How to grow lemon at home. How to create the best conditions for planting a lemon tree at home

A subtropical tree called a lemon will definitely take its place in the home green corner. Everyone can grow it, provided that the shrub is provided with a favorable microclimate. Learn how to plant a lemon at home, and one day it will reach a truly large size. In addition, lemons are actively fruiting. If you follow the basic care recommendations, your tree will bear fruit throughout the year.

Planting a lemon is carried out by two common methods: cuttings or seeds. Each of the methods has its advantages and disadvantages, but it is equally widely used by domestic flower growers. To plant a lemon at home competently, it is worth considering both technologies. Thus, you can choose the most optimal method for yourself.

Bone

How to properly plant a lemon tree using seeds - flower growers who are faced with such a need for the first time are often interested in this. First of all, you need to select high-quality seed. Take only large seeds for planting. Direct planting of grains in the ground is carried out in stages:

• in flower pot pour a substrate specially designed for planting citrus plants;
• sow lemon seeds in the ground;
• at the end of the procedure, thoroughly moisten the soil, but avoid excessive accumulation of water in the ground. Otherwise, the seeds will begin to rot, and seedlings will not appear;
• in one pot it is recommended to sow several grains of homemade lemon at once. When they finally sprout, you can leave the strongest ones in the ground. Another option - all the sprouts you like can simply be planted in different containers;
• when you decide on lemon sprouts at home, be sure not to damage root system, already quite frail. That is why it is better not to touch the earthen ball that envelops the rhizome of the plant.

This planting method is not bad and is often used by domestic flower growers. However, not all so simple. There is an opinion that a lemon grown does not bear fruit on its own. This is possible, but the situation is fixable. To do this, it is recommended to graft an ascended and strengthened plant from another citrus tree (grapefruit or orange), which has been growing in your home flower garden for several years.

cutting

Such a tree at home is often propagated. To do this, you will need to cut off, leaving two kidneys along the edges. It is desirable that each future sprout has 2-3 leaves and the same number of buds. When the branch is cut, dip it briefly in a growth stimulator, and then put it in water for a few days. Planting occurs, as a rule, at a time when the stalk has not yet rooted. That is why it is very important to be able to properly care for the plant. Carefully spray newly planted sprouts, because in the absence of roots, the future tree is still unable to receive moisture from the soil.

Landing time

How to plant a lemon? The result is influenced not only by the method of disembarkation or quality, but also by the period that is most optimal for such a procedure. Largely lemon tree planted in the ground in late winter or early spring. What is favorable given time year, so this is the phase of the awakening of the tree itself and the activation of life. A plant rooted during this period will quickly take root.

What kind of soil is needed

In order for planting and caring for a houseplant to be effective, special attention should be paid to the selection or preparation of a quality substrate.

It must meet two key requirements: to be loose and to include various nutrients. In addition to the land flower pot it is recommended to put a layer of drainage. The very same soil mixture is considered optimal for growing indoor lemon, if it includes light loamy soil, leafy, as well as sand and humus. Of course, some flower growers prefer to dig up ordinary earth somewhere on personal plot. However, if you want to grow a full-fledged lemon tree, such land will be too scarce for him.

Capacity selection

It is necessary to plant a lemon tree in a properly selected container. You should not immediately purchase a voluminous flower pot: in an excessively large space, the plant's root system can rot. As for the material, it can be plastic, glass, and wood. However, it is still preferable to buy a clay container in which indoor flower will feel at ease. You will have to water a planted lemon quite often, so you can’t do without drainage holes in the pot.

Landing instructions

Florists often ask how to properly plant a lemon using cuttings. You'll get desired result as long as you follow the basic guidelines. Special attention pay attention to the recess in the ground of the root neck of the tree: it should not be located deeper than 5 mm in the substrate. Plant the cutting in such a way that in the future the root collar does not begin to rot. After you plant all the branches, it's time to spray them first with water and then with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Further care

It is not difficult if you provide him with a humid microclimate. The plant must not only be watered and sprayed, but also thoroughly washed with leaves. During the growth of the vegetative mass, lemon is recommended to be fed with mineral and biofertilizers. Give preference to formulations with a liquid consistency. Remember that you will bring much less harm to the shrub if you underfeed it with vitamins, rather than vice versa.

Before you start growing a lemon at home, you need to pay attention to the fact that the vegetation speed, yield and appearance depends entirely on the chosen variety of lemon. There are many of them: from original to hybrid, attracting attention with colorful coloring and decorative effect.

Lemon in a pot can be grown at home. However, efforts will be required

In an apartment, lemons grow best on the windowsill, where there is enough bright, but no scorching sun. They don't like dirty air with lots of carbon dioxide. Home care for a lemon is not difficult, but requires accuracy.

1. Sufficient air humidity, regular spraying with settled or structured water.
2. Long sunny day, regulated by artificial lighting.
3. Regular fractional watering, preferably situational: if the earth has not had time to dry, what happens in winter time then postpone watering until the next day.
4. Properly selected soil. Too light earth with a lot of peat is not suitable, but chernozem is difficult for a lemon.
5. Propagation by cuttings is best done in spring time when the duration sunny day is growing.
6. Recommendations experienced gardeners relate to giving the crown to the lemon tree, on the density of which depends on its fruiting and productivity, as well as breaking off the thorns.

Suitable varieties for home growing

In order to grow a lemon tree from a seed at home, you can familiarize yourself with the most unpretentious representatives of this plant species.

1. Growing a Pavlovsky lemon at home is not difficult. He is popular for palatability ripe fruits. Its foliage is dark green. The amount of harvest directly depends on it: the thicker, the more harvest will be. On an adult tree from the age of 3 years, flowers can bloom and fruits ripen at the same time.
2. At home, the lemon bears fruit for 3-4 years, is one of the most productive, the foliage is less dense, light green.
3. "Novogruzinsky" is slightly taller than the rest of lemongrass, grows up to two meters, the first harvest after 4 years, but is notable for the fact that there are practically no seeds in it.
4. "Lisbon" is one of the most unpretentious, there are a lot of thorns and they need to be removed, the foliage is thick, but if properly grown and cared for, it can bear fruit twice a year.

One of the unpretentious varieties lemons for home growing is "Lisbon"

Should be fertilized regularly indoor lemon, but only after the soil has exhausted its nutritional capabilities.

Suitable soil for lemon trees

1. The earth must be medium density. At the beginning of horticultural practice, it is better to use a ready-made mixture. For a lemon at home, a special mixture "For citrus" or "Lemon" is suitable.
2. How to properly mix the soil yourself: 2 parts of turf, 1 part leaf ground, 1 part horse manure, 1 part sand.
3. Adjust the amount of the mixture according to the size of the pot.

Required components for self-manufacturing soil:

1. Sod can be an element to buy in the store. It consists of overripe grass, tree leaves, small sawdust, part of moss and peat. It is a light soil if it does not contain clay. It is rich in useful microelements, it is especially important when breeding lemons in greenhouse conditions.
2. Leafy earth is time-consuming to prepare, for this it is better to purchase it ready-made. Composition of overripe leaves fruit trees, linden and maple will provide indoor lemon with thermal insulation of the root system and prevent moisture stagnation.
3. horse or cow dung. The product is easy to buy in online stores. It is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium, without which at home the lemon will grow poorly and not bear fruit.
4. Sand is used as drainage, and it is also a natural silica in chemical composition, provides the earth with friability and prevents churning into clods through which water cannot seep.

The sand is used as drainage. Gives the earth looseness and prevents the sale into clods

Its best example is root, it will help to germinate the seeds and make growing a lemon an easier task.

Seeds must first be washed in warm water, put them in a ceramic container and completely fill with a biostimulant. Leave in a warm place for an hour or two. Get and dry, after that they need to be planted within the same day. A higher percentage of seed germination is observed in small greenhouse placed on the window.

How to plant lemon seeds

1. After the seeds are “awakened”, they can be planted in special peat pots, or ordinary plastic ones for seedlings, after placing a layer of drainage on their bottom - pebbles or special expanded clay.
2. The layer of earth covering the seed should be no thicker than two centimeters. The soil needs to be moistened, but not to make “porridge” out of it, for this it will be enough to irrigate from the sprayer. For these purposes, you can prepare a decoction (not strong) of nettle or calendula.
3. Germs of lemons will develop faster if they create greenhouse conditions on the windowsill. To do this, you need to put on a bag for each individual cup. It must be sealed upper layer earth from contact with air, you can sprinkle it from the inside with water for a better effect.

It is advisable to water once every two days. It will help to monitor the condensate on inner surface package, if it began to dry out, then you can spend drip irrigation. Considering which plant variety is chosen, the absence of a temperature difference, the type of soil and illumination, it depends on how long it will take before the first shoots appear.

Grown in favorable conditions new plants will develop greater resistance to adverse factors. That is why most flower growers prefer the method of home cultivation from seeds to cuttings.

seedling conditions

1. Temperature not lower than 18–20 °C without drafts.
2. Watering in small portions, only when needed. You can alternate with infusions of herbs that have disinfectant properties.
3. Germinated seedlings gradually accustom to room temperature.

There are some more recommendations that make it easier to grow lemons in a greenhouse. If the seeds are planted in the cold season and in the place where they are grown low temperature, you can use a heat-reflecting film, which is sold in gardening stores. It will better protect not only from the cold, but also in the bright sun, if the seedlings standing on the windowsill were not removed in time.

When lemons appeared among greenhouse shoots, on which branches are well developed, they can be transplanted into a permanent pot. Its diameter should not exceed 15 cm, otherwise the lemon will grow for a long time. Before growing a lemon tree, it is important to ensure that its location is inaccessible to pets.

It is necessary to give him a permanent place on the windowsill and not move until the tree gets used to the new care, which is different from the greenhouse. Timely top dressing will help to grow a lemon at home.

Feeding methods at home

1. Horse or cow dung. Top dressing by this method is carried out 1 time in 6 months. You can carry it out additionally at the beginning of flowering or if ripening fruits appear on the lemon. Lemon, fertilized with biological products, grows faster and better resists diseases.
2. Wood ash mixed with used ground coffee powder, sprinkled under the lemon sprout. The mixture will perform two functions at once: it will drive away insects if they appear, and it will disinfect the earth. The ash will help prevent old leaves and buds from falling off.
3. An excellent material for stimulating the growth of mature trees is aquarium water. Preference is given to a liquid in which the fish were not more than a week, otherwise the smell of silt may appear near the ground.
4. Watering with bone meal mixed with lemons will be perceived as a biostimulant. In a proportion of no more than 1 teaspoon per glass of water. Water once a month.

It is important to remember that fertilizers obtained from the processing of waste products can both improve the cultivation of lemon at home in a pot, and destroy the plant with frequent use. It is necessary to observe the measure when breeding and alternate the type of feeding.

After the first ovary has appeared, you need to be patient, because the lemon ripens slowly. Fruits are helped to ripen by a light period longer than 10 hours a day. To do this, you can use a table lamp, even a 25 watt light bulb is suitable.

A lemon is ripe when its peel has become characteristic yellow color or the color that the variety suggests, this process will take at least 6-7 months.

evergreen perennial indoor lemon belongs to the rue family, a genus of citrus fruits. Its homeland is considered to be India, the foothills of the Himalayas. At home on the windowsill, growing it 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 shiny emerald leaves and bright yellow fruits. Indoor lemon - description:

• the plant is considered undersized, the oldest specimens can reach a height of 1.5 m;
• shrub 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 for 5 weeks, blooms for 50 days;
• bears fruit home citrus from one to four times a year, depending on the variety, the fruit development period 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 culture bears fruit all year round- ovaries, buds, flowers and fruits can develop on the bush at the same time.

Indoor lemons - varieties:

Growing indoor lemon

It is easier to grow a room lemon from a stone. To place the bush, it is better to choose southern or eastern window sills with good lighting. Lemon is a heat-loving indoor plant, the optimum temperature for it is + 15-22 ° С. Landing is carried out in a depth of 1-2 cm with a distance of 5 cm in small pots with expanded clay drainage or charcoal. Contain sowing in a bright place, it germinates after 2 weeks. After the appearance of sprouts, a strong one is chosen, covered with a jar. After a pair of true leaves sprout, 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, leafy soil, coarse sand, humus in a ratio (2: 2: 1: 1). You can use store-bought citrus soil mixed in equal proportions with peat. Then the composition will be light and breathable.

Propagation of indoor lemons

For indoor lemon, cuttings are a popular propagation method. For sprouts in spring, shoots are taken 10 cm in size with 3-4 buds and 2-3 leaves. The twig is treated with a stimulant for the development of roots and placed in water for 3 days. Suitable soil for cultivation is humus, coarse-grained sand and flower soil in equal proportions. The cuttings are added dropwise by 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 - home care

Taking care of indoor lemon is a troublesome business. He loves good lighting, compliance with temperature and irrigation regime. For leaf growth, it needs a minimum of +17°C, during fruit development the temperature must be increased to +22°C. Caring for a room lemon involves organizing good lighting. Direct sunlight should fall on the bush 2 hours a day. So that the tree does not develop one-sided, every 10 days it must be rotated 10 ° around its axis. In winter, with a short daylight hours, organize lighting with lamps.

Pruning indoor lemons

• in the first year of life, the plant shoots 30 cm;
• for the second season in spring, it is necessary to cut it with secateurs, leaving a height of 20 cm, while the tree will begin to produce lateral buds;
• the lower shoots must be cut off, leaving the top 3 - they will make up the skeleton of the culture;
• 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, it is enough to pinch fast-growing shoots or remove them.

How to feed indoor lemon?

Citrus at home needs to be fed. Feed the trees begin when they reach 2-3 years of age. Complex fertilizers are used mineral compositions in the spring and summer twice a month. From mid-autumn, feeding is carried out once every 6 weeks. Two hours before fertilizing, it is important to pour the substrate in a pot with clean water.

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

Watering indoor lemon

Before taking care of room conditions behind a lemon, it is important to study 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 non-cold water, settled for 5 hours. Pour it over the entire surface of the pot. The plant loves spraying warm 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 at room conditions

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:

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

Why do indoor lemon leaves fall?

Unfavorable conditions for keeping the bush lead to the fact that it begins to shed its leaves. Often this happens in the autumn-winter period. The more healthy leaves on a tree, the better it grows and bears fruit, by their number they judge the state of the bush. In some cases, the plant recovers on its own, but it is important to eliminate the cause of the unpleasant phenomenon. If a room lemon dropped its leaves, what to do:

• with a lack of moisture, you should spray the plant more often and not allow the soil to dry out;
• if the plant has little light, use additional lamps;
• exclude hypothermia of the roots, water the bush only with warm water;
• if a cramped pot - the bush must be transplanted into a container bigger size(by 2-4 cm);
• make sure that there is no excess moisture in the soil, leading to rotting of the roots;
• inspect the tree for pests, if they are found - treat.

Indoor lemon diseases - sticky leaves

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

To eliminate plaque, the foliage is wiped with a solution of transformer oil (6 ml per 1 liter of water). After 5-7 days, the treatment is repeated. The solution removes the sticky coating and kills the young scale insect. You can use another method of treating lemon - care for a houseplant in the form of spraying with carbofox or a solution of tobacco also helps a lot. Processing is carried out 2-3 times with an interval of 7 days.

Indoor lemon pests

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

1. In their presence, the leaves fall off, the branches dry, the plant dies. Pests are cleaned with a brush, the leaves are washed with soapy emulsion (2 tbsp. L liquid agent per 1 liter of water), garlic water (7-8 crushed heads are infused in a bucket of water for a day).
2. It is located at the bottom of the sheet, gradually envelops the entire culture. In case of damage, it is necessary to spray the tree with the Aktelik solution, repeat 3 times with an interval of 10 days.
3. It feeds on greens, leads to drying of leaves and cracking of fruits. The plant must be inspected and manually disposed of its larvae.
4. Aphid. It eats the tops of the shoots. The plant should be sprayed three times (every 10 days) with Aktelik solution. Nearby you can put a pot of geraniums. Sprinkling with garlic water will also help.
5. Thrips. They look like small black dots, they can fly, they spread viruses. For destruction, the bush is washed in the shower, treated with a soapy emulsion.
6. Whiteflies. The larvae are located at the bottom of the leaves. The bush is sprayed at least 5 times every three days.

Cultivate lemons in conditions open ground will only work in the southern regions. But lovers indoor plants can take up growing it at home. Do not expect that next season you will taste juicy lemons - a homemade tree will begin to bear fruit in at least 5 years.

But even without bright fruits on the branches, the plant smells very beautiful and pleasant, which is why it is attractive for many flower growers to grow them.

Seeds or cuttings: what planting material to choose for growing?

There are 2 methods of growing lemons at home - from seed or cuttings. seed propagation will eventually give a healthier, powerful tree, but it will begin to bear fruit only after 7-8 years. By purchasing plant seedlings, you will see fruits on the branches in 3-5 years. Planting lemon seeds is a more common method. The quality of the fruit will depend on heredity and conditions of detention.

Seeds for planting lemon- fruit pits. So, for seed material we go to the nearest grocery store. Choose a large yellow lemon. Set aside damaged fruits - we need quality lemons. At home, cut the fruit, get 2-3 of the largest bones - so you can choose those seedlings that have taken root better. Since dry seeds lose their germination, seeds just removed from a lemon are suitable for planting.

Decided to grow a lemon from a cutting? You can either buy young seedlings at the market or take them from friends. Annual cuttings are cut from a healthy fruit-bearing tree. The “correct” seed material has at least 3 leaves with a total stem length of 8-12 cm. Pay attention to the cuts - the bottom one is made under the first bud or right through it, and the top one goes obliquely over the last bud. It will be difficult for non-specialists in the field of floriculture to choose a high-quality cutting - in appearance it will seem normal, but in practice it turns out that the plant is constantly sick.

Preparing the land for planting a lemon

Whatever method of growing lemon you choose, plant in the period April to June- the houses are already warm, and the plant will be provided optimal conditions for growth.

Do not buy a large pot for your future "pet" - a small clay container up to 10 cm in diameter will do for the first year. There must be a hole at the bottom of the pot to drain excess moisture.

Cover the bottom of the container with expanded clay or small pebbles (1.5-2 cm) for better drainage. Then fill in the earth. For planting lemon seeds, ordinary soil is suitable, which is sold in every garden. flower shop. There is soil mixtures designed specifically for citrus fruits - you can try this option. Do you want to do everything yourself? Fertile land for growing lemons can be obtained as follows - half sod land mixed with half of the humus.

for growing lemon from seed

But for rooting cuttings, it is better to prepare the ground in a different way - a layer of moss (1 cm) is placed on the drainage layer, fertile soil is poured, and then 4-5 cm of sand. In such a nutrient mixture, a young seedling immediately begins to receive the nutrients necessary for growth.

Planting a lemon with a bone and cuttings

After the place for growing lemon is prepared, you can start planting the plant.

Deepen the fruit bone by 1-1.5 cm, sprinkling the hole with earth. After planting, lightly moisten the soil and place the pot in a warm place. If the house is cold, be sure to cover the pot from above with a film. Abundance of sunshine is not required for emergence of shoots. Spray the soil lightly every 3-4 days. Seeds should germinate after 30-40 days. After the appearance of sprouts on the surface of the earth, the film can be removed. It is not recommended to dive seedlings. Developing, they form a long tap root - it needs to be cut without digging up the plant. To do this, arm yourself sharp knife, insert it into the ground at a distance of 7-20 cm from the sprout at a slight angle to the soil surface. Cut the root in a circular motion. The operation can be repeated several times.

With the rooting of the seedling on permanent place you don't have to mess around either. Before planting the cutting, it is recommended to soak it for 12 hours in a solution of a root former (for example, heteroauxin). Root seedlings in a pot covered with a jar on top to create a greenhouse effect. Spray the branch with water after planting. Rooting cuttings takes 1-1.5 months. The plant during this period needs good lighting, regular moisture and heat. A sign of "successful" rooting is the formation of new roots and leaves on the shoot. Now you can transfer the plant to a larger pot - use the same mixture as in the case of the lemon seed planting. Transplant carefully so as not to damage the young roots.

rooting lemon seedlings

Growing and caring for lemons

Caring for a lemon is no more difficult than for other houseplants. Follow the basic rules:

Temperature regime. Optimal temperature growing lemons - 18-25 ˚C. Strong deviations in one direction or another can lead to falling leaves. If it is very hot in summer, shade the plant a little and spray it with water more often.

Lighting. A growing lemon tree loves light. He needs direct sunlight for at least 2 hours a day. But given that the plant does not tolerate a change in "habitat", immediately determine a permanent bright place for it - on a window facing south. Too often do not turn the pot towards the light - a sudden change in conditions will cause the leaves to fall. You can turn the lemon tree no more than 1 time in 10 days and no more than 10 degrees.

Watering. Water the plant 2 times a week with boiled water room temperature. You can use rain, but it should not be cold. Do not forget to spray the tree with water several times a week to moisten the leaves and stem. Lemon will not tolerate strong waterlogging of the soil. But if this does happen, the land will have to be completely replaced.

Transfer. Every year, transplant the lemon into a new larger pot, otherwise, the developing root system will not have room in a small container. Transplant a lemon carefully, transferring it with a "native" clod of earth. If you accidentally damage the roots, cover the plant for 2-3 weeks with polyethylene so that it does not die. And when the pot is already large enough (8-10 liters in volume), the transplant can be replaced by updating the topsoil (twice a year).

Top dressing. In the first months, there is no need to feed the lemon. And then you can fertilize the plant with complex mineral fertilizers- no more than once a month. For good growth lemon needs the following trace elements: iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur.

Crown formation. To make the tree look beautiful and form lateral buds, it is necessary to form its crown. In the first year, the lemon will grow to about 30 cm. For the second season, shorten the plant to 20 cm by cutting it with secateurs upper part escape. The next year, do the same, but with the developed side branches. Branches of 1-3 orders of fruit will not give fruits - lemons will appear only on branches of a higher order. So, best form the crown will become low-standard. side shoots prune so that over time fertile branches of 4-5 orders are formed. And then, in order to maintain the shape of the crown and prevent the strong foliage of the tree, do only pinching. It is important to prevent the formation of fattening shoots in the lower part of the trunk - they do not allow the plant to develop normally. Either cut them off or turn them into “normal” shoots by bending them to the ground.

During the flowering period of a lemon, in order to form ovaries, transfer pollen from pistils to stamens (you can use a cotton swab). Too much large flowers remove - such fruits do not give. For each fruit that sets, there should be at least 10 full-fledged leaves. If there are too many ovaries, some will have to be removed.

How to speed up the fruiting of lemons?

The lemon tree looks great and smells good if you follow the rules of care. But this is not enough for flower growers - how you want to see bright fruits on the branches. To accelerate fruiting, 2 methods are used - constriction and budding.

A simpler technique is constriction. Do it on the side branches of 1-2 orders! In this case, one of the selected shoots is pulled over with a tin ring or ordinary wire. Remove the constriction when buds appear on the branches. Do not overdo it - damage to the bark must not be allowed, otherwise the branch will completely dry out.

Grafting (budding) of a lemon in plant care is a technique for more experienced flower growers, since it will require certain skills. This is an insertion of an eye from a fruiting shoot into a T-shaped incision on the rootstock bark. The eyes are cut right off the shield. Make a cut with two cuts - 1 cm above the eye, 1.5 cm below the eye. Seedlings 2-3 years old can act as a stock. Budding should be done on a cloudy rainy day. The technology is like this:

Choose a place for budding - on a branch 5-10 cm from the ground surface.

Make an incision across (≈1 cm), then along (≈2-3 cm).

Carefully pry the bark with a knife and push it a little apart.

Quickly return the bark to its place, while leaving a small hole at the top. Here you will need to insert a peephole.

The cut eye, holding it by the petiole of the leaf, quickly insert it into the incision made on the rootstock.

lemon graft

The grafting site, so that water does not flow here, now “bandage” it with PVC tape. After 2-3 weeks, the petioles began to turn yellow and fall off? The vaccination went well! After about 30-40 days, you need to cut off the entire top of the stock - first, 10 cm above the graft (so that the eye does not shrink), and then the rest of the branch above the eye is cut off. The bandage is removed at the same time.

But if the petioles remained in their place, while drying out, something went wrong during budding.

Fighting diseases and pests when caring for a lemon

Lemon care includes not only watering and fertilizing, but also the fight against diseases and pests, because they can even overcome home plant. This is especially true of a tree grown from a cutting.

All the problems that a florist may encounter when growing a lemon arise for one of 3 reasons - improper care, diseases and pests.

If you do not comply important rules caring for a lemon, you can never wait for its fruiting. For example, insufficient watering leads to the drying up of the tree, and excess water- Root rot. The lack of one or another trace element in the soil experienced florist determine immediately:

Iron deficiency - yellow blotches appear on the leaf, then it dies off.

Lack of phosphorus - the leaves turn red, their tips dry out.

Lack of potassium - the leaves wrinkle.

Lack of manganese and boron - ovaries crumble.

Correcting the situation will help only timely top dressing lemon essential micronutrients.

Indoor lemon can amaze various diseases- bacteria, mycoplasmas, viruses, fungi. They are transmitted from other plants or arise due to improper care. Let's designate the most common diseases:

Anthracnose. The buds and leaves fall off, the shoots die off. Be sure to cut off the affected parts of the lemon.

scab (warty). Characteristic yellowish spots appear on the leaves, which gradually turn into pink-gray "warts". The escape may eventually die. Scab forms orange spots on fruits. Cut off the affected parts of the lemon and discard. Spray the top of the tree with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Homosis. Red-brown spots appear on the shoots and trunk of the lemon. The bark gradually dies off, and from the cracks on it a sticky liquid of a dark orange color begins to ooze, solidifying in the air. There are many reasons for the occurrence of homosis - an excess of nitrogen, a lack of phosphorus, poor drainage, high humidity air. And in order to cure a lemon, you need to establish the cause that caused it. Cut out the lesions with a knife and disinfect with a 3% solution blue vitriol.

homosis lemon

Try not to use chemicals to treat diseases. Especially lemon does not like chlorine!

Dangerous pests rarely appear on homemade lemons. But if there are several more types of indoor plants "next door" to the tree, you need to be more careful. When caring for a lemon, protect it from the following insects:

Shchitovka. They feed on leaves and shoots. The affected parts of the plant die. Noticing pests, remove them from the lemon (with a toothbrush, for example), wash the plant with soapy emulsion.

Spider mite. The larvae settle on inside sheet. The web of the pest can gradually envelop the entire plant, preventing it from breathing. To get rid of the tick, spray the lemon with special solutions, for example, a 0.15% Aktelik solution.

Mealybug. Insect larvae leave sticky secretions on lemon leaves. The fruits die off, the leaves fall off. If you notice a pest on a plant, immediately remove it from the branches.

Citrus aphid. Insects destroy the tops of young shoots. To prevent the spread of aphids, a lemon can be placed next to a geranium.

mealybug

If you take timely measures for treatment lemon tree from diseases and pests, it will stay green and smell good all year round.

In our country, lovers of indoor gardening in the direction of citrus fruits have been growing them for almost three centuries. After all, the first plant was brought by the Russian Tsar Peter the Great. Today, many people love indoor lemon, but not everyone knows how to grow a lemon at home.

Indoor lemon: temperature, lighting, pot selection

The homemade lemon tree is a true tropical guest that loves abundant, quality light. Direct sunlight will only damage it by singeing the leaves. Therefore, when the hot months come, it is necessary to shade the plant standing on the windowsill in a pot. To do this, the window or loggia is hung with tulle or gauze, and in the winter months, on the contrary, it is additionally illuminated with fluorescent lamps. It is best to give him a place in a pot on the western windowsill, east window or southeast window in the apartment.

It is important to remember that caring for a lemon at home does not involve sudden changes in temperature, so it is clearly not worth taking it out into the open air from a warm one.

Such manipulations can cost the fallen leaves of a lemon. The optimum temperature for it is more than 18 degrees Celsius, in cold period years, it can be slightly reduced to 14 degrees. If it is above 18 degrees, then the plant must be watered with heated water so that the temperature for the roots and for the leaves is the same, otherwise the lemon tree at home will shed its leaves. It is best to plant lemon in pots small size or boxes. When planting in boxes, they must be planted at a distance of about five centimeters from each other and three centimeters from the walls of the container.

Soil and fertilizer for lemon

For its cultivation, it is best to purchase a peat mixture and flower soil, which are mixed in half, and a drainage layer is laid on the bottom of the pot. In order for the soil not to quickly deplete, it should be fed. To do this, they begin to use fertilizers from the third or fourth month after planting. In spring, summer and autumn, you can water with ammonia, diluting about two grams per 1000 grams of water. To activate the growth of the gardener, ammonium nitrate will wash.

If the leaves suddenly begin to fall off, then fertilizers without chlorine compounds are used. As the tree turns two years old, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers can also be applied every 2 weeks.

To prepare a fertilizer mixture, you need 2 grams of fertilizer per 1000 grams of liquid. This is enough for one tree, do not forget to water it first so that the roots of the plant do not get burned. In winter, the number of top dressings is reduced to once every 30 days. Slurry as a fertilizer will also help feed the lemon, for this it is diluted in water in a ratio of one to twenty. You can activate the growing foliage with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Grow a lemon from a seed: how will it be right?

Growing a lemon from a stone is a laborious process, but the result is definitely worth it. Growing a lemon from a stone will help the selection of fresh ripe lemons without signs of decay and disease. What falls into our hands from the shelves of stores, of course, cannot be called freshly picked fruits, so the seeds that will be planted are selected in more than landing requires.

So, how to grow a lemon tree from seed? Ready soil scatter in small containers (glasses). And the seeds themselves are deepened by 2-3 centimeters into the soil, after which we cover plastic bag. After three weeks, the first shoots appear, and the fruits on it will appear in a decade. After the rooting of the sprout, it is time to transplant it into a larger pot, for which you should change the soil to a mixture of rotted foliage, turf and humus. Drainage is required at the bottom of the tank. We grab it with a clod of earth, lay the regrown roots in rings, after it carefully, without ramming, sprinkle it with earth and water it. As the plant grows, turn it once every two weeks.

How to grow a lemon at home so that its crown is beautiful and lush? For this, pruning is done, which stimulates active growth twigs. Every year, branches of a new level will grow on it, for example, the first shoot, upon reaching a height of 20 centimeters, is pinched, leaving the buds. Then the branches that will grow from these buds are pruned. It is necessary to leave the kidneys on them when they reach a height of twenty-five centimeters. Next trim will be carried out for branches of a different level, cut off after they grow ten centimeters. The remaining levels are left 5 centimeters high.

How to care for indoor lemon?

Caring for a homemade lemon is not easy, because the plant is rather capricious. The main thing is to catch the balance between the overflow of moisture and the drying of the soil, because the lemon tree does not like either one or the other. Care consists of watering twice a week and spraying with a spray bottle to maintain high humidity. In winter, when the air in the room is dry, it is necessary to place containers filled with water or special air humidifiers near the tree. So that the plant does not drop the fruits that have hatched from its branches, it is best to water them with water where the lemon is connected to the branch.

Remember that lemons do not tolerate changes in temperature, lighting and change of place. If you still decide to move your lemon tree from one place on the windowsill to another, then carefully select it.

You also need to turn it a little every day so that the crown grows evenly, but so that your lemon has time to turn its leaves. If everything is done correctly, then soon you will receive its first flowers. In order for the flowers to become ovaries, you need to transfer from the anther to the stamen with a cotton swab. If so many fruits are tied that it will be difficult for the plant, then you can most just remove. The approximate proportion at which the plant gives good offspring: for 1 lemon - ten to fifteen leaves. Such a tree brings the aroma of a subtropical forest into the house, gives the home a pleasant atmosphere, and if you apply love and patience, you will get your first harvest.

In our country, the most common the following types lemon:

• "Pavlovsky" is the fruit of Russian breeders. This is the undisputed leader among indoor lemon trees. The plant is unpretentious. It is active in growth, reaches two meters with proper care. The crown is compact. Foliage is shiny. The harvest is about forty lemons per year. The fruits are distinguished by a bright taste and a sweetish aftertaste.

• "Meyer", its second name is "Chinese", is a hybrid of lemon and orange. The tree reaches one and a half meters, there are small thorns on the crown. The fruits have a thin skin and a bitter-sour taste. It produces excellent yields. The rate of fruit ripening differs. Easily tolerates heat and dry air, loves good light. Used in the treatment of diseases.

• "Jubilee" is the fruit of the selection of Uzbek breeders. Unpretentious, the tree reaches a height of up to one and a half meters. Possesses high yield and flowering. It has large fruits reaching six hundred grams, their skin is thick. The ovaries are easily formed even under adverse conditions.

• "Genoa" has a short stature, without spikes. The crown of the tree is spreading. Lemons themselves are oval-shaped, weighing about a hundred grams on average. The taste is sour, the pulp is juicy. The yield reaches fifty lemons annually.