the leaves, but also to the fruit. They contain fragrant essential oils and tannins. Thus, the inhalation of vapors from infusions made from plant components helps fight against cancer.
Also, experts say that laurel, home care for which is performed correctly, can prevent the development of a disease such as coronary heart disease.
Features of care
Despite the fact that special hassle during cultivationThe laurel does not arise, it still needs to be taken care of. Otherwise, even such an unpretentious plant can die. Possessing a mass of useful advantages, it can look very beautiful and decorative, but this requires care. Laurel noble very fond of pruning the crown, spraying the leaves. Dark green fragrant leaves should be constantly wiped from dust collecting on them.
Temperature
For good growth for each plantit is desirable to create such conditions to which it is accustomed in its native places. This applies to such a flower as the laurel of the room. Care in winter is first and foremost the optimum air temperature (not above 18 degrees). And in January, experts generally recommend to lower it to 10 degrees. Therefore, in a heating season, especially in apartments with central heating, the plant should be kept away from heat sources.
Reproduction
Such a plant as a laurel, home carewhich is carried out properly, is reproduced easily enough by cuttings. It can be grown from seeds, but the processes and radical cuttings take root very long.
If you decide to grow a plant from seeds, thenbe sure to check the expiration date of the seed. Take care of special soil and keep in mind that for obtaining good seedlings, several other conditions are necessary.
For greater efficiency, experienced flower growersit is recommended to soak the material for sowing in warm water for several hours. Do not put seeds deep into the soil, it is advisable to sprinkle them with a layer of earth and cover with a film.
If you breed laurel cuttings, then cut them offfollows from the shoots this year, which have not yet managed to completely lignify. Preparation of future seedlings is carried out in the spring - in March or April. Cropped sprouts are planted in moistened soil. It is desirable to remove most of the leaves, leaving two or three, which is better to shorten. The length of the planting material should be 6-8 cm. For a better and faster rooting it is desirable to use very wet sand. For rooting young seedlings will take about a month.
Transfer
The transplant should not be performed frequently. Do not choose a small tree for a large capacity. The plant feels best in a small pot. When he becomes cramped, the new capacity should be 4 cm more. The transplant should be performed by transshipment of an earthen coma, pouring out the necessary soil into a new pot. After landing laurels must be watered. The transplant can be performed in the spring and summer.
Additional fertilizing
All plants need periodicfeeding, even laurel. Care at home does not require feeding a tree often, it is enough to do this twice a month, during the active period of growth, that is, from June to September. For nourishing use nitrate, potassium salt, liquid superphosphate. All fertilizers are bred in water.
Lighting
In order to preserve decorativeness and beautyfoliage of the laurel, it is desirable to put it on a light, warm, well-lit side. Despite the fact that the flower normally feels itself in the shade, its color may change slightly, the leaves will no longer have such a vivid color, and the tree itself can stretch out and the foliage can be subdued.
In the room it is very difficult to achieveflowering plants such as laurel. Care at home, appropriate to natural factors, can help the tree to blossom. True, his flowers are not too beautiful. Basically, these are small inflorescences of yellow flowers, having a pleasant aroma.
Helpful Tips
Laurel is a plant, the care for which will be in joyeven children, because, basically, this is the correct watering and location. If you do not know how to properly water a decorative tree, then do this when the top layer of the soil dries slightly. Do not fill the flower, because even the unpretentious laurel from the abundance of water can root roots.
Before landing or transplanting, do not forget to dodrainage. Try to refrain from replacing the one-year-old laurel. The only thing that this tree does not like very much is frequent transplants, its roots are very sensitive.
If you plant the flower with cuttings, thenCutting, try not to cut to the end the process from the big tree, try gently tearing it. The resulting "heel" will contribute to a more rapid development of the root system of a young seedling.
Do not forget about humidity and spray the plantin hot weather every day. Try to do this in the evening hours, because drops of moisture on the sheets when they hit the sun's rays turn into very strong lenses that can leave strong burns on the leaves, which will lead not only to an ugly appearance, but also to their death.
Do not feed the plant in winter at rest,otherwise in natural time for active growth the laurel will not be able to develop normally, as it will not have time to gain strength. It is also desirable to reduce watering in winter.
