Bay leaf in cooking is an ingredient without which no hot dish can do. It can be bought in any store, but you can also grow bay laurel to get bay leaves at home. The bay tree will perfectly complement the interior of the house, and will also harmoniously fit into the landscape design of your garden.
History and Description of Laurel
The laurel plant (Laurus) is a member of the laurel family. This genus combines only two species: Laurus azorica (Seub.) Franco (1960) – Azorean Laurel and Laurus nobilis L. (1753) – Bay Laurel. Recently, a proposal has been made to separate the populations of Laurus azorica in the Canary Islands and Madeira into a new species – Laurus novocanariensis.
The homeland of the laurel is the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. In ancient Greece, the laurel was considered a sacred plant of Apollo. The myth of Apollo and the nymph Daphne, who was turned into a laurel to escape the pursuit of Apollo, who was seized with passion for her, was widely known. Apollo wove a wreath from the branches of the laurel, which became his indispensable attribute. It is from this myth that the laurel wreath became a symbol of triumph. The ancient Greeks and Romans made wreaths from it to adorn the heads of the winners.
Nowadays, laurel is grown in France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal and on the Adriatic coast. It is also grown on the Black Sea coast. As an ornamental houseplant, the bay tree has been grown since the 16th century. Many people quite successfully grow laurel at home, as well as in special greenhouses. If you provide the plant with proper care and create the necessary conditions, you can grow a beautiful and practical tree.
Features of Growing Laurel
Laurel is an evergreen tree/shrub. The leathery simple leaf plates have an entire, slightly wavy edge. During flowering, axillary umbellate inflorescences are formed. This is an unpretentious plant and can grow even in low light conditions. But in these conditions, the crown of the tree will have few leaves and will be less decorative.
Location and Lighting
The bay tree needs diffused, but rather bright light, so it must be placed on western or eastern windows. In summer, the plant is recommended to be placed on well-ventilated loggias or balconies. If there is such an opportunity, it is better to put the pot with the plant in a slightly shaded place on the street for the summer.
Direct sunlight damages the leaves of the laurel, so it is not worth growing it on the south window in the spring and summer season. But in winter, when there is little sunlight in the room, you can move the laurel to the south or south-west window.
Pots and Soil
Laurel needs light, breathable soil. When buying a ready-made soil mixture, it is worth choosing substrates for palms or cacti. You can prepare the soil yourself by mixing garden soil, humus and sand 3:2:1.
The bay tree can be planted in any pot, but its volume should be such that there is room for root development, but not be too large, so that the soil in it does not become acidic.
Air Humidity and Temperature
Like any tropical plant, laurel needs high air temperature and humidity. The temperature in summer should be within 20-27 degrees. In winter, the plant needs a lower temperature. Laurel feels most comfortable at a temperature of 12-15 degrees. The plant may not tolerate air temperatures below plus 5 degrees.
Laurel is demanding on air humidity, so it should not drop below 50-60%. The optimum humidity must be maintained by regularly spraying the tree, placing the pot on a pallet filled with expanded clay and water, placing an artificial fountain nearby, etc. These measures are especially relevant in the spring and summer period at elevated air temperatures.
Watering and Fertilizing
The bay tree needs to be watered regularly in spring and summer. For watering, use well-settled or thawed water at room temperature. In 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 from the pan is recommended to be drained.
In winter, watering is drastically reduced. The soil should be moistened only after the top layer has dried to a depth of 4-5 centimeters. If the laurel is in a room with a temperature below 10 degrees Celsius, then it does not need to be watered in winter.
Throughout the growing period, the plant regularly needs feeding. The basis of feeding a young plant is a nutrient substrate, which is updated annually. An adult plant is not recommended to be transplanted often, so a partial replacement of the soil is carried out in the pot. The top layer to a depth of up to 10 centimeters is removed, and a mixture of sod soil, peat and humus is poured in its place.
Additionally, the laurel is fed with liquid organic fertilizers, mineral mixtures are used once every 30 days. It is recommended to buy special top dressings “Laurel” or mixtures intended for feeding palms and cacti.
Transplanting
The schedule of laurel transplants depends on its age. Young trees are transplanted into a new pot every year. An adult tree is transplanted once every 2-3 years. For transplanting, a pot is chosen 5-6 centimeters larger than the previous one.
Transplanting is carried out by the transshipment method, so that the roots are not damaged. The plant is taken out of the old pot together with a lump of earth and, trying not to destroy it, is placed in a new pot, leaving the planting level the same. The remaining space is filled with nutritious soil. After transplanting, the plant should be placed in a shaded place.
Crown Formation
The crown of the laurel is easily formed, so proper pruning allows you to get a beautiful appearance of the tree. Pruning also stimulates the formation of new shoots, and the crown becomes thick. This should be done from mid-to-late March or late August – early September, until the end of vegetation.
Reproduction Methods
Laurel can be propagated at home in several ways:
- cuttings;
- planting seeds;
- separation of children.
Cuttings are one of the most laborious methods. Harvesting of laurel cuttings is carried out either in April or in the first summer weeks. Good cuttings should not be woody, reach about 80 mm in length, and also have two or three internodes. At the bottom of the container, pour a layer of sod soil 30-40 mm thick, and sprinkle sand on top of it (20-30 mm high). Shorten the leaf plates on them and deepen into the substrate by 15 mm, and the distance between them should be about 10 centimeters.
Rooting of cuttings will take about 1 month, at this time the air temperature in the room should be from 16 to 20 degrees. The rooted cuttings need to be planted in separate pots that reach 70 mm in diameter.
Reproduction by seeds is the longest process, seedlings may appear 60-65 days after planting. Sowing should be done in early spring, as the soil can be used a universal mixture for planting. The seeds are placed at a depth of 1.5-2 cm, lightly moistened on top and covered with a glass container, which must be periodically removed to ventilate and moisten the soil.
Make your choice on fresh seeds that have been recently packaged, because the bay leaf has the property of quickly losing its germination quality.
Separation of children is an easy and quick way of reproduction. But no more than 3 shoots can be separated from one tree. The procedure is carried out exclusively with a plant aged 3 years and only during the dormant period (from October to March). Separation of shoots during the period of active growth of the bush can destroy it. Also, do not tear off the shoots of the laurel until 3 years.
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 reduced acidity.
Diseases and Pests
Laurel can be seriously harmed by several types of parasites:
- scale insects;
- spider mites;
- mealybugs.
The bay tree can also be damaged by fungal diseases. This may be due to excessive watering. At this time, brown spots appear on the bay leaf.
It is necessary to fight such diseases and pests by removing damaged areas and transplanting the plant with the addition of new fresh substrate.
If you follow all the rules of growing laurel at home, you can always have a beautiful, fragrant and useful plant in the room.