Sometimes the seedlings look sad – the stems are thin, like matchsticks, the leaves are pale and limp. And then panic begins: someone sprinkles urea, someone sprinkles a handful of ash, someone pours yeast, banana skins or iodine. But such a cocktail only makes the plants worse, because they do not need the number of feedings, but the right one. The author of the Zen channel “At Grandfather Yegor’s Dacha” (12+) in such cases recommends using a regular bay leaf.
How to prepare an infusion
Take three to four bay leaves per liter of hot water, but not boiling water (70–80 degrees, so that the essential oils do not evaporate). Cover with a lid and leave for four hours or overnight, then strain through cheesecloth. There is no need to cook or add secret ingredients. The infusion turns out to be light brown with a slight spicy smell – a kind of “seedling tea”. Any leaves will do: from a store pack, from the market, even broken ones. The main thing is that they are mold-free and not too old. A fresh bay leaf works a little stronger, but last year’s pack also gives an excellent result.
How to use
There are two ways. For very young seedlings, it is better to spray on the leaf – a fine spray from a spray bottle so that the drops are absorbed and not run off. Do this in the morning or evening, when there is no bright sun. For older seedlings, watering at the root is suitable: 50–100 ml for each glass, but only on damp soil (first water with water, then give an infusion). Dry soil cannot be watered – the roots will be offended. The two methods can be alternated: spraying one week, watering ten days later. Two or three procedures before planting are enough so that by May the seedlings are stocky, squat and with dark, fleshy leaves.
Result
“After the first watering with laurel infusion, I saw changes in two days. The stems darkened and became stronger. The leaves took on color. And most importantly, the stretching stopped. It was as if the seedlings received a command: stop stretching, it’s time to get stronger,” shares the author of the blog.
But there is another important bonus that few people talk about. Bay infusion is a powerful prevention of blackleg, a fungus that often destroys seedlings on windowsills.
You shouldn’t overdo it: once every 7–10 days is enough. There is no need to use it more often – the plants are not bottomless. The infusion is stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days; longer it loses its strength, so it is better to prepare it fresh (it only takes five minutes).
