Castor oil planting and care in the open field for the winter

In household plots, you can often see a tall, powerful bush with wide patterned leaves. This is a castor oil plant. Planting and caring for a plant does not require special skills, so it is quite easy to grow a kind of palm tree in front of the house. It quickly stretches upward and gives the garden an original rainforest look.

Description of the plant

The native land of the castor oil plant is African countries. In subtropical climates, it grows like a perennial and often reaches 9-10 m in height. In our country, the plant does not withstand the harsh winter, and therefore it is planted every spring from seeds and looked after as an annual.

The main decoration of the castor bean is bright leaves, consisting of several lobes and somewhat resembling maple leaves. They create a unique atmosphere in the garden. In the middle of summer, the plant produces small stems on which nondescript flowers bloom. Castor bean pollination occurs with the help of the wind, so the flowers do not have a strong odor to attract bees, and do not differ in the brightness of the colors. After flowering, balls appear, completely covered with needles. They contain many seeds that are harvested in sunny weather, dried and stored until spring to be used for planting.

Important!

Do not forget that castor oil plants are very poisonous. Inside its flowers and seeds is ricinin, which is very dangerous to humans. Therefore, the cultivation and care of castor oil plants require compliance with safety rules. Always wash your hands after handling it and protect them with gloves when collecting seeds. Keep small children away from the plant and be sure to keep the planting material out of their hands.

Valuable castor oil is extracted from castor bean. Experts do not advise doing this on your own by watching a training video on the Internet. It is possible to completely get rid of toxic substances only at a pharmacological enterprise using special technology. At home, it will not be possible to cleanse the seeds from poison, and the cooked oil, instead of benefit, will seriously harm or even lead to tragedy.

Variety selection

In nature, there is one type of plant - castor oil plant. By the method of crossing, scientists have bred different varieties that differ from each other in the color of shoots and leaves. Therefore, each grower can choose their favorite color, ranging from bright green to burgundy.

The most popular undersized varieties:

• "Zanzibar" - grows up to 2 m and has red-purple shoots;
• "Gibson" - reaches 1.5 m and is distinguished by the metallic sheen of the leaves;
• "Kazachka" - this variety, bred by domestic breeders, grows no more than 2 m. It stands out favorably against the background of others with a variegated red-green color and bright red flowers.

Of the tall varieties of castor bean, the "Northern Palm" is often planted, which has powerful green shoots and leaves.

How to plant seedlings

The castor oil plant is afraid of even minor frosts, so its cultivation will be more successful if the seedlings are prepared. It should be planted at the end of March.

The seeds of the plant are dense, germinate for a long time without careful preparation and have a low germination rate. Therefore, first you need to do seed scarification. To do this, they need to be gently rubbed with sandpaper from all sides. This helps open up the tough shell and makes it easier for the seeds to germinate. Then, overnight, the planting material is soaked in water or in a solution to stimulate growth. Means "Heteroauxin" or "Epin" will do.

To make care for castor bean seedlings easier, it is advisable to grow it in liter plastic cups. Fill them in half with fertile soil and plant 2 seeds in each, deepening them 2 cm into the ground. Lightly fill them with water, cover with plastic wrap, put them in a sunny place and wait for shoots. As soon as the first shoots appear, remove the film, providing the seedlings with full-fledged care, which consists in regular watering and gentle loosening of the soil in cups.

The castor oil plant grows rapidly. When it has several leaves and it reaches a height of 10 cm, it can be transplanted into open ground. But this should be done not earlier than the last night frosts are over, otherwise the tender seedlings may die. The optimal time is late May or early June.

Soil transplant

Prepare the bed a week before planting castor bean. Choose a sunny spot for her, protected from wind and draft. Loose fertile soil with constant moisture is ideal. Dig small holes 40 cm deep and 50 cm apart. Fill them a third with manure, sprinkle with earth and cover with oilcloth. In 7 days, manure will warm the soil. This will help the seedlings take root faster and make growing easier.

1. Fill well the glasses with castor bean sprouts with water. This will form a wet ball around the root system.
2. Then carefully remove the plants along with a lump of earth and place them in the prepared holes, from which you first remove the oilcloth.
3. Cover with earth, tamp lightly and pour.

Planting castor oil plants in open ground is possible without preparing seedlings. It germinates well from seeds right in the garden and grows well, if night frosts do not interfere. At the end of May, dig shallow holes in the flower bed, wet them with water and put a few prepared seeds in each. Cover with soil and water the garden bed. If the air temperature is high enough, the first shoots will not be long in coming. When they grow up, leave one shoot in the holes, and carefully cut the rest at the root with a sharp knife.

Growing a plant from seeds in the open field has one significant drawback. If the summer is cool, and early autumn follows it, the castor oil plant will not have time to fully ripen the seeds. And next year they will have to be bought for planting in the store.

How to care for an exotic garden decoration

The plant is unpretentious, so caring for the castor oil plant is easy. Pay special attention to watering. Small shoots planted in the soil literally in a month reach a height of 1-1.5 meters and continue to actively develop. They constantly need moisture. Therefore, the main care is regular watering. Spend it every 5-6 days, pouring 10 liters of water under each bush. When flowers appear, watering should be increased, especially if the summer is too hot.

So that weeds do not interfere with castor bean seedlings and drown out its growth, they must be systematically weeded. On the 2nd day, after each watering, be sure to loosen the soil. Such maintenance will prevent the formation of a dense crust on the soil and enrich the earth with oxygen.

Since the castor oil plant grows tall and branched, it is difficult for the root system to keep it upright.Many summer residents drive pegs around the plant, pull a dense thread and hold a young bush with such a support.

Do I need to feed the castor oil plant?

Plant care is not complete without regular feeding. For the rapid growth and development of castor bean shoots, nitrogen is needed. Be sure to apply nitrogen fertilizer a week before flowering. Organic poultry manure can be applied, which is a good source of nitrogen.

Advice

Do not use pure fresh droppings. It contains a high concentration of uric acid, which can damage the roots.

1. To prepare the top dressing, pour water into a large iron bucket and dilute chicken droppings in it in a ratio of 10: 1.
2. Leave the container in the fresh air for 10 days, during which do not forget to stir occasionally.
3. During this time, the droppings will ferment. Place a half-liter jar of fertilizer under each castor plant. Such care will greatly improve her growth.

When the brush of the flower is practically formed, you need to fertilize the earth with phosphorus-potassium fertilizing. A new product called AVA has proven itself well. In addition to phosphorus and potassium, it contains 9 substances that improve plant growth. The drug must be diluted and introduced into the soil strictly according to the instructions.

Instead of purchased fertilizer, you can use wood ash. This dressing fully enriches the soil with phosphorus and potassium. To prepare the solution, you will need to stir 150 g of ash in 10 liters of water and carefully pour half a liter of liquid under each plant.

Sandy slow

Diseases and pests

Castor oil plant is very hardy and practically does not get sick. If you notice that its leaves have begun to turn yellow and look inconspicuous, most likely they lack moisture. Increase watering, after which thoroughly loosen the soil.

Rarely, a bush is affected by gray or black rot, powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. When this happens, the timely removal of infected shoots, leaves and treatment with Bordeaux liquid will help.

Sometimes pests begin to erode the castor oil plant. The main ones are:

• wireworm;
• sandy linger;
• caterpillars of meadow moth and winter moth;
• meadow bugs.

To prevent the appearance of a wireworm in the garden, before planting castor bean, pour a little weak manganese solution into each hole.

Collect the caterpillars on castor bean with your hands and then treat with a solution of wormwood.

1. Collect half a bucket of fresh herb. Cut it with a knife and top up the bucket with water.
2. Insist 3-4 days, then strain and spray the leaves and soil under the castor oil plant.

Spices will help scare off pests from the flower bed. Plant mint or dill near the castor oil plant. Their strong smell will not allow harmful insects to settle in the garden.

Minimal outdoor care for castor oil plants will help turn your backyard into a chic exotic place. Many summer residents are happy to plant it along the fence. The tall plant reliably hides the yard from prying eyes and also absorbs dust and smog from the road.

Castor bean cultivation is also used in landscape design. It looks great in a flower bed along with other flowers.

I want to talk in today's blog issue about an unusual plant, which is often used to decorate a site. What is special about it? My answer is that the seeds of a bush can cause severe poisoning in humans or animals. Despite the danger, the owners successfully continue to decorate flower beds and gardens, because if certain safety measures are observed, this is quite possible. If your castor oil plant is already growing, then planting and care in the open field are familiar, just going to grow it, then I will be happy to help.

Popular types

The castor oil plant, which resembles a huge exotic palm tree, in its homeland, in warm countries, can grow up to 10 m. In height.Of course, it is impossible to find such specimens here, but the simplest and unpretentious varieties successfully decorate the design of plots near private houses. Most often used:

• Common (up to one and a half meters high with huge glossy green foliage);
• Borbon (3 m tall, red trunk and green leaves with a purple tint);
• Zanzibar (colorful purple leaves, height rarely reaches 2 m);
• Indian (black stem and beautiful emerald leaves, a little over a meter high);
• Gibson (one and a half meter plant with a red trunk and foliage).

The varieties feel great in flower beds and near fences. Can be grown in the garden and around the site, which will serve as an original high hedge.

Important secrets

The castor oil plant is an annual plant, so be prepared to do the same job every year. What does it consist of? Growing seedlings, choosing the ideal location and easy maintenance. When choosing a place for your exotic pet, try to take into account her requirements.

Despite the enormous unpretentiousness, pick up sunny areas, in the shade the plant can fade a little, and the colors of the leaves will not be so decorative.

The beauty prefers fatty, nutritious soil. You cannot boast of a good soil composition on the site, prepare it yourself by mixing in equal parts:

• black soil;
• compost;
• leafy ground;
• sod soil;
• river sand.

When planting, keep in mind that the plant is terribly afraid of frost. Even freezing temperatures can completely destroy a heat-loving beauty. It is better to go to a flower garden or other favorite place after the cold nights leave.

Growing seedlings

If you want the plant to fully grow and give seeds over the season, then you will have to plant it on the plot with seedlings. The material should be sent to pots or cups in April. I warn you, the seeds are difficult to germinate. Little secret - rub them for a few seconds with fine sandpaper. It will slightly damage the thick skin of the seeds and accelerate germination. You can pour warm water with a growth stimulant dissolved in it for several hours, it will not be superfluous.

In pots, after treatment, seeds can sprout in three days. Be sure to germinate them warm. Cover the containers with thick cellophane or pieces of glass. Little secret - young sprouted leaves are hardly freed from seeds, which can injure delicate tissue. Help them by carefully separating the peas with tweezers.

Watch the plants closely, because they grow literally by the hour. As soon as the first leaves have blossomed well, take them to a cooler room, add a little soil and regularly turn the plants in different parts towards the light (it will prevent them from stretching and deforming).

Secrets of planting in open ground

As already warned, do not try to go to plant seedlings before the onset of stable heat. Pour the soil in pots abundantly with warm water, it will make it easy to take out young plants without injuring the root system and without damaging the earthen lump.

When planting castor bean directly into the ground, remember that the plant may not give new planting material for the season, so leave some seeds for next year. In the open air, for some unknown reason, the planting material grows very poorly, almost half of the seeds do not germinate.

Try to send a few variegated peas to each hole - it guarantees that at least one of 3-4 will definitely rise. Extra shoots can then be thrown away or planted in a new place.

Simple subtleties of care

I don't even know what you can talk about here, because it is very easy to care for castor oil plants. The only thing that you should pay attention to is constant soil moisture. Since the plant is constantly growing and developing, it will need a lot of moisture. At least twice a week, arm yourself with a hose and water, trying to water the leaves too - she will really like a pleasant shower.

It will not be superfluous to regularly loosen the ground, simultaneously removing weeds. This is especially true for young plants, because weeds can significantly slow down growth, or even completely drown out.

A few words about top dressing - the plant likes nitrogen fertilizers, so several times a season you can pamper your decorative favorites. It is best if it is an aqueous solution, which is easier and faster for the plant to absorb.

An important point - since you know that castor bean seeds are deadly poisonous, grow it in places where babies or animals cannot access. Install a decorative fence that will help protect the plant from attacks by children or pets.

In autumn, it stops growing, and dies at the first frost. Cut it to the very root, burn the stems, dry it a little, and dig up the roots for the winter and throw it away or also dispose of it. Some growers plant them in large pots and send them to the basement for the winter, but the castor bean grown from the roots does not have any particular advantages for the next year.

Some interesting facts

A beauty from ancient Ethiopia, although she is so fond of flower growers that they consider her a primordially Russian plant. To this day, beautiful seeds are found in the tombs of pharaohs and kings, which indicates that it was popular for many millennia. Now decorative bushes can be found in different countries, growing well in difficult conditions of the wild.

There are many names, among them - "Turkish hemp" or "paradise tree". The most popular medicine is extracted from it; the bushes are often called castor oil.

The seeds of a beautiful plant can cause death, an adult will need up to 20 grains, but a child will need 5. I think you will take this fact into account when planning to grow a decorative stunning bush near your house, and if you have kids, then refrain from such beauty for several years.

Pests try to bypass the plant, you will not need to spend time fighting them. The only thing that can harm a decorative beauty is caterpillars, but you can easily cope with them by preparing a concentrated decoction of bitter wormwood. It is enough to carry out abundant spraying several times per season, and the pests will not dare to lay claim to the plant.

You can see for yourself that it is not difficult to grow castor bean on the site, but you can get great pleasure from observing beautifully developing exotic leaves. As a confirmation of my words, I advise you to look at the photo of the plant. I say goodbye for a little while, all the best!

Once I saw a strange plant resembling a palm tree, with large gorgeous leaves, a bit like maple leaves, I could no longer forget it. Therefore, I decided at all costs to grow this in my garden.

Castor oil plant

, namely, that was the name of the exotic "palm trees" I liked, - this is a powerful tall ornamental plant with large palmate-lobed leaves.

In particularly favorable conditions, perennial castor bean can reach up to 10 m in height. Having planted a castor bean, I brought a special subtropical flavor to my garden, making it look like a gorgeous southern garden. And for this I did not need to plant a castor bean plantation, more than three plants were enough, which literally in a month grew to a height of one and a half meters, creating a very effective "palm" composition.

The Russian name of the plant comes from the Latin ricinus (translated as a tick), and this is due to the fact that the seeds of the plant are very similar in shape to an oriental tick. As it turned out, castor oil plant in Russia has many other popular names: it is also called "castor oil", "paradise tree", "Turkish hemp".

The birthplace of castor bean is Africa, where it grows like a perennial.How many centuries ago people first discovered castor bean plants is not known for certain. But its seeds were found by archaeologists while exploring the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs.

Cultivation of castor bean

In especially favorable conditions, perennial castor bean can reach up to 10 m in height. In our latitudes - the middle lane - the plant is cultivated exclusively as a thermophilic annual, and grows up to 3 m.

Castor oil plant is quite unpretentious, but it is best to grow it in sunny areas. The plant is very thermophilic and absolutely does not tolerate frosts, as well as a prolonged cold snap, therefore, it is not worth sowing castor bean seeds in open ground before the second half of May.

Castor oil plant is rather unpretentious, but it is best to grow it in sunny areas. Castor oil plant prefers to grow in sufficiently moist areas with deeply cultivated nutritious (chernozem) loose soil.

Castor bean reproduces exclusively by seeds, ripening in several pieces in fruits, similar to spherical capsules covered with thorns.

Castor bean seeds You can sow castor bean seeds for seedlings from late March to mid-June, but I do it in mid-April. The seedlings sown at this time are rapidly developing, do not stretch out and do not outgrow. In addition, according to my personal observations, only with the April sowing, castor bean seedlings have time to develop into a large powerful plant in a season, on which full-fledged seeds are formed and ripen.

Sowing castor bean

Castor bean seeds do not germinate for a long time, and out of ten sown seeds, as practice has shown, at best only 6-7 pieces emerge, keep this in mind before sowing. In order to accelerate the germination of large, tightly similar castor bean seeds, it is advisable to apply scarification: just before sowing, I lightly rub each seed with ordinary sandpaper. Then I soak them overnight in a growth stimulant solution (you can use any - "Epin", "Heteroauxin" and so on).

Castor bean seedlings grow unusually quickly. I sow castor bean seeds one by one, to a depth of 1-2 cm, in liter plastic buckets, only half filled with earth. After pretreatment, they sprout rather quickly, literally in 3-4 days. Sometimes it is very difficult for castor bean seeds to free themselves from the oily peel that covers the cotyledon leaves. In this case, I gently remove it with tweezers. You can not leave - the leaves can rot.

Castor bean seedlings begin to develop no less quickly - even before the appearance of the first true leaf, the stems of the seedlings stretch out a little. Therefore, as soon as the first real leaf has been outlined, I transfer the seedlings to a bright and cool place with a temperature of at least + 15 ° C. As the seedlings grow rapidly, I add the soil to the very edges of the bucket. Several times the castor bean seedlings stretched out, I had to transfer the plants in a larger container.

Castor bean seedlings.

I plant castor bean seedlings in the ground only after the complete end of spring frosts, in late May - early June. In order not to injure the roots of the plant and prevent the earthen coma from crumbling, immediately before planting, I water the seedlings abundantly with water, and only after that I carefully take them out.

Planting castor bean seedlings in open ground.

Castor oil care

The castor oil plant is so unpretentious that it practically does not need care. Perhaps the only thing worth paying attention to is watering. Throughout the summer season, the plant develops very actively, so it needs to ensure regular soil moisture. I try to water the castor oil plant every 5 days - 10 liters of water for one plant. In the initial period of growth, weeding will not be superfluous, thanks to which still young plants will not be able to drown out weeds.

Castor oil plant is so unpretentious that it practically does not need care. Castor oil plant is very responsive to various fertilizing: it is best to add nitrogen, especially before the beginning of the formation of plant inflorescences.

Attention! Since castor bean seeds contain ricin, a poisonous substance, their ingestion is very dangerous: only 6 seeds will be fatal for children and 20 for adults, remember this! When growing castor bean, do not forget that its cake is also poisonous, despite the fact that it is used as an excellent fertilizer, as well as to combat various soil pests.

Types of castor bean

Since the castor bean grew uncontrollably for a long time and crossed in different climatic conditions, many variations in the appearance of this plant appeared, and it turned out to be quite difficult for scientists to systematize the genus. True, most botanists agreed that the castor bean, which is grown at the present time, despite the different shapes and colors, varieties and varieties, can be safely called "castor bean". Today, several forms and types of castor bean are cultivated:

Castor oil plant

Castor bean plant reaches a height of 1-1.2 m.

Castor oil plant A strong green stem proudly bears large glossy leaves.

Borbon castor oil

The Borbon tree castor oil reaches a height of 3 m.

Borbon Castor Oil Plant boasts a strong red trunk and large shiny leaves.

Zanzibar castor oil plant

Zanzibar castor oil reaches a height of 2 m.

Castor oil plant Zanzibar Differs in dark red leaves of gigantic size.

Castor oil plant

Castor oil plant is a plant that reaches a height of 1.2 m.

Castor bean Indian Very beautiful color: dark green leaves and almost black trunk.

Castor oil Gibson

Gibson's castor oil plant reaches 1.5 m in height.

Gibson's castor bean The leaves and trunk of the plant are dark red.

I tried to reveal all the secrets of growing castor bean, I hope they will be useful to you.

In the first half of the nineteenth century, castor oil plants were first brought to Russia from India and eventually spread throughout the country. The castor oil plant belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, and its homeland is in tropical latitudes, where it grows with shrubs for about ten meters. They fell in love with her in Russia for her unpretentious disposition and exotic appearance in the form of a palm tree.

Castor oil planting and care in the open field

Precautionary measures

Most plants from the euphorbia family are poisonous and castor oil plant is one of them, so you need to first think carefully about those who have small children and pets. The whole plant is poisonous as a whole, and the largest concentration of poison is found in the seeds of the plant, so they must be stored separately from other seeds and out of the reach of children. A toxic plant, once it enters the human body, causes the liver, lungs and kidneys to stop functioning.

Castor bean seeds are extremely poisonous

ATTENTION: Only four seeds are capable of causing death in an adult, while a child has one castor bean seed!

REFERENCE: Collecting fresh seeds should be done with gloves on.

At the first symptoms of poisoning such as vomiting, loss of consciousness or abdominal pain, you should urgently seek medical help and rinse the victim's stomach before the ambulance arrives.

Castor bean seed treatment

Those seeds are subject to processing, which were received by an independent method.

Before the start of sowing, they mainly process those seeds that they received during self-collection or from other flower growers. The treatment is carried out as a preventive measure to prevent plant diseases. Seeds purchased from a specialized store do not require additional processing, because they have already passed it by industrial methods and are already ready for planting.

Pre-planting measures of castor bean seeds

All contact work with the plant should be done wearing gloves or, after contact with the plant, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water to avoid poisoning.

The seeds of a beautiful plant are large and have a tough shell that can hinder germination. For full-fledged seedlings of plants, you need to do some preparation in one of the ways before sowing in the ground.

Castor bean seed soaking

1. Soak castor bean seeds in water preheated to thirty degrees. With its periodic replacement as it cools for one day.
2. Wrap the seeds in a damp cloth and wrap in plastic wrap and put in a warm place for one day.
3. Lightly rub the seed on both sides with fine sandpaper, thereby the seed shell will become thinner, which will positively affect its germination period.
4. Pin the seed shallowly with a needle on both sides.

When to sow castor bean seeds into the ground and how to do it correctly?

The term for sowing castor bean seeds is from mid-March to mid-April for seedlings

Sowing period is from mid-March to mid-April for seedlings or in May after the end of frost immediately into open ground. For sowing in open ground, it is better to determine a permanent place in advance, avoiding subsequent transplants, otherwise the delicate roots of the plant will be damaged. For her, the best place will be sunny and protected from the winds, and if there is such a thing, then the growth of a beauty of castor oil plant in four meters will be guaranteed. Loose, airy soil with good water permeability is preferable for good plant growth - these are those places where after heavy rain puddles stand for a short time and are quickly absorbed into the ground.

Sowing in open ground

Sowing castor bean seeds in the ground

Sowing in open ground two or three seeds in one hole and having buried the seeds in the ground about five centimeters, you will definitely need to protect them from cold weather at the initial stage, for example, cut plastic bottles. Squeezed into the place of sowing, they will protect and additionally heat the place with seeds, which will lead to the safety and speedy germination of seeds.

The plant will grow into a spreading, large bush, given its external data, the distance between the holes should be kept at least, less than one meter. The greater the distance between them, the better for the growth and development of plants. Grown plants should be weeded out in the first pairs so that the weeds do not drown out the growth of the palm tree.

IMPORTANT: Avoid waterlogging of the soil, which can lead to decay and death of the plant. After sowing in the ground and covering with a film, it is better not to water at all until shoots appear.

Growing castor bean seedlings

For the convenience of growing seedlings and further transshipment into open ground, you will need plastic cups with a volume of 500 ml. filled with light soil.

Planting castor bean seedlings in open ground

1. Bury the seeds in the ground about one centimeter and cover the top of the glass with cling film. At a temperature of +25, seedlings will appear about ten days at a lower temperature for about three weeks.
2. Periodically shaking off the condensate from the film, and giving a flow of fresh air, after a certain time, shoots will appear.
3. Before planting in open ground, fertilize the selected place with humus and compost, and water the plant with abundant water and carefully transfer it along with an earthen clod, without damaging the delicate root system of the plant, into the prepared hole.

IMPORTANT: Sometimes the development of leaves is impeded by the sticky, oily peel of the seed; it must be picked up with a sharp object and removed, if this is not done, the plant may die from decay.

TIP: For sowing seeds, it is best to use peat pots for subsequent open field planting. In this case, you will not have to carry out transshipment, but you can plant the plants together with the pot without harm to the roots.

Sometimes, due to insufficient lighting, the seedlings are pulled out and with castor oil plants it can also happen. Do not be upset, because when planting in open ground, it can be deepened and in the future the plant will get stronger, and the growth of the plant will normalize.

Video - How to grow castor oil plant

Castor bean care in the open field

The plant itself is not whimsical, but responds very well to regular fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. Enough once a month to accelerate growth, nitrogen fertilization, before the formation of inflorescences. During the appearance of the forming brush, the inflorescences are fed with a fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorus.

Castor oil plant is an unpretentious plant

Watering well, especially on hot days, will allow the plant to grow tall with thick branches and large leaves. The castor oil plant, grown without additional watering, loses its exotic lush appearance and, instead of an average height of three meters, will grow about one and a half meters in unfavorable conditions. The plant is very rarely affected by pests and therefore does not constitute much of a hassle to care for.

The average height of the castor bean is three meters

The main care consists in weeding, watering, especially during the flowering period of the plant and periodic loosening of the soil. Watering is done every four days and ten liters of water will be needed for one adult plant. A tall plant, unprotected from strong winds, can be damaged, so as it grows, it is worth using a support for the plant.

General recommendations for the growth of castor beans consist of:

1. Placing the plant in a warm, sunny location.
2. Protect with a covering material from long-term cold snaps.

Collecting castor bean seeds

With a little time for care, the plant will delight you with its unusual color from red-green to dark red tones, depending on the specific species. The plant looks best in a single planting, and a sunny place will allow the seeds to ripen in boxes similar to hedgehogs and then next year there will be seeds of their own collection. If there is any doubt about the ripening of the seeds, then during flowering you need to leave only one inflorescence and before the onset of cold weather rip it off entirely.

Castor bean seeds in boxes

Thus, seeds in boxes on a branch of a whole inflorescence will ripen on their own already indoors for about a month, after which you can remove the seeds and store them separately until the next season. If the summer turned out to be rainy, then the inflorescences often rot from an excess of moisture, and therefore it will not work to prepare the seeds, but in view of their prevalence, they can be purchased at any specialized store.