Laurel cultivation. We grow a laurel tree ourselves

Laurel is the most famous evergreen tree or shrub that came to us from the Mediterranean. AT Ancient Greece this beautiful plant was called daphne, after the nymph Daphne. Overwhelmed by love for her, Apollo wove a wreath of laurel, which became his indispensable accessory, and from here came the glory of the laurel as a symbol of triumph and victory.

We have the same plant is the best and favorite kitchen spice. Indeed, without laurel, it will not be possible to cook delicious homemade soup, fish soup or borscht and, of course, fragrant main courses. It has become a familiar ingredient in the preparation of vegetables for the winter and pickles.

This irreplaceable plant can be quite easy to grow at home. Laurel is very unpretentious to grow, and for its normal growth it will take very little effort. If we can grow laurel at home from seeds or in any other way, then it will not only be useful as a spice, but will be a spectacular home ornamental plant..

Laurel: description of a spicy plant

In nature, laurel can be both a tree and a very tall shrub, 9-11 m high. The thickness of its trunk can reach 40-45 cm. When growing laurel at home, it grows only up to 2 m. Its bark and shoots are smooth, mostly brown. .

The leaves of the laurel are whole, straight, bare, short-leaved and entire, reaching a length of up to 20 cm, and a width of up to 5 cm. They are dark green above and lighter below. They have a very pleasant spicy aroma. Laurel flowers are small, yellowish and unisexual, appear in inflorescences at the ends of branches 6-12-staminate and 2-3-pistil.

Did you know? If you grow a laurel at home, it may not bloom at all, and if it blooms, then in the late spring.

AT natural conditions laurel has been growing for more than 100 years, when growing it at home, life expectancy bay tree may be up to 15 years.

Is it possible to grow laurel indoors

Laurel when grown at home is a noble plant, it is very hardy and unpretentious in care. Therefore, absolutely anyone can grow it at home.

But still, you should not start development, care for indoor laurel, although minimal, is extremely necessary. At proper cultivation you will get a great plant that will thank you for the effort spent on its development, with lush healthy foliage.

Prerequisites for bay tree

AT room conditions Lavr Noble is best suited for planting. For the healthy development of a laurel tree, in addition to standard care, you will need timely pruning and spraying to make the laurel feel comfortable. Laurel, like any houseplant, requires attention to disease and pest control.

Location and light

Bay tree needs a well-lit place with diffused light. Since this plant is shade-tolerant, it can also be kept in a shaded place, but when grown in diffused light conditions, the laurel may bloom, and the bush itself will be more dense than when grown in a shaded place.

During the hot season, direct sunlight should be avoided. In summer, the laurel can be safely taken out into the garden or onto the balcony. In an apartment, pots can be placed on the floor near windows, in a corridor or a hall. The plant should be regularly ventilated, but you should not create constant drafts.

Temperature and humidity

In summer, the plant will feel great on the street, it is unpretentious, but fresh air will not be superfluous to it. The most comfortable temperature for laurel is 15-20 ° C. In summer, the bush needs to be sprayed with leaves twice a week to maintain a subtropical climate.

Starting in autumn, the plant needs rest. The dormant period for laurel at home is artificially created from October to March. Laurel should be placed in a place with low light and humidity. The temperature should not be higher than +10 °C and not lower than -5 °C.

Did you know? A dormant period is created to prevent the growth of weak, unwanted shoots that weaken the bay tree.

In the spring, if the frosts are over, then from April the plant can already be taken out into the garden. If it is still cold at this time, then it is better to keep it until the warm period in the house and do not forget to spray at least 1 time per week.

Soil requirements for successful growth

Bay leaf seedlings, after we can grow them from seed, will need to be transplanted. When transplanting a seedling into a pot, it is imperative to fill in a good drainage layer of expanded clay. Laurel loves moist soil, but stagnant water should not be allowed, this can lead to the death of the plant.

The soil should be light; for laurel, any version of the universal soil found on sale is suitable. On your own, the soil for planting laurel can be prepared from two parts of soddy soil, one part of leafy soil, and half a fine, well-washed river sand. Before planting the seedling, the soil can be heated in an oven at a sufficient temperature to disinfect. Too much high temperature when warming up, it should be avoided so as not to destroy all the beneficial microflora.

How to plant a laurel, propagation methods of a laurel tree

Bay leaf is an indispensable ingredient in the kitchen of any housewife. It belongs to inexpensive spices, but it is much more pleasant when hand-grown and dried leaves of this plant are used in the dish. Consider how you can grow lavrushka from seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush at home.

Sowing seeds

In order to grow a laurel tree as best and as possible, it should be planted from seeds brought from the south. Best time to start sowing - this is mid-February, early March. Laurel seeds should be planted 1 cm deep in the prepared soil. Soil temperature should be around 20°C. In this case, the seeds will sprout in 3-4 months.

Before planting laurel from seeds into the ground, the seeds can be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate for 3-5 days, this will speed up the process of their germination. After planting the seeds in the soil, the pot should be placed in a warm place, moistened well and covered with polyethylene or glass.

Before sprouts appear, polyethylene will need to be removed from the pot in order to ventilate it for at least half an hour a day. It is also necessary to monitor the moisture content of the soil, it should be moderate, do not allow stagnant water. In dry soil, the seeds will die, and in too wet soil they will rot.

Important! Watering seeds and sprouts of laurel should be carried out with separated and warm water. The water temperature should be 4-5 °C higher than room temperature.

When the first green shoots appear, the cover from the pot must be removed, but still continue to monitor soil moisture. When the first pair of leaves forms on the sprouts, the seedlings must be transplanted into a larger container; 1 part of humus and ½ part of peat can be added to the previously prepared soil.

After transplanting the seedling, the plant must be placed for 2-3 weeks in a dark place, not forgetting to maintain soil moisture. After 2-3 weeks, the seedling is moved to the light to start its active growth.

How to plant a laurel by dividing a bush

It is necessary to divide the bay bush very carefully, on each branch separated from the main plant, part of the viable roots should remain. The division should be carried out only at a time when the laurel is in a dormant period, and this is from October to March. Laurel is divided after 3-5 years of its growth. It is worth the first time to divide the bush into a small number of parts. Separating 2-3 branches from a three-year-old laurel will be enough.

Important! It is categorically not recommended to divide the laurel bush during its development, a weak, not strengthened plant may die.

Laurel cuttings

Laurel can be propagated by both seeds and cuttings, but this is much more difficult to do than growing laurel from seeds. Laurel cuttings are carried out in late spring and early summer. As cuttings, annual and mature shoots of laurel are used.

Cuttings 7-9 cm long are cut from the middle or lower part of the bush at an oblique angle. The lower sheets from the handle must be removed, and the upper ones cut in half. Then the cuttings are planted in the substrate. The substrate is prepared from the same parts of leafy soil and marsh moss, it is also recommended to add half of the sand.

Expanded clay drainage should be placed at the bottom of the pot, covered with a substrate and thoroughly moistened. The cuttings are planted 2 cm deep and covered with polyethylene or ordinary glass jar.

The seedling must be sprayed and aired every day. You should also make sure that the soil is constantly moist. At proper care the stalk will take root in 1-2 months.

How to properly care for a laurel tree

After planting the laurel, the work does not end, because when growing, you need to regularly take care of its condition, water and fertilize the soil. And for the formation decorative look it needs to be cut.

Watering and feeding the plant

Watering the laurel is important at any stage of its development. When planting seeds and for the development of roots in cuttings, you need to use warm, soft and settled water. Watering an adult plant should also be carried out with settled water, but seasonal intensity of watering a tree should be distinguished.

In spring and summer, the laurel needs constant watering to avoid drying out the soil. Reduce watering in autumn. In winter, it must be strictly limited, and if the laurel is in a room with a temperature below 6 ° C, then watering should be stopped altogether.

Young plants need to be sprayed on the leaves for better growth, adult plants are sprayed to eliminate dust on the leaves and crown of the tree. Laurel needs top dressing not only at the time of its transplantation, but also throughout its entire life span. An adult laurel is a slow growing tree, so in order to avoid depletion of the plant, you need to change the top 3-4 cm of the soil in which it grows.

Bay leaf is one of the most common spices known throughout the world. This leaf is added to completely different dishes, including desserts.

This spice is widely known to everyone, mainly in dried form, in which the bay leaf has a characteristic aroma. Bay leaf is also used in folk medicine as an antiseptic and antimicrobial agent.

It refers to indoor plants, which are not pretentious to growing conditions. Therefore, even a beginner in this business can grow a bay leaf.

In nature, the plant is able to reach really large sizes, some of them exceed 18 m. However, as for any other plant, there are a number of nuances for the bay leaf, the observance of which makes it possible to grow a healthy and strong culture with a 100% probability.

Bay leaf is divided into 2 groups: noble and Canarian. Canarian is distinguished by its wide big leaves, and a plus of a noble laurel is in the strength of its aroma.

In botany, there are 3 types of bay leaves: narrow-leaved, golden and wrinkled.

Of course, the first criterion for planting a plant will be the choice of soil. At the same time, drainage should be poured into the bottom of the pot. Universal soil, purchased at any appropriate store, is suitable as a soil.

The soil should not be acidic. To prevent this, wood ash must be added to the soil.

It is better to prefer a pot of clay or ceramic, because natural materials will not allow the roots to suffocate. The pot should have many holes for water to escape through them, without further stagnation.

Planting bay leaf seeds

Getting the seeds is quite problematic, because they must be taken from an adult plant. Then the extracted seeds must be soaked in warm water. You can use a plant growth regulator instead of water.

Before placing the seeds in water, scales should be removed from them so that they do not interfere with the growth of the shoot.

The seeds should be in water until they swell. Then they are transferred to wet sand, located in plastic cup. After that, the glass is covered with cling film and left in a sunny place.

After 3-4 weeks, the first shoots will appear. It is important not to forget to periodically moisten the sand.

After the appearance of the first shoot, the film is removed and the plant is grown until 2-4 leaves appear on the shoot. Then the young shoot is transplanted into a pot.

Reproduction by cuttings

This is one of the most common ways to propagate bay leaves. In addition, in any case, pruning is necessary for the plant to fully develop. There should be at least 2-3 buds on the handle. The shoot is cut obliquely and the lower leaves are removed from it.

The petiole should be planted at an angle. It will be a big plus if, before planting, it is possible to spray a cut of the petiole with a tool to stimulate root formation.

The first roots will appear in 3-4 months. The plant does not like drafts and frosts, but favors the light, but prefers not direct rays, but scattered ones.

It is necessary to divide the bush in the fall or in early spring, since at this time the bay leaf is at rest, and thus, the division process will be less traumatic.

You can learn more about the propagation of bay leaves by cuttings from this informative video:

seedling care

The main thing in the care of seedlings is the provision of heat and humidity. The temperature should not be lower than 9-12 o C.

Seeds, from which the first seedlings will subsequently appear, are preferably germinated on carbonate soil. In addition, seedlings need in large numbers light, so it would be more correct to place it on the windowsill.

top dressing

During the first year after planting, he does not need top dressing, but in the second year of growth, organic top dressing will not be superfluous.

It will be easier to purchase mineral fertilizer in the appropriate store than to create it yourself from several components. In addition, you will already have instructions from the fertilizer package, and you will know in what proportions the fertilizer should be applied to the ground.

However, if there is no regular fertilization of the soil, it is also not scary, the plant will easily survive this. Waterlogging of the soil is much worse for the bay leaf, so do not allow overflow and stagnant water.

Slow growth is normal for bay leaves, so don't worry. The main thing is to observe the conditions for caring for the plant, and its development will immediately become noticeable.

Why does the bay leaf dry up?

If the bay leaf began to dry and its leaves suddenly began to turn yellow and lose their luster, then there are a number of reasons for this:

Excess moisture leading to root rot.
The absence of minerals in the soil, which indicates its lifelessness.
The presence of pests on the plant or root system.
Unacceptable climate, for example, the presence of drafts or cold.
The presence of direct sunlight.
The need for a transplant or a large pot.

How to make a transplant?

A transplant is only necessary if the pot is not the right size.

Choose a larger pot than the previous one. If the plant is younger than 3 years old, then it needs an annual transplant, preferably in the spring. If the bay leaf is older, then it is better to transplant once every 2 years.

After each subsequent transplant, the root ball must be reduced by 1/3. Then it is important to use organic fertilizer as a top dressing.

Since the roots of the bay leaf are located almost on the surface, be extremely careful when loosening the earth.

If the leaves fade and fall off, then the plant needs an unscheduled transplant, as the soil becomes less nutritious.

To make friends with a plant and provide it with proper care and favorable conditions, you need to remember where it comes from. Laurel comes from the Mediterranean. It develops well on the southern coast of the Crimea, in the Caucasus, as well as on the coasts in Belgium, Holland and Great Britain. To make friends with a plant and provide it with proper care and favorable conditions, you need to remember where it comes from. Laurel comes from the Mediterranean. It develops well on the southern coast of the Crimea, in the Caucasus, as well as on the coasts in Belgium, Holland and Great Britain.

Heat and humidity are vital ingredients for wellness laurel trees. And according to all the rules, only the south of the country is suitable for growing laurel in the open air from Russian latitudes.

According to the scale of frost resistance of plants, ideal conditions for the growth of noble laurel exist in climatic zone 8a with a range of minus temperatures from -12.1 to -9.4, and in zones with higher temperature indicators. laurel plants they are able to endure cold temperatures down to -15 ° C for a short time and without any special damage.

But the conformity of the climatic zone does not at all guarantee that the laurel will feel exceptionally good in your garden. It is not enough just to have a suitable low temperature threshold in your area, this is only indicative information. In the same climatic zone there are areas with the same temperatures, but different conditions. For example, laurel can feel good in zones 7 and 7b. But many other factors are also very important for a plant: soil, difference between day and night temperatures, humidity, light.
Gardening enthusiasts know how to close their eyes to the obvious and, contrary to all the recommendations and fears, they nevertheless get down to business and manage not only to grow, but also to keep a noble laurel in their garden.

Bay leaf in open field

Industrially, laurel is cultivated in the subtropics. It doesn't happen there negative temperatures and cold below 12 degrees. Land on plantations is plowed and cultivated to a depth of about half a meter and mineral and organic fertilizers. Then the soil surface is loosened (harrowed). Plants are planted in autumn or spring, keeping a distance of one to one and a half meters between seedlings and one to two meters between rows. The plantation is regularly watered, weeded and treated for pests.

Harvest leaves from laurel trees are harvested in November-February. Mature plants that are three years old are suitable for collecting leaves. Leaves are harvested by cutting directly with young shoots. Dry the branches in the shade. Then the leaves are plucked, sorted and packed for further storage.
The essential oil is extracted from fresh leaves. But fresh green leaves are not suitable for food. Despite the amazing aroma, even one fresh leaf will add bitterness to any dish. In addition, fresh bay leaves are much more toxic than dried ones and should be handled with care.

Reproduction of laurel

For propagation of laurel, seeds, cuttings or rooting of layering are used. Seedlings can be grown both in greenhouses and at home, in flower pots. You can sow seeds in open ground, but atmospheric conditions must be optimal for the entire period of their germination.

How bay leaves reproduce

The most productive way is. Propagation by cuttings or layering is less convenient, as they are known for poor rooting, but seed germination reaches 95%.
harvested in autumn mother plants. To obtain seedlings, they are immediately densely sown in the ground, since the seed germination period is very short. The depth of planting seeds in open ground is 4-5 cm. After the first shoots, the crops are thinned out, leaving 6-8 cm between plants.
Laurel seeds are covered with a tough protective shell that must be removed before sowing. If the seeds are intended for sowing in open ground in your own garden, then it is better to sow them immediately in a permanent place.
Seeds sown in autumn germinate gradually. Some hatch as early as January. But when it appears severe frosts they die. Seeds can be stored until spring in the refrigerator. To do this, they are kept in wet sand or sawdust on the bottom shelf.
Laurel cuttings are cut from the apical green shoots of the tree. Cuttings harvested in April-July are best accepted. The stalk is planted in the ground and covered with a jar or plastic bottle. This is how a mini-greenhouse for a seedling is formed.

Layers are rooted by simply pinning the branch to the ground. The rooting site is deepened and sprinkled with soil.

soil for bay leaf

For sowing seeds and obtaining seedlings, light, carbonate soil is taken. For this purpose, it may also ready mix, for example - "Cactus". And if you make the composition yourself, then it should contain turf and leafy soil mixed with sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 0.5. You can add quite a bit of lime.
For transplanting young plants, a mixture is taken: two parts of leafy soil and sod, and one part of peat, humus and sand. The soil mixture should be neutral or slightly alkaline.
In nature, in open ground, laurel develops well on any soil.

How to plant a bay leaf

Laurel trees are more fond of illuminated places, but in shading they do not suffer from a lack of illumination. Laurel easily tolerates dry periods. It is also resistant to temperatures down to -12 degrees. Laurel plants gratefully accept mineral and organic top dressing.
Young laurel plants are transplanted every two years, and older trees every 3-4 years. When transplanting a seedling into open ground, the root neck must be deepened by 10 cm. Under such conditions, underground buds form on the seedling, and it grows into a bush.
In the first year of planting, laurel can not be fed. And in the following years, it is necessary to fertilize the plant with small doses of complex mineral fertilizers.

How to plant a bay leaf in the middle lane

Under certain conditions, laurel can be successfully grown in open ground not only in the south, but also in the middle latitudes of Russia. It is better to plant 2 or 3-year-old trees. At the same time, the root collar must be well buried in the ground. In autumn, before the onset of frost, the bush is cut 10 cm above ground level and spudded with earth. In the spring, the laurel root is opened, and during the season it can grow into a lush three-meter bush. They do this every year. Laurel has a very high ability to recover.
Another method approved and tested by gardeners is planting laurel in a trench. This method of keeping is used not only for laurel, but also for many other heat-loving plants. The trench does not have to be deep. Usually, in severe winters, the above-ground part of the plants dies, and deep planting in a trench is almost guaranteed to save part of the plant.

How to grow a bay leaf

In the southern regions, people often complain about laurel thickets, which grow and dissipate on their own, like a weed - it can even be useless to fight it. In the middle lane, on the contrary, you have to fight for the survival of the plant in harsh conditions for it.
Laurel can freeze completely in winter, to the very root system. However, due to its excellent ability to restore, a new bush grows from the root, which, when good care can reach the height of an average tree.
For better preservation of the plant in winter period, the bay bush is sheared above the ground at a height of 10-15 cm, mulched and covered with soil. You can fill it with horse manure. In winter, it is good to cover the shelter with snow. In the spring, the laurel grows very quickly.
Some gardeners prefer to keep the aerial part of the plant. For shelter, a spacious foam box is being built. Inside the box, the temperature remains much higher than outside. For example, at -30°C outside in the box is much warmer - only -8°C.
Under natural conditions, laurel grows well both in the sun and in partial shade, in the undergrowth of deciduous forests. However, laurel leaves are fully saturated essential oils only with good sunlight. The leaves are at their most ripe from November to December. Then they are collected for culinary purposes and medicinal use.
Systematic pruning has a very beneficial effect on the laurel. This procedure promotes the growth of young shoots and an increase in the yield of leaves.
In open ground, laurel is very rarely damaged by pests.

bay leaf sapling

The photo shows a bay tree bush before wintering.

The same bush after wintering under a foam shelter. Young shoots and leaves have died out. The old shoots are preserved. The bush will quickly recover and grow.

Laurel HabitatHeat and humidity are vital ingredients for the well-being of laurel trees. And according to all the rules, only the south of the country is suitable for growing laurel in the open air from Russian latitudes.

Southern countries According to the scale of plant frost resistance, ideal conditions for the growth of noble laurel exist in climatic zone 8a with a range of minus temperatures from -12.1 to -9.4, and in zones with higher temperature indicators. Laurel plants are able to endure cold temperatures down to -15 ° C for a short time and without much damage.

Scale of frost resistance of plantsBut the conformity of the climatic zone does not at all guarantee that the laurel will feel exceptionally good in your garden. It is not enough just to have a suitable low temperature threshold in your area, this is only indicative information. In the same climatic zone there are areas with the same temperatures, but different conditions. For example, laurel can feel good in zones 7 and 7b. But many other factors are also very important for a plant: soil, difference between day and night temperatures, humidity, light.

Gardening enthusiasts know how to close their eyes to the obvious and, contrary to all the recommendations and fears, they nevertheless get down to business and manage not only to grow, but also to keep a noble laurel in their garden.

Bay leaf in open field

Industrially, laurel is cultivated in the subtropics. There are no negative temperatures and cold weather below 12 degrees. Land on plantations is plowed and cultivated to a depth of about half a meter and mineral and organic fertilizers are applied. Then the soil surface is loosened (harrowed). Plants are planted in autumn or spring, keeping a distance of one to one and a half meters between seedlings and one to two meters between rows. The plantation is regularly watered, weeded and treated for pests.

Bay leaf Harvest of leaves from bay trees is harvested in November-February. Mature plants that are three years old are suitable for collecting leaves. Leaves are harvested by cutting directly with young shoots. Dry the branches in the shade. Then the leaves are plucked, sorted and packed for further storage.

The essential oil is extracted from fresh leaves. But fresh green leaves are not suitable for food. Despite the amazing aroma, even one fresh leaf will add bitterness to any dish. In addition, fresh bay leaves are much more toxic than dried ones and should be handled with care.

Reproduction of laurel

How bay leaves reproduce

The most productive way is sowing seeds. Propagation by cuttings or layering is less convenient, as they are known for poor rooting, but seed germination reaches 95%.
Seeds are harvested in autumn on mother plants. To obtain seedlings, they are immediately densely sown in the ground, since the seed germination period is very short. The depth of planting seeds in open ground is 4-5 cm. After the first shoots, the crops are thinned out, leaving 6-8 cm between plants.
Laurel seeds are covered with a tough protective shell that must be removed before sowing. If the seeds are intended for sowing in open ground in your own garden, then it is better to sow them immediately in a permanent place.
Seeds sown in autumn germinate gradually. Some hatch as early as January. But when severe frosts appear, they die. Seeds can be stored until spring in the refrigerator. To do this, they are kept in wet sand or sawdust on the bottom shelf.
Laurel cuttings are cut from the apical green shoots of the tree. Cuttings harvested in April-July are best accepted. The stalk is planted in the ground and covered with a jar or plastic bottle. This is how a mini-greenhouse for a seedling is formed.

Layers are rooted by simply pinning the branch to the ground. The rooting site is deepened and sprinkled with soil.

soil for bay leaf

Laurel sapling in the ground For sowing seeds and obtaining seedlings, light, carbonate soil is taken. For this purpose, a ready-made mixture may also be suitable, for example, “Cactus”. And if you make the composition yourself, then it should contain turf and leafy soil mixed with sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 0.5. You can add quite a bit of lime.
For transplanting young plants, a mixture is taken: two parts of leafy soil and sod, and one part of peat, humus and sand. The soil mixture should be neutral or slightly alkaline.
In nature, in open ground, laurel develops well on any soil.

How to plant a bay leaf

Soil for laurel Laurel trees are more fond of illuminated places, but in shading they do not suffer from a lack of illumination. Laurel easily tolerates dry periods. It is also resistant to temperatures down to -12 degrees. Laurel plants gratefully perceive mineral and organic top dressing.
Young laurel plants are transplanted every two years, and older trees every 3-4 years. When transplanting a seedling into open ground, the root neck must be deepened by 10 cm. Under such conditions, underground buds form on the seedling, and it grows into a bush.
In the first year of planting, laurel can not be fed. And in the following years, it is necessary to fertilize the plant with small doses of complex mineral fertilizers.

How to plant a bay leaf in the middle lane

How to grow a bay leaf

In the southern regions, people often complain about laurel thickets, which grow and dissipate on their own, like a weed - it can even be useless to fight it. In the middle lane, on the contrary, you have to fight for the survival of the plant in harsh conditions for it.
Laurel can freeze completely in winter, to the very root system. However, due to its excellent regenerative capacity, a new shrub grows from the root, which, with good care, can reach the height of an average tree.
For better preservation of the plant in winter, the bay bush is sheared above the ground at a height of 10-15 cm, mulched and covered with soil. You can fill it with horse manure. In winter, it is good to cover the shelter with snow. In the spring, the laurel grows very quickly.
Some gardeners prefer to keep the aerial part of the plant. For shelter, a spacious foam box is being built. Inside the box, the temperature remains much higher than outside. For example, at -30°C outside in the box is much warmer - only -8°C.
Under natural conditions, laurel grows well both in the sun and in partial shade, in the undergrowth of deciduous forests. However, laurel leaves are fully saturated with essential oils only in good sunlight. The leaves are at their most ripe from November to December. Then they are collected for culinary purposes and medicinal use.
Systematic pruning has a very beneficial effect on the laurel. This procedure promotes the growth of young shoots and an increase in the yield of leaves.
In open ground, laurel is very rarely damaged by pests.

bay leaf sapling

The photo shows a bay tree bush before wintering.

Laurel bush before wintering The same bush after wintering under a foam shelter. Young shoots and leaves have died out. The old shoots are preserved. The bush will quickly recover and grow.

Laurel bush after wintering

Bay leaf seedlings photo

Bay leaf seedlings
Bay leaf seedlings

Photo of a laurel seedling Laurel seedlings Laurel in a pot

How bay leaf grows photo

How bay leaves grow
Photo of how a bay leaf grows street laurel

I already mentioned that I have several Fig bushes and one Pomegranate. They have the same frost resistance at 15 degrees below zero. In theory, plants such as Laurel, Oliva, Feijoa have the same frost resistance, and the Japanese Medlar is a little more hardy. Moreover, all these plants are very resistant root systems, therefore, when the above-ground part is frozen, such plants recover quite quickly.

But, if I plant Olive and Feijoa only this spring for testing, then one Lavra bush is already growing for me, having successfully overwintered this winter. Laurel was just a pioneer for me, on which I wanted to test the shelter of precisely evergreen subtropical plants with frost resistance at 15 degrees below zero.

How to cover deciduous Figs and Pomegranates, I think everyone knows. How to hide evergreen, without burying it at the same time - I think few people know.

Unfortunately, I did not take a photo of Lavr at the moment he was in a pot, but I think this is not very important. I bought this Laurel again in our local nursery, and it was the end of September outside. I was at a loss - on the one hand, I finally got a strong bush of Lavra, on the other hand, it was already too late to plant such a heat-loving plant, and I am a supporter spring planting subtropical plants.

At home, I did not want to keep this bush for the winter. After thinking, I decided - I will plant for the experiment, I will experiment with shelter, if it freezes, then it will grow in the form of shoots, if it overwinter, then I will also plant Oliva and Feijoa next season, which I will cover in the same way. The nursery told me that I had no chance with the autumn planting ...

But, as they say, listen to the others, but do it anyway in your own way. At the end of September, I still planted my Laurel in a flower bed, between Banana and young Magnolia. He is a shade-tolerant plant, so I did not give him a very bright place. I think the sun will be enough for him in the summer.

In summer and autumn, it does not require any care, watering is moderate, if you forgot to water it is okay, because. Laurel is fairly drought tolerant.

September and October were very warm, with rare exceptions, so the laurel took root well.

Autumn was changeable, very warm weeks alternated, in November at first it reached up to +30, and after a couple of weeks it got colder to +2 +5, plus unrealistic winds. This weather continued until the end of November. I was in confusion - when to cover the Bay Bush, because if you cover it too early, the plant will suffocate. The advantage of Laurel, Olive, Japanese Medlar is that they are not afraid of the cold wind at positive temperatures, unlike palm leaves, which can be frayed from a strong wind at a temperature of +2 +5 degrees. From mid-November, irregular small frosts began, and I decided that it was time to start sheltering.

What I've done. I did not bury anything, but simply wrapped the bush in Agrospan-60 in 3-4 layers - and that's it. Naturally, he spudded the lower part of the shelter, tied the top with a rope.

At the end of November, namely, on the 25th, it got colder, frosts became regular, and snow fell, which, according to forecasts, should not have happened.

The sheltered, wrapped Laurels were almost completely covered with snow.

After a couple of days, the snow melted, a huge amount of water and mud appeared. Agrospan, with which Lavr was wrapped, was wet through. I didn't like it, because The main rule for wintering subtropical plants is that the shelter should be as dry as possible, moisture inside the shelter must be excluded. It is also desirable that the foliage does not touch the walls of the shelter, which are in contact with outside with ice, snow and winter rain.

I figured that if such a wet bush gets frosty, it can easily freeze and freeze for sure, and on warm days it will be finished off by all kinds of fungi and mold, because. it was very humid in the shelter.

I completely dismantled the shelter, hung the agrospan with which Lavr wrapped it to dry on a clothesline. By evening, he was completely dry. The laurel bush also ventilated during the warm afternoon.

As a result, I collected, as practice has shown, the right shelter. More on this..

Instructions for sheltering the Lavra with the preservation of the above-ground part

Step 1

Bush Lavra tied into a bunch to get a compact column.

Step 2
Tightly (but not too much) wrapped a tied bush, like a bandage, with agrospan-60 white color in 3-4 layers. I sprinkled (sprinkled) the lower part of the shelter with earth to protect the shelter from below - keep in mind, this must be done !!! So you protect the roots and lower part bush. The top was tied with a rope.

Lavra bush wrapped with 3-4 layers of agrospan. It turned out to be a wrapped, almost slender, column. It was a base that should not come into contact with precipitation, it should be dry all the time. But how to do that?

Step 3 I took the usual garden net, rolled a pipe (cylinder) out of it a little larger than the resulting covered Laurus.

The size is made in such a way that the covered and wrapped Laurel does not touch the walls of our cylinder frame.

The frame was covered with the same agrospan-60 in 2-3 layers and put on top of a sheltered bush.

He placed it so that the wrapped bush did not touch the walls of the cylinder, tied the top.

garden mesh frame

We wind the agrospan onto the resulting frame. On the right, I left a margin - this will be the top, and it will need to be tightly tied.

I put it on top of the bush

How it was inside the shelter. Directly wrapped bush does not touch the external environment Step 4

I threw a piece on top of the resulting shelter polyethylene film- it will play the role of an umbrella, protect against the accumulation of snow and moisture on the top of the agrospan and protect it from moisture getting inside the shelter. There are problems with the film - it was constantly torn off strong wind, at least no matter how you fix it, also consider this.

Umbrella from moisture from a polyethylene film. The most important thing is protection from above. If the contact is on the side, it's okay

The film coped with the role of an umbrella. She received rainfall from above. Well, that's all.

I’ll tell you how it should have worked according to my logic, and as a result it worked: During winter precipitation (snow, rain, grain, ice), only the walls of our cylinder frame come into contact with the street, become damp, then dry. And the directly wrapped covered bush remains dry, because. the walls of the frame take on the entire impact of the elements. Such a protective effect will not work if you only wrap the bush. In this case, the wrapped bush will come into contact with rain or snow, become damp and get wet to the skin, and when severe frosts come, all this wet mass will turn into a frozen mass, and Laurel and evergreens of similar resistance will not have a chance to survive.

As a result, my Laurel survived twice the temperature of -20. I was very worried about whether it would work or not. But, when in a couple of days it got warmer to -5, I could not stand it and opened to check my pet. At first it seemed that the Laurel was frozen - the leaves were of a bluish-grayish hue, but then I looked carefully and realized that the Laurel was alive. Not a single shoot was frozen, although the ends were half-ripe - a slightly greenish tint of the bark. And the bluish-gray color of the leaves is simply explained - this is frost. I was shocked at first - how could frost get there, because Lavr is perfectly isolated from the outside world ?! Then I guessed - the evergreen plant continues to evaporate moisture and in winter, apparently, evaporation from the leaves stood out and immediately froze.

When the positive temperatures came, everything melted, and the foliage of the Laurel again became naturally green.

If the laurel were frozen, it would turn brown, and the shoots would be black and shriveled. At least, for other people whose Laurus got frostbite - he looked like this. This is what I saw when I opened my Laurel:

February 18, opening of the Lavra

Pay attention, nothing is frozen! The shoots, in my opinion, were not even fully ripened - and they did not freeze!

I left it like that for now, no severe frosts are expected, if anything, for a period of mild frosts, I’ll just close this shelter and cover it with a film from rain / snow - and nothing will happen to him.

True, a little wrinkled condition, after all, almost 3 months in a bound state.

Now about the numbers

Laurel, as you know, can withstand frosts down to -15 degrees. In my shelter, Laurus suffered -20 degrees, and 2 times. 4 times he suffered -18. In total, for the winter you can count a week of frosts of -15 degrees. It tolerates long-term slight frosts down to -10 degrees. Very resistant to condensation and mold.

In such a shelter, you can grow Laurel, I think, to the latitude of Rostov.

Laurel can also be covered with a foam box, and also grown in the form of a shoot - cut off for the winter, cover the stump with earth, and in the spring the Laurel will grow like a shoot. But I tried to keep the above-ground part in a simple shelter, where no boxes are needed - and I am satisfied with the result.

It's hard to say how Laurel behaves in the shelter that I tested for myself if the temperature drops to -25 or -30, I think at -25 it will begin to freeze the foliage. If the winters are very frosty, then, I think, you can also wrap the Laurel bush with agrospan in several layers, bend it to the ground and cover it with earth. Also, if you decide to cover the Laurel with a foam box, then some recommend putting 5 liter bottles of water inside the shelter. These bottles act as a heat accumulator, they take away excess heat in warm weather and freeze for a long time, giving off heat inside the shelter in cold weather. To make water a little less susceptible to frost, you can add salt, alcohol, vodka - and then the water will freeze not at 0, but at -5 degrees. At a critical moment, this can help win an extra couple of degrees.

For temperate zones North Caucasus and Crimea - my version, I think, is good.

Hope you enjoyed!

Bay leaf is one of the most used aromatic spices in cooking, as well as folk remedy for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. In addition, laurel has high decorative qualities, due to which it is used for landscaping terraces or balconies as a tub plant. Find out how the laurel is propagated by cuttings in the greenhouse and layering in the garden, how to plant and what care should be provided during the cultivation of bay leaves, learn from this article.

How to propagate laurel cuttings in a greenhouse

Since laurel is a small tree or shrub, it is easiest to propagate it in a greenhouse using semi-lignified cuttings. Harvesting of annual shoots of shrubs is carried out 2 times a year:

March-April;
June-July.

Bay leaf can be grown at home or in a greenhouse

Attention! As planting material cuttings with 3 internodes are used, cut at an angle of 45 ° from the middle or lower part of the shoots.

In cuttings up to 8 cm long, it is removed bottom sheet, and the top ones are cut off by ½.

from sand and moss;
from sand and sod land.

At the bottom of the boxes, with a layer of 4 cm, lay soddy soil or moss, on top - with a layer of 3 cm, pour sand, moisten. Plant the cuttings to a depth of 1.5 cm, having previously treated their lower ends with Kornevin, Kornerost, Heteroauxik or any other root formation stimulator. Planting density - 10x10 cm.

Bay leaf propagated by cuttings

To create an optimal microclimate for rooting cuttings, it is recommended to cover the boxes with a transparent film, avoiding contact between the cuttings and the film cover. Necessary conditions to speed up the rooting process are: constant maintenance of the substrate in a wet state, as well as temperature regime at +24-25°C.

Advice! Daily spraying will help maintain the required soil moisture. To avoid rotting of the cuttings or the development of fungal diseases, a mini greenhouse should be ventilated daily, opening it briefly.

Under these conditions, the rooting of laurel cuttings occurs within 1-1.5 months. After that, they are transplanted into the greenhouse to a permanent place.

Bay leaf can grow up to 3 m in height

How to propagate and grow laurel in the garden

As the experience of gardeners shows, laurel can be grown in open ground. middle lane Russia. To do this, choose seedlings of 2-3 years of age, which are planted in the spring in the ground, deepening their root necks by 10 cm into the soil.

In late autumn, shortly before the onset of frost, the laurel bushes should be cut, leaving 10-15 cm above the ground, spud and mulch. As soon as snow falls, in order to protect the laurel from freezing as much as possible, it can be covered with snow. The following year, with the onset of spring heat, the laurel root should be opened, which will allow the underground buds to actively start growing, forming a lush shrub.

Attention! Possessing strong restorative properties, laurel, during the growing season, is able to grow up to 3 m in height.

Bay leaf can be grown in central Russia in open ground

Not less than effective ways growing laurel in the gardens of central Russia is its planting in shallow trenches. At this method cultivation, the aerial part of the shrub will freeze every winter, and recover with the advent of heat. To avoid freezing of the above-ground part of the plant, some gardeners recommend using foam boxes to cover the bushes.

When growing a laurel shrub in the garden, it can be propagated using cuttings or seeds.

At seed method laurel breeding, its seeds should be sown immediately in the field of collection, as they quickly lose their germination capacity. The depth of the wound is 4-5 cm. Before planting, the hard shell should be removed from the seeds. When seedlings appear, to avoid thickening, they should be thinned out, keeping a 6-8 cm interval between plants.
A simpler and more productive way to propagate the bay bush in the garden is the method of propagation by layering. To do this, the branches should be pinned to the ground, deepening the rooting site and sprinkled with a layer of fertile soil.

Laurel seeds

Laurel care features

As soon as the plant reaches 15 cm in height, it should be pinched to ensure active growth of the side shoots. Using the pinching and pruning method, you can achieve abundant branching and lush crown. When the laurel bush reaches the age of two, it is time to mold the crown, cutting it in the form of a ball, cone or any other shape. The plant should be pruned in the first half of summer.

Attention! When growing a bay tree as a pot crop, it should be transplanted annually, or every 2 years, into a larger container, using soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline ph each time. As soon as the plant reaches the age of five, it can be transplanted every 4 years.

If the laurel is grown in a pot, then it must be replanted annually.

If, during transplantation, the root neck of the laurel is deepened 10 cm into the soil, this will stimulate the formation of underground buds, which will develop into additional shoots, allowing the plant to grow in the form of a bush.

Despite the fact that laurel belongs to unpretentious plants, caring for it has its own characteristics:

Slightly moisturized upper layer soil, which will allow moderate watering in winter time and more frequent - in the summer. In addition, in the summer, it is recommended to spray the laurel daily, and also wipe its foliage with a damp sponge from time to time.
Good lighting is key rapid growth plants, the lush development of its crown with a higher content of essential oils in the leaves, despite the fact that, even being in shading, they feel quite comfortable.
Carrying out 2-3 single feeding during the growing season, using a solution of mullein or a complex of mineral fertilizers.

Sheets are collected from November to December

Attention! In the first year of cultivation, rooted laurel cuttings do not need additional feeding.

The fragrant foliage should be harvested for use as a culinary condiment when it is fully mature, which occurs between November and December.

Laurel - beautiful and useful plant, the cultivation of which will not cause much trouble. Using the recommendations presented in this article will make it even easier.

Growing lavrushka at home - video

Growing bay leaf - photo

Laurel or noble laurel (Laurus nobilis) - small evergreen tree or bush. Laurel leaves are simple, elongated at the tip, pointed, the leaf length can be from 5 to 10 cm.

Laurel leaves are bitter in taste, with a spicy smell, the leaves contain essential oils that are used as a seasoning for food and for preservation, and essential oils of laurel are also used in perfumery. Laurel blooms. The flowers are white or cream, small, collected in inflorescences that grow from the axils of the leaves. After flowering, inedible berries appear in an adult (5-year-old) laurel.

In ancient Rome and Greece, wreaths were woven from laurel branches, which were used to award winners of olympiads and other competitions, as well as to reward poets. Glorious people wore wreaths of laurel.

Laurel, like a flowerpot, began to be grown in the 16th century. in Central Europe. The plant was trimmed and given the desired shape (ball, square, pyramid). The genus laurel includes two species of plants from the laurel family. The laurel that is most commonly found and adapted to indoor environments is Laurus nobilis.

Bay leaves contain essential oils that are used in medicine. A tincture of laurel leaves was used against colds, as a diaphoretic. An ointment is made from the fruits of laurel, which is used in the treatment of rheumatism.

Growing laurel noble

Laurel feels best in lighted areas, but it can also tolerate shading. It tolerates a short-term drop in temperature to 10-12 degrees below zero. It tolerates drought well and is not picky about soils. Organic and mineral fertilizers favorably affect the growth and development of laurel. As an industrial crop, laurel has been growing in one place for about 60 years.

On plantations, laurel is grown in subtropical regions, where the annual sum of effective temperatures is from 3000 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature does not fall below 12 degrees. Before sowing seeds, the soil is plowed to a depth of 40–45 cm. Organic (4–6 kg / m²) and mineral (in full dose) fertilizers are applied under plowing. After that, the plot is harrowed and cultivated two or three times. Planting is carried out in autumn or early spring with intervals between rows of 1-2 m, with intervals between plants of 1-1.5 meters.

In plantations, laurel is cared for by weeding, cultivating, watering, and controlling pests. Laurel can also be grown indoors.

Laurel leaves are harvested from November to February from trees that have reached three or four years of age. Branches with leaves are cut off and dried in the shade for seven to ten days. Then the leaves are removed, sorted and placed in bags, which are stored in dry rooms. In order to obtain essential oil, the leaves are sent for processing fresh.

How to care for laurel

Laurel is considered unpretentious plant, easy to care for.

Light brightness

Laurel easily adapts to the place of cultivation. It will grow best in bright sunny places, but it needs to be shaded from direct lunchtime rays, and penumbra is also suitable for laurel. In winter, the laurel needs bright diffused light, it is best to grow on the southern windowsills during this period. In the spring-autumn period, the laurel can be taken out into the fresh air.

Air temperature

The air temperature for laurel in the spring-autumn period can be moderate (16 - 25 ° C). Laurel is resistant to low temperatures, in winter he needs to provide an air temperature of about 0 ° C, but not lower.

Watering and humidity

In the spring-autumn period, the laurel should be watered regularly and moderately, the earthen lump should not dry out completely. In winter, when growing laurel in a cold room, watering should be reduced (1 time in 14 days). Adult laurels when grown in open ground are quite resistant to drought.

Air humidity for laurel should be high, spray the plant 2 times a day on hot, sultry days and during the heating period (if the air temperature is more than +20 ° C).

Fertilizer for laurel

From spring to early autumn, laurel is fertilized once a month with complex mineral fertilizer for deciduous plants, and you can also fertilize the plant with organic fertilizers (dilute 1 liter of rotted humus in 10 liters of water, or compost tea). Fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers should be alternated (1 month use min. fertilizers, 2 months - organic fertilizers, and so on).

Transplant and soil

Young laurel (up to 5 years of age) should be transplanted annually. Adult laurels are transplanted once every 3-4 years, annually replacing the topsoil. The soil mixture for laurel should be non-acidic. The composition of the soil should include soddy, leafy soil, humus, sand (1:1:1:2). When transplanting, it is imperative to make drainage, choose a small pot: only 2 cm wider and 4 cm higher than the previous one.

Laurel pruning

Laurel easily tolerates pruning, it can be given any shape: the shape of a pyramid, ball, square or any other shape. You need to cut the laurel in the fall (when the dormant period sets in), giving it desired shape. If you do not prune the laurel annually, you will grow a very large plant.

Reproduction of laurel

Perhaps the most time-consuming and unpredictable process is reproduction. Laurel propagates in two ways - cuttings and seeds. This process is quite lengthy. The cuttings take root for a long time, and it will take about three months for the seeds to germinate.

seeds

Seeds stored in autumn may not sprout at the beginning of spring (this depends on storage conditions, they should not dry out or freeze), and cuttings are also very capricious material, they take root for a long time. Twigs 10-12 cm long should be planted in light (with a fairly high sand content) soil, covered with a film or a glass bowl. We put the plant in heat, and - wait until it takes root.

This can happen a few weeks after planting, so be patient and remember to water when the soil dries out. Do not rush to “pluck” (for culinary purposes) the tree, let it grow, and it will thank you with wonderful, delicious-smelling leaves that cannot be compared with those that we buy in the store, because they are fresh, have not lost their unique aroma during long transportation and storage and, most importantly, grown by your own hands.

cuttings

Most right time for propagation of laurel by cuttings - March. For this purpose, semi-lignified twigs are suitable, the length of which has reached about 10 cm. In order for the cuttings to take root better, they are treated with Kornevin or Heteroauxik. They are rooted in a pot in a mixture of sand and peat, placed in a mini-greenhouse or covered with a glass jar. The temperature in the room should be between 24-25 degrees.

Pests and diseases

There is little threat to a healthy laurel - its fresh leaves are so saturated with essential oils that there are no hunters to taste them. On the contrary, they themselves serve as a repellant.

Shchitovka settles where there is insufficient moisture. The colonies of scale insects are cleaned, the plant is washed with infusion of garlic. They normalize the conditions, feed the laurel, and then he will cope on his own. Do the same when whiteflies are found.

Infected specimens are subject to mandatory isolation!

Fungal infections in the form of various spots affect the laurel with a lack of sunlight and fresh air, in an extremely humid environment. And also if the soil is acidic. It is recommended to remove the affected leaves (it's not scary if the tree is completely bare), change the substrate and optimize the conditions.