How to plant a Buddha's hand? What there is to know

If you are on this page you are certainly interested in Buddhist culture and want to know how to plant a buddha hand . For those who do not know, know that this is a fruit native to northeast India. Usually, it is made up of large, light green leaves; of a tail containing light flowers and thorns.

Pleasantly scented, its flowers are always clustered and contain a liquid inside! Towards the outside, this rather symbolic fruit is covered with a rather purplish coloring. Unlike some plants, the Buddha's hand has the ability to fertilize itself (i.e. a single root of the fruit is enough to produce several other fruits).

It should be noted that the hand of Buddha is only a figurative term for the fruit of Citrus medica . : plant variety from the Rutaceae family with immense fruit, beautifying and having a pleasant smell.

Given the uniqueness of this fruit and the symbol it represents, we decided to explore it in depth. Therefore, we invite you to discover in this article, how to plant a Buddha's hand and how to use it.

How to plant a Hand of Buddha simply?

Planting a Hand of Buddha is not easy, because like some plants, there are prerequisites. For example, Citrus medica is quite a heat sensitive shrub! Usually, it prefers temperate or cooler climates. Likewise, it prefers light, less humid soils with good exposure to light.

Basically, spring is the recommended time to plant buddha hand. Just think about choosing a sandy and less humid soil.

To properly plant a Buddha's hand,

• Start by digging a fairly comfortable hole with normal dimensions to place the pile of the fruit;
• Then add fertile soil to the hole to allow the plant to feed quickly and not wither;
• Without damaging its roots, move the plant in the hole and close it slightly above the level of its upper roots. This, without heaping up where you planted.

Note : It is essential to water it regularly during the cold months. Indeed, the Buddha Hand shrub cannot stand stagnant water. Therefore, it would be better to do a new watering when the soil has dried up.

Also note that it is important to fertilize your plant four times a year with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer when planting. Then with a fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium during its fruiting.

The growth of the Buddha's hand is very slow! Here, it would be best to give this plant time to take root. In other words, don't be worried if the shrub takes a long time to impress you.

As a growth tip, consider pruning the branches of the plant just before the vegetative revival in late winter. If a branch is very low, it is better to remove it so that the fruits are not in contact with the ground.

How to plant the Hand of Buddha without pests?

With the cultivation of the Buddha's hand, it is possible that the mites; insects and some diseases attack the plant. : which can cause not only fruit malformation , but also loss of flavor.

To avoid this situation, you must first respect the previous cultivation conditions (cultivation period; climate; soil…) Then, think of the pollinator which will maintain the good shape of your fruits. The trick here is to avoid unnecessary mite control treatments.

How is the harvest of Hand of Buddha going?

When planting a Buddha's hand, it is important to know how to harvest it. : this to better preserve the fruits at first; and protect yourself in a second step. Indeed, the shrub Citrus medica has thorns between the leaves which can be dangerous if you go abruptly.

Therefore, it is important to take the time to pick each fruit with a sharp object and a receptacle to receive it. When the latter, you can place it in a place not too hot for a month or more without it going bad. However, it's important to use a fridge if you've started using a piece of fruit but haven't finished it.

Using the Buddha's Hand fruit: what you need to know

The advantage of knowing how to use a Buddha's hand is that you can do several things with it. For some people, this is a rather special and meaningful plant. For use, he plants it in a large container and sets it outside or inside their habitat. The goal here is to gain protection and assistance when needed . While there is no true Buddhist text that explains this practice, it is not overlooked.

Likewise, other people use the Buddha's hand as a meaningless decoration. Indeed, since it is a rather particular and atypical fruit, it necessarily attracts more attention. Here you don't have to be a believer. As soon as you are attracted by the beauty of this fruit, you can use it as a decoration.

As a third use of this fruit, we have consumption. Yes, you have to keep in mind that the Buddha's hand is first and foremost edible. In Japan, for example, many restaurants make it a dessert. Due to its aromatic taste, it is also used as zest in pastries.

Finally, it is also possible to use the Buddha's hand as a tonic in alternative medicine . In China, for example, it has many therapeutic virtues.