Clove cultivation

El Clove or Clove It is an evergreen tree native to Indonesia that can reach a height of between 10 and 20 meters. Due to its origin, it is very sensitive to cold, but its cloves are well known since they are used to make a spice widely used in Europe and Asia.

In addition, It has an interesting medicinal property that can be very helpful. (at least, until consulting a doctor). Would you like to know what it is? Do not stop reading.

What is clove like?

Our protagonist is an evergreen tree that grows to a maximum height of 20 meters. Its leaves are lanceolate, and they start out being a coppery color and as they develop they turn green. The flowers are grouped in inflorescences in the form of a raceme, which is harvested when they turn green.

How is it grown?

If you live in an area with a warm climate, you can grow Cloves in your garden by following these tips:

• Location: in full sun or in semi-shade (which has more light than shade).
• Irrigation: frequent. Every 2-3 days in summer, and more or less 4-5 days the rest of the year.
• Land: rich in organic matter, with good sewer system.
• Subscriber: it is important to fertilize it during the spring and summer with organic fertilizers, such as guano, worm castings or manure.
• Planting time: in spring.
• Multiplication: by seeds in spring. Direct sowing in a nursery with a universal culture substrate mixed with 30% perlite.
• Rusticity: sensitive to cold and frost.

Now, understanding this information regarding the plant is quite simple, but it turns out that in some cases, it is not always completely understandable.

Despite everything you read in the detailed list just now, you know that growing the clove plant is quite easy. And one of the reasons to ensure this is that it is a plant that does not need special care, much less be aware of development and / or growth as such.

The main and fundamental thing is to be in an area where the environment is warm and that it at least looks a lot like subtropical climates. So at first, you will have to be in an area where the temperature is between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius.

And it is based on this need for temperature, we have to clearly complain that the plant is seriously affected when it is tried to cultivate in cold places or those that are at least below 20 ° C. From the outset we tell you that this is not possible. And just as cold places damage the plant and impede its growth and development, also places where the soil has too much moisture or tends to be watery are also harmful to the plant.

Type of crop

Now, we have reached the part that really interests you and that is how to cultivate it exactly. It is well known that plants can reproduce themselves, use seeds or a simple cutting for its multiplication.

In the case of cloves, you can do this using two methods. The main one is through cuttings and the more common and easy of the two. The other focuses on reproduction and / or cultivation through seeds.

Anyway, when you go to start the sowing process, you have to make sure that the place where you have your next clove plant, It must be in an area away from sunlight or at least protected from the sun's rays.

Besides this, the earth cannot be just any earth but it must be sandy or, failing that, be clayey. In addition to this, the land you are going to use must be rich in organic matter and have good drainage when irrigated.

As for drainage, it is not a big deal, because you can perfectly use a good size pot (if your intention is to have it in a pot).

Before adding all the soil, you first create a layer of soil, then you add a bit of rocks or gravel and after that, you go on to fill the pot with the rest of the soil.

Cultivation by seeds

Assuming the case that you have chosen to grow cloves in your garden from seeds, you have to know that you cannot transplant once these have germinated. In order to transplant the plant, you have to wait for it to reach at least about 30 cm high.

As for the subsequent process that the plant needs to be able to be cultivated and achieve it in the attempt, you have to compulsorily add fertilizer during the seasons of the year. This has to be accompanied by regular watering.

It should be noted that the cultivation of this plant will not be possible with just a few months of care and maintenance and that's it. But rather it takes around 3 years to have a strong enough plant as if to assert itself.

It is for this reason that during the first years of cultivation irrigation is essential. This is one of the crucial factors to have a strong and healthy plant. Thus, during the summer season of these first years, the irrigation has to be constant, approximately between 2 and 3 times a week.

Now, with regard to the remainder of the year, the watering has to be just as constant, but in this case the margin between the days you have to water the plant extends a little more.

For what do you use it?

The Scent Clove It is used as an ornamental plant, but also as a culinary and medicinal. Cloves (see photo above), whether whole or ground, have a high proportion of eugenol, which relieves tooth pain. If it is also mixed with zinc oxide powder, it is used as dental cement.

It is a very interesting plant, since its nails have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anesthetic properties. In traditional medicine it is highly valued as it helps relieve symptoms of digestive problems, vomiting and diarrhea.

Clove properties

As mentioned in the previous section, cloves are known to have beneficial properties when consumed, regardless of whether they are consumed whole or ground. The fact is that although the vast majority of people who know this plant know that it is beneficial for health, they do not have much knowledge of what those benefits are.

It is as follows you will know some of the benefits or properties that provides you with the consumption of these little cloves.

• Is great help for people who have heart problems, since it has certain enzymes and / or compounds that give the body what it needs to prevent problems of this caliber.
• It is a powerful blood coagulant.
• For special cases and if you know how to prepare properly, cloves can work very well as a natural pain reliever.
• Thanks to the properties of the plant and the nails once processed, have the ability to help when you have oral inflammation, either caused by a toothache or a tooth with cavities
• It has the characteristics of an antibacterial plant, so it is effective when it comes to fighting certain infections.
• Thanks to its microbial as well as analgesic properties, it is feasible to use it as a local anesthetic for oral or dental treatments.
• Has aphrodisiac properties, since after consumption it can cause the person to wake up or increase their sexual appetite. Of course, this is a use that the Orientals usually give thanks to the eugenol that the cloves have.
• Has the ability to be a powerful natural anti-inflammatory thanks to the fact that among its components are the well-known flavonoids. This is characterized by providing the body of the person who has consumed it with the ability to fight against damage to the body.
• At the same time it is a perfect and effective way to deal with excess blood sugar levels.

When or how to consume cloves?

We have just made clear the vast majority of the properties and benefits that are obtained once cloves have been consumed. Here are some cases where it is positive to consume cloves according to the following situations.

• In cases of diarrhea. You have to take an infusion based on cloves.
• When you have athlete's foot. Simply apply a little oil based on cloves to deal with this recurring problem. At the same time it is effective when you have poor circulation in your feet.
• For women who have gone through childbirth. Simply use clove oil and apply it to the area with gentle massages to reduce pain.
• In case of headaches. Boil water with only 3 cloves of smell and let it rest until it reaches a suitable temperature which you can use and implement on the forehead of the person who has a headache.

As you may have noticed, these are only 4 of the applications or cases in which you can use the consumption or use of cloves. But beyond what you have read here, the use and consumption of this great plant is widely favorable.

What did you think of this plant?