Growing a clove tree from a dried clove spice bought from a store is highly unlikely to be successful. Here’s why and what you should do instead.
The most reliable way to grow a clove tree is from fresh clove seeds or semi-hardwood cuttings taken from a mature, healthy clove tree.
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Growing from Fresh Seeds
- Obtain Fresh Seeds: This is the trickiest part. Fresh clove seeds are only available from mature clove fruits, sometimes called “mother cloves,” which are dark purple when ripe. You’ll likely need to source these from a grower in a tropical region where clove trees thrive.
- Prepare a Nursery Bed or Pots: Use a well-draining, rich potting mix. For a nursery bed, mix sandy soil with organic manure. For pots, choose small containers.
- Sow the Seeds: Lightly scatter the fresh seeds on the surface of the moist soil or plant them about 2-3 cm deep in a nursery bed, with 5-10 cm spacing.
- Maintain Humidity and Warmth: Cover seed trays or pots with a clear plastic lid or wrap to retain moisture and humidity. Maintain a consistent daytime temperature around 85°F and nighttime temperatures no lower than 60°F.
- Germination: Germination can take anywhere from six to eight weeks. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
- Transplanting: Once seedlings are about 9 inches tall, carefully transplant them into larger 12-inch pots. Let the seedling’s soil dry out slightly the day before transplanting to help keep the fragile root ball intact.
- Growing On: Continue to grow the seedlings in partial shade for another 18 months before planting them in their permanent location.
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Growing from Cuttings
- Take Cuttings: In midsummer or during the dormant season, take 4-6 inches semi-hardwood cuttings from healthy, mature clove trees.
- Prepare Cuttings: Remove the lower leaves, leaving a few at the top.
- Rooting Medium: Plant the cuttings in a well-draining potting mix. You can dip the cut end in rooting hormone to encourage root development.
- Maintain Humidity and Warmth: Cover the cuttings with a plastic bag or place them in a propagator to maintain high humidity.
- Rooting: Rooting can take several weeks to months. Once roots have developed, you can transplant them into individual pots and grow them on.
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