The use of cinnamon is pretty much common in every household as it is mainly used to spice up the flavor of a dish. It is actually the bark of the cinnamon plant. It is largely used in desserts, stews, and other dishes.
Cinnamon is prepared by trimming the stems of the cinnamon plant. The inner bark is then fetched and the wooded parts are eliminated.
When it turns dry, it practices strips that twist into rolls, known as cinnamon sticks. These sticks can be further ground to prepare cinnamon powder.
The unique smell and flavor of cinnamon are due to the oily portion, which possesses extremely high levels of the compound cinnamaldehyde.
If you are looking to grow cinnamon at your place, it is necessary to understand the right procedure to get the best results.
Soil
Cinnamon plants love to grow in well-nourished, soil with proper drainage. It is better to prefer a sandy loam. They don't do a perfect placement in water logged earth, and therefore heavy clay or hard pan soils are not ideal for their growth. If your soil is not apt for the growth of the cinnamon plant, do think about container growth.
Light
Cinnamon is known to grow well under ample sunlight. The plant would need a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight on most days. However, they will benefit from some mid-afternoon shade in the case of extremely hot and dry conditions.
Water
Cinnamon species would love to prosper in the daily rainfall they get in the tropics, so it is recommended to duplicate this with irrigation if your area doesn’t receive proper rainfall. Experts recommend watering the soil when its top 2 inches have dried out and using mulch to keep the roots cool and upkeep soil moisture.
Moisture and Temperature
Cinnamon plants prefer to flourish in a warm and moist climate. In their native environment, temperatures that average 80 degrees Fahrenheit have been found to promote steady growth. They don’t grow well when temperatures go below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or in extremely desiccated environs.
Harvesting of Cinnamon Plant
You can choose to harvest your cinnamon two to three years after planting and repeat the same after every 2 years. Eliminate separate branches, or cut the entire tree at the trunk. Fix away the external bark until you notice the yellowish-orange layer underneath, which is actually the cinnamon. Shred this cinnamon coating using a sharp knife or paint scraper, ending when you notice the lighter core.
Dry the cinnamon pieces for nearly a week. They will make them twist into the typical shape that is common in cinnamon sticks. Now, it’s time to grind them to make powder or leave them in stick shape. Put cinnamon in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place, and you can easily keep it for a couple of years.
A few things to remember
During the planting process of cinnamon plant, don’t forget to leave enough space for the optimum size of your plant. Choose a place quite far away from other plants and shrubs, so as to give maximum light exposure to your cinnamon plant.
A majority of gardeners begin with young nursery plants rather than seeds. Make a hole to the size of your plant's foundation ball, and change the soil by using compost. Plant the cinnamon, firmly press down the soil, and water it properly.
How to Grow Cinnamon in Pots?
People who don’t find favorable soil conditions for cinnamon plants often choose to grow their plants in containers and keep them indoors or in a greenhouse during cold weather. Cinnamon species generally don't reach their optimum extent in containers, but they can still achieve the stage of fragrant cinnamon bark after a few years.
Take a large container usually of 18 inches diameter and 20 inches depth to give your cinnamon plant enough room to grow and advance. The container also should have a sufficient number of drainage exit points. Prefer a wobbly, well-draining potting blend, and water whenever the top inch of soil gets dry. Put the plant outdoors during the summer season to give its development an improvement in the sunlight. Fog your plant to increase the humidity levels whenever required. And manure during the growing season (spring to fall) with a watery fertilizer.
The Conclusion
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