Growing Canarian date Luxor from seeds at home, palm tree care and prevention

Today, palm cultivation can be done at home, and if such a desire arises, you should pay attention to the benefits of the Canarian date. The plant creates a cheerful atmosphere and comfort in the room; it cleans the air of dust and impurities, creating a comfortable microclimate in the house. Before planting a palm tree, you should learn about the peculiarities of its cultivation.

Advantages and characteristics of palm trees

The Canarian date belongs to the Arecaceae family. The palm tree has a short columnar trunk and bluish green leaves, due to which the plant is characterized by lightness and airiness. It forms inflorescences of female and male types, the former have a creamy tint, the latter have an orange-yellow color. In nature, the tree can reach a height of 20 m and form a trunk up to 1 m. The fruits are small, oval in shape and orange in color.

The advantage of the Canarian date is its unpretentiousness; for good growth it is important to provide it with a bright room and regular watering. The advantages of palm trees include:

• good survival rate;
• ability to purify air;
• ability to show good growth at temperatures from +10 to +18 ⁰C, which makes growing on a loggia possible.

The plant can reach large sizes, so it is worth thinking in advance about its future location. At home, a palm tree can grow up to 1.4 m, so it is better to place it near a wall where there is not a lot of human and animal activity.

Variety varieties

Today, there are several types of Canarian dates on the horticultural market, differing in appearance and growth properties. One of the most popular is Luxor, which is grown from seeds. The young plant grows as a bush and is later capable of forming a trunk.

The variety is intended for office landscaping and home planting; the palm tree can grow up to 2 m.

Growing dates from seeds

Many plant lovers have experience growing dates from pits. The correct choice of soil, pre-sowing treatment of the material, and compliance with growing conditions are of great importance. Growing dates from pits is a long process, which averages 3 months.

Selecting a seed to plant

Seeds for planting are taken only from those fruits that have not been subjected to heat treatment. Withered or dried dates are suitable for these purposes. Planting several seeds at the same time will help increase the chances of getting seedlings.

Seed preparation

Before planting, it is important to properly prepare the seed, for which purpose its surface is thoroughly cleaned of pulp. Poorly carried out removal will lead to the appearance of mold and will negatively affect the germination of the shoot. Next, the bone is placed in cold water for 48 hours, periodically it is necessary to change the liquid with a new one. After 2 days, the procedure of cleaning from remaining pulp is repeated.

Experienced gardeners advise resorting to some tricks that speed up the appearance of sprouts. The most popular include:

• place the seed in hot water for 10 minutes, which will allow shoots to appear within a couple of weeks;
• make a puncture in the surface of the bone or grind off the base with sandpaper, which will help moisture gain access inside.

Correctly selected soil and watering regime will help ensure the quality of seed germination.

Required soil composition

For successful germination of sprouts and further growth, it is necessary to provide the date with light and loose soil. The palm tree has a weak and fragile root system, so heavy soil is not suitable for these purposes.A simpler option is to purchase a substrate for date varieties in a specialized store, but you can prepare the soil yourself from sawdust, humus, peat and sand.

Landing technology

For planting, take a small container, just choose 0.3-0.5 liters. A shallow hole is formed in the soil, into which the seed is placed vertically and carefully covered with earth. Next, the planting site is moistened and the container is placed in a warm place for germination. A drainage hole must be provided to remove excess moisture.

Quite a lot of time can pass from the moment of planting to the appearance of the sprout, so you should not worry, but should periodically water the soil as the soil dries out. First a simple leaf will appear, later an arrow of 2-3 plates will form.

Optimal conditions for good tree growth

You can grow Canarian dates at home by following certain growing rules. Experts advise choosing seeds for these purposes, since the chances of getting seedlings are much greater. For good growth, the plant must be provided with proper care.

Illumination

It is recommended to place the Canary date on the south side; if there is insufficient light, the plant will slow down in development. In the summer, it is permissible to take the palm tree out into the open air, onto the territory of the garden plot, gradually accustoming it to the sun. The plant tolerates gusts of wind and precipitation well, and is not afraid of direct sunlight and precipitation.

In winter, illumination decreases, which can negatively affect the condition of the palm tree. To avoid this situation, it is necessary to reduce the temperature and, if possible, organize artificial lighting.

Temperature

The Canary date is capable of growing at high temperatures, but the optimal growing conditions for it are indoors +20…+25 ⁰C. Reducing the indicator to +8…+14 will help a tropical plant survive the winter period ⁰C.

Ventilation

Ensuring periodic ventilation is one of the important conditions for growing Canarian dates. Stagnant and stale air will negatively affect plant growth. Sudden changes in temperature should not be allowed, so in offices you should not place a palm tree near doorways, when opened, there is a risk of a direct blow of cold air.

Irrigation and watering regime

Natural qualities allow the palm tree to tolerate dry air, but there will be a problem with the tips of the leaf blades drying out. The optimal humidity for dates is 50%; to increase the indicator, place a fountain or an aquarium in the premises.

Spraying with boiled water on hot days has a positive effect on the condition of the plant. Such actions are carried out only in the summer; this should not be done in winter.

In summer, the plant requires abundant watering, but there should be no stagnation of moisture. In winter, moistening is carried out in a smaller volume, ensuring that the soil does not dry out near the root system. For watering, use only warm, soft water; cold or hard water leads to the appearance of brown spots on the leaves.

Top dressing

Fertilizing is carried out during the period of active growth once every 14 days. In winter, the frequency is increased to 1 time every month. For these purposes, complex mineral and organic fertilizers are used, which are successively alternated.

When and how to replant correctly

As the plant grows in the container, increase the layer of soil. The palm tree should be replanted only when the root system has tightly entwined the entire lump of earth. Observe the following rules for replanting plants:

• young people - no more than 1 or 2 times a year;
• adults - once every 3 or 5 years.

Large-sized ones are provided with a replacement of the top layer of soil. Due to this feature, when replanting a plant, you should select in advance pots of sufficient capacity for the plant to grow for several years.

Does a date palm grown at home bear fruit?

At home, you should not expect fruiting from a palm tree. Date flowering is observed only in natural conditions, and harvesting is possible only when a height of 15 m is reached.

Reproduction methods

The Canary date is propagated only by seeds. For these purposes, only fruits that have not been subjected to heat treatment are suitable. The palm tree is characterized by slow growth; pinnate leaves can be expected only in the 4th year.

Possible problems and their solutions

The appearance of problems with a palm tree can be immediately recognized by the appearance of the plant. There are few causes of plant disease, all of them are associated with violations of growing rules or the harmful effects of pests and microorganisms.

Pests and diseases - fighting them

The Canarian date is susceptible to scale and mealybugs. Excessive dry air increases the risk of ticks. To exclude diseases, plants take preventive measures to prevent their occurrence. It is enough to periodically inspect the plant. At the first sign of a problem, the leaves are washed with water and treated with targeted chemicals.

Aktara, Akarin, and Intra-Vir are most often used for pest control.

Leaves turn yellow or darken

Yellowing of the lower leaves is considered normal in some cases. Over time, the old leaf blades die, and a change in color is the first sign of the beginning of the process. If yellowness covers a significant part of the crown, then with a high degree of probability this is due to insufficient lighting and moisture of the plant.

The appearance of a dark color on the tips of the leaves and their drying out indicates excessive dry air. At the same time, the humidity is increased, and the plant is sprayed with warm water. The appearance of significant dark spots on the leaves can be associated with either waterlogging or excessive watering; in some cases, the plant reacts this way to hypothermia or transportation.

The palm tree has stopped growing

There can be many reasons for the lack of growth of a palm tree. One of them is the temperature regime; insufficiently high temperatures can cause the growth of the plant to slow down or stop. The horse system stops developing at +16 ⁰C, which automatically deprives the shoots of opportunities for further growth.

The problem of plant growth inhibition may be associated with a lack of microelements in the soil. One of the most common reasons for stunted palm growth is a deficiency of iron and manganese in the soil. An increase in soil acidity above 7 pH also negatively affects plant development.