Lemon - home care for real gardeners. Growing indoor lemon: nuances and expert advice

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

Let's look at how to care for lemons at home depending on the time of 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, pruning can be done for better branching and crown formation 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:

1. Spray your plants warm water(necessarily settled) 2-3 times a day;
2. Pour expanded clay into a tray, moisten it with water and place the flower pot in this tray. Keep expanded clay constantly moist;
3. Group several colors - the humidity will increase;
4. 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:

1. Hand pollination with a cotton swab;
2. Using the drug "Bud"

to stimulate fruit formation, preserve the ovary in unfavorable conditions;

3. Use of the drug "Kornerost, Heteroauxin"

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 required 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;
• will you look after appearance your plants;

And as a result, it will thank you abundant flowering and useful fruits.

The scientific name of the plant is Citrus limon, it is a plant of the Rutaceae family, genus Citrus.

Where does lemon grow?

The homeland of lemons is Asia: China, India and the islands in the Pacific Ocean, from where in the 12th century it was brought to the Middle East, North Africa and Europe (Spain, Italy). Lemons are not found in the wild most likely it is a spontaneous natural hybrid.

People have appreciated the beauty of lemon trees and its fragrant fruits, so they are grown as a crop in many countries with subtropical climates.

Photo

Indoor plant

In temperate climates, lemon can be grown as indoor plant. This is a low (up to 1.5-2 m) evergreen tree with a lush crown, in the depths of which fragrant flowers and then fruits are hidden. But for an indoor lemon to become a source of pride, you need to be able to grow it.

There are several ways to propagate lemons: from seeds, from cuttings, by grafting, by layering.

The plant is more hardy and unpretentious, but it will begin to bloom and bear fruit only after 8-10 years. Not very difficult. But the most convenient and reliable is to purchase an already grafted small tree.

Shoots (sprouts)

Young lemon shoots appear several times a year. These are thin soft twigs of light green color with leaf buds. They appear from dormant lateral buds if the tree has been pruned, or at the ends of intact stems.

To form a beautiful low tree, The lemon sprout is pinched or cut with pruning shears, to stimulate the growth of new side branches. Over time, when the lemon acquires the desired shape, unnecessary shoots are simply removed.

Important! Pinching shoots, in addition to purely aesthetic purposes, also promotes earlier flowering.

Leaves

Young leaves quickly mature and become dense, bright green, with clearly visible veins. An adult leaf of a lemon tree has the shape of an oval, pointed at the end, and can be up to 15 cm in length and up to 8 cm in width.

The outer part of the leaf is shiny, glossy, the bottom of the leaf is matte and slightly lighter. The leaves grow alternately, live for 2-3 years, after which they age and fall off, being replaced by new ones.

REFERENCE! It is quite simple to distinguish a real lemon from other citrus fruits and from hybrids: its leaves do not have stipules, and if the leaf is damaged, a distinct lemon smell will appear.

lemon stem

Annual shoots are green and smooth, but then become woody, acquire a light brown or gray tint, become hard and often prickly, with thin sharp thorns. On old branches the bark is red-violet, covered with shallow cracks.

If the lemon is formed correctly, straight trunk, however, if the central sprout is damaged, any side branch can become the main trunk.

Bloom

Ornamental lemon tree can bloom in different time years, and sometimes even all year round: on a healthy strong plant you can simultaneously see buds, flowers, ovaries and ripening fruits! White or cream flowers are 4-5 cm in diameter, with five petals around pale yellow stamens and a powerful pistil, located in the leaf axils singly or in clusters. After 4-5 weeks, the bud opens and blooms for 7-9 weeks, emitting a strong aroma.

Lemon ovary

Flowers can self-pollinate, but to be safe, they are pollinated artificially by transferring pollen to the sticky stigma of the pistil. When the petals fall you can see ovaries - dark green seals at the bottom of the pistil. They grow quickly, become unsmooth and look like real lemons.

Remember: too much a large number of fruit depletes the plant, it is better to remove unnecessary ovaries immediately. The optimal number of fruits on a tree is one per 15-20 leaves.

Fruit

They ripen within 6-9 months, and some varieties (for example, Lunaria) can ripen longer, up to 19 months. Ripe lemon fruits do not fall off on their own, but there is no point in not picking them: they will become thick-skinned and lose their taste and smell.

According to strict classification, Lemon fruits are multi-locular berries of light or bright yellow color. The weight of the fruit depends on the chosen variety: it can be from 50-70 g to a kilogram (Kiev large-fruited).

Seeds

Inside the fruit there may be lemon seeds - white or yellow-green ovoid seeds with a single embryo, light green inside.

Homemade lemons have thinner peels and usually have fewer seeds than store-bought lemons. In some varieties (Novogruzinsky) the fruits are completely seedless.

Lemon Tree - one of the domestic long-livers: it can grow and bear fruit for 30-35 years, and sometimes even up to 45!

In addition to the usual ones, there are exotic varieties with fruits unusual shape: For example, Lunario, blooming on the new moon and having elongated pointed fruits, or an absolutely amazing variety Buddha's hand, the fruits of which resemble a hand with outstretched fingers, but are inedible.

Home care

Despite such a variety of varieties, caring for lemon trees is the same: most of them are light-loving, love warmth, but do not tolerate direct sunlight, which causes burns on the leaves. Lemon is a plant that should be watered abundantly, but not very often, so that the soil has time to dry completely.

Important! You should not expose the tree to sudden changes in temperature: if in summer it stands on the balcony, bring it into the house in advance, without waiting for a significant cold snap.

Useful video

You can learn more about the lemon tree, as well as the features of its cultivation, in the video below:

Homemade lemon- a bright, friendly plant with fragrant flowers will remind you of summer and the subtropics, creating warmth and comfort in your home. And if you do everything right, you will certainly taste the lemons you grew yourself!

Lemon is an evergreen plant, whose homeland is the subtropics, but with appropriate care and the creation of certain conditions, the tree feels great in the apartment.

You can grow it from an ordinary seed, however, you can achieve excellent taste and normal ripening of the fruit only from seeds purchased in a specialized store. More than X centuries ago, lemons were brought to the Mediterranean countries from India, and later they came to Africa and America. Now lemons are not found in the wild; all lemon groves are the work of human hands.

Lemon - growing at home

As is known, in room conditions Growing a whimsical lemon is not easy. This requires optimal creation of growing conditions close to tropical, as well as timely, regular care . When breeding citrus, its variety is of great importance.

In indoor conditions, the success of growing a tree is guaranteed in a bright, ventilated room and if there is regular feeding.

Grow today citrus fruits at home, including lemons, has become very fashionable. Available in specialized stores a great variety of varieties both lemons themselves and their hybrids.

How to understand such abundance, how to choose a variety that suits your climatic and room conditions?

Types and varieties of lemon for home cultivation

The following lemon varieties are ideal for growing indoors:

1. Pavlovsky. An old variety that is popular among gardeners. It begins to bloom in the third year after planting. The thin-skinned fruits, weighing 200–400 grams, are very tasty. In a year, a tree can produce from 6 to 15 lemons.
2. Lunario. It is most widespread in Europe. It blooms for 2-3 years and bears from 8 to 16 fruits weighing 130-180 grams. The taste of lemons is average. The variety is very unpretentious and does not require special care.
3. Ponderosa. The tree is small (up to one meter), blooms within 1-2 years. The fruits are tasty, weighing up to 300 g. The only negative is the low yield (3-5 per year). The variety is unpretentious.
4. Lisbon. The variety is resistant to heat, easy to care for, and has thorns on the branches. Fruits weigh 180−200 grams with excellent taste. Fruits in the 3rd year after planting, yield is from 6 to 16 lemons. The height of the plant can be reduced by correctly forming the crown.
5. Meyer. Thanks to your small sizes(0.5-1 m) this variety has gained the greatest popularity among lovers of ornamental plants. Blooms for 1-2 years. Fruits 150−190 g, taste qualities average. The tree produces from 6 to 15 lemons per year.

Also suitable for growing at home are varieties such as Novogruzinsky, Villafranca, Maikopsky(have the highest yields), Genoa and Kursk, variegated Eureka (veins are noticeable on the leaves white).

Indoor lemon - home care

The lemon tree is propagated by grafting, pitting or cuttings. However, it is not at all necessary to plant it yourself.

The finished plant can be purchase at flower shop , specialized nursery or botanical garden.

It is necessary to determine in advance the place for the new settler. The following factors should be taken into account:

• Keep it away from heating systems, as heat has a negative effect on the plant.
• Consider the height of the ceilings - indoor lemon grows up to two meters. If the size of your ceilings does not allow you to grow an ordinary tree, you should pay attention to citrofortunella or dwarf varieties(Meyer lemon).
• Frequent movements have a bad effect on the well-being of the plant, so it is necessary to immediately determine a permanent place for the pet.

Lighting and Humidity

Indoor lemon is a light-loving plant. The ideal place for it would be the south-east or south side of the apartment, where there is diffused sunlight.

You can keep it in the sun for some time, but no more than two hours a day, otherwise the tree may get burned.

Lemon in winter needs additional lighting. Since indoor citrus fruits turn their leaves following the light, it is necessary to periodically turn the flowerpot so that the plant does not look one-sided.

The procedure should be carried out with great care. Lack of light causes various diseases and leads to a slowdown in growth, and vice versa, too long (more than 12 hours a day) and strong lighting slows down fruiting and provokes growth.

The level of humidity plays an important role in caring for indoor lemons. Ideal indicators are 60-70% at an air temperature of +18 °C. If the room is very hot, it is necessary 2 times a day spray the plant itself and the air around him.

Temperature

Temperature plays an important role at the main stage of plant care (in spring period). At this time, the lemon begins to actively grow and bloom. Citrus trees able to withstand temperatures from 14 °C to 27 °C.

However, these values must be permanent. Temperature changes negatively affect citrus fruits. During the flowering period, the air temperature in the house should not exceed + 18 °C, otherwise the buds will dry out and fall off.

In spring (from +12 °C) a container with a tree can be placed on a balcony, loggia or garden plot. This has a beneficial effect on lemon growth.

In winter, the plant requires colder conditions content. An insulated balcony could be an ideal place. In a hot apartment, citrus fruits can get sick and even die. At night, the crown should be wrapped in natural, light fabric.

The soil

Citrus fruits do not tolerate too acidic soil; the soil should be neutral. The earth must be constantly loosened. The approximate composition of the soil may be as follows:

• wood ash - ¼ part;
• sand - 1 part;
• deciduous soil - 2 parts;
• humus - ½ part.

Necessarily need to add drainage(charcoal, small gravel, etc.). For adult plants, a small amount of clay is added.

Watering and fertilizing indoor lemon

The lemon tree needs plenty of watering. It is better to use natural water: snow, rain or river. If applies tap water, you must first boil, stand and acidify. This will make it softer.

In summer the plant needs to be watered abundantly twice a day. The bottom of the flowerpot should have holes and the soil should be well-drained, which will avoid stagnation of moisture in the root system.

IN autumn period Watering should be reduced, and in winter it is enough to water 1-2 times a week. Do not forget about periodic spraying of the trunk, crown and surrounding air.

The need for hydration can be determined by the following signs:

1. A lump of soil from a flowerpot easily crumbles in your hands.
2. Young boring plants have a drooping appearance.
3. Grayish tint of soil.
4. The leaves of the crown are curled into a “tube”.
5. If you click on the flowerpot with your finger, you will hear a ringing sound.

Watering indoor tree depends on the following factors:

• season;
• air humidity (more often when low);
• temperature (the lower, the less frequent);
• age of the tree (the younger, the rarer).

Fertilizing plays an important role in caring for a lemon tree. For normal growth and fruiting, the plant needs nutrients. Between March and October fertilizers should be applied at intervals of once every three weeks.

In this case, mineral supplements must be alternated with organic ones. In summer, fertilizers are applied during watering, in other periods - 2 hours after moistening the soil.

Overfeeding the plant has a negative effect on growth and development, so it is better to under-fertilize. In winter, citrus fruits do not need to be fed.

Diseases and pests

Like all house plants, the lemon tree is also susceptible to pest attack and infection.

Scale insects damage foliage. The leaves are covered with round brownish scales, which are practically impossible to mechanically separate. The pest is protected by a wax shell, so chemicals do not have any effect on the scale insect.

After some time, a sticky mass is released from the leaves and if the necessary measures are not taken - leaves turn yellow and fall off. It is better to start fighting the pest immediately. To do this, you need to inspect the leaves daily, especially on the underside.

Ideal conditions for growth and development spider mite are dry air and heat. The leaves of the plant are wrapped in a “tube”. It takes the insect only a week to lay eggs.

• The lemon tree must be placed away from other house plants.
• The leaves of the crown should be inspected daily.
• Wipe leaves soap solution every month.
• Rinse the crown in the shower weekly.

If aphids or mites are found, you should spray with solution: 1 tbsp. l. tobacco dust, pour boiling water (1 tbsp), leave for 6 days. Laundry soap grate and add to the resulting infusion. Spray once a week for a month.

You can also use garlic infusion: Chop the head of garlic and pour boiling water (1 tbsp), leave for 48 hours in a dark, sealed container. Strain. Use the same as the first option.

To combat spider mites you can use chemical drug"Omite" in a proportion of 4 ml per liter of water. Spray every week for 21 days. There are other means, but it must be taken into account that they are toxic and the treatment should be carried out with gloves, ensuring unobstructed air access.

The citrus tree is susceptible to various types of viral, infectious and bacterial diseases. The first ones cannot be treated. The virus can live for 10 years before the first signs appear. Therefore, only a specialist can determine its presence.

Infectious diseases

Root rot . Easily visible during mass leaf fall. Treatment: remove the tree from the flowerpot, rinse the roots thoroughly, removing rotten parts. Transplant the plant into a new container filled with high-quality soil.

Disease Malseco affects young shoots and can lead to death. First the tips get sick, then the foliage and wood. Diseased areas take on a brick color. The crown sheds its leaves. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment.

Gommosis disease. The trunk is affected. The lower part begins to gradually crack and acquire a brown tint. The cracks grow and a dark, glue-like liquid oozes out. The tree is rotting.

Treatment: damaged areas cover up copper sulfate , transplant the plant into fertilized, fresh soil. You should first carefully inspect and wash the roots. In severe cases, gommosis cannot be treated.

The main reason for the occurrence infectious diseases is insufficient care for a house plant. It must be taken into account that both fruit-bearing and decorative types lemon tree.

What could it be better than vegetables and fruits that do not contain nitrates and other impurities. And how much better if it is done by your own hands. Just imagine, you wanted to drink tea with lemon, you reached out your hand and picked a ripe fruit that grew in your home.

At home, it is a low-growing perennial evergreen with thorny strong branches. Leaves contain essential oil. Leaves generally live for 2-3 years. The buds generally begin to bloom after 5 weeks, and the opened flower after 7-9 weeks. The aroma is very pleasant. But fruit ripening can last 9 months.

From this article you can learn about growing and caring for lemons at home. After we reveal some secrets to you, you will definitely want to place him in your home.

How to care

There are a large number of varieties of this plant. Sometimes it can reach a height of 1.5 meters. But to form a neat crown and provoke early flowering, it is recommended to pinch, removing the apical bud, leaving 3-4 leaves.

Lighting

This plant is light-loving and therefore the light should be bright. Young trees must be protected from direct sunlight, but overgrown trees tolerate it normally.

Temperature

It must be remembered that this is a subtropical plant. Moderate warmth will be comfortable for him.

• In winter, the temperature should be between 10-14 degrees plus
• In summer – 10-22 °C. Also, a pot with a plant can be placed on a loggia or outside under a canopy.

Humidity

In addition to watering, it is necessary to constantly spray the plant with boiled water. room temperature. For him, moist air around the crown is more important than a large amount of moisture in the soil.

How to water

How to water a lemon at home - it’s simple, this plant loves moisture and the soil should be moist. The older the plant, the more frequent and abundant watering. The amount and volume of watering depends on the temperature in environment. To do this, it is better to use settled, thawed or rainwater. It should be at room temperature or a couple of degrees higher.

Watering in summer

In spring and summer, watering should be abundant and frequent. If the humidity in the room is high and cool, then less often, and if it is dry and warm, then more often. In spring it is recommended to water in the morning, and in summer and autumn - in the evening.

Watering in winter

In winter, water as needed, when the top layer of soil dries out. The soil should not dry out more than 1 cm deep, otherwise the plant will dry out. To prevent the soil from drying out, mulch it. Excessive watering can lead to rotting of the plant roots and disease.

Soil and fertilizers

They require fertile, water- and breathable, loose soil. Basically, it is prepared from equal parts of sand, peat, humus, rotted deciduous soil and 2 parts of turf. Soil acidity should be between pH 5.8-6.5. It is also recommended to place 2 cm of drainage at the bottom of the pot, which will not allow the water to stagnate.

How to replant a lemon? Young lemons should not be planted immediately in a large pot. . The soil that is free from roots will turn sour from excess moisture. When replanting, it is recommended to take a pot that is 5-6 cm larger than the previous one. But remember about the root collar, it should not be covered with soil.

Top dressing

For normal development, it is necessary to periodically apply organic and mineral fertilizers.

• From March to early October, fertilizers need to be applied once every 3 weeks. It is better to underfeed than to overfeed. It is advisable to alternate mineral and organic fertilizers.
• In winter, you don’t need to fertilize the plant in a cool room.

The main requirement is to water the plant clean water 2 hours before applying fertilizer, in order to avoid burning the roots.

Trimming

Lemon pruning should be a mandatory maintenance procedure. The crown should be formed depending on the purpose for which it is grown. For ornamental plant They form a small compact crown, and use a completely different method to obtain fruits. A fruit-bearing lemon is characterized by a certain number of base branches, which consist of fruit wood. To form the crown, you can use the clothespin method.

• Zero shoots that have reached 20-25 cm are pinched. Next, the shoot is pinned at a height of 15-20 cm from the previous one. There should be 4 developed buds left on the segment.
• Shoots of the first order are pinched after 20-30 cm. When they ripen, they are pruned 5 cm shorter than the previous one.
• We complete the formation of the crown on shoots of the 4th order.

If this procedure is not carried out, the shoots grow long and the formation of shoots with fruits is delayed. In addition, pruning also has a sanitary function. It allows you to delete weak branches and those that grow inside the crown.

Reproduction

There are several ways to propagate homemade lemons:

1. Lemon from seeds. Growing a lemon from a seed at home is a very long process and you will probably get your first fruits in 12-18 years.
2. Lemon from cuttings. For cuttings, shoots 4 mm thick and 10 cm long are selected. The lower cut is made under the bud, and the upper cut is made above it. The cuttings should have 3-4 formed buds and 2-3 leaves. Treat the cut with a stimulant and lower it half its length into water. After 3 days they are planted in a mixture of flower soil, sand and humus. The immersion depth is 3 cm. Since the cuttings do not yet have roots, they must be sprayed every day with settled warm water. The soil should be moist. Temperature for rooting 20-25 degrees. The roots will form in 1-1.5 months.
3. Lemon through grafting. How to plant lemon at home? A good rootstock is important for this procedure. The ideal seedling would be a 2-3 year old seedling with a trunk diameter of no more than 1.5 cm. It is mainly grafted onto other citrus fruits. Take healthy, non-lignified annual shoots. The leaves are cut from the cuttings, leaving only the buds in the axils. How to vaccinate homemade lemon during active growth? It is best to do this in early spring. To do this, make a T-shaped cut in the bark on the trunk of the rootstock and bend its corners. Cut the bud from the scion cutting along with the petiole and shield. The piece of cut bark should be large enough to fit into the cut. Lift up the bark and place the shield there. Then lower the bark, do not touch the cut with your fingers. Wrap the rootstock trunk with tape or plaster. Engraftment takes about 3 weeks. If the petiole of the grafted bud turns yellow and falls off, this indicates a positive result. Then you need to cut the scion trunk 10 cm above the graft and remove the tape. Remove shoots on the trunk below the graft.

Diseases and pests

Pests include: whitefly, scale insects, spider mites, aphids, and scale insects.

Among the most common diseases are:

• Leaves and buds fall off. Reason: lack of moisture. Solution: spray more often and do not allow the soil to dry out.
• Lemon leaves are pale or light green. Cause: lack of nutrients in the soil or light. Solution: fertilize, increase lighting.
• Brown leaf tips. Reason: insufficient watering or dry air. Solution: spraying and increasing watering.

Lemon doesn't bloom. Reason: pot too tight. Solution: feed and replant.

Knowing these secrets of growing this plant, you will definitely plant it at home and feast on its fruits. In addition, its fruits can hang and not fall on the tree for up to 2 years. So the pleasure can last for a long time!

In Russia, home cultivation of citrus fruits dates back more than three hundred years, because the first ones were imported into the Russian Empire under Tsar Peter I.

lemon blossom

Lemon is essentially an evergreen plant that blooms several times a year. The flowers have a very pleasant smell, and the number of petals is limited to 5 pieces. Bright yellow fruits appear mainly on branches that are not lower than the fourth level. The fruits appear on short branches - fruitlets.

The ripe fruit can remain on the branches of the plant for two years, first changing color to green, then again to yellow-golden. Indoor lemon trees, unlike ground ones, have thin skins. Despite the fact that these lemons have fewer seeds, they are much more flavorful. Given that proper care indoor lemon trees will bloom and delight you with a harvest just like the trees from your garden.

How to properly care for lemon at home

Caring for an indoor lemon tree has several differences from caring for a tree from the garden. One difference is the flowering time. Most indoor lemon trees bloom and bear fruit throughout the year. This primarily applies to lemon varieties such as Meyer and Lisbon. But if, for example, you grow a lemon of the “Eureka” variety in a mild coastal climate, then it will also be able to bloom and bear fruit all year round.

Lemon flowers, usually of both sexes, are located alone, in pairs or in small racemes; they are quite large: 4-5 cm in diameter. The period of bud development lasts 5-6 weeks, after which the flowering period begins: 7-9 weeks. The period of growth and development of fruits from the ovary (falling of the petals) to the beginning of ripening under indoor conditions during the spring flowering period can last up to 230 days.

In summer better lighting And optimal temperature air, so the period of fruit development can be reduced to 180-200 days. If in the first year of life a young, newly grafted tree “throws out” flowers, they must be picked before they bloom. This will allow the young plant to conserve its strength and preserve it for further proper development.

During the second flowering, the buds are no longer removed. Often, the tree itself decides how many fruits it can “feed” and how many “extra” flowers it needs to shed. It is recommended to allow lemon to bloom if it has at least 20 healthy leaves.

Every time during the flowering period of the lemon tree, it is necessary to pay serious attention to watering. Lack of water can cause flowers to fall off. A lemon tree in a pot needs watering when the top layers of soil dry out at a level of 3-5 centimeters. It is necessary that the soil in the pot is constantly well moistened.