Date palm - home care, photo of adult beauties
If a young date with its several narrow branches sticking out in different directions does not cause delight, then an adult date palm is a completely different matter. Its gorgeous thick trunk, covered with scales from the remnants of fallen lower leaves, is crowned with a luxurious cap of young large foliage. Date palm, home care (photo will be further) for which is simple - the plant is unpretentious. Initially, creating conditions for it as close as possible to natural, you will only have to maintain them. And wait patiently until these couple of leaves turn into a real tree. But believe me, it's worth it, especially since you don't have to do anything special. Watering, feeding and transplanting - that's the whole list of activities.
In nature, the date palm reaches simply gigantic proportions and can grow up to 30 m in height. Low-growing varieties are grown at home. Most often, you can find a compact Robelen date no more than 3 m high.
Date palm - home care, photo
Regarding the soil, it is desirable that it be fertile and include soddy soil and leaf humus. Adding sand to improve the structure of the soil will also not hurt.
Lighting and temperature
All types of dates love good lighting and can even grow on the south side. The exception is young palms up to 2 years old. Their delicate leaves must be shaded from direct rays.
The room temperature is quite suitable for a date, and in the summer it can even be taken outside. But he prefers to winter in a cool place at a temperature not higher than 10 ° C warm.
How to care for your home date
When growing a palm, it should be borne in mind that it absolutely does not tolerate drought. Otherwise, caring for the date is the same as for other indoor plants, namely:
- Frequent and abundant watering. Moreover, the soil should be moist even in winter.
- Regular spraying - dates like high humidity.
- Top dressing from spring to autumn with organic and special mineral fertilizers for palm trees. Frequency - 3 times a month with a break of 10 days.
As for the transplant, the date does not tolerate this procedure well. Young plants are replanted every 2 years. And adults - no more than once every 5 years. In this case, the best solution would be transshipment together with an earthen clod, so as not to disturb the roots.