Indoor lemon: home care, growing, photo, disease, flowering, reproduction. How to care for a lemon at home - a cheat sheet for housewives How to grow indoor lemon care

When moving to new house, I didn’t have indoor plants at all, but I wanted to fill the oppressive emptiness. Therefore, after cleaning another citrus, I thought, why not try to grow indoor flower on one's own?

It turned out that growing a lemon tree at home is quite simple. Therefore, I will tell you how, with proper care, a lemon tree after a while will delight you with its bright green crown, air purification, and juicy fruits.

In order to grow a lemon tree, you do not need large material and physical costs. For successful germination you will need:

lemon seeds,
earth universal,
regular watering.

There are two ways to germinate lemon tree from bone:

soak,
planting.

First: remove the largest seeds from the lemon, wash them. Lightly wet a cotton swab and place the seeds in it, after that you need to let it stand in a humid environment for a couple of days, then you can plant it in the ground.

The second method is even simpler - planting the seed immediately into the ground. In order to be sure that at least one seed will sprout, plant 4-5 seeds in one pot. The germination of citrus fruits from seeds is almost 100%, so you can be sure that 3 will sprout exactly, subject to certain rules.

Only those seeds that were extracted from unripe fruits do not sprout, or they themselves were underdeveloped - twisted, wrinkled, small and "thin".

Take large and beautifully formed grains - these are ideal candidates for a beautiful healthy plant.

After planting in the ground for further action, you can choose one of two methods.

Cover the pot or container with cling film or a translucent lid and expose to the south side. Be sure to ventilate the ground once a day.
Put the pot or container on the sunny side without any ventilation and other manipulations.

The first method is relevant if you plant seeds in winter and your house is cool enough. And the second is very good in the spring and summer.

Care

After the plant has hatched, it is important to observe special care. Citrus, and especially lemon, is important sunlight– at least 2 hours a day of direct contact with foliage. Citruses are very fond of and need regular spraying.

Therefore, the humidity in the room for lemon plays a huge role, especially in winter - if your house has very dry air due to heating, then spraying should become daily, and also, if possible, humidify the air with a special device. If this is not available, then a large container of water can be placed nearby.

The plant does not tolerate a nomadic lifestyle, so it is better for it to initially determine the place where it will live on a permanent basis.

Do not forget about how to care for a lemon - when the topsoil dries, the plants need to be watered. Water should not stagnate, therefore, in addition to fertile soil, there must be a layer of drainage in the pot, otherwise the root system may begin to rot.

Top dressing in winter time should be done 2-3 times per season. To do this, you need to take part of the ash, and insist it in water. After that, pour plenty of citrus with this mixture. In summer, you can use a nitrogenous fertilizer, for example, made independently from grasses and weeds.

Top dressing for citrus is possible and the following:

sugar,
specialized purchased for citrus fruits,
for indoor plants, universal,
mineral supplements,
rich in calcium
cooked by hand (ground egg shells, onion peel, green manure, ash, and so on).

Transplantation and plant formation

A lemon transplant should be done once a year in a pot that will be 1-2 centimeters larger than the previous one in diameter.

In this case, the plant will be comfortable and without much stress. The main thing to remember when transplanting is that the root system cannot be damaged, the earthen clod must be carried with extreme caution, as well as the pot filled with new earth around the clod.

Plant care should also include pruning the plant and shaping its crown or trunk. Lemon can be both an independent tree and grown in a bush way. Pruning decides everything - citruses tolerate crown formation well.

When the plant reaches 30-35 cm, you can pinch off the top of 10 centimeters - you get a cutting. Set it aside, as it can make another indoor citrus favorite. Next, watch where the new branches will grow. And, if you wish, also pinch off the objectionable.

In order to form a bush lemon, the main trunk must be cut low enough. After new shoots appear on the trunk, the plant needs especially close care - in this case it is very susceptible to drying out.

Bloom

A tree always reaches for the light, and in order to form a beautiful lush crown, it is important to turn it. But by no means abruptly, but half a centimeter a day, so that the leaves have time to move behind the sunlight.

Lemon can let the ovary fruit already in the second year of life, but you need to remember that the plant itself at such a young age just spends all its vitality, vitamins and juices. Therefore, it is desirable to cut or pluck the flower ovaries.

You can start fruiting a lemon from 4-5 years of age, but it is still better to wait until 8-10 years. Then it will be possible to painlessly enjoy the whole crop of lemons, and not 1-2 fruits.

Reproduction by cuttings

Lemons can also be grown from cuttings. However, when growing a lemon from cuttings, there is no guarantee that the plant will take root, especially if it is brought from a tropical country. Compared to the variant of the plant from the stone, this plant will be more frail, but with proper care it will bear fruit regularly.

The period of cultivation before the first fruiting will be halved - in 3-5 years. The advantage of growing from cuttings is that the branch retains its DNA at 100%.

Cutting cultivation requires material for germination - it can be brought from hot countries by tearing a branch from a tree growing in open field. Or you can use a ready-made plant that needs to form a crown.

Importing and growing from a cutting is quite troublesome, so consider the option when growing a lemon is much easier.

When forming the crown of a finished plant, better than actually grown, cut off the top and plant this cutting in the sand, deepening it by about 1-1.5 centimeters. With all this, it is advisable not to remove the lower leaves, but on the contrary, it is better to cut off the uppermost small leaves.

Rooting takes from 30 to 60 days, so you should monitor the condition of the cutting and its watering. After the cutting has taken root, it should be transplanted into a pot with soil and a drainage layer.

Conclusion

Home-grown lemon is not only indoor plant, but with love and care grown comrade. Its beautiful bright and juicy appearance will give the room a unique look, essential oils will fill the room with a refreshing, barely noticeable aroma.

And during flowering, the aromas will spread throughout the apartment. What can we say about juicy ripe fruits, which a lemon will definitely give to a caring owner. Good luck growing your lemon!

Some indoor plant lovers have adapted to grow citrus trees on the windowsill. Lemon is especially popular. Growing a lemon at home will not take much effort from the owner.

Lemon cultivation can be done at home

Lemongrass is native to southern countries with a warm and humid climate. Therefore, the main task of the grower is to provide similar microclimatic conditions in the house or apartment.

Why is lemon grown at home?

There are several advantages to growing a lemon crop at home. The main one is the fragrant healthy fruits that the plant produces annually. In addition, placing a lemon on the windowsill can become an interior decoration.

You can grow a lemon at home in a pot or tub. The pot is more suitable for dwarf varieties plants, the tub is useful if grown a big tree from bone. With enough heat, moisture and light indoor lemon can reach one and a half meters in height and produce up to 150 fruits per season. It is very difficult to achieve such results, but taking into account all the features of care, this can still be done.

Another benefit of growing a lemon is the beautiful appearance of the tree. It has a dense and evergreen crown. During the flowering period, the plant throws out beautiful flowers. Often they are covered with mighty green leaves. The only exception is Ponderosa lemon, whose branches are thin and resemble a sprawling bush. Despite the external weakness, the branches can withstand up to 50 fruits. This decorative tree can be grown on the windowsill, because it does not take up much space.

A lemon bush can produce up to 50 fruits

General features of growing lemon at home

Lemon is a thermophilic tree. The lack of heat affects the fact that the plant grows poorly, gets sick or dies. If you decide to put the pot on the window, then you must:

Choose south or east. The plant should receive a lot of sunlight.
On sunny days, the tree is placed in the shade, and on cloudy days, it is illuminated with fluorescent lamps.
In summer, take the plant to the balcony or loggia. There it receives more oxygen and solar energy. And only by the fall it is brought to its original place. In winter, you should monitor the temperature indicator, which should not fall below 10 degrees.

Special attention is the quality of the soil and the pot. The fact is that lemons have an individual nutrition system. They get water not through ordinary hairs on the roots, but through fungi in the soil. Connection home plant with fungal mycelium is sensitive to external factors. It is easy to break it with a lack of oxygen, improper watering and sudden changes in temperature.

Before you grow a lemon tree, you should take care of suitable soil. Plant lemons in loose soil types with a neutral pH. It is best to plant citrus in ready ground purchased from a specialized store. If indoor lemon is placed in a self-made substrate, it is important to take into account the proportions of humus, soddy soil and sand. Soil with meadow turf, leafy soil, humus and sand is also popular.

Mistakes in care lead to the fact that the lemon tree at home dies from dryness or excess moisture, bad conditions content or pests.

Lemon prefers the sunny side of the room

Planting a lemon

For small plants, a clay pot is suitable, for large ones it is better to use wooden tub, which is considered the best option to accommodate citrus fruits. natural material better passes oxygen to the roots of the lemon. Before placing the planting material in a pot, it should be inspected for damage. The landing process itself is simple:

The root neck is buried 5 cm deep.
The container is filled with soil almost to the very top. It is better if there is a space of 1–1.5 cm between the edge of the pot and the soil.
After planting, the seedling is sprayed with water and watered with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The planted tree is left on the windowsill. A young plant needs a lot of light and heat. On hot days, it is better to create partial shade, which will save you from burns. You should not change the place for the pot, the lemon does not like moving. Occasionally, you can turn the tree with darkened leaves towards the sun for even heat.

Lemon seedlings after planting are sprayed with water

Growing a lemon from a seed

If you decide to germinate a varietal lemon from a seed, you should know the features of its cultivation. This process takes much longer than planting seedlings. To find out how long it takes for the germination of grains, you need to take into account the following features:

The sprout breaks out of the ground 2 weeks after planting. Sometimes it takes more time (up to one month).
Citrus germs require greenhouse conditions, so the pot with the stone is covered with a trimmed plastic bottle or tight plastic wrap. Inside such a cap, the humidity is many times greater than in open space, and the transparency of the bottle allows the ascending shoots to receive sunlight. In a homemade greenhouse, watering should not be abused. The soil already gives moisture to the allotted space of the greenhouse, so it should only be sprayed.
When a small stalk has broken through, it is taught to room conditions, removing the greenhouse cap for 1-2 hours a day.
Transplanting into a large pot occurs only when 4 leaves appear on the sprout.

Growing lemon in a greenhouse is also suitable for mature seedlings. At proper organization climatic conditions, you can do without it. It is also not worth rushing to feed.

Until the citrus root system is fully formed, any external additives will be perceived by the tree as poison. It is best to feed in spring or summer, but not earlier than three months from planting.

Growing a lemon from seed will take quite a long time.

watering lemon

Growing a lemon at home is not an easy task, often a lemon does not survive even a few months. And one of the reasons for this is improper watering. Providing proper care at home is necessary for the plant to grow healthy and strong. How to properly water

Provide moderate watering with settled water 1 time per day. You can water it twice a day (it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil).
Water lemon 2 times a week in winter.
Drain accumulated water in the pan immediately after watering. The roots of the plant can rot from excess moisture.
Spray lemon leaves daily warm water. It is especially important to do this in winter, when the air becomes dry from the operation of heating systems.

Experienced growers advise beginners to find a balance of moisture: avoid overflows and lack of moisture. With its shortage, the leaves of any kind of lemon begin to turn yellow. If timely watering is not done, microiza and the plant die. If yellowed leaves are detected, the lemon should be sprayed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

We must not forget about the benefits warm shower. Like everything standing still in the home, the lemon is covered with a layer of dust and dirt. It should be washed off, because dust interferes with the process of photosynthesis. Bathing plants spend no more than 1 time per month.

Remove dust from lemon leaves regularly.

lemon fertilizer

Recommendations on how to care for a lemon also apply to plant nutrition. Citrus fruits are sensitive to fertilizers. The preparations must be constantly changed, because when using one fertilizer, the pH of the soil can change to an acidic or alkaline side. In such soil, the lemon does not ripen, grows for a long time, gets sick and dies. To avoid this, you should:

Choose only mineral compounds for fertilizer.
Fertilize from March to October with a frequency of 2-3 weeks. For young plants, it is enough to carry out the procedure once every one and a half months.
Combine top dressing with watering in the summer.
In spring and autumn, feed the plant only after watering. Fertilizer is applied at least 2 hours after soil moistening.
In winter, fertilize once.

Unlike complex mineral fertilizers, not all organic matter is suitable for lemon. The most effective is a weak solution of manure with water (1/6) and an extract from wood ash. A special infusion of birch and quinoa leaves is popular.

Some citrus growers face the problem of flowering. When flowers do not appear among the ripening leaves on the crown, this indicates poor feeding. Why does the plant react this way? The fact is that the lemon does not have enough strength for the fruit. And changing the fertilizer will help him cope with this problem.

From quinoa you can prepare an infusion for fertilizing lemon

The Importance of Pruning

The need for pruning is caused by decorative and sanitary features. Its shape and scheme most often depend on the purpose of growing a tree. Small ornamental plants do not need sprawling large branches, so they are cut as much as possible, making the crown compact. For citrus fruits that bear fruit, the rule of balancing branches and shoots applies. The most common method of such pruning is pinching.

It begins after the lemon has reached the age of one year, with preliminary pruning of the main shoot. It is best to leave 30 cm in length. This is necessary so that the lateral buds on the tree begin to germinate.

Only after the lemon gets stronger and gives new branches, they should be pinched. There are 3-4 leaves on each branch. This pruning method allows the tree to grow strong, able to hold and allow them to fully mature.

It is important to prune old dried branches. Lemon spends his strength on them, but it will not work to revive them. Therefore, it is better to rid the lemon of excess load. Also amenable to pruning are those shoots that grow inside the crown. They most often prevent neighboring branches from developing and receiving enough sunlight.

Enjoying a ripe lemon fruit grown on your own balcony or windowsill will only work if the flowers are shaped correctly. Weak immature plants can throw out a large number of flowers already in the second year of life. You can't leave them. The structure of the tree cannot withstand a heavy load, and the lemon will die, giving all its strength to the fruits. To grow a large crop, you should:

In the second year of a lemon's life, leave 2 flowers on the entire tree or completely remove the inflorescences.
During flowering, carefully monitor the health of the tree, protect it from drafts and perform all the features of caring for it.
Know the rule for forming inflorescences - 1 fruit should have 10 leaves. All other ties are removed.

Lemon harvest can be expected 4-5 years after planting

Do not expect high fertility rates from a houseplant. The tree grows and develops very slowly. Any human error can delay flowering. You should constantly monitor the condition of the lemon and feed, cut and water it in a timely manner.

Some citrus growers get first good fruit within 4–5 years. Their number rarely exceeds 5-8 pieces. big harvest will have to wait longer. The tree reaches its maturity only by 8–10 years, and at home, the lemon lives up to 40–45 years.

Transplant Features

Some citrus owners are faced with the problem of the rapid death of the plant. If its cause depends on watering and fertilizing, then the tree suffers from an improperly selected pot. Too much capacity causes root rot. It is better to use pots commensurate with the root of the plant and replant the tree only when it becomes crowded. It is best to increase the space gradually, controlling the growth of the roots of the tree.

We must not forget about the proper access of oxygen to the roots. It is better to install the pot on a pallet with a gap so that air penetrates into the soil. A lining of stones or wood should be installed under the bottom of the pot.

After transplantation, the citrus is returned to the same place where it stood before. Any change of environment is bad for the health of the plant. It can get sick and even die. If you want to turn the tree with its shaded side towards the sun, then you should change the angle by no more than 10 degrees. Only in this way will the lemon grow strong and healthy.

Indoor lemon is one of the most spectacular and beautiful ornamental plants. Delighting its owners with bright foliage and fragrant flowers, this citrus, however, belongs to the group of very capricious ones. Care must be taken properly. At the slightest violation of technology, the tree will not only not bloom and bear fruit, but may even shed its leaves and die. In order for the plant to develop well and have a lush crown, it should be properly watered and fertilized.

What do you need to know?

Further in the article, we will deal in detail with how a plant such as indoor lemon is cared for at home. Flowering and fruiting of this citrus fruit is possible only if:

right choice places;
use of suitable soil;
regular watering and top dressing;
periodic pruning.

Bloom

The main decorative value of the lemon is its dense leaves of rich dark green color. The star-shaped flowers of this citrus, white with yellow stamens, are quite showy. However, they grow in the depths of the crown, in the axils of the leaves, and are practically invisible from the outside. Therefore, lemon cannot be attributed to the group of flowering houseplants. But although the flowers of this citrus are not its main decoration, they smell very pleasant. Moreover, the aroma spreads literally throughout the room.

The abundant appearance of buds is possible only if the correct care for a plant such as indoor lemon is carried out at home. This citrus fruit does not bloom most often precisely because of the lack of nutrients in the soil and irregular watering. Also, the lack of buds and fruits can be affected by a lack of sunlight.

How to choose a variety?

In the wild, indoor lemon, which is really difficult to care for at home, grows in hot India. As a cultural plant, this plant has been cultivated for a very long time, including in Russia. Lemons were brought to our country back in the time of Peter the Great. Over the years of cultivation, many varieties of this citrus fruit have been bred, productive and unpretentious. But of course, not all varieties are suitable for growing in confined spaces. The most popular varieties among indoor plant lovers are:

Pavlovsky. Such lemons favorable conditions can reach a height of even up to 2 meters. The advantages of this variety include, first of all, the fact that it reproduces very easily. cultivation and care at home for which - the procedures, in comparison with other varieties, are relatively simple, well suited not too experienced florist. Its fruits are very fragrant and fragile. The variety does not like bright sunlight too much.
Meyer. This variety is good for early fruiting and unpretentiousness. It differs from most other varieties in more acidic fruits. Also, indoor Meyer lemon, which is cared for at home in much the same way as for any other varieties, is compact. This variety grows very low.
Novogruzinsky. This lemon is easy to make harvest all year round. Its fruits do not have seeds and smell very good.

How to choose a place?

The peculiarities of the lemon, among other things, include the fact that he really does not like a change of scenery. Therefore, the place for it must be chosen carefully. Most varieties prefer good lighting. But it does not tolerate direct sunlight.

They put a lemon, cultivation and care at home for which will be successful only if the right place is chosen, most often on the east window. Bright, but rather diffused morning lighting is enough for this plant to develop well.

It is allowed to put lemons on the south window. However, in this case, be sure to take care of shading. Direct sunlight will definitely cause burns in the plant. In addition, the lemon will react to an excess of lighting with the appearance a large number small whitish leaves. Thus, the citrus will simply try to reduce the area of contact with UV rays and lose its effectiveness.

Choosing a place for a lemon should also take into account that the pot is not cooled by a draft. This is especially true in the cold season. If the temperature of the soil in the pot is below the ambient temperature, the plant will shed its leaves.

How to propagate by cuttings?

This is the most easy way get some new lemons at home. Cut cuttings from an adult plant in early spring. The branch should be mature, about 4-5 mm thick. The lower leaves are removed from the cutting. It is best to plant a twig in a greenhouse made from an ordinary plastic bottle.

A 2 liter container is perfect. The top of the bottle is cut off, and several holes are made in its bottom to drain water. Next, a layer of steamed sand is poured onto the bottom. A nutrient soil with an acidity of 6.5-7 pH is laid on top. The substrate for lemon can be bought at the store or made by hand. In the latter case, take:

leaf ground - 1 hour;
humus - 1 hour;
sod land - 2 hours;
sand - 1 hour

All components should be thoroughly mixed and placed in a bottle.

The end of the cut cutting is sprinkled with wood ash, powdered with a heteroauxin stimulant and immersed in the ground by 2-3 cm. Next, the plant must be thoroughly watered, and the bottle should be covered with plastic wrap on top. In the future, it is not recommended to moisten the soil in the container until the plant is rooted. The roots of the twigs are released in about a month.

When using cuttings as planting material in the future, it will be easiest to care for such citrus fruits as room lemon at home. Reproduction using this technology allows you to quickly get a lush, healthy, fruit-bearing adult plant.

The use of seeds

Planting material with this method of cultivation should be chosen as carefully as possible. From the fruit of an even shape, you need to get the largest seed. It should be planted immediately. In this case, you can use an ordinary plastic cup with drainage holes made in it as a container. Put some sand on the bottom. The soil in this case is used the same as under the cuttings.

It is best to plant several seeds at once in different cups, and then choose the strongest plant for growing. The seeds are buried in the ground by 2-3 cm. Immediately after planting, watering is performed. The selected lemon will need to be transferred to a larger container at the age of 3-5 months. Transshipment should be done as carefully as possible. If the lemon roots are damaged, it will shed its leaves.

How to water?

Moisture is what room lemon loves very much. Care at home for him, as for all citrus fruits, is, among other things, in frequent watering. In summer, the soil under the plant is moistened once a day - two. In winter, the lemon is watered once a week. With a lack of moisture, the leaves of this plant change color to yellow-brown.

If this happens, in no case should you pour a lemon with a large amount of water at once. Otherwise, his root system will die. You can correct the situation in such a situation by slightly moistening the soil under the plant and spraying it abundantly. It will also be useful to wrap the stem with a damp cloth.

How to fertilize?

You should also feed the lemon quite often. In the summer, once a month, the plant is watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. It is best to do this at night. It is also useful to water the lemon with a solution once a month. The best organic fertilizer for this citrus fruit is ordinary cow dung.

Can also be purchased from the shop complex top dressing containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. With this remedy, the lemon is fed twice a month. Very useful for this decorative culture is also wood ash containing a huge amount of trace elements.

Lemon care at home in terms of top dressing can also be carried out using purchased formulations designed specifically for citrus fruits. Sometimes houseplant lovers also replace upper layer soil in a pot with lemon on pond silt, which contains many useful substances. In winter, if the plant bears fruit, it should be fed with complex fertilizer or organic matter once a month.

crown formation

Periodic pruning is also something that indoor lemons require without fail. Home care for this plant in terms of crown formation should be periodic. Otherwise, it may happen that the tree will not bear fruit. For the first time, pruning is done immediately after the lemon reaches a height of 20-30 cm. At this time, the top is carefully removed from it so that 3-4 buds remain on the trunk.

Of these, about a year later, shoots of the first level are formed. After they reach a length of 20-30 cm, they are also pinched. Further, shoots of the second, third, etc. levels will begin to form on the branches. Each new "wave" should be pinched in such a way that it is 5 cm shorter than the previous one. That is, the branches of the second level should have a length of 15-25 cm, the third - 10-20 cm, etc. Of course, you need to remove diseased shoots growing inside the bush, etc.

Pests

Thus, the lemon should be watered and fertilized on time. It is also necessary to engage in the formation of its crown. What other difficulties await the florist who cares for such a plant as indoor lemon at home? Diseases afflict this unfortunately often. Therefore, the lemon may have to be treated from time to time.

Trees of this variety can be affected by both fungi and microorganisms or insect pests. Most often, indoor flower lovers have to deal with scale insects, mealybugs and aphids that infect lemons. All these types of pests are engaged in sucking the juice from the leaves. You can fight them with soapy water or tobacco infusion (50-60 g per liter). Sometimes scale insects, aphids and mites are expelled from plants with the help of a chlorophos solution (30 g per 10 l).

Diseases

Gommosis is also one of the problems that many ornamental plant lovers face when growing indoor lemons. Home care for this citrus includes, among other things, a periodic inspection of the leaves and stem. In a plant that has become ill with gommosis, cracks appear in the lower part of the stem, from which gum begins to stand out. A tree is treated with garden pitch or clay. Cracks are pre-disinfected with a solution of copper sulfate 3%. Then the wounds are simply carefully covered with pitch or clay.

This is how home care is carried out for such a plant as indoor lemon. The photos on the page clearly display the beauty of these citrus fruits. If you grow your lemon according to the rules described in the article, you will grow the same spectacular fragrant tree with bright green leaves and a lush crown.

For seven years I have not bought lemons in the store. All because I managed to grow a few citrus trees houses in pots. There is really nothing complicated about this. In this article I will tell you how to care for a lemon at home.

Lemon is an evergreen perennial. It has strong spiny 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. To taste, they practically do not differ from lemons grown in tropical countries.

Beneficial features

Lemon is not just ornamental plant is your reliable home assistant. It has many useful properties:

Phytoncides, which are secreted by citrus leaves, purify the air of microbes.
The aroma of lemon helps to increase tone, 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.

Favorably affects a person essential oil lemon, which can be obtained from its leaves. It improves mood, relieves cold symptoms, relieves anxiety.

What varieties are suitable for home growing

At home, lemons of the following varieties grow well:

Genoa - low-growing variety, has high yield, gives delicious fragrant fruits.
Lisbon is a tall growing variety that tolerates high temperatures well.
Pavlovsky lemon is a low variety that delights its owners with fruits with a thin peel.
Meyer lemon is one of the most popular low-growing homemade 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 the most in terms of taste and appearance, and you can safely proceed to its landing.

Growing your own lemon

At home, lemons can be grown from cuttings or seeds. The first option is easier. 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, as inexperienced gardeners often cut the cuttings incorrectly, which is why young plants die before they have time to take root in the soil.
The stalk must be placed in water or in a mixture of sand and earth. It is deepened by 2 centimeters and covered with plastic wrap to ensure the required level of humidity.
After 2-3 weeks, the plant that has taken root is transplanted into the ground. Deepen it into the ground by 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 rather difficult to buy quality cuttings, growing a homemade lemon from seeds is more reliable, in my opinion.

For this purpose, the bones of any ripe lemon bought in the store are suitable. The process of germinating seeds is quite simple:

From a ripe citrus, you need to pull out the bone, rinse it thoroughly under warm water. After that, you should lower it into warm water so that it is only half deep. The container with the bone must be removed in a place that is hard to reach for children and pets.
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 the usual plant to grow the plant. universal primer, then it will need to be replaced with a special mixture, which includes two parts of dry clay and leafy soil, as well as part of the sand and part of the manure. The bone itself should be half-immersed in the ground, otherwise it will not grow.

After transplantation, a young lemon will grow rapidly and gain strength. In order for the plant not to die at this stage, it needs to be properly cared for.

How to care for lemon at home

Room lemon is pretty unpretentious plant. In order for it to grow well and quickly, it needs to provide:

Regular watering at least 2 times a week. For this purpose, it is recommended to use settled filtered water.
Top dressing. 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 it is necessary to use mineral and organic fertilizers. In order for the plant to form correctly, it is recommended to alternate such dressings. They need to be planted in moist soil.
Pruning. It is carried out in April, while the lemon tree has not entered the phase active growth. Its trunk is shortened to 5 true leaves. After that, the tree is pruned once a year at the beginning of spring.
Frequent spraying. It allows you to make lemon leaves juicy and fleshy, and the fruits more fragrant.

Flowering in indoor lemon usually begins in the 2nd year after planting. Its fruits are formed on the branches of the second, third, fourth order.

If you want to treat yourself to homemade lemons, in the third year of a houseplant's life, remove half of the flowers from it and leave 4 fruit ovaries. The next year, their number can be increased to 6, and a year later - up to 8.

At proper care Behind the tree, homemade lemons are juicy and fragrant. To taste, they do not step on their store counterparts.

Plant care in winter

Lemon does not tolerate cold. The plant needs to provide a temperature of +15 to +18 degrees in winter. If possible, he should be provided with additional lighting due to 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 citrus does not dry out. If central heating if it dries out too much, spray lemon leaves or use an automatic humidifier.

conclusions

In general, grow homemade lemon not as difficult as it might seem. To succeed in this business, it is enough to choose the right cutting or seed, as well as follow all the recommendations for caring for a house tree in a pot. Then, already in the third year, lemon can please you with its fragrant fruits.

The lemon tree is an unpretentious indoor plant that easily adapts to home conditions. For its active growth and development, it will be necessary to create suitable conditions, as well as perform simple manipulations to care for and protect against pests. This article will help you understand all the intricacies of growing a lemon with your own hands, as well as tell you about the rules for planting and how to propagate a tree.

For planting a tree at home use:

fruit pits;
cuttings.

Selection of fruits

When buying lemons in a store or on the market, you need to choose only ripe fruits, from which the planting material will be extracted. Citruses should be bright yellow in color with a characteristic odor.

For harvesting seeds, choose only ripe fruits

lethargic;
green;
rotten.

Seed lemon trees grow and develop much faster than plants from cuttings. They adapt better to room conditions (air humidity, temperature and lighting) and are less susceptible to various diseases.

Planting cuttings

Cuttings are also actively used for growing at home. They can be purchased at a flower shop, or taken from a familiar grower.

Important! The offshoot lemon tree has the genetic material of its "parents".

Disadvantages of the method:

the need to search for cuttings;
financial costs for the purchase of planting material;

lemon tree sprout

sprouts do not adapt well to the new environment;
the crown of the plant is not so lush (unlike citrus grown from a stone).

Soil preparation for lemon seeds

Before you start planting the seeds in the ground, you need to prepare the pots and the ground. For active germination of grains, it is ideal as a special soil for citrus plants, it is sold in flower shops, and the soil home cooking. If the purchased land is already ready for use, then homemade soil should be given a little time and attention. It should consist of:

½ sod land;
½ humus land;
a small amount of fertilizer - charcoal and / or peat.

Advice. Flowerpots for planting must be taken capacious and deep so that the root system has a place for its growth and development.

Planting a grain in the ground:

Expanded clay, pieces of charcoal or polystyrene are placed at the bottom of the flowerpot (this material will serve as drainage).
The pot is filled with prepared or purchased soil.
The earth is moistened with rain or purified water.
Several grains are planted in a container, immersed to a depth of 0.5-1 cm.
The flowerpot is covered with a film to create greenhouse conditions.

At proper fit, sprouts appear quite quickly

After 2-2.5 weeks, the first sprouts will already appear on the soil surface, the strongest of them are transplanted into another container for further germination.

Lemon, like a southern plant, loves heat very much (the ideal temperature for a lemon is 17-27 degrees). Flowerpots with shoots must be placed in a bright room, but not under the direct rays of the sun.
The tree needs moderate watering (2-3 times a week), since an excess of moisture leads to rotting of the root, and its lack leads to the death of the plant.
For irrigation, use only settled, rain or purified water.
Flower growers recommend spraying the tree crown 2-3 times a week (especially in winter) and wiping its leaves from dust.

Fertilizing the soil and top dressing lemon

Lemon, like any other plant, needs fertilizer and top dressing. They noticeably accelerate the growth and development of the tree, fill it with all the necessary useful substances. Experts recommend feeding the lemon tree once every three months.

The lemon tree needs to be fertilized several times a year.

For top dressing and fertilizer room citrus plant use:

sodium nitrate (13 g per 1 liter of rainwater);
ammonium nitrate (5 g per 1 liter of water);
bird droppings (it is mixed with water (ratio - 1: 1), insisted for 2-3 weeks, diluted with plenty of water (1:20), poured under the root);
other ready-made dressings sold in specialized stores.

Important! The amount of fertilizer should be moderate, as they are able to accumulate in the plant and its fruits.

Reproduction methods

At home, lemons multiply:

seeds;
bends;
cuttings.

Lemon tree cuttings

Reproduction by seeds is a fairly common method, it is simple and understandable. Fruits on such plants appear only 10-12 years after planting.

cuttings

This is another way to propagate the lemon tree, and is used in spring or summer. Breeding technology:
A twig with 3-4 green leaves is cut off with a sharp knife or pruner (the lower edge of the shoot should have a pointed edge).
Immerse it in a specialized liquid (growth activator) for 10-12 hours.
The treated shoot is planted in prepared sandy soil.
It is plentifully sprayed with water, covered with a film (such water procedures repeat daily).
When young sprouts appear, the film is removed from the handle, cared for in accordance with all the requirements and recommendations of specialists.

Reproduction by grafting

Inoculations in the cleft actively propagate indoor lemons. This method is quite effective, but not everyone can succeed. Technology:

Indoor citrus pests

fungus;
various harmful bacteria;
viruses.

Important! Diseases can be seen by the appearance of spots and flaws on the foliage, a decrease in its size, the appearance of various growths and raids.

Common citrus tree diseases:

gommosis;
scab;

Lemon disease - scab

root rot;
sooty fungus;
stickiness of the sheets (a sign of the appearance of scale insects).

Gommoz is one of the most serious illnesses. It appears in the lower part of the tree, gradually spreading to its upper part (tubercles with a dark brown liquid form on the trunk, "burns" and cracks appear on the affected branches). Gommosis is very difficult to treat. In this situation, only processing can help blue vitriol and clearing branches.

Manifestation of gommosis

Soot fungus also often disturbs citrus fruits. It appears in the form dark spots on the foliage, they have a bad effect on the growth and development of the lemon. You can fight it with the help of warm water, it is washed off the formed stains, thereby freeing the leaves from plaque.

Sticky leaves are the result of the appearance of a scale insect. You can fight it with ready-made means that are sold in specialized stores, as well as with the help of folk remedies.