Topic: Curry Leaves

[fitdog]

Anyone recently grown curry leaves, i come from Bradford the home of curry lol but the price of fresh curry leaves is horrendous so want to grow my own.  I have used the search function but looking for recent growers. Where can i get seeds/saplings from and will they do well indoors?

[livo]

I'm growing a healthy plant that presently has a whole lot of great big seed berries (drupes) on. This will not help you much though as I live in a temperate, bordering sub tropical region. You may be able to grow successfully in a pot if you can have it indoors with horticultural suitable lighting or in a glasshouse over winter.

[fried]

I heard that last year there was a shortage of fresh curry leaves, leading to panic in the restaurants that I eat in Paris where it is considered an essential ingredient. I don't know if there's some worldwide curry leave shortage or it's just seasonal.

[mickyp]

Hi Fitdog,
Yep i have grown my curry leaf tree from a small plant that i got from "The Citrus Centre" (google) im in surrey, its now 3 years old and a healthy 2ft high bushy tree, last year i got a crop of berries that didn't quite make it to seeds, maybe this year lol,
just avoid frost, keep it away from ponds, (scale insect) and during the winter an outside shed is fine, during the summer feed with citrus food, soak the pot and then let it dry out before watering again, ie stick your fingers in the soil and only water when the soil is dry for at least two inches, its good fun, enjoy

[mickyp]

I heard that last year there was a shortage of fresh curry leaves, leading to panic in the restaurants that I eat in Paris where it is considered an essential ingredient. I don't know if there's some worldwide curry leave shortage or it's just seasonal.

Hi Fitdog,
Yep i have grown my curry leaf tree from a small plant that i got from "The Citrus Centre" (google) im in surrey, its now 3 years old and a healthy 2ft high bushy tree, last year i got a crop of berries that didn't quite make it to seeds, maybe this year lol,
just avoid frost, keep it away from ponds, (scale insect) and during the winter an outside shed is fine, during the summer feed with citrus food, soak the pot and then let it dry out before watering again, ie stick your fingers in the soil and only water when the soil is dry for at least two inches, its good fun, enjoy

[livo]

Here's mine in full berry.  I'll try to grow some from the seeds this year.

[Bob-A-Job]

As a relatively Green fingered individual, growing my own chilli plants, I have been following this thread and others.

Whilst I am not above paying for plants, I prefer to grow from seed if I can, although I have found that sometimes the advertised plant is not always the seed provided.

My son has an 'App' that identifies most plants and I have asked him to identify my Bay Leaf Bush, the next time he is over (I aquired a small bush cutting from a very old family friend).  I recently read on here that some are ok and some are Poisonous!  I have not harvested any leaves yet, as you can tell from the fact I am still here!

[Peripatetic Phil]

My son has an 'App' that identifies most plants and I have asked him to identify my Bay Leaf Bush, the next time he is over (I aquired a small bush cutting from a very old family friend).  I recently read on here that some are ok and some are Poisonous!  I have not harvested any leaves yet, as you can tell from the fact I am still here!

Very wise

[mickyp]

As a relatively Green fingered individual, growing my own chilli plants, I have been following this thread and others.

Whilst I am not above paying for plants, I prefer to grow from seed if I can, although I have found that sometimes the advertised plant is not always the seed provided.

My son has an 'App' that identifies most plants and I have asked him to identify my Bay Leaf Bush, the next time he is over (I aquired a small bush cutting from a very old family friend).  I recently read on here that some are ok and some are Poisonous!  I have not harvested any leaves yet, as you can tell from the fact I am still here!

Curry leaf seeds have to be wet within its Berry to be viable, if it has dried out it won't germinate, there is quite a bit of good stuff on youtube, I have tried several times with cuttings by buying fresh curry leaves on sturdy stems but none worked, i suspect they were to old, or had been kept chilled so i bought my plant.

[livo]

I'll have to read up on harvesting the berries. Thanks for that heads up mickyp. Some may be ready to go.

Propagation from cuttings can be tricky and varies from plant to plant. Some can be grown from hard cuttings (old wood) or soft (new wood) but in different seasons. Others are only easily struck by one or the other during one season. Environmental conditions need to be carefully controlled for some, while others will strike by dropping a piece on the ground. I'd say trying to strike from a leaf sprig would take a bit of practice and some luck.  You may have more success trying from your own stock plant as store bought may be completely unviable due to the time lapse after cutting.  Rooting hormones may be required as well.  There are several nurseryman and horticulturalists in my wife's extended and immediate family.