Many people know about the indoor cultivation of exotic plants, but few have tried to grow such a treat as persimmon. Usually growing persimmons at home scares inexperienced amateur gardeners. And yet, there are enthusiasts trying to grow this plant in their home on the windowsill.
Persimmon is a subtropical deciduous tree of the Ebony family, most often with large fleshy edible fruits of orange color. She comes from China, but is widely distributed in Japan. Of the more than two hundred species, the most famous is persimmon ordinary or Caucasian, eastern and more winter-hardy - Virgin. The fruits of Sharon and Korolek varieties are very popular.
Experienced enthusiasts of exoticism on the windowsill will confirm that growing persimmons at home is a relatively simple matter, you just need to consider some of the features inherent in this tree. Since in nature the plant reaches 15 m in height, this can be a significant problem in a limited room space. The conditions for growing persimmons are not particularly difficult, since it is not picky in choosing the soil, it tolerates excessive moisture and the proximity of groundwater. Lighting may become a problem, since due to the photophilousness of this plant, persimmon cultivation at home should take place only in a well-lit room. It does not like pests and diseases, so it practically does not require treatment with chemicals. This allows you to grow environmentally friendly fruits at low financial cost. In addition, persimmon gives good yields. That's just for pollination most likely you need a second tree, and this already requires a larger area.
Usually persimmons are grown from grafted seedlings. Since this is a fruit tree after all of the southern regions, it will be quite difficult to get it in the middle and, especially, northern regions. You can, of course, grow persimmons from seed, but it will take more than 5 years. In addition, most likely, a wild game will grow, and again the vaccination problem will arise. If it was possible to get a grafted seedling, then further special problems with cultivation will not arise. By trimming and forming the crown in a timely manner, feeding with fertilizers and in the warm season, exposing to the air, you can enjoy your own sunny-orange fruits in 3-4 years.
So, how to grow persimmon from a seed at home? Washed and dried bones are planted in a pot to a depth of 1-2 centimeters. The pot covered with a cellophane film is left in a warm place for 1-2 weeks until germination, periodically ventilating and moisturizing. If necessary, a sprouted sprout 10-15 cm long should be helped to get rid of the seed, which with its dense wings can interfere with normal growth and lead to the death of the tree.
Fast-growing persimmon sprouts should be periodically transplanted into large pots to form a normal root system. In the summer, grown plants are recommended to be exposed outside in a well-lit, but sheltered from the winds place. During this period, for better growth, you need to feed him 2 times a month with organic and mineral fertilizers. For the winter in October-September, persimmons are transferred to the room, creating cold conditions of stay, about 3-5 ° C. Fruits grown from seed tree begins at 5-7 years.
Growing persimmons at home is real, but rather problematic due to limited space and a long wait for the fruiting to begin. Grown persimmons at home with high humidity, depending on the variety, lasts from 1 to 3 months. Growing it as an ornamental plant does not make sense, since for the winter it discards leaves. But if there is free space, and the desire to have your own tropical fruit-bearing garden, then choosing a persimmon will be an ideal and very tasty solution.