How to grow a lemon from a seed. How to plant and grow a lemon from a seed at home? Correct seedling formation

Lemon (Citrus limon) is a representative of the genus Citrus, belonging to the Rut family. The plant, whose homeland is China, India and the Pacific Islands, is now cultivated in many subtropical countries. And where the climate does not allow, the lemon tree is grown as a houseplant. From the seed of a lemon, you can grow a compact evergreen tree that will not only decorate the interior, but also delight with tasty, healthy fruits. And the essential oils and phytoncides secreted by lemon leaves will help fight stress and nervous strain.

In countries with a subtropical climate, lemons are grown outdoors, and in Central and Eastern Europe, the climatic conditions for the lemon tree are not suitable, and here it is cultivated as a houseplant.

In nature, lemon is an evergreen shrub. Home grown lemon is also a small shrub with thorns on the trunk and dense leaves with a dark green, glossy surface.

The result of a long, lasting hundreds of years, selection was the emergence of many varieties of lemon.

• Pavlovsky. It is very popular with Russian gardeners. The unpretentious lemon tree grows up to 1.5 m, begins to bear fruit in the third year of life and produces an average of 15 lemons per year.
• Ponderosa (otherwise Canadian). A low-growing tree, not exceeding 1 m in height. It blooms early enough and bears few fruits - no more than 5 pieces.
• Lunario (otherwise four-season). A medium-sized plant that produces fruits with mild taste. This variety is cultivated mainly in Egypt.
• Libson. A tree 1.5 m high with powerful spines produces large, fragrant fruits (on average - 15 pieces). The first time blooms 3 years after planting.
• Maykop. It is distinguished by ease of care and high yield, grows up to 1.3 m. It is especially popular in the Krasnodar Territory.
• Corsican (otherwise the hand of the Buddha). An exotic variety, the fruits of which are used in cooking mainly for the preparation of candied fruits. Reaches a height of 1.5 m and produces about 10 fruits annually.
• Anniversary. The most suitable variety for growing at home, hardy and requiring the least attention. It grows up to 1.5 m in height and bears fruit well. But the fruits have a thick peel and a mild taste.
• Meyer (otherwise Chinese dwarf). The variety, bred by crossing a lemon and an orange, is a low-growing shrub no more than 50–70 cm high. But the plant is quite whimsical, often gets sick, and requires additional lighting in autumn and winter.

Lemon Meyer is characterized by high yields and gives many fruits of unusual taste, but due to whimsicality and capriciousness, it is not often grown at home.

Features of care

Indoor lemon does not respond well to rearrangements, so it is better to decide on the choice of a suitable place right away. After moving to another place, the lemon tree begins to shed its leaves, and if you disturb the plant in the flowering phase, you may not wait for the harvest.

Lighting

The lemon tree loves light, but it also tolerates partial shade normally. Southern windows are not suitable for the plant, because with excessive access to light, the growth of the vegetative part is activated, and the phase of flowering and fruit formation is inhibited. On the north side, the tree, on the contrary, will not have enough light. As a result, the leaves will grow more slowly, and the fruits will be too acidic. Windows facing east or west are most suitable for lemon.

For a symmetrical crown formation, a flowerpot with a lemon tree needs to be rotated about a quarter of a turn once a week around its axis.

Temperature

The optimum summer temperature for a lemon tree is from 18 to 20 ° C. In winter, it is recommended to grow a plant at 15–18 ° C. In spring and summer, citrus can be taken out to a balcony or terrace, but with the onset of autumn coolness, the tree must be transferred to the room, since there are sharp jumps temperatures are detrimental to him.

Humidity and watering

The lemon tree loves moist air. It can be sprayed all year round, and the pot is preferably placed on a tray filled with wet gravel. The plant does not tolerate stagnant water in a pot, so the optimal watering regime in winter is once a week, and in summer twice in 7 days, but plentifully.

Priming

Lemon loves nutritious soil with a sufficient content of mineral and organic substances. Suitable for planting:

• ready soil for all citrus plants;
• universal land for indoor flowers;
• soil with humus;
• composition of leaf and sod land, humus, river sand and charcoal.

The soil should be soft, loose. And so that the water in the pot does not stagnate, you need good drainage from expanded clay and brick pieces at least 2 cm thick.

The soil for growing lemon should be light, well-permeable to moisture and air, with a pH level in the range of 6.6–7.0.

Fertilization

You need to feed indoor lemons constantly. In summer, fertilizers are applied only in liquid form every week, in the rest of the time - at least once every 30 days. It is recommended to alternate mineral fertilizers with organic top dressing. Can be used:

• a weak solution of mullein, bird droppings;
• water with the addition of nettle infusion (infuse for 2 weeks);
• eggshell infusion (only from the fourth year of the plant's life).

pruning

A grown lemon from a stone grows quite large, with long branches. The plant takes up a lot of space, while its yield is reduced. To achieve an acceptable crown size, pinching and pruning is carried out.

The first pinching is carried out when the main shoot grows to 20–25 cm. The next pinching is carried out at a height of 15–20 cm from the previous one. Between two pinches, 4 buds should remain, which in the future will give the main branches. Pinching the shoots of the first row is carried out after 20–30 cm, and when the branches become hard, they are cut 5 cm below the pinching point. Pinching the next shoots is carried out so that they are 5 cm shorter than the branches of the previous row. The formation of the crown is completed on the shoots of the fourth row.

Pruning is usually carried out in the spring, before flowering. The roots of the lemon tree also need to be pruned during transplantation, otherwise the root system will stop developing normally, and the lemon leaves will become pale.

If necessary, during pruning, weak shoots and twigs growing inside the crown should be removed.

Transfer

A young, recently appeared lemon from a stone needs to be transplanted annually, and preferably twice a year (in February and June). Lemons older than 5 years are transplanted every three years in the spring.

Each new pot should be 3-4 cm larger than the previous one - both the root system and the lemon tree crown grow very quickly. When transplanting, you can not sprinkle the root neck (the junction of the stem with the roots) with earth.

The roots of a young lemon are very sensitive and vulnerable, and require extremely careful handling during transplantation.

Ringing

Banding is a procedure that helps speed up the appearance of fruits. It consists in the following. The base of the trunk with one or two adjacent shoots is wrapped with copper wire so that it is slightly pressed into the bark (but not much!). As a result, nutrients begin to accumulate at the place of ringing, and the formation of fruit buds begins on the lemon. The wire is removed after six months, and the transferred bark is treated with garden pitch, wrapped with elastic tape.

reproduction

At home, lemon can be propagated in three ways:

1. seeds (bones);
2. cuttings;
3. layering.

seeds

Many people believe that a grown lemon from a stone does not bear fruit. But this is wrong. With proper care, a plant grown from a seed begins to bear fruit in 5–8 years.

For those who do not know how to plant a lemon from a stone, it is worth saying that even a novice gardener can handle this simple process. The main task in seed propagation is to choose the right planting material.

Due to the ease of obtaining planting material, the seed method of lemon propagation has become the most common.

The fruits must be of good ripeness, with a smooth surface and uniform color, without dents, spots on the peel and other damage. Lemon seeds should also be intact, large. It is better to take planting material from several fruits, and then select the most viable seeds.

The procedure for growing a lemon from a stone includes several stages.

1. Prepare small long pots with a drainage layer and a soil substrate consisting of flower soil and peat.
2. Immediately after extracting the seeds from the fruit, they are treated with a solution of sodium humate - this will accelerate germination.
3. Treated seeds are planted in the ground at a distance of 3 cm from the walls of the pot and to a depth of 1.5–2 cm.
4. The containers are covered with polyethylene until the first shoots appear, kept at a temperature of 20 ° C. Lemon seeds germinate for a very long time - from two months to six months.
5. From the sprouts that have appeared, the most healthy and strong are selected, covered with glass jars to create the desired microclimate. The containers are placed in a place with sufficient lighting, aired every day.
6. When the first leaves appear on the sprouts, they are seated in separate pots.
7. Seedlings are planted in larger containers when their height reaches 20 cm.

The seeds should be planted in one container at a distance of at least 5 cm from each other, but it is better to take separate small containers (for example, disposable cups) with drainage holes.

cuttings

When propagated by cuttings, lemon begins to bloom in the third or fourth year.

Propagation by cuttings is carried out in the spring (March-April), includes several stages.

1. From a well-bearing plant, 10 cm of a sufficiently hard, and at the same time flexible cutting (about 5 mm thick) with 2-3 live buds are cut. An oblique cut is made under the sheet with a sharp knife. The top cut should be 1.5–2 cm above the kidney.
2. The stalk is treated with a root system growth stimulator (drugs rootin, heteroauxin, sodium humanate), placed in water or in moist soil for 2–3 cm.
3. The stalk is covered with polyethylene so that it does not dry out.
4. After the appearance of the roots (on average after 2 weeks), the cutting is transferred to a small pot, kept at a temperature of 20 ° C in a place where there is sufficient access to light. Spraying the cuttings is carried out twice a day.
5. To accustom the plant to room air, the film is opened daily, first for an hour, then gradually increase the time.
6. After 2 months, when the plant is fully rooted, it is transplanted into a larger pot (diameter 10 cm) with nutrient soil, placed in a permanent place.

If the selected cutting is supposed to be placed not in water, but in the ground, you need to prepare a container with a soil substrate:

• cover the bottom of the tank with a drainage layer (clay shards, porous vermoculite, expanded clay);
• cover the drainage with nutrient soil with a layer of 5 cm (you can take equal parts of the forest and sod substrate, a sixth of the sand);
• pour a mixture of equal amounts of sand and sphagnum moss on top (can be replaced with high-moor peat).

When planting several cuttings in one container, a distance of at least 5 cm is left between them. Immediately after planting, the cuttings should be sprinkled with warm water and covered with a film.

Withdrawals and vaccinations

This method of reproduction is quite complicated and time-consuming, and therefore rarely practiced by amateur gardeners. The plant is grafted more often by professionals to get fruit as soon as possible. Usually a lemon blooms in the year of grafting, and a year later it gives the first fruits.

In general, the vaccination procedure is carried out as follows. A kidney is cut from an older lemon that has reached the age of 2-3 years. She sits down in a cut of a younger plant. It is best to plant citrus in May or late August.

Bloom

Depending on the variety, the color of the flowers can be white, pink or red. To get fruits, it is important to properly care for the plant during flowering and follow a number of rules:

1. in the flowering phase, do not rearrange the lemon tree to another place;
2. independently carry out pollination of the plant (with a cotton swab, carefully transfer the pollen to the stamens);
3. timely remove excess flowers.

At the first flowering, remove half of the buds. It is best when one fruit has 15 to 25 leaves.

From the moment the ovary appears to the full maturity of the fruit, more than 9 months can pass.

Growing problems

A grown lemon from a seed is not picky about the conditions of detention, but is often subject to diseases and pest attacks. One of the most common problems is yellowing and falling leaves. The reasons for this may be:

1. watering with cold water;
2. excessive watering;
3. insufficient lighting;
4. heat;
5. drafts;
6. change in soil acidity;
7. lack of nutrients.

If yellowing of the leaves is observed in a recently acquired plant, this is a normal phenomenon associated with acclimatization.

Pests

The defeat of the lemon tree by aphids.

Diseases

• Gommoz. An infectious disease that affects the trunk of a tree. Cracks appear in the bark below, and a dark, sticky liquid begins to seep through the cracks. After a while, the lemon fades, putrefactive spots appear on the damage sites. You can save a lemon tree by transplanting it into a pot with fresh soil. Before planting, you should clean the roots and damaged areas, treat them with copper sulphate. It is possible to cure a tree from gommosis in rare cases, more often the plant dies.
• Late blight. It manifests itself in the same way as gommosis. More often it affects young plants, while an oily brown ring forms on the trunk. For treatment, the affected area must be treated with copper sulfate.
• Root rot. The disease is characterized by damage to the root system, while the lemon begins to shed its leaves for no apparent reason. If you suspect root rot, you need to remove the plant from the pot, inspect the root system, remove damaged roots, and treat healthy roots with a growth stimulator. After that, the tree needs to be planted again. Lemon care until full recovery includes minimal watering, providing sufficient lighting, and regularly wiping the leaf plates with a damp cloth.
• Tristeza. A viral disease in which the bark dies on a tree. This disease, unfortunately, cannot be cured.
• Leaf mosaic. Characteristic patterns appear on the leaves of the lemon tree. It is impossible to cure the disease, but with careful care, leaf damage becomes less noticeable.
• Cancer of citrus. A disease that cannot be cured, which is characterized by the appearance of dark brown spots on the leaf plates. The disease leads to the rapid death of the plant.

Growing a lemon from a seed or a cutting is easy. But to achieve fruiting is possible only with proper and regular care of the plant. The lemon tree will be a wonderful decoration for any interior, during the flowering period it will fill the room with a wonderful aroma. And if you pay enough attention to the plant, the long-awaited fruits will be the reward.

Ornamental plants and indoor flowers. However, a plant can be not only beautiful, but also useful - for example, fruit-bearing, like a lemon. Have you tried to plant a bone before, and it didn’t work out for you? To grow lemons at home, you need to know some tricks. Then in a few years you will enjoy fragrant tea with your own lemons.

What kind of plant?

Lemon is considered an evergreen shrub, belongs to the "rue" family. Leaves and twigs of lemon in large quantities have glandular cells with pores that secrete phytoncides and essential oils - from this the house is filled with a wonderful aroma and health is strengthened.

Lemon looks interesting - this is a small tree, although it all depends on the variety - there are trees and three meters. The lemon has fleshy glossy dark green leaves, and there are small spines on the trunk. Lemon blooms beautifully - these are red-pink outside and white inside flowers. Previously, lemons were exotic, but today they are not so rare even in our apartments with a far from tropical climate.

Seedling or stone?

It is easier to grow a lemon from a sapling (sprouted small tree), although it is quite possible to grow one from a lemon seed. Many people think that a bad lemon will turn out from a stone, and there will be no fruits on it, although this is not true. In about five years, it is quite possible to grow a fruit-bearing bush, thus lemons are bred in Italy, Spain and South Asia. It is more difficult to grow lemons here because of the climate, but at home the climate can always be created according to the requirements of the plants.

If you intend to buy a lemon seedling from specialized stores or a botanical garden, then you will be asked which variety you would like. And you need to know that only six main varieties can be grown at home - these are Genoa, Maikop, Meyer, Eureka and Novogruzinsky lemons. Of these, Maikopsky will be especially fruitful, and low ones - Eureka and Genoa, they can even be placed on a warm windowsill.

If you want a lemon from the escape

This method is easier, and it is recommended to start with it for inexperienced botanists. Escape is usually acquired in specialized amateur societies or botanical shops and gardens. When buying, ask for a one-year-old shoot so that it has at least three to four leaves. It is necessary to buy and plant a lemon at the end of February or March - these are the most natural growing conditions for a lemon in nature. At other times, the escape simply does not want to take root.

Special land is important - it should be loose soil and a mixture of humus, turf and leafy soil, they must be taken in equal parts, sand from large particles must be added to this earth mixture in a ratio of 1: 1.

Lemons grow only in clay pots of very wide diameter and depth. In a few hours before transplant lemon in the ground soak the pot in water. At the bottom of the pot in the place of the hole, put a clay shard so that it looks up with a bulge and closes the hole. A layer of fiberglass, a drainage layer of sand, small pebbles or expanded clay are placed on it (they can be perfectly replaced by charcoal). On top of this, a layer of dry manure (no more than 1 cm) is laid and the stalk is planted in the ground. Make sure that the root neck of the seedling is at the level of the edge of the pot or below it.

Pour the stalk with warm settled water and close it with a jar (700 grams or liter), this will protect the seedling from moisture loss. The jar can be removed only when the seedling takes root.

Bone Lemon

To germinate a lemon so that it also bears fruit, you need to know the intricacies of its cultivation. Select the largest and most intact seeds from the fruits, place them in small containers like cups from curds with 3-4 drainage holes made.

For the best effect, treat the seeds with a natural germination stimulant - this is usually a sodium gummate solution (you can find it in flower shops). In a diluted solution, the seeds should lie for a day. This will give a good development to the root system of the tree in the future, and seedlings - strength for growth.

After soaking in this solution, many recommend treating the seeds and seedlings with extra-epin and zircon to accelerate the growth of the seedling and form resistance to dry air and low light in apartments.

From 10-15 seeds, select the most germinating ones and plant them in loose soil - it should be loose soil and a mixture of humus, sod and leafy soil, you need to take them in equal parts, sand from large particles must be added to this earth mixture in a ratio of 1: one. Planting depth - no more than 2 cm. Wait for shoots to germinate from three to five months, then select the best shoots. Further, everything is practiced as described above.

Subtleties of care

A tree at home requires special care - in order to wait for flowering and fruits, you must follow several rules for growing lemons in the house.

How to grow a lemon tree from seed / shutterstock.com

• Lemon needs organize additional portions of ultraviolet light, so get a special phyto-lamp for it - it will be useful for all colors.
• Indoors with lemon constant presence of a humidifier is necessary: he is a resident of the tropics and loves humidity.
• For lemon frequent transplants are important- at least once, and preferably twice a year - this is usually June and February, the soil should be the same as for the initial planting.
• For lemon at home timely feeding is important- this is done between February and early September. Lemon grows in waves, and during active growth it is also necessary to feed it. This is usually a ready-made mineral complex from specialized stores, and choose liquid fertilizers.
• If in the first year of growth the lemon began to bloom- it is necessary to ruthlessly cut off all its buds: if you do not do this, a lemon that does not grow in its natural conditions will spend all its vitality on flowers and then wither. You can let the lemon bloom when it has at least 15 leaves per flower.

Of course, this is not all the subtleties in caring for a lemon. But you'd better discuss all the details with a botanist when buying a seedling or on specialized forums for growing lemons. There experts will help you with advice.

What fruits do you manage to grow at home?

Alena PARETSKAYA

Lemons growing on the window no longer surprise anyone. And here is the question: “How to grow a lemon from a stone at home: with fruits step by step?” interested in many lovers of exotic plants. There is a fairly common myth - it is impossible to grow a fruit-bearing plant from a seed. But, it's not. Using the recommendations of experienced gardeners, you can get not only an original interior element that releases essential oils, but also wait for vitamin fruits.
Let's take a closer look at all the stages of this lesson: the selection and preparation of seeds, planting, the necessary conditions for growing and fruiting a lemon.

This step largely determines how healthy, strong the tree will turn out.
First of all, you should pay attention to the ripeness of the fetus, its integrity, the absence of deformation and signs of disease. Cut the washed lemon in half and remove the seeds. For planting, leave those that are larger.

You need to prepare the bones immediately before starting work.

If they dry out, they won't germinate. It is better to take a few of their pieces, with a margin. Rinse in running water.

Advice. Treatment with biostimulants increases the chances of success. Planting material is soaked for 12-24 hours in a solution with the addition of Zircon, Epin-Extra (add 1 drop of the drug per 250 ml of water). The procedure helps to increase the immunity of the bones.

Beginners are interested in the question of proper seed germination. And this is not required. Treated seeds are immediately placed in the ground. There are 2 ways to prepare the bones:

1. After soaking, without drying, they are planted in a prepared substrate. It is important to make sure that they do not dry out.
2. To speed up the process of seed germination, a hard shell is removed from the stone with a sharp knife, and then transferred to the ground. But in this case, caution is needed - there is a high risk of damage to the cotyledon.

Seed planting

Purchased soil is the best option. A loose, slightly acidic or neutral substrate with a high phosphorus content is needed. Some gardeners prefer to cook it on their own.

In such cases, a soil mixture is prepared, consisting of equal amounts of earth, humus and peat or sand. To create looseness, it is sieved through a sieve or sieve with large cells.

• low (5-6 cm) plastic cups;
• cut bottles;
• small pots;
• boxes from under cakes, other confectionery;
• ready-made plastic containers with a lid.

There are holes in the bottom for drainage.
The optimal time for landing is the end of January or the beginning of February.
The work is performed in the following sequence:

• The bottom of the container is covered with drainage. For this, granulated slag, expanded clay, vermiculite are used. Layer thickness - 1.5 cm.
• From above fill it with soil. Moisturize.
• Bones are placed in small depressions to a depth of 2-3 cm.
• Watered from a spray bottle. Over-watering is not needed.

In the future, spraying is carried out 2 times a week.

It is important to know. Deepening the bone by more than 3 cm leads to its decay. With a surface landing, it can die from drying out.

Then you need to create conditions for a kind of mini-greenhouse. Glasses and pots are packed in cellophane film, and boxes and containers are covered with a lid. Ventilate periodically. Placed in a warm corner.

It is important to know. The optimum temperature for rapid germination is 18-25°C. If the room is less than 18°C, then the seeds will not germinate.

The advantage of growing a lemon from a seed is simplicity and reliability. If we compare this plant with the one purchased in the store, then it is more hardy and viable, because it is adapted to the surrounding atmosphere.
However, there is a drawback - it bears fruit later.

Care of young seedlings

The first sprouts hatch 2-4 weeks after planting. If 2 shoots appear, one of them is removed.

A common mistake of many gardeners is the desire to immediately open a greenhouse with a sprout that has appeared. Accustom the plant to the surrounding atmosphere should be gradually. Every day, open the shelter and increase the duration of the seedling in the open air.

Do not fertilize, water sparingly.

After the seedling has 2 true leaves, they begin to transplant it, together with a clod of earth, into a larger container. The composition of the soil is the same as when sowing.

The temperature regime is the same - 18-25°C, in winter it is allowed to drop to 14°C. Additional lighting required. Insufficient lighting leads to leaf fall and a delay in the onset of fruiting.

Lemon Care

To achieve the appearance of fruits in a lemon, you must follow the rules for its care. Let's list the main ones.

Watering

It's hard to pinpoint a clear timeline. It is important to determine the degree of soil moisture. Check it like this: put a finger in the ground. Water the plant if it is found that it is dry at the depth of the phalanx. Do not allow water to remain in the pan.

For irrigation, do not use water from an artesian well, with a high salt content, as well as from a tap with a high concentration of chlorine. Filtered or settled water at room temperature is suitable.

To soften the water, nitric acid is added to it before watering (3 ml per 10 liters of water). You can replace it with oxalic acid (1 teaspoon) or acetic acid (3 tablespoons).

Lighting

In the interval October-March, additional lighting is equipped using fluorescent lamps. In the morning they light up for 2 hours, and in the evening - for 3 hours. A tangible effect is achieved by creating foil reflectors.

A suitable place to place a lemon is on the windowsills of windows facing east and west.

In order to avoid burns on the leaves, it is important to protect the plants from direct sunlight.

Temperature regime

In the warm season, the air temperature comfortable for lemon is 18-23 ° C. In winter, with the onset of a dormant period, this figure is reduced to 10 ° C. Low temperature promotes the laying of fruit seeds.

When the plant is near the battery and on hot summer days, humidification is produced around it. In the summer they take it outside. However, the air temperature must not exceed 30°C.

top dressing

Within two months after the appearance of the first sprouts, top dressing is not carried out, then once every 2 weeks. They use complex fertilizers "Health", "Ideal" or specially designed for citrus fruits with the addition of trace elements - manganese, boron, zinc.

In the interval February-September, during active growth, lemons require fertilizing with mineral fertilizers (1-2 g per 1 liter of water). It is useful to alternate with infusions consisting of organic fertilizers.

From November to January, feeding is stopped. Only 1-2 times during the winter they fertilize with ash. Take 1 tablespoon of ash, dissolve in 1 liter of water, leave to brew overnight. Water the lemon in the morning.

crown formation

The seedling of the first year of life requires the formation of a crown. To do this, pinch the top of the central shoot, leaving 20 cm from the ground. It is convenient to perform this procedure with tweezers. Its purpose is to achieve lateral branching.

When the branches of the second and third order grow up to 18 cm, they are also pinched. Buds are laid on the shoots of the fourth order, and fruits are tied.

Remove branches that grow vertically and point inward. Some gardeners have recommendations to bend down vertically growing branches, tying them to a stick stuck in the ground.

To accelerate fruiting, the ringing method is used. It lies in the fact that the trunk at the base is wrapped with wire, making sure that it does not dig into the bark too much. After 6-12 months, the ring is removed. A slight deformation does not bring harm to the plant, but the number of emerging buds increases.

• Wipe the leaves from dust to produce weekly.
• Often the pot of lemon is not moved. It is enough to turn it a little (by no more than 10 °), avoiding a sharp change in the light regime. This is necessary for the uniform formation of the crown.
• Regular transplant - 1-2 times a year.

Do not transplant the plant immediately into a large container. The size of the pot is increased by 3-5 cm each time you transplant.

Helpful advice. Ruthlessly cut off the flowers that appeared in the first year of plant growth. Otherwise, all the forces of the seedling will go to flowering and the process of wilting will begin.

This is the most common mistake that gardeners make when growing a lemon from a seed. The normal ratio during flowering is 1 flower for 15 or more leaves.

Lemon grafts

It is possible to grow a fruit-bearing lemon from a stone at home, but it is possible to see the fruits only after 3-7 years, sometimes even later. Lemons from such a tree grow smaller. It also depends on the variety from which the stone was taken.
You can graft a plant yourself in 2 ways. It is better to do this in the summer or in the last days of spring.
For grafting into a split, you will need a cutting taken from a fruiting lemon. Next, proceed as follows:

1. On a growing lemon, a branch is cut off, the remaining stem is split in half by 2-3 cm.
2. At the cutting taken for grafting, they sharpen the place at the cut with a spatula and insert it into the split of the lemon trunk. 2-4 buds are left on the handle, the excess is cut off.
3. Wrap the grafting site with electrical tape and cover with polyethylene.
4. After the cutting grows together with the trunk of the tree, the shelter is removed.

The second way is budding in the butt. On the trunk of a lemon, a cut is made with a sharp knife with a notch at the bottom to make a tongue for laying a cutting with a cut. A stalk with a kidney is taken from a fruiting lemon, a cut is made and applied immediately to the trunk. Wrap with electrical tape or strips of cellophane.

With a successful grafting, the petiole turns yellow and disappears. If it is dry, the vaccination will have to be repeated.

Helpful advice. Knife, disinfect all sections with a solution of manganese. Do not touch the incisions with your hands.

What diseases and pests affect lemons

Like any plant, lemon is susceptible to a number of diseases. The main reasons for their occurrence:

• mistakes made in care: poorly cultivated soil, excess moisture, improperly performed top dressing;
• weak immunity due to poor-quality seed;
• the result of grafting a diseased cutting;
• bacterial infestation by pests.

Sometimes a tree sheds leaves with a lack of trace elements. However, the most common cause is disease.

The mosaic virus is determined by the characteristic placement on the leaves of strokes of different color density. Lemon growth slows down. Fertilization helps to slow down the process, but the plant cannot be completely cured.

Brownish spots on the peel and leaves are a sign of cancer. The leaves fall off, and the fruits become ugly. It is impossible to treat such a plant. In order to prevent, they are treated with fungicides containing liquid copper.

Anthracnose is a fungal disease. A characteristic feature is the yellowing of the leaf plates, further falling off of them and the buds. Red spots appear on the fruit.

Young citrus plants are often affected by scab, the causative agents of which are marsupial fungi. The leaves are covered with pale yellow spots, which gradually turn into gray growths. Reddish spots are visible on the fruits.

Methods of dealing with anthracnose and scab:

• removal of affected twigs, leaf blades and fruits;
• spraying with 1% Bordeaux liquid.

Sharp shedding of lemon leaves suggests root rot. In such cases, you need to inspect the roots of the plant, remove the rotten parts. The tree is transplanted into another container, placed in a bright place. Do not water for about 7 days, only wipe the leaves with a sponge or damp cloth.

Soot fungus is carried by mealybugs. Plant treatment with 1% Bordeaux liquid is required.

Among the harmful inhabitants, a frequent guest on lemons is aphids.

2 types are known:

1. Young twigs and leaves are covered with common aphids. Initially, it settles on the back of the leaves, and then spreads to other places. In appearance, the aphid is a small insect of a light green color. They do great harm to lemons by sucking the juice. At the initial stage, damaged leaves, branches are removed, and unscheduled top dressing is carried out. To combat aphids, spraying with an infusion of garlic, insecticides (for example, diazinon) is used.
2. Root aphids are introduced with the soil, located underground. The plant should be repotted. The methods of struggle are the same as with ordinary aphids.

If a scale insect settles, then the tree weakens, dries up

An adult insect can be identified by a wax coating. Spraying with insecticides, a solution of garlic, soap (50 g per 1 liter of water) is recommended. After an hour, the lemon should be washed. Repeat the procedure after 2 days.

Spider mites love dry air. The places of its settlement are young shoots and leaves. They are covered with cobwebs. A 4-fold treatment with a 1% solution of boric acid helps to fight it.

A sick green pet is difficult to treat. It is necessary to observe preventive measures:

• Wash the lemon once a month. You can use soap suds and a shower, but the soil in the pot should be covered with foil.
• Check the plant regularly.

The article shows that growing a lemon from a seed with fruits at home is quite affordable. Enough patience and compliance with the basic rules for care.

And although they themselves have long become familiar citrus fruits for our area, climatic conditions do not allow growing trees in open ground.

However, this fact will not stop an enthusiastic gardener, because you can cultivate a small fragrant tree in your own apartment.

And not just a highlighting element of decor, but a real fruit-bearing tree.

And this will require less effort than, say, to germinate capricious.

We find out how to grow a lemon from a seed at home with fruits step by step without grafting and with grafting.

A homemade lemon can reach up to three meters in height and, with proper care, produce up to 200 fruits per year.

In order for a decorative tree to become functional and delight with citrus fruits, it is imperative to follow a number of rules in planting and caring. Let's talk about them.

How to grow a lemon from a seed at home - basic rules

Let's start, of course, with the main thing - germination. To do this, you will need the seeds of a ripe fruit: the bones that have already dried out will not be able to germinate.

To ensure that the tree sprouts, use several at once - this will significantly increase the chances of success. One in ten seeds will definitely survive.

Method number 1

Initially, remove the pit from the citrus and gently rinse with running water at room temperature, after which, without drying, immediately transfer to a previously prepared substrate.

Between processing the seeds and planting, it is important not to allow them to dry out.

Method number 1

Method number 2

Using a sharp knife, remove the hard shells that prevent the seeds from germinating as soon as possible from wet seeds and transfer to the substrate.

Your movements must be as careful as possible, as there is a high chance of damaging the cotyledons.

Method number 2

Tip: before planting, the extracted lemon seeds can be placed in a growth stimulator for several hours. This will greatly enhance their activity.

How to grow a lemon from a seed at home step by step - prepare the right soil and plant

The easiest way to buy soil is from a gardening store.

If you prepare the land yourself, it should consist of equal parts of river sand, earth and humus.

Next, we proceed as follows:

1. We lay out the prepared soil in small cups or pots for expanded clay drainage.
2. The seeds are planted to a depth of about 30 mm.
3. Cover each cup with cling film. Thus, we get a kind of mini-greenhouses.

To plant a lemon you need the right soil

The appearance of the first shoots will take from two to four weeks. In the event that two seeds sprout from one bone at once, the weaker one must be removed.

In a large container, seeds can be planted several at a time.

It is necessary to seat them when 3-4 leaves are formed on each.

In order for a lemon to hatch as quickly as possible, it needs comfortable conditions - the temperature is not lower than +18 degrees, not higher than +25.

Watering the soil during germination does not make sense.

To maintain sufficient moisture, it is better to spray it from time to time.

When the plant gets stronger, it needs to be transplanted

How to grow a lemon from a stone at home in a pot - care for seedlings

Citrus fruits grown from seeds perfectly adapt to the home climate.

When the first shoots have hatched, the film is removed from the plants for some time during the day.

When the leaves become 3-4, they are completely removed, and over time, the plants are transferred to larger pots.Subsequently, the lemon tree is relocated annually.

After stabilization of growth, once every 2-3 years is enough.

In the first year, it is also imperative to pinch the top of the tree to form a lush crown.

In the first year of life, the plant must be pinched

Tip: the new pot should be 5 cm higher and wider than the previous one.

Further tree care consists in timely watering, fertilizing and creating comfortable living conditions.

If a lemon blooms unexpectedly in the first year, remove the flowers without regret.

Otherwise, he will spend all his strength on them and die.

The desired flowering occurs at a time when there are at least 15 leaves per bloom.

Watch for the "correct flowering" of the tree

How to grow a lemon from a stone at home - a step-by-step care guide + photos of trees

In order for the plant to be not only fragrant, but also fruitful, it will need specific care:

Lighting

Position the pot on the sunny side of the apartment, but keep in mind that the lemon needs a fair amount of indirect sunlight to avoid scorching the leaves.

During short daylight hours, provide additional lighting - fluorescent lamps should be turned on for 3-4 hours a day.

Humidity

Like everything else, the lemon tree simply loves moisture.

Spray the lemon more often, give it showers, wash the leaves, place open containers of water nearby.

It is better to grow a lemon in a clay pot

Fertilize

The plant develops especially actively from February to September. So, at this time, regular feeding is important to him.

Use only liquid mineral and biofertilizers. Once every two weeks is enough - apply the simple rule "less is more".

Watering

In hot weather, lemons like frequent watering.

How to grow a lemon from a stone at home so that there are fruits - 2 ways of grafting

Many novice gardeners are wondering how to grow a lemon from a seed at home with fruits without grafting.

Unfortunately, this is quite difficult to do, if not impossible - you can wait for the fruits for 3-5, or even all 7 years, and even from such a tree they will be small.

And if the stalk for planting a lemon was taken from a non-bearing plant, it is completely useless to hope for the appearance of homemade lemons.

Therefore, it is impossible to do without grafting, especially since it is not difficult to do it yourself.

You need to graft a tree in summer or late spring.

In order for the tree to bear fruit faster, it needs to be pinched

You can do this in two ways:

cleft grafting

You will need a cutting of a cultivated fruit-bearing lemon. On the seedling, you need to cut the branch, split the remaining stem.

Sharpen the wedges on the handle of a fruiting lemon and insert it into a split in the stem of your lemon, then wrap the graft with electrical tape.

Leave 2-4 buds on the handle of a fruiting lemon, cut off the rest. Cover the injection site with a plastic bag. After fusion, remove the package.

Grafting a lemon into a split

Grafting by budding

At the seedling, cut off the shoots and leave a stump no more than 10 cm high.

Take a sprig of fruit-bearing lemon. Under each of its leaves, find all the so-called "sleeping buds".

Make a cut under each of them - remove the leaf plate without affecting the petiole.

On a stump, similarly make a cut and insert the petiole into it with the cut down. Wrap the vaccination site with electrical tape.

If after 2-3 days the petiole falls off, the grafting was successful.

If it dries out, the procedure will have to be repeated.

Budding of a lemon

You will learn more about how to grow a lemon from a stone at home and plant it correctly so that the tree begins to bear fruit, you will learn from the video at the end of the article.

How to grow a lemon from a stone at home with fruits - what causes indoor trees

The main enemies of indoor lemons- worms, aphids, scale insects, spider mites.

They suck the juice from plants, which, in turn, is fraught with curvature of the shoots, leaf fall and death of the lemon.

If yellow spots appear on the leaves, this may indicate that the tree lacks iron,if the ends dry- phosphorus, leaves shrivel- potassium and magnesium.

Lemon trees are susceptible to a number of diseases.

What to do:

1. Clean off intruders with a soft toothbrush or cotton swab dipped in a solution of abaza sulfate.
2. A day after treatment, wash off the solution from the leaves.
3. Repeat the procedure after a week.
4. If the lesion is large, use special chemicals - "Aktellik" or "Fitoverm". Infusions of onion, garlic, tobacco and celandine have a good effect.

In addition, homemade lemon is prone tosoot fungus and gomosa.

At the first, the leaves are covered with a gray coating. In the second, the bark suffers, from which the branches gradually dry out.

If problems are found, treat the tree immediately

What to do:

1. Treat the bark or site of the disease with copper sulphate.
2. Coat with RanNet.
3. Clean leaves with fungus with a wet cloth.
4. In order for the plant to gain strength to fight the disease, fertilize.

To protect the plant from pests, you need to follow preventive measures:

1. Regularly bathe the lemon under hot water - the tree will not suffer, and the insects will die.
2. Do not forget to spray the leaves not only from the top, but also from the bottom.
3. Wipe once every ten days with a solution of laundry soap.

Subject to these simple rules, the mini-tree will delight with its lush color and juicy fruits.

Tip: in winter, a lemon can be sent to a glazed balcony or loggia, provided that the temperature there does not fall below +10 degrees.

Lovers of indoor plants will find many interesting tips on how to care for roses in pots in the article.

Growing a lemon in open ground in our climatic conditions is an impossible task. But you can grow a lemon tree in your room, because citrus fruits have long been used as houseplants. So why not decorate the corner of your apartment with this wonderful tree? After all, everything you need for this you can buy in the supermarket.

Is it possible to grow a lemon from a seed at home

Lemon is a plant unique and useful in every way. Fruits contain a large amount of vitamin C, indispensable for colds and to improve immunity. Lemon smell improves mood, invigorates and gives vitality. And an evergreen tree, both during flowering and during fruiting, gives incredible aesthetic pleasure.

In a flower shop, a lemon is very expensive, and not everyone can afford to buy a treasured tree. How would you like to have such beauty at home? There is an exit. And it lies, no, not on the surface, but inside. Inside a lemon. It is, of course, a bone.

Growing a lemon from a seed is an exciting experience. Surely many will say that this is quite difficult to do, because the plant is exotic. In fact, there is nothing complicated about this. And now you will see for yourself.

By growing a lemon from a seed, you can not only admire its appearance, but also benefit the body.

Choosing seeds for planting

Buying a lemon is not a problem now. But if you decide not only to drink tea, but also to collect seeds, choose the most beautiful and ripe fruit. In a green lemon, the seeds are unripe, spoiled fruits are also not an option.

Cut the lemon in half and remove the seeds from it. This is easy to do with a teaspoon. Do not forget to substitute a plate, because there will be a lot of juice. From the collected seeds, select the largest, whole, regular shape.

And now - the main nuance. The collected seeds should be immediately sown in the soil. If they lie for a while and dry out, the chance of getting seedlings decreases. Therefore, if you have not prepared the container and soil, do not rush to extract the seeds.

When extracting seeds from a lemon, try not to violate their integrity.

Planting material preparation

The period of preparation of lemon seeds for planting passes very quickly.

• try to collect 10 or more seeds so that you can leave the strongest plant for further cultivation;
• rinse the seeds under running water;
• to accelerate germination, soak the planting material in a growth stimulator - Zircon or Epine-Extra. Hold the seeds for 12 hours in a solution prepared from 250 ml of water and one drop of any drug.

To speed up germination, lemon seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator.

The process of planting seeds

Planting lemon seeds is very easy. But in order for the planted bones to germinate quickly, it is necessary to create suitable conditions for them.

It is best to plant seeds in separate small containers. These can be pots for seedlings or disposable cups. Needs light soil for germination. You can use coarse sand, pre-washed and calcined. Often they get a special substrate for citrus fruits, but sand or vermiculite must be added to it for greater friability.

With the advent of the first shoots, do not rush to remove the shelter. Do this gradually so that the seedlings get used to the room temperature. When the lemon has 3-4 true leaves, transplant the plant into a new container.

Planting lemon seeds - video

1. You can plant several lemon seeds in one container. But try to have no more than 3 - 4 of them. With a strong thickening, the picking process may fail.
2. It is best to sow seeds at the end of winter. By the time the seedlings appear, daylight hours will increase significantly and the seeds will not have to be additionally highlighted.
3. The optimum temperature for germination is 22-25°C.

Few people know, but there is another way to grow a lemon from a seed. But it takes a sharp eye and a steady hand to do it.

1. With the help of a sharp knife with a thin blade, a hard protective shell is removed from the lemon pit. This must be done so carefully so as not to damage the inside of the seed.
2. After that, the extracted inner part is placed between 2 layers of damp cloth, and a plastic bag is put on top. Leave in a bright and warm place.
3. After 5-7 days, the rudiments of roots and cotyledons appear. In this form, the grain is planted in the soil mixture.

If you remove the shell from the bone, the sprout will appear faster

Soil and container for lemon

In nature, lemon is tolerant of soils, so lemon groves can be found even in areas with poor sandy soil. But at home, it is desirable to plant seeds in special soil mixtures. They can be purchased at a flower shop, but it is best to make your own.

Soil requirements for planting

The root of a lemon does not have absorbent hairs, which makes it difficult to absorb nutrients from the soil. The soil mixture should be well loose, consisting of small particles, perfectly pass moisture and oxygen.

In a flower shop you can buy ready-made soil mixture for lemon

Lemon grows best in neutral soil. Therefore, the acidity of the composition should be in the range of 5.5 - 7 pH. Acidic soil can be neutralized with chalk. If the composition is alkaline, then it should be slightly acidified with a solution of 1 tablet of ascorbic acid per 1 liter of water.

The main components for the soil mixture

• 2 parts of leaf land. Soils taken from areas where linden, aspen or hazel grow are preferred. It is not recommended to take from under walnut or oak - in such soil there is too high a content of tannins that prevent the normal development of the plant. Coniferous soil is very acidic;
• instead of leafy soil, you can use turf, by the way, it is considered more nutritious. A 10 cm layer of soil from an area where clover or nettle grows is best. The soil must be well sifted so that large particles do not get into the composition;
• 1 part rotted horse or cow manure;
• 1 part coarse sand;
• 0.5 parts of charcoal, preferably birch or alder. This component, due to its high porosity, will help protect the soil from waterlogging and acidification.

All components of the mixture must be mixed well and disinfected.

Soil mixture for lemon can be prepared independently by mixing the necessary components

A container for planting a lemon can be made of any material - plastic, ceramics, and wood will work equally well. Despite the fact that there is an opinion about growing lemons in large containers, do not rush to purchase spacious pots. In order for a lemon tree to grow strong, it needs to be replanted every 2 to 3 years. Mature trees slightly stop growing, so they are transplanted every 3 to 4 years. At the same time, the size of the new pot should exceed the previous one by 4 cm. If the plant is in a tub, then the size of the new one can already be increased by 8 cm. The main requirement for a container for planting and transplanting a lemon is the presence of drainage holes. Do not forget about the drainage itself.

Since transplanting is stressful for any plant, do the process by transshipment. This will save fragile roots from injury, and the plant from stress.

Lemon transplant step by step

1. At the bottom of the selected container, pour a layer of drainage with a layer of at least 3 - 4 cm. Then a little soil to cover the drainage.
2. In order not to damage the roots, water the plant a few hours before transplanting. When removing, hold the lemon by the stem and tap the pot on the edge of the table.
3. Carefully remove the lemon from the pot and transfer to a new container.
4. While holding the plant by the trunk, add soil to the sides of the pot to fill in any voids. Lightly compact the soil with your hands.
5. Please note that the root neck (the place where the roots begin to grow) after transplantation should remain at the same level, that is, it is impossible to deepen or plant the plant too high.
6. After transplanting, pour the lemon into the pan so as not to accidentally flood the plant. A week after transplanting, water as usual.

Lemon transplant - video

Will a lemon grown from a seed bear fruit?

In addition to admiring decorative greenery and delicate fragrant flowers, I also want to collect fruits from a lemon tree. If you follow the rules of agricultural technology, then after 5 - 7 years (at best) you will wait for fruiting. But there is a way that will almost halve the waiting time for the harvest - this is grafting. It can be done in three ways, which are carried out only in the warm season - in summer or at the end of spring.

If a lemon grown from a stone serves as an excellent basis for grafting, that is, a stock, then the graft must be taken from an already fruiting lemon.

The purpose of the procedure is to graft a kidney ready for growth. Budding is carried out at the end of April - May.

As an experiment, up to 3 buds can be grafted onto one stock, placing them on different parts of the trunk. The petiole will tell you about a successful operation. If everything is in order, he will turn yellow. If the petiole turns black, then the operation failed.

With a successful operation, the petiole will turn yellow

Budding indoor lemon - video

Simple copulation

This method requires the scion and rootstock to be the same thickness.

After aligning the cuts, carefully wrap the parts of the plant with tape or tape.

If you are copulating for the first time, practice making the right cut on unwanted branches.

Improved copulation

This procedure is considered one of the simplest and most versatile.

This is what a lemon looks like after a successful split grafting

During the operation, try not to touch the cut of the cutting with your hands, so as not to inadvertently infect the scion. For the same reason, all instruments must be pre-disinfected.

Lemon grafting - video

Growing a lemon from a seed at home is very simple. But to make it bear fruit, you need to master the almost surgical procedure - inoculation. However, there is nothing complicated about it, and, having tried one of the methods, you can soon enjoy the fruits of your labor.