How dates grow is often interesting for dried fruit lovers who see them only when cooked. Dates grow on a palm tree, collected in clusters. If you wish, you can independently plant a bone from dried fruit and grow a small palm. Of course, she will not bear fruit, but the exotic attractive appearance will preserve and will delight the owner for a long time.
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How and where do dates grow in nature?
The historical homeland of culture is the Middle East, North Africa, the Canary Islands. Today, the plant is cultivated in different countries with a hot climate. The leader in growing dates is Saudi Arabia.
In Russia, date palms are grown on the Black Sea coast. However, they do not produce high-quality fruits; therefore, they can only be considered as ornamental plants, and not fruit-bearing.
Date palm trees under normal growing conditions bear fruit up to 80 years. The fruits are gathered in large clusters. The most productive varieties of culture allow you to get up to 150 kg of dates from one tree.
Growing at home
If there is a desire to have a date palm at home, then it is not necessary to buy a plant. It is enough just to grow dates from a seed obtained from dried fruit. In order for a houseplant to be healthy and have a beautiful appearance, one must remember the basic rules of agricultural technology. Their violation for an adult plant is undesirable, but not very dangerous, but young dates with improper care die very quickly.
How to sprout a date seed stone?
The seed must be sprouted correctly, and it is not enough just to place it in the ground and wait for germination. A seed is suitable for planting only if dried fruits have not undergone heat treatment.
- It is best to plant a plant in winter - during this period, under natural conditions, date palms begin active vegetation, since in the southern hemisphere it is summer.
- The stone must be soaked in warm water for 2-3 days. To do this, the dishes with it are placed in a warm place (you can near the battery). Water should be changed every day. You can also soak a bone in a well-soaked cotton wool, but this is less effective.
After soaking, 3-4 punctures are made on the bone and again placed in water for 4 days. This will stimulate germination. As soon as the bone swells, you can plant it.
Soil requirement
Soil for a palm tree needs to be prepared independently.
For him, in equal amounts are mixed:
- sawdust;
- peat;
- sand.
Fertilizers do not need to be applied.
Landing rules
They do not close the bone deep - not more than 5 cm. It is better to sprinkle it with peat rather than soil. This will provide the most comfortable conditions for germination. Plant a bone in a pre-moistened substrate. After planting, watering is not carried out until the soil dries. Germination occurs better if greenhouse conditions are created, for which the pot should be tightened with a transparent plastic bag. Remove it for ventilation should be for 5-10 minutes at least once a day.
Plant transplant
A date palm transplant is carried out as it develops and the pot grows. When transplanting, the substrate is needed the same as for planting. It is also necessary to transplant the plant, if initially several seeds were grown in one tank at once. In this case, the transplant is carried out at the moment when a strong leaf 4 cm long has formed on the sprout.
- Since the roots of the palm are long, the pot will need a deep one. Its width is not important. At the bottom, a drainage layer of broken brick or expanded clay is necessarily made.
- Transplantation is carried out by the method of transplantation, which reduces the risk of damage to the root system. If rotting roots are found at the time of transplantation, then they are trimmed.
Frequent transplants negatively affect the date palm, and therefore the capacity for it is taken with a margin. The maximum frequency of replanting a tree is once a year.
How to care for a palm tree at home?
Despite the fact that the date palm is very unpretentious, care for it needs the right one. In nature, plants are much stronger than those that are grown in a pot and can tolerate adverse conditions without damage. Domestic instances have lost such stamina.
- After germination, the plant requires abundant watering with warm water. However, it is important to ensure that the water does not stagnate, as this will cause damage. Water for irrigation is maintained for 2-3 days at room temperature. If possible, use rain or melt liquid. Daily spraying is required.
- In winter, a date palm needs a decrease in temperature to 15-18 degrees, which will provide it with a rest period according to the biological cycle of the growth band, and not of a natural nature.
- The plant needs high-quality lighting for 10 hours a day, but it is important that direct sunlight does not fall on it. They will lead to burns and its possible death.
- Top dressing is carried out during the growing season once a month, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers. In winter, they don’t feed a palm tree.
- To maintain a beautiful appearance, the leaves are wiped with a damp cloth.
Possible growing problems
The main problems that can arise when growing a date palm at home are attacks by its pests: scale insects, thrips. In this situation, special preparations help to protect indoor plants.
Another problem that the florist may encounter is waterlogging of the soil and decay of the plant. The palm in such a situation exudes an intense rot odor. If the plant has live roots, then you can save it by stopping watering until the soil is completely dry.
The fact that the palm does not receive moisture, say the darkening ends of the leaves. The easiest way to fix this problem.
If there is a place in the apartment and desire, you can easily grow an exotic beauty from a stone. The date palm tree in the pot looks elegant and can be an interesting green home decoration. Knowing what dates grow on, you can immediately decide whether you need a palm tree at home or not.
