The so-called real laurel (Laurus nobilis) has been used for thousands of years as a medicinal and spice plant by harvesting and drying the leaves and berries. For use in your own kitchen, you can easily plant the laurel on the balcony.

Choosing the right substrate for laurel

Basically, the real laurel prefers a rather sandy soil, which should be permeable and humus. However, when cultivating laurel on the balcony, care should be taken to ensure that the soil used can store moisture well. Otherwise, regular care and watering is necessary, since sun and wind can dry out potted laurels on the balcony very quickly.

location and water supply

As a plant from the Middle East and the Mediterranean region, bay laurel should always be grown in a location in full sun. If necessary, the plant can also be planted in semi-shady places, but it does not thrive there as well as in sunny and warm places. Although laurel tolerates waterlogging poorly, the fine and sensitive roots must not dry out. Water laurel as a container plant on the balcony in summer at least once or twice a week, depending on the wind and solar radiation. You can usually achieve a better harvest if the laurel is sheltered from the wind on the balcony.

Harvest and process bay leaves correctly

Electric hedge trimmers (€77.00) should also not be used for cutting fast-growing laurel bushes. Cut leaves on the laurel bush quickly turn brown and can be a target for diseases. For use in the kitchen, individual twigs are cut by hand and hung up to dry with the tips down. The dried leaves can then be used to flavor various dishes:

  • soups
  • beef steaks
  • stews
  • Cucumber and pumpkin broth

tips and tricks

The real laurel can only overwinter in the open in very mild locations in this country, on the balcony it survives the winter with great difficulty even wrapped in fleece. You should therefore plan a place in the garage or in an unheated, bright shed for winter quarters.

Category:

Trees