Growing Cinnamon in Pots, And Containers (Dalchini)

Introduction to Growing Cinnamon in Pots

Cinnamon is a bushy evergreen tree of the laurel family (Lauraceae) and the spice derived from its bark. It is the reddish-brown layer in a Cinnamon tree’s branches and trunk. Growing Cinnamon in pots is easy, and the bark will be ready for harvest within a couple of years. The tree has a dry bark; it is a useful culinary herb and is used in abundance in almost all kitchens. In this article we also discuss below topics;

Tips for Growing Cinnamon
How do you harvest Cinnamon
How long does it take for Cinnamon to grow
Is Cinnamon easy to grow
Does Cinnamon kill fungus
How can I grow Cinnamon at home

A Step By Step Guide to Growing Cinnamon in Pots

Cinnamon plants are tropical and very easy to grow. This versatile spice can be used to help root cuttings, to prevent the fungus from killing small seedlings and even for keeping pests away from home. Cinnamon grows in very poor soils and is tolerant of a variety of nutritional levels. Cinnamon is well known for its culinary uses. It’s easy to grow in containers. As long as the soil is kept slightly dry, a Cinnamon plant can thrive for years without special care.

Soil Requirement for Growing Cinnamon in Pots

To prepare a suitable potting soil for plants, mix high-quality compost or aged manure with sand peat moss or coco peat. If you use coco peat in potting mix, you need to be careful to avoid oversoaking. Remember soggy soil isn’t ideal for these plants. It’s advisable to use self-watering pots or glazed pots for your Cinnamon plants.

The soil pH level for Cinnamon should range from 4.5 – 5.5. The best soil for potted Cinnamon is a combination of quality compost, sand and peat or coconut husk fibres. A mix that is about a third of each ingredient is perfect for Cinnamon plants. If you use coconut husk fibres, pay close attention to avoid over-soaking the potting soil; soggy soil is not at all good for the roots (for most potted plants this is true, but particularly so for Cinnamon). Plan for a container that has excellent drainage and avoids self-watering pots or glazed ceramic pots. Water plants deeply, and then allows them to dry to the touch before watering again.

Light and Temperature Requirement for Growing Cinnamon

Cinnamon plants require full sun, but in very hot and dry weather, they benefit from some afternoon shade. You need to place containers in a place that receives sufficient sunlight during the day or in a bright and sunny greenhouse.

If the Cinnamon trees get the right conditions indoors, they will grow to a height of 4 to 5 feet. The Cinnamon plants need a spot where they will get 12 hours of direct sunlight.

Cinnamon plants like it warm and humid conditions. Cinnamon plants will do well in either location, as long as they receive around the full sun. If the temperatures in your area fall below 20°C, then it might be best to plant the Cinnamon indoors.

Selecting the Right Kind of Pots or Containers for Growing Cinnamon Plants

An ideal pot for your Cinnamon plants should be 18-24 inches and about 20 inches high with adequate drainage holes.
Additionally, the pot should have sufficient drainage holes. Glazed pots are preferred for Cinnamon plants since they need less watering.
When transplanting Cinnamon into a pot, you need to make sure the pot is large enough to support the plant to maturity.
If the container is large enough to support root development, growing Cinnamon plants in pots become easier.
Cinnamon plants grow very well in containers as long as you provide an adequate size pot for root development. Glazed pots require less watering than raw terracotta pots due to their porous nature.
Start with a large container, to give your Cinnamon plant room to grow and mature. Fill the pot with a lightweight loam. You can control the growth of the Cinnamon plant by keeping it somewhat root-bound. In indoor plant can remain in a 36-inch pot for the duration of its lifespan.

Cinnamon Plant Propagation

The easiest and widely adopted method of Cinnamon propagation is by seed. It can also be propagated by planting, layers and cutting.

Cinnamon fruits ripen in July-August. The fruits fall when fully ripe. The fleshy berries are left in heaps in shade to soften and rot. The mass is then trampled. The pulp-free seeds are washed and dried in shade. They are sown without much delay as they have a short period of viability. The nursery is raised in a suitable spot in soil, rich in organic matter.

The place is dug well twice or thrice. The soil is broken to powder and made loose; making it altogether free from stones and root bits, etc. The seedbeds are made 1 meter wide and of suitable length with adequate provision for drainage. The seeds are sown in lines 12 cm apart and are covered with a layer of soil to a thickness of 2.5 cm.

Germination of Cinnamon seed occurs in about 20 days. The beds have to be provided with artificial shade and then watered regularly. The shade should continue until the plants are 12 cm in height and removed gradually. Transplanting is best done when the plants are about 10 to 12 month old.

You can make new plants from stem cuttings. First, take a cutting and strip off all but a few leaves. Plant the cutting in moist potting soil, and then keep it in a warm, partially sunny window. Cuttings are slow to take, and may not be ready to plant outdoors for several months.

Sowing Cinnamon Seed

The Cinnamon seed must be grown in a balanced soil comprised of half silt and half clay mixed with plenty of organic matter. The seeds must be planted 3/4 inch under the soil mix and kept well-watered. Germination will be in 15 to 20 days. Trees should be kept in indirect light until they are 6 months old.

Plant the seeds half an inch (1.5 cm) deep in the pot with a spacing of about 1.2 inches between the seeds. Since Cinnamon trees require full sun, the pot must be placed in a window location or a bright and sunny greenhouse. With proper conditions, indoor Cinnamon trees grow to reach 4 – 5 feet in height. Cinnamon will germinate in about 20 days, but it takes much longer for it to reach maturity.

How to Fertilize Your Cinnamon Plants

Cinnamon plants are needed to be supplied with sufficient nutrients, particularly when grown in pots. Fertilize Cinnamon plants for healthy growth and to prevent attacks and diseases. It’s thus essential to make sure you start your plant in fertile potting soil.
Fish- based fertilizers are perfect for Cinnamon since this is a foliage plant not primarily a fruiting plant.
During winter, plant growth slows down, thus the need to reduce fertilizing at this season. You need to add compost or aged manure to your pot twice or thrice in a year.
Cinnamon plants are light feeders. You can place a handful of timed-release fertilizer in the planting hole to help plants get established; they don’t need further feeding.
Cinnamon plants are average feeders, preferring regular application of organic plant food on a year-round basis. A fish-based or general-purpose organic fertilizer is the best option for Cinnamon since they are primarily a foliage plant. During the winter season, an option is to reduce supplemental fertilizing by half, but top-dress your container with quality compost twice through the fall and winter.

Caring for the Cinnamon Plants Indoors

Step 1) Grow Cinnamon plants indoors in a container that has drainage holes and light, somewhat acidic potting soil. Set the container on a windowsill where plants will get sunlight for at least part of the day.

Step 2) Wait until the plant-soil feels dry 1 inch below the soil surface before you water the tree. This tree is subject to root rot if it receives too much water. Fertilize the tree every 2 weeks from spring to fall with water-soluble plant food, but stop fertilizing it during winter. Then, mist it occasionally with water from a spray bottle if the indoor air is dry.

Step 3) Watch for mealybugs, pests that look like bits of cotton. Spray the Cinnamon tree with a neem oil solution if mealybugs appear, repeating the treatment one week later.

Step 4) Cinnamon plants don’t need much pruning. You can remove branches to achieve a symmetrical shape or to remove damaged branches. After around 2 years, you need to cut back the primary stems alternately.

Step 5) With a sharp knife, cut the stems to a height of approximately 1.6-2.4 inches at an angle of 30 degrees in the inward direction.

Step 6) When you cut Cinnamon stems at this angle you enable the plant to spread outwards; additionally, each base of the Cinnamon plant will shot three new healthy stems. This will increase the number of stems you’ll harvest from the plant. You also need to cut the side branches from the primary stem to promote vigorous growth after exposing the tree’s base to sunlight.

Process of Growing Cinnamon in Pots or Containers

Step 1) Cinnamon plants grow easily in containers. This plant grows about 3 to 8 feet tall in a container. The plant in the container will be safe during harsh cold days.

Step 2) To grow Cinnamon plants, select a container of 18 to 24-inch diameter and 20-inch depth.

Step 3) The Cinnamon plant can be grown from seed. Fresh Cinnamon seeds are also available to you online.

Step 4) To plant a Cinnamon in the container, first of all, check the drainage holes, if not, make it with the help of necessary tools. Cover the top with a piece of clay pots or screening.

Step 5) If you want to grow by seed, you can plant several seeds in 1 pot and then dilute it later. Keep holes about 1 to 2 inches apart for seeds.

Step 6) Remove the nursery plant from the poly bag and then loosen the root ball slowly. Set it in the pot and cover the hole with the surrounding soil and gently pat the soil.

Step 7) After planting the plant give enough water so that the soil remains moist. Water the plant until it flows from the surface. After this, there is no need to water the tree again. Let the soil surface dry in the pot before re-watering.

Benefits of Cinnamon in Gardens

The benefits of Cinnamon on plants are widespread and you may end up reaching for the spice almost daily. Here are some of the common uses of Cinnamon in gardens;

Cinnamon for pests

If you have a problem with ants in your home, Cinnamon is a good deterrent. Use Cinnamon for pests inside and outside the house. Cinnamon won’t kill the ants, but it will help to keep them from coming inside. If you have a problem with ants, mix a container of Cinnamon powder with the sand, mixing it well. Ants will steer clear of the sand.

Cinnamon as a rooting agent

Cinnamon is useful as a rooting agent as willow water or hormone rooting powder. A single application to the stem when you plant the cutting will stimulate root growth in every plant variety. The Cinnamon will encourage the stem to produce more stems while helping to prevent the damping-off disease.

Cinnamon fungicide control

Take advantage of Cinnamon fungicide control by making a spray with Cinnamon plants. Stir some Cinnamon into warm water and then allow it to steep overnight. Strain the liquid through a coffee filter and then put the results into a spray bottle. Spray the stems and leave of affected plants, and then mist the potting soil in plants.

Cinnamon Growing Problems of Cinnamon

Fungal diseases can affect these plants growing under stress in excessively wet or shady conditions. Many of the insect pests that affect these plants like the Cinnamon butterfly and Cinnamon gall mite. Leaf miners can also infect Cinnamon plants, causing leaf drop. Apply insecticide as directed if the infestation is severe. Damping-off is a fungus-based problem that hits small seedlings just as they begin to grow. Cinnamon will help prevent this disease problem by killing the fungus.

Eliminate pests with herbicides. Insecticides are not effective because they don’t kill the eggs. If you don’t kill the eggs, then they will hatch, and you’ll have to deal with the pests all over again.

Common Cinnamon pests include borers, a jumping plant louse, caterpillars, leaf miners, and mites. Be sure to peel back the bark and treat the area underneath it. This is where all the eggs tend to be. When in doubt, treat the entire stem. The main known disease is a grey spot on the leaves. The pink disease affects Cinnamon stems; the root also damages the plant. It is advisable to use a fungicide to control spots on the leaves. For bark diseases, you can control by regular removal and destruction.

When and How to Harvest Cinnamon

In case if you are interested in this: Growing Curry Leaf In Pots.

If the Cinnamon is an indoor tree, you can cut the stems shorter if they are growing too long. Left to itself, a Cinnamon tree can grow up to about 8 feet. Don’t harvest the same stems each time.

A vigorous 3-year old Cinnamon plant is ready to harvest. Cut off individual branches, or cut the entire tree at the trunk. (Trees growing in the ground produce new shoots that will become a new tree). Scrape away the outer bark until you see the yellowish-orange layer beneath, which is the Cinnamon. Peel strips of this Cinnamon layer with a sharp knife. The pieces should dry for about a week, and they will curl into the typical shape you see in stores as they dry.

You may also consider this: Organic Ashwagandha Farming.

1 COMMENT

zahir hussain October 13, 2020 At 2:36 pm

Sir,
I have some land with unfertile black clayey soil. Kindly advice me how can i make a farm out of it