Long since the laurel was considered a noble plant, because of it he enjoyed respect and honor: not without reason wreaths from his branches were awarded to winners and talented people. The leaves of this perennial plant are widely used in cooking as a spice for the preparation of broths and marinades, because it has a pleasant aroma. Usually mistresses buy laurel leaves in dried form. But if you want, the flower will decorate your home, and when you need it - it's enough just to break the sheet and use it when cooking. And we will tell you about growing laurels at home.
Laurel: landing
Planting the laurel of the noble should be dealt with in early spring. It is necessary to choose a pot, 2-3 cm in volume superior to the previous one. First you need to lay a drainage layer of broken brick or expanded clay to remove excess water. Then the substrate is laid. Laurel noble prefers soil, consisting of turfy ground, leaf earth and sand in the ratio 1: 1: 2. There is a simple option - just buy a flower shop for cactus.
How to care for the laurel in the home?
This plant is rather unpretentious and easily adapts to the most unfavorable conditions: both to brightly illuminated areas of the apartment, and to a darkened place. However, the best laurel grows on open loggias and balconies. In addition, the flower is not afraid of drafts, so the wind is not dangerous to him. The Lavra is well tolerated in the summer time by a temperature regime of 20-27 ° C. In winter, the plant is comfortable at 12-15 ° C (in extreme cases, 5 ° C). The main thing that should be paid close attention when caring for laurels is how to water the laurel properly. Firstly, though the plant loves copious watering, the surplus of moisture for it is disastrous. Water should be applied as the upper layer of the soil dries. In hot weather, it is possible to water twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. Secondly, the laurel room needs regular copious spraying of leaves. And to prevent pests in the water, you can add baking soda (½ teaspoon per liter of water).
Caring for a laurel at home involves fertilizing complex fertilizers once a month in spring and until autumn.
In the middle of spring, a shrub can be pruned to give the laurel a decorative shape.
Reproduction of the laurel at home
Laurels reproduce by seeds, cuttings and bush division. Seeds should be planted in spring in a container with soil and placed in a greenhouse at a temperature of not less than 18 ° C. When the seedlings have a second leaf, they are dived into separate pots.
Cuttings should be prepared in spring or early summer. From young shoots with a lignified stalk, cuttings 7-8 cm long with 2 interstices are cut, the leaves are cut off and placed in a substrate to a depth of 1.5 cm at a temperature of 17-20 ° C. Teplichku should be regularly ventilated, and the soil - watered. In a month, after rooting cuttings, young plants can be planted.
Division of laurel bush is produced in the spring.
Pests and diseases of the laurel at home
The disease of the laurel is mainly a consequence of inaccuracies in nursing. Excessive irrigation leads to the appearance of spotting on the leaves and decay of the roots of the plant. It is recommended spraying the leaves with cupric chloride (4 g per 1 liter of water). Insufficiency of watering or its absence is affected by the yellowing of the leaves of the plant and their drying. With improper care in the winter, the leaves can fall off at the laurel.
Among the pests for indoor laurels, the danger is represented by mealy mites , spider mites , leaf thrips , scab . In this case, the plant needs treatment with special preparations - insecticides. They can be purchased at specialized stores.