Lemon - subtropical plant and the climate of the apartment is ideal for him. Despite this, caring for a lemon in a pot differs from growing it in natural conditions.
Let's look at how to care for lemons at home so that your plant grows healthy and the lemon bears fruit.
Selection of seedlings
There is no need to rush into purchasing a lemon seedling. You should choose a healthy-looking plant with brightly colored, shiny leaves.
Look closely at the stem reverse side leaf.
They must be clean, without the visible presence of pests and traces of disease.
Landing and seat selection
After planting the plant in open ground, be sure to water it thoroughly and make sure that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.
If the weather conditions are not very good (rain, strong wind, etc.), it is better to build a small shelter and leave it for several days until the lemon tree takes root in a new place.
IN open ground plants satisfy their needs from their natural environment. Much more difficult to create favorable conditions for growing lemon at home.
ADVICE: Purchased decorative lemon tree seedling (for indoor growing) do not rush to replant. Let it adapt to your home.
Choose a location for the plant responsibly. Do not place indoor lemon in dangerous places:
- in a draft;
- near heating devices;
- in an unlit corner or dark corridor;
- between closed curtains and a window in cold weather.
ADVICE: Inspect the seedling daily and spray it with water. In hot weather, 2 times a day. After a few days, the plant needs to be replanted.
Features of care at different times of the year
In spring, the plant wakes up and begins to grow actively. He needs more light.
On warm days, you can take the lemon plant out into the fresh air.
The room must be ventilated, since the flow of fresh air is necessary for good growth citrus fruits.
By watching the video you can find out how to help your lemon in the spring:
In summer, it is best to bury a lemon tree in the garden or country house. If this is not possible, you need to move it to the balcony or terrace.
Having more than 25 years of experience in growing lemons at home, I note that such “ summer rest"Gives a powerful boost to plants throughout the year.
In the fall, before returning the lemon home, we carefully inspect the entire plant and treat it if necessary. chemicals. We will definitely arrange warm shower, thoroughly wash the leaves and stems from dust and dirt.
We return it to its usual place and continue caring for the indoor lemon in the pot. Gradually reduce watering and fertilizing of plants.
In winter, plants are most often in a dormant period. But one of my lemons goes into the winter with fruits and therefore the dormant period for it begins after the harvest.
I feed this plant throughout the fruiting period and, if necessary, provide lighting for 2-3 hours daily. The remaining plants rest during the winter.
The comfortable temperature for lemons during this period is between 14 and 16 degrees.
Our winters in Siberia are long and cold. It is not always possible to preserve plants during the winter. Some branches dry out. Do not rush to prune such plants. Very often a withered twig comes to life.
In the photo below you can see examples of home-grown dwarf lemons:
Perhaps due to the fact that it is not easy to grow a lemon tree in our latitudes, pruning of citrus fruits is not practiced. But if desired, for better branching and crown formation, pruning can be done in early spring.
You can learn how to prune a plant at home on our website.
Why doesn't lemon blossom or bear fruit?
Often, novice gardeners are faced with the fact that lemons do not bloom.
Why don't lemons bloom? There are several reasons: the first and most basic is that the plant was planted as a seed and not grafted.
How to make lemons bloom at home? In order for a plant grown from a seed to bloom, many years must pass or it must be grafted.
Also, your plant may be planted in poor soil and lack mineral fertilizers. Very dry air, pests, diseases...
Watch your pet and the plant itself will tell you the reason.
I bought my first lemon on vacation in Adjara. It was a grafted 3-4 year old seedling of Pavlovsk lemon, all in bloom and with small fruits. It so happened that the plant had to be put into storage for a day. When the plant was returned to me, I almost burst into tears - the leaves, flowers, ovary, everything fell off. I saved the lemon, but it bloomed only after 5 years.
ATTENTION: If you transport a plant from one place to another, be prepared for the fact that it may not bloom on time.
Lighting
If your plant does not have enough light, it will have small and pale leaves, small or no flowers, lower leaves yellow color, the plant practically does not grow or the shoots are weak and very elongated.
For lemons, south-eastern windows with bright diffused light and a small amount of direct light are best suited. sun rays. If there is no possibility of natural light, then for normal cultivation of lemons it is necessary to organize artificial lighting. It is best to use fluorescent lamps.
Lemon is not very picky about air temperature - in winter it needs 14 - 16 degrees, in summer it can tolerate 30 degree heat.
IMPORTANT: It is necessary that the difference between day and night temperatures should not be more than 4-6 degrees. This is especially dangerous for flowering plants.
In winter, it is necessary to insulate the window on which the plant stands, on very cold days, remove the lemon from the windowsill, and do not close the window curtains tightly. Warm air from the room should penetrate to the plant.
Air humidity
Air humidity is another significant important factor growing lemons.
This problem is especially relevant in the winter months.
In apartments with central heating, the air becomes so dry that many plants find it very difficult to tolerate such conditions.
The air in the room must be constantly humidified. It is better to use industrial humidifiers.
If it is not possible to buy such a device, use the knowledge of experienced gardeners:
- Spray your plants with warm water (necessarily settled) 2-3 times a day;
- Pour expanded clay into a tray, moisten it with water and place the flower pot in this tray. Keep expanded clay constantly moist;
- Group several colors - the humidity will increase;
- You can move the lemon to the kitchen, where the humidity is much higher.
ADVICE: During the flowering of the lemon tree, many sources recommend pollinating the flowers using cotton swabs.
To carry out pollination you need to take a cotton swab. Trying not to damage the flowers, carefully collect pollen from one flower and transfer it to another, then to the third and all subsequent ones. However, in all the years of growing these plants, I have never used this method. Pollination happens somehow by itself.
Watering
Different people have their own drinking regime. The same can be said about plants. All indoor plants need watering to one degree or another. Some people like rare watering, others we water frequently and abundantly.
If you ask novice gardeners about the most common cause of plant death, most of them will say: “It’s dried out!” But much more often, plants die from improper watering.
If we notice something wrong with our plant, we begin to water it abundantly. In response to this, the leaves droop and turn yellow, but we continue to assume that the plant does not have enough moisture, and water it again.
Over time, in such plants, the earthen lump turns into a swamp, the roots rot and the plant dies.
How to water a lemon so that it grows healthy, develops and bears fruit?
The most important rule is to water the lemon generously with settled water; the water temperature should not be lower than room temperature.
Water only when upper layer the soil will dry out no less than 1-2 cm. After watering, let the water drain, loosen the top layer of soil and for the next few days just spray the leaves.
In order for the plant to develop and grow well, it must be replanted in a timely manner and its soil updated.
IMPORTANT: Never use unsterilized soil for planting indoor plants.
It is best to buy a special mixture for planting citrus plants. You can find out how to prepare a soil mixture at home on our website.
Good drainage is important for lemons. correct composition soil.
If you did everything as described above, but did not get the result, then your pet does not have enough nutrients. The plant must be fed constantly. In spring and summer once a week, in autumn once a month, in winter (if the plant is “resting”) we do not feed; if the plant has fruits or blooms, regular feeding is necessary.
You can find out how to care for a lemon tree with fruits at home and how to feed the plant at home on our website.
All we are embarking on this difficult journey for is the fruits of our tree (lemons). It’s as if we have achieved its flowering, but there is no ovary, the fruits are not formed.
How to pollinate lemons at home and what else you can do:
- Hand pollination with a cotton swab;
- Using the drug "Bud"
- Use of the drug "Kornerost, Heteroauxin"
to stimulate fruit formation, preserve the ovary in unfavorable conditions;
to stimulate the growth of the root system, strengthening the entire plant.
And then our lemon blossomed, the ovary appeared and - Oh, horror!!! The ovary falls off. Why?
There are several possible reasons:
- if the plant blooms for the first time and there are only a few flowers, as a rule, these will be empty flowers. Take your time, wait for the real flowering;
- if a lemon blooms profusely and there is a lot of ovary, the plant itself regulates the amount of fruit it needs;
- If already formed, grown fruits fall off, your plant does not have enough light, nutrition, or it is sick (plants also get sick). Perhaps pests have appeared on the lemon.
If your lemon has blossomed and has begun to bear fruit, wait for the harvest.
Lemon ripening is not a quick process. Lemons grow slowly, be patient for a few months.
To find out when to remove lemons from home tree just take a good look at the fruits. Well-ripened lemon fruits are bright yellow and uniform in color.
If the lemon is ripe, it is easily separated from the stalk.
ADVICE: Gardeners often ask the question: “Lemon doesn’t grow, what should I do?” If your tree grows poorly or does not grow at all, pay attention to how the plant is planted.
Perhaps during transplantation you buried the grafting site into the ground. Urgently remove the top layer of soil and free the growing point.
In order to speed up the fruiting process, a seedling grown from a seed must be grafted. If you do not know this procedure, it is better to contact specialists.
You can learn how to properly plant a decorative lemon by watching the video below:
Lemon seedlings are transplanted in the spring if necessary. Let's consider when a Lemon transplant is necessary and what care is needed at home.
I know three conditions necessary for transplantation:
- the root system has grown and roots have appeared in the holes of the pot;
- after watering the plant dries very quickly;
- the plant withers.
IMPORTANT: If you take a previously used pot for replanting, it must be thoroughly rinsed and disinfected. The pot for replanting should be slightly larger than the one in which the lemon grew. Replanting a plant can be easily done at home.
Caring for indoor plants involves more than just watering and fertilizing.
Lemon must be periodically washed to remove dust and dirt.
Dust not only spoils the appearance, but also impedes the normal development of the plant. It is also necessary to tie branches with fruits to a support to avoid breaking the branches.
Inspect the plants regularly, clean the crown of your tree from dead leaves and dried flowers.
Where do plant diseases come from? Most often we ourselves are to blame for this.
There are several reasons. These are also unfavorable conditions for growing plants. We bought a sick plant and, unable to withstand the quarantine, placed it with other indoor plants.
Lemon fruits are a whole storehouse of vitamins. Eating food brings health and vigor.
REFERENCE: They drink tea with lemon and use it in cooking. Lemon is often used in various health recipes.
By growing a lemon tree at home, we get the opportunity not only to have wonderful fruits. Smell lemon blossom fills the entire apartment with a fabulous aroma.
Is there any harm in growing lemons at home?
I wouldn't recommend keeping it in abundance. flowering plant in the bedroom. There may be headaches. That's all.
You can watch the video from a detailed story about the benefits and harm that lemon can bring:
In conclusion, I would like to say if you want for your lemon tree:
- create the necessary temperature regime;
- provide appropriate lighting conditions;
- ensure timely watering;
- you will maintain the necessary air humidity;
- give your seedlings the necessary mineral fertilizers;
- give them peace;
- provide access to fresh air;
- you will take care of the appearance of your plants;
And as a result, it will thank you abundant flowering and useful fruits.
Lemon is a species of the genus Citrus, cultivated on an industrial scale in regions with a subtropical climate. In nature, the lemon tree reaches a height of 8 m, while the indoor representative of the species is represented by low-growing plants whose branches are covered with thorns. Lemon in a pot is valued not only for its fruits - during the long flowering period (about 2 months) they bloom beautiful flowers, captivating with its wonderful aroma.
As a result of the continuous work of breeders, many varieties were developed, both for Agriculture, and indoor floriculture. There are varieties that can bear fruit all year round, and also exclusively decorative. There are short and tall forms.
Among the most popular varieties adapted to apartment conditions are:
- “Meyer Lemon” is an early ripening variety with two or three blooms throughout the year. A plant with a height of up to 1.5 m produces fruits weighing up to 150 g with slightly acidic pulp.
- “Pavlovsky” is the result of domestic selection, so the variety is well adapted to home cultivation and is the most common among flower growers.
- “Lisbon” - the variety is characterized by good adaptability to the apartment environment, which gives it the ability to cope with dry air. Fast growing plant up to 2 m in height produces fruits weighing 150 g.
- "Genoa" - productive variety Italian selection, which is capable of bearing fruit several times a year. The maximum height of the tree does not exceed 1.5 m.
- “Kursky” is a domestic variety that is distinguished by drought resistance, shade tolerance and fairly high yields. Average weight fruits – 120 g.
- "Kyiv large-fruited" - low-growing variety with fruits up to 1.5 kg, which can be harvested every season provided proper care, including systematic pruning.
Optimal conditions for growing lemon
The easiest way to grow a lemon tree is from a seed.
To do this, it is enough to purchase a ripe fruit in the store without visible damage with mature seeds.
Correct soil composition
Lemon Tree needs a light, permeable substrate with a slightly acidic reaction (pH 6.6-7.0), which can be easily prepared by mixing peat and universal primer for flowers in equal quantities.
What is the best way to grow a lemon tree?
When choosing a pot for a lemon tree at the initial stages (planting and 2 subsequent transplants), you can choose plastic. However, due to its disadvantages, which are lightness and waterproofness, preference should be given to wooden tubs.
Despite its fragility, wooden utensils have all the necessary qualities for growing lemons:
- water permeability;
- ease of disinfection;
- sustainability.
Before filling the selected container with the substrate, it is necessary to place a drainage layer of expanded clay, crushed stone or gravel on the bottom.
Attention! The diameter of each new container should not exceed the same parameter of the previous pot by more than 6 cm. Soil that is not occupied by roots tends to sour.
How to choose a plant location
Lemon is a plant of short daylight hours, which allows it to tolerate low light levels normally. In the case of long daylight hours, the tree will grow more actively, but the fruiting phase will come later. The optimal place in the house would be the windowsill of an eastern or southern window with light shading in the afternoon. IN winter time When cloudy weather prevails, an artificial light source is installed, operating about 6 hours a day.
Advice! In order for the plant to develop equally on all sides, you should turn the pot clockwise 10° every 10 days.
Lemon tree: care at home
Caring for a lemon tree must be constant and include a number of important measures, without which fruiting, which indicates the health and strength of the plant, is simply impossible.
Watering and air humidity
An inhabitant of the subtropics from late spring to early autumn needs daily watering, which should be done with purified water. room temperature.
During other periods, it is enough to moisten the lemon twice a week so that the substrate has time to dry out slightly. Exotic plant, despite its adaptation to low humidity, daily spraying is required, which can only be stopped when the tree is cool in winter.
Temperature
To grow green mass, it is enough for a lemon tree to provide a temperature within 17°C.
- During the formation of buds and ovaries, the mercury column should not rise above 18°C, otherwise this may threaten the dropping of future fruits.
- But when citrus fruits ripen, the temperature increases to 22°C and higher.
- With the arrival of winter, if possible, it is worth organizing the lemon tree into a dormant stage at a temperature of 12-14°C so that the plant can accumulate energy before the coming season.
Feeding and fertilizer
To save vitality lemon needs regular feeding, which is carried out for young plants every 6 weeks, and for adults - every 3 weeks using complex mineral fertilizers. In winter, the interval between fertilizing increases. If the plant is at rest, then they stop altogether.
Carefully! An excess of nitrogen fertilizers can delay the onset of the fruiting phase due to the active growth of green mass.
How to properly prune a lemon tree
For decorative lemon, the crown is formed compact, not large sizes.
If the goal is to obtain fruits, then the formation is carried out according to the following scheme:
- When the seedling reaches a height of 25 cm, pinching is carried out.
- After the stem grows another 20 cm, it is pinched a second time so that between the pinches there are 4 growth buds from which skeletal branches will develop.
- Shoots of the first order are pinched at intervals of 25 cm, and after they ripen they are shortened below the pinching by 5 cm.
- Each subsequent branch should be 5 cm shorter than the previous one.
- Formation is completed by pruning the fourth order of shoots.
In addition to shaping haircuts, if necessary, sanitary pruning is carried out: weak, injured shoots growing inward are removed.
Plant transplant technology
Lemon transplantation is carried out before the pot volume reaches 10 liters. Then only the top layer of the substrate is updated.
Damage is observed among pests on lemon shoots spider mite, whiteflies, scale insects, mealybug and aphids. When identifying harmful insects, it is worth resorting to insecticide treatment, since traditional methods are not always effective, especially with heavy population.
What difficulties can you encounter when growing
Growing a lemon tree often raises many questions, to resolve which the cause must be established:
- Yellowing of lemon. The problem occurs for a number of reasons - low humidity levels, nutritional deficiencies, high temperature in winter or due to the plant being infested with spider mites.
- Fall of leaves and ovaries. If such a difficulty arises, you should pay attention to the level of soil and air humidity. As a rule, this occurs due to moisture deficiency.
- Curling of leaves. If the leaf blades on the lemon begin to dry out and curl, this is due to a violation general requirements by content. A review of ongoing activities will identify the cause.
So, despite the fact that growing lemons is quite a troublesome task, the result is worth it: high decorative value, wonderful aroma during flowering and healthy fruits rich in vitamins will certainly inspire the gardener to new experiments.
If desired, anyone can grow a lemon tree at home. Care at home is not particularly difficult, but there are, of course, certain nuances. If you do everything correctly, then in the 5th or 7th year you can expect fruits from a lemon you grow yourself. For a homemade lemon tree, everything is important: the composition of the soil and water for irrigation, air temperature, and humidity. Leaves evergreen tree They release phytoncides, refresh the air in the room, and emit a delicate, unobtrusive aroma. Lemon is good as a fruit, useful as a preventative drug, tasty as candied fruit, and simply beautiful, like an exotic indoor tree. However, even dark green leathery lemon leaves look beautiful and at the same time have a beneficial effect on the human body.
Fragrant, tasty, healthy citrus is familiar to everyone; we see its bright yellow fruits on store shelves all year round.
Lemon tree, photo:
Depending on the variety, the lemon tree may be different sizes. If the goal is precisely the fruit, and not just a decorative function, then you can get the result in two ways. Citrus grown from cuttings will begin to bear fruit earlier (with proper care), but the plant from the seed will be healthier and actively developing.
If you do not want to bother yourself with the germination/growing process, you can purchase ready-made lemon bushes and seedlings in specialized departments and stores. You can buy a lemon tree in an online store that belongs to a botanical garden, for example, or from amateur breeders. If you are not looking for easy ways, you are interested in the process of plant birth itself, then you will find information about how in another article. The planting method itself is not very different from the technology for growing other citrus crops.
Lemon tree care
An important stage of care - correct lighting at home. The permanent location of the lemon should be well lit, but direct sunlight should still be avoided. How to care for a lemon tree? Try to decide in advance permanent place residence of the plant, since it does not like to be moved. To ensure that the crown develops evenly, you can gently turn the lemon towards the light. This process must be done slowly and gradually.
For harmonious growth and development, the plant at home must be replanted annually. Each time the container should be larger; during replanting, the roots and soil are carefully moved into a new pot, the missing amount of soil is added to the required volume. Soil for indoor lemon should be similar in composition to the previous soil.
When the plant reaches a certain size and the pot holds 10 liters, replanting can be stopped. Now you only have to periodically update the top layer of soil (twice a year), feed the plant with fertilizers (“Vermisol”, “Humisol”, “Biohumus” - for citrus crops).
Caring for a young tree at home at first does not include fertilizing, but with the onset of summer, you can add a little fertilizer to the water for irrigation. The plant is very capricious; it requires a delicate approach regarding the ambient temperature and moisture. There should be no sudden changes - if something goes wrong, the plant will react by losing leaves.
How to prune a lemon tree? Pruning shapes the crown and prevents it from growing to large sizes, which is very important if you have small apartment. Crown care should begin at a young age, when the plant reaches 20-30 cm in height. Thus, the top of the tree is cut off, side shoots are pruned at the level of the 5th leaf, the lower branches (those located close to the soil) are also removed - this allows the trunk to fully develop.
If you see too much crown splendor on one side, then carefully trim off the excess and give the tree the desired shape. Branch pruning is always done just above the leaf. The lower branches should be longer than the upper ones. Pruning should be carried out only when it is really required (stimulating the growth of new branches, rejuvenating an old tree). Frequent cutting of branches can weaken the plant.
Should I prune my lemon tree according to the time of year? There are several approaches to this process: best time Spring is the time for pruning. March is best. Often pruning is done when the lemon is flowering and buds are setting. Winter pruning is also used: if the plant is already bearing fruit, then it should be done after harvesting.
Lemon blooms very profusely and spreads a truly magical aroma. Indoor plant The lemon tree has bisexual flowers, so fruit set occurs spontaneously. If you want to increase productivity, you can use artificial pollination techniques. To do this, the flowers must be ripe; use a soft brush to collect pollen from the stamens and carefully transfer it to the pistil (sticky top). This is a rather monotonous process, but very effective. Additionally, you can insure yourself with fruit formation stimulants and plant growth regulators - Ovary and Bud fertilizers (spraying).
The ideal temperature for the growth of foliage and branches is +16..18ºC, for the harmonious development of fruits – 22..23ºC. Sudden changes in temperature, very high, as well as too low, have an extremely negative impact on the general condition of the lemon tree.
The soil temperature at home should be approximately the same as the air temperature. Sometimes the lemon is taken out to “ventilate”, for example, on the balcony, and then brought into the room - this is not advisable. Such changes are stressful for the lemon. It reacts by dropping leaves. Because the earth is cold and warm room air form an unfavorable temperature difference.
How to water a lemon tree at home?
The most vigilant care for lemon extends from autumn to spring (October-March). In winter, batteries and heating devices work actively at home, drying the air. For this reason, the plant should be placed away from sources of active heat, the radiators should sometimes be covered with a damp cloth and the crown should be irrigated daily with water. Such care also requires compliance with measures, because excessive moisture of the lemon threatens the development of fungus. You can also place containers of water next to the pots - the evaporation of moisture has a beneficial effect on the plant. With the onset of summer heat, it is recommended to wipe lemon leaves with a damp cloth.
How often to water lemon at home? Here you need to adhere to the golden mean - do not allow the soil to dry out and do not overfill it. Boiled or settled water at room temperature is suitable for irrigation; twice a week will be enough.
Below in the comments you can read the surprised and indignant exclamation of the reader about pouring boiled water over a lemon. Alas, I did not explain why water quality is so important for indoor lemon. The fact is that the chlorine present in the lemon has a depressing effect. tap water. Boiling or settling the water will help correct the situation. Even hardness salts in water prevent lemon from feeling comfortable. If you have hard water, then only boiling will make it softer, and at the same time the chlorine will evaporate.
If it happens that you overdo it with watering (the soil begins to rot), then you need to change the soil in the pot as quickly as possible. Clay pots are ideal containers for growing lemons at home; they evaporate excess moisture well and allow the soil to “breathe.”
If the lemon dries out
Sometimes on gardening forums you can see requests for help: the lemon tree is drying up, what to do?! - often this situation arises again from a lack of moisture and dry air in the room. Improper care: lack of lighting, stagnation of water in the soil are secondary reasons for lemon drying out. Sometimes such unfavorable changes can occur due to an attack by a pest - a spider mite.
If we know how to cope with a lack of moisture, then more radical measures are needed to combat mites. Treating a lemon tree with insecticides will put an end to harvesting, since after it it will be impossible to eat the fruits. But there is a way out - ultraviolet light (UV lamp) kills spider mites in 2-3 minutes and such a short “irradiation” of the plant at home will be enough.
The cause of drying out may also be seasonal acclimatization of the plant. You will have to trim off the dried branches. And in the spring, new shoots will appear in their place. The lack of micro- and macroelements is also expressed in the form of drying out; the introduction of the necessary fertilizing and balanced fertilizers solves this problem. Nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium additives or Root Feeder fertilizer (KP-5) will help the tree come to life and receive all the missing nutrients.
Pavlova lemon As we can see, lemon requires careful care and compliance with the rules of cultivation, but the result of such efforts cannot but please. Beautiful plant with vitamin fruits is a worthy gift that the lemon tree gives us. it's not that complicated if you know all the nuances.
For many plants, spring is a period of awakening from winter rest and a transition to the stage of activation of life processes, a gain of green mass and flowering. Lemon trees are no exception. What care do lemons require in spring? They also awaken and begin to be active. But for this they need certain resources. Let's take a closer look at how to help your citrus fruits go through this period most favorably.
requires more care at home than a regular lemon tree growing outside. This is due to the fact that the room is an unusual environment for this plant, so it is necessary to create the necessary conditions, favorable for plant growth and flowering. But the efforts will not be in vain: a lemon tree growing indoors will fit perfectly into the interior and become a highlight of the decor, pleasing the eyes of the inhabitants of the house for a long time.
What does it include caring for indoor lemon at home and how to protect it from death?
To get beautiful fruits in an apartment, you should pay attention Special attention feeding
Features of caring for indoor lemon in spring
1. The need for feeding.
requires special care in the spring, because it is during this period that branches grow most actively, new buds form, and the flowering period begins in older plants. The plant spends more resources than at other times, so it needs additional watering and feeding. As the latter you can use
- - special fertilizers for caring for lemon in a pot;
- — fertilizers for domestic citrus fruits and others fruit trees;
- - universal fertilizers.
The first option is the most optimal and will give best result, providing the tree with all the substances and microelements necessary for harmonious development.
2. Beginning of flowering and precautions.
Caring for homemade lemon does not always mean saving all flower buds. Flowering and subsequent fruiting require a huge amount of resources, so they are safe only for mature, strong plants. If the tree is still young or simply weak, then the buds should be cut off, otherwise they will draw all their strength onto themselves and destroy the plant. It will not be possible to save them in any case, but if you try to do this, the whole tree will dry out. In order for it to bloom safely, you need to strengthen it earlier, starting from the end of winter and increasing feeding as the weather gets warmer outside and the lemon “spilts out” accordingly (this will happen even if it is always indoors - it will react to the increase in duration solar lighting).
3. Washing after wintering.
4. Transplant into a larger pot.
At caring for lemon in a pot at home you always need to be careful. As soon as it grows so much that the pot becomes too small for it, you need to immediately transplant it into a larger container. Otherwise, in cramped conditions, it may dry out, since there will not be enough space for the rhizome to spread. As you know, the larger the plant, the more developed its root system is in order to be able to take a sufficient amount of nutrients from the soil. If there is too little space for its growth, then it will not be able to provide nutrition to the entire plant, so it will begin to dry out and soon die, no matter how abundant watering and fertilizing are.
5. Pest control.
Spring feeding
in a pot at home, despite the same temperature in the room throughout the year, implies regular feeding in the spring. Any fertilizer with high content nitrogen intended for citrus fruits. They will help the tree to actively grow leaves and gain strength to set fruit.
It is important to follow the instructions on the packaging and dosage, because satiety with nutrition can be more harmful to the plant than its lack. Mixing two or more drugs is undesirable unless the need for this is indicated in a separate paragraph (this may be the case with complex feeding).
As daylight hours increase, lemons need more nitrogen to grow green mass.
: keep or delete?
As mentioned above, weak plants should not be allowed to bloom, otherwise they may die. But how do you know if a lemon has enough strength? This is determined not only by his general condition(no dry or yellowed elements, healthy appearance), but also the number of leaves: there should be at least 12-15 (depending on the size of the tree). If there are fewer of them, then the buds should be removed. If more, then the tree is already strong and developed enough to withstand flowering and fruit formation. With proper care, you can get not only decorative lemons, but also completely edible and delicious fruits, no different from store-bought ones.
Timely removal of early ovaries will allow the plant to bear fruit more productively in the future, since its health will not be undermined by vitamin deficiency and lack of nutrition during the formation process.
Proper washing of leaves
Conditions lemon growing and care followed by washing it as needed. This helps get rid of dust and possible pests, and also cleanses the pores of the plant and refreshes it. How to do it right?
First you need to wrap the pot in a plastic bag so as not to flood the soil. Then put it in the bath and wipe all the leaves with water diluted with it. laundry soap. Then you need to rinse the plant weak pressure warm shower.
It is important to ensure that a lot of water does not get into the ground (even wrapping the pot in cellophane does not make it acceptable to water it with a shower directly from above). It is advisable to tilt the pot so that the water flows directly into the bath and not down the trunk.
Also, to avoid watering the lemon, you need to pause watering before washing, waiting for the soil to dry out a little. Then the water that gets into the pot will not be superfluous, but will be perceived by the plant as watering. But you can’t constantly water this way, because it requires settled water from minimum quantity chlorine and other elements harmful to any indoor greenery.
Lemon transplantation using the transshipment method
The transshipment method does not require a complete replacement of the soil, but involves transplanting the plant along with the old earthen ball into a new container. To do this, you need to carefully remove the plant from the pot along with the soil and inspect the roots. If they stick out noticeably in different directions, then the new pot should be larger than the previous one. If they intertwine at the bottom, then the same size is enough.
In a new pot, you need to fill the bottom with coarse coarse sand, then add a small layer of earth, and then place it there along with the old lump of earth. At the end you need to level the soil and fertilize it.
This is best done at the end of February, shortly before the plant enters the active growth, but after a period of deep winter hibernation.
Preventive treatment of lemon with Fitoverm
So, caring for a dwarf lemon in the spring and preparing it for summer requires time, effort and precautions. But a well-groomed and healthy plant will not only decorate any interior, but can also produce juicy fruits rich in vitamins. For lovers of floriculture care for indoor lemon It will not be difficult, but for beginners this task is quite difficult.
Spring feeding of indoor lemons with organic matter
I haven’t bought lemons at the store for seven years now. All because I managed to grow several citrus trees houses in pots. There's really nothing complicated about this. In this article I will tell you how to care for lemon at home.
Lemon is an evergreen perennial. It has strong, thorny branches with purple tips, large leathery leaves and ovoid fruits. Homemade lemons bloom for 7-9 weeks, all this time delighting their owner with a pleasant aroma.
They can bear fruit in the third year after planting. The fruits ripen for several months. They taste virtually no different from lemons grown in tropical countries.
Beneficial features
Lemon is not easy ornamental plant, this is your reliable home assistant. It has many useful properties:
- Phytoncides, which are released by citrus leaves, cleanse the air of microbes.
- The aroma of lemon improves tone and helps a person fight stress.
- Citrus fruits contain a lot of vitamin C, which is necessary for a person to quickly recover from colds and flu.
Has a beneficial effect on humans essential oil lemon, which can be obtained from its leaves. It improves mood, relieves cold symptoms, and relieves anxiety.
Which varieties are suitable for home cultivation?
The following varieties of lemons grow well at home:
- Genoa is a low-growing variety, has high yield, produces delicious aromatic fruits.
- Lisbon is a tall variety that tolerates high temperatures well.
- Pavlovsk lemon is a low variety that delights its owners with thin-skinned fruits.
- Meyer lemon is one of the most popular low-growing indoor varieties. Gives sour fruits.
Any of these varieties grows well in apartment conditions and does not require complex care. You need to choose the lemon that you like best in taste and appearance, and you can safely start planting it.
Growing lemons yourself
At home, lemon can be grown from cuttings or seeds. The first option is simpler. To grow a lemon from a cutting, you need to do this:
- Purchase a cutting of the variety of your choice. It is better to buy it from trusted people, since inexperienced gardeners often cut cuttings incorrectly, which is why young plants die before they have time to take root in the soil.
- The cuttings must be placed in water or in a mixture of sand and soil. It is buried 2 centimeters and covered plastic film to ensure the required level of humidity.
- After 2-3 weeks, the plant, which has taken root, is transplanted into the ground. Bury it into the ground 2-3 centimeters. In order for a young lemon to grow well, it is placed in a room with a temperature of 20-25 degrees Celsius.
Since it is quite difficult to buy high-quality cuttings, growing homemade lemon from seeds is more reliable, in my opinion.
The seeds of any ripe lemon purchased at the store are suitable for this purpose. The process of germinating seeds is quite simple:
- You need to remove the seed from ripe citrus and rinse it thoroughly under warm water. After this, you should lower it into warm water so that it is only half buried. The container with the bone must be placed in a place that is difficult for children and pets to reach.
- Next, you need to monitor the condition of the bone, periodically changing the water in the container. As soon as it cracks and a small sprout appears on the surface, the future lemon will need to be transplanted into a small pot. At this stage, you can use ordinary universal soil to grow the plant, then it will need to be replaced with a special mixture, which includes two parts of dry clay and leaf soil, as well as part of sand and part of manure. The seed itself should be immersed halfway in the ground, otherwise it will not grow.
After transplantation, the young lemon will quickly grow and gain strength. To prevent the plant from dying at this stage, it needs to be properly cared for.
How to care for lemon at home
Potted lemon is pretty unpretentious plant. In order for it to grow well and quickly, it needs to be provided with:
- Regular watering at least 2 times a week. For this purpose, it is recommended to use distilled, filtered water.
- Feeding. It should be carried out once every 3-4 weeks in the summer months and once every one and a half months in the winter. For this purpose you need to use mineral and organic fertilizers. In order for the plant to form correctly, it is recommended to alternate such feedings. They must be added to moist soil.
- Pruning. It is carried out in April, until the lemon tree enters the active growth phase. Its trunk is shortened to 5 true leaves. After this, the tree is pruned once a year in early spring.
- Frequent spraying. It allows you to make lemon leaves juicy and fleshy, and the fruits more aromatic.
Flowering of indoor lemons usually begins in the 2nd year after planting. Its fruits are formed on branches of the second, third, fourth order.
If you want to pamper yourself with homemade lemons, in the third year of the indoor tree’s life, remove half of its flowers and leave 4 fruit ovaries. Next year their number can be increased to 6, and a year later - to 8.
At proper care behind the tree, homemade lemons turn out juicy and fragrant. In terms of taste, they are in no way comparable to their store-bought counterparts.
Plant care in winter
Lemon does not tolerate cold. The plant needs to be provided with a temperature of +15 to +18 degrees in winter. If possible, he should be provided with additional lighting using a UV lamp. To make the lemon feel better, it is recommended to slightly warm up the water for watering it in the cold season.
You also need to ensure that the air in the room with the citrus fruit does not dry out. If central heating dries it out too much, spray lemon leaves or use an automatic humidifier.
conclusions
Overall, grow homemade lemon not as difficult as it might seem. To achieve success in this matter, it is enough to choose the right cuttings or seed, and also follow all the recommendations for caring for a home tree in a pot. Then, already in the third year, lemon can delight you with its fragrant fruits.
