Date palm from stone at home

Undoubtedly, a large date palm will decorate any room, will be the object of admiration and pride of a florist. The easiest option is to purchase an adult plant from a flower shop. But, firstly, it is a very expensive pleasure, and secondly, we are not looking for easy ways. It is quite possible to grow a date palm from a stone, although it is a very long process. But many have succeeded, which means that we will succeed, and a date palm from a stone at home will cease to be a pipe dream.

Date palm at home from stone: material preparation

Date palm from stone at home: photo

The key to the successful cultivation of any plant is high-quality planting material. In our case, these are dates that have not been heat treated (for example, they have not been boiled in syrup). Fresh fruits are ideal, but you can limit yourself to dried or dried, which are easier to buy in a store or market. First of all, clean the pulp from the bones, rinse well in running water and dry. Do not limit yourself to one bone, take 10 pieces for the experiment. Some of them will not germinate, someone may die. So the more seeds you initially have, the more chances of success. Pour clean bones with warm water and place them on a sunny windowsill for 2-3 days. Change the water periodically so that the bones do not start to rot. The shell of the bone is very hard, so after three days you can try to “damage” it a little so that it opens up faster. To do this, rub it with sandpaper or scratch it with a knife, or fill it with hot water for a few minutes. Or the classic version: wrap the bones in a wet cotton cloth or cotton pads, put them in a resealable container and put them in a warm place (you can use a battery). After a couple of days, the bones of the date palm at home will swell, become noticeably larger, which means it's time to plant them. If you plant seeds without soaking, you can wait for seedlings for several months, so save your time and speed up the process.

Date palm from stone: planting at home

Date palm from stone at home: photo

We know that in nature the date palm grows in the tropics, which means that it needs a lot of light and high humidity. And if you want a healthy, beautiful plant, then be prepared to provide it with these conditions. Of course, you do not need a palm tree 30 meters high, which grows in nature, but be sure that with proper care in 5-6 years it will grow up to two meters. Since it will take a lot of light, it is desirable that the windows face the south, southeast or southwest side, until a certain time the palm tree will be able to live on the windowsill, and then you will have to find a place for it near the window. If we talk about humidity, then we need timely abundant watering, the earth should not be allowed to dry out, but it is not necessary to bring the situation to decay of the roots. The situation is often saved by a container with water installed nearby, which you will periodically fill. Suitable soil can be purchased at any gardening and flower shop, it is suitable for all palms. Or you can mix the soil yourself, for this take sand, raw sawdust and peat in a 1: 1: 1 ratio. Dip the prepared bones into a common container with soil (literally to the height of the bones, no longer needed), do not tamp the earth.Cover the top with glass, a bag or film to make a greenhouse, in which you need to maintain a temperature of about +30 degrees and high humidity. Remember to ventilate it daily and remove condensation. It is better to water by spraying the soil with a spray bottle. The seeds germinate in 1.5-2 months, maybe a little longer. But if nothing happened within three months, then it makes sense to dig up and see - perhaps the bones have rotted or are simply not viable.

From seed to palm

Date palm from stone at home: photo

The rules for caring for a date palm from a stone at home are not easy. When the seedlings grow by about 10 cm, it is time to settle them in separate pots, the diameter of which should be no more than 12 cm. As usual, there must be a drainage hole and a layer of expanded clay. The composition of the soil will already be slightly different: humus, sand, peat, leaf and sod land in a ratio of 4: 2: 1: 1: 1. Do not forget that it is necessary not only to water the plant, but also to maintain high humidity in the room. For the first five years, the date palm must be replanted annually - it actively grows upward, and the root system also grows. Increase the volume of the pot each time. By the way, when choosing a pot, give preference to ceramics - this is a breathable material in which plants are much more comfortable than in plastic. When the tree becomes an adult, it is necessary to replant it only as needed (literally - when the roots begin to stick out from the ground). The date palm is a tropical plant and will require more careful maintenance than some of the usual indoor flowers. We have already talked about sunlight and high humidity, and the ambient temperature should be added to this - it should be quite high. I know that it is not easy to maintain humidity in an apartment at a high temperature, so I'll have to try. The situation can be improved by having an aquarium, indoor fountain or humidifier. Until the plant grows up to the ceiling and you can move it, arrange a shower for it. In the future, it will be possible to spray the foliage or wipe with a damp cloth. In the spring-summer period, you can feed the plant with a special complex fertilizer for palms. And one more important point - you should not expect dates from a palm tree, there is not a single case of a domestic palm tree bearing fruit.

Possible problems when growing date palm from stone at home

Date palm from stone at home: photo

If something is wrong with the date palm from the stone, then this is immediately reflected in the leaves and makes it possible to recognize the problem and correct the situation. If the ends of the leaves darken and dry, then this is due to a lack of moisture - you need to water more and spray more often. Perhaps the fact is that the palm has "blown" - watch out for drafts. Yellowing leaves can also indicate a lack of watering and fertilization. Feed your palm tree with nitrogen-containing fertilizer - it is this element that is responsible for healthy and juicy greens. But if only the lower leaves darken, then most likely they have aged and they just need to be carefully cut off. Some growers, fearing to dry out the palm tree, water it so abundantly that this can lead to the death of the plant. If a palm tree has completely changed color to brown, then most likely its roots are rotting, dig it up and inspect it carefully. If you find live roots, cut off everything else, dip the plant in a solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkle the slices with charcoal. Transplant only into new soil, the old pot must be thoroughly rinsed, disinfected and dried. A spider mite may appear from pests in an apartment, it will be enough to spray or wipe the leaves with soapy water (repeating this procedure after another 3-4 days)

Now you know the basic subtleties of growing a date palm from a stone at home.Believe me, this is an extremely exciting process: grow a two-meter tropical tree from a small bone. At all stages of growth, you take care of the palm, and as it grows, it begins to take care of you. In addition to the active release of oxygen at any time of the day, the date palm also releases phytoncides, which help to cope with diseases of the lungs and bronchi, which means they have a very beneficial effect on the air quality in your home.