Do you like desserts? Surely yes. No matter how old you are, desserts are among the most anticipated dishes. We can eat them at any time of the day or after lunch. Some are cold, others can be eaten hot. Some are baked; others need to be in the fridge, etc.
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The truth is that desserts can be prepared with a large number of ingredients. However, among the most common is always milk, sugar, eggs. In addition, contrary to what one might believe, many of them also contain certain spices, such as cloves and cinnamon.
Have you ever wondered how these spices are obtained? If so, this is a very valid question. In the specific case of cinnamon, we know that this is nothing more than the bark of a tree. But where does this tree grow? Is it possible to have a copy in our house? Of course!
If you like cinnamon, you will be happy to know that you have the possibility to plant a cinnamon tree in your own home. Imagine all the desserts you could prepare without having to go to the supermarket to collect this spice! Also, since it tends to be expensive in some places, you could even trade with it.
In this post, I will share with you everything you need to know to have a cinnamon tree in your own home. It should be noted that, in addition to being delicious, cinnamon gives off a very pleasant smell that perfumes the place. On the other hand, it has many medicinal properties, which makes it a great ally for humans.
But, without further ado, let’s see what you must do to plant cinnamon in your garden, what you need to achieve it and some important and interesting details of this exotic and unusual tree.
Instructions for planting a cinnamon tree
Although the cinnamon tree requires little care and can live indoors, outdoors, and even in a pot, it is rarely grown in homes.
On the other hand, cinnamon is typical of hot and humid areas, which means that, if your region has these characteristics, you will be able to grow it without any problem. How can you do it? Very easy! You just have to follow a couple of instructions. But before, it is important that you know that it is possible to do it by seed or by cuttings.
In the case of sowing by seeds:
- Select a large enough pot and prepare the soil by placing compost and substrate.
- Then, place about three seeds that are two centimeters apart from each other. Also, make sure that the depth in which you bury them corresponds to twice their diameter.
- Then, you must cover them with soil, but without flattening it.
- Place the pot in a place close to where the sun reaches them.
- Water it daily, but without letting the stream of water fall directly on the seeds.
- When the plant has germinated or if you have transplanted it, make sure it is in a warm and humid place, since for the tree to develop correctly it needs at least 6 hours of sun a day. This, so that the process of photosynthesis occurs and the tree does not die.
To plant the tree by cuttings:
- The cinnamon stick must be raw and unpackaged. Those that are ready for consumption do not germinate.
- It must come from a healthy tree or a specific use for planting.
- Then moisten the cutting and bury it in the pot. The soil must have enough organic matter and substrate for it to root successfully.
- Sometimes it happens that the cutting manages to germinate, but does not take root. In this case, you must continue watering it and add earthworm humus, so that it can take root.
- When the roots sprout, then you can transplant it and continue to care for it like any other tree.
Now, what do you need to plant a cinnamon tree in your house? I will be talking about that next.
What do you need to plant a cinnamon tree?
Some of the things you need to keep in mind are the following:
- Cinnamon grows in hot and humid climates, where the temperature is not below 18º C, but not above 30.
- You can plant it in a large pot and then transplant it into the ground. However, if you don’t want it to spread out too much, you can leave it in the pot and it won’t grow more than a meter.
- In case you want to plant it directly in the ground, you need to leave a space of about 40 centimeters away from the plant closest to it, in this way, they will not compete for the nutrients of the soil and it will be able to grow freely.
- Plant cinnamon in the rainy season so that it can take root and withstand the arrival of winter. The rainy season is also appropriate for transplanting.
- The cinnamon tree grows in moist soil. So it is possible to plant it in soils that are slightly clayey. However, you must make sure that it is a deep and fertile soil.
- The soil must be free of weeds. In addition, it must have good drainage. If this is not the case, you will need to add substrate to prevent it from getting waterlogged.
- This plant needs to be watered regularly, but without falling to the extremes of waterlogging, because the roots could end up rotting. The recommendation is that you resort to drip irrigation to have better results.
By following these instructions, you will ensure that your cinnamon tree will not only germinate and grow, but will last a long time. But, what other recommendations should you take into account?
Tips for planting a cinnamon tree
Cinnamon will be ready to harvest after 2 or 3 years from planting. Then, you will be able to get your product every 2 years.
All you have to do is strip the bark off the tree. This should come off very easily after the rainy season, since at that time the stem will be wet.
If you planted your tree on the ground, it will reach a height of about 3 meters. An indication that it is ready to be harvested is that its bark turns brown, which means that it is ripe. Similarly, its stem should be between 3 and 5 centimeters in diameter.
If you prefer, with the help of a saw, cut some branches of the tree, preferably those that are closest to the ground. Then, put them to soak and remove their bark with the help of a knife.
Put the barks in the sun for a whole day so that they begin to dry and acquire the tube shape that characterizes them. However, you should keep in mind that the drying process can take a week or more. Therefore, do not despair and wait patiently.
An insect that usually attacks this tree is the larva of the weevil. It is in charge of piercing the branches until they die. The best thing you can do, in this case, is to seal the parts that are infected with fungicide and insecticide.
There are other types of pests that attack trees when they have poor drainage. Hence the importance of adding a substrate and that the soil is not so clayey. Many of these pests can be controlled with tobacco, cow urine, and garlic, among others.
Another important recommendation is that you should prune the tree every two years and remove the leaves that are turning yellow or purple. You can get cinnamon tree seeds from a local nursery or plant store.
If you put these simple and practical recommendations into practice, you can be sure that you will have a beautiful cinnamon tree in your house, which will fill your life with perfumes and envelopes.
