We grow dates from stone at home

Probably everyone who simply adores dates for their unique taste would dream of growing a date from stone at home. But will it bear a resemblance to the plant that grows in natural conditions? It is not so difficult to grow a palm tree from a stone, and for this you do not need to make much effort. But you are unlikely to ever see the fruits on it, because such a plant does not bear fruit under indoor conditions. However, in order to grow such a palm tree, you need to know how to plant the seed correctly, and you also need to remember the basic rules of care.

Preparing the date bone for planting

First, you should start looking for high-quality planting material. To do this, you need to go to a store or market. The choice of dates must be very careful. It is important to consider that they should not be pretreated. It is best to choose dates that have been withered or dried for this purpose.

In order to increase the chances of a successful planting, it is better to use not one, but several seeds at once. Before proceeding with planting, their surface must be carefully freed from the pulp. It should be remembered that even the smallest piece of leftover pulp can lead to mold on the bone.

The peeled bone must be placed in a container with cold water for 2 days. The water must be replaced systematically. Then the planting material should be inspected again for pulp residues. The bones are now ready for planting. Experienced growers recommend using the following tricks to speed up the appearance of a sprout:

1. Place the pit in a small container and pour in hot water. Wait 10 minutes and remove it from the liquid. Thanks to this preparation, a young plant will appear just a few weeks after planting. By the way, without this procedure, seedlings need to wait for months.
2. You can also gently pierce the seed with a pointed object or rub it well against the sandpaper. This method will allow the liquid to quickly get inside the seed. The result of this will be a fairly early appearance of the sprout.

Before proceeding to the direct planting of the date seed, it is necessary to prepare the most optimal conditions for the plant.

Caring for stone dates at home

Earth mixture

For the successful growth and development of a plant, it is necessary to choose the most suitable substrate for planting. So, it must be necessarily light, as well as loose.The date has a rather weak and fragile root system, so you should choose the most suitable soil mixture for growing it. This soil can be purchased at a specialized store. But you can also do it yourself. To do this, it is necessary to combine sawdust, humus, peat, and also sand.

Landing

Planting a date is not difficult at all. To do this, it is necessary to lower the prepared bone into a hole made in the soil vertically, and then sprinkle it with soil. Then the soil must be watered, while not very much water must be used. After that, the pot is rearranged to a warm enough place. In order to plant a date, you do not need any special containers. You can take a pot, a large bowl, etc. After the plants show both a small leaf and a sprout, they will need to be transplanted into separate containers.

Transfer

It is necessary to transplant the plant very carefully together with an earthen clod. Try not to compromise the integrity of the root. If the root system has been damaged, then such a seedling can be thrown away, since it will not take root in a new pot.

Care

The date palm is quite undemanding and not capricious. This plant responds well to moisture, heat, and feeding. Fertilizers should be applied to the soil several times a year. Watering should be done in moderation. Such a palm tree reacts negatively to both drying and waterlogging of an earthen coma. In the summertime, he is advised to take a shower. Also, the date needs direct sunlight.

Planting a date palm, as well as caring for it, will not cause much difficulty. And in a few months you will have a luxurious plant grown by your own hands on your windowsill.

Do you want to create a uniquely beautiful exposition? Grow a tree plant. For those who have such a desire, a date palm from a stone at home is the best option.

Growing at home

To grow a date palm, you have to be patient. It grows slowly and, unfortunately, will not bear fruit at home. For this, its height must be at least 15 m. But this is not necessary. Even without fruit, an attractive plant with huge fans of leaves will decorate any interior. This will require a lot of space and light.

How to germinate a date bone?

Any plant starts with a seed. The date palm is no exception. There is no need to look specifically for its seeds - you can buy dates at any grocery store. There is no point in planting date palm seeds that are not germinated. Most likely, they simply will not rise or the process will drag on for a very long time.

So, we germinate:

1. choose bones from dates bought in the store;
2. we inspect them for damage, traces of mold or insects, we reject all non-standard ones;
3. soak in clean water for a day to remove the remnants of the pulp, changing it several times, the pulp contains substances that inhibit seed germination;
4. we wash the bones;
5. wake up the seed for 48 hours in a thermos with slightly warmed melt water with the addition of a few grains of humate;
6. put in a container with a damp loose material: vermicult, hydrogel, crushed and sterilized sphagnum moss, placing all this in a plastic bag;
7. to germinate seeds, a temperature of about 35 degrees is needed - a place near a heating radiator is ideal;
8. germination lasts from 2 to 3 months, and all this time it is necessary to monitor the moisture content of the substrate and remove the condensation formed on the film.

As soon as the sharp little sprouts appeared, it was time to move the bones into the ground.

Ground requirement

The best soil for both young palms and grown plants is the palm substrate.

If it is not possible to purchase it, prepare the soil of the following composition:

• sod land;
• peat;
• sand.

All components are taken in equal parts.You can add a little steamed moss or hardwood sawdust for looseness. At this stage, a pot 10 or 12 cm high is enough for the plant. There should be drainage at the bottom of the pot.

Landing rules

There is no consensus among flower growers here. Most believe that the bone should be stuck vertically so that there is a 1 cm layer of soil above it.But there is an opinion that seeds laid in pots horizontally with a seam down and covered with a layer of soil 2 cm thick will germinate better. hassle is not worth it. Their germination capacity is not very good, so it is easier to plant several seeds in two pots in different ways and see which one is more effective. You will have to be patient while waiting for the shoots. Germination can take up to 5 months. All this time, a plastic bag should be put on the pot, which should be removed for ventilation. The soil is sprayed from a spray bottle to maintain its moisture content. The pots should be kept at a temperature between 20 and 30 degrees. They do not need light at this time.

How to care for a palm tree at home?

To grow a date palm from a stone, it is not enough to plant it, you need to properly care for the newly emerged seedlings and adult plants. This tree is very sensitive to any errors in care, to which it responds with poor health. Young, newly hatched sprouts especially need attention. They grow very quickly, which is not surprising - after all, this is a tree. Its vigor is much higher than that of herbaceous plants. Only after the first leaf has blossomed does the growth rate slow down. The first leaves are completely unlike palm leaves, they are linear with clearly visible longitudinal grooves. Then they will split into segments that make up amazingly beautiful fans.

At the beginning of growth, the palm tree needs a lot of light, so the pots are placed on the lightest window. The air temperature for young plants should not fall below 20 degrees. In winter, you can insulate the window sill from the bottom so that the cold air does not lower the soil temperature in the pot.

If several plants have sprouted in the pot, each will need an individual container for growth.

Transplant soil needs the following composition:

• humus - 4 parts;
• peat - 1 part;
• turf and leafy land, sand - 2 parts each.

It is good to add crushed charcoal to the mixture. Transplanting into individual pots with a diameter of about 15 cm is carried out when the first sheet has a length of 15 cm. Drainage should consist of expanded clay with an admixture of charcoal. Its thickness is about 2 cm.

If possible, the palm tree should spend in the fresh air in summer. Such a "summer vacation" will benefit the tree.

The main conditions for keeping a date palm in a room:

• maximum illumination, but with diffused light; this tree in its homeland can withstand the scorching rays of the sun without damage to health, in the room they can cause burns on the leaves; even in winter, the daylight hours for a plant should not be less than 12 hours; it is extended by lighting with phytolamps.

For the symmetrical development of the crown, every 14 days the pot with the plant is turned 180 degrees.

• air humidity about 50%;
• air temperature in summer - from 20 to 25 degrees, in winter it is reduced to 16 degrees in order to slow down the metabolism in plant tissues in conditions of insufficient lighting;
• planting and transplanting into soil for date palms, which has a neutral or slightly acidic reaction;
• mandatory drainage;
• daily ventilation of the room;
• timely correct feeding and watering.

How to water properly?

The watering schedule and the amount of water directly depend on the season. In the summer they water it so that the earthy clod does not dry out - from 3 to 4 times a week. During the period of forced dormancy from watering to watering, the earthen lump should dry out slightly. It is enough to moisturize the palm 1-2 times a week.Overflow is harmful, therefore, excess water from the sump must be poured out half an hour after the soil has been moistened. Special attention is paid to the quality of irrigation water. Ideally, it should be thawed or clean rain, soft with a minimum amount of salt. The water temperature is about 33 degrees.

The plant responds well to spraying with warm soft water, especially in summer. He will also need sanitary procedures - wiping the leaves with a damp cloth, followed by drying with a dry cloth. Plants can be given a warm shower once a month, but the potted soil should be covered to prevent it from getting wet.

Top dressing and fertilization

In the season of active growth - in spring and summer, the tree is fed with complex fertilizer for palm trees every 14 days. In winter, the intensity of dressing is reduced by 2-3 times.

The palm tree responds very well to foliar dressing. They are made with the same fertilizer, but its concentration in the solution is reduced by 10 times. The frequency of dressings is from 3 to 1 times a month, depending on the strength of the plant's growth.

Plant transplant

The best time to transplant a palm tree is April. Young plants need this operation every year. After 5 years, the transplant is practiced every 2-3 years, and in plants over 10 years old, the top layer of the substrate is simply changed. The palm tree itself will tell you that it needs a new pot - roots will appear in the old one from the drainage hole.

They are thick at the palm, but fragile. She is extremely negative about their damage. For her, a transplant is a lot of stress, you need to do it carefully, preserving the earthen lump as much as possible.

The pot is chosen high, each transplant is increased by 3-4 cm in diameter. Drainage must be placed on the bottom of the pot. The soil is prepared in the same way as for planting young plants.

The date palm is transplanted only by the transshipment method, without exposing the roots.

If this does happen, you will have to cut off some of the leaves in order to maintain a balance between the underground and aboveground parts. Even in not old plants, you can replace the top layer of the soil - there will be more nutrition for the palm tree. This procedure is carried out every six months.

Reproduction

The date palm reproduces by seeds. In some species, shoots may appear. These include the date of Robelen.

If the daughter plant has developed roots, it can be separated.

• With a sharp knife, cut off the baby as close to the trunk as possible without damaging it.
• We transplant the cut into the soil for palm trees, acting in the same way as when transplanting an adult plant.
• At first, you will have to put a plastic bag on a pot with a young palm tree so that it takes root better.

Do not forget to spray the young plant more often.

Date palm pests and diseases

A date palm that spends the summer outdoors may acquire a spider mite, scale insect, or mealybug. But even if the plant is constantly kept indoors, pests still appear. Insecticides, for example, Actellik, will help to cope with them. It is only advisable to process the plant with it in the open air. As a preventive measure, a monthly warm shower with washing the leaves with soapy water is good. But the soil in the pot must be protected from it.

The main diseases of the palm are pink rot and mottling. Plants weakened by poor care usually get sick. Control measures - fungicides, but not containing copper: Mancozeb, Ridomil.

Possible growing problems

The palm tree is very sensitive to the observance of all care rules. When deviating from them, the leaves are the first to suffer.

• The tips of the leaves dry out - the air is too dry, you need to spray the plants more often.
• Leaves turn yellow - lack of moisture, you need to water more often.
• Leaves darken - waterlogging, reduce the amount of watering.
• The date palm stops growing - it's too cold indoors. At temperatures below 16 degrees, the roots function poorly, practically not absorbing nutrients. Another reason may be the high acidity of the soil.It acidifies when watered with hard water. Such a plant will have to be transplanted.

In general, caring for an indoor giant is not so difficult. Palms are very responsive to care and will delight the grower with good growth and a healthy look.

Looking at the oblong bones inside the dates loved by kids and adults, many indoor plant lovers wondered: "How does a real date palm grow from such a crumb, and what will happen if you plant a seed at home?"

The sweet dates sold in stores are from the Phoenix dactylifera genus. In nature, a powerful tree grows to gigantic proportions, giving huge clusters of fruits that are famous all over the world.

For indoor cultivation, more miniature species adapted to indoor maintenance are offered. These palms can be seen and purchased at flower shops. If you want to independently start growing a date palm from a stone, there is a high probability of success.

Of course, you won't be able to wait until the tree reaches its true height of 30 meters and gives the first harvest of dates. But watching the growth and development of an unusual plant will appeal to both parents and children.

How to grow a date palm from seed?

For planting, you will need seeds that have just been extracted from ripe fruits. Shop dates are fine. The main thing is that they are healthy, not damaged by insects or mold and do not have time to dry, otherwise the probability of getting seedlings is sharply reduced:

1. Before growing a palm tree from a date seed, the seeds are immersed in clean warm water for 24–48 hours. During this time, the liquid is changed several times. The procedure will help free the bones from the remnants of the pulp, which will exclude mold from the seeds that have fallen into the ground, and accelerate the emergence of sprouts.
2. Planting is carried out in a ready-made substrate for palm trees or a mixture of sand and peat. The soil is moderately moistened, and the container is placed in a warm place. In the next 2-3 weeks, caring for the palm tree at home consists of regular, but very careful watering and airing.
3. The emerging date palm sprouts are extremely sensitive to waterlogging, therefore, when grown in a greenhouse, they are regularly ventilated and the resulting condensation is removed.

Before the seeds are submerged in the soil, it is sometimes advised to carefully scratch them to facilitate germination. It is much healthier and safer to germinate them in wet vermiculite. The container with seeds is placed in a warm place and it is observed that the substrate does not turn out to be completely dry. In this case, after 10-14 days, as soon as the grower notices the first roots, the seeds are transferred to the soil and the pots are placed in a warm place in a well-lit place.

If the sprout has not appeared in due time, there is no need to despair. Perhaps the bone is dry before planting and it will take longer to "revive". Sometimes seedlings of a date palm were found even six months after the seeds were embedded in the ground.

The date palm tree that has emerged from the stone is afraid of damage to the roots, so it is important to carry out all transplant manipulations very carefully and carefully. Otherwise, a small seedling takes an extremely long time to acclimatize or may die altogether.

How to take care of the palm tree further at home? Unlike ordinary houseplants for a date palm, even the first pot needs a very impressive size. A seedling with a single, still closed "baby" leaf is transferred into containers of 0.3-0.5 liters. The next transplant is carried out until the long tap root of the plant penetrates into the drainage hole.

Saplings need a bright place where the plant will not be in the dark, but it will not be disturbed by the midday sun either. Watering for date palm from seed and after germination should be scanty. Overmoistening threatens the development of rot and the death of an immature plant, but it is not worth overdrying the earthen lump either.

How to care for a palm tree at home?

The date palm, like other tree crops, does not grow rapidly. But the plant reacts immediately to discomfort and insufficient care of the palm tree at home. This is especially true for young specimens.

What conditions does a palm tree need to make the plant feel "at home" and respond well to care?

Whether it's a home-grown date palm or a plant brought from a flower shop, the culture needs to find a spot with the right lighting. In nature, large trees easily tolerate the scorching sun, but it is better not to subject a photophilous indoor palm tree to such tests. The optimal location is in the back of the room, facing the south, as well as on the east or west windows.

Since May, when the average daily temperature exceeds 12 ° C, the date palm is not threatened. Therefore, the plants are safely transferred to the open air under the protection of larger crops, to a loggia or balcony.

If the grower does not have the opportunity to take the palm tree out into the air, the plant develops well at normal room temperature. But in winter, the content in cooler air, warmed up to only 16-18 ° C, will be optimal. Cooling down to 12 ° C is considered critical for the date palm. In this case, growth stops, the palm stops feeding and may suffer from root rot if watering is not stopped in time.

The plant has no special requirements for the humidity of the ambient air. But in the hot season, as well as in winter, when the heating works in the room, regular home care of the palm tree includes spraying the crown and wiping the foliage with a damp cloth.

The plant does not tolerate stagnant water. Therefore, when leaving at home, the date palm is watered so that the soil does not dry out, but is not constantly wet. In summer, watering is carried out more often, in winter the intervals between procedures are increased and are guided by the drying out of 2-3 cm of the surface layer of the substrate. If irrigation water penetrates from the pot into the pan, it is immediately removed, and the bottom of the container is wiped. Do not forget about the powerful drainage layer. The larger the date palm and the pot intended for it, the thicker the layer of expanded clay or brick chips at the bottom.

The date palm willingly accepts spring-summer feeding, for which liquid complex formulations are used for large decorative deciduous crops. If the palm tree is taken out into the garden for the summer, the plant can be fed with bird droppings at intervals of 7-10 days, using a granular form or infusion.

The frequency of replanting the date palm shown in the photo during home care depends on the age and size of the plant. Young seedlings are transferred to a larger pot about once a year, and adult specimens are in vain trying not to disturb. If transshipment is necessary, it is carried out, having previously shed an earthen lump well and trying not to damage the sensitive roots of the plant. The date palm is transplanted into ready-made soil offered by specialized stores.

For arranging drainage, you can take brick chips or expanded clay according to the size of the drainage holes. If the roots of the date palm are still visible at the bottom of the pot, in the spring you can do without replacing the top layer of soil. The old substrate is carefully removed, and fresh nutrient soil is poured in its place. Then the palm is watered.

Experience of growing dates at home - video

A lot of indoor floriculture lovers have tried at least once to grow something exotic and interesting from a seed or seed of a purchased fruit. Perhaps it was a fig, a banana, a kiwi, a coconut or citrus, a date from a stone. It is about him that will be discussed. An overseas guest has long ceased to be something out of the ordinary, and he can easily be found on store shelves.So why not try to grow your own palm from it? Knowing how to grow dates from stone at home, you can easily make your wishes come true. There is nothing difficult in this, the main thing is to put a little effort and have a little patience. And the grown date palm will not give you much trouble at all, but will only delight you with its beauty.

Date tree

In other words, the date palm is a plant from the genus Palm, which includes 14 to 17 species native to Africa and Eurasia. The fruits of many of them are very common food items.

They began to grow dates back in ancient Mesopotamia (the territory of modern Iraq) in the fourth millennium BC. For millennia, dates have been a staple food in North Africa and the Middle East.

Biological description of the genus

All representatives of a small genus are mainly trees or squat shrubs with characteristic pinnately dissected leaves. In addition, a distinctive feature of most representatives is a single trunk without branching. Long, hard leathery dark green leaves have spines near the base. The date is a tree with small yellow flowers, collected in paniculate inflorescences. The feathery leaves are arranged on a long handle at an angle. The height of the palm tree can be different and ranges from 15 to 30 meters.

Date tree fruit

They are not edible in all species, but only in a few. Finger dates are especially appreciated. Sweet fruits have long been used by people as a highly valuable food product. As a rule, they are sold and exported in dried form. They have a high calorie content and the highest glycemic index. Therefore, people with diabetes should be extremely careful with these fruits.

Date tree from stone

Growing an exotic palm tree at home is quite realistic and very simple. Most importantly, pay attention to the dates, it is desirable that they are fresh, not dry. The fruits can be eaten with pleasure, but leave a few seeds. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry slightly with napkins. Then, in order to break the integrity of the seed shell, you need to rub it with sandpaper, slightly scratch it. This procedure will speed up germination. Keep in mind that a homemade date tree will not bear fruit, you will only get a beautiful palm tree with large decorative leaves.

How to germinate seeds?

The first step is to prepare the soil in which you will plant the seeds. A soil mixture of the following composition is recommended: peat, sand, sawdust in a ratio of 1: 1: 1. Plant date seeds vertically so that the top is covered with a layer of earth one centimeter thick. From above, it is advisable to cover the container with marsh moss (sphagnum) to prevent moisture evaporation. If not, just place the container in a transparent plastic bag and put in a warm place (not lower than 25 ° C). Maintain soil moisture at all times. Pitted dates germinate in different ways, on average from one to three or even six months, so you have to be patient. Fresh seeds are the fastest to sprout.

Date seedlings

It is simply impossible to confuse seedlings with anything else. They, like soldiers, jump out of the ground. Thin and long sharp green skewers in the first days are pulled out instantly. It is necessary to wait until they grow to a height of 10-15 cm, and only then plant them in separate small pots. Or, as an option, you can immediately plant the seeds in a separate container. The date tree grows from the seed, as a rule, strong and healthy. The main thing is to take care of him correctly. Let's find out how to do it.

Place in the house and soil for the date palm

The best place would be in the house, where there is a large amount of diffused sunlight without a direct hit of burning rays. To maintain the symmetry of the plant, it is recommended to rotate it around its axis by 180 degrees every two weeks. Then the palm tree will not tilt to one side, and all the leaves will remain straight, even and green.

The soil for a date palm should consist of the following components: turf, leafy soil, humus, peat soil and sand (in a ratio of 2: 2: 4: 1: 2). It is imperative to make good drainage from the expanded clay layer and add charcoal to the soil. A date tree grown from seed is transplanted annually at a young age, and once every few years after reaching the five-year milestone. The signal for this will be the roots that will come out through the drainage holes, which means that the pot has become too small.

Before growing a date from a stone, you should think about whether you can provide it with suitable conditions, including the temperature regime. In winter, the air should be warmed up within the range from 16 to 18 ° C, and in summer - up to 25-30 ° C.

Water regime and fertilizing with fertilizers

During the period of active growing season and the growth of green mass (from April to August), watering should be abundant, do not allow the earthen coma to dry out. And in the autumn-winter time, you need to take small breaks: at this time the plant begins a mild dormancy period.

Top dressing with complex mineral fertilizers is also carried out from April to August, once every two weeks. Use special preparations for palms or for decorative deciduous plants with an optimal content of basic elements - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium - in a ratio of 3: 1: 3. The date tree refers calmly to the dry air of apartments with city heating, it has enough humidity at the level of 40-50%. In the summertime, the palm tree can be taken out to the balcony or loggia and periodically wiped from dust with a damp sponge.

Typical signs of a lack of useful elements

Having learned how to grow dates from stone at home, it is important to remember the main problems that may arise when growing a palm tree.

1. Nitrogen deficiency. Symptoms: The palm leaves turn light green and the plant stops growing.
2. Potassium deficiency. It appears in bronze spots on the leaf blade. Symptoms appear on the old parts of the plant in the first place, only then they move on to young ones. Also, yellow translucent or orange spots may appear on the leaves. Gradually, necrosis begins with them. The sheet dries and curls.
3. Magnesium deficiency. Symptoms are similar to the previous case, appearing first on old leaves. The deficiency of the element manifests itself in the form of a wide yellow strip along the edge of the leaf blade, while it itself retains a bright green color.
4. Manganese deficiency. The first signs of a lack of an element begin to appear on young fresh leaves in the form of chlorosis, poor development, and smaller in size compared to the rest. The deficiency is mainly caused by the fact that the element does not dissolve at high pH or low air temperatures in winter.

Main problems

1) The date tree has stopped growing. This phenomenon is usually accompanied by leaf chlorosis. The reason is the low air temperature, the growth of roots, and, consequently, the absorption of nutrients by them stops at 16-17 ° C. There is a deficiency of several microelements at once. The way out of the situation is to maintain the correct temperature in the room at the level of 25-27 ° С.

2) Lack of nutrients. The first symptom is the appearance of chlorotic spots, which, if not taken, turn into necrotic ones. Lack of copper, manganese and iron can cause high soil acidity. Apply fertilizers correctly, in strict accordance with the instructions.

3) Marginal leaf burn.Palm trees, including the date tree, are very sensitive to waterlogging and do not tolerate poorly drained substrates. First, the roots are damaged, and, as a result, a marginal burn on the leaves soon occurs. The way out is to change the substrate and reduce watering.

Knowing how to grow a date from a stone at home, the basic conditions of detention and possible problems, you can get a beautiful and strong plant.