Medlar

Medlar is an evergreen tropical plant. Its trunk is covered with dark gray bark, the leaves are large and glossy. Medlar blooms with white fragrant flowers that attract bees and wasps. Fruits have a pear-shaped or spherical shape, are covered with thin skin, sour taste is present. The medlar homeland is Southeast Asia. It is grown not only as an ornamental, but also as a fruit plant.

The plant can be grown at home. For this It is better to take the Japanese variety, which is called lokva. It is an evergreen shrub, reaching a height of 2 m in its natural environment. At home, the medlar will not grow above 1 m. Despite this, the plant bears fruit well.

Medlar fruit: how to grow?

Usually the plant is grown from the stone. Keep in mind that after extraction from the pulp, it should be planted no later than in 3 days. If the bones are left for a week, they will dry out and will not germinate. If you decide to grow loquat from purchased seeds, you need to understand that they are likely to not give fruit in the future. So the only way to grow a fruit-bearing plant is to eat a fresh fruit, and immediately plant a bone in the ground.

The ideal substrate for growing will be a mixture of peat, sand, humus and sheet soil. If you doubt that you can prepare the substrate yourself, purchase it at a specialist gardener shop.

Capacity for growing can be used any. In one pot, you can plant up to 6 seeds to a depth of 2 cm. Before planting, be sure to moisten the soil, otherwise, the seeds will not germinate.

When you plant a bone, cover the container with plastic wrap and place it in a warm and lighted place. An ideal place where these conditions will be ensured is the windowsill. Seedlings need to be watered at least 4 times a week. It is necessary to wet the dried layer of soil every day, using a spray bottle with soft, settled water. When the seeds germinate, remove the plant from the window sill, because it does not tolerate exposure to direct sunlight. Every day you will have to remove the film and clean it from condensation, otherwise mold may appear on the soil surface. In addition, the earth must be supplied with oxygen, which is necessary for the fruit.

Medlar at home

• To germinate medlar bones at home is not an easy task. Do not expect that young shoots will appear earlier than in a month. However, there is no guarantee that the plant will bear fruit in the future.

• If the plant rises, in the next few months a loquat can be omitted at all. When sprouts with a height of 2 cm appear above the soil surface, remove the protective film and provide a loquat with a temperature not lower than 18 degrees. If you planted a plant in the summer, the capacity can be put up for the whole night on the balcony or taken to the cottage. Fresh air will bring young growth only benefit. It is necessary to water a medlar regularly and at least 3 times a week.
• Usually, medlar shoots grow rapidly and in a month can reach a height of up to 15 cm. When this happens, spread them out in separate containers. This will allow them to grow freely and not interfere with each other. Note that some plants may die during transplantation - this is completely normal (the so-called natural selection). Strong seedlings, survivors, after transplantation will grow not only in height but also in width, forming a large and durable stem.
• For transplanting choose non-acidic soil, which consists of humus, river sand and peat. The tank should be deep enough for the medlar to feel as comfortable as possible and to grow normally, bearing fruit.
• The young plant begins to bloom in the third year after transplantation. Flowering occurs in late autumn - early winter. Fruits will have to appear in the second half of December (usually this happens by the New Year). Fruits will be able to please guests or cook compote from them, as well as prepare various desserts.
• After flowering, it is recommended to form the crown of the plant, although this is not necessary. With the help of trimming medlar can give a decorative form, thinning the crown in the spring and removing weak shoots.

How to plant a medlar?

Medlar planted either in the garden or garden, or at home. When planting plants in open ground, it should be planted according to a certain scheme: one plant should have at least 1.5 x 1.5 m of land. This will provide good nutrition.

It is necessary to water a medlar abundantly, especially in the summer period. Despite the fact that this plant is drought-resistant, its yield with low humidity decreases several times. It is advisable to feed it at least 2 times (in spring and summer) with extract of mullein or any other organic fertilizer.

Medlar is a tropical plant that is well adapted to Russian conditions. With proper care and planting, it can bring a juicy and tasty fruit, rich in vitamins and microelements. Fruit is made into salads, added to various dishes, and fruit drinks are cooked. Observing the rules of cultivation, you will receive not only a flowering plant, but also a fruitful culture.