21.10.2017 4 008

Persimmon, growing at home is not a myth, but a reality!

Delicious persimmon, the cultivation of which at home will require care and patience, will thank you with fruits in the near future. However, you need to know what kind of soil is needed for planting, how seeds are collected and cared for further. Also, do not forget that the exotic has a dormant period, flowering often does not occur for many reasons, but it happens that the leaves turn yellow and wither. Propagating fruit in an apartment can be an exciting activity that will bring you a lot of pleasure.

Popular myths about growing persimmons at home

It is widely known how healthy and tasty the fruit is. But, not everyone knows where it grows, and whether it is possible to grow it at home. In fact, this is quite possible.
To implement the plan, it is first useful to study the information and understand what attention the plant requires, and at the same time, dispel a few popular myths:

1. fruit seeds are difficult to sprout, need to be processed. There are a lot of instructions with lengthy content regarding the stratification of seeds, distillation, and the disinfection process. Nothing like this needs to be done, especially when they are planted fresh, straight from the fruit. It is enough to sprinkle them with earth and ensure regular watering. After a few days (2 weeks maximum), powerful sprouts will appear on the surface, reaching for the light. If the bone was separated from the fetus a few days or weeks ago, it should be kept in a solution with a growth stimulator (Kornevin,);
2. persimmon requires careful and special care, as it is a plant of the tropics. It seems to many that the crop requires year-round tropical conditions and only in this case can you get a crop. In reality, everything is different - the culture is resistant to significant cold, so, for example, the virgin form is able to withstand frosts of -40 ° C. The tree definitely needs a cold rest period in winter, after which, a culture grown at home from a seed begins to bear fruit;
3. For growing at home, fertilizers and top dressing are needed. In nature, persimmon is distinguished from other crops by its exactingness to the lightness of the soil, since it does not tolerate heavy soils well. In the matter of fertilizers, accuracy is important. It is better to underfeed a tree than to overfeed.

persimmon harvest - pictured

Growing persimmons at home is not so difficult, just like getting fruits, it only takes time and patience.

Persimmon - growing in an apartment from a seed

Growing a fruit tree in an apartment takes place in several stages:

preparation of a container with soil. For seeds, it is necessary to prepare in advance planting containers in the form of compact pots or boxes and a light substrate based on peat with gray calcined river sand, meadow humus in equal proportions;

sowing persimmon seeds. They should be planted in ready-made soil and watered so that the water does not stagnate and does not form dirt. Put in a warm place without drafts. After pecking the seedlings (after 10-14 days), you need to rearrange them on the windowsill, closer to the sun. If the shell does not lag behind the leaves well, preventing normal growth, you can carefully remove it with a knife or wrap it with damp gauze and leave it for a while. Over time, the protective shell will fall off on its own, swelling;

perform a dive. Conducted after the initial landing. At high temperatures with sufficient humidity, the sprouts grow actively and after a couple of weeks of regular watering they can be planted in separate pots, where each seedling will form wood with a root system.

persimmon seeds - pictured

In the first year, the culture is actively growing, requiring regular replacement of the pot. The diameter of the next pot should be 3-4 cm larger than the betraying one. The first replacement can be made after 2-3 months, then 2 more times. The next year, replacement is performed every 6 months, and from the third year of life - annually.

Persimmon at home - care

Home care should be appropriate. The most important thing is not to spoil the tree, otherwise it will turn into an accelerator, and will not please you with a single flower. It must be understood that even the most favorable home conditions will not replace natural ones. Therefore, you need to make the tree bear fruit by maintaining a balance between favorable conditions and stressful ones.

Ensure correct lighting conditions. Culture loves the sun, so it needs to be put out more often on the loggia, balcony, and taken out into the garden. It is better to start in the late afternoon or on cloudy days, when the sun does not burn, and the ultraviolet in the atmosphere dissipates. If the sun shines too brightly, shading should be done and it must be remembered that the tree will consume more water hence it is important to increase watering.

Water regularly. It is necessary to water the tree at home as the soil dries up, not forgetting that excess moisture is harmful. It is also useful to spray the tree.

Carry out feeding. The fruit does not need in large numbers dressings, often reacting to them with soreness with insufficient growth. Universal inorganic complex fertilizers for indoor plants are excellent for this purpose. The tree does not prefer organics too much. An example is the Agricola complex fertilizer for flowers. The consumption rate is 5 ml per 1 liter of water. The regularity of top dressing is 2 times a month, in small doses.

Form a crown. After 4 or 5 leaves, you can begin to pinch the sprouts. This provokes the growth of side shoots. They also need to be pinched after 4-5 leaves, preventing the tree from growing, as a result, this will give an incentive to lay fruit buds.

In addition to all of the above, winter storage is required, representing a dormant period. It should be organized from mid-autumn - at this time, watering should be reduced, and top dressing should be stopped completely, so the leaves will gradually turn yellow and fall off. It is best to store the tree in a dark place with a temperature range from 0 to +5 ﹾС. During the winter, you need to regularly ventilate the room and water the persimmon a couple of times, which will contribute to the next harvest.

To grow a healthy pet, you will need a certain amount of patience and some effort, but the final result will not keep you waiting and will please you with beautiful, strong and ripe fruits.

I like to experiment and get unusual indoor plants. Thanks to this hobby, for several years now, orange and lemon trees have been growing on my windowsill, both obtained from seeds. The turn has come to replenish the collection with a new resident, and next in line is persimmon. Tell me how to grow a persimmon from a seed at home?

IN Lately flower growers have become increasingly fond of growing in room conditions exotic cultures. You won’t surprise anyone with a lemon in a pot, but not everyone decides to plant a persimmon. And it’s completely in vain, because this heat-loving plant feels very comfortable indoors and even bears fruit, subject to proper agricultural technology. In addition, the bush is very decorative and can take its place among other indoor plants on an equal footing.

Planting material can always be found in the market or in the store, where towards the end of autumn there is a rich selection of fruits. Instead of throwing away the seeds after eating the sweet pulp, let's try growing a potted persimmon from the seed. To do this is not at all as difficult as it seems at first glance, and a few tips will help even a beginner cope.

How to choose and prepare seed material?

If possible, it is better to purchase the most cold-resistant, especially if further planting of the tree in the garden is planned (Virginsky, Rossiyanka, Tamopan). In the case when the persimmon will grow exclusively indoors, the variety is not so important.

The main rule when buying a persimmon is that the fruit should not be frozen, otherwise the bone will lose its viability. It is better to buy a half-ripe persimmon and let it ripen in the apartment.

When the fruit becomes soft, separate the pulp and subject the bones to the following treatment:

• rinse well;
• dry;
• soak for a day in a solution of potassium permanganate;
• before planting, put for a couple of hours in a solution with a growth stimulator.

The persimmon stone is covered with a very dense shell. To speed up germination, you need to scrape it with sandpaper.

How to germinate persimmon?

You can germinate a prepared bone using one of the following methods:

1. Fold gauze in several layers and moisten it abundantly. Lay the bone on top and place everything in the bag. Tie it up and put it in a warm place. Periodically open for ventilation. When a sprout appears, plant a seed in.
2. Immediately plant persimmons in small cups with nutritious light soil and cover with a bag.

Regardless of which method is used, the seeds should germinate in about 2 weeks, otherwise they are considered non-viable and it is better to replace the seeds with new ones.

How to care for persimmon?

As soon as the sprouts hatch, the shelter is removed, and the plant continues to grow, moderately watering and spraying.

Sometimes the shell from the bone does not open enough, pinching the sprout. Carefully remove it with tweezers, otherwise the plant will die.

When a pair of true leaves form on the seedling, it is transferred to a larger pot. The next transshipment is carried out when the persimmon reaches a height of about 40 cm (this will happen very quickly, since the bush grows at a good pace). In the future, the procedure is carried out every year until the tree reaches 5 years, then every two years. In summer, a persimmon pot can be put outside, but taken into the house for the winter.

We plant a persimmon bone correctly - video

My experience of growing persimmon from the stone is already 3 years old and this is already a decent size tree on the balcony. The experience can be considered successful, except for some bewilderment, where to put the seedling? However, it is interesting, so I will share my observations and practical tips.

Before you start growing, it makes sense to think about what you will do with the grown heat-loving tree. In middle and northern climates, persimmons are unlikely to bear fruit or even bloom. This is just a broad-leaved tree that needs care, capricious, moisture-loving and adoring the sun.

For the winter, the tree sheds its leaves and will not be able to please you. If the temperature regime of wintering is not observed, the persimmon will simply die and will not wake up in the spring.

Germinating persimmon seeds is easy. It is enough to place persimmon seeds in a warm, humid environment and after 2-3 weeks you will see a strong white sprout.

Do not hesitate to plant, place the germinated seeds in a peat pot with fertile soil, one in each and provide the necessary and abundant moisture. You can put potted sprouts in a low container with water. It is better if there are no drafts nearby.

As a fertilizer, persimmon sprouts love dormant black tea, but be careful not to breed fruit flies, which also love tea and will gladly eat the delicate roots of plants.

Do not put 2-3 grains in one pot "for reliability" - the germination of fresh seeds is almost 100%, and it is difficult to plant extra sprouts due to the great tenderness of young plants.

If you grow 2-3 grains at once, a leader will be determined among them, which will not allow other sprouts to grow normally, but they will significantly slow down its growth and desperately fight life when broken off or cut.

Persimmon seeds for planting are best taken from overripe sweet fruits, already translucent from maturity. Large oblong bones are the seeds.

An important point - do not leave the bones to dry, place them for germination right away, immediately after you have eaten the persimmon. Persimmon is an autumn product, so get ready for the fact that you will almost immediately have to prepare the plant for wintering - yourself difficult period in plant life.

Persimmon sprouts are similar to bean sprouts - a strong thick sprout, which is crowned with a bone that has broken into halves. There is an important trick with this bone - no matter how messy the bone looks, do not try to touch it, tear it off, help get rid of the hard skin if it seems to you that it is stuck or stuck.

Surprisingly, such help and any intervention seriously weakens the plant. Wait for the first two leaves to appear and unfold. After that, the sprout can already be considered a seedling. Place the seedling in a small flower pot.

Transplanting a plant into a pot that is too large is undesirable - the plant will begin to actively develop the root system and may die.

A pot with a capacity of 1 liter is enough for the first year of a persimmon's life. You can leave persimmons in a small pot for 3 years, but then you have to worry about feeding and maintaining moisture between waterings.

Persimmon on the windowsill can stand for the first year or even two or three with proper pinching of the tops and crown formation. But let's not forget that persimmon is a tree that will be cramped in the house. Decorative qualities of persimmon are not too high.

Broad leaves do not have the waxy sheen and grace of a ficus. For the winter, persimmon necessarily sheds all the leaves and needs a special temperature regime. Temperatures around 0 or +5 degrees Celsius are desirable.

It is difficult to provide such a regime in an apartment in most cases. It is better to plant a grown three-year-old seedling in open soil.

Wintering persimmon grown from seed

If there is no problem whether it is possible to grow persimmon from a seed, for germination it is enough to spit the seeds into a cup of water and forget for a week, and then attach the resulting sprouts. The problem of how to survive the winter is quite relevant.

More than half of persimmon sprouts die in the first years during wintering. The sprout does not like permutations, therefore, until the moment of falling last leaves, do not touch the seedling, do not turn it towards the light, do not move it to a more convenient place for you.

Gradually reduce watering intensity. The leaves will turn yellow and fall off. Do not tear off yellowed leaves and grain residues. Wait until they fall off on their own.

Cover the soil at the root of the plant with fallen leaves. Move the plant pot to a cool place. Desirable temperature is from 0 to +5 degrees.

At this temperature, the persimmon sleeps peacefully. When the temperature rises, the plant may wake up at the wrong time and die from lack of sun. In the spring, when the plant's buds swell, you can rearrange the persimmon on the windowsill, choosing a sunny, well-lit place.

In early spring, the persimmon will rush into growth, absorbing fertilizer and water in incredible quantities. Your task in this case is to look after the size of the future tree. Pinch off the top bud about 20 cm from the maximum height you define for the plant.

The optimal height is 1.5 meters. If you allow the plant to reach up, it will be problematic. Immediately pinch the top bud at a height of about 1 meter to avoid pulling the persimmon. After the side shoots appear, pinch them too.

Wait for new shoots to emerge from dormant buds on the trunk and let them grow to their maximum length. This will happen at about 3-4 years of plant life.

Only with the help of constant growth control, you will be able to keep the persimmon in a decent framework, not allowing it to grow. Watch for young shoots. Without your control, persimmon can suddenly throw out long young shoots up to 1 meter. Stop such attempts, let the foliage be thicker, and the shoots frequent and not too long.

How to plant a persimmon in a large pot

Having overcome the 3-year milestone, it's time to transplant the persimmon into a large pot. Buy a big one clay pot with a deep pan, you've lived with a persimmon long enough to know how much it loves water.

Pour one-quarter expanded clay into the pot or put any other medium drainage. Remove the persimmon from the old pot along with a clod of earth and slightly spread the rolled roots. Most likely, the entire earth ball will be solid roots, so be careful not to damage them.

Place the spread roots in new pot and sprinkle with fresh purchased slightly acidic earth. You can use soil for garden plants, for a garden, land for roses and begonias is also suitable. The soil should be loose and light.

If you do not want to purchase ready-made soil, you can make it yourself by mixing fertile soil with light filler, for example, foam balls.

But when using self-collected soil, the risk of bringing pest larvae and weed seeds into the house increases, something that will take a long time to fight. From above, on the ground, after abundant watering, lay a layer of fallen leaves.

The leaves of the persimmon itself are ideal for shelter, as they are large, wide and quite dense. After transplanting, if the temperatures are high, you will have to water the persimmon 2 times a day. Then gradually bring to daily watering. In cloudy weather, it is enough to water the plant 2 times a week.

Watch the leaves, if they begin to wither, droop, turn yellow, curl into tubules, most likely the plant does not have enough moisture.

Well, congratulations, you have grown a tender persimmon in own house. What you will do with it now is hard to say. In the climate of the middle zone, the persimmon will most likely not survive in the open field.

The delicate taste of ripe persimmon fruits cannot be compared with anything. Unfortunately, you can watch this fruit on the shelves of shops and markets only in the autumn-winter period. It was at this time that you can try to grow persimmon from the stone at home. The plant is quite picky, you will have to pay maximum attention to its care, which may not bring the desired result.

Bone processing and planting
In order to get the most viable bone, it is necessary to choose ripe fruits with a whole skin, it is also important that the persimmon is not frozen.

There are two ways to plant persimmons from the stone:

1. Soak the fruit bones in weak solution potassium permanganate. After a few days (2-3), remove the bones and wrap them in damp gauze, which you put in plastic bag. Leave the bag in a cold place (about +5 degrees) for a month and a half. Then, using sandpaper, grind the bones on the sides and top. Place them over the entire surface of the container with an edge into the ground, pour 1 - 1.5 cm of earth on top.
   
2. Rinse and dry a few fresh persimmon seeds and bury in a 2 cm pot. Cover with a plastic bag and leave to stand in a warm place until the first sprouts appear.
   

soil for persimmon
The most favorable soil for this plant is a mixture of soddy soil with humus. The soil must be fertilized with bone meal, river sand and powdered charcoal. We line the bottom of the pot with a layer of expanded clay.

Features of plant care during early growth

• before the shoots of persimmons, periodically ventilate the cellophane "greenhouse", water the soil as soon as you see that it is dry;
  
• when the first sprout appeared, change the cellophane cover to glass and place in a warm place;
  
• if there is a bone left at the end of the sprout, carefully cut it off with scissors;
  
• as the persimmon grows, transplant it gradually into larger containers;
  
• do not forget to regularly water and feed the plant with mineral fertilizers;
  

Seasonal persimmon care
Each season has its own rules for caring for a tree.

• summer - persimmon should be on outdoors(garden, veranda, balcony); but you can’t just take the plant outside and you can’t leave it there, first you need to “accustom” it to this, take it out for several hours in the first weeks, gradually increasing the time; do not allow direct sun exposure on persimmon leaves so that they do not get burned;
  
• autumn - bring the tree into a room where the temperature is maintained at +10 degrees; pour wet sawdust into the pot, which must be sprayed periodically;
  
• winter - persimmon "falls asleep", fallen leaves testify to this; water the plant with water at room temperature and spray the leaves, do not overdo it with watering;
  
• spring - start feeding persimmons with mineral and organic fertilizers, alternating them with a frequency of 1 time in two weeks; in March, transship the plant and place it in a well-lit place; it is recommended to feed the tree until autumn.
  

In order for the persimmon to bear fruit well, it is necessary to form its crown correctly, cutting off the shoots in time and forcing them, thus, to grow in breadth. Don't expect a quick harvest from a tree planted from seed. You will be able to notice the first flowers only after 3 years, and the fruits - after 6 years. In order to achieve rapid ripening and fruiting, persimmons must be grafted after the first year of development, it is also necessary to monitor the air in the room - it should not be too dry.

Growing an exotic plant at home is at least an interesting activity, which can involve the whole family in the process of monitoring the development and maturation of the tree.