Content
- Turmeric - worth knowing about the leaves of the versatile plant
- Shape and composition of the leaves
- Do not panic with wilting turmeric leaves
- Check the leaves regularly for pest infestation
- Tips
Turmeric is not only healthy but also pretty to look at
Turmeric - worth knowing about the leaves of the versatile plant
Turmeric plants grown in the open air delight the gardener's heart in the summer for at least three weeks with their magnificent flowers. The plants look very attractive with their fresh green leaves but also during the rest of the growing season.
Shape and composition of the leaves
In general, turmeric plants in the pot or in the outdoor bed can reach a height of about 80 to 100 cm. The leaf sheaths of the superposed leaves form a so-called pseudo trunk. The elongated and up to a maximum of 90 cm long leaves are arranged alternately and usually have a pointed end. Turmeric inflorescences, which are very eye-catching at first glance, are in fact made of rather inconspicuous flowers and bracts that contrast in color with the green of the plants. These tapered bracts on the flowers are the reason for the importance of turmeric as a decorative houseplant. But more important in terms of cultivation are the rhizomes, which have also brought the turmeric plants the following names:
Do not panic with wilting turmeric leaves
Again and again you can read about hobby gardeners who dispose of their turmeric plants in frustration after an initially enjoyable summer on the compost heap. Then, nursing errors are usually assumed to be the reasons for taking the plants in autumn. In reality, however, this is a misunderstanding: After all, it is quite normal for the different types of turmeric that the flowers and leaves die off after a growing season and the plants retreat into their subterranean survival organ in the form of a rhizome. So wear it with frame and remove withered foliage in autumn without resentment. You can either dig up the tubers or overwinter them in the pot in the house. In the spring, you can then first plant the tubers in the house in a pot and put the preferred young plants from May back to the outdoors.
Check the leaves regularly for pest infestation
Often turmeric itself is pulled from tubers and cultivated on the windowsill or in the conservatory. At high temperatures and low humidity, spider mite infestation may occur indoors. Therefore, you should check the leaves regularly on the typical white webs and remove them if necessary with a sharp stream of water or appropriate treatment products from the retailer.
Tips
The leaves of turmeric can be sensitive to extreme heat, drought and intense sunlight. The plants should therefore not be planted in the blazing sun and at locations with a tendency to heat accumulation.