Representatives of the palm family have long been decorating the homes of Russian residents. The date palm is excellent as a houseplant. In total, about 20 species are known. In nature, they grow mainly in Africa and Eurasia. The first samples were found on the territory of modern Iraq in the VI century BC. In its natural environment, the tree reaches a height of 30 meters. Palm fruits are used commercially. They are a favorite delicacy of many people.
Is it possible to grow a date palm from a seed at home? According to experienced flower growers, this is quite simple to do. However, unlike those specimens that grow in their natural environment, such a tree will not bear fruit. Indoor plants perform only a decorative role. Their exotic appearance is able to decorate any room. But not only this influenced the popularity of this type of palm tree. plant prettynon-capricious, even a novice florist can take care of him. However, before you grow this species, it is important to familiarize yourself with some of the features.
Growing conditions
Decorative palm is a bushy tree with feather-like leaves. It is the latter that are its merit. At home, the plant reaches about 2 meters. He desperately needs free space. Therefore, it is necessary to place the tree in a room where little furniture is installed. Accordingly, you will need a large pot so that the date palm can develop well at home. With proper care, you can see how the plant blooms. Inflorescences have a pleasant yellow tint. However, you should not count on the fact that you can enjoy the dates. The fact is that only those specimens that have reached a height of 15 meters begin to bear fruit. Well, as you know, in apartments or houses it is simply impossible.
All that was said above applies to mature trees. But if the grower is only going to grow a date palm at home (how to do this will be described below), then he should not immediately allocate a lot of space for her. It is enough to take care of just lighting. The fact is that the tree grows slowly, and at first it is planted in a small pot. In the future, of course, it will be necessary to regularly change the capacity to a larger one. As a rule, a young plant is transplanted every year. First, it is placed on the windowsill, then you can rearrange it onstand, and only when it grows, move it to the floor.
How to grow a date palm from seed?
If you are interested in how to grow a beautiful exotic tree from a stone, then you should read the instructions below.
- Selecting a bone. Those palm fruits that have undergone heat treatment do not give sprouts. It is for this reason that it is necessary to take a bone from dried, fresh or candied dates.
- Preparing the bone. In order for the sprout to appear faster, it is important to break the shell a little. You can do this with sandpaper. Armed with it, lightly rub the bone.
- Soil preparation. Seeds need special soil to germinate. You can cook it yourself. To do this, you need to take raw sawdust, peat, river sand. These components are mixed in equal parts.
- Landing. In order to accurately obtain palm sprouts, it is recommended to plant several seeds, as they say, for reliability. In the soil, previously moistened, they are placed in an upright position. From above you need to sprinkle a little substrate. This layer should not exceed one centimeter.
- Optimal conditions. In order for the seed to germinate, the container must be placed in a place where the temperature will be about +25 ºC. It is not recommended to grow palm trees if the room is cool. The minimum allowable temperature limit is +20 ºC. It is also important to pay attention to the light sources. It is advisable to install the pot inshaded place. During the germination period, it is important that the soil is constantly moist. However, do not be zealous, as stagnant water can lead to rotting of planting material.
Unfortunately, you will have to be patient to grow a date palm. No matter how hard you try, the bones swell for a long time. After planting, the first shoots appear after about 3 months, and sometimes you have to wait even six months. There is no way to speed up this process, so all that remains is to wait.
When green sprouts appear above the ground, it is necessary to change the conditions. The first step is to move the pot to a place that will be well lit. However, it is better to protect a young plant from direct sunlight. Until the seedlings grow up, they are regularly sprayed with warm water. It is also necessary to moisten the soil, not allowing it to dry out. This is how a homemade date palm should be cared for.
Care for grown sprouts
As soon as the sprouts reach a height of 10-15 centimeters, they must be seated. For these purposes, any container is suitable. The only condition is a diameter of at least 15 cm. It is necessary to plant plants in order for the root system to fully develop.
At this stage, the young date palm should be placed in a special soil. It consists of the following components:
- peat land - one piece;
- river sand - 2 parts;
- humus - 4 parts;
- charcoal - twohandfuls;
- turf and leaf land - 2 parts each.
The prepared substrate is thoroughly mixed. Then take the pot. At the bottom there should be a hole through which excess water will flow. Also, the drainage layer will not interfere. Make it easy. To do this, broken tiles or egg shells are laid on the bottom of the pot, you can also pour just sand. After that, the pre-dug out shoots are carefully placed in prepared containers, sprinkled with soil and moistened.
Date palm: home care
If a palm tree was planted from a stone, then the first leaves will appear in about 3-4 years. Sometimes this process can take up to five years. In no case should you cut the top of the trunk. After all, it is the point of growth. The uniform crown of the tree is formed only by turning towards the light source. The main thing is that the new arrow should be turned into a shadow.
Both young and mature trees need proper care. A home-grown date seed palm tree is in dire need of plenty of sunlight. It is also important to regularly ventilate the room. The care of the tree itself is quite simple. In the summer, when the temperature reaches the threshold of +25 ºC, it is recommended to organize a shower once every seven days. You will also need to wipe the leaves daily with a wet sponge or spray the crown with a sprayer.
In addition to these procedures, others do. We are talking about bait, watering and other manipulations, which we will talk about morein detail.
Irrigation features
How to water the date palm at home? Plant care is important both in winter and in summer. However, watering will be different. It is recommended to moisten the soil only with soft water, previously settled.
In the summer, you will have to water the tree often. However, care must be taken to ensure that the water does not stagnate, as this can damage the roots, which will lead to the death of the palm tree. But in winter it is recommended to reduce the amount of water. The fact is that the plant is at rest during this period, so it does not need strong moisture. Depending on the temperature in the room, the intervals between watering can be up to 14-30 days.
Transfer
Replanting a young plant is the main action that cannot be dispensed with. It needs to be done every year. Until the date palm has reached the age of 5, it is not recommended to plant it immediately in a large pot. The size of the container should increase as gradually as the plant grows. Surprisingly, adults are not very fond of being disturbed. Therefore, they should be transplanted only when absolutely necessary.
There are some features that a beginner gardener should be aware of:
- When transplanting a palm tree, you must act carefully, as it is very easy to damage the roots.
- It is recommended to use the transshipment method when transplanting.
- The roots of the plant are quite long, so the pot needs to be deep.
- Replanting a young plant,it is important to use a flowerpot that will be 3-4 centimeters larger than the previous one.
- It often happens that the soil is depleted, therefore, in order not to disturb the plant, you can carefully remove the top layer and replace it with a new substrate. This manipulation is recommended to be done no more than once every 6 months.
Complementary food
In order for the date palm to grow he althy and beautiful at home, it is necessary to feed it. If this is not done, then growth slows down noticeably, the leaves lose their color, becoming too light, bronze spots may appear. In order to avoid such troubles, it is recommended to use fertilizers, applying them approximately once every 14 days. For these purposes, complex products designed specifically for flowering plants are excellent. It is necessary to start complementary foods from mid-spring - in April. The last dose is applied in November, after which the plant goes dormant.
Temperature conditions
When growing a date palm from seed, it is important to ensure the correct temperature in the room. The young plant develops well in conditions with a temperate climate (up to +25 ° C). This temperature must be provided in the spring-summer period. With the advent of autumn, it is recommended to gradually reduce it. By November, it is best if the room is already no higher than + 15 … + 18 ° C. Surprisingly, there are types of palm trees that can winter even at lower temperatures (+8…+10 °C). The main thing is to protect the plant fromdrafts.
Humidity
There are no special requirements for humidity levels. However, in winter, when the heating is turned on, it is advisable to remove the palm tree away from the appliances. You will also need to regularly wipe the leaves with a damp soft cloth. This will not only help to further moisturize the plant, but will also be an excellent prevention from insects. In summer, warm baths are arranged for the tree. During this procedure, the palm trunk is securely covered with a thick film so that moisture does not get inside. This will help prevent the wood from rotting.
Pruning leaves
Caring for a date palm, you will need to learn how to properly trim the leaves. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the plant. Trim only dead or damaged leaves. You can also remove those that lean too low.
An ornamental palm tree should have only one trunk. Therefore, when side shoots appear, they are immediately cut off. This will affect not only the appearance, but also help the tree to fully develop. It is important not to damage the main trunk when pruning, as this will lead to the death of the plant.
The lower branches of the palm are turning yellow. It's quite normal. However, there is no need to rush to cut them until they dry out completely. The fact is that for some time the tree draws useful substances from them. There is also another important point: you cannot cut more leaves in a year than new ones have grown.
Why doesn't the palm tree grow?
Why doesn't the date palm grow? The conditions of care were clearly not met ifsuch a problem. Non-compliance with the temperature regime can disrupt the development process. Root growth stops and activity slows down if the room is rather cool (+16-17 ºC). Another reason that can lead to such consequences is the acidity of the soil. When its level rises significantly, a deficiency of iron and manganese is formed. The optimal pH is below seven units.
