Lavr the Noble
In nature, a noble laurel is an evergreen plant up to 18 meters high. Its young leaves and shoots are used as spices (bay leaf), they also have healing properties. Most of the essential oils in the leaves accumulate in autumn or winter. Cut the branches with leaves from a 3-4-year-old plant and hang in the shadow for drying. When the leaves dry, they are torn off and stored in linen bags. At one time cut to a third of the crown. And a year later, new leaves are harvested from the same plant - it grows so fast.
This plant is unpretentious, easily tolerates pruning. Therefore, in the south it is sometimes used for hedges, giving a very diverse, sometimes bizarre shape. Laurel is a noble quite frost-resistant plant. Bends only at 15 degrees below zero. The drier the air, the lower the temperature it can carry. The laurel tree grows on almost any soil other than waterlogged, but prefers neutral or slightly alkaline.
Laurel at home
Laurel noble grows well at home. He is not afraid of drafts. Therefore, in summer it is exposed to the open air, slightly shading from direct sunlight. The only condition for growing a laurel - it should be properly watered, avoiding overmoistening of the soil, and regularly spray the leaves. In summer, plants are sprayed so that water penetrates deep into the crown. This helps to prevent the appearance of pests, especially scabbards. When watering, water is added to the water (half a teaspoon per 1 liter). They place laurels in the sun and in the shade, although in the sun it is better branching.
In the winter, the laurel is more comfortable at a temperature of 13 degrees, but it tolerates depressions and up to 2 - 5 degrees. If the room temperature is above 18 degrees, then the plant should often be sprayed. Otherwise, because of the dryness of the air, the leaves of the laurel of the noble will begin to fall, which often happens. With proper care, only those leaves fall that have been growing for more than three years. Leaves like spices harvested when they grow to a length of more than 10 cm.
Transplant laurel in the spring, choosing a pot 2 cm larger than the old one. This limits the growth of the root system, and hence the growth of the bush itself. At the bottom of the pot must be laid broken shards and large sand 3-4 cm layer for drainage. The land mixture is prepared from sod, leafy earth and sand (2: 1: 0, 5).
Plant Formation
Growing a laurel can turn into an exciting activity. After all, the laurel of the noble can be given any form! In the south there are whole parks with little animals, figures, hedges made of living laurel plants. At home it is also possible to form various compositions from the laurels. For this, the plant will often have to be cut. It looks beautiful in the form of a laurel or pyramid.
Form the crown for this beginning in the spring of the second year of life. The upper part of the main shoot is cut at a height of 10-12 cm above the soil surface. After this, 2-3 shoots grow from the underlying kidneys. When these shoots are 15-20 cm long, they are plucked. Thus, bushes grow 8-10 cm per year. You can form them in the form of a stem.
Reproduction of the laurel of the noble
Laurel plants are better used to living conditions in a room when propagating by seeds. To plant seeds, they are cleared from the pulp, as it delays their germination. When drying, the seeds quickly lose their germination, so they are usually sown in autumn. But if there is no such possibility, then they store it until spring with sprinkled sand in a cold place. Seeds are sown in a bowl with a soil mixture of turf, leaf earth and sand (1: 1: 0, 5), top covered with a film or glass. They rise faster at temperatures above 18 degrees. When the seedlings grow up and they have two leaves, they are planted in a 2x2 cm pattern or in small pots. Later, planted in separate pots.
By the propagation of the laurel cuttings begin in March and April. Cuttings for this cut into a length of 6-8 cm from ripening, but not lignified shoots. When cutting the cuttings below, the following method is used: the knife leads almost to the end, and then partially tear off the bark with the adjacent tissues. It turns out like a heel below the lower node. Lower leaves are removed.
Cuttings root deeply. Therefore, root stimulants are used, for example, rootweed (the dipped cuttings are lowered into the growth powder in the lower part, and excess powder is shaken off). Cuttings are planted in coarse-grained sand to a depth of 1-2 cm according to the scheme of 10x10 cm. To maintain the humidity of the air, a polyethylene bag is stretched from above. So that he does not touch the cuttings, put pegs - it turns out a mini guy. In a month, when the cuttings take root, they are planted in pots with a diameter of 7-9 cm, using the same soil mixture as for the seedlings.
Healing properties of the laurel of the noble
Laurel noble is used not only as a super popular seasoning. It also has medicinal properties. In particular, in the house of the laurel purifies the air. Its aroma is useful for spasms of the intestine, with inflammation of the respiratory and biliary tract. To make the fragrance stronger, laurel is placed near the window, twice a week, watered with a solution of glucose (5 ml per 5 l of water) or aspirin (5 g per 1 l). At high humidity the aromaticity of the plants increases, so a pot of water is placed between the plants. Necessarily remove the dead leaves. They use laurel not only as a spice, but also for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, gout, flaccid paralysis, spasmodic pain, and diabetes mellitus.
Growing laurel noble at home, you will acquire a useful plant - very fragrant, beautiful and healing.