Dates aid in melatonin production, improving sleep quality. High in fiber, they keep you full longer, making them an ideal bedtime snack.
Dates thrive in hot, dry climates with long growing seasons and low humidity. Frost can harm them, so it's crucial to avoid it during ripening.
To propagate date palms, remove suckers from existing trees. Keep roots intact and plant in soil or a container. Shield the new planting from bright sunlight until shoots appear.
Plough land well, ensuring fine tilth. In summer, dig 1m x 1m x 1m pits. Leave it open for 2 weeks, then fill it with decomposed cow dung and fertile soil.
Pests and diseases can affect date palms, with common pests including date palm mites, scales, and borers. Diseases like bayoud disease and fusarium wilt are also threats.
Date palm harvesting is done from September to December. Dates are hand-picked as they don't all ripen simultaneously. Ideally, they're harvested when sugar content and flavour peak.