Date palm plantations. Optimum temperature and humidity

Date palms are evergreen beautiful plants, which today can be seen in many homes, offices, hotel lobbies.

With their help, they decorate the premises, enliven the boring interior, and zone the space. You can buy palm trees in greenhouses or flower shops, but they are quite expensive. Many experienced florists this type of plant is grown at home from a date seed.

What do date palms look like?

Members of the genus are squat shrubs or trees. Among them, a well-known plant that can be grown from a stone is a tree with one trunk and pinnately-divided long leaves, on the base of which there are sharp thorns. The dioecious plant, when flowering, produces paniculate inflorescences with yellow small flowers.

Date palm, Date or Phoenix grows up to thirty meters in nature. For the sake of obtaining its tasty fruits, the trees are grown on an industrial scale. Home growers are often interested in whether the Date will bear fruit in indoor conditions? For a plant to start blooming and bearing fruit, it needs to grow to a height of at least fifteen meters. Therefore, there is no need to hope for its flowering and fruiting indoors.

Growing dates from stone

If you decide to grow a date palm at home, then know - it will grow for a long time... The first two years she will have enough space on the windowsill.

The seed for planting should be chosen the one that did not undergo heat treatment... Just by sticking it into the ground, you can wait up to six months for germination. To speed up this process, you should resort to some tricks:

Thanks to this soaking, the first shoots can be obtained in one to three months. In any case, it is best to soak several bones at once for a safety net.

How to grow date seedlings correctly?

The swollen bone is placed in a container with potting soil, which should consist of peat, sand and raw sawdust (1: 1: 1). The seed is immersed in the mixture vertically and sprinkled with one centimeter of the same soil.

The containers are placed in a warm place with an air temperature of at least +25 degrees. Top container can be covered with glass or polyethylene... The glass must be lifted daily and the soil moisture checked. It should not dry out, but it is also not desirable for the soil to be too wet.

As soon as the sprout hatches, the container is exposed in a well-lit place without direct sunlight. A small sprout that has grown to ten to fifteen centimeters is transplanted into a more spacious container with a diameter of ten centimeters. Date palms have long roots, so the pot should not be low.

Drainage from pebbles, charcoal or ceramite is laid at the bottom of the prepared container. A potting soil mixture is prepared, which can be purchased at the store or prepared by yourself. Date soil should consist of the following components:

The transplanted sprout is well watered and placed on the east or west windowsill. It will be needed transplant into a new container every year, which should be slightly larger than the previous one. Since the palm tree has delicate roots, it is recommended to do a transshipment so that the plant does not hurt and quickly takes root in a new pot.

In no case should it be possible to form or cut a small tree, since its growth point is at the top of the trunk. Date leaves will give only after three to five years of growth at home. For uniform formation of the crown, it is necessary to rotate the pot from time to time around the axis. The new leaf arrow should be facing the shadow.

Date palm care at home

A tropical plant loves good lighting, therefore it should be grown in a bright, sunny and warm room... At insufficient lighting Date leaves will become elongated and brittle.

The air temperature in summer can be any. The tree can be placed on the loggia or open balcony where there are no drafts. In winter, the room temperature should be between 12-18 degrees Celsius. It is not recommended to put a palm tree near heating appliances at home. Its leaves will begin to dry and the plant may die.

When caring for Date Special attention should be given air humidity, which should be about 50%. To do this, the leaves of the palm tree should be sprayed. In winter when heating devices dry the air, spraying must be carried out several times a day.

The plant should be watered soft settled water room temperature ... Do not allow overdrying of the earthen coma and at the same time stagnation of water in the pot and pan. Watering can be plentiful in summer. In winter, if the date is kept in a cool room, watering is minimal.

It is good to grow and please with your own beautiful leaves a palm tree will be if you do regular feeding when caring for it. In spring and summer, it needs to be fertilized regularly, alternating mineral and organic feeding... In winter, complex fertilizers are applied once a month.

In the first five years, the plant is transplanted annually into pots, which should be 3-4 cm larger in diameter and depth than the previous one.

Older trees are transplanted only when necessary, as their roots do not like to be disturbed. You can simply renew the soil every six months by removing upper layer soil and adding new potting soil to the pot.

Transplanting plants is better in the spring... Young plants in larger pots begin to grow vigorously. However, if the container is too large, the tree may stop growing altogether.

Diseases and pests of the date palm

Violations of the conditions of detention and rules for care often lead to the appearance on the plant of a scale insect, mealybug and spider mite... If the leaves of a palm tree stop growing, dry, curl, darken and plaques appear on them, then the date suffers from pests. It is recommended to regularly inspect the leaves and spray them at the first appearance of insects on them garlic solution or rinse with water laundry soap... Processing is repeated in a week.

A severely affected plant requires the use of insecticidal preparations. You can use Aktellik by dissolving it in water according to the instructions.

Sick and weak trees are prone to diseases:

• pink rot causes leaf and stem rot;
• spotting disfigures the leaves.

In this case, the plant is processed fungicides, which include methyl thiophanate and mankozeb. Processing should be carried out strictly according to the instructions that are attached to the preparations.

Possible problems when growing dates

Why do palm leaves darken?

When caring for a plant at home, you must ensure that the soil in the pot is not too damp, and in the pallet water did not stagnate... Otherwise, the leaves will begin to darken and turn brown. This means that the roots have begun to rot. Over time, a rotten smell will appear from the pot, and the trunk will become soft. The plant may die. To prevent this from happening, the palm must be removed from the container and the watery, dark and soft roots cut off. The remaining roots are sprinkled with crushed coal, and the tree is planted in a new potting mix.

Date palm turns yellow

If the stagnation of water in the soil leads to rotting of the plant and darkening of the leaves, then with insufficient watering, constant drying out of the earthy coma and low air humidity, the leaves of the palm tree will begin to turn yellow. You need to follow moisture earthen coma and spray the palm leaves constantly.

The date dries

With insufficient air humidity on the palm, the tips of the leaves first dry, and over time they can dry out completely. So don't be lazy spray a tree especially in winter when heating radiators are on. You can increase the humidity in the room with a special humidifier.

Why isn't the date palm growing?

There can be several reasons for stopping plant growth:

1. Pot too big. If a palm tree is transplanted into a container that is much larger than the previous one, then until the roots fill all the soil in the pot, the plant will not grow upward. Therefore, the new container should only be 3-4 cm larger than the previous one.
2. High soil acidity. For good growth palms need to select soil with an acidity of not more than 7 pH. It should also contain iron and manganese.
3. Low air temperature. Date root growth slows down at temperatures below +17 degrees. This is due to the fact that at low temperatures ah the roots stop absorbing from the soil nutrients... As a result, the plant does not receive the required amount of trace elements and stops growing.

Growing a date palm from seed requires more than good care and correct content, but also great attention and patience. But as a result, the Date will become a decoration of the apartment, a reason for the admiration of guests and the pride of the owner.

The date palm is a great opportunity to decorate any room, be it ordinary apartment or office. This idea can be realized in several ways. The easiest way to get a plant that has suitable sizes and appearance. However, growing a date palm on your own will bring much more joy to a person. Naturally, for this, you first have to get acquainted with the agricultural technology of work in our climate, which is an order of magnitude different from the tropics.

Selection of seeds and their preparation for planting

Regardless of the tree that you are going to grow at home, the first step is to prepare planting material and provide it with favorable conditions for development. If you want to get a beautiful date palm from the seed, you should decide on a variety that can grow in closed spaces... To do this, you do not have to seek help from specialists, since any dates that have not undergone heat treatment are suitable for this.

Most suitable the planting material is fresh dates... You do not need a photo for this, because in the absence of them, you can replace them with dry fruits, which can be found in any market.

When choosing dried dates for growing an ornamental palm, it doesn't hurt to ask the seller first if they were cooked in sugar syrup. It is not worth buying fruits that have undergone a similar heat treatment, since the seeds taken from them will not germinate.

Preparation of planting material

When you have bones, you can start preparing them for planting:

You can offer another way by which you can speed up the ripening process. For this, the prepared bones are placed in hot water, heated to a temperature of 80 degrees, and kept in it for one to two minutes. A sign of seed readiness for planting will be their swelling.

Conditions for growing date palm

The photo of the tree should make it clear that it is not so easy to grow a beautiful date tree, since you need to be careful at every stage.

Even before you plant the seeds in the soil, you need to decide important questions:

• find suitable premises, where date palm will grow best;
• find a container of suitable sizes;
• prepare the soil.

Given that the natural habitat of palm trees is the tropics, they can grow well with sufficient light and humidity. But this should not be taken as a recommendation that in the tub, you need to create conditions that resemble a swamp... For the normal development of date seedlings, it is necessary not only to carry out frequent watering, but also provide direct sunlight for at least three to four hours a day. The most favorable conditions for the cultivation of the date palm can be created on the south side.

However, keep in mind that the date palm is a fairly tall tree that can grow up to 30 meters. But it is unlikely that it will grow as tall in indoor conditions, usually its height is limited to 2-3 meters. Moreover, to reach such a mark, it will take at least 5 years. To avoid developmental delays palm tree it is necessary to provide the optimal amount of lighting throughout life... In the early years, it is allowed to grow young shoots in a pot on a windowsill. However, when the seedling matures, you will have to find appropriate place well lit by the sun.

Date palms can be grown in any suitable sized pots. But you need to remember that in the first years of life, they form a root, after which they form leaves. Growing a palm tree begins with planting seeds on common garden, from which the seedlings are already planted in separate tubs.

The soil

To plant the seeds, you need soil of a suitable composition. The easiest way is to buy it at flower shop... However, it must be a special soil where there is an indication "for palm trees". If you want to be sure of the quality of the planting soil, it is recommended to prepare it yourself.

A good basis for the soil will be raw sawdust, peat and sand, taken in equal amounts... Other types of soil cultivators, such as perlite, are also suitable for this. Before filling the pot with soil mixture, drainage is placed on the bottom. Subsequently, when the palm tree continues to mature, it must be replanted, each time preparing a new soil.

Stages of transplanting a date palm from a stone at home: from stone to palm

Proper seed preparation before planting is definitely an important exercise. However, this does not yet guarantee that strong beautiful plants will grow from them. If you do not follow the care rules at one of the subsequent stages, then at any moment the tree can wither and die. This can be avoided if the following activities are carried out throughout the life of the plant:

Instances aged 5 years must be replanted every year. Subsequently, the transplant is carried out taking into account the size of the plants. This can be determined by protruding roots from the ground.

When the time comes for transplanting, it is imperative to shorten the felt layer formed by the roots. This will prepare the young palm tree for artificial conditions cultivation, thereby increasing its survival rate.

Home date palms: photos

Date tree care rules

If you want to enjoy appearance date palm, you will need to provide appropriate care. Considering that she is used to growing in the tropics, it will be useful for her:

• sunlight;
• moderate humidity;
• soft loose soil;
• periodic shower, which can be replaced by wiping the leaves with a damp cloth;
• high temperature regime;
• spaciousness. A date palm can only be grown if there is a large enough free area so that light comes to it from all directions.

Other factors that are not included in this list are harmful to the palm tree. You can determine the deterioration of the tree by changing the leaves. They usually turn black. The most likely reason for this is a lack of sunlight or poor watering. It should also be noted that the plant can infect a disease if there is a draft in the room from the window. For this reason, care must be taken to avoid sudden temperature fluctuations in the room.

Realizing that the plant began to feel worse, you need to immediately take urgent measures to correct the situation. Often it can be helped by increasing the humidity of the air, which can be done by spraying with ordinary water from a sprayer.

Conclusion

The date palm is interesting not only because it is a representative of the tropical climate, but also because of its original appearance. Even at a height of 2-3 meters, it can make the interior of any room attractive... Growing dates at home is not so difficult if you start paying attention to the plant already from the seed sowing stage. It is important to remember that the date palm will only grow well if it is provided with sufficient space. Therefore, at the moment when she becomes high enough, it is necessary to find an optimal place for her, where she will not feel constrained.

The date palm or date (Phoenix) is a genus of plants, including, according to various sources, from 14 to 17 species, and belongs to the family Palmae (Palm) or Arecaceae (Arekovy).

This palm tree is common in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa. Translated from Latin, "phoenix" means "palm".

General information

Representatives of the genus are palms with several or one trunk, which can be of different heights with a crown of leaves, sheaths of leaves or remnants of petioles at the top.

Large, curved, odd-pinnate leaves consist of linear-lanceolate rigid leaves with a solid, pointed at the apex edge, evenly spaced or in a bundle. The petioles are short, often covered with strong spines. In the axils of the leaves, paniculate inflorescences are located, consisting of small yellow flowers.

Dates are grown and how ornamental plant, And How fruit crop(finger date). Date fruits are eaten in any form, as well as fed to camels and horses. Some types of juice are used to make wine “tari”.

This palm is also used for medicinal purposes. Since the juice of the plant is an excellent remedy for the treatment of burns, wounds, skin diseases, and compresses based on crushed palm leaves are used for mastopathy.

Not large species date palms, such as Robelena and Canary, are widely used as an ornamental houseplant. And the finger date grows very much in a short time, so it is better for him to live in winter gardens and greenhouses.

Types of date palms

(Phoenix canariensis) is a plant with a straight, strong trunk, which reaches from 12 to 18 meters in height and up to 1 meter in diameter and is covered with the remains of leaves.

The dense crown consists of about 200 feathery, with more than 150 pairs of leaves and leaves up to 6 meters long. The leaves are about 50 centimeters long and up to 3.5 centimeters wide. Their color is bright green.

Relatively short petioles (about 80 centimeters), covered with strong needle-shaped spines that are up to 20 centimeters long. In the axils of the leaves, there are two types of inflorescences - female and male. The first are branched, up to 2 meters long, and the second are much shorter.

Distributed in nature in the rocky and rocky areas of the Canary Islands, cultivated as ornamental palms grown indoors and in greenhouses.

(Phoenix dactylifera) is a plant whose trunk reaches 20 to 30 meters in height and 30 centimeters in diameter. The trunk is covered with the remnants of leaf stalks and has lateral growth at the base.

In the upper part of the trunk there are arcuately curved pinnate leaves up to 6 meters long. Linear-lanceolate leaves, cut in two at the top, are sometimes 20 to 40 centimeters long and are often grouped together.

The thin, long petiole is bluish-green in color. The inflorescence, reaching more than a meter in length, is located in the axils of the leaves and hangs down under the weight of the fruit. The fleshy drupes are oblong-ovoid and 2.5 to 6 centimeters long.

They are used in food, both raw and dried, very sweet and nutritious. The date palm is cultivated in North Africa, southern Iran, Iraq, and on the Arabia Peninsula. It is used for landscaping greenhouses and premises.

Curved date palm (Phoenix reclinata)

Multi-stemmed trees with lateral growth, which gives them the appearance of a dense bush. Trunks can be up to 8m in height and 10-17cm in diameter.

The plumose, curved leaves with drooping apex are about 6 meters long and up to 1 meter wide and consist of more than 100 pairs of leaves. Hard, bright green leaves are covered with whitish hairs that disappear over time, are up to 50 centimeters long and about 2-3 centimeters wide.

The petiole is 1 meter long, covered with single or combined 2-3 in groups of needle-like, thin 3-12 cm spines, which are directed towards different sides... Inflorescences located in the axils of the leaves branch strongly and have a length of up to 90 centimeters.

V natural conditions grows in tropical rainforests of subtropical and tropical regions of Africa. Cultivated as an ornamental plant for indoor and greenhouse cultivation.

Timber date palm (Phoenix roebelenii O'Brien)

One of the most compact members of the genus, reaching only 2 meters in height. This is a single-stemmed or multi-stemmed tree, which is covered with the remnants of the base of the leaves.

Arcuate curved leaves about 50-70 centimeters long have numerous soft and narrow leaves, which are very densely placed on a thin rachis. The length of the dark green leaves is from 12 to 20 centimeters. Younger leaves are covered with a powdery powdery bloom and whitish fibers. Axillary inflorescences are weakly branched.

Under natural conditions, this species can be found in the tropical rainforests of India, Laos, Burma. This date is suitable for growing in warm greenhouses and rooms.

(Phoenix rupicola) is a plant with a straight trunk up to 7 meters high and 20 centimeters in diameter. This species forms suckers and is not covered with leaf debris.

Arcuate curved leaves are 2-3 meters long and consist of densely arranged green, linear, glabrous, slightly sagging leaves up to 40 centimeters long. The short petiole is covered with sharp spines along the edges. Naturally grows on hills and mountains in Sikkim, Assam (India).

Forest date palm (Phoenix sylvestris)

A plant that reaches 12 meters in height, with a straight trunk with a diameter of 60 centimeters to 1 meter.

At the top of the trunk are placed bent downward, arcuate-pinnate leaves about 4 meters long in an amount of 150 to 200 pieces. The leaf lobes are densely arranged in groups of 3-4 and are up to 35 centimeters long and 4-5 centimeters wide. The leaves are bluish-gray in color.

The petioles, reaching a length of 1 meter, are covered with brownish fibers at the base, and along the edges - with sharp strong thorns (from 3 to 15 centimeters long). The inflorescence with white flowers, directed upwards, is about 90 centimeters long. It is found wild in dry areas, river valleys and lowlands of eastern India.

(Phoenix zeylanica Trimen) - representatives of this species have a straight trunk, reaching from 3 to 6 meters in height and covered with the remains of petioles.

Comparatively short, feathery leaves are composed of numerous 18-25 cm bluish strong leaves. The short petiole is covered with thorns along the edges. A branched short (30-35 centimeters long) inflorescence is located in the leaf axils.

In natural conditions, the species is common on the island of Sri Lanka in humid lowlands. Cultivated for growing in cold greenhouses.

Date palm at home care and maintenance

The date loves bright sunlight and needs shading only in the midday summer heat. It is best to place small young plants on the windowsills of the southern and southeastern windows, larger and adult plants - next to such windows.

For uniform growth and development of the crown of a palm tree, it is necessary to turn it around its axis from time to time. In the summer, the plant will respond well to being kept outdoors in the garden or on the balcony, but if this cannot be done, then the room should be regularly ventilated.

If the autumn-winter days did not please with a sufficient amount of sunlight, then in the spring the plant must be gradually accustomed to the direct rays of the sun in order to avoid burning the foliage. The same is done with the palm tree just brought from the store.

In winter, it is advisable to illuminate the date using fluorescent lamps. At insufficient quantity lighting the leaves of the palm tree begin to stretch and hang down, losing their decorative effect.

V spring-summer period when the date grows, it needs to be kept in a moderate temperature of 20 to 25 degrees. These tropical beauties also love higher temperatures up to 28 degrees Celsius, but they also need high humidity air, otherwise the tips of the leaves of the plant will begin to dry.

In winter, dates have a dormant period and need a temperature in the range of 15-18 degrees. The Robelena date is more thermophilic and the optimal winter temperature for it is from 16 to 18 degrees Celsius.

The Canary date can spend the winter at temperatures from 8 to 10 degrees, and in adulthood, with a formed trunk, suffers a short-term decrease to 5 degrees of frost. Palm trees do not like this kind of stagnation of air. It is necessary to ensure regular ventilation of the room, while protecting the plants from drafts.

Watering the date palm at home

From April to August, the plant needs abundant watering, after which the water in the pan is left for 2-3 hours, and then drained. In autumn and winter, watering is reduced and carried out only on the second day after the top layer of the earthen coma has dried.

Moreover, the lower the temperature of the date, the less it is watered and vice versa. It must be remembered that the soil can neither be overmoistened nor overdried. Water for irrigation is taken warm, soft, settled.

Dates are moisture-loving plants. They are very fond of daily spraying, which can be carried out all year round... Water for spraying is taken from settled or, even better, filtered.

To maintain the required humidity, pots with palm trees can be placed in a tray filled with wet expanded clay, moss or pebbles, so that their bottom does not touch the water. Once every two weeks, date leaves are washed with water to remove dust.

Date palm fertilizer

Starting in April and finishing at the end of August, organic fertilizers are applied every 10 days. Sometimes organic matter needs to be alternated with potassium nitrate, which is taken 1 gram per 1 liter of water. V winter period fertilize dates once a month.

Transplanting a date palm at home

Dates do not tolerate a transplant, as it is often damaged during it. root system plants. The transplant is carried out by the transshipment method and only in springtime... At the same time, the earth lump is not destroyed.

Young palms from behind rapid growth have to be transplanted annually, while adult plants, as needed, every 3-6 years. If the palm tree is too large and heavy and it is not easy to remove it from the pot unharmed, then it is recommended to break it.

The new pot is not taken much more than the previous one, while it should be deep and not wide. At the bottom of the pot, there must be several centimeters of drainage from expanded clay, shards or charcoal with sand.

The soil is renewed annually, removing the upper 2-4 centimeters of the old substrate and replacing it with fresh one.

Date palm soil

Dates are not very demanding on the composition of the soil and can grow well in neutral and slightly acidic soils.

To prepare the substrate, sand, humus, sod soil and compost are mixed in equal amounts. For every 3 liters of the mixture obtained, add 1 tablespoon of superphosphate.

You can also use ready-made soil mixtures for palm trees, which are sold in flower shops.

Date palm from stone at home

Dates are most often propagated by seed. For cultivation, it is best to use seeds from fresh fruits, as germination decreases over time, and the emergence of sprouts can occur a year after planting.

Before planting, date bones are kept in warm water (30-35 degrees) for 2-3 days. Seeds can be planted in a peat-sandy substrate or in a substrate consisting of layers: the lower one is drainage, the middle one is sod land, the upper one is sand with finely chopped moss.

The prepared substrate is moistened with water, seeds are planted and covered with moss or sand. Shoots can be expected 20-25 days. For successful germination, timely watering and maintaining the temperature from 20 to 25 degrees are needed. The risen palms are transplanted into the soil, consisting of light turf soil, sand and humus, taken in a ratio of 2: 1: 1.

The transplanted plants are abundantly watered and placed in a well-lit place, shading from the direct sun.

Possible difficulties

• Leaves falling down - signal of the need for watering.
• Dry leaves or tips indicates insufficient humidity in the room.
• Leaves wither and darken under the influence of low temperatures and drafts.
• Stopping growth may be due to a lack of trace elements necessary for the plant.

The date palm is a plant of the palm family. There are about 20 species in total. It grows mainly in Africa and Eurasia. This plant has been known to mankind for over two thousand years. The first mention dates back to the 6th century BC - already at that time the date palm was grown in Mesopotamia (the territory of modern Iraq).

The tree belongs to the feathery type of palm trees. In nature, it can reach up to 30 m. The fruit of the date palm is a well-known and beloved delicacy by many, grown on an industrial scale. The juice is used to make sugar. However, indoor date palms have long gained popularity, and interest in them has increased especially when it became known that they can be successfully grown from a date stone. But before growing a date from a stone, you need to find out the growing conditions of a plant in nature.

Growing conditions

In nature, it is a squat shrub or tree with feathery leaves, which are the main decorative merit of this plant. A date palm at home from a stone can only grow up to 2 meters, but even in this case, this indoor plant considerable space is required. In room mature tree placed in spacious rooms where there is little furniture. But if it is grown from seed, you can always make room for a small pot at home, because the date will grow for a long time.

The date palm blooms in panicles of yellow flowers. But it will not work to eat dates from this tree: it will bloom and bear fruit. exotic tree begins when it reaches 15 meters in height, which, of course, is simply impossible at home.

Growing a date palm from seed

How to grow a date palm from seed? First of all, you should prepare the planting material for planting. For reliability, it is advisable to plant several seeds at once. Then prepare the soil for planting. Pits from fresh, dried or candied dates may work - the most important thing is that the fruits are not subjected to early heat treatment. To obtain a soil suitable for seed germination, mix equal parts of sand, raw sawdust and peat.

The bones are placed vertically in the ground, a layer of 1 cm of the same substrate is poured on top. The container or pot is placed in a warm enough place where the air temperature is more than 20-25 ºC. It is necessary to ensure that the soil is wet at all times, but not wet. It is recommended to keep it near a heat source. There is no need to wait for quick results: a bone in the ground can sit and swell until a sprout appears for 3 or even 6 months.

When the shoots appear, the container must be transferred to a bright light, but at the same time the seedlings must be protected from direct rays. The soil should be regularly moistened, and the seedlings should be sprayed warm water... When the seedlings grow up to 10-15 cm, they must be planted in separate pots, the diameter of which is 15 cm.The soil should consist of 4 parts of humus, 1 part peat land and two parts each of sand, leaf and sod land. You can also add 2 handfuls of charcoal to the mixture. Everything is thoroughly mixed before planting. Do not forget to lay a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot.

A date palm at home from a stone can give leaves only after 3 or even 5 years. The growth point of the plant is located at the top of the trunk, so it should not be cut off or attempted in any way to form the crown of the tree. You need to make sure that the new arrow of the leaf is turned into the shadow. You should also turn the pot from time to time so that the crown forms evenly.

Date palm from stone: care

Home tree maintenance is pretty simple. It must be kept in a bright, sunny and well-ventilated area. In summer, the air temperature can be any, and in winter - not lower than 12-13 ºC, but not more than 18 ºC.

In the heat, the leaves of the plant can dry out at the ends, so it is advisable to spray them several times a day or wipe them with a wet sponge, and once a week organize a shower for the plant.

In summer, the palm tree should be fed weekly with mineral and organic fertilizers, in the fall, fertilize once every two weeks. In winter, it is enough to apply complex fertilizer once a month.

Watering

A date grown from a stone at home requires regular balanced watering with settled soft water. Balanced watering involves moistening the soil so that the plant has enough moisture, but nothing more. In order for excess moisture not to stagnate in the roots, you must remember to put a thick drainage layer in the pot when transplanting.

Transfer

Young plants that have not reached the age of five are transplanted annually, and those that are older - if necessary, because this tree does not like to be disturbed. When transplanting, they act very carefully so that the date palm root does not damage. It is best to use the transfer of the plant from the old container to a new one for this. The pot should be deep enough, since it has long roots, and each next flowerpot should be 3 or even 4 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. If the old container for the palm tree is still fit, but the soil has already lost the qualities useful for the plant, when transplanting, you should carefully remove the top layer of the old substrate and replace it with a fresh one. This is done every six months.

Reproduction

At home, the date palm is propagated only by seeds - bones.

Pests

Most often, a date palm at home from a stone, if the conditions of detention are violated, suffers from the following pests:

• spider mite;
• scabbards;
• mealybugs.

The best way to control pests is to correct grooming mistakes. The removal of insects and traces of their vital activity that destroy the tree is best done mechanically, by wiping the leaves with a soap and vodka solution. It is prepared as follows: 15 g of any liquid soap, dishwashing detergent or grated in warm water solid soap and diluted in one liter of warm water. Next, 2 tbsp is added to the solution. spoons of vodka. If necessary, the processing of the leaves is repeated, just remember to protect the soil from the solution getting into it. In case of severe pest infestation, one should resort to insecticide treatment, the best of which is Actellik.

Diseases

Date palm, grown at home from seed, is susceptible to the following diseases:

• spotting that disfigures the leaf plate;
• pink rot, affecting both the leaves and the stem, and causing them to rot.

Fortunately, only sick and weak plants are susceptible to infection with these diseases, therefore, the key to the health of a date is, first of all, compliance with the rules of care. If a date palm, grown from a stone at home, is sick, it is necessary to carry out a double treatment with a fungicide that contains methyl thiophanate and mankozeb.

Why does the date palm start to dry?

Sometimes the leaves of the plant begin to dry from the tips. This indicates that the room where the tree is located has low air humidity (normal value is 50%). There are many ways to increase it to the required value. Spray and wash the leaves, otherwise the plant will lose its decorative appeal, and it will be a pity for wasted time and effort. Remember, a date palm, grown from a stone at home, dries up only from careless owners.

Why does the date palm turn yellow?

The reason is irregular spraying of plant leaves, insufficient watering.

Why do the leaves of the date palm darken?

If the soil in the pot, where the exotic date palm grows from the stone, undergoes constant waterlogging, the leaves gradually begin to darken, turn brown, the trunk of the plant becomes soft, and the smell of rot comes from the tree. In this case, stop watering, remove it from the pot and inspect the roots: if they are dark, soft and watery, the palm has already died. But if there are still living ones between the rotten roots, then you need to cut off the dead roots, sprinkle the cuts with crushed coal, and then transplant the plant into fresh soil.

The date palm does not grow

As already mentioned, the temperature in the room with the palm tree should not be in winter time below 12 ºC. At other times of the year, at least 18-20 ºC, since root growth at 16-17 ºC stops, root activity slows down significantly, and the palm tree cannot absorb the necessary nutrients. This is what leads to the cessation of growth.

It can cause stagnation of growth and high acidity of the soil, which causes a lack of iron and manganese, therefore it is quite important to adhere to the correct temperature regime, as well as maintain soil acidity (pH below 7 units).

So, we looked at how to grow a date palm from a seed. There is nothing complicated in this, and the decorative qualities of the plant, of course, are worth all the effort spent. Wood can fit perfectly into a modern interior.

In this article, I like experienced gardener, I share the secrets of growing a date palm. I will say that this plant is capricious. If it is wrong or untimely to care for it, it will shed its leaves.

In order for the date palm to grow well at home, it is necessary to create a favorable temperature regime for it. Water should be added on time, but roots should not rot. Let's take a closer look at the decorative culture!

Its second name is phoenix. The plant belongs to the palm family and has more than 15 species. In the wild, the date palm can be found in Europe and Asia. This culture has been known since antiquity. The first mentions of it were even before our era.

It is curious to note that the phoenix growing in the wild reaches a height of 28 m. The plant produces delicious useful fruits, for which it is very much appreciated. The date palm is grown commercially. Its juice is used to make sugar.

Novice gardeners are interested in whether it is possible to grow a tree from a stone. Before answering this question, you should study the features of the decorative culture.

In what conditions does the tree take root

The wild phoenix is ​​a large tree or shrub with squat leaves. If the culture is properly grown at home, it will reach a height of 2 m. I advise you to place it in a room with almost no furniture. Date tree often grown from seed. I note that this breeding method is the most reliable.

Gardeners grow the phoenix exclusively as an ornamental crop. She does not bear fruit at home. Only those trees that reach a height of 15 m bear fruit. In order for the seeds to quickly germinate in the ground, you need to sow several pieces in a pot.

The soil for the plant should be:

• easy;
• fertile;
• drained.

For planting, it is better to use the seeds of fresh dates. Planting material of candied and dried fruits will do. The main condition is that dates should not be heat treated.

The seed germinates slowly. To get sprouts faster, you need to rub it with sandpaper, thus, the outer shell will be broken. Prepare the soil mixture yourself: take fresh sawdust, clean sand, peat, and mix in equal proportions.

Correct seed placement

Plant the seeds vertically, deepen by 1 - 1.5 cm. Locate the container in a dry, lighted place. Finger dates germinate well at temperatures from + 21 to + 30 degrees. I advise you to water it as needed.

Make sure that the soil is moist, however, remember that the root system of future plants should not suffer from excess water. To retain moisture longer, cover the potting mix with sphagnum (moss).

Seedling care

The date palm is a capricious culture. The sprouts can hatch in 3 or 6 months. As soon as you see them, transfer them to a darkened room. I note that the planting material does not perceive direct sunlight well. I advise you to spray the soil regularly using soft water.

When your mini-palms grow 16 cm, perform a dive - transplant into separate containers. Prepare a potting mix of 40% humus, 10% peat soil, 10% sand, 20% turf and 20% leafy soil.

In order for the date to grow well at home, you need to add 15 g of charcoal to this mixture.

Drainage from expanded clay and sawdust should be laid at the bottom of the pot. If you are growing a date palm from seed, be prepared for the fact that it will form leaves by the fourth or fifth year of life. The growth point for this crop is at the top of the trunk, for this reason it cannot be cut off.

I would like to note that the phoenix does not need a haircut that contributes to the formation of the crown. The leaf arrows must receive sufficient light. I advise you to rotate the container around its axis. Thanks to this, the crown will form evenly.

How to care for a phoenix

Keep the date palm exposed to light in a heated area. Ventilate the room periodically, but avoid drafts. In winter, the plant has a dormant period. At this time, I recommend keeping it at a temperature of + 13 to + 15 degrees. In summer, you need to spray the leaves, the scorching sun can harm them.

Phoenix takes fertilizers positively. In the spring and summer, I advise you to feed it with organic matter and mineral compositions... Apply fertilizer once a week. In the fall, I recommend feeding 1 time in 2 weeks. Fertilize the phoenix as needed during the winter. Apply complex formulations once every 30 days.

Watering should be regular but balanced. I advise you to use boiled or settled water at room temperature. The roots should not be allowed to suffer from excess moisture, otherwise fungal diseases will arise.

In order to protect the root system from waterlogging, it is necessary to put drainage on the bottom of the pot (this can be broken expanded clay). Plants that are not yet 5 years old need to be replanted. Any indoor culture does not tolerate picking well. Adult phoenixes should be replanted as needed.

Carry out the pick carefully, try not to injure the roots and fragile leaves. I recommend transferring plants from one pot to another along with an earthen clod. The date palm takes root in a deep container, as it has massive roots.

Transplant the plants into a pot 4 cm larger than the previous one. Do not forget to lay a drainage layer on the bottom. If you think that the phoenix does not need a pick, remove the top layer of soil and replace it with a new one.

Pests, possible diseases

If you keep the date palm incorrectly, it will be attacked by pests:

• spider mites;
• worms;
• scabbards.

To overcome these insects, you need to correct your mistakes, and in the future, properly care for the tree. Pests feed on the sap of the leaves. To combat them, a solution of liquid soap and vodka is used: 30 ml of vodka and 10 ml of liquid soap are added to 1 liter of water.

If this treatment does not work, you must repeat it in a week. I advise you to apply the solution to the trunk and leaves, preferably so that it does not get on the soil mixture.

If the lesion is extensive, the plant should be treated with insecticides. Actellik is popular today. Of the diseases, spotting and pink rot are dangerous. When infected, the leaves become stained. If the tree is sick, spray it with a fungicide, carry out the second treatment after 7 days.

Problems and solutions

It so happens that the leaves of the phoenix dry. The problem is related to low air humidity. To restore the plant, you need to humidify the air from the spray bottle. Don't forget to spray the phoenix leaves! It is recommended to keep it in a room where the air humidity fluctuates within 50%.

Remember that decorative culture requires regular maintenance! If you do not wipe or spray the leaves, they will lose their attractiveness, perhaps the plant is attacked by pests.

Normally, the leaves should not turn yellow. This happens if the owner of the tree does not add water on time. As I said, you need to water the phoenix in doses. The soil should not be dry for a long time.

To keep the leaves rich in color, you need to spray them. It is very helpful to humidify the air.
If water is applied frequently, the plant will rot. Darkening leaves are a sign of excess water at the roots.

Be attentive to your tree, do not allow waterlogging!

If the root system rots, a specific smell appears, the stem becomes fragile. Having noticed such a problem, carefully pull out the plant and inspect the roots, remove the dark, soft ones. If you see at least a few healthy roots, prune the affected ones and apply crushed charcoal to the sections.

In winter, the plant has a dormant period. At this time, the air temperature should be kept within + 13 degrees. If the culture is kept in a warm room in winter, it will slow down in growth, as the functions of the root system will be disrupted.

To avoid all these problems, you need to add nutrients as well. As we already noted, Phoenix loves organics and complex formulations. I do not recommend planting dates in acidic soil, as he will experience a lack of iron. The recommended Ph level for this plant is 7.

As you can see, home care is simple, the main thing is to add water in moderation. Do not let the roots suffer from excess moisture. In winter, provide the plant with rest, keep it at a relatively low temperature (about +13 degrees).