Are you wondering how to grow curry leaves at home?
Did you know that a curry leaf is one of an essential ingredient when it comes to cooking curry dishes?
If you are one of the many who is wondering how to grow curry leaves, then the information below is definitely for you.
Curry leaves are popular in Thailand, India, and any other Asian countries where curry is widely eaten and used.
Curry is used in simmering soups and stews and adds an aromatic scent to the dish. The fragrance that it has is citrusy which is why many people use it for culinary purposes.
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There are also some who are using curry leaves for medical uses. Of course, having curry leaves in your garden is a great addition as well.
How To Grow Curry Leaves
Here are the tips on how to grow curry leaves in your garden:
Types of Curry Leaves
The first thing that you need to do is to think of the kinds of curry leaves that you want to grow.
There are 3 types of curry plants, which are the regular, dwarf, and the gamthi. The regular ones have the ability to grow fast and tall.
The appearance that it has is pretty standard, wherein you can often see them at a grocery store. The dwarf variety, on the other hand, don’t have the ability to grow tall only 6-12 feet.
The leaves are longer and lighter in color and can often be bought at a grocery store as well. The gamthi variety is the most aromatic one and has leaves that are thick. Of all the three, the gamthi is the slowest to grow.
Positioning Your Curry Leaf Plant
Whether you pick all 3 varieties or choose just one, they all need to be exposed to full sunlight and should drain well. The soil should be acidic while the temperature should be over 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you decided to grow your curry leaves indoor, it would be best to increase the container’s size slowly every year since the plant is growing in it.
If you decide to grow your curry leaves in your garden during the warmer months of the year. You need to make sure that the leaves are getting enough sunlight but make sure to watch out for sun burning problems especially if the temperature goes over a hundred degrees Fahrenheit.
How To Grow Your Curry Plants From Seeds
The best way to spread the curry leaves is by seed. You should put in mind that the seedlings will take a year or a couple of years to become well established.
While they are still young, it would be best to prune and pinch them to ensure that the plant will have multiple branches, which will then give you a lot of leaves to harvest.
Now if you decided to propagate from the curry’s seed, it would be best to remove the hard outer shell to help the plant to germinate quickly. Just make sure that you are using a fresh batch of seeds.
Propagating Your Curry Plant With Cuttings
Now if you don’t like waiting for an extended period, then propagating your curry leaves by leaf plant is the way to go. You can purchase curry leaf plants from nurseries or Asian stores in your area.
Just make sure that you are buying the right lead since there is a curry plant being sold which is different from a curry leaf. When purchasing, make sure you are purchasing a Murraya koenigii plant.
These are the ways on how to grow curry leaves. Of course, for you to ensure that they will grow healthy. You need to know how you can take good care of them.
Tips on How You Can Maintain Curry Leaves
Feeding and Fertilizers
When planting curry leaves, it is essential to help their growth be stimulated by feeding them with fertilizer. It is essential to feed them once every few weeks, to ensure that they are getting the nutrients that they need for them to be able to grow well.
Giving them Iron Sulfate
Curry leaves can sometimes experience iron deficiency, which is why it is essential to provide them with a couple of tablespoon of iron sulfate or a tablespoon of chelate iron that is powdered.
This will ensure that they are getting enough iron that they need for growing. There are different iron products in the market today and choosing the best one would be ideal.
Caring for Your Curry Leaves During Winter
Now, when winter comes, you might notice that the leaves will start turning yellow. This just means that your plant is going dormant and it might start losing the leaves.
If you notice this, it would be wise to lessen watering your plant to help prevent the rotting of the root.
Pruning Your Curry Leaves
When pruning your curry leaves, it would be best to do this during the spring season. This will help the plant to become healthy and for it to produce a lot of good leaves for your dishes and other purposes.
Pluck the Berries Off
If you notice some berries appearing on the plant’s branches, then plucking them off is necessary. The reason behind this is because it will help encourage the growth of new leaves.
You also have the option to leave them, since it will contribute to turn your plant into sweet and gorgeous looking flowers.
Of course, there’s a downside to this. Your plant’s energy will then be put to growing the flowers instead of producing leaves.
Watering Your Curry Leaves
Unlike other types of plants, it would be best to avoid over watering your plant since they thrive better when it’s a little bit dry. Before watering them, make sure that the soil is well dry to avoid soaking the plant with too much water.
These are the information on how to grow curry leaves at home. Start planting them now for you to be able to reap their benefits.