How to Grow and Care for Dates Fruit Tree
Dates have great shallow growth with many varieties consisting of the common ones that are usually marketed dried and processed. The date season starts beginning in the year when the trees are cleaned up after the end of the dormant stage. Dates are the fruit obtained from the date palm tree, which is planted in many hot zones of the world. This beneficial fruit has become quite popular in recent years. These sweet flavor dates are chewy. Fresh dates are available depending on the varieties that are fairly small in size, and color varies from bright red to bright yellow. The most traditionally used varieties are Medjool and Deglet Noor dates.
Dates are chewy having a sweet flavor and are also high in some essential nutrients and have a mixture of advantages and use. The fiber can reduce blood sugar control in dates. These fibers slow digestion and may assist in restricting blood sugar levels from fastening too high for people. The drained fruit is higher than 50 percent sugar by weight and comprises about 2 percent each of protein, rich, and mineral constituents. Dates are also consumed as fresh produce and gradually shrink and wrinkle as the varieties develop. Dates give multiple antioxidants that have several health benefits and including a decreased risk of various diseases.
Best Time to Plant Dates Fruit Tree
Date palms are either female or male, and you will require one of any to have this fruit. It is advisable to plant the trees in spring or fall for best results. The slow-growing trees may sometimes discourage not doing well in each season.
Soil Condition
Dates prefer well-drained, loose, or slightly dry soil with a high content of magnesium. The hardy zone for outdoors is 9 to 11 in full sun conditions. They should be fertilized every second year with magnesium sulfate and protected the newly planted ones from frost.
Watering Requirement
Date trees take as much water as a willow tree and cannot tolerate rain or humidity. Hence, they are grown mostly in the hot desert, where average rainfall is less than 3 inches per year and 120 degrees summer temperatures. The fresh trees perform excellently with supplemental watering for several months until they are planted.
Pests and Diseases
As the fruit starts to ripen, Birds, mice, and squirrels can be a problem for the plant. Most of the date palm found in North America is fairly insect-free. Date farmers usually put net bags around the coasts of dates so they can grow without being stolen.
Varieties of Dates Fruit Tree
There are 20 variations of dates produced commercially throughout the globe. Medjool date is the commonly used date available in any store. The other varieties include:
1. Barhi Dates
They are medium-sized, thin-skinned late-ripening fruit with soft, delicate flesh.
2. Deglet Noor Dates
Semisoft dates are seen on the boulevards in Israel with firm pulp and light red to brown variation in color.
3. Halawi Dates
They are thick-fleshed, caramelly, sweet, and soft dates. Wrinkled appearance and the skin ranges from yellow to amber. They have a flavor and texture of chocolate.
4. Khadrawy Dates
Soft dates have a caramel-like texture and sweet flavor with mid-season ripening.
5. Thoory Dates
Dry date with hard skin and chewy pulp with high fiber content and is used in baking.
Date trees typically reach about 69–75 ft in height with a clump growing habitat and several stems from a singular root system. The leaves are 4–6 meters long, with delicate spines on the petiole involving about 150 leaflets.
Experts suggest eating dates every day as it includes benefits as constipation relief, regulating cholesterol levels, intestinal disorders, heart problems, anemia, and other infections. These dates are rich in potassium blood pressure levels can be lowered because of the presence of the minerals in it.
The seeds from dates can be grown into date palm trees that can be enjoyed in your containers at home or in your garden. The pits from some Medjool dates can be collected and allow them to germinate for a few months. It can easily be grown in a pot or container after the seeds sprout.
