Laurel is present in every home as a spice. But not everyone knows that it can be grown independently, and the leaves can be dried and used for cooking. But can it be grown in a cold climate?
After all, this plant comes from the Mediterranean, where it is warm and there is a lot of sunlight.
Does laurel grow outdoors in cold climates
An adult plant easily tolerates frosts down to -10 degrees. In areas where frosts can reach -20, and sometimes -30, the tree will die in the open air. But in a heated winter greenhouse it will grow.
You can try planting the plant outdoors, forming it into a bush. Laurel tolerates pruning well, producing long shoots after it. If you cover the ground around the bush with leaves or straw for the winter so that they cover the lower buds on the branches, the plant can survive even in severe frosts. If the branches die, the laurel will sprout new shoots in the spring. The main thing is that the root system is not damaged.
But there is a less risky way of growing.
The best way to grow laurel
Growing in open ground will turn into a constant struggle for survival and will bring disappointment if the plant does die, because the probability of this is high.
It is much easier to grow a laurel tree indoors. It feels great in a container. In summer, it can be taken out onto the terrace or into the garden. By the way, if the terrace is closed and heated, it can spend the winter there.
Laurel tolerates a lack of light, although good lighting is needed to grow a beautiful plant with lush leaves. It should also be remembered that if there is a lack of light, there will be no flowering.
Good news for those who live in an apartment: the laurel tree loves dry air, so it will feel good even during the heating season. However, it is still worth giving it a warm shower from time to time.
It is rarely affected by pests, as it has hard, glossy leaves that are difficult to bite through.
The plant tolerates pruning well, its crown can be shaped to your taste, giving it any shape. In the homeland of laurel, hedges and decorative landscape elements are made from it, giving the bushes bizarre shapes. By the way, you can also grow a bush in a pot, not a tree.
It reproduces by seeds and cuttings, like other plants. Cuttings take root easily. But the seeds quickly lose their germination, so it is best to sow them immediately after removing them from the berries. If you buy dry seeds, check that they are fresh.
