Indoor lemon - growing rules. Indoor lemon - subtleties of growing at home

You bought a young lemon tree in hopes all year round obtain harvests of fragrant fruits for tea parties and strengthen the immune system.

And it will really bear a lot of fruit if you know how to care for a lemon: water, feed, replant, etc. We will learn all the intricacies of caring for lemon trees grown at home, including crown formation and fruit harvesting.

Lemon care consists of regular watering, sufficient lighting, fertilizing, compliance temperature regime and air humidity. It is equally important to know how to replant a homemade lemon.

If you decide to grow a lemon tree at home, familiarize yourself with the intricacies of care:

Watering the lemon

How to water a lemon? During the cold season, starting in October and until spring, water the tree moderately once a week using warm water. In the spring and summer months, as well as in September, we thoroughly water the soil with warm water once a day. Periodically loosen upper layer land.

The main thing in watering a lemon is to avoid stagnation of water in the soil, leading to rotting of the roots, and not to overdry the earthen ball: this can lead to the leaf curling and the leaves and lemons falling off.

Lighting for lemon

How to care for homemade lemon in terms of lighting? Lemons don't need long daylight hours if you want more fruit rather than leaves. The tree bears fruit well in bright, diffused light: it is best to keep it on windows facing east. If the window is south, be sure to protect the plant from direct sunlight in summer.

To ensure that the crown grows evenly, we turn the lemon tree in the direction of the sun twice a month. And we don’t allow low light: in partial shade and shade, the leaf grows slowly, and the fruits turn out to be too sour.

Temperature

Caring for homemade lemon requires maintaining a certain air temperature.

While the lemon is growing and gaining green mass, or blooming, we keep it in a room where the temperature is 17-20 degrees.
When the fruits appear and ripen, the temperature is needed a couple of degrees higher.
In winter, during the dormant period, a temperature of no higher than 14 degrees is required, or 18°C, if the plant is not yet “sleeping” - in this case, we provide it with 12 hours of daylight with the help of phytolamps.

Do not keep the lemon in a hot room or allow sudden temperature changes.

IN summer time You can take the tree outside - the main thing is to have time to bring it home before evening (if cool weather is expected).

Humidity level for lemon

We figured out how to water a lemon: we find out what level of air humidity is suitable for growing it. It needs quite high humidity, especially in the hot season - in summer or during the heating season.

When it’s hot, we spray the tree every day and give it a warm shower once a week.

To increase the level of humidity, place a wide-necked jar filled with water near the pot with lemon so that it evaporates, or place the pot in a tray, placing moisture-evaporating material in it.

Third option: turn on a household humidifier next to the plant.

Lemon feeding

Indoor lemon needs regular feeding: in summer - every week, in winter - every month (if there are fruits).

How to feed lemon? With mineral and organic fertilizers, water the plant 2 hours before the procedure so as not to burn the roots.

Fertilization with minerals. For feeding you will need a ready-made product such as a “citrus mixture”, in which the proportions N:P:K are 14:16:18. We dilute it in water according to the attached instructions and water the soil.
Organic fertilizer. We make an infusion by mixing 1 part water and 1 part mullein (horse manure) and, after waiting 7 days, dilute it with water: mullein infusion - 1 to 15, horse ball infusion - 1 to 10.

Twice a year we water the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to enrich and disinfect the soil.

Lemon transplant

Young lemon plants in a pot, which we will learn today how to care for, need to be replanted 1 and 2 years after planting.

In the spring we buy soil for citrus fruits or make it ourselves from humus (1 part), soil from under deciduous trees (4 parts), calcined sand (1 part) and wood ash(1 tbsp).

Just roll over the plant, carefully shaking off some of it old land, into another pot with soil. The diameter of the new pot should be 4 cm larger than the diameter of the previous one.

Subsequently, we replant the plant every two years, when the growing season begins. When replanting, do not forget to put drainage (expanded clay + charcoal or a layer of sand) with a layer of 2 cm. Thanks to transshipment, you do not have to think about how to root a lemon. The main thing is not to transplant while the lemon is blooming or bearing fruit.

Crown formation

As the lemon grows, the crown should be trimmed - in the spring, at a low stem of about 18 cm, before the green mass begins to grow. We cut off the shoots, leaving 5 leaves, so that by the time fruiting begins the tree will branch out.

A tree with a well-formed crown blooms in the second or third year.

Lemon blossom on the windowsill and harvest

While the lemon is blooming, you cannot leave all the flowers on the plant:

At the first flowering, we pick off half of the flowers and leave no more than 4 fruits from the formed ovaries.
During the second flowering, we leave only 6 fruits.
During the third flowering, we leave 8 fruits, etc.

Regulating flowering is necessary to maintain a strong and healthy lemon tree: excess inflorescences will quickly deplete it. Each ovary should have at least 10 developed leaves.

The flowers do not require pollination and bloom for about 2 months.

Lemons can bear fruit up to 4 times a year: it depends on the variety. It takes about 6-8 weeks for the fruit to develop and begin to ripen. The peel of fully ripened lemons takes on a rich golden hue: this means it’s time to harvest.

If you delay picking, the skin will become thicker, the slices will dry out and the juice will lose its characteristic acidity.

Now you know how to care for lemons at home so that they grow strong and healthy and produce a lot of fruit. Follow all the rules for keeping an indoor lemon, and it will delight you with beautiful flowering and abundant fruiting all year round.

Lemon (Citrus limon) is one of the species of evergreen trees from the genus Citrus (Citrus) of the Rutacea family. Lemon was brought to the Mediterranean countries from Southeast Asia at the beginning of the 11th century, where it has since been grown as a cultivated plant. The original wild species is no longer found in nature.

How to dilute lemon fruit plant and as decorative. The heat-loving lemon is grown as a tub plant in areas with frosty winters. From late spring the tree can grow outdoors, and in the fall it is moved indoors. They grow a lot at home different varieties lemon, they are able to bloom and bear fruit.

The medicinal properties of lemon fruits have long been known. The peel of the fruit contains essential oil, the pulp is rich in vitamins. The tree itself, even if it does not bear fruit, is also very useful for maintaining a healthy microclimate in the house. The plant secretes phytoncides, volatile substances that can strengthen the immune system and have a beneficial effect on a person’s emotional state.

At home, lemon grows up to 1.5 m in height. Its stem is erect, branched, and becomes woody as it grows. Young shoots are bright green, while old shoots are covered with thin brown bark. The crown is formed by pruning.

Lemon leaves are fragrant, oval-pointed, green, glossy, shiny. Some varieties have small spines in the leaf axils.

Lemon can bloom at any time of the year, with the most flowers blooming in spring. At the same time, buds, flowers and fruits can be seen on the plant. The flowers are small, white or cream, solitary or collected in small racemes. To form fruits they need to be pollinated. Lemon fruits ripen slowly, about six months.

Lighting. Indoor lemon is a light-loving plant that prefers diffused light. They grow well on the windowsills of south-facing windows at any time of the year, except on hot sunny days. In summer, it is best to take the trees out to open air. If this is not possible, then on hot sunny days you need to move the pot with the lemon tree deeper into the room.

All citrus fruits are sensitive to changes in lighting, so you should not turn the pot or move it from place to place. When the lighting changes, flowers and ovaries fall off.

In winter, lemons can be additionally illuminated so that daylight lasts 10-12 hours. If the content is cool (air temperature 7-14 degrees Celsius), it is possible not to provide additional lighting. The fact is that when it’s cool, citrus plants go dormant. They don't grow and don't require good lighting.

Temperature. The most important thing to know when buying indoor lemons is that these plants do not tolerate sudden temperature fluctuations. Open in winter a window can cause all the leaves to fall off; you should also not move the tree into warm house before freezing. It is best to move tubs of lemon trees into rooms while it is still warm and the nights are not cold. If it gets sharply cold in the fall and there is a possibility of frost, then the lemons need to be moved to a cool place, such as a veranda, and only a few days later into the house.

In spring, when the time comes for buds to develop and bloom, best temperature for lemons - +14..18°C. If the room is too hot, the buds and ovaries fall off.

Lemons can be taken out into the open air when the outside air temperature is not lower than +12°C. Tubs with lemons should not be immediately exposed to the sun; at first they must be kept in the shade so as not to cause burns to the leaves.

In autumn, lemons should be brought indoors when the outside temperature drops to 10-12°C. If the plant is not very large, then at first it is moved only at night, and during the day it is returned to the open air. It is difficult to move a large tub, so these lemons are moved earlier, when it is still warm, or moved to the veranda, and only after a week or two - into the house.

In winter, lemons are best kept at 14-16°C. At normal room temperature you need to spray the plants frequently.

Humidity. Lemon prefers moist air. If the room is too dry, then the leaves of lemons fall off. To increase air humidity, it is recommended to spray the leaves with warm water, use air humidifiers, or place the pot in a tray with wet expanded clay or pebbles.

Watering. Lemon is a moisture-loving plant; it requires regular and abundant watering in spring and summer. In winter, water less, rarely in a cool room, and in warm room- as the earthen clod dries out. The soil in the pot should not dry out completely, as this will cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off.

Overmoistening the soil, especially in cold rooms, is also dangerous - stagnation of water in the substrate causes the roots to rot and the plant may die. To prevent this from happening, the pot must have good drainage.

Water with settled lukewarm water (2-3°C above room temperature). It is useful to water with rain or melt water.

Fertilizer. During active growth, from March to October, the plant is fed every 10-14 days with liquid fertilizers, alternating mineral fertilizers with organic ones. In winter, if the plant is kept in a cold room, you should not feed it. If kept in a slightly cool room, fertilize with a small portion once a month.

In the open air, humus is used for fertilizer, bird droppings and slurry dissolved in water.

Transfer. Young plants must be replanted annually in early spring before flowering. Transplanted by transshipment. If you didn’t have time in the spring before the buds appeared, you can replant in the fall. In adult specimens, it is enough only to change the top layer of soil, and carefully transfer it into a larger pot once every 3-4 years.

When transshipping, the earthen lump is not destroyed; the seedling is placed in a new container, adding fresh soil. The fact is that the thin roots of lemon are covered with special fungi (mycorrhiza), which help the plant absorb nutrients from the soil. For good growth and normal development, you need to take into account this feature of lemon roots and under no circumstances shake off the roots or wash them. Replanting and cleaning the roots is done only if they have rotted in an attempt to save the plant.

A new pot is always chosen only a little larger than the old one, since if there is an excess of soil undeveloped by the roots, the plant may die from waterlogging of the soil. Lemons do not bloom in pots that are too large.

Under big trees use wooden or plastic tubs with large holes in the bottom. Be sure to pour a layer of expanded clay into the pot to ensure drainage of excess water.

The soil. Lemons are planted in loose soil composed of turf, humus, deciduous soil, peat and sand (2: 1: 1: 1: 1). You can use ready-made earthen mixture for citrus plants. The soil should be neutral or slightly acidic

Crown formation. Lemon branches well. While the plant is young, it is periodically turned so that the crown grows evenly in all directions. If buds appear or fruits set, you cannot turn them, otherwise they will fall off. It is better to make a turn not by 180°, but a small one, 30° degrees, then after a while turn it again.

The lemon crown is best formed in the form of a tree with a low trunk, about 20 cm before branching. The main shoot is pruned with pruning shears to stimulate the appearance of lateral buds. The next year, shorten the side branches and, if necessary, the lower ones. The branches on which the fruits are set grow poorly and often dry out. When removing a lemon, it is best to cut the branch into 2-3 leaves.

Pollination. In order for the fruit to set, the flowers need to be pollinated. The easiest way is to take a small brush and transfer pollen from one flower to another.

Growing fruits. The fruits take a long time to ripen, the time depends on the variety. IN room conditions 7-9 months. The tree must not be rotated; it must be protected from temperature changes. Lemon leaves not only absorb carbon dioxide from the air, but also serve as a kind of “storage” of nutrients. For the formation and normal development of one fruit, it is necessary to have 12-15 healthy leaves.

Reproduction. Lemons are propagated by grafting onto seedlings of various citrus fruits, as well as by cuttings taken from varietal lemons.

To get seeds, you just need to buy a ripe lemon and take the seeds from it. The seeds germinate well. Such a lemon will not inherit the properties mother plant and will not bear fruit. But it grows more actively, adapts better to new conditions, and is more resistant to diseases. To get fruit, a cutting from a fruit-bearing lemon is grafted onto such a lemon.

It is much easier to grow a lemon from a cutting. You can get it from friends or you can order it online.

Cuttings are cut 8 - 12 cm long. Each cutting should have 3 - 5 buds. The lower cut is made strictly under the kidney, and the upper cut is made 0.5 cm above it. Cutting angle - 45°. The bottom leaf is removed, the remaining leaf blades are not shortened by half.

The cuttings are immersed for several hours in a root formation accelerator (heteroauxin, for example). The bottom cut is sprinkled with crushed charcoal. Root in coarse sand or sand mixed with soil. The cuttings are planted at right angles to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. The temperature for rooting should be at least 18°C. The cuttings are periodically sprayed. After a few weeks, the cuttings take root.

Lemon(Citrus limon) belongs to the Rutacea family and unites dozens of varieties of evergreen citrus trees small size. These beautiful plants with a well-leafed crown, they are distinguished by fairly abundant fruiting. The leaves of the lemon tree are very dense, shiny, dark green in color and have an ovoid plate shape with jagged edges. Some lemon varieties are perfectly adapted for growing at home. Care lemon tree simple enough. Photo indoor varieties lemon and rules home care behind this miniature tree you will find later in this article.

Many lovers of indoor plants have long appreciated the decorative qualities of lemon, as well as the opportunity to annually obtain a harvest of tasty, juicy and healthy fruits. Indoor lemon can be used to form a floral composition of bushy and tree-like plants in home interior. Together with lemon, such miniature trees as Ficus Benjamin, Dracaena Marginata, Crassula Money Tree, Zamioculcas Dollar Tree, Schefflera in the form of a bonsai, myrtle with a lush crown, and homemade yucca will look interesting.

Some of the most popular indoor varieties of lemon trees in our country include Pavlovsky (Citrus Limon Pavlovsky), Ponderosa, Meyer (or Chinese). Typically, Pavlovsk lemons grow up to 1.5-2 meters in height, have a rounded crown with oblong shiny leaves. They begin to bear fruit already in 3-4 years. The rough skin of the ripe fruit is light green in color. For panderosa lemon, the first fruiting season at home can begin in the second year. The variety is famous not only for its delicate, pleasant-tasting fruit pulp, but also abundant flowering. Large cream-colored flowers are collected in beautiful inflorescences.

IN last years The leader in the popularity of growing at home is held by the Meyer lemon (Citrus Limon Mejer). The miniature tree reaches a height of 1.2-1.5 meters. By trimming and pinching young shoots you can create a very interesting, original form crown of this lemon tree. This variety of indoor lemon is valued for beautiful flowers white with a unique delicate aroma. Fragrant flowers usually bloom at the end of winter, 2-6 pieces per inflorescence or one per shoot. But the most important thing distinctive feature Meyer lemons are very juicy, sweet fruits with yellowish-orange flesh. The round fruits are protected by a thin skin and change color as they ripen from green to bright yellow or light orange. This miniature lemon tree is often used to form an original phytodesign indoors or for landscaping. winter gardens. Against the background of these compact trees with a lush crown, such popular flowering indoor plants as the phalaenopsis or dendrobium orchid, the flower Male happiness (anthurium) or Female happiness (spathiphyllum), Thompson's clerodendrum, New Guinea balsam, home gerbera, miniature Saintpaulia violets, geranium will look interesting with lush large flowers, tuberous begonia, Persian cyclamen.

♦ WHAT IS IMPORTANT!

Location and lighting.

Indoor lemon is a light-loving plant. The plant will feel comfortable on the windowsill of a window facing the east or west side of the room. You can place a pot with a tree next to the south window on a stand, but in this case it is necessary to shade window glass to make straight Sun rays did not damage the foliage (yellow spots from burns begin to appear on the leaf blade). If possible, move your lemon tree outdoors when the temperature does not drop below 12°C. At home, try to ventilate the air more often, but keep the plant away from drafts. When there are short periods of sunlight during the day, be sure to place phyto- or other high-quality plants next to the pot. fluorescent lamps. The daily lighting period for indoor lemon is 12-14 hours.

Temperature regime.

Comfortable temperature for a lemon tree in spring and summer is 16-24°C. Sudden changes in temperature during the day can worsen the decorative value of the plant - lemon leaves begin to curl and turn yellow at the edges.

In order for the budding period to occur on time and the lemon fruits to ripen completely, it is advisable to organize the day before " cold winter". In winter, try to keep the temperature in the range of 14-17°C.

Air humidity.

The best option is moderate humidity. Protect the lemon from dry air during heating season and in the summer heat. Try to spray the plant with warm, settled water more often (3 times a day in dry indoor air). You can place the pot with the tree on a tray with wet pebbles, and place a container of water next to the pot.

Watering.

Water indoor lemons with warm boiled water or water that has stood for several days. Late autumn and in winter you need to water the plant very moderately, when the top layer of soil is completely dry. But it is also impossible to overdry the earthen ball, as the leaves will begin to turn yellow and crumble. In spring and summer, you can water the plant abundantly, but without overflowing. Pour out any water that flows into the pan. With constant waterlogging of the earthen coma, the roots begin to rot.

Earth mixture and fertilizing.

To plant lemons, you can use a purchased substrate for citrus fruits or make an earth mixture yourself: turf soil, leaf soil, humus, peat and coarse sand (proportion - 2:1:1:1:1).

There is no need to feed lemon in winter (weak solution complex fertilizer Once a month) if the room is slightly cool. If the room is cold, then there is no need to apply fertilizers during wintering at all. In spring, summer and until mid-autumn, apply liquid fertilizers once every two weeks, alternating organic fertilizers with mineral ones.

Transfer.

For replanting, it is best to choose a baked clay pot with a hole in the bottom. A young plant is replanted every year, and an adult lemon once every 3 years, changing the top layer of soil annually. A 2 cm drainage layer of expanded clay is poured onto the bottom of the pot, and a layer of sand is placed on top. The new pot for replanting should be 5-6 cm in diameter wider than the previous one. Do not bury the root collar of the tree into the substrate.

Trimming.

Reproduction.

Lemon can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering, or grafting (a cutting from a fruiting plant can be grafted onto a three-year-old rootstock grown from a seed).

At home, propagation by cuttings is most often used. From a fruit-bearing indoor lemon, use a sharp knife to cut off a shoot 3-4 mm thick, ripened since last year. We bury the cuttings a few centimeters into a container with damp sand. Roots will begin to appear at high humidity and temperatures of 21-24°C.

Some lovers of indoor plants have adapted to growing them on the windowsill. citrus trees. Lemon is especially popular. Growing lemons at home will not take much effort from the owner.

Lemon cultivation can be done at home

Schisandra plants are native to southern countries with a warm and humid climate. Therefore, the main task of the plant grower is to ensure similar microclimatic conditions in the house or apartment.

Why are lemons grown at home?

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

You can grow lemon at home in a pot or tub. The pot is more suitable for dwarf plant varieties; the tub is useful if it is grown a big tree from a seed. With sufficient heat, moisture and light, an 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 care features, it can still be done.

Another advantage of growing lemons is that they are beautiful. appearance tree. It has a dense and evergreen crown. During the flowering period, the plant produces beautiful flowers. They are often covered with powerful green leaves. The only exception is the Ponderosa lemon, whose branches are thin and resemble a spreading bush. Despite the external weakness, the branches can bear up to 50 fruits. This decorative tree can be grown on a 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 heat-loving tree. Lack of heat causes the plant to grow poorly, get sick or die. If you decide to place the pot on the window, then you need to:

Choose south or east side. The plant should receive plenty 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 in the fall it is brought back to its original place. In winter, you should monitor the temperature, which should not fall below 10 degrees.

The quality of the soil and the pot deserve special attention. 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 house plant with fungal mycelium, sensitive to external factors. It is easily disrupted by a lack of oxygen, improper watering and sudden temperature changes.

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

Errors in care lead to the fact that the lemon tree at home dies from aridity 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 plants, it is better to use wooden tub which is considered the best option for placing citrus fruits. Natural material better allows oxygen to reach the lemon roots. Before placing planting material into the pot, it should be inspected for damage. The landing process itself is simple:

The root collar 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 warmth. On hot days, it is better to create partial shade, which will save you from burns. There is no need to change the place for the pot; lemon does not like moving. Occasionally, you can turn the tree with darkened leaves towards the sun to evenly receive heat.

Lemon seedlings are sprayed with water after planting.

Growing lemon from seed

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

The sprout emerges from the soil 2 weeks after planting. Sometimes it takes longer (up to one month).
Citrus fruits require greenhouse conditions, so the pot with the seed is covered with trimmed plastic bottle or tight plastic film. Inside such a cap the humidity is many times greater than in the open space, and the transparency of the bottle allows for ascending sprouts to grow sunlight. In a homemade greenhouse, you should not overuse watering. The soil already gives off moisture to the allotted space of the greenhouse, so it should only be sprayed.
When a small stem has emerged, it is accustomed to room conditions by removing the greenhouse hood for 1–2 hours a day.
Transplantation 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 can be done without it. There is also no need to rush into feeding.

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

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

Watering lemon

Growing lemons at home is not an easy task; often the lemon does not survive even several months. And one of the reasons for this is improper watering. Provide proper care at home it is necessary for the plant to grow healthy and strong. How to water correctly

Provide moderate watering with settled water once a day. You can water it once every two days (you need to monitor the condition of the soil).
Water the 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 with warm water daily. It is especially important to do this in winter, when the air becomes dry from the operation of heating systems.

Experienced plant growers advise beginners to find a moisture balance: avoid overwatering and lack of moisture. If there is a lack of it, the leaves of any lemon variety begin to turn yellow. If watering is not carried out in a timely manner, the microseeds 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 stationary 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. Plants are bathed no more than once a month.

The dust from lemon leaves should be washed off regularly.

Lemon fertilizer

Recommendations on how to care for lemons also apply to feeding the plant. Citrus fruits are sensitive to fertilizers. The preparations must be constantly changed, because when using one fertilizer, the pH of the soil may change to the 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:

Select for fertilizer only mineral compounds.
Apply fertilizers from March to October at intervals of 2-3 weeks. For young plants, it is enough to carry out the procedure once every month and a half.
Combine fertilizing with watering in the summer.
In spring and autumn, feed the plant only after watering. Fertilizer is applied no less than 2 hours after the soil is moistened.
In winter, fertilize once.

Unlike complex mineral fertilizers, not all organic substances are suitable for lemon. The most effective are 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 fruit owners are faced with 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 to bear fruit. And changing the fertilizer will help him cope with this problem.

Quinoa can be used to make an infusion to fertilize lemons.

The importance of pruning

The need for pruning is caused by decorative and sanitary features. Its shape and layout most often depend on the purpose of growing the tree. Little ones ornamental plants Spreading large branches are not needed, so they are trimmed 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 side buds on the tree begin to sprout.

Only after the lemon has grown stronger and has produced new branches should they be pinched. 3-4 leaves remain on each branch. This pruning method allows the tree to grow strong, capable of holding and allowing them to mature fully.

It is important to prune old dead branches. Lemon spends his energy on them, but he won’t be able to revive them. Therefore, it is better to relieve the lemon of excess load. Those shoots that grow inside the crown can also be pruned. They most often prevent neighboring branches from developing and receiving sufficient sunlight.

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

In the second year of the 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 - there should be 10 leaves for 1 fruit. All other ovaries are removed.

The lemon harvest can be expected 4-5 years after planting.

You should not expect high fertility rates from a houseplant. The tree grows and develops very slowly. Any human error can delay the appearance of blooms. You should constantly monitor the condition of the lemon and promptly feed, trim and water it.

Some citrus owners get their first good fruits within 4–5 years. Their number rarely exceeds 5–8 pieces. Big harvest you'll have to wait longer. The tree reaches its maturity only at 8–10 years, and at home, lemon lives up to 40–45 years.

Features of transplantation

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

We must not forget about proper access of oxygen to the roots. It is better to place the pot on a tray with a gap so that air penetrates into the soil. A lining made 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 has a bad effect on the health of the plant. It can get sick and even die. If you want to turn the tree with the darkened side towards the sun, then you should change the angle by no more than 10 degrees. This is the only way the lemon will grow strong and healthy.

Evergreen perennial indoor lemon belongs to the rutaceae family, a genus of citrus fruits. India, at the foot of the Himalayas, is considered its homeland. Growing it on the windowsill at home is not difficult and very exciting. With proper care, the bush will be able to bear fruit; its fruits are as tasty as those grown under the southern sun.

Types of indoor lemons

Domesticated citrus attracts with its shiny emerald leaves and bright yellow fruits. Indoor lemon - description:

the plant is considered low-growing, the oldest specimens can reach a height of 1.5 m;
the bush has thorny branches;
leaves are leathery, elongated, oval, toothed, contain essential oil;
several times a year the plant forms small white rosettes (4-5 cm in diameter) with many stamens and a delicate aroma that cleanses the room of unpleasant odors;
the bud develops 5 weeks, blooms 50 days;
domestic citrus fruits from one to four times a year, depending on the variety, the development period of the fruit is 200-230 days;
the fruit has a light yellow color and a noticeable lemon smell, the pulp is juicy and sour;
With normal development, the crop bears fruit all year round - ovaries, buds, flowers and fruits can simultaneously develop on the bush.

Indoor lemons - varieties:

Growing indoor lemon

It is easier to grow indoor lemons from seeds. To place the bush, it is better to choose southern or eastern window sills with good lighting. Lemon is a heat-loving houseplant. optimal temperature for him + 15-22°С. Planting is carried out at a depth of 1-2 cm with a distance of 5 cm in small pots with drainage made of expanded clay or charcoal. Keep the seed in a bright place, it germinates after 2 weeks. After the sprouts appear, choose a strong one and cover it with a jar. After a pair of true leaves have sprouted, the specimen is planted in a 10-centimeter pot.

Soil for indoor lemon

Fertile soil for indoor lemons should be slightly acidic or neutral (6-7 pH), aerated. For self-cooking you need to make a mixture of meadow turf, leaf soil, coarse sand, humus in the ratio (2: 2: 1: 1). You can use citrus soil from the store, mixing it in equal parts with peat. Then the composition will be light and breathable.

Reproduction of indoor lemons

For indoor lemons, cuttings are a popular propagation method. For sprouts in spring, shoots 10 cm in size with 3-4 buds and 2-3 leaves are taken. The twig is treated with a stimulator for root development and placed in water for 3 days. Soil made from humus, coarse sand and flower earth in equal shares. The cuttings are dropped to a depth of 3 cm, the leaves are moistened daily, the substrate should not have stagnant water. Rooting occurs after 30-45 days, then the cutting can be planted in another pot.

Indoor lemon - care at home

Caring for indoor lemons is a troublesome task. He loves good lighting, temperature and watering conditions. For leaf growth, it needs a minimum of +17°C; during fruit development, the temperature must be increased to +22°C. Caring for indoor lemons involves arranging good lighting. Direct sunlight should hit the bush for 2 hours a day. To prevent the tree from developing one-sided, every 10 days it must be rotated 10° around its axis. In winter, with short daylight hours, organize lighting using lamps.

Trimming indoor lemons

in the first year of life the plant produces a shoot of 30 cm;
in the second season in the spring, you need to trim it with pruning shears, leaving a height of 20 cm, and the tree will begin to produce lateral buds;
the lower shoots must be cut off, leaving the 3 upper ones - they will form the skeleton of the crop;
the next year they do the same with the side branches - they are shortened to stimulate the development of daughter shoots, then a few upper shoots are left;
indoor lemon acquires beautiful view in the presence of trunks up to 5-6 branching levels;
In the future, pinching fast-growing shoots or removing them is enough.

How to feed indoor lemon?

Citrus at home needs feeding. They begin to feed the trees when they reach 2-3 summer age. For fertilizer, complex mineral compositions are used in the spring-summer period twice a month. From mid-autumn, feeding is carried out once every 6 weeks. Two hours before fertilizing, it is important to water the substrate in the pot with clean water.

From organic matter, the lemon tree prefers wood ash extract, birch infusion (half a jar of leaves is poured with water and left for 2-3 days), fresh manure diluted 5-6 times. Organic fertilizer for indoor lemon it is added at the same frequency as mineral supplementation. If there is intensive growth of green mass to the detriment of fruits, nitrogen must be removed from the fertilizing and a phosphorus component must be added;

Watering indoor lemon

Before caring for lemon indoors, it is important to learn the rules for moisturizing it. From May to September, homemade citrus needs moderate watering every other day; in winter it is reduced to once a week. The tree is moistened with cold water, standing for 5 hours. Pour it over the entire surface of the pot. The plant loves to be sprayed with heated boiled water, especially in winter if there are heating systems around. For citrus, “wet” air around the crown is more important than excess moisture in the soil.

Diseases of lemons indoors

Why do indoor lemon leaves turn yellow?

Often improper care leads to the disease of indoor lemons, the leaves of the plant turn yellow. There are several reasons:

Lack of nutrients. Calcium is responsible for the root system, phosphorus helps in the formation of tasty fruits, nitrogen affects the healthy color of foliage, and potassium contributes to its normal absorption. Timely application of fertilizers with such elements will help prevent yellowing of the foliage.
Lack of lighting. An indoor lemon needs a 12-hour day; if it is shorter, lighting with a fluorescent lamp will help.
Excess light and direct sunlight cause burns on the leaves. The tree must be moved to a shaded place.
Lack of moisture causes the tips of the leaves to turn yellow. It is necessary to spray the plant daily using a spray bottle. It is useful to keep water in a flat bowl next to the pot for evaporation. In summer, it is recommended to wash the plant in the shower once a week.
Sudden changes in temperature, drafts, and proximity to heating devices can also lead to yellowing of foliage. Then you need to get rid of such unfavorable factors.

Why do indoor lemon leaves fall off?

Unfavorable conditions for keeping the bush lead to the fact that it begins to shed its leaves. This often happens in the autumn-winter period. The more healthy leaves a tree has, the better it grows and bears fruit; the condition of the bush is judged by their number. In some cases, the plant recovers on its own, but it is important to eliminate the cause of the unpleasant phenomenon. If a indoor lemon has dropped its leaves, what should you do:

if there is a lack of moisture, you should spray the plant more often and do not allow the soil to dry out;
if the plant does not have enough light, use additional lamps;
prevent hypothermia of the roots, water the bush only with warm water;
if the pot is cramped, the bush must be transplanted into a container bigger size(by 2-4 cm);
control that there is no excess moisture in the soil, leading to rotting of the roots;
inspect the tree for pests; if any are found, carry out treatment.

Diseases of indoor lemon - sticky leaves

In some cases, the foliage on the shoots becomes sticky - as if it had been sprayed with syrup, and crystals may even form. The disease is caused by a scale insect that has settled on a tree. If treatment is untimely, sooty fungus develops in the sticky liquid, which appears as dark spots on branches, trunks and leaves; without treatment, the plant dies.

To remove plaque, wipe the foliage with a solution of transformer oil (6 ml per 1 liter of water). After 5-7 days, the treatment is repeated. The solution removes sticky plaque and kills young scale insects. You can use another way to treat lemon - indoor plant care in the form of spraying with carbofox or tobacco solution also helps a lot. Treatment is carried out 2-3 times with an interval of 7 days.

Pests of indoor lemon

Citrus fruits can also be damaged by typical pests. To grow indoor lemon, you need to know how to fight it:

If they are present, the leaves fall off, the branches dry out, and the plant dies. Pests are cleaned with a brush, the leaves are washed with soap emulsion (2 tablespoons of liquid product per 1 liter of water), garlic water(7-8 crushed heads are infused in a bucket of water for a day).
It is located at the bottom of the leaf and gradually envelops the entire crop. If damaged, spray the tree with Aktelika solution and repeat 3 times with an interval of 10 days.
It feeds on greenery, causing leaves to dry out and fruits to crack. The plant must be inspected and its larvae removed manually.
Aphid. Eats the tops of shoots. The plant must be sprayed three times (every 10 days) with Aktelik solution. You can place a pot of geraniums nearby. Spraying with garlic water will also help.
Thrips. They look like small black dots, can fly, and spread viruses. To destroy the bush, wash it in the shower and treat it with soap emulsion.
Whiteflies. The larvae are located at the bottom of the leaves. The bush is sprayed at least 5 times every three days.