Emma Miller
Growing laurel at home is not as difficult as it seems. It can be done in several ways:
- Seeds;
- cuttings;
- Readymade seedlings.
Most often the laurel leaf is grown from seeds.
How to germinate bay leaf seeds
Seeds can be bought in a special store or on the market. Plant them in the middle or at the end of winter – the germination process itself will take you 2-4 months. That is, when the sprouts will sprout, the ambient temperature will be the most optimal for their growth.
So, to grow bay leaf on the windowsill you need:
- peel the seeds from the shell and leave them in warm water for 3-4 days;
- plant the seeds in the prepared soil – you can take the substrate, which is usually used for planting cacti and succulents, or prepare the soil yourself from equal parts of turf soil, peat, and compost, and for the top layer take river sand;
- Seeds should be planted in a small pot with drainage holes so that it does not stagnate water, to a depth of 1-1.5 cm and a distance of about 2 cm;
moisten from a sprayer, cover with polyethylene, and put in a warm and bright place, but without direct sunlight. - Greenhouse, which turned out, you need to ventilate periodically and make sure that the soil was moist. As soon as the sprouts appear, the film should be removed, and the soil should be moistened again.
How to grow bay leaf from seeds – transplanting and watering
When the seedlings grow a little, and they will have 2-4 true leaves, the plants are transplanted into individual pots (1 liter). This should be done as carefully as possible, so as not to damage the root. After transplanting, place the pots for 2-3 weeks in a dark place – during this time the plants will form a root system. Then the seedlings should be placed in the light.
The optimal temperature for laurel leaf is +20-26°C, and in winter – +15°C. Water the laurel with warm filtered water, but in moderation: in summer – 2 times a week, in the dormant period – once every 5 days. In addition, you can sprinkle the plant – laurel loves it. And if the weather allows, take it out on a balcony or in the garden.
