You must be fond of adding flavorful, aromatic curry leaves to different cuisines. What’s better than having a plant at your home to get the leaves whenever you like? Along with garden plants and flowers, this is your beneficial part! But many people feel they see the same number of leaves on the plant every day, with the plant growing at a snail’s pace. Even though there isn’t a magic serum that would boost the plant’s growth overnight for your tiny plant to become a tree the following day, some tips on how to grow curry leaves faster would increase the development, and you’ll get fresh curry leaves in a shorter while.
Many people lose hope in growing curry leaves as the plant gets infested by pests and shows prolonged growth. But with the proper knowledge and techniques, you can reward yourself with a bountiful harvest and a faster growth process. Here we list the tips that would boost the growth of curry leaves and then look at the different requirements of growing it indoors and outdoors.
How To Grow Curry Leaves Faster?
- Prune the curry leaf plant correctly
- Fertilize it regularly
- Plant in ground
- Repot the plant for better growth
- Pinch off the flower buds
- Take good care during the colder months
Now let’s discuss these tips on how to grow curry leaves faster and how it impacts the plants’ growth.
1. Prune the curry leaf plant correctly
Prune the curry leaves plant branches to make the plant show bushy growth. Properly pruning the plant will produce new components to grow, leading to the development of more leaves. Whenever you see young branches growing, pinch off their tips so that they develop multiple stems. Cutting off the dead branches speeds up the development of the plant while also making it bushy and thick. The best time to prune the plant is during the spring season. Remember, the more branches and leaves you cut off, the more growth it will show.
2. Fertilize it regularly
Applying fertilizer doesn’t mean that you overload the plant with fertilizers and hope to make the plant grow magically. But the tip to applying fertilizer is adding the right amount, using the right kind of fertilizer, and adding it at the most appropriate time of the year. Never apply potent fertilizer to young plants, as it will damage their growth and kill them. If the curry leaf plant is growing in a pot, apply the fertilizer at the rim. While a plant grows in the ground, use it in the canopy of the leaves.
Homemade fertilizers, buttermilk, and diluted curd are effective if you try to find out how to grow curry leaves faster.
When the plant starts thriving and is not too young, apply a liquid fertilizer every 3rd to 4th week. Giving one teaspoon of iron chelate and three teaspoons of iron sulfate every 4-5 weeks keeps the foliage of the curry leaf plant healthy. To keep the plant growing all through the spring, summer, and fall, you can prepare a fertilizer by taking 1 liter of water and dissolving one teaspoon of Epsom salt in it and giving this to the plant every three months.
3. Plant in the ground rather than in a pot
Potted curry leaf plants show slower and lesser growth than those grown in the ground. The bigger the plant grows, the more branches and leaves it will have. Still, remember to prune and fertilize the plant regularly, even if growing in the ground.
4. Repot the plant for better growth
If you are growing curry leaves in a pot and thinking about how to grow curry leaves faster, then a great tip for you is to repot the plant in the next size of the pot. Proper pot size gives the plant enough space to grow and become strong. Remember to use a well-draining potting mix and fertilize the plant from time to time.
5. Pinch off the flower buds
Curry leaf is grown for its flavorful and aromatic leaves rather than its white flowers. Therefore, pluck the flower buds when you see them growing in the plant’s branches. Doing this will help the plant use its energy to grow new leaves rather than focus on growing flowers and seeds.
6. Take care of the plant during winter.
Winter is the time of the year when the curry leaves plant goes into a resting state due to the low temperature and lack of sunlight during the winter. The leaves may turn yellow or even start falling, leaving the plant with bare stems and empty branches.
Helpful tips to help the plant survive winter dormancy and how to grow curry leaves faster are:
- Water the plant less frequently until the winter ends to keep the plant in a rested stage.
- Increase the temperature around the plant or move it indoors. If you cannot bring it indoors, then cover the plant’s roots with a black cover or anything that increases its temperature by 5 degrees.
- Whenever you water the plant, try to water it with warm water rather than cold water. Remember not to pour boiling water as it can damage the roots.
Growing Tips For Indoor Curry Leaf Plants
It can be challenging to grow curry leaves indoors, but you can overcome the difficulties by knowing the right tips and advice. Some tips that will help you out are:
- Soil: Curry leaves grow best in slightly acidic and well-drained soil. Mix equal amounts of garden soil, peat moss, and perlite to make suitable potting soil for curry leaves.
- Sunlight: Even though curry leaves love to grow in full sun, when growing them indoors, use a grow light or place them near a sunny window. Proper sunlight ensures faster growth as the plant can photosynthesize properly.
- Temperature: Keep the plant away from direct heat sources and cold drafts, and maintain the temperature at 60-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Humidity: Curry leaves prefer growing in high humidity as they are tropical plants. Put a tray of water near the plant to provide humidity naturally, or use a humidifier to maintain the moisture.
Keeping the correct humidity is essential to promoting curry leaves’ healthy growth indoors.
Growing Tips For Outdoor Curry Leaf Plants
You can enjoy a bountiful harvest of curry leaves by growing them outdoors. You need to provide the curry leaf plant with the right conditions. We include here some tips on how to grow curry leaves faster in an outdoor setting:
- Soil: Curry leaves grow well in slightly acidic and well-draining soil. To grow healthy curry leaf plants, you can mix equal quantities of garden soil, peat moss, and perlite.
- Sunlight: The plants grow best in full sunlight, so grow them in a place that gets at least 6 hours of daylight falling directly on the plant daily.
- Fertilizer: Apply a balanced fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during the growing season. These fertilizers provide the plant with the extra nutrients required for speedier growth.
- Humidity: Keep the soil moist, as curry leaf plants prefer growing in high humidity.
- Watering: When the soil is dry, moisten the plant. Too much water can rot the roots even though these plants are drought-tolerant.
If you provide your curry leaf plant with the right conditions, you will see faster and healthier growth.
Reasons Why Curry Plant May Not Be Growing Fast
There are several things that curry leaf plants need for healthy growth, and if not provided, they would hinder the growth of curry leaf plants. If your plant is not growing fast, and you are looking for how to grow curry leaves faster, then look for these things:
- Sunlight
One of the most significant factors that slow down the growth of indoor curry plants or even kills them is a lack of sunlight exposure. These plants need at least 6 hours of sunlight each day; therefore, grow them outdoors or near a sunny window when growing indoors. If the soil feels wet and the leaves seem bent down or wilted, it may be facing a lack of sunlight. So place it outside in the full sun for a day and see whether it works.
- Cold weather
Curry leaf plants thrive in tropical and warm environments, so they grow best in temperatures above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are developing a curry leaf plant in a cold place, then bring the plant indoors during the night when the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Soil issues
Curry plants grow well in slightly acidic, with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5 and a well-draining soil. If the leaves have brown or white spots, yellowing leaves, or brown coloring, it may be because of soil issues.
It is good to carry out a soil pH test to determine the pH of the soil and adjust it according to the plant’s needs.
- Watering issues
The leaves may wither or appear droopy if the roots become overburdened with water, resulting from the soil not being well-draining. Overwatering can cause root rot and other fungal issues. First, try to revive the plant by placing it in sunlight and limiting the amount of water you give it. If this doesn’t work, consider replacing the soil with fresh soil containing loom or sand mixtures for better drainage.
- Pest issues
Common bugs may infest curry leaf plants, including spider mites, aphids, and whiteflies. Whiteflies and fungus gnats infestation are more common when curry leaf plants are grown indoors. It is good to use an insecticide to get rid of the pests affecting the curry leaf plant. If you want to know how to grow curry leaves faster, get rid of the problems hindering their growth as soon as possible.
Wrapping Up
Curry leaves are among the plants that need little maintenance and care. But when they are grown in their preferred conditions, they reward with healthy and fresh curry leaves every time you need them to flavor your soup or some other dish. Follow the tips on how to grow curry leaves faster and pluck a bunch of them whenever you want them.
Frequently Asked Questions
After how much time can I start harvesting curry leaves?
It can take up to 2 years for your curry leaf plant to establish itself enough that you can start harvesting curry leaves from time to time. To have the maximum chances of germination, buy freshly dried seeds and grow them carefully.
Which homemade fertilizer works best for curry leaf plants?
Some homemade fertilizers that work best on a curry leaf plant are rice water, buttermilk, banana peel, wood ash, eggshells, and asafetida. You can apply them to the curry leaf plant weekly for the best results.
How to make the curry leaf plant bushier?
The easiest way to keep a curry leaf plant bushy and healthy is to prune it regularly. Pruning frequently encourages the growth of new and more leaves on the plant. During the growing season, it is good to trim the plant regularly and manage the size of the plant you need.
How much watering does a curry leaf plant need?
You should water the curry leaf plant infrequently, but whenever you water it, do it thoroughly. Touch the topsoil and if it feels dry, then moisten the plant. If the plant gets watered through rain and during the spring, cut down watering to once a week.
How to make curry leaves bigger?
An easy way to get bigger and healthier curry leaves is to apply fertilizer regularly. Never overuse a fertilizer and follow the instructions given with the fertilizer, as incorrect usage can burn up and kill the plant.
