The persimmon is the fruit of the persimmon tree, which grows in the tropical regions of Asia and also in southern Europe. Growing persimmon plants from seeds is easy. However, the seeds are rarely found in purchased fruits.
How to propagate persimmons?
To propagate persimmons, you should get seeds from exotic plant mail order shops, stratify them and then sow them in potting soil. Keep the seeds warm, bright and moist until they germinate. Separate the seedlings and transplant them when they have grown larger.
The persimmon tree is a member of the ebony family. The following types are commercially available:
- Diospyros kaki (due to its sensitivity to frost, it is only suitable for keeping in containers in most areas of Germany),
- Diospyros virginiana (suitable for free-range farming outside wine-growing regions),
- Diospyros Lotus (very robust, often used as a grafting base).
The persimmon plants do not require any extensive care, they are not susceptible to diseases and pests. Harvesting the ripe persimmon fruits in your own garden remains an exception in most regions of Germany. With home-grown persimmon trees you will have to wait 4-6 years for the first harvest anyway.
The sowing
You can hardly find any seeds in the commercially available fruits. These are best ordered from the numerous mail order shops for exotic plants. The seeds should first be stratified. After going through the cold period of about two months (in the refrigerator, in the tin with moistened kitchen paper), put the seeds in the potting soil and only cover them lightly.
The seeds should be kept warm, light and evenly moist. The normal room temperature of around 22° C is sufficient for germination. The germination time depends on the temperature of the substrate and can be 2-4 weeks. An indoor greenhouse (€24.00 on Amazon) or a cover made of transparent film, which keeps the humidity and temperature constant, is helpful.
Treatment of seedlings
The seedlings need a lot of light to develop, but not full sun. The substrate should still be kept moist, but not too wet. It is best to use a spray bottle for watering. The seedlings are separated if the pot becomes too small and transplanted when a root ball has formed.
Tips & Tricks
The plants you get in stores are refined, i.e. H. created by connecting two plant parts - a rootstock and a scion. In this way, the desired properties (frost resistance, growth, fruit characteristics) are bred into the varieties offered.
