Many amateur gardeners dream someday to create a real tropical garden at home. Rare exotic plants do not have to be bought in nurseries. You can just plant them using the seeds left after eating the fruit. Such a simple method can also be used to grow a lychee tree. This plant loves moisture and warmth. The grower will have to create the appropriate conditions for him. In this review, we will examine how lychee grows and what difficulties its cultivation is associated with.
In vivo
Lychee is a rather unusual fruit. It has a delicate, pleasant aroma reminiscent of a mixture of strawberries and grapes. The birthplace of this fruit is China. Also, it is cultivated today in Thailand. Lychee loves a warm and humid climate. The minimum air temperature should be kept at +19 degrees Celsius. It is these tropical conditions that are considered the most comfortable for growing the crop in question.
In the natural environment, a lychee tree can reach a height of 30 meters. Usually it gives a rich harvest. The tree looks unusually beautiful during the flowering period. Small small buds, neatly combined into inflorescences, have a delicate sweet aroma. After some time, fruits begin to form in place of the flowers. During the ripening period, they acquire a pink-orange color. From this crown the plants become brighter. The lychee harvest season lasts all summer and another half autumn. At this time, on the shelves of local fruit shops you can always meet fresh fruits.
Description
Before considering how lychee grows at home, you should talk about the main characteristics of this fruit. It has a dense tuberous skin unsuitable for human consumption. You can remove it by prying the edge of a knife. Inside the fruit has one dark brown stone. Do not rush to throw it away by eating the fruit itself. From it you can easily grow a small tree.
We grow Chinese plum at home
We turn to a more detailed consideration of the conditions for growing lychee fruit. Chinese plum grows very well at home. If you create comfortable conditions for an exotic plant, it can reach up to 2.5 meters in height. The great advantage of lychee is the dense dark green leaves. They add decorativeness. Even if flowering does not work, the plant will still delight you with its aesthetic appearance.
Often gardeners are interested in whether it is realistic to grow lychee in their personal plots. If you live in the Krasnodar Territory or the Crimea, then you can try to grow lychee in the open ground. True, at first it is recommended to sprout a stone at home in a pot. When growing in the garden, the plant should be provided with reliable protection against frost and cold winds. Too low air temperature can lead to the death of the plant. The first reaction to adverse environmental conditions will be the dropping of foliage and the appearance of cracks on the branches and trunk.
Choose fruit
How to grow lychee at home? Is it possible to grow a full-fledged tree from a stone? Let's dwell on this in more detail. This is quite real, and many flower growers dare to such an experiment. However, a seed germ does not always appear. To grow lychee from the seed, you still need to choose the right fruit, extract and prepare the seed. Plus, a young plant requires constant care.
The first thing to do is choose the right seed for planting. The chances of growing a beautiful and healthy plant will be higher if you take a seed from a freshly ripened fruit. Today you can buy fruits of such tropical culture as lychee in the supermarket, but it is much better to get fruit directly from Thailand or China.
When choosing a fruit, be sure to pay attention to the integrity of the skin. It should not have darkened areas, dents, rot or mold. The fruit must be firm and resilient. After extraction, the bone should not be stored for a long time. You can start growing immediately. It is better to plant several seeds at the same time. This will greatly increase your chances of success.
We prepare planting material
How does lychee grow? What does it take to plant this plant at home? When you select a suitable fruit and remove a seed from it, you will need to spend some more time preparing it. First, the seed must be wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in a shallow container. Periodically, the matter needs to be moistened with water. After about 5-6 days, the bone should swell. A sprout may even appear. After this, the lychee should be transplanted into a pot. Cultivation is carried out both at home and in the greenhouse. If you take the sprout to open air, it can die quickly.
Is there any way to speed up the process of seed germination? Experienced growers recommend trying to use such growth stimulants as Zircon, Extra, Energen, and EcoSil.
Is seed preparation always necessary? To answer this question, just look at how lychee grows in nature. If the seed was extracted from a ripe fruit, then the probability of its germination will be high without the use of any growth stimulants.
Choose soil
So what do you need to know about this? Before placing the bone in a permanent place in the pot, you need to think about preparing the soil. How does a lychee tree grow ? It will feel best of all in a soil mixture consisting of universal soil and peat mixed in a ratio of 1: 2.
What should be a pot for growing lychee?
Another important issue is the choice of capacity for growth. The lychee pot should not be too big. At the bottom of the tank should be laid drainage elements, for example, pebbles, expanded clay or small pebbles. This will protect the root system from decay. Some gardeners recommend using walnut shells as drainage. The height of the pot drainage should occupy about ¼ part. You should also check if there are holes at the bottom of the tank to drain excess fluid.
Planting a plant
Let's dwell on this aspect in more detail. Prepared planting material should be placed in the soil to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. After planting, the plant should be abundantly watered. Since lychee can be grown at home only by creating a special microclimate, you should cover the pot with a plastic dome or plastic wrap. This will help create a greenhouse effect in the tank.
Where is it better to put a pot of lychee? Earlier it was said that the plant likes a tropical climate. Therefore, it is best to put a container with a young sprout in a warm place. In the autumn-spring period, you can place a pot near heating appliances, however, it should be borne in mind that watering should be more frequent.
After about 2-3 weeks after planting, subject to all conditions, a sprout should appear above the ground. Lychee will grow very fast at first. The first leaves are usually quite large. Having reached a height of 20-40 cm, the tree stops its growth. At this time, the active formation of the root system begins.
How to care?
This issue should be given special attention. So, we have already examined what a lychee fruit is, how a tree grows and whether it is possible to get it from a seed at home. Now it’s worth talking about caring for this plant. When 5-7 leaves appear on the stem, lychee can be transplanted into a larger pot. Thus, you will create optimal conditions for the formation of the root system.
When caring for a tropical plant, it is important to follow certain requirements. Lychee loves heat, but it is better not to expose it to direct sunlight. Due to the harmful effects of ultraviolet light, dark spots may appear on the surface of the leaves. Therefore, do not place the pot on the sunny side. Try to find a warm place without drafts to accommodate.
Of great importance for proper growth is illumination. Lychee needs to be highlighted 12 hours a day. In the cold season, artificial lighting will have to be used for this purpose.
Lychee needs frequent watering. The soil in the pot should not become dry, but it is also not worth it to fill the plant. Once a couple of days you can do spraying. It can be very difficult to create the required level of humidity at home, so spraying moisture should be an indispensable element of care.
At home, to grow lychee, you will definitely need to use top dressing. Due to the enrichment of the soil with minerals and nutrients, the tree should grow faster. The first time you can make fertilizer 3 months after planting the lychee in the ground. The second dressing can be made only after a year.
During the first two years of the plant's life, its crown should be formed. To do this, cut the branches. Pruning is also carried out for sanitary purposes, removing dried leaves and branches from the plant. Too often, pruning a plant is not worth it, as this can adversely affect the flowering process.
Growing problems
What difficulties can flower growers decide to grow lychee at home? Here are just a few of the most common problems:
- rotting of the roots;
- damage by a spider mite;
- attack of whiteflies and aphids.
To prevent damage and death of plants should regularly inspect lychee for damage.
Conclusion
In this review, we examined in detail how lychee grows. Photos of plants, information about the features of care and recommendations of experienced gardeners will help you grow this unusual tropical plant at home.