Fall seemed so short this year!
It feels colder than last November as far as I can recollect and I couldn’t help turning the heater on rather early as opposed to Thanksgiving last year. Winter is undeniably here already and it is also that time of the year to care for our garden plants, especially the vulnerable tropicals like the Curry Leaf plant.
Curry leaf is synonymous to, as much it is in-disposable in South Indian cooking where almost every seasoning starts or ends with it. That said, a curry leaf plant in the garden be it in the backyard or the balcony, is quite a handy and precious possession. Nothing comes close to the satisfaction of growing one’s own herbs and using them fresh from the garden as and when the need arises. It is the kind that belongs to the tiny joys of life..
With the kind of simple pleasure one gets to enjoy during spring, summer and early fall having a curry leaf plant potted in the garden, comes the responsibility of caring for its survival through the American winter. Being a tropical/sub-tropical plant/tree, it wasn’t meant for cold climates and hence, we need to go the extra mile for it.
Here are a few tips from my learning and experience with the curry plant:
Because it needs full sun, it is well suited to grow outdoors. However, even if you have a huge backyard garden, it is better to grow it potted as it is conveniently movable indoors away from the harsh weather during the winter months.
Place them in the sun during the day and move indoors before it gets dark and colder.
Pour warm water instead of cold.
Occasionally sprinkle salt water on the leaves to wash away dirt, bugs and mites or mold if any.
Place indoors in a warm spot away from the draft or windows
Make sure there is plenty of light wherever you place them indoors. White light works well if you do not have enough sunlight coming in.
If you must leave them outside for whatever reason, cover the plant with black trash bags and secure them around the pot. Few support sticks about the height of the plant inserted into the pot can help hold the trash bag in place. Plastic acts as a barrier to the cold winds and keeps the plant warmer by about 5°-10°F
If you are travelling, request a willing friend or neighbor to routinely water the plant and move it outdoors and indoors during daylight and at dusk respectively.
In the absence of another caregiver, they can be placed in the bath tub with some water filled in, for the roots to absorb. Do not forget to leave the lights on.
Follow this routine especially strictly around february frost or freeze. No matter how much you care up until then, if you give in for one day on the frost, the plant might slip away from you forever
Do insert plant food sticks if the plant has been potted for more than 4-5 months.Even though the plant might seem to shed all its leaves (which is natural for the season), just let it hang in there. Once the plant survives past couple or more winters, it will be strong enough to withstand the weather.
If you haven’t potted the plant, do so next spring and preferably in a wide pot with a spout at the bottom, so it can hold extra water for the roots when you are travelling.
NOTE: Most or all of these tips are equally applicable and helpful for the Tulsi plant or “The Indian Holy Basil”
culinaryherbguide and mylogmyblog have useful information on growing herbs and winter care for tropical plants respectively
Do you have any special tips to share?
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Beautiful Plant and lovely photos
Very informative thnks
i havent yet gotten a curry leaf plant and have been postponing that for ever. Now, I think I’ll wait for spring to get one..great tips, Radhika!
I’ve been wanting one of those for years…now I’m going to have to make a point to hunt one up. Thanks for the tips in growing and protecting them
i planted curry leaves in the back yard few years ago, it seems to have survived, if u plant it outdoors be aware of freeze warning and cover the base with mulch or decomposable tarp to save the roots from frost bite.
Sreelu, thank you for sharing tips for the backyard plant. my experience rests with my balcony garden with potted plants.
lovely pics and an informative post…
Kathy & Manju,
If you are keen on planting one, chances of finding the plant are high in Indian temples or bigger Indian grocery stores or world food markets. That is where I found mine. If you happen to know someone who owns a decently tall curry leaf plant, a stem cutting can be used to propagate as well. In any case, spring will be your best bet..
Good luck with the hunt Kathy
what a gorgeous plant! lovely tips and even more lovely are your photographs radhika!
Hi Radhika,
This is an awesome post…i’m on hunt for curry leaf plant for so long but cudn’t find it. Plesae let me knw where exactly i can get it. Will a stem frm grcocery store be successful in a pot, if transplanted ???? thanks and enjoy ur holidays, sonia !
Sonia,
So glad you found it useful. I’m afraid a curry leaf stalk from the grocery store (if that is what you meant?) will propagate into a plant.
You’d need a stem cutting from a healthy plant for that. South Indian temples, Indian grocery stores or world markets like I said in the post are some of the likely places to find one.
Good luck!
Oh plants propagate from a cutting? Great!
I have several plants in pots. One got far too dry this winter and I thought it had died. I cut it back quite hard, and come Spring, it sprouted new leaves. Now it is the healthiest of my four plants!
[It is summer here now.]
You have a Curry Leaf plant Ganga? How nice!
Yes, it needs a good amount of cutting and pruning to keep it growing through spring and summer. A good healthy plant is a thing of pure joy, no doubt
Enjoy your summer! Brrr… it is cold here..
Thanks for the tips, Radhika. I will see if the leaf stalks from a grocery store will grow roots when placed in a glass of water next time I get hands on them. However, as you said, I also doubt it will work out. I’ll let you know
Lakshmi, I’m afraid the stalk won’t be of much help. You’d need a stem cutting. Spring would be a good time for the experiment
Thanks. Any special tips for re-potting the volunteers at the base of a Curry Leaf Plant? Any special soil I should use? Should I wait until spring? Help!
Pam, think you could wait until spring as they’d have little chance surviving the feb frost on their own..
Potting mix worked fine for me, just gotto make sure to re-vitalize it every 3-4 months with either liquid plant food or pellets, sunshine and water should take care of the rest
can u plz tell me how to grow a curry leaf plant (is it a seed which has to be planted or is it a plant which has to be planted I would love to have a plant and I live in canada so plz let me know regards pervin a
You can grow curry leaf plant from seeds, from clipping off a sucker plant from the roots of an existing tree or propagating a stem. I find it easier to grow from seeds but there is a specific procedure to prepare the seeds for germination. If you want to grow from seeds then the seeds have to be ripe on the tree or recently fallen off the tree. It needs to be planted right away. Keeping the seeds for too long will reduce its chances of germinating. In USA and Canada the seeds become ripe in late October. Since its winter you have to germinate it indoors at temperatures over 70 degrees F unless you have a climate controlled green house.
There are a number of websites that sell curry leaf plants for around $10 to $15 which you can order online. You can search for it from your web browser. Best time to buy would be spring time when the dangers of frost have gone by.
If you want to get some ideas of how to plant I have a facebook page which may give you some ideas. https://www.facebook.com/Mycurryleaf.
ps: I am not selling any plants or seeds……..
Hi , this post is very informative.
I heard from couple of my friends, that the leaves cannot be plucked before the plant reaches a certain height. Is it true and how big the plant should grow before I start plucking the leaves. I have planted the curry leaf plant in the ground. I am from Phoenix, AZ…
Hi ,i read your post ,but i had a question i got a plant from my friend ,i planted it all the leaves dried so i plucked them away and the stems are getting dark day by day,i just want to know if these conditions persists will the plant die..
For curry plant, I have question is what size of pot should be required which is ideal for the plant which is almost 1.5′ high and two cold seasons old
Thanks and have a nice day
C.C.Udani known as CK
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Question, even in winter (non snow days for sure) do u take the plant outside and bring it back in? Will the morning cold / wind not hurt it?
Yes Suma. I would do that. Better yet if you can setup a makeshift greenhouse using thick black plastic bags (trash). It will keep the plant several degrees warmer and protect it from the cold wind as well.
I have my curry plant in my backyard in pot.. Its been now 1& half year.. Suddenly i found that fruits or flower came & now its not growing.. Its stop increasing.. Can u please advise me what i should do?
Jalpa,
That means your curry leaf plant is getting all the sunshine and nutrients it needs. It is not easy for this plant to bear fruits and flowers. so, That’s awesome! But, since you noticed that it has stopped growing now, it may be a good idea to shift it out of the pot into the soil in a good sunny spot, if you do not stay in a cold place. If, you do stay in a colder place, then try feeding it some plant food in the form of pellets or liquids. Let me know how it goes..
my neighbours gave me baby curry leave plant in august and I have had it in my kitchen near the window where the sunlight comes thru but recently I have notice it has something like cobwebs on them and I dont know what to do and why is this happening? can you please help…I live in NJ and am in apartment so I have no garden either..Thanks
Indiangirl, I have not seen this kind of an issue first hand. But, from what I have read, it seems like spider mite infestation.
You might have some help here
Hope that is of use.
Thank you for your help.. I will try from your help suggestion..
I live in San Jose, CA. My curry leaf plant is attacked by some insects. How should I protect them from insects and they are also getting black. How do I protect them?
Uma, I feel your pain. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing your curry leaf plant suffer and feel helpless about it.
Leaves turned black does not sound good. Could you describe the kind of insects you see.
Is it in a pot or in the ground? San Jose weather should be good for this plant.
Leaves turned black does not sound good. In the meanwhile, please make sure it is in the sun full time, no over watering. As for the insects, try applying a mix of baking soda, dish soap, salt and vinegar diluted in a mug of water, wiped over the parts of the plant where u see the insects( if clinging) using a tissue. Make sure you are wearing gloves.
Hope this helps.
Thanks Radhika for replying back. I have put the curry leaf plant in a big plastic black bucket. Insects look very tiny and white in color. When I look closely they seem to crawl over the leaves. Can the leaves getting black be due to less fertilizer?
hii…m staying in Arizona & planning to plant curry leaves. but the problem is, m not able to fing curry leaves seeds or small plant…can anyone help me.
thanks in advance.
I live in San Jose, CA. As the spring is in now, I have put some plants like Squash, Cucumber etc. My problem is squirrels come and eat them up. How can I take care of this issue?
My curry leaf plant is very healthy with lustious green leaves and has been growing very well ever since I changed it to a bigger pot. But today I kept it outside because it started getting warm in Chicago but because of wind it just broke at the bottom. Literally it broke my heart. Wondering if I cut it at the bent point the surviving stem beneath it would sprout or what? also should i plant the stem from the broken side as well? Let me know.
Thanks a bunch!
Oh, I can imagine how heartbreaking that must have been for you!
Make a slant cut with scissors and hopefully, it should spring back soon. Fingers crossed.
I’m not sure how I came across your utterly beautiful blog, but I’m glad I did. A bit late, I might add — we had a home in Houston until just the other day, and relocated to India after living there upwards of two decades. It would have been fun to meet you, or to connect with the other food bloggers who call Houston home. I write still about Houston some on my blog now, and still miss the place dearly. Ah well, perhaps it’s a sign I ought to organize a retreat in Pondy someday?! On cultivating curry leaf plants in Houston, I found that planting mine in the hot-hot sun never worked (I nearly killed my plant, and they are among the hardiest things around) but part shade did the trick. We soon had a tree that nearly brought the house down. In India, we’re in an apartment, so the potted route might well be mine–just for the simple pleasure of picking the leaves directly from a plant before seasoning anything. Would love to stay in touch!