Cinnamon is considered an ancient spice that adds a distinctive flavor to many dishes and drinks. On the World of Plants website, we introduced the cinnamon tree and then explained how to plant it, care for it, and the diseases that affect it.
What is cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a dense, evergreen tree belonging to the laurel family, and it is called Silam. The homeland of cinnamon cultivation goes back to Sri Lanka, the Malabar Coast adjacent to India, and the Myanmar region. It takes on a brown color and has an aromatic smell and a sweet taste. Spices are also extracted from its bark. In ancient Egypt, it was of great value for use in mummification operations. It should be noted that the cinnamon tree has several characteristics, as it grows in moist and well-drained soil, and reaches a height of approximately 15 meters, while its leaves take a thick and simple shape, and the edges of the leaf are characterized by being smooth and often... It takes an oval shape.
How to grow a cinnamon tree
There are a set of steps that must be adhered to and followed when planting a cinnamon tree:
- Initially, a hole must be dug to a depth of 50 cm, taking into account that its dimensions are 3 meters by 3 metres.
- Care must be taken to place organic fertilizer in the hole before starting the planting process, in order to improve seedling production.
- Cinnamon must be planted from June to July, in order to benefit as much as possible from the monsoon winds, as cinnamon is grown once a year.
- 4 to 5 seedlings are placed in each hole, or seeds can be placed directly in the hole.
Cinnamon tree needs for fertilizer
A one-year-old seedling needs an amount of approximately 200 grams of K2O, 25 grams of P2O5, and 18 grams of N, while three-year-old seedlings have different fertilizer needs than a one-year-old seedling, as these needs reach approximately 29 kilograms of fertilizer. K2Ok, to 200 grams of P2O5, and to 180 grams of N
Suitable soil for planting a cinnamon tree
It is possible to grow cinnamon in different types of soil. It can be grown in clay soil, which is rich in organic matter, or in sandy soil.
Climatic conditions required to grow a cinnamon tree
Cinnamon is a strong plant that has the ability to withstand different climatic conditions. Cultivation of cinnamon requires a hot and humid climate, as the appropriate temperature for growing a cinnamon tree reaches 27 degrees Celsius, and it should be noted that the tree bears fruit at an altitude of approximately 1000 meters.
Water requirements required for growing a cinnamon tree
The cinnamon tree is irrigated twice every week during the summer, and the amount of irrigation depends on the humidity levels and plant growth. The cinnamon tree is also a rain-fed crop that relies heavily on rainwater, as rainfall levels range from 200 to 250 cm. Very suitable for irrigation of cinnamon tree.
Information about growing a cinnamon tree
Below is a collection of information related to planting a cinnamon tree:
- It is possible to grow a cinnamon tree through seedlings.
- It is possible to grow a cinnamon tree in many places, such as: areas with a low tropical climate, a humid climate, and a hot climate.
- It is possible to grow a cinnamon tree in pots and on balconies, in addition to the home garden.
What are the methods of growing cinnamon?
There are two ways to grow cinnamon, either in pots or from seeds. Here are the planting steps for both methods:
First: Growing cinnamon from pots
Gardeners outside areas where cinnamon is grown often grow their plants in containers or pots and leave them indoors or in a greenhouse during cold weather. Knowing that cinnamon species in general do not reach their full size when grown in pots, however, after years they can give off aromatic cinnamon bark.
Here are the steps for growing cinnamon in pots:
- Choose a large pot that is at least 18 inches wide and approximately 20 inches deep.
- Make sure the pot has ample drainage holes.
- Use a loose, well-draining potting mix plus water, whenever the top of the soil dries out.
- Bring the plant outdoors in the summer to increase its growth in sunlight.
- If you keep it indoors, a south-facing window is ideal.
- Mist plants to increase humidity as needed.
- After planting cinnamon, you must fertilize it during the growing season, that is, between the spring and fall seasons, using liquid fertilizers.
Second: Cultivation of cinnamon from seeds
You can save cinnamon seeds and start new plants from them according to the following:
- Clean the berries from the seeds and dry them well.
- Make sure to plant the seeds when they are fresh, because they lose their viability quickly.
- Plant the seeds about one inch deep in pots containing sterile seed germination mix.
- Keep it moist and warm at 75 degrees Fahrenheit by providing frequent watering.
- After that, germination occurs within three weeks.
- Seedlings require artificial shading until they are approximately 6 months old.
What pests affect cinnamon?
Below we review some of the pests that affect the cinnamon tree, which must be controlled to ensure proper care of the cinnamon plant:
1. Cinnamon butterfly
They are large butterflies and exist in two forms, one of which has blackish-brown wings with white spots on the outer edges. The other has black wings with bluish-white markings. Cinnamon moth is controlled by spraying quinalphos 0.05% on thin, partially mature leaves.
2. Leaf miner
The leaf miner infestation period is most common in the monsoon period, when nursery seedlings are generally seriously affected. The adult is a delicate silvery gray moth, while the larvae are initially pale gray in color, then turn pink, and are about 10 mm long. This pest feeds on the tissue between the upper and lower epidermis of tender leaves, resulting in linear mines that end in pimple-like spots. Later, the affected leaves curl as a result of the pest's effects on them, and the mined areas dry up, leaving large holes on the leaves. Leaf miner blight is controlled by spraying quinalphos 0.05% during new flushes.
3. Rough bark disease
It is considered one of the most common pests that affect cinnamon. It causes damage to the young bark of immature shoots in the form of brown spots that gradually spread to all parts of the bark. Affected leaves show clumping and immature plants die under harsh conditions. This disease can be controlled by destroying diseased plants, and the harvesting process must be carried out at the correct time intervals while eliminating excess branches. Bordeaux mixture 1% or a copper-based fungicide can also be sprayed as a chemical treatment.
4. Rose stem borer
The adult moth lays its eggs at the bases of cinnamon plants and the larvae feed on the stem of the plant near the soil surface. Pest damage is common on older farms with poor crop management. Therefore, it may cause the death of new buds and the collapse of some mature buds at the base, so the crops will die gradually. This pest can be controlled by covering the base of the plant through earthing and maintaining the soil properly. But if the damage is serious, chemicals such as carbofuran and chlorophos can be used.
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References
Learn how to grow a cinnamon tree - Cultivation Site - mawdoo3
Cultivation of cinnamon: methods of growing and caring for it and the 4 most important pests that affect it - Faharas website
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