The sweet dates sold in stores are the fruit of a palm tree of the genus Phoenix dactylifera. In nature, the powerful tree grows to gigantic sizes, producing huge clusters of fruits that are famous all over the world.
For indoor cultivation, more miniature species adapted for indoor cultivation are offered. Such palms can be seen and purchased in flower shops. If you want to independently grow a date palm from a seed, there is a high probability of success.
Of course, it won’t be possible to wait until the tree reaches its true height of 30 meters and produces the first harvest of dates. But both parents and children will enjoy watching the growth and development of this unusual plant.
Date palm at home care and maintenance
The date loves bright sunlight and needs shading only in the midday summer heat.
It is best to place small young plants on the windowsills of southern and south-eastern windows, larger and older plants - next to such windows. For uniform growth and development of the palm tree crown, it is necessary to rotate it around its axis from time to time. In the summer, the plant responds well to being kept outdoors in the garden or on the balcony, but if this is not possible, then the room should be regularly ventilated.
If the autumn-winter days did not provide enough sunlight, then in the spring the plant must be gradually accustomed to exposure to direct rays of the sun in order to avoid burns of the foliage. They do the same with a palm tree just brought from the store.
In winter, it is advisable to illuminate the date using fluorescent lamps. With insufficient lighting, palm leaves begin to stretch and droop down, losing their decorative effect.
In the spring and summer, when the date grows, it needs to be kept at a moderate temperature of 20 to 25 degrees. These tropical beauties also love higher temperatures, up to 28 degrees Celsius, but they also need high air humidity, otherwise the tips of the plant’s leaves will begin to dry out.
In winter, dates have a dormant period and need a temperature within 15-18 degrees. The Robelena date is more thermophilic and the optimal winter temperature for it is from 16 to 18 degrees Celsius.
The Canary date can spend the winter at a temperature of 8 to 10 degrees, and in adulthood with a formed trunk it tolerates a short-term decrease to 5 degrees below zero. Palm trees really don't like this kind of air stagnation. It is necessary to ensure regular ventilation of the room, while protecting the plants from drafts.
How and where do dates grow?
Any schoolchild knows what tree dates grow on. This is the date palm or palmate date (Phoenix dactylifera). The homeland of dates is the coast of Africa from the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. The date palm has been cultivated by people for 4,000 years and has spread very widely during this time. The palmate date thrives in countries with dry, hot climates and is an inhabitant of the dry tropics.
Of the European countries, only Spain can boast of growing palm trees, where the Sayer variety is acclimatized. In our country there are no suitable climatic conditions to grow palmate dates. The palm tree is found in Sochi, but does not bear fruit, but only decorates city streets and squares.
Knowing in which natural zone dates grow, Soviet scientists in 1939 planted a plantation of date palms near the city of Etrek in the south of Turkmenistan on the border with Iran. Dates in Russia (then the USSR) successfully took root and began to bear fruit. But the country fell apart, and with it the experimental station and tropical culture disappeared. Now in Turkmenistan there is talk about its revival. But knowing how many years it takes to grow a palmate date, you will have to wait a long time for “your” dates: the lifespan of the plant is 150-200 years, and fruiting of a small palm tree begins in the 15th year.
The date palm has many interesting features:
- reaches a height of 25-40 m (but dwarf specimens are also found);
- the columnar trunk is lumpy due to dead leaves;
- the complex pinnate leaves of the date resemble fans, they are hard with spiny tips;
- the plant is dioecious: male and female flowers are formed on different plants;
- female flowers are inconspicuous, while male flowers form cascades of cream and yellow inflorescences;
- in November, palm trees bloom and 10 months later, in August, the fruits ripen.
Seating in separate pots
As the date grows and develops, it becomes cramped in the pot. How to replant a date palm and when to do it?
The first transplant occurs when the leaf of the sprout has grown to 4 cm. The second transplant is carried out when the plant reaches 15 cm in height.
Since the date palm does not tolerate replanting well, it is advisable to do this only if necessary. The signal for replanting will be the obvious visibility of the roots in the drainage holes of the pot.
Young plants grow quickly and replanting is required annually. Before the procedure, moisten the soil ball well to make it easier to transfer it from the pot.
Another method of replanting a palm tree is not suitable: it has a very fragile root system. The pot is selected 3-4 cm higher than the previous one. The palm tree with the soil ball is carefully placed in the pot, and fresh soil is evenly poured into the voids of the container.
Important! Mature date palms are replanted every three years; otherwise, changing the top layer of soil is recommended.
The date palm is a spectacular ornamental plant; the only sad thing is that its propagation at home is possible only from seeds. Although in nature it reproduces well by root shoots. And yet, a green tropical tree in the house, especially during the cold winter period, significantly brightens up the anticipation of warmth and summer.
Description
Since the beginning of the 19th century, palm trees began to be grown in greenhouses and used at home as ornamental plants.
Most date palms are native to Africa and Asia. Already in the 4th century BC, the first data appeared about these plants, exotic for Russian latitudes. Date palm, or Date (Phoenix) is a plant of the Palm family (Palmae), or Arecaceae (Arecaceae). In Russian indoor floriculture, 17 species of date palms are known. All species of this family have common features: a maximum height of up to two meters, they can have more than one trunk, long leaves with narrow feathers, pointed at the top.
Pests and diseases of date palm
Insect pests
Most often, if maintenance conditions are violated, the date palm suffers from spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects. The best way to control pests is to correct maintenance mistakes. It is best to remove insects and traces of their vital activity that destroy the plant mechanically, by wiping the leaves of the date palm with a soap-vodka solution (15 g of liquid soap, any dishwashing detergent or a teaspoon of grated solid soap dissolved in warm water, dilute in a liter of warm water and add to solution two tablespoons of vodka).
If the number does not pass, after a week the treatment of the leaves must be repeated, just do not forget to protect the soil in the pot from getting soap into it. In case of severe pest infestation, you will have to resort to treating date palm leaves with insecticides, and the best of them is actellik.
Among the diseases of the date palm, spotting is known, which disfigures the leaf blade, and pink rot, which affects not only the leaves, but sometimes also the stem, and causes them to rot. Fortunately, only weak and sick plants are susceptible to infection by these diseases, so the key to the health of your date palm is to follow the rules of caring for it. If trouble happens and the plant gets sick, treat the palm tree twice with a fungicide containing mancozeb and methyl thiophanate, observing a week interval between sessions.
Date palm dries out
Sometimes the leaves of a date palm dry out from the tips, and this is clear evidence that the air humidity in the room where the plant is located is too low, with a normal level of 50%. This is not so much, and there are more than enough ways to increase air humidity to the required value, so do not be lazy to spray and wash the leaves, otherwise the palm tree will lose its decorative effect, and it will be a great pity for wasted time and effort. Remember that the date palm dries out only if the owner is careless.
Date palm turns yellow
If you have not changed your attitude towards palm tree care in time and have not resolved the issue of supplying the plant with moisture at all levels, the next signal of an imbalance in the water balance after dry tips is yellowing leaves of the date palm. This means that you not only spray the leaves of the plant irregularly, but also forget to water it, allowing the earthen lump in the pot to dry out. If you don't have enough time to care for the plant, maybe it would be better to give your date palm to someone who has the time to take care of it?
Date palm leaves darken
When the soil in a potted date palm is chronically waterlogged, the plant's leaves gradually darken from green to brown, the trunk becomes soft, and the plant smells rotten. As soon as you notice this, stop watering the palm tree, remove it from the pot and inspect the roots: if they become dark, soft and watery, the plant has already died, but if there are still living roots among the rotten roots, then it makes sense to cut off the dead roots, sprinkling the sections with crushed charcoal, and transplant the date palm into fresh soil.
Date palm doesn't grow
As we have already written, the temperature in the room where the palm tree is located should not fall below 12 ºC in winter. At other times of the year, the temperature should not be lower than 18-20 ºC, because root growth stops at a temperature of 16-17 ºC, which means that root activity slows down and the plant is not able to absorb nutrients, which ultimately leads to cessation of growth. In addition, a imbalance occurs: the roots are able to absorb some substances, while others are not, and a deficiency of certain microelements occurs.
The reason for the date palm to stop growing can also be a too high level of soil acidity, causing a lack of manganese and iron, which is why it is so important to maintain the correct temperature regime and maintain soil acidity within a pH range below seven units. In order not to lose a tree grown from a seed, on which a lot of time and expectations have been spent, you just need to follow the rules of growing the plant, especially since there is nothing overly complicated in them, and the decorative qualities of the date palm are definitely worth the effort
In order not to lose a tree grown from a seed, on which a lot of time and expectations have been spent, you just need to follow the rules of growing the plant, especially since there is nothing overly complicated in them, and the decorative qualities of the date palm are definitely worth the effort.
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Transfer
Young date palms need annual replanting, the first one is done as soon as shoots appear. The best time to move to a new pot is the beginning of active growing season, usually April. Starting from 5 years old, you can replant after a year, and in adult plants you can simply change the top layer of soil. When pouring water from the tray after watering, inspect the bottom of the pot - if the roots begin to invade the drainage holes, it’s time to replant the date.
The soil
The easiest way is to buy ready-made substrate for palm trees. The plant feels good in a substrate prepared from an equal amount of sand, humus, grain soil, and compost. For every 3 liters of mixture add a tablespoon of superphosphate. Adding a small amount of perlite and 1cm pieces of charcoal will make the soil looser. You can prepare a more nutritious mixture:
- 2 parts clay turf soil;
- the same amount of leaf humus;
- 1 part each of peat, sand and rotted manure;
- some charcoal.
If, during transplantation, the composition of the soil is suddenly changed, even in the direction of improvement, this will negatively affect the plant.
Pot
The peculiarity of the date is that the roots grow deep and not to the sides. This determines the choice of pot: it should be tall and not too wide. With each transplant, choose a pot 3-4 cm larger than the previous one, this applies to both height and diameter. The material is plastic; it is easier to remove the plant from such a pot for replanting; if necessary, it can be cut. Roots in plastic dishes suffer less from temperature changes.
Transplant algorithm
In order not to injure the roots of the plant, it is simply transferred to a new container, preserving the earthen lump as much as possible:
- the date is watered on the eve of transplantation;
- drainage from washed expanded clay is laid at the bottom of the new pot - a quarter of the height or a little less;
- pour a small layer of planting mixture on top;
- knead the walls of the old pot to make it easier to remove the plant;
- place the date in a new pot so that the root collar is not buried;
- all voids are filled with the prepared planting mixture, slightly compacting it;
- the soil is watered.
The first feeding is carried out no earlier than after 2 months. If the roots are accidentally damaged during transplantation, you need to cut off 1-2 lower leaves of the plant.
Types of date palm for indoor culture
Previously, only one species was grown at home:
The palmate date (Phoenix dactylifera) is a true date palm, the type species of the genus, common in the oases of Western Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and the Sahara deserts, as well as on the Canary Islands. The trunk is vertical, often covered with the remains of petioles of dead leaves, and grows up to 15-26 m in height, some up to 30 m.
The leaves are large, up to 6 m long, grouped in a bunch at the crown of the trunk. Flowers are wind pollinated, unisexual, in panicle inflorescences. The fruits are elongated drupes about 8 cm and up to 4 cm wide. They do not lose their taste even at 14 degrees below zero.
Date palmate
Currently, other, more decorative types are used in interior design:
Canary date (P. canariensis) - originally from the Canary Islands, but naturalized throughout the subtropical zone of the planet and now grows from the northern regions of France to the southern Chilean provinces. The tree reaches a height of 10 to 40 m. Date leaves are huge, complex-pinnate, reach 4-6 m in length and consist of 80-100 fragments on both sides of the main axis. The fruits are orange oblong berries with a large seed.
Date canarian
The Robelen date (P. roebelenii) is a popular houseplant native to Laos. It reaches 2-3 m in height, which is why among gardeners it is often called the dwarf date palm. It grows into several trunks, each of which gracefully arches from the center of the bush. The leaves are pinnately divided, grayish-green in color, pubescent below, from 60 to 120 cm long, up to 100 lobes 15-25 cm long and 1 cm wide are formed on one petiole. The flowers are small, sunny yellow, forming inflorescences 45 cm long. The fruits are drupes with a thin layer of pulp.
Date Robelena
Forest date (P. sylvestris) - also known as the silver date palm. It grows in southern Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma and other South Asian countries. It can grow from 4 to 15 m high. The trunk is not thick in circumference - up to 40 cm. Foliage about 3 meters long forms a lush crown with a diameter of up to 10 m and can consist of 100 leaves. Inflorescences of small white flowers droop downwards, then form large inflorescences with purple-red berries, which are used to make jelly and wine. The sap from palm trunks is drunk fresh, made into punch, or boiled to produce jagged sugar.
Dates in the natural environment
The natural distribution area of the date palm is the deserts of Asia and North Africa. The deep root system of these plants is capable of extracting water from great depths. In its natural environment, the palm tree has a height of up to 20 m and can bear fruit for about 100 years. The date palm is also called the phoenix. Its name is consonant with the name of the legendary mythological bird, which was able to burn itself and then be reborn from the ashes.
Palm plantings today are an important means of combating desertification
The date palm is a sacred tree for peoples inhabiting desert areas. Its fruits are called the bread of the desert, as they are the most important food product for the local population. Dates have an oblong shape with a hard seed inside. Since ancient times, they were dried and taken with them on long journeys by Egyptian and Phoenician merchants. Dried dates contain a huge supply of nutrients; they can not spoil and retain their taste even in the most intense heat.
It is believed that a person can live for several years eating only dates and water.
Diseases and pests of date palm
Violations of maintenance conditions and care rules often lead to the appearance of scale insects, mealybugs and spider mites on the plant. If the palm leaves stop growing, dry out, curl, darken and plaques appear on them, then the date is suffering from pests. It is recommended to regularly inspect the leaves and, when insects first appear on them, spray them with garlic solution or wash them with water and laundry soap. The treatment is repeated after a week.
A severely affected plant requires the use of insecticidal preparations. You can use Actellik by dissolving it in water according to the instructions.
Sick and weak trees are susceptible to diseases:
- pink rot causes rotting of leaves and stems;
- spotting disfigures the leaves.
In this case, the plant is treated with fungicides, which include methyl thiophanate and mancozeb. Processing must be carried out strictly according to the instructions that come with the drugs.
How to germinate a seed
A shoot from the seed will grow only if the fruit has not been heat treated. To try to grow a palm tree from a seed, you can use both seeds from fresh fruits and dried fruits purchased in a store, if they were dried naturally.
Soil for the plant
You can germinate the seed in ordinary soil or soil used for home flowers, but it is better to prepare a special nutrient mixture that will help speed up the growth of seedlings. To do this, you need to mix the soil with sawdust in a 1:1 ratio.
You can prepare another option, which is suitable not only for germinating seeds, but also for maintaining an adult palm tree. For it, you need to mix an equal amount of clay-turf soil, humus with leaf soil, peat and sand. You need to add a large pinch of charcoal to the resulting composition and mix the soil well so that the mass becomes homogeneous.
Preparing for germination
Before planting in the ground, seeds need to be prepared to increase their germination. To get one palm tree, it is better to take about 5-8 seeds at once, since some of them may not sprout or die as they grow. They should be freed from pulp, rinsed well and left to dry completely. After this, the planting material must be soaked in warm water for several days and left in a place with good heating. With this method of germination, water should be changed daily.
There is another way to prepare the seeds for planting. It is necessary to make 1-2 punctures on each seed with a sharp object so that water can get inside. After this, the bones need to be wrapped in several layers of soft cotton fabric or cotton wool. Planting material should be placed in a container with a small amount of water and left for 3-4 days in a warm place. It is necessary to ensure that the seeds have constant access to liquid, adding it as it evaporates. When the seeds swell a little, they can be planted.
Planting and watering
It is recommended to plant seeds in the ground in winter, since at this stage the plant will not need as much light as in subsequent periods of development. To germinate dates from seeds at home, you must proceed according to the following scheme:
- Soil is placed in a common pot for all seeds, which is watered moderately with water until moist.
- Prepared planting material is planted at a distance of at least 5 cm from each other. Seeds should be planted in the ground to a depth of 1.5 times their length.
- Immediately after planting, watering is not carried out.
- The pot with the future palm tree should be placed in a warm place with a temperature of about +30 degrees. For additional insulation, small greenhouses can be built above each bone by placing plastic glasses upside down. Remember, dates do not tolerate temperature changes; they must always be warm.
- To obtain seedlings, you need not only high temperature, but also sufficient soil moisture, so future palm trees should be watered every day without flooding them. Instead of watering the soil, you can irrigate it using a sprayer.
Seedling of seedlings
If you managed to germinate more than 1 seed, the seedlings will have to be planted in different pots. You can begin this procedure after the plants have grown at least 10-15 cm in height. If you do not do this, the dates will become crowded and they will die.
How to properly transplant violets at home
For the future palm tree, you need a high pot in which the long roots of the plant, with a diameter of at least 12 cm, will be placed. Special soil is poured into the container, which should be moistened. In order for the palm tree to grow comfortably, you need to put a good layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot. Pebbles, expanded clay or any bulk materials are suitable for this purpose.
Growing from seed
A homemade date palm grown from a seed will turn out no worse than a ready-made sprout bought in a store. The main thing is to properly prepare the seed for planting and plant it in suitable soil. The most favorable time for planting is the end of winter.
Selecting a seed to plant
Regular unprocessed dates bought at the market are suitable for planting. Choose ripe, unspoiled fruits. Eat the fruit and take a good look at the pit. If it is uniformly colored and does not have foulbrood, plaque, stains, or unevenness, set it aside for planting.
Prepare a few seeds for planting, because not all of them can germinate.
Seed preparation
- Rinse the selected seeds under running water.
- Pour warm water into a bowl.
- Place the date pits in a bowl to cover with water.
- Change the water every day, pour clean, warm water.
- After 3-4 days, remove the seeds and lightly file away the hard skin.
- Place them in warm water again for 3-4 days.
- Change the water 1-2 times a day until the sprouts of the future palm tree appear.
Soil selection
Suitable soil can be easily purchased at any flower shop. You can also cook it yourself. To plant a date seed, prepare a mixture of sawdust, turf and sand in equal proportions. To transplant a grown plant you will need: turf, leaf soil, humus, sand. Take all components in proportions accordingly - 1:1:1:5. To ensure that the soil for the date palm is initially fertilized, you can supplement the prepared soil with peat, coal, and rotted manure.
Landing rules
- Take a small pot 12-15 cm in diameter for planting. It’s not worth taking a large one right away; it’s better to replant it later.
- The prepared soil is placed on the drainage. For drainage under the date palm, pour 3 layers: pebbles, expanded clay, coarse sand.
- Make a 2-3 cm depression in the soil and place the sprouted seed there vertically, with the sprout facing upward.
- Sprinkle with soil and water generously.
- Cover the hole with a jar or place the pot on the radiator.
Planting process
Even an inexperienced gardener can plant a palm tree, however, a number of important nuances should be taken into account. First of all, palm trees are somewhat different from most house flowers, which means they have their own special needs:
- Palm trees can be sown regardless of the season, however, the sprouts require a well-lit place; if there is a lack of light, they will have to be provided with artificial lighting;
- germination and duration of germination are related to the shelf life of the seed material, so it is better to sow it immediately after purchase;
- prepared seeds are placed in a light soil mixture - this can be a ready-made material for germinating seeds; in addition, gardeners often use a mixture of perlite and vermiculite, with the addition of sphagnum or a substrate made of coconut fibers; they should be moistened, but not wet; It is advisable to first disinfect the material by steaming it for 8–12 minutes in the microwave;
- There is no need to place the seeds too deep; a depth of 1–2 times the diameter of the seeds is sufficient; if you deepen them too much, they begin to rot; if the seeds are scarified, they should be planted with the cut side down;
You can take any container, but it is best to use containers made of transparent plastic with a lid - these are used to sell confectionery and baked goods; in a closed container, the seeds will not dry out, and thanks to the transparent bottom it is easier to observe the process of seedling growth; the planting should be placed in a warm place, the air temperature should be +25-+32 degrees; however, this indicator depends on the type of palm tree: for some, the normal germination temperature is +25 degrees, while for others, +30 is not enough; to eliminate the possibility of mold formation and rotting of seeds, daily ventilation should be arranged - it is enough to open the container lid for 15–20 minutes a day, ensuring free access of air; palm seeds grown at home do not need to be watered; as the substrate dries, the substrate should be carefully sprayed with a spray bottle;
Some particularly advanced “palmaholics” purchase special mini-greenhouses, with installed heating devices and a thermostat. But this pleasure is not cheap.
In summer, a container with palm seeds can be placed on the windowsill, but you just have to consider the following:
- the window sill should be warm, without drafts and constant shadow;
- The substrate and seedlings should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
If there is no place with suitable conditions, then there is a way out: future palm trees will feel good on the cabinet, where the thermometer will always show more degrees than in other areas of the room.
Seed preparation
Growing a date palm or phoenix, as it is called in its homeland, begins with choosing seeds. The plant's habitat is the countries of the Middle East and Africa. But you won’t have to travel that far to get the bones. All you have to do is walk to the nearest store. But not every date is suitable for growing:
- it should not have been subjected to heat treatment;
- stored no longer than a year after collection.
When choosing, pay attention to the size of the fruit - the larger, the better and the absence of signs of disease. If the fruits are dried or candied, this does not prevent their use for growing palm trees.
Since the germination of seeds is unknown, it is better to plant several seeds at once. As soon as the pulp has been removed from them, the seeds are washed from its remnants. A piece of fruit in the soil can rot, involving the seed in the process. Now it needs to be awakened by saturating it with moisture. To speed up swelling, the seeds can be scarified by rubbing them on sandpaper, or immediately soaked for 3 days in water heated to 30 degrees. Its temperature must be maintained constant, which is easiest to do in a thermos. The water is changed several times a day. When they do this for the last time, they add a growth stimulator, diluted according to the instructions. You can immediately sow the seeds into the ground, but you will have to wait a long time for seedlings. The process is easy to speed up if you germinate the seeds:
- soak them between two moistened cotton pads placed in a transparent closed container;
- an alternative is a zip bag with hydrogel or wet sphagnum moss;
- For any germination method, the seeds are placed in a warm (35 degrees) place with diffused light.
The lid of the container or zip bag should be opened daily for ventilation and ensure that the seeds do not dry out. As soon as they hatch, it’s time to sow.
Rules of care
Properly caring for a date palm is no more difficult than caring for an ordinary indoor flower. It needs to be watered, given a shower, fed and replanted as it grows. The date does not tolerate drafts, keep this in mind when placing it.
Watering
Palm trees love water. It does not tolerate dried soil. However, it is also not recommended to fill it, otherwise the roots will begin to rot. It is better to water less often, but abundantly as the soil dries. If the leaves droop down and spots appear on them, it means there is insufficient watering.
Spray dates regularly; they love moisture. Once a week, arrange more serious water treatments. If possible, place the plant's pot in a bathtub, cover the soil with plastic, and rinse the trunk and leaves from the shower.
Top dressing
The date palm needs to be fed all year round. In winter, this should be done no more than once a month, and from March to September inclusive - once a week. Buy a ready-made universal mixture for palm and ornamental leaf plants. Mineral and organic fertilizers are suitable. Dilute them in water and apply to wet soil. Fertilizer should be applied a week after replanting, then the date palm will take root better.
Signs of battery shortage
- The leaves become lighter – there is not enough nitrogen in the soil. First, the leaves acquire a lighter shade, then the growth of the plant stops.
- The leaves are covered with bronze-brown spots - there is little potassium. At first the foliage will become covered with spots, then curl and dry out.
- Yellow edging on the leaves is a lack of magnesium. Feed with magnesium fertilizer, otherwise the plant will die over time.
Trimming
It is not recommended to prune the plant before 5 years of age - it may die. The top of the palm tree should also not be cut off, otherwise the growth point will be disrupted. Do not cut off damaged or yellowed foliage; let it dry out and fall off naturally.
Air humidity
Comfortable indoor air humidity for a date palm is not lower than 50 and not higher than 70%. Before the start of the heating season, move the pot away from the radiator. When the heating is turned on, cover the radiators with a wet cloth. In summer, during dry weather, spray the leaves more often with water at room temperature. This should be done at least once a week.
Planting and replanting (choosing a pot for a plant)
How to plant and replant a date palm at home? You need to plant fruit seeds as soon as the pulp of a dried or dried date is eaten. You should not leave the seeds for future use - they quickly lose their ability to germinate.
It is easiest to germinate a seed in the summer, when there is no need to create greenhouse conditions around the pot.
In winter, the container with germinated seeds should be kept at a temperature of 25-30 degrees.
Ten-centimeter sprouts can be planted in separate “apartments”.
The pot must be at least 15 cm in diameter, tall, narrow, with holes in the bottom.
Date palms do not like to be moved. If possible, the sprouted seedling is planted in a pot where the plant will be comfortable for several years in a row.
Transplantation is carried out in a transshipment manner, with equal care for the integrity of the root system and crown branches.
Here is a video about the date palm: care at home and growing from the seed.
When can you replant a palm tree?
Transferring a date palm to new soil is carried out:
- upon reaching the first leaf 10 cm (seedlings);
- in the spring, with the onset of the first fine days and increased movement of sap in the plants;
- when the plant is clearly flooded, when the leaves turn brown (immediate replanting and reduction in the volume of the watering portion are indicated).
When is the best time to plant a palm tree?
In the warm season, when the stress of a disturbed plant will not be supplemented by the negative influence of an uncomfortable temperature for dates (if the plant is grown in an ordinary city apartment with an unstable heat supply to the radiators).
These videos tell you about caring for a date palm indoors, when the leaves of a date palm bloom, when it is necessary to pick, and more.
And here are two videos about the features of caring for a date palm at home.
Many gardeners dream of decorating the interior of their home with a date palm. Read our materials about the most popular types of plants, and also find out whether it is possible to grow a palm tree from a seed.
About caring for date palm at home:
Temperature: The optimal temperature for Date Palm in summer is 20-25 ºC, and in winter the temperature should not fall below 15-18 ºC, and some species can tolerate temperatures of 8-10 ºC. All year round, Date loves warm conditions and an influx of fresh air, but it should be protected from drafts, especially in the winter season.
Lighting: Bright lighting, but Date feels great in light shade. East and west windowsills are suitable for palm trees. Regular rotation of the palm is necessary for even development of the crown. In the summer, when the air temperature at night does not drop below 12 ºC, Date will not refuse to be kept outside in the shade of other trees. If this is not possible, the palm tree can be taken out to the balcony, while protecting it from direct sunlight.
Phoenix canariensis.
Watering: The date palm loves abundant water without drying out the earthen coma, so it must be watered abundantly and regularly. In summer, the palm tree has active growth and an increased need for water, as the soil dries out faster. In winter, with a lack of lighting and cool conditions, watering is reduced because the soil takes longer to dry out, but you should not let the soil dry out completely. To maintain moisture, the pot with the palm tree is placed on a tray filled with wet expanded clay, pebbles or moss, so that the bottom does not touch the water. Water for irrigation must be used that has settled, rain or bottled water, as hard water is detrimental to the plant. Mistakes with watering cause the greatest harm to the plant.
Humidity: The indoor palm tree loves high humidity and the higher the humidity, the better it feels. The optimal humidity threshold for it ranges from 70 to 80%. It is recommended to spray regularly; spraying in hot weather has a particularly beneficial effect on the plant. It is also necessary to give the plant a warm shower weekly to prevent spider mites. During the shower, the earthen lump should be covered with film. The best way to increase humidity in winter at temperatures below 18 ºC is to place a container of water or a humidifier next to the plant.
Phoenix roebelenii.
Fertilizers: It is necessary to fertilize from spring to autumn 2 times a month, and in winter 1 time a month with liquid fertilizers. For feeding, you can use complex fertilizers for decorative deciduous plants, as well as special fertilizers for palm trees. The palm tree responds well to fertilization through leaf spraying, which must be done once a month.
Soil: For palm trees, you can also add turf soil, humus and manure to it. It is worth considering that good soil for Date Palms should drain water quickly. Good drainage is necessary. It is recommended to add perlite and charcoal to the substrate.
Replanting: The date palm really does not like replanting, so it is replanted only when necessary using the transshipment method, replacing the drainage and adding fresh soil. When replanting, it is not recommended to bury the plant; the soil level should remain the same as before replanting. Young specimens (up to 5 years) are replanted annually, adults once every 2-3 years. Every year, if replanting is not carried out, it is necessary to change the top layer of soil. Good drainage is necessary. It is better to choose a tall pot for the palm tree, since Date has quite long roots.
Date palm pests. The plant most often gets sick not from pests, but from inattentive care. But it is worth knowing that the queen of the oasis can be affected by spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects. For prevention, it is necessary to use a warm shower and wipe the leaves.
Phoenix dactylifera.
Growing conditions
In order for the date to grow even, spreading, with natural colors, you need to follow the rules and provide it with comfortable conditions. The first shoots will appear in 1-3 months. When the plant reaches 10 cm in height, pick using the transshipment method.
Lighting
The plant loves the sun, so it will do better in a room with windows facing south or southeast. In summer, take the palm tree to the balcony or loggia. However, keep away from direct sunlight. The balcony must be glazed. Rotate the pot with the plant periodically, otherwise the leaves will grow unevenly and the crown will form crookedly. In the shade, the leaves grow longer as they reach towards the light.
Temperature
The date palm comes from the tropics, subtropics, and equatorial part of the planet, so it loves warmth. She is comfortable in mid-latitudes in summer. In winter, room temperature is sufficient. In the greenhouse in winter you need to maintain a temperature of +10 - +18 degrees. The room should not be hotter than 22 degrees. The room temperature for a date palm may be slightly higher in summer.
Until the sprout appears in the pot, provide an air temperature of +30 degrees, moisten the soil as it dries.
Diseases and pests
Phoenix is quite unpretentious. If the date palm receives enough light, moisture and nutrients and is located in a warm place, there should be no problems with its cultivation. Most often, diseases and harmful insects affect plants weakened by improper care.
Pests
Harmful insects settling on a palm tree lead to the loss of decorativeness of its foliage, twisting and falling of the blades. Possible pests include nematodes, scale insects, mealybugs, as well as thrips and spider mites. Methods to combat them can be different and include mechanical, chemical treatment and the use of folk remedies.
Insects visible to the eye can be collected from the foliage by hand. The nematode is considered the most dangerous pest - it is especially difficult to remove. In case of damage, the date palm will have to be destroyed along with the soil, sometimes the pot will be thrown out along with it. One diseased plant can quickly infect neighboring ones.
Before using chemical treatments, they most often try to get rid of pests using household products. Among the most famous:
- A mixture of soap and vodka. About 15 g of liquid soap or 1 tsp. planed laundry soap is diluted in a liter of water. Add 2 tbsp to the solution. l of vodka and treat palm foliage weekly, repeating the procedure several times.
- Tobacco infusion. 40 g of tobacco must be poured into 1 liter of water. The resulting mixture is infused for two days, then another liter of water is poured into it again. The foliage is treated with the diluted infusion.
- Garlic extract. Approximately 4 garlic heads are kept in a liter of water for about 5 days. 6 g of the resulting mixture (1 cap from a plastic bottle) is poured into a liter of water and the foliage is sprayed with the solution.
After such treatment, the foliage is thoroughly washed with water and then allowed to dry - for this the plant must be in a warm place.
If traditional methods do not bring the desired result, you should use commercial insecticides. These include Fitoverm, Actellik, Pyrethrum and many other brands. The selected drug is diluted according to the instructions. Most often the proportion is 2 g per 1 liter of water. Before completely treating the palm tree, it is necessary to carry out a test treatment. To do this, you need to apply the drug solution to just one leaf of the plant and wait a day. If nothing happened to the date, it means that it tolerated the impact well, and the entire green part can be processed. But before complete treatment, it is necessary to cover the soil in the pot so that the insect repellent does not get into the substrate.
Diseases
Sometimes the date palm can be affected by fungal diseases. These include pink rot and gray spotting. The reason for their development is usually insufficient drainage, unsuitable soil or the presence of pests. They can be cured using fungicidal drugs. For dates, it is better to choose products that do not contain copper. They should be used systematically until the plant recovers, but do this no more than once a week.
If you care for the date properly, it will practically not get sick.
Reproduction
The date palm reproduces by seeds. As a rule, this is an ordinary pit of a well-known date. The process is quite lengthy and can last from 3 to 6 months, or maybe more. It all depends on the conditions under which the seed germinates. It is very important to ensure the temperature regime, which should be within +25-+30 °C and normal humidity. The seed will not germinate in a dry place. It may happen that the seed may not germinate until the cold weather, but the temperature should be maintained until the young sprout appears.
The seed can be planted in peat, perlite, sand or sphagnum moss. The main thing is that the material can retain moisture.
To ensure that the seed germinates, you need to break the integrity of the shell with any available object: a file, a knife, a hacksaw, etc. This should be done very carefully so as not to damage the kernel.
The seed is planted vertically. The distance from the soil surface to the top of the bone should be no more than 1 cm. As soon as a young sprout appears, the palm tree can be transplanted into a pot and moved to a bright place.
Date palm care
Where to place
Although a mature date palm can grow to a huge (by home standards) size, it grows very slowly. Therefore, the place you choose for her will stick with her for a long time. When choosing a location, you must take into account that this palm tree is a very light-loving plant and does not tolerate stagnant air. In the summer, it does not make any special demands on the air temperature and can easily tolerate daily changes. While the plant is small and quite transportable, take it out into the fresh air in the summer. If the palm tree has already reached an age when this is difficult to do, be sure to provide it with a flow of fresh air. In winter, it is desirable for the date palm to be kept cooler (recommended +10-15 degrees). In the first years of the plant’s life, a window sill, where the temperature in winter is lower than indoors, is quite suitable for placement. In order for the palm tree to grow evenly, your intervention will be required. The leaves of the plant will inevitably be drawn towards the light source, so it must be rotated periodically. This is especially true when new leaves appear.
Watering and air humidity
In warm weather, the date palm should be watered abundantly and regularly. Avoid letting the soil dry out and water as soon as the top layer of soil dries out.
Important! If the soil is allowed to dry out, the leaves of the date palm droop, and even after watering is resumed, they do not restore their original position!
But at the same time, you can’t flood the plant. Stagnant water and cool air (even in summer) can cause considerable harm. Drain the water from the pan 20-30 minutes after watering. The leaves of the plant react to flooding first. Characteristic brown spots appear on them. When they first appear, you should immediately reduce watering. But if the whole plant begins to darken at once, then immediately replant it in fresh soil, the roots have begun to rot! During transplantation, be sure to inspect the roots and remove rotten ones. In winter, watering is reduced, but it depends on the temperature. The lower it is, the less often you water and vice versa. But you can’t completely stop watering in winter.
It is believed that air humidity is not important for the date palm. This is not true. Dry air causes leaf tips to dry out. Therefore, on hot, dry days, be sure to spray it. The same should be done in winter if you were unable to keep the palm tree cool and it grows at normal room temperature. Water for watering and spraying date palms must be settled and not lower than room temperature. At the same time, it is highly desirable that it be soft. It is ideal to use melt and rain water, but you can soften it at home (read how).
Top dressing
For date palms, liquid organic fertilizer is best. I do not advise beginning flower growers to experiment with preparation, but to buy ready-made fertilizer. During the period of active development, the plant is fed three times a month. Additional monthly feeding with a solution of potassium nitrate (one gram per liter of water) also gives good results. In winter, feeding does not stop, but is reduced to once a month.
Transfer
As I already noted, the date grows very slowly, so it is considered young for quite a long time, until about 5 years of age. It is transplanted annually before reaching this age. Afterwards, the palm tree is replanted only when the need arises. Most often this is necessary when the plant’s pot becomes small. For very large plants, it is practiced to only replace the top layer of soil. Moreover, if the roots protrude excessively onto the surface of the earth, then they too are cut off (a layer of 5 to 10 centimeters). If you do not want to use purchased soil, you can make it yourself by mixing turf soil, humus, compost and sand in equal parts. To avoid stagnant water, ensure good drainage.
Buy or better grow
As practice shows, greenhouse plants purchased at a flower shop often do not survive in a new place. Accustomed to a certain humidity and air temperature, soil and water composition, they cannot adapt to new conditions.
If you germinate a date yourself from a seed and care for it properly, it will eventually grow into a beautiful and healthy tree. Of course, it will not reach 20-30 meters, as in natural conditions. But it will definitely grow to the ceiling.
In nature, palm trees grow up to 30 meters
In a greenhouse or winter garden, it is possible to grow a palm tree 3-4 meters high
indoor palm
True, you will have to wait a long time for this: like all palm trees, the date tree grows very slowly. And you are unlikely to see fruits, but a few years after planting it may bloom.
Date palm blossom
Another argument against buying a ready-made plant may be its high price. Whereas a date palm from a seed will cost almost nothing.
