How to grow a longan from a bone at home?

Today, such exotic as longan (the Chinese name for "dragon's eye") can be tasted not only while traveling in eastern countries, but also here - it appears more and more often in large supermarkets.

The fruit has many beneficial properties: it cleanses and rejuvenates the body, strengthens the immune and cardiovascular systems, and improves brain function. Having tasted the "dragon's eye" once, they want to feast on again and again. For more details, see the article about longan.

And what to do with the bone? For those who like to acquire green "exotics" it will not be difficult at all to grow a longan at home - it looks very decorative, and with persistent efforts, there is hope to wait for the harvest.

Accustomed to the mild subtropical climate, the plant is absolutely not capricious and easily becomes indoor.

What you need to know before boarding

The most convenient way to grow the "dragon's eye" is from the bone. Seed germination is highespecially considering the following points:

Fully ripe seeds germinate better than unripe fruits. Therefore, it is recommended to take "planting material" from fruits purchased directly from Thailand or other Asian countries. Longan is supplied to our stores "greenish", therefore, the chances that the seed will sprout are much less.

Attention!

Sometimes seeds from under-ripe fruits still germinate, but they take more time to do so. You should not give up, it is important to continue watering for at least two weeks.

It is not always possible to germinate the nucleoli of fruits purchased at the beginning of summer., our labor can be wasted. The reason is the same: the longan season is just beginning and it does not have time to fully mature.

Seed germination directly depends on their freshness. If, when we eat the "dragon's eye", it is possible to immediately stick the bone into the ground - this option is optimal. It is even allowed to "throw" the future longan to another subtropical plant (it is important that the soil composition is suitable), and then dive the shoots.

Being away from home, we are unlikely to be able to plant a bone right away. The algorithm of actions in this situation is as follows:

• we clean the kernel from the remnants of the pulp and dry it during the day in the open air, avoiding direct sunlight;
• we carefully wipe it with a cloth so that there is no mold;
• wrap in several layers of napkins and pack in foil;
• put in a box and close tightly.

In this form the bone can last up to 2 weeks and we will deliver it to the place of "residence" without any problems.

A dried seed that has been left outside the fruit for a long time will not germinate.

How to properly prepare a bone

Experienced growers recommend planting longan seed without any preliminary preparation, as soon as it is removed from the fruit. To speed up germination, the bone is placed in water at room temperature for 3 days, and then kept in the refrigerator for another 2 days.

There is also another way. A plant growth stimulator is added to warm water and the longan kernels are left in solution for 6 to 8 hours. After that, you can land.

However, not everyone has the patience and is able to withstand the torment of the unknown, waiting for a seed to sprout. It is much easier to constantly monitor the process, carrying out germination without soil. It is desirable that we have at least 5 seeds in our arsenal.

Seed germination:

1. After enjoying the fruits of the longan, we extract the nucleoli from them, put them on a paper napkin and leave them for 1 - 2 days.
2. Next, wrap the seeds in a damp cotton cloth, lay out the resulting "packages" on a tray and place them in a plastic bag. It is not worth using cling film as a greenhouse, since periodically the planting material will have to be moistened.
3. The tray is placed in a warm place. Usually the roots hatch after 7-14 days. It is very important that the seeds are constantly in a humid environment, therefore, the cloth, as it dries, is sprayed from a spray bottle.

To make longan take a good start

Like other inhabitants of the subtropics, the Dimocarpus longan tree needs warmth and high humidity... It is especially important to provide comfortable conditions for young, still fragile shoots.

To begin with, let's put our bone in the ground correctly:

1. Find a small light speck on the dark seed. So that the root and stem grow in the right direction, this "mark" should be on the side when landing.
2. We spread the bottom of the pot with a thick layer of drainage: small pebbles plus river sand, and then fill in a suitable soil. It is best to purchase a ready-made potting mix for exotic plants..

   Attention!

   If we intend to plant several seeds in one container, it should not be too small, since there is a possibility of a large number of seedlings. They need space to grow and get stronger.

3. We place the seed shallowly - one and a half its height, sprinkle with a thin layer of earth and be sure to water abundantly... You can lightly rub the surface with sandpaper before planting or scratch it with a knife - it will be easier for the sprouts to break through.
4. The room temperature must be at least 24 ° C. In winter, you can place the seed pot on the shelf above the radiator.
5. Longan does not like drafts very much. Therefore, the container with seeds is covered with a mini-greenhouse made of polyethylene or a plastic cup.

   Important!

   Every day, the impromptu "greenhouse" is cleaned for a short time to provide fresh air.

6. Longan shoots resemble a small loop, light green, almost white. Inexperienced gardeners often mistake the stem for a root that has not sprouted correctly and may even try to remedy the situation. This is by no means necessary. In a few days, the "loop" will straighten and the first two leaves will appear on its crown.

How to care for seedlings

Longan sprouts are very vulnerable. It is undesirable to dive them too early, so as not to damage the roots and weaken the seedlings. If possible, it is better to immediately plant the seeds in separate, small-sized containers.

The first two weeks, the seedlings are actively growing. However, when they reach a height of about 15 cm, they slow down, which can cause anxiety. The owners begin to actively "feed" the plant, but in fact, this "behavior" is quite normal.

During this period, the root system is formed and strengthened.

What young plants definitely need:

• long-term lighting, at least 12 hours a day;
• regular watering and spraying;
• warmly;
• top dressing;
• a spacious pot, where there will be no tightly powerful and branched roots.

Most Longan at any age afraid of drafts and dry air... He feels good both in the southeast and southwest windows, where there is a lot of sunshine. However, you need to make sure that the plant is not near the balcony or in the area of ​​the open sash. It is recommended for seedlings to make a greenhouse - this is the best protection against all the troubles associated with the climate of our apartments, unlike the subtropics.

The most comfortable temperature for a longan during the growth period is 22 - 25 ° C. If the room is cooler, it is better to put a special infrared mat under the exotic pot.

Water the plant as the soil dries. It is also necessary to regularly spray the leaves. The quality of the water requires special attention. Ideally, it should be purified, free of chlorine, for example, well or rainwater.

During the cold season, when there is not enough natural light, the plant is placed under a fluorescent or LED lamp... Backlighting is best done both in the morning and in the evening.

Longan must be fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, especially during the period of intensive development. However, it is important to observe the measure and not over-stimulate the plant, so as not to get the opposite effect.

"Adult" longan: how to grow it and wait for the harvest

The house tree needs to form a beautiful crown. Pruningas in the case of lychee, better to produce after a yearwhen the plant gets stronger. In the future, it is necessary to provide uniform illumination so that the branches grow symmetrically.

Watering as the topsoil dries up and spraying the leaves is still an important factor in longan wellbeing. It is not difficult to notice that he does not have enough water - the tree begins to shed its leaves. But overflow is not needed either: the roots will begin to rot.

If brown spots appear along the edges of the leaves, most likely the plant is already suffering from excess moisture. In this case, it is necessary to loosen the soil well in order to provide air access to the deep layers and thereby dry them out.

Attention!

You do not need to plant grown trees immediately in a spacious pot. There is a danger of flooding them. It is more correct to transplant longan as it grows. If the root is very long, it should be pinned.

The plant is "fed" regularly, throughout its life. However, the "dragon's eye" has a special period that requires completely different conditions of detention. This is the time from the end of November to March, when he rests and gains strength before active growth, and in nature, flowering and fruiting.

Dormant period

Like lychee, starting in late autumn, Longan has a period of rest for three months... At this time it is necessary:

1. Reduce the room temperature to 14 - 16 ° C. Of course, this is not always possible, but it will not be difficult to cover the battery in the place where the longan stands.

   Important!

   In no case should you open windows for ventilation in winter without first removing the capricious inhabitant of the subtropics from the window sill. Sometimes one breath of cold air is enough for a robust-looking, luxurious plant to die.

2. Longan loves water, but not during rest periods. If in the summer it is even allowed to "fill in" a little, in the winter the soil condition must be monitored very carefully. Since the plant "drinks" much less, with an excess of moisture, there is a high probability of root rot.
3. In no case should the longan be deprived of additional lighting, otherwise it will not be able to get stronger for the spring revival.
4. Top dressing during the dormant period needs minimal.

Pests

The three main enemies of the subtropical "exotic":

• scabbard
• mealybug
• spider mite

The last pest is well protected by abundant spraying of the leaves with warm water.

The scabbard, the appearance of which on the plant is evidenced by the numerous brownish tubercles, is best simply washed off with soapy water. And then use insecticides for further prevention.

The mealybug, which leaves characteristic sweet dew on the branches and leaves, is similarly destroyed. To prevent this pest from appearing at all, the plant must not be overdried.

Harvest

So, we found out if it is possible to plant a longan at home and how difficult it is to care for it. But the main question remains open: will the tree give a harvest? Unfortunately, there can be disappointment for amateur gardeners.

Yes, with careful care and compliance with all necessary conditions, at 4-7 years of age, longan blooms and gives the first ovary... There will be few fruits on it, although their number directly depends on the size of the plant. In the southern regions, where the climate is close to subtropical, for example, on the Black Sea coast of Russia, longan can be grown in large tubs, exposed to the open air in summer. Here, the opportunity to achieve a harvest is much higher.

If the plant is at home all year round, it is most likely should be perceived as decorative, not fruit... This is the main difference between Longan and its closest relative, the lychee. The Chinese plum is quite capable of making us happy with the harvest in an ordinary city apartment.

Longan, moreover, is less resistant to unfamiliar weather conditions and rarely survives to fruiting.

Does it mean that we need to give up and get away from the idea of ​​growing it? Of course not. After all, the very process of emerging from the stone of a unique exotic tree is fascinating and can bring a lot of positive emotions.

Therefore, we will definitely try. First, the fruit itself tastes, and then it is grown from the seed. Good luck with your experiments!

Useful video

This video contains various photos of the growing process:

To find out if you liked the article or not, please click the social media button or leave your comment below. Thank you!

In recent years, people of the post-Soviet space have greatly enriched their knowledge (and skills!) In cooking, and also discovered many different previously unfamiliar products. However, some still keep their secrets, which it would be nice to reveal. These riddles include fruits from the Sapind family: pulasan, longan, lychee, aki, rambutan, corlan and a funny-sounding mammonchillo. The thing is that it is almost impossible to find such fruits in the free sale, in the recipes according to which even exotic dishes are prepared, these fruits are rarely involved, so only people who have traveled to Asia can tell about them. Meanwhile, there is an opportunity to make an interesting experiment: it is relatively easy to grow the same longan at home, but then you can try this fruit yourself and brag to your friends.

What is this strange plant?

In fact, this is the name of a tree that grows, and almost everywhere, in Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Vietnam. In Asian countries it is called Lam Yai. And in translation from Chinese the name is translated as "dragon's eye". The fruits growing on it have a dense but thin skin; it protects the fruit well from infections and insects, but at the same time it is easily peeled off, which is an additional bonus for fruit consumers.

In the early years, Longan was grown almost commercially by Indians and Sri Lankans. Then it gradually spread to nearby countries. Where longan can be bought, it is sold in bunches. Moreover, the most delicious is the one that not only from the branch, but has already lain a little in a warehouse or in a store.

Useful exotic

Why is it proposed to grow longan at home? This is just a storehouse of positive qualities. Women simply have to fall in love with him: the fruit has a magical effect on the skin. At the same time, it also stops general aging, contains a lot of necessary microelements and vitamins and contains compounds that perfectly protect the liver from the chemicals and toxins it processes. Longan is also invaluable for those who are losing weight: no fats, no proteins. Simply by eating this fruit, you can get rid of dizziness and fatigue, relieve stress and nervous tension, improve sleep and get rid of fever. All these reasons are quite conducive to attempts to cultivate longan at home.

How to choose the right and most beneficially eat longan

If you managed to find a place where they sell this wonderful product - remember it! At least until you figure out how to grow your own longan. However, remember that you and the seller have different interests, and you need to look after yours. Choose the fruit correctly, that is, first of all, reject clusters, on the berries of which there are cracks. It is advisable that you are allowed to taste one berry, because depending on where the longan was grown, it can be too sour or too sweet.

If you want to enjoy the gifts of Asian nature longer - keep the fruits in the refrigerator. This way they won't go bad for almost a week. In the warmth (and not in summer), three days is the limit.

Longan can be eaten fresh as a stand-alone product - this is the most popular Thai way. But it is especially good with coconut milk and rice (always sticky). Alternatively, boil dried longan with sugar and combine with ice. The drink refreshes, quenches thirst well and awakens appetite.

It is also good with ice cream and salads; the filling for pancakes and pies is also wonderful. Longan is simply irreplaceable in sauces (especially fish). And for medical purposes, it is used for diarrhea - it stops diarrhea almost instantly, and even disinfects the intestines.

How to Enrich Your Home Garden: Bone Care

It is almost impossible to buy the seeds of this tree; and if you find them, the price will obviously not please. So if you come across a fruit in a supermarket, think about it: shouldn't you grow a longan from a bone? It's not very difficult, but very entertaining. The only "ambush": fruiting will have to wait eight years (at least). Or you will have to look for an already fruiting tree and graft a petiole from it.

So, let's imagine that you managed to find (buy, steal, exchange) a tree bone, from which a longan will subsequently grow. Growing at home begins with proper handling of the planting material. That is, the bone must be thoroughly rinsed, the un-eaten fruit residues should be cleaned off, a pot with moistened earth should be prepared and the bone should be pressed into it. This should be done not very deeply and not too superficially - about 4 centimeters (one and a half "growth" of the bone). The pot is wrapped in plastic wrap, which is removed every day for ventilation; the soil is kept moist. The bone can hatch from a week to four.

You can speed up this process. This recommendation is especially good if, in your opinion, the fruit has been stored in a store or in a warehouse for a long time. In order for a longan, grown at home, to ascend successfully, it is worth soaking the bone for about three days, and then putting it in the refrigerator for five days.

How to protect sprouts

In no less than 2 weeks, seedlings will appear. They will grow rapidly for the same amount of time, and then the growth will slow down significantly. By that time, the sprout will be 15 centimeters long. You should not worry about stopping growth - this is a plant that rises slowly. However, this applies to all stone fruits. Console yourself with the thought that you have already got hold of a longan in your home greenhouse. Growing this plant at home in the future does not differ much from most others.

If fruits have already appeared

It will take several years to wait, so be patient. However, sooner or later this moment will come, and you need to be prepared for the correct handling of fruits. The best solution would be to dry them. All the beneficial properties and taste of the fruit are preserved, and they can be used after many years. At the same time, the option of harvesting dried fruits that are familiar to us will not work here: first you have to cook the fruits, and only then dry them - in the oven or naturally (as circumstances allow).

In short, if you have the opportunity and you are not against the "apartment" garden work, try to grow longan. The photo shows well that even without fruit, it is quite capable of decorating your collection of indoor plants.

The world is full of unusual things. This applies, among other things, to our sweet food, which is found on trees in the form of fruits, the existence of which we do not even know or have heard very distantly. These include a very unusual, tasty and healthy fruit called longan. This exotic tree is considered by gardeners to be quite finicky, but it is quite capable of "surviving" at home with proper cultivation. Further, about the features of growing fruit at home: reproduction, care, etc. (photos of the plant are attached).

Longan: description and useful properties

Longan is an exotic fruit, whose homeland is rightfully considered to be China. This plant is popular not only in its historical homeland, but also far beyond its borders (Vietnam, Indonesia, etc.). And all thanks to the excellent taste of the fruit and their incredible benefits.

Longan is a medium-sized tree belonging to the Sapinov family. Longan fruits are medium in size, collected in small clusters. Outwardly, they very much resemble a nut. The peel is quite thin, but very strong, cinnamon in color (shades can be different - from light yellow to reddish-brown). On fully ripe fruit, the skin may crack easily. A rather large bone is located inside the fruit, which is enveloped by a fleshy, dense, whitish pulp (arillus). She is very juicy, sweet.

Longan fruit

Longan fruits are used in food both raw and dried, canned, and even as additives in confectionery. Longan is considered a very healthy fruit: in addition to a large amount of vitamins, it contains useful organic acids, calcium and other trace elements. In addition, Longan is considered a real "storehouse" of antioxidants, as well as an excellent "antidepressant" that eliminates any stress.

Reproduction of longan at home

Although longan is a tree that grows in tropical climates, it is quite possible to grow it both in more severe climates and at home, since it is unpretentious. Reproduction of the plant is carried out mainly by the seed method, although it is quite possible to carry out cultivation by cuttings (which is unlikely in our climate). The plant is thermophilic, loves moisture very much and needs a rest period.

Advice. The seeds do not need pre-sowing preparation and any mechanical manipulations. There is no need to try to split them or make cuts.

The soil for planting a longan must be prepared very carefully. The soil must be loose and light. The best option would be a ready-made fertile soil mixture for exotic plants, which can be purchased at any specialized store.

Longan is grown at home from seeds.

A small drainage layer should be laid out at the bottom of the container: ordinary pebbles and coarse river sand will do. Pour the prepared soil on top and water it. Then carefully cleaned from the remnants of sweet pulp and dried bone, slightly press it into the ground (to a depth of about 3-4 cm, it should not be deeper).

Advice. The container for growing longan should be quite large and necessarily deep, since the root of the tree is powerful and, with proper care, will grow quickly and strongly. If there is not enough free space, the plant will stop developing.

The first shoots should appear on the surface of the soil quickly, but on condition that the air temperature in the room is at least +25 degrees.

The subtleties of plant care

If you want to achieve not only active growth from longan, but also to pamper yourself with its unusual fruits, you must follow the strict technology of caring for this plant:

• Temperature and light conditions. In order for the plant to go up rapidly, it is important to observe a clear temperature regime: the air in the room where the longan grows must be warmed up with high quality (if the temperature drops below +25 degrees, it is highly likely that the plant will die). After the seeds turn into stronger sprouts, it is advisable to build a mini-greenhouse for the plant. It is also important to provide the plant with a sufficient amount of light: daylight hours should be at least 12 hours. If necessary, the missing hours are "illuminated" with a special lamp.
• Watering. Since Lognan is accustomed to tropical climates, it needs a lot of moisture: watering should be frequent and generous. The soil should never dry out. Remember to spray the plant regularly. Remember: let the water stand in the pot with the growing longan rather than dry out the soil.

Longan in an apartment

• Pruning. Since we are talking about closed ground, the longan will need periodic pruning, which will help the tree to form correctly and luxuriantly.
• Disease and pest control. Indoors, the plant is rarely affected by pests. The most frequent "guests" of the Longan are the scale insect and the spider mite. To get rid of the latter, it is enough to spray the plant with warm water from time to time.

That's all the subtleties that should be taken into account if you want to achieve a longan fruiting period, which usually occurs 3-7 years after planting and, by the way, few people are able to wait for this period. Therefore, if you want to grow a full-fledged fruiting tree, please be patient. Good luck!

Growing longan at home: video

Indoor garden owners are increasingly trying their hand at growing exotic trees. What you can not find on their windowsills - feijoa, avocado, passion fruit, papaya, dates, kiwi, tangerines, grapefruits, pomegranates, kumquats. Those who like to solve non-trivial problems should pay attention to longan, a plant from the Sapindov family, whose representatives have not yet gained great popularity among flower growers. For many of them, breeding them is simply not available, since the fruits of these crops, from which seeds can be removed for planting, are difficult to get.

Botanical reference

The Chinese name for Longan fruit sounds poetic but intimidating. However, tourists do not take courage, and they are happy to feast on the "eyes of the dragon" (longyan). For the population of Southeast Asia - China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand - this fruit is a familiar and necessary part of the diet, like its closest relatives: lychee, pets, rambutan.

It ripens on evergreen trees with a spreading crown. Uncultivated Longan varieties grow very tall. But in the wild, they are rarely seen. In nurseries and private gardens, shorter varieties are cultivated, representatives of which reach a height of 10-20 m. Among them there are also those that are intended for cultivation in a specific region. Chinese breeders are most actively working on the development of new varieties of culture. Thanks to their efforts, the seedlings of this fruit tree are exported to other countries.

Fruits on a longan grow medium-sized, they have a rounded shape and are collected in bunches. Outwardly, the fruit resembles a nut. It is covered with a thin but dense rind, colored dark yellow or reddish brown. It is unsuitable for food, but it will not be difficult to free the fruit from it: the shell quickly bursts, exposing the edible glassy pulp - arillus. It is also called roofing and seeding. It is white, juicy and has a special aroma.A large and shiny dark bone is hidden under the sweet pulp.

Store the fruit in the refrigerator, where it can stay fresh for a week, but only if not overripe. The purchase of longan fruit must be approached carefully. If they are immature, and at the beginning of summer it is these berries that are most often sold, they should not be eaten. To fully enjoy their unusual taste, the fruit is allowed to lie down for a couple of days at room temperature. With the arrival of autumn, the risk of acquiring overripe fruits increases. It is better to eat them right away, since they are not stored for a long time, almost immediately turning sour.

Seed preparation

When a fruit bought in a store or brought from a vacation is eaten, its seed is planted in a pot. It will not be difficult to grow a stately tree out of it, attracting admiring, and somewhere envious glances of guests at home. Experienced growers advise placing the seed in a nutritious soil immediately after it has been peeled from the pulp. The germination rate of fresh crop seeds is much higher. When the seeds lie down a little, they shrink and dry out, and growing a tree from them becomes more difficult or even impossible.

If you can't put fresh seed in the pot, you should try to save it for planting.

• First, the seed is slightly dried.
• Wipe the shell with a soft cloth to prevent mold.
• Wrap in foil or paper napkin.
• They are placed in a small box, where they are kept until disembarkation for a maximum of 2 weeks.

The seeds prepared in this way germinate well. There is a little secret, following which will allow fresh seeds to sprout faster. The bone is kept in water for 3 days, and then placed in the refrigerator. It is planted after 5 days. Even if the fruit in which it was was not the first freshness and was stored for a long time before purchasing, such processing will help the sprout to hatch. They also practice soaking the seeds before planting. After adding a growth stimulant to warm water, bones are placed in it. After 6-8 hours, they are removed from the solution and placed in the ground.

Some growers prefer to plant already germinated tree seeds. After being removed from the fruit and peeled, they are dried for 1-2 days by placing them on a paper napkin. Then the bone is wrapped with a piece of wet cotton cloth. The package with planting material is placed on a pallet, which is placed in a plastic bag. It remains only to wait for the appearance of the root. It needs warmth and constant moisture to germinate. Therefore, the fabric is periodically moistened by spraying from a spray bottle. After 1-2 weeks, a root will appear from the bone, then it can be planted in a pot.

In order for an attempt to get an exotic tree at home to end successfully, it is important to choose the right fruit from which the seed is taken. If it is bought in early summer, the chances of sprouting is low, because the fruit has not had time to fully ripen. It has been noticed that seeds obtained from fruits that are sold far from their homeland sometimes germinate slowly. The explanation is simple. To prevent the fruit from spoiling during long-term transportation, they are picked unripe.

Landing features

There is a small speck of white on the longan bone. When landing, it should look to the side. If the seed is positioned correctly, then 4-10 days after being placed in the ground, its powerful root will unhindered downward. The sprout will appear from the ground after 6-12 days. Sometimes you have to wait a month. He will be naked and completely straight. Many growers are frightened when it appears, thinking that they put the seed in the soil incorrectly and instead of escaping from it, the root appeared. But soon leaves will form on the sprout, and all doubts will dispel.

Longan needs a loose and fertile soil with a pH in the range of 5-6. It is better to purchase it ready-made. A nutritious substrate for exotic plants is suitable for the future tree.The bottom of the pot is covered with a thick drainage layer of small stones and coarse sand. Longan does not need a deep landing. At home, the bones are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil, immersed in it for two-thirds of the length. They need warmth to germinate. The air in the room should be warmed up to 24-25˚C. It would be even better to provide the seeds with additional heating of the soil from below. The pot can be placed on a stand, and the pot itself can be placed on a warm radiator. From above it is tightened with plastic wrap, which is briefly removed daily to ventilate the mini-greenhouse. The soil in the pot must be moist.

Advice

The germination process can be facilitated and accelerated for the seeds. To do this, before planting, their shell must be lightly rubbed with sandpaper or carefully scratched with a sharp knife. But even without such preparation, the fruit gives quick and friendly shoots.

Young plants are large, with thick roots. Longan loves soil rich in nutrients, so you will have to feed the seedlings often. For planting seeds, it is better to take separate containers - deep and wide cups or pots. They will develop well in them, and they will not need a pick, as a result of which not all plants are accepted. At first, young longans are very vulnerable, so at home, it is better to place the seedlings immediately under a transparent jar or in a mini-greenhouse. When the seedlings grow up and get stronger, they are transplanted into a wider and deeper pot, carefully rolling over, while trying not to damage the root system.

Their development has its own characteristics. At first, it is characterized by intense growth. But after 2 weeks, when the height of the seedlings is about 15 cm, it will almost stop. After that, they will grow slowly, but this is normal. For development, seedlings need a long daylight hours (12 hours). If it gets dark early, the lack of light is compensated for the plants artificially using a lamp. The soil in the pots must be kept moist at all times, and the foliage of the seedlings is regularly sprayed.

Tree care

Longan is unpretentious. Breeding it does not require specific knowledge and skills from the owner of the indoor garden. But growing it on the windowsill will be successful only if the tree is provided with 4 conditions:

• good lighting;
• constant warmth;
• high soil moisture;
• deep pot.

Water it regularly, preventing even the slightest drying out of the soil. At best, it will end with the tree remaining naked, throwing off all the leaves, at worst, it will die. Do not be afraid to overflow the plant. Excess moisture will definitely not harm him. The window sill on which the longan pot stands should be light. With a lack of sunlight, not a single fruit will ripen on its branches. Longan also needs regular feeding. Organo-mineral compositions are suitable for him.

Winter for a tree is a dormant period when it falls asleep, accumulating strength for fruiting. It lasts 3 months. Therefore, at the end of autumn, the tree begins to be watered less often. During this period, the most comfortable temperature for him is in the range of 14-16˚C. The lighting level is left unchanged. Longan needs warmth throughout its life cycle. Even mature trees are afraid of cold winds and drafts. In the wild, these seemingly invulnerable giants die when temperatures drop to -2˚C. This greatly complicates the cultivation of the culture at home, excluding any ventilation in the autumn-winter period.

In the indoor garden, longan can suffer from pests:

• mealybug;
• scabbards;
• spider mite.

To prevent them from destroying the tree, you need to periodically carefully examine its leaves. Having found pests, they are fought with the help of special preparations. For preventive purposes, the crown of trees is sprayed with warm water. If repeated frequently, this simple procedure will protect longans from spider mite infestations. Formative pruning gives the tree a beautiful and well-groomed look.It tolerates it well. The first ovaries on a Longan are formed in the 4-7 year of his life. But not every owner succeeds in picking ripe fruit from its branches.

The exotic beauty of Longan, together with its relative unpretentiousness, captivate many gardeners. But its fruits are also incredibly beneficial. They are rich in vitamins and carbohydrates, contain potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, as well as riboflavin, which provides the body with energy and helps to cope with stress and intense physical activity. These nondescript balls have high antioxidant properties, helping to maintain youth and health.

Fruits ripened on homemade longan will relieve fatigue, eliminate dizziness, invigorate, and increase vitality. It is the best natural remedy for general weakness and pallor. And the absence of fats in them allows you to safely include the fruits of the tree in the diet, even for those who are on a low-calorie diet. For the sake of all this, it is worth trying to grow a longan in an indoor garden.