Bay leaves add a great flavor to many dishes. We show what needs to be considered in cultivation in order to harvest the aromatic foliage at home.
The true laurel (Laurus nobilis) originally comes from the Near East. Laurus is the genus of laurel belonging to the laurel family (Lauraceae). Germany is known worldwide for the supposed national dish, sauerkraut. In addition to cloves and juniper berries, bay leaves are of course part of the preparation to really make it what hearty sauerkraut means to us. In other regions, the noble laurel is also popularly referred to as Daphne. According to a myth, the nymph Daphne turned into a laurel bush in order to escape the immortally in love Apollo. In ancient Rome, the laurel plant was thus sacred and a bound laurel wreath was worn as a headdress in the Empire as a sign of power and high status.
Laurel: growing in your own garden
Due to the excellent suitability of the bay leaves for cooking, cultivation in your own garden is desirable. But that is not easily possible. We will show you what needs to be considered if the real laurel is to take a place in your own garden.
The perfect spot for laurels
The true laurel, which comes from the Middle East, likes it sunny. But you shouldn't start straight away and dig a hole in the bed. In addition to the sun, the evergreen places even more value on heat. When cultivated in beds in most regions of Germany, the chances of this laurel plant surviving even with a light frost are extremely low. It is better to opt for pot cultivation as a precautionary measure. A well-draining substrate with a certain amount of sand should be chosen for this purpose. It can have a high nutrient content and should also have good water retention.
Increase Laurel
The real laurel can be propagated both by sowing and cuttings. To do this, the fresh fruits are pre-treated in water for two days. After that you can take them in wholelay out ordinary sand and cover in seed starch. However, the laurel seed should only be sown fresh, as its ability to germinate degrades very quickly. In order to be able to harvest seeds yourself, a female plant must be present. Laurel plants form either only female or only male flowers on a plant (dioecious). Propagation from cuttings is done in August or September. Simply cut off shoots up to 20 cm long that are still young and not woody and put them in a permeable substrate. Of course, high humidity must also be ensured when propagating laurel cuttings.
Watering and fertilizing laurels
The laurel likes it neither too wet nor too dry. However, it has to be watered frequently, especially in summer. In order to reduce the water requirement of the evergreen shrub, the bucket should be placed in a wind-protected place. It is also advisable to water the laurel plant twice a week, but then vigorously, instead of giving water every day. The very fine roots of the laurel, which shy away from constant moisture, are also happy about this. But the roots not only shy away from waterlogging - they are also very sensitive to s alt. That's why low-s alt rainwater should always be used for watering.
You don't necessarily have to fertilize the real laurel either in the pot or in the bed. It is often sufficient to select a well-fertilised substrate such as our Plantura organic universal soil and to repot it regularly every two years. Of course, a larger bucket should be used in order to be able to enclose the root ball with some new soil. If you tear open the root ball with a hook, this stimulates the fine root system to branch out.
You can find out more about watering and fertilizing laurel here.
Care for laurels
The warmth-loving laurel does not really feel at home in our latitudes. With the exception of mild regions such as Lake Constance or the Lower Rhine, it does not survive the winter here unscathed. It is therefore better to cultivate the aromatic laurel plant in a bucket and put it in a frost-free but bright place in winter. But be careful: the watering must not be completely stopped even in the cold season, otherwise the laurel will returncoming out of hibernation with lots of brown and yellow leaves.
Pruning should be done regularly to keep the shrub in shape. In any case, you should make the effort and cut by hand. When cutting with a hedge trimmer, many leaves are often shredded and thus offer dangerous entry points for pathogens. Should be pruned in March. You can even create a topiary from the real laurel and thus convert it into a decorative element in the garden. If the laurel returns from the winter dried up and radically defoliated, a radical pruning can ensure a second spring of life and fresh growth of new shoots.
You should watch out for infestation with scale insects on the laurel. If the pests are detected early enough, they can simply be collected. However, if there are too many over time without intervention, the use of a pesticide can soon no longer be avoided in order to preserve the plant. Depending on the agent, the leaves should of course no longer be used for seasoning.
You can find more information about caring for laurels in our special article.
Laurel varieties and similar species
There is not really a large variety of Laurus nobilis on the Central European market. However, if you know exactly what you are looking for, you can at least get hold of the rarities in specialized online shops. We introduce you to the varieties and their characteristics:
- Aurea: golden yellow foliage; particularly sensitive to cold wind.
- Angustifolia: narrower foliage; sensitive to frost; slow growing.
- Saratoga: classic foliage and ordinary habit; relatively low water requirement; good for lean soils.
Similar species: Not only Laurus nobilis has spicy foliage
In addition to the true laurel, there are a few other species that are popular for cultivation because of their aromatic foliage. Only some of them also belong to the laurel family (Lauraceae). In terms of taste, they usually differ greatly from real laurel.
- Indian laurel (Cinnamomum tamala): grows in the Himalayas; Leaves add a cinnamon note.
- Indonesian Laurel (Pimenta californica): popular in Southeast Asian cuisine; similar to the true laurel used here.
- West Indian Laurel (Pimenta racemosa): oil is obtained from harvested leaves; Note reminiscent of the scent of cloves; oil shouldhave an antiseptic effect.
The trivial names are always related to a specific region, as they are usually only known here and are used as herbs.
After successful cultivation you can harvest. Learn how to harvest and store laurel in this article.