Date palm from seed at home: top 7 types and care rules

May 11, 2019
Berries
Yana Yakovenko

Dates are the fruit of the date palm. They reach us in the form of dried fruits. In countries where the palm tree grows, they are also consumed in dried form instead of candy. It should be noted that they are very useful. We suggest studying how dates grow and is it possible to grow a palm tree at home?

Where does it grow?

So let's begin our study. Where do dates grow, in which countries? Palm trees thrive in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Morocco, and South America. They are also grown in Israel. In Central Asia it is called the “tree of life”. Where do dates grow in Russia? It turns out that they are grown in Sochi, where the climate is quite suitable for exotic palm trees. However, abundant flowering and fruiting cannot be achieved.

Possible problems during cultivation

Some gardeners are faced with a situation where a date stops growing for no apparent reason. This may happen due to the following factors:

Lack of heat. At air temperatures below +17 °C, the roots of the plant cease to function properly, and the nutrients necessary for growth do not enter the trunk.
Incorrect soil composition. The palm tree does not like soils with acidity below 7 pH. A lack of manganese and iron in the soil may also be to blame.
Pot too big. The aboveground part of the plant will not grow until the roots fill all the available space.

What do we know about the palm tree?

The plant grows successfully in tropical climates. They say that the history of the date palm began a long time ago. There are suggestions that it was cultivated 8,000 years ago by tribes living in the territory of modern Iraq. Its fruits were consumed by the inhabitants of Mesopotamia. Some believe that the local population prepares a miraculous decoction from the sap obtained from the tree.

Palm bark is also used as a building material. Roofs are covered with its leaves; they are also used for weaving various products. In general, all parts of the plant are actively used.

The date palm looks quite unusual during flowering. It can contain more than two thousand flowers. They are collected in large inflorescences that hang in clusters from the palm tree. This is how dates grow on trees.

It is noteworthy that in hot desert areas this plant makes it possible to grow cereals and grapes. The palm tree creates darkness, which allows a person to engage in successful farming. How do dates grow in such conditions? The main “requirement” of a palm tree is shallow groundwater.

Interesting fact! The palm tree can be up to 100 years old. It grows only at night, since its day is entirely occupied by photosynthesis.

Video choosing dates

Dates are one of the popular oriental sweets, because these dried fruits are both tasty and healthy. In the Muslim world they are used instead of sweets. Dates themselves perfectly satisfy hunger, enriching the body with vitamins (A, C, B, K, E) and microelements (calcium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, selenium, potassium, sodium, etc.). There are many recipes for dishes that contain this ingredient: these are pies and cakes, muffins and pastries, as well as various main courses.

They are used not only in cooking, but also in folk medicine, to treat problems of the digestive system, insomnia and nervous disorders, and to increase lactation in nursing mothers.

These fruits are not uncommon on our shelves, but no one usually thinks about where and in what countries dates grow. Let's find out.

In which countries do dates grow?

The homeland of dates is considered to be North Africa and the Middle East. It was here, on the territory of present-day Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, that this crop was cultivated 6 thousand years ago. However, Indians dispute this claim, considering their ancestors to be pioneers in date cultivation.

Today dates grow in many countries: Iraq, Bahrain, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia and Syria. These trees are found even in the USA, in California, Mexico and Australia. But the recognized leader in the export of dates grown in the country is now Saudi Arabia.

Many people are curious: do dates grow in Russia, and where exactly? Let us note that dates are grown on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus Mountains, in particular in Sochi, but such abundant fruiting as in the native tropics cannot be achieved here.

What tree do dates grow on?

Dates are known to grow on palm trees. However, their fruiting is possible only when they are in their usual hot desert. In their natural environment, dates grow and bear fruit abundantly for 60-80 years. It’s not difficult to grow a date palm from a seed, but you won’t get fruit: the fact is that this plant is dioecious, which means that for successful pollination it needs “neighbors” of both sexes. Therefore, palm trees are grown indoors as an ornamental plant with feathery, beautifully curved leaves.

Plant a seed from an ordinary date, and shoots will appear in 2-3 months. Caring for an indoor palm tree is as follows: it should be provided with bright lighting, moderate temperature in summer and coolness during the dormant period in winter. The plant must be watered abundantly during the period of active growth, and the leaves must be sprayed.

Dates are one of the most popular delicacies among the peoples of North Africa and the Middle East. They can be purchased at any supermarket. They have a valuable composition and many useful properties, but not everyone knows how dates grow.

What does a palm tree look like?

Before we find out how dates grow, let's move on to a description of the palm tree. It should be noted that there are about 17 species of Phoenixes of the Palm family. However, we only ingest the palmate date.

The palm tree grows to an average height of 15-26 meters and is distinguished by narrow leaves that can reach 6 meters in length. They are arranged in a bunch at the top of the trunk, like flowers in a vase.

How to grow from seed

To plant dates at home, you need to take fresh, fragrant dates. Only fresh seeds that are undamaged and have not undergone heat treatment are suitable for planting.

To determine the freshness of the seeds, soak them for 50-70 hours. During this time, the freshest seeds will fall.

Before planting, it is advisable to soak the seed in water for 2-3 days at a temperature of +25...+30 degrees. For better seed germination, it is necessary to break the shell. This can be done in any way (knife, file, fingernail). The seed must be handled with care so as not to damage the integrity of the kernel.

The planting container must be deep because the plant will have long roots. The bone itself should not be immersed in the ground very deeply, just a few centimeters. The seed is planted vertically in the ground (palm substrate), and then covered on top with glass or damp moss. Sprouts will appear in 2-5 months; if the seeds are fresh, the sprouts will sprout in 20-25 days.

Collection and drying process

The photo shows how dates are collected. Young palm trees, which reach 5-8 years of age, begin to actively bear fruit. They produce about 10 kg of fruit. But after 13 years, the plant is capable of producing up to 80 kg of dates.

Fruits go through several stages of development:

The fruit tastes bitter for 17 weeks after pollination. It is green in color and is 80% water.
Over the next 6 weeks it reaches the desired size and turns yellow, orange or red.
In the third stage, which lasts a month, the fruit becomes juicy.
Over the next two weeks it becomes rougher and dries out. Now it is ready for cleaning.

This is how long a date grows on a palm tree. Developed countries have mechanized the collection process as much as possible. However, in Africa, pickers still climb palm trees and cut bunches, which they carefully hand over to assistants waiting for them below. Of course, this is not the safest method. In American and Saudi plantations, various harvesting saddles, retractable ladders, and mobile lifting towers are used.

Many farmers closely monitor the degree of ripeness of dates, because hot sun or a period of rain can completely spoil the fruits. Therefore, they are often collected ahead of schedule and placed in special chambers that allow you to regulate the humidity and temperature of the air inside. Such conditions allow the fruits to fully ripen and maintain their beauty. In less developed countries, drying is carried out under sunlight. It is more labor-intensive, but ripened dates are in no way inferior to others in quality.

The use of dates is very wide. They are not only consumed dried and boiled. They are also used to make wine (this was practiced by the ancient Egyptians), a coffee substitute, and flour for making bread.

Planting process

Even an inexperienced gardener can plant a palm tree, however, a number of important nuances should be taken into account. First of all, palm trees are somewhat different from most house flowers, which means they have their own special needs:

Palm trees can be sown regardless of the season, however, the sprouts require a well-lit place; if there is a lack of light, they will have to be provided with artificial lighting;
germination and duration of germination are related to the shelf life of the seed material, so it is better to sow it immediately after purchase;
prepared seeds are placed in a light soil mixture - this can be a ready-made material for germinating seeds; in addition, gardeners often use a mixture of perlite and vermiculite, with the addition of sphagnum or a substrate made of coconut fibers; they should be moistened, but not wet; It is advisable to first disinfect the material by steaming it for 8–12 minutes in the microwave;
There is no need to place the seeds too deep; a depth of 1–2 times the diameter of the seeds is sufficient; if you deepen them too much, they begin to rot; if the seeds are scarified, they should be planted with the cut side down;

You can take any container, but it is best to use containers made of transparent plastic with a lid - these are used to sell confectionery and baked goods; in a closed container, the seeds will not dry out, and thanks to the transparent bottom it is easier to observe the process of seedling growth; the planting should be placed in a warm place, the air temperature should be +25-+32 degrees; however, this indicator depends on the type of palm tree: for some, the normal germination temperature is +25 degrees, while for others, +30 is not enough; to eliminate the possibility of mold formation and rotting of seeds, daily ventilation should be arranged - it is enough to open the container lid for 15–20 minutes a day, ensuring free access of air; palm seeds grown at home do not need to be watered; as the substrate dries, the substrate should be carefully sprayed with a spray bottle;

Some particularly advanced “palmaholics” purchase special mini-greenhouses, with installed heating devices and a thermostat. But this pleasure is not cheap.

In summer, a container with palm seeds can be placed on the windowsill, but you just have to consider the following:

the window sill should be warm, without drafts and constant shadow;
The substrate and seedlings should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

If there is no place with suitable conditions, then there is a way out: future palm trees will feel good on the cabinet, where the thermometer will always show more degrees than in other areas of the room.

Benefits of fruits

We all know that dates are very healthy. However, we can’t even imagine how much.

Interesting fact! Some believe that it was the date, not the apple, that was mentioned in the Bible. In the Holy Scriptures, these fruits are generally mentioned about fifty times.

Let's start with the fact that the likelihood of developing an allergy to dates is negligible. They are also very nutritious. A glass of milk combined with one date can provide the body with all the amino acids it needs. Dates are often taken with you on hikes, as they provide the body with the necessary level of energy.

The fruits contain glucose, which improves brain activity, and polyphenols, which have an antioxidant effect on the body. Potassium strengthens the heart and helps lower blood pressure. Fiber stimulates the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. Vitamin C helps fight colds, and Vitamin E improves skin condition, has an antitumor effect and improves the functioning of the central nervous system.

How to choose dates?

To choose the variety of dates you need, first decide what you want to use them for and how long you can store them.
If you are just trying to taste them and you are interested in their taste, then you should take several varieties little by little.
If you want to take dates as a supply of food with you on a trip, then the best choice would be any of the semi-soft, or better yet, hard varieties. Again, it is advisable to take at least two varieties to choose the one that suits your taste.
If you have to buy dates far from home, and you have to take them in reserve, then semi-soft or hard varieties will also be the best; they can be purchased for future use and stored at home at normal temperatures for quite a long time.
If you need dates for culinary purposes, then soft varieties are quite suitable, depending on your taste.

In any case, if you buy dates by weight, you should take a closer look. To do this, just carefully examine the dried fruit. Its skin should be dry and dark, with wrinkles. If the fruits are light, this means that they are not ripe. There should not be too many wrinkles on the skin - this indicates an overdried product. There should also be no foreign deposits or formations of sugar or mold on the skin. And, of course, the fruit should be whole and look something like this.

Typically, good quality dates are sold in branded packaging, which indicates the manufacturer, harvest date and packaging. Of course, they are a little more expensive, but there is some kind of guarantee that they have not expired. When choosing, you can be guided by the brief characteristics of the varieties that we described earlier. We hope that this review will be useful to you, and if you have not yet included dates in your family’s diet, now you will definitely try them. Bon appetit and good luck to you.

Benefits of dates

Confirmation that the ancient Egyptians knew the benefits of dates is that during the study of the Cheops pyramid, dried, almost rotten date fruits and jugs with the remains of date wine were discovered.
One of the ancient manuscripts says that dates were required for Cleopatra’s breakfast. Read more >

Grow your own date palm

Interesting fact! Dates also grew in the Gardens of Babylon, which are included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World. Alas, scientists still cannot say for sure whether these gardens actually existed.

Of course, you can place a seed in a flowerpot and hope that by some miracle a palmate palm will grow out of it. However, you can go another way. You just need to know how to properly prepare the seed for planting. Of course, the palm tree will not bear fruit. It serves as a decorative decoration for houses, apartments, and administrative buildings.

So, before planting the seed, you need to clean it as much as possible from the pulp and place it in a glass of water at room temperature in a warm place for a couple of days. The water will need to be changed 2-3 times. After soaking, it is easy to scrape off any remaining pulp from the pit, which may cause mold to form in the future.

After this, you can plant it immediately in slightly damp palm soil vertically and wait for germination, not forgetting about scanty watering. Overmoistening should not be allowed. Shoots usually appear after 2-3 weeks.

It is advisable to place several seeds in a flowerpot. The best time for planting is February-March. Many people make cuts in the seed for faster germination. Please note that it is advisable to keep the flowerpot with the future date palm in a warm room.

It grows very slowly; for several years it will resemble an ordinary houseplant with a pair of long leaves. However, after 5 years it will get stronger and a trunk will begin to form.

Seating in separate pots

As the date grows and develops, it becomes cramped in the pot. How to replant a date palm and when to do it?

The first transplant occurs when the leaf of the sprout has grown to 4 cm. The second transplant is carried out when the plant reaches 15 cm in height.

Since the date palm does not tolerate replanting well, it is advisable to do this only if necessary. The signal for replanting will be the obvious visibility of the roots in the drainage holes of the pot.

Young plants grow quickly and replanting is required annually. Before the procedure, moisten the soil ball well to make it easier to transfer it from the pot.

Another method of replanting a palm tree is not suitable: it has a very fragile root system. The pot is selected 3-4 cm higher than the previous one. The palm tree with the soil ball is carefully placed in the pot, and fresh soil is evenly poured into the voids of the container.

Important! Mature date palms are replanted every three years; otherwise, changing the top layer of soil is recommended.

The date palm is a spectacular ornamental plant; the only sad thing is that its propagation at home is possible only from seeds. Although in nature it reproduces well by root shoots. And yet, a green tropical tree in the house, especially during the cold winter period, significantly brightens up the anticipation of warmth and summer.

How to care for a palm tree?

Firstly, you should not place it near the battery. It should be in a room with a moderate temperature of up to +20 degrees. In summer, the best place for a palm tree is open air without drafts.

The leaves can be sprayed with water several times a day. In this case, watering should be plentiful only in summer. It is important to control that there is no overdrying or waterlogging.

Please note that the palm tree must be replanted regularly within five years. Mineral and organic fertilizers should be introduced in sufficient quantities during active growth - from March to September. This should be done every week. In winter, it is advisable to introduce complementary foods once a month.

Date palm at home care and maintenance

The date loves bright sunlight and needs shading only in the midday summer heat.
It is best to place small young plants on the windowsills of southern and south-eastern windows, larger and older plants - next to such windows. For uniform growth and development of the palm tree crown, it is necessary to rotate it around its axis from time to time. In the summer, the plant responds well to being kept outdoors in the garden or on the balcony, but if this is not possible, then the room should be regularly ventilated.

If the autumn-winter days did not provide enough sunlight, then in the spring the plant must be gradually accustomed to exposure to direct rays of the sun in order to avoid burns of the foliage. They do the same with a palm tree just brought from the store.

In winter, it is advisable to illuminate the date using fluorescent lamps. With insufficient lighting, palm leaves begin to stretch and droop down, losing their decorative effect.

In the spring and summer, when the date grows, it needs to be kept at a moderate temperature of 20 to 25 degrees. These tropical beauties also love higher temperatures, up to 28 degrees Celsius, but they also need high air humidity, otherwise the tips of the plant’s leaves will begin to dry out.

In winter, dates have a dormant period and need a temperature within 15-18 degrees. The Robelena date is more thermophilic and the optimal winter temperature for it is from 16 to 18 degrees Celsius.

The Canary date can spend the winter at a temperature of 8 to 10 degrees, and in adulthood with a formed trunk it tolerates a short-term decrease to 5 degrees below zero. Palm trees really don't like this kind of air stagnation. It is necessary to ensure regular ventilation of the room, while protecting the plants from drafts.

Incredible survivability

In Israel in 2005, scientists decided to conduct an interesting experiment. During excavations of King Herod, who lived during the time of Jesus Christ, date stones were discovered in clay vessels. Scientists decided to plant them. Two months later, one of the seeds sprouted.

After 5 years, the height of the plant reached two meters. It is noteworthy that this type of date palm disappeared from the face of the Earth 800 years ago. That is, scientists managed to resurrect an extinct species of tree.

Today, researchers are determining what medicinal properties this type of palm tree has. Scientists have not yet seen how dates grow on it. Until she bears fruit.

So, today we learned how dates grow and what their benefits are, and we also learned how to grow a palm tree at home.

Diseases and pests

Phoenix is quite unpretentious. If the date palm receives enough light, moisture and nutrients and is located in a warm place, there should be no problems with its cultivation. Most often, diseases and harmful insects affect plants weakened by improper care.

Pests

Harmful insects settling on a palm tree lead to the loss of decorativeness of its foliage, twisting and falling of the blades. Possible pests include nematodes, scale insects, mealybugs, as well as thrips and spider mites. Methods to combat them can be different and include mechanical, chemical treatment and the use of folk remedies.

Insects visible to the eye can be collected from the foliage by hand. The nematode is considered the most dangerous pest - it is especially difficult to remove. In case of damage, the date palm will have to be destroyed along with the soil, sometimes the pot will be thrown out along with it. One diseased plant can quickly infect neighboring ones.

Before using chemical treatments, they most often try to get rid of pests using household products. Among the most famous:

A mixture of soap and vodka. About 15 g of liquid soap or 1 tsp. planed laundry soap is diluted in a liter of water. Add 2 tbsp to the solution. l of vodka and treat palm foliage weekly, repeating the procedure several times.
Tobacco infusion. 40 g of tobacco must be poured into 1 liter of water. The resulting mixture is infused for two days, then another liter of water is poured into it again. The foliage is treated with the diluted infusion.
Garlic extract. Approximately 4 garlic heads are kept in a liter of water for about 5 days. 6 g of the resulting mixture (1 cap from a plastic bottle) is poured into a liter of water and the foliage is sprayed with the solution.

After such treatment, the foliage is thoroughly washed with water and then allowed to dry - for this the plant must be in a warm place.

If traditional methods do not bring the desired result, you should use commercial insecticides. These include Fitoverm, Actellik, Pyrethrum and many other brands. The selected drug is diluted according to the instructions. Most often the proportion is 2 g per 1 liter of water. Before completely treating the palm tree, it is necessary to carry out a test treatment. To do this, you need to apply the drug solution to just one leaf of the plant and wait a day. If nothing happened to the date, it means that it tolerated the impact well, and the entire green part can be processed. But before complete treatment, it is necessary to cover the soil in the pot so that the insect repellent does not get into the substrate.

Diseases

Sometimes the date palm can be affected by fungal diseases. These include pink rot and gray spotting. The reason for their development is usually insufficient drainage, unsuitable soil or the presence of pests. They can be cured using fungicidal drugs. For dates, it is better to choose products that do not contain copper. They should be used systematically until the plant recovers, but do this no more than once a week.

If you care for the date properly, it will practically not get sick.

Benefits of dates

Dates are loved by adults and children. The delicacy is not only tasty, but also healthy. If candies and ordinary sweets only destroy gums and tooth enamel, then dates strengthen them. They contain all the most important vitamins and minerals. They also contain niacin and pantothenic acid. These substances are very beneficial for the skin and hair, and benefit vision and the liver. The potassium and magnesium they contain help prevent heart disease. The dietary fiber (fiber) present in these dried fruits improves digestion. They help lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels. Dried dates contain a high concentration of antioxidants.

In another way they are also called “bread of the desert.” The great advantage of dates is that they are not treated with sulfuric acid, like other dried fruits. For example, among the Chinese there are many long-lived people whose diet includes dates. They not only increase a person’s life expectancy, but also make him hardy, strengthen the liver, kidneys, and heart. Dates stimulate the nervous system and help the body fight infections, including viral ones. These dried fruits prevent diseases such as: hypertension, anemia, breast and lung cancer. They can soothe a cough and speed up the removal of mucus.