Turmeric is a plant with unique flavor and aromatic properties. His homeland is India. Rhizomes and leaves are used to make spice popular all over the world. In taste, it resembles saffron, but it costs significantly less. The stems and roots contain a natural dye - curcumin, which turns yellowish. Therefore, the plant is used in cooking, food industry, for the production of fabrics, cosmetics.
Growing Turmeric
The plant has not only excellent taste, but also an attractive appearance. It can be grown both in the garden and in indoor conditions. The first option is suitable for the southern regions of Russia (where spring comes early and frosts come closer to winter), because about 9 months elapse between sowing and harvesting. Turmeric can only be planted in containers in the middle lane and in the north of our country.
Outdoor Turmeric Planting
The plant can be grown in partial shade or in well-lit areas. It is advisable to plant turmeric in a clay nutrient substrate. However, it grows on sandy soil.
Planting is carried out in March-April, when the risk of night frost returning disappears:
- Dig a plot to a depth of 20 cm.
- Loosen the ground.
- Dig holes in the depth of 15 cm, retreating between them 15-20 cm.
- Place in the pits 2-3 segments of the rhizome, each of which has 1-2 kidneys. When landing, they should look up.
- Fill the holes (the thickness of the seal is at least 2 cm).
- Water the planting material.
Outdoor Turmeric Care
Spice is undemanding to care. It is enough to observe the following simple rules:
| Criterion | Recommendations |
| Watering | Turmeric is a moisture-loving plant, so timely and proper watering is very important for it. With a lack of moisture, the bushes will begin to wither and wilt. With excess water, the roots can rot. The irrigation schedule is affected by climatic conditions and soil composition. It is necessary to ensure that the top layer of the earth does not have time to dry out. Water must be settled, heated under the sun. |
| Top dressing | Complex mineral mixtures are necessary for decorative and deciduous plants with a high phosphorus content. The dosage of fertilizer should be 2 times less than indicated on the package. For the first time, bushes need to be fed during the formation of inflorescences, when they only open the petals. Repeated watering with the solution is carried out 2 weeks after the end of flowering. |
| Formation | To give a spectacular and neat appearance, remove dried leaves and wilted flowers. |
| Loosening | To produce after each watering or natural precipitation. Remove weed in the process. |
| Harvesting | Rhizome must be dug up before the onset of cold weather. In this case, the aboveground part should begin to fade.
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| Harvest Storage | Put rhizomes in containers filled with wet sand. The temperature in the room should be no more than + 10 ... +12 ° C. The crushed raw materials must be kept in a glass jar with a tightly closed lid. Keep it in a cool, dark place for no more than 3 years. It must be taken into account that the spice strongly absorbs odors. |
Planting turmeric at home
Turmeric is not propagated by seeds, only by rhizome. Planting stock can be purchased at any specialized store, or online. In the latter case, you must carefully approach the choice of supplier, read reviews.
For planting, you need to choose a spacious pot: at least 30 cm deep, 30-34 cm wide, with a good drainage system (otherwise the plant will die). In this capacity, you can put 1-2 pieces of rhizome. The soil should be loamy, light, enriched with nutrients.
It is first necessary to place the rhizome in warm water for several hours. Only after this can you begin to land. It can be carried out at any time of the year. Preferably in late winter or early spring. Step-by-step process:
- Divide the planting material into several parts, so that each has a minimum of 2-3 buds.
- Fill the prepared pot with moist soil. Pre-disinfect the container and soil to eliminate the likelihood of infections (for example, warm in the oven).
- Place the rhizome segments to a depth of 5 cm with the kidneys up.
- Pour plenty of warm water.
- Put the pot in the darkest and warmest place. Recommended temperature is + 30 ... +35 ° C. With colder air, the shoots will grow poorly, the roots may begin to rot.
- After the first sprouts appear, the container can be rearranged on the eastern or western windowsill. When placed near the south window, the plant must be shaded from direct rays.
In warm weather, it is advisable to take the bushes to fresh air. For example, on the balcony, terrace, in the garden.
Turmeric Care at Home
If you create the necessary conditions of detention, it will delight you with a rich harvest and lush, fragrant flowering:
| Factor | Recommendations |
| Temperature mode | Optimal - + 20 ... +35 ° C. If the temperature drops below +18 ° C, the bush will stop growing and may die. |
| Watering and humidity | The topsoil must always be moist, but not moist. If this is not taken into account, the roots will begin to rot and the plant will wither. Spray 1-2 times a day with warm, soft water. Next to the pot you can put a basin with wet moss or expanded clay. |
| Fertilizers | To bring under the root once a month a universal liquid mixture for decorative and deciduous plants. If the soil is poor, then feed twice in 4 weeks. |
With proper care, turmeric is rarely affected by diseases and pests. However, if you violate the rules of detention, the following problems may occur:
| Disease / pest | Signs | Control measures |
| Spider mite |
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| Root rot |
| It is possible to cure the plant only in the initial stages of the disease with a slight lesion:
You can use Cuproxate, Bordeaux liquid, colloidal sulfur. If this does not help, then the bush must be burned. |
| Leaf spotting |
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Turmeric is a delicious and aromatic spice that can be cultivated anywhere in the world. If the climate does not allow, then cultivation occurs on a window sill in a pot. With proper care, the bushes do not get sick, they are rarely affected by pests. From spring to frost, they delight with beautiful flowering, and in the fall they give a crop, from which they prepare a popular spice.
