Date palm from the stone at home. Date palm: growing from a stone and features of home care

Date palms are desert plants that prefer a hot climate and have features of growth and development. At the same time, often varieties of this palm tree can be found as indoor and greenhouse residents. This is possible due to the fact that this plant is quite hardy and adapts well to different conditions, including closed ground. So, planting and growing a date at home is quite realistic, subject to certain requirements.


It should be noted right away that the date palm at home is an exclusively ornamental plant that is not able to bear fruit. Since even dates growing in open field in conditions other than desert, for example on the coast mediterranean sea do not bring edible fruit. But this fact should not at all discourage the desire to grow a date at home, since the unusual shaggy desert palm growing in a pot in the northern hemisphere of the world will not leave anyone indifferent, even small connoisseurs of plants.


AT flower shops on sale it is possible to meet already grown date palms, usually undersized varieties. In nurseries, they are grown at an accelerated pace using excess fertilizers and even hormones, so often buying such a plant and transferring it to home care conditions, you can observe gradual fading and the death of the date. This means that we are interested in self-planting and growing a hardy date palm from a practically free seed, but over a rather long period of time.


In each pollinated fruit of the date palm, there is one rather large and very hard oblong stone. AT natural conditions dates seeds remain viable for several years and even decades, waiting suitable conditions, but the likelihood of germination is reduced. Ideal and affordable seed material are the seeds of dried or dried dates, which are on sale all year round. At the same time, you should not pay attention to the varietal affiliation, since it is possible to speak about the purity of the variety only when vegetative reproduction palms.

How to plant a date palm seed?

The pits of dates are very dense and do not allow moisture to pass inside. AT vivo this allows fincas to germinate only when conditions of abundant moisture are present—often when rivers flood. This excludes false germination with subsequent death of the young sprout from drought. At home, this means an extended germination period for the date seed compared to other plants. To speed up the process, it is advisable to rub the bone cleared of pulp with a needle file or sandpaper, and then soak for 3 days between two cotton pads or in gauze, placing in the warmest place in the apartment and monitoring the presence of water.


Each prepared date seed should be planted at home in a separate special pot for seedlings, which can be further broken, leaving the earthen ball and roots unharmed. As a soil, use a mixture of peat, flower land and sand in approximately equal proportions. The stone itself is recommended to be placed vertically in the soil to a depth of one centimeter from it. top edge. During the germination period, the soil should not dry out.


In the presence of sufficient heat and moisture, a live date seed should hatch and sprout within 1 to 3 months. It is known from practice that almost all dates planted at home sprout, with the exception of cases of fungal infection and decay due to stagnant water in the pot. At the first appearance of the stem, the young date palm should be placed on a windowsill facing south.


It is desirable to plant a date bone in early spring so that the first shoot receives the maximum heat and sunlight that your plant can provide. climate zone and the location of the apartment. And a slightly grown date was ready for transplanting into a larger pot, just in time for the period hibernation palm trees.


Date palm care at home.

At the first and subsequent transplants, part of the compost should be added to the soil mixture for the grown date palm, since mature plant will actively need organic matter. As it grows, about once a year, the date needs to be transplanted into a larger pot, and so on up to the maximum capacity that you are ready to provide it at home. The palm tree is very sensitive to root damage, which means that the procedure should be carried out as carefully as possible. Upon reaching the largest pot, instead of transplants, partial replacement the top layer of soil without extracting the plant.


An adult palm tree is able to tolerate maximum light and needs direct sunlight, which can only be available at home. In summer, dates grown at home, it is advisable to transfer to a balcony or terrace. To recreate the usual conditions, in winter the palm tree should be located at temperatures of 13 - 16 degrees Celsius with moderate light and limited watering, this will contribute to further active growth in the spring phase.


In characteristic natural conditions, date palms grow near desert oases, as well as where surprisingly deep root system plants are able to reach underground moisture, which is present on a permanent basis. This means that when growing dates at home, you should take care of high-quality drainage, which allows you to exclude critical water stagnation, while carrying out the necessary regular watering. However, it should be noted that mature date palms are able to tolerate short periods of complete drought.


The leaves of a young date palm are quite modest and, after growing back, are divided into several feathers. Home plant at the age of 5 - 6 years, it is already capable of producing a leaf up to 1 meter in length with many divergent rays. Date leaves have a lifespan of about a year, and then turn yellow and dry on the lower tier, requiring pruning. Trimming date leaves at home should be done leaving 2-3 centimeters from the petioles at the base, which, together with the fibrous exfoliating bark of the palm tree, will protect the trunk, giving it a characteristic hairy appearance.


With a sufficient pot capacity, a date at home is able to take up all the available space up to the ceiling in height, but of course, this will take many years. All palms are single-stemmed plants, so the loss of the top will lead to cessation of growth and its death. So the question of pruning and branching is not worth it.


When grown outdoors and in their native climate, date palms grow up to 35 meters in height and reach an age of 40 - 50 years. A home date is not able to achieve even a third of such impressive indicators. However, with proper care and following the recommended conditions, it is possible to grow your own desert giant in a pot at home.


Tell your friends about it.

Today we will talk about how to grow a date or a date palm from a date seed on a windowsill at home. We will also consider the technologies and methods of germination and cultivation of date palm in room conditions with detailed description and visual photographs

A date from a stone will turn out only if it has not passed heat treatment. Both fresh fruits brought from vacation and dried fruits from the store are suitable for this. For the sake of experiment, many simply try to stick a bone into a flower pot and surprisingly: it usually takes root. In an apartment, this can take up to 5-6 months, is it possible to speed up the process?

How to germinate a date bone at home:

1. The bones must be thoroughly cleaned and washed so that the process of decay does not begin in the soil. In the washed form, they should lie down for a day until the next stage - soaking.

2. The date seed is very hard. To speed up the germination time of the bone, a variety of methods are used:

- its surface is scratched or rubbed with sandpaper for faster penetration of water inside;


- incisions are made so that the shell splits more easily;

- for this, you can simply scald the bone hot water.

3. The most effective soaking is with cotton wool. A piece of cotton wool in a small container (for example, in a plate) is abundantly moistened with water, a bone is placed on it, covered with another layer of moistened cotton wool on top to prevent rapid evaporation of moisture. Cotton wool can be replaced with gauze, sawdust, hydrogel.

4. Germination requires a high temperature, so the container with cotton wool can be placed on the battery. Every day you need to look after the moisture content of cotton wool and add a little water.


5. When the bone swells well, it can be transplanted into the ground.

Thanks to soaking, several months are saved. best time to start germination - February-March.

Even if you want to grow only one date from a seed, you need to take several seeds. Some sprouts will die due to diseases or your inept actions during transplantation, so a safety net will not hurt.

1. All seeds are immersed in the prepared soil (land from the forest, peat or a mixture of earth with sawdust) vertically to a depth equal to one and a half seed lengths.

2. The container with the earth is placed in a warm place. See that the earth is constantly moistened.

3. The first sprouts can be seen in 1-3 months. When their length reaches 10-15 cm, each sprout will need to be transplanted into a separate pot with a diameter of about 10 cm. The pot should not be too wide, its height is important, since the dates will have long roots.

4. At the bottom of the pot, there must be good drainage (expanded clay, charcoal, pebbles), since stagnant water is detrimental to the plant. Special soil for palm trees is bought or the soil is mixed independently, it is taken:


- clay-turf land - 2 parts;

- humus- leaf ground- 2 parts;

- peat - 1 part;

- rotted manure - 1 part;

- sand - 1 part.

The small palm will need to be repotted every year, always increasing the size of the pot a little. The plant has very delicate roots, so transplanting should be done by transshipment to avoid damage to the root system. The date tree will not please with beauty for the first five years, its decorative value will appear only after 5-7 years. Do not expect that, having grown a date from a seed, it will be possible to have an excellent decor for your home in a couple of years.

In order for your house to be decorated with an adult indoor date palm, caring for it throughout the years has several important points:


1. It must be constantly turned towards the sun so that the sun's rays reach all the leaves. Without light, the leaves stretch, develop unevenly and become brittle.

2. The plant is very afraid of drafts. Ventilating housing in the autumn-winter period, you need to protect it from cold air currents.

3. When watering, water should not be allowed to stagnate at the roots, so good drainage is required condition. For irrigation, use settled, soft water without chlorine at a temperature of about 20 ° C.

4. Leaves should be sprayed daily, as the tree needs moist air. Once a week, the plant will even need a real shower, but during the procedure, an earthen lump in a pot must be carefully covered with a film.

5. The leaves should also be regularly wiped with wet sponges so that they are not attacked by pests and just so that the palm tree has a well-groomed appearance.

6. In no case is it permissible to cut or break off the top of a palm tree. Pruning the top of the stem is fraught with the death of the plant.

7. Apply mineral and organic fertilizers twice a month during the warm period and once a month during the winter. Complex preparations are suitable for palm trees or for decorative and deciduous indoor plants. They are applied only in wet soil, in a diluted form.



The plant often begins to hurt after transplantation. It is very difficult to tolerate it if everything is done in the traditional way. How to transplant a date palm, should it be done at all?

A young date palm (up to 4-5 years old) is transplanted annually, and an adult plant - after 2-3 years. This is done in the spring. Every six months, it is recommended to remove the top soil layer and fill the vacant place with new soil.

A transplant is required only when the roots no longer fit in the pot and they are clearly visible through the drainage holes, so each transplant (more precisely, transshipment) is done into a pot 3-4 cm larger in diameter.


To do this, the bush is carefully rolled over into a new container, and the voids are filled with soil.

Location
It is better to put a pot with a palm tree on the south side, or slightly to the east, she loves light and a well-ventilated place, far from the wind. The plant must be constantly turned over to the sun so that it reaches all the leaves, make sure that the leaf arrow is directed into the room. Without light, the leaves stretch, form unevenly, become brittle.
In summer, a palm tree needs a temperature of 15-20 C, it is better to keep it on the balcony - on fresh air, in winter time t 10-12 C.

Watering
For irrigation, defend the water, it should be soft without chlorine, the temperature is 18-20 C. In spring and summer it requires abundant watering, in winter it depends on the air temperature. Do not spill under any circumstances. Do not forget about wet processing of the leaves, using a sponge or sprayer for this purpose. In spring and summer, fertilize moistened soil every 7 days with special top dressing, diluting it in water, in autumn - once every 2 weeks, in winter - once a month.


If the leaves appear brown spots- You are using hard water. This develops chlorosis, growth retardation. This color also appears in waterlogged soil. In this case, limit watering.

If the tips turn brown, then the dry air at home is most likely to blame. So do wet processing, put a lot of jars of water around the palm tree for its natural evaporation. The cause of the same problem may be insufficient watering, cold air. Brown color at the bottom layer, speaks of obsolete and dead leaves, cut them off sharp knife.

If all the leaves are of this shade, then you need to save the palm tree - you did not spare water when watering and rotting of the roots began.

Remove the plant from the pot, inspect the roots, if they are darkened and watery, then the palm tree is lost. Have to throw out. In case of finding living roots, feel free to cut off the dead and damaged shoots, sprinkle the “wounds” with charcoal and transplant the tree into new soil.

The yellow color of the leaf indicates that you forgot about top dressing, or the roots were left without water. From lack of moisture, the leaves fall down, unfortunately, this defect cannot be corrected. They will need to be lifted and tied to a support.


The leaves turn pale with an abundance of light to protect from bright solar lighting, lightly shade the palm.

1. Know that sprouts from a stone in an apartment can hatch only after 5-6 months, so do not despair and be patient.
2. Cirrus leaves appear after 3-4 years, before that they are narrow.
3. In the first 5 years, the palm tree is transplanted annually, then every 3 years, gradually increasing the size and volume of the pot. After 15 years - once every five years. During this procedure, the roots forming the felt layer are cut off.
4. With each transplant, increase the amount of sod. Drainage must be good.
5. The pot should be tall, not wide, because. palm trees have long roots.
6. In no case should you cut the top of your head. In a palm tree, the top of the trunk is the only point of growth !!!

Pests - scale insects, spider mites and mealybugs. Dealing with them is standard as for all houseplants. This is sprinkling with garlic extract, washing the leaves with laundry soap, etc. At one time, the date palm was called the "fun plant", since it is easy to grow it from "junk" seeds bought in the nearest shop. But still, any living creature, be it a plant or an animal, cannot be fun, it always requires attention and care, and most importantly, warmth.

Experienced experimenters know that the hard shell interferes with the rapid emergence of sprouts in fresh seeds, so before planting it is placed in water for swelling for several days (the water is changed regularly, you can add a growth stimulator to it). To speed up the germination of the date, scalding the stone or carefully sawing the shell is also practiced.



It is best to use sawdust or peat mixed with sand as a substrate for growing (you should take care of good drainage). The pot is filled with this mixture and the date pit is planted vertically in the ground, the top of the pot is covered with wet moss (sphagnum) or sprinkled with 1-2 cm and covered with glass. The temperature for seed germination should be 25-30°C. Under favorable conditions, shoots appear in 1-2 months.

At the beginning of summer, you can try to germinate a bone prepared for planting in open ground. When the plants reach a height of 10 cm, they are transplanted into pots filled with a soil mixture consisting of leafy, soddy soil and sand (1:1:1). The pinnate leaves of the home date palm appear in the 5-7th year.


How to care for a date palm indoors

Growing and caring for date palm at home. The date palm plant requires a lot of light, loves uniform watering (abundant in summer and moderate in winter). In order for the date palm to grow not in one direction, but spreading, you need to turn the pot with the plant towards the sun so that the arrow of the leaf is directed into the room. For the summer, it is advisable to take the palm tree out into the garden, shading it from direct hot sunlight.

Hard water causes chlorosis in dates, stunted growth and brown spots on the leaves (overwatering in winter and "cold, wet feet" also cause spotting). From lack of moisture, palm leaves sometimes begin to turn yellow. It is necessary to ensure that the roots of the date palm do not dry out in summer, since when the substrate dries out, the leaves of the moisture-loving palm fall down and no longer restore their original position and have to be tied to a support. In the room where it grows, the temperature in winter should not be lower than 15-18 ° C. Leaves can be washed with warm water using a soft sponge or brush.

While the plant is young, it must be transplanted annually. When it reaches the age of five, transplantation (transshipment) will be required less often - once every 2-3 years, but should be replaced every year upper layer soil. It must be borne in mind that the palm tree tolerates transshipment better than transplantation. Every year, caring for a date palm is easier. With each transplant (transshipment), the proportion of sod land in the soil mixture should increase. Upon reaching the age of fifteen, a palm tree can be transplanted very rarely, once every 5-6 years. By this time, the composition of the soil should already include up to 5 parts of sod land.


As a substrate, you can use the specialized soil "Palma" or make up the mixture yourself (turf, leaf soil, humus and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1).

In spring and summer, during growth, the domestic date palm requires feeding with small doses of organic and mineral fertilizer 2-3 times a month.. Most full fertilizer are chicken manure(1:20) and slurry (1:10). You can use an ash extract (25 g per 1 liter of water). Ash is a source of potassium and partially phosphorus.

In nature, there are about 17 species of date palms, which, moreover, are prone to hybridization. The exact homeland of date palms is not known for certain: according to various opinions, this is Mesopotamia, Saudi Arabia or North Africa. Dates have been cultivated in these regions for over 5,000 years. Palm trees began to be grown not only as greenhouses, but also as ordinary houseplants back in early XIX in.
In areas of natural growth, date palms have long been closely associated with the life of the local population (fruits, seeds, core of the trunk and young leaves were used for food, trunks and large leaves were used in housing construction and in the manufacture of furniture).


Interesting facts about dates:

· The origin of the name of the genus is associated with the legendary bird phoenix, which was reborn from its own ashes, because of the ability of this palm tree to form offspring from a dying trunk.

· The leaves of date palms in Southern Europe are used in worship on Palm Sunday.

The date palm reaches its maximum yield in the open field at the age of 30 years, which then decreases when the plant reaches 100 years of age. One plant can bring up to 100 kg of fruit.

· Dates, along with wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates and olives, are included in the list of seven agricultural crops with which "the Land of Israel is blessed." In ancient times, local residents were required to bring the first fruits of the harvest of these palms to the temple.

Date fruits contain the maximum amount of sugar in comparison with all other fruits.


· The fruits of date palms are very useful for women during pregnancy, as they contain special substances that strengthen the muscles of the uterus and, thereby, facilitate childbirth.

Dates have a mild hypnotic effect. The amino acid tryptophan, contained in fruits, is transformed in the body into serotonin (hormone Have a good mood) and melatonin (sleep hormone).

Mature palms can withstand short-term temperature drops down to -5°C.

In summer, the date palm requires abundant watering and daily spraying. If water splashes have contaminated a palm leaf, then you can clean it with a flannel soaked in a 5% solution of oxalic acid, followed by warm shower(covering the base of the trunk and pot with polyethylene - to avoid waterlogging of the substrate). and wiping the sheet dry. Dust must be removed regularly every two weeks by wiping the palm leaf with a damp, soft cloth.

In autumn and winter, watering is reduced, preventing the earthen coma from completely drying out. Humidity in the room during this period should not exceed 50%. Foliar spraying should also be reduced so as not to expose the plant to unnecessary risk of disease-causing fungi. In general, based on the conditions of natural growth, dates tolerate drought more easily than the bay.

For uniform growth, it is recommended to rotate the plant so that the top of the young leaf is directed inward. To maintain symmetry, every two weeks it is recommended to rotate the palm around its axis by 180 degrees.

The perfect addition home interior are flower arrangements. Today, you will not surprise anyone with exotic plants. But the real highlight of the interior of any house, apartment or office can be a date palm or another plant that looks like a palm tree - unabi, or Chinese date. Due to their unique beauty, these plants compare favorably with other house flowers. It is not easy to grow a palm tree, so it is not cheap in stores. What to do to someone who, not having the financial opportunity to purchase this expensive plant, wants to have this beautiful flower at home? Date palm from the stone at home will be the perfect solution to this dilemma.

Date palm can be grown from seed

plant description

The date palm, or finger date, is the first plant that was cultivated by humans. Scientists attribute the date palm to the genus Palm. To date, up to 17 various kinds this plant. The homeland of dates is Africa, but they began to grow this fruit in ancient Mesopotamia long before the advent of our era.

All varieties of date palms are characterized by a massive trunk and hard dark green leaves with small spines along the edge. This tree blooms with not very large inflorescences of a pleasant yellow hue. As a rule, in nature, the plant reaches 25–30 m in height. Its fruits are famous for their excellent taste and are a world famous oriental sweet. Dates are eaten in dried and candied form.

Decorative date palm is widely used for landscaping residential premises, office buildings, shopping centers, winter gardens and flower greenhouses. Since at home these flowers can grow up to 2 m in height, very often with their help designers divide the room into separate zones.

Date palms grow up to 30 meters high

Bone preparation

If you still do not know how to grow a palm tree from a stone, heed the advice of experts. The main thing is to follow the basic rules for caring for ornamental plants and take your time. Be patient, and then you will definitely succeed! On your own at home, a date palm can be grown from a seed. And for these purposes, both candied and dried dates are suitable. The main thing is that the date is not subjected to heat treatment.

Keep in mind that the first sprout will appear in a few months, but it will take several years for the tree to form luxurious exotic foliage.

To grow a date from a seed, it is better to take several seeds at once, because not all will germinate. The following tips will help you properly prepare the seed and grow seedlings:

  • After the bones are removed from the date, they should be cleaned of pulp, rinsed thoroughly running water and dry. If this is not done, then after planting in the ground they may turn sour. The soaking process will immediately save you several months during which the seed would lie in the ground.
  • Dates have a very dense stone, so for better germination, it is recommended to soak it in water, after slightly rubbing it with sandpaper or making a small incision, or you can simply scald it with boiling water.
  • Seeds germinate most quickly when they are placed in damp gauze or cotton wool. It is important to maintain a warm climate in the room, you can place the seed container on the battery. Care must be taken to ensure that the fabric does not dry out by adding water from time to time.
  • When the bone is swollen, it can be planted in the ground.

When wondering how to grow a date palm from a stone at home, keep in mind that planting in the soil is done in late February - early March. To do this, germinated seeds should be planted in a container prepared in advance for this purpose. As soil, you can use land from the forest or a mixture of peat and sawdust. The germinated seed should be planted vertically, without deepening it too much. After planting has been carried out, the container with seedlings must be carefully monitored, constantly moistening the soil and observing the temperature regime. You can create a mini-greenhouse by covering a container with seeds with sphagnum moss or glass or plastic jar. Do not forget to ventilate the planted seeds.

The first shoots will appear in 2-3 months. After they reach 15 cm, you can start picking. Each seedling should be planted in a separate pot. The capacity should not be very wide, but deep, because this tree has a long root system. So that the water does not stagnate in the pot, it is necessary to make drainage using coal, expanded clay or small pebbles for this purpose. It is easiest to germinate a date palm bone in a special earthen mixture, which must include turf, peat, sand, manure and clay. Planting is carried out using the old land in which the seeds germinated.

Seedlings are placed at home in a bright and well-lit room. In order for them to gain strength, it is necessary to periodically spray them from a spray bottle and wipe the leaves with a soft, damp cloth. Please note that palm leaves grow from the top of the head, so you can not cut it. Do not forget to also turn the pot around its axis all the time so that the stem of the plant does not bend, trying to reach for the sun.

Sprouts should be planted until they are intertwined with roots

Care rules

Simple rules will help you grow a date palm from a seed.

  1. The flower does not tolerate drafts and loves sunlight. If the palm tree does not have enough lighting, then its leaves will grow unevenly, crushed and brittle.
  2. Speaking about the climatic regime, it must be remembered that in summer the temperature in the house should not exceed 20 ° C. In winter, the plant calmly tolerates low temperatures. But still, make sure that sub-zero temperatures do not prevail in the room.
  3. Palm tree care suggests that water for irrigation should be soft and free of chlorine. For these purposes, it is better to use settled or bottled water. Water the flower should be as needed. It is important not to flood the palm tree, and not to let the plant dry out.
  4. Date palm from the stone needs constant fertilizer. Growing and caring for a plant includes the mandatory introduction of useful mineral and organic substances. In spring and summer, top dressing is carried out no more than once a week. In the autumn-winter period, you need to fertilize the palm tree at least once a month. For these purposes, you can use either a ready-made mixture purchased in a special store, or cook it yourself. As an organic fertilizer, bird droppings have proven themselves very well. It is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 10, insisted for a little more than a week and used to water the flower.

Experts advise in the spring to take out a home palm tree on the street. You can start with short walks, gradually increasing the time spent ornamental plant outdoors.

You should not place the tree in open areas, as its foliage can be severely damaged from the sun's rays. Do not forget, a homemade date is still different from its counterpart growing in the wild.

We conclude: caring for a plant consists of simple activities. By following these tips, you will definitely be able to grow a date palm from a seed.

Transfer

Growing a palm tree at home involves replanting the plant every year until it reaches the age of five. After the plant becomes an adult, it should be transplanted only when absolutely necessary, because the plant does not like to be disturbed once again. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the root system.

For transplantation, the method of transferring the plant to a new pot is used. Please note that each next flowerpot should be larger than the previous one. And also, when transplanting, the drainage is necessarily updated. If the pot is ideal for a flower, but you would like to update the soil, you can simply remove the top of the soil, pouring fresh mixture into the container. You should not carry out such a procedure more often than once every six months.

Diseases

Growing a plant includes various activities that will protect the flower from all kinds of diseases. If you are going to start a home palm tree, you need to know not only how to plant a date seed, but also how to protect the flower from pests. Watch the plant carefully. His appearance will signal that trouble has happened to him, and the palm tree is sick.

  1. Dry, darkened leaf tips are a signal that the plant is suffering from too dry air and needs additional watering. This problem is easily solved - periodically moisten the air in the room where the palm tree grows and increase the amount of watering it.
  2. Dark spots on the leaves are a symptom of excess moisture. The damaged layer of leaves should be carefully removed, and then adjust the irrigation regime.
  3. Foliage problems can arise due to a lack of nutrients. The appearance of light green spots indicates a nitrogen deficiency. About the lack of potassium - bronze darkening. Magnesium deficiency manifests itself yellow stripes along the edge of the sheet. First, the old foliage is affected, then the disease passes to young shoots. If you do not take preventive measures to make the missing fertilizers, then necrosis will occur. sheet plate, as a result of which it will dry out and completely die.
  4. Consider the fact that withered leaves on a palm tree often appear as a result of plant aging - this is a natural process.

There are a number of other problems that you may encounter when growing a date palm at home.

First, the tree may suddenly stop growing. The reason lies in the violation of the temperature regime, as a result of which the growth of the root system slows down and the supply of nutrients to the plant is disrupted.

The way out of the situation is to adjust the temperature regime ( best option- 15–20 °С). Secondly, due to the waterlogging of the soil, the foliage may develop an edge burn. Replacing the earthen substrate and reducing watering will help solve the problem.

Diseases of the date palm

Pests

A huge danger to the health of the flower is represented by pests such as spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects. Insects start up due to the fact that the rules for caring for a palm tree were violated. Having found traces of the vital activity of pests on the flower, the foliage should be processed soapy water. To prepare it, you need to dissolve 15 g of soap in 1 liter of water. Make sure that soapy water does not get on the soil. To fix the result, you can treat the plant in the same way after a week. If this method turned out to be ineffective, then you will have to resort to the use of insecticides.

To grow a date palm, you will have to put in a lot of effort and time. However, it's worth it! beautiful plant will become a real decoration of your home, create comfort and mentally take you to exotic countries.

Many exotic plants can grow not only in natural climatic conditions, but also indoors - in pots or outdoors. To breed such crops, you need to know some of the subtleties of planting and care. This article will discuss how to grow a date palm from a seed at home.

What it is?

The date tree belongs to the palm family, grows in Africa and Eurasia. Under natural conditions, a palm tree sometimes reaches a height of thirty meters. Most species of this plant have one large trunk and long feathery leaves.

The fruits of the plant are eaten and exported to many countries of the world. However, not all date palm varieties have edible fruits.


It is difficult to grow a large palm tree at home. Often given plant grown in pots for home decoration. In this case, the date tree will not bear fruit. To obtain a crop, at least two strong trees are needed, one of which will be male and the other female.

At home, the palm tree will slowly grow and develop. Leaves may appear only in the third year of cultivation, and flowering may not happen at all. However, with some effort and compliance with all the rules for planting and care, it will be possible to grow a very beautiful and strong tree.


Seed preparation

You can grow a palm tree at home from the seeds of not only fresh fruits, but also dried ones. However, the fruit should not be too dry. For planting, it is best to take several seeds at once, and not one. Before planting the seeds, they must be well cleaned of the soft part of the fruit.

If the pulp remains on the seeds, even in small quantities, this can lead to rotting of the planting material. After the bones are separated from the pulp, they must be placed in a container with cool water for two days. The water in the container must be changed periodically.



After two days, the seeds must be carefully examined again for the presence of pulp on their surface. In order to speed up the process of germination of planting material, you can resort to some tricks.

  • You will need to break the integrity of dense seeds by rubbing their surface with sandpaper or making several punctures with a sharp object. Thus, water will penetrate faster and easier into the bone, which will stimulate the appearance of the first sprouts.
  • Planting material can be exposed high temperatures. For this purpose, the seeds are placed in a container with hot water and kept in it for 10 minutes.


How to plant?

To germinate a date seed, you need to prepare high-quality soil. The soil should not be heavy and dense. As a soil, you can use a composition that is prepared from sawdust, peat and sand, taken in equal proportions.

The soil is placed in a container and well moistened before planting. In the center in the ground, it is necessary to make small indentations for the seeds. The stones are placed vertically in the soil. The depth of planting in this case depends on the size of the seeds and should be one and a half times the length of the stone. The pits are covered with earth, and moss is additionally laid on the surface of the soil so that moisture does not come out of the soil so actively.


container with date pits must be cleaned in a warm place, the air temperature in which is at least 25 degrees. If the procedure is done correctly, then the germination of seeds will take no more than three months. Under certain circumstances, sprouts from seeds can take much longer to germinate. If planting material was poorly prepared, or it is very dry, the first sprouts will appear only after 6 months.

When the first shoots appear on the surface of the soil, the plant must be transplanted into a deeper and wider container.



Where to place?

The date tree is light-loving plant, so you need to put the pot in the place where the sun's rays fall. It should be borne in mind that the light should be diffused. If the palm is constantly exposed to direct sunlight, this will lead to leaf burns.

At the same time, the room must be regularly ventilated, but in such a way that drafts do not disturb the plant. The palm tree must be constantly turned over so that the sunlight affects all the leaves evenly. Otherwise, the plant will weaken and become brittle.

In summer, the most suitable temperature regime will be 22 degrees Celsius. In the winter season, at the location of the palm tree, the lower limit of the temperature threshold is twelve degrees. The humidity of the air should be at the level of 50 percent.


Care

Date palm does not require complex care. The plant loves warmth and moderate humidity. The palm tree absorbs fertilizer well. Regular and quality care behind a tree will not only promote active growth and development, but also protect the plant from diseases and pests.

A low level of air humidity adversely affects the health of the plant. Excessive dryness is favorable conditions to spread many pests. In winter, it is not recommended to keep a palm tree close to radiators and other heating appliances. In summer, you can move the plant outdoors.


However, excess moisture can also lead to sad consequences. First of all, this will negatively affect the root system. Large adult palm trees, in addition to the introduction of fertilizers and moisture, need pruning. In this case, it is necessary to cut only weak or old leaves.

Watering

When caring for a date palm, it is very important to know the measure in everything, including watering. The root system needs regular moisture, but excess water will adversely affect the plant. In summer, the palm tree especially needs moisture.

Watering is carried out with warm water (about 20 degrees) with a low chlorine content, which is recommended to insist beforehand. The frequency of watering in winter mostly depends on the air temperature in the room. With low humidity, the soil will dry out quickly, so the frequency of watering will be the same as in the summer.


top dressing

  • in spring and summer periods- once every 8 days;
  • in autumn - every 14 days;
  • in winter - with a frequency of 30 days.

As a top dressing, you can purchase special complex formulations for large indoor plants. In summer, the palm tree can be kept outdoors, for example, in the garden. In such a situation, the plant must be fertilized with chicken manure once a week.



Plant transplant

For the stable development of the root system and the trunk of the date palm, it must be regularly transplanted into deeper containers. In the first five years of development, this procedure is carried out with a frequency of once a year. In subsequent years, the number of transplants is reduced to one in three years. When transplanting, it should be remembered that the root system of the plant is quite vulnerable, so the palm tree is placed in a new pot with an old layer of earth that is not cleaned from the roots.

It is best to plant the plant in special soil for the palm family, which can be purchased at a gardening store. At the bottom of the tank, a drainage layer is necessarily organized, which may consist of crushed brick or expanded clay. The first time the palm tree is placed in a new soil after the sprouts have reached a length of 4 centimeters. Re-transplantation is recommended when the growth of the palm tree is about 15 centimeters.



At each new transplant the height of the new container should be 4 centimeters more than the previous one. Since mature plants are rarely placed in a new container, it is recommended to regularly replace the topsoil in the pot.

Frequent growing problems

The date tree requires special growing conditions. If you do not follow all the necessary rules, the plant may die. Among the most common problems encountered in the cultivation of date palms, several main ones can be distinguished.

  • Drying of the leaves, which is primarily due to the microclimate in the room. Low air humidity can be compensated by regularly spraying palm leaves with water from a spray bottle.
  • Yellowed leaves indicate poor watering of the plant. The soil is not moist enough, and the roots receive little water. You can fix this problem by adjusting the watering of the palm tree.
  • When the leaves change color for more dark shade, this indicates an excess of moisture in the soil. In this case, you can not water the tree so actively.
  • The suspension of palm growth is due to the influence low temperatures. If the temperature in the room is at the level of 15 degrees, then the root system of the palm tree begins to absorb poorly. useful material. Second reason poor growth tree is the acidity level of the soil. Cause high rate pH is most often the watering of the plant tap water Bad quality. Transplanting palm trees into new soil will help solve this problem.


Common diseases

Only weakened date trees are susceptible to diseases. With good and regular care, the plant grows and develops without any problems. The most common palm diseases are soft rot and bacterial spot. Rot contributes to the softening and deterioration of the leaves. Affected areas require complete removal, and healthy leaves are treated with copper sulfate.

Spotting belongs to the group bacterial diseases. The disease is expressed in the appearance of small watery spots near the veins of the leaves. Over time, the affected areas become black, which indicates tissue death. With the active spread of spots, the disease can damage the root system of the palm tree, which will complicate the treatment procedure.

When only small areas of the leaves of the plant are affected, they must be removed, and the cut sites should be treated with crushed charcoal. After that, the palm tree is treated with fungicides and reduce moisture and watering.


Pests

  • common mite from the spider family;
  • felter;
  • scab.


Finding a spider mite is not so difficult: many small white dots appear on the affected leaves (mainly with inside), and you can also see a small cobweb where pests live. Spider mites are capable of spreading infectious diseases and rot. The pest enters indoor plants along with the soil, on things or clothes, it can even penetrate into opened window, especially if there are trees near the house.


In case of damage to the date palm spider mite the plant must be wiped with a solution of water and soap. This will reduce the number of pests, but will not completely destroy them. To get rid of insects, it is recommended to treat the plant with a special chemical composition: acaricides or insectoacaricides.

Mealybug (felt) is an insect with an oval-shaped body no more than 7 millimeters long. The pest is covered with a peculiar coating white color and produces a sticky mucus of the same shade, which remains on the affected plants and looks like thin layer cotton wool. The most favorable period for the spread of such insects is winter, as indoor plants become more vulnerable and weak, especially when they are not properly cared for.

If a mealybug is found, the date palm must be isolated from other indoor plants and treated with a soapy or alcohol solution. For the complete destruction of pests, you will need to purchase special chemicals. Processing is recommended to be carried out repeatedly with an interval of at least a week.


The scale insect is an insect with a small shell, which is not part of the body and can be easily removed. In length, pests can reach 5 millimeters. These insects mainly infect horticultural crops however, domestic palm plants are highly susceptible to scale insects. The pest feeds on the juice of the date palm, which affects its growth and development: the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, and new ones do not grow.

When a scab is found, it will not be so easy to get rid of it. First of all, the palm tree is treated with a soap solution or an alcohol composition. In addition to the plant, it is necessary to process the place where it stood. For the complete destruction of insects, insecticide treatment is required. In this case, the procedure must be carried out repeatedly so that the most resistant individuals are completely exterminated.


How to grow a date palm at home, see the following video.

How to grow date palm from seed at home? Growing this desert dweller's home not so difficult as it may seem.

You just need to follow a certain procedure. And the first thing a florist should think about, who set out to get a date at home from seeds, where to find suitable seeds.

Selection of seeds for sowing

Seed selection depends from the goals of the grower.

If you want a particular variety of palm, purchase factory-made seeds from a specialty gardening store. The manufacturer on the packaging usually indicates detailed information about the type and variety of the plant, as well as describes its agricultural technology.

But factory seeds have a drawback - they the cost is quite high. When buying, please close attention on the date of production. The older the seeds, the lower their germination.

If the variety of date palm is not of fundamental importance to you, you can get seeds much easier. To do this, go to the nearest supermarket and buy a package of dried dates (and also better - fresh). Take packaged dates, as on the packaging you will find information not only about the production date.

It is important that the dates do not undergo additional heat treatment, such as boiling in sugar syrup. Otherwise, you will not wait for shoots. The fruits should be even and healthy, with no signs of rot.

Remember, fresh seeds germinate the fastest.

You need to start germinating date seeds in March - April.

You will need about a dozen bones. Of this amount, some will not sprout, and some may die after germination.

Processing the bone before soaking

By choosing fruits for seeds, you must be processed before sowing. This is done in the following order:

  1. The pit is removed from the date.
  2. Very carefully remove the remnants of the pulp and rinse well with warm water.
  3. Peeled bones are placed in warm water for 48 hours in order to rid future plants of harmful microorganisms that can infect the soil and cause rotting of seedlings. Water should be changed daily.
  4. Clean seeds are dried for 24 hours.
  5. Date seeds have a very dense shell, and in order to facilitate water access to the embryo, it is necessary to break its integrity. You can do this in 4 ways:
  • Rinse the bones with hot water (not boiling water!). The water temperature should be around 80 degrees.
  • Carefully pierce the shell with a sharp object, being careful not to damage the seed itself.
  • Treat the bone with sandpaper, thus removing part of the shell.
  • Slightly cut the bone with a sharp knife along the seam.

Seed preparation is almost complete. Let's move on to soaking.

Soaking in cotton

Emergence of seedlings in the date palm depends on the quality of the seed and can last from 1 month to 1 year. To speed up the process as much as possible, experienced flower growers came up with the idea of ​​soaking the bones. This can be done simply by putting the seeds in water, but it is best to do this in cotton wool.

Procedure:

  • Each bone must be tightly wrapped in cotton wool, forming a cocoon.
  • Each such cocoon is well moistened and laid out on the bottom of a plastic container.
  • Pour into the bottom of the container with bones a small amount of water and placed in a warm place, for example, on a battery. The temperature should be in the range of + 25-30 degrees.

Soak the bones for 2-4 days. During this time, the moisture content of cotton cocoons is monitored and, if necessary, water is added. To reduce the evaporation of moisture, the container with the bones can be covered with a piece of glass.

When the seeds swell, they are ready for planting.

Creation of temperature conditions

Optimum temperature+ 25-30 degrees is considered for seed germination. It is best to germinate the seeds in a mini-greenhouse, where the required temperature and humidity will be maintained.

Priming

The soil for planting a date can be purchased at the store, but it will be better if you make it yourself, because it is not difficult at all.

For sowing seeds you need soil of this composition:

  • 1 part of steamed peat land;
  • 1 part sand or perlite;
  • 1 part raw sawdust.

The main requirement for the soil- its lightness, friability, good permeability to air and moisture.

The composition of the earth will have to be changed several times depending on the age of the flower.

The features of the date palm are such that in the early stages, the root grows at an accelerated pace. The date root system is pivotal, that is, one root is the main one, the rest are adventitious.

A pot for such a plant try to pick up deep and narrow, so that the date feels comfortable.

Initially, all seeds can be planted in one deep box.

Date does not tolerate stagnant moisture, therefore, at the bottom of a pot or box be sure to put a layer of drainage, which can be used as expanded clay, broken brick, pebbles or charcoal.

Sowing and seedling care

How is a date palm planted from a seed? Date seeds are planted vertically to a depth equal to one and a half lengths of the bone.

Now a pot of seeds is needed put in a warm place and vigilantly monitor the soil moisture, avoiding waterlogging.

If the seeds were fresh, the first sprouts may appear in a month or two.

picking

The most common recommendation- to carry out the first pick when the young date reaches a length of 10 cm. But experienced flower growers say that with such a late pick you will get a plant with one or two long and narrow reed-like leaves by the year.

In order for the plants to better accept and begin to produce short wide leaves, the first pick should be carried out when the sprout has just appeared and looks like a white stick.

Do it carefully being careful not to damage the spine. The sprout is transplanted into a new pot along with the mother seed, as young plant still getting nourishment from it.

With such a picking scheme, by the end of the first year of life, you will receive a plant that will have two or even three wide leaves. After a year, the date will begin to produce beautiful feathery leaves and will look more and more like a real palm tree.

Here you will clearly see how to make a pick.

Accommodation

Date fruit - photophilous plant, so you need to place it closer to the light on the east window, while carefully protecting the seedlings from drafts. Having placed a palm tree on the south window, carefully monitor the soil moisture, and protect your pets from direct sunlight.

Date fruit very fond of water. Plants should not be overdried, otherwise the leaves of your palm trees will begin to dry out. It is better to water with warm settled water.

Spray regularly leaves of young palms.

Now you know how to grow your own date palm from seed.

Read more about caring for a date palm.

With a little effort, in a few years you will get magnificent plant, which will not only decorate the home, but will also become a real family heirloom.

Here is a video on how to properly plant and grow a date palm from a stone at home.

Seed date palms: photo of germination.

Photo of how a date palm grows.

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