How to grow curry leaves tree
Curry leaf or Sweet Neem is a tropical tree that is native to Sri Lanka and India. Its leaves are widely used for cooking purposes in India. Its leaves are also used for medicinal purposes. Curry leaves are rich in calcium, iron, carotenoids and beta-carotene. Curry leaf tree thrives best in warm climatic conditions. It is quite easy to grow and there is the standard and the dwarf variety. The standard variety can be grown outside if your region has the right climatic conditions for growing this tree. Dwarf varieties can be grown in containers or pots. They can also be brought inside if the weather conditions are not right for growing this tree. Now let’s move on to the growing conditions for curry leaf trees.
Growing conditions
Soil: Curry leaf prefers well-draining fertile sandy loam soil to grow well. It requires slightly acidic soil, and the soil pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5.
Sunlight: Curry leaf requires 6 to 8 hours of daylight to grow well
Temperature: Curry leaf grows best when temperatures are between 18 to 32 °C. It is not tolerant to frost, so it should be protected during the winter season.
Water: This tree requires regular watering to keep the soil moist, but soil that is water-logged can harm the tree. Regular watering should be done during the spring and summer season.
Pruning: The best time to prune is during the spring season. Pruning it can make it more bushy instead of going simply straight.
Now that we have seen the growing conditions of curry leaf let’s find out how to grow curry leaf from seeds. Growing curry leaf from seeds can take a very long and needs patience. If you are in a hurry to grow curry leaves in your garden, it’s best to buy a healthy sapling from a local nursery.
How to grow curry leaf from seeds:
1.Take a small container and fill it with rich seed starting mix.
2.Sow a few seeds one-fourth inch deep and gently water. Sow seeds in a few containers as curry leaf takes time to germinate and some may not germinate. It’s best to use fresh seeds to germinate as old seeds may not germinate.
3. After sowing the seeds, gently water and cover it with a plastic bag. This helps to control humidity and moisture levels in the soil. Place it in a location that gets sunlight.
4.Seeds take about 10 to 20 days to germinate. Once they have germinated you can feed it with compost or liquid fertiliser once in 2 weeks.
5.Once your seedlings have grown 6 to 8 inches tall, you can transplant them into the ground or into a bigger container. Dwarf varieties can be grown in containers. The standard variety can be grown directly on the ground. Amend the soil with aged manure or compost before you plant your curry leaf tree. If you are growing curry leaf in containers, use 60% compost, 10% coarse sand, 15% perlite and 15% vermiculite as the potting mix.
6.Curry leaf that is grown in the ground should be fertilised 3 times a year. Curry leaves grown in containers can be fertilised once in 2 months using liquid fertiliser or compost. Once your leaves have matured enough you can harvest them.
Growing curry leaf from cuttings
Growing curry leaves from cuttings is a faster and an efficient method. Take stem cuttings that are 3 inches long. Remove the bottom leaves, dip the stem cuttings in a rooting hormone and insert them into the potting mix. Keep it in a location that gets partial sunlight. The cuttings will root within 3 weeks.
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Spider mites and Mealy bugs are some of the pests that attack your curry plants. You can use neem oil or diatomaceous earth to control these pests.
Leaf spot is a common disease that attacks your curry leaf plant. Proper pruning can increase the air circulation, and reduce the risk of this disease.
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