Homemade citrus. How to care for citrus houseplants

Citrus crops can be grown at home - right on your windowsill. Although this is a troublesome task, it brings a lot of fun!

What citrus fruits can be grown at home?

The most common citrus crop is the lemon.

It is lemon that is found not only in residential premises, but also in offices of administrative buildings. Everything is useful for a lemon: both fruits rich in vitamin C and leaves that emit phytoncides, enriching the air.

A little less often you can see oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, citrons, pomelo and even lime quite suitable for growing at home on the windowsills, on tables and cabinets. All these exotic plants can produce quite tasty fruits, however, if you take good care of them.

Choose a place

Citrus lovers are somewhat lucky, because these plants are shade-tolerant, but they can grow well in a sunny place, so they can be placed near south-facing windows. As for the window that faces north, it is not worth putting plants near it (with the exception of lemon and citron).

It's all in the pot

Responsibly you need to approach the choice of dishes for your exotic. The best option for placing citrus fruits is a pot of unglazed baked clay, as well as tightly knocked down wooden tubs, matched to the size of the root system. But no matter what the pot is - made of clay, made of wood - it must have good drainage and holes for the outflow of excess moisture.

For good fruiting, there must be excellent nutrition. For citrus fruits, ordinary soil from the garden will not work; the pot should be filled with a special mixture for citrus fruits. It is better not to make such a mixture yourself, but to purchase it in a store, it is inexpensive, but you will be sure that it will benefit the plant and will not cause harm.

Components of success

An important component of successful cultivation citrus at home- humidity of air, soil and the presence of top dressing. Periodic spraying warm water- this is the minimum that will allow the plant to feel comfortable.

As for soil moisture, there are some nuances. Do not use water for irrigation, just taken from the tap. Citrus fruits should be watered with water that has settled for several days, and even with the addition of a couple of drops of vinegar to it. If the fruits are definitely included in your plans, then top dressing should be first on the list of work for a citrus plant. All exotics simply adore fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, they also love organic matter. Feeding can be carried out from February until the start of the dormant period.

How to propagate a citrus tree at home?

It is still problematic to buy seedlings of such crops, and they are not cheap.

The easiest way is to sow seeds. It seems that it could be easier - they bought a fruit in the market or in a store, took out a seed, placed it in the ground, watered it ... And after a week, a sprout will appear on the surface of the soil, which will gain strength every day and will soon become an adult, independent plant. However, in reality, everything is more complicated. We will get a plant, it will please us only with green mass, but flowering, and even more so fruits, will either have to wait a very long time (from 7 to 15 years), or not wait at all, because many plants grown from seeds, even being large shrubs, for some reason they stubbornly do not bloom.

Such seedlings are suitable only for a stock, and any shoot that you, after asking permission from the owner, cut from a fruit-bearing tree, can serve as a scion.

Citrus transplant

Grafting is a complicated matter, it is much easier to root a cutting taken from a fruit-bearing tree. For rooting, apical cuttings 12-15 cm long are taken, placed in river sand, moisturize and cover with glass or plastic bottle. The optimum temperature for rooting is 20-25 degrees. Place a pot with a cutting covered with a jar in a well-lit place, but so that the sun's rays do not fall directly on it.

The stalk should be periodically sprayed, constantly keeping the soil moist. Usually after 35-54 days the cutting will have a well developed root system and can be transplanted into a citrus mix.

The main thing when transplanting is to very carefully remove the root system of the cutting from the sand so as not to damage the roots, because they are very fragile. Subsequently, when the plants gain mass and their roots become cramped in the dishes, it is necessary to transplant them.

Top dressing for citrus fruits at home

As organic fertilizers you can use settled slurry that does not emit bad smell. Before watering, it is diluted with water 8-10 times.

You can apply the solution twice per season: the first time in early spring, the second - in the middle of summer. From mineral fertilizers use potassium nitrate - 50 g of nitrate per liter of water, before making this solution is diluted 10 times. Ammonium nitrate also gives good results, its dose is 30 g per 10 liters of water, this solution is diluted 10 times before application. These fertilizers are usually applied once or twice a month, depending on the condition of the plants.

citrus grafting

Grafting on a cutting

Citrus crops are usually propagated by grafting or rooting cuttings to produce fruit-bearing plants. The first method requires experience and skill. The second is not applicable to all plants. So, tangerines, kumquats and limes practically do not take root at all. A little oranges and grapefruits do better. So, which is better - grafting or cuttings?

Cuttings of chitrus

If you are engaged in cuttings, then you should stop at lemons, citrons and pomelo. You can root them in different substrates, I use vermiculite for this. I preliminarily keep the cuttings for 10-12 hours in a concentrated solution of Heteroauxin - I dilute 1 tablet in 500 ml of water. It is best to take root cuttings put on root from May to September.

Vaccinations take root better and grow together at the same time. Here, quality material also plays an important role. The stock and scion must be healthy, free of obvious signs of pests and diseases. In addition, they must be compatible with each other. About how important this is, says my own experience. A year and a half ago, I ordered a Lisbon lemon by mail. The seller said that he was grafted onto a lemon seedling. For a long time, the plant practically did not develop.

I concluded that the problem is in the incompatibility of the scion with the rootstock. And I decided to experiment and regraft the Lisbon lemon to another variety - Macrophyll. especially since I just had a rootstock of the desired diameter, obtained by cuttings. I grafted in the splitting method in the spring of 2016. The fusion of the rootstock with the scion occurred very quickly, within a month. After that, the lemon actively began to grow and quickly overtook the plant from which the graft was taken. This is clearly visible in the photograph.

Rootstock and graft

As a stock, both a seedling grown from seeds and an already rooted cutting, taken, for example, after a formative pruning of one or another citrus, can be used.

It is believed that the rootstock grown from seeds is the most viable, it has a powerful root system and is already adapted to the climatic conditions in which it grew. I agree with this, but only partly. After all, what if we soon need to be vaccinated? It takes a very long time to wait for a full-fledged seedling of the desired diameter to grow from a seed. Therefore, in this case, you can use a stock from a rooted cutting. And, in my opinion, it is no worse, and maybe even better than the seedling.

Personally, I like to use Macrophyll lemon as a rootstock, which I specially cut into cuttings for subsequent vaccinations. They take root very quickly and grow the root system just as quickly. Citruses grafted onto Macrophyll grow together very quickly and immediately grow.

Returning to the question posed at the beginning of the story, what is better - grafting or cuttings? - I will say that I did not manage to give an unambiguous answer. In some cases, it is more appropriate to use grafting, and in others - cuttings. It all depends on individual features plants. But the most important thing is not to be afraid to experiment, and then there will be a real opportunity to receive a fruit-bearing citrus plant as a reward.

New Year with citrus aroma

We have New Year always associated with the smell of citrus. But almost any of their species and varieties grow well, bloom and bear fruit in the microclimate of apartments and winter gardens. The quality of the fruits when fully ripe is excellent, and the yield only grows over the years. How to achieve this? Our experts will reveal secrets, share their experience, advice, tips.

The genus Citrus includes a huge number of cultivated plants of the Rut family - evergreen shrubs or trees. They bloom profusely fragrant flowers, produce edible berry-like fruits. The most famous representatives are orange, tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, pamelo, lime, kinkan, calamondin.

HOW TO PRODUCE

Citrus fruits are propagated by seeds (sowing at any time of the year), cuttings and grafting.

And although a beautiful tree can be grown from seeds: a seedling will bloom no earlier than in 8-10 years.

To get fruits, you should purchase grafted plants in specialized nurseries. Some species, for example, lemon or lime, are easily rooted by cuttings - in light soil at a temperature of + 20-25 degrees. But you need to take them from a fruiting specimen.

After rooting a cutting or grafting, citrus fruits bloom quickly, sometimes even in the first year. However, in order not to deplete the plants, flowers and ovaries should be removed and fruits should be allowed to form for 3-4 years of life, when the trees develop and get stronger.

CONDITIONS FOR EVERYONE IS THE SAME

For these subtropical crops, a dormant period in coolness (about +10 degrees) is desirable in winter. At the same time, they do not have leaf fall, like a pomegranate or fig. Even when stored for 2-3 months in a dark, cool room, they practically do not lose foliage.

The rest of the time, citrus fruits need good lighting and maximum summer sun.

They prefer abundant watering with warm water, but without overflow and stagnation of moisture in the pan. In dry rooms, spraying and "bathing" procedures are required. Air humidity - 75-85%.

During flowering and fruiting, requiring a large consumption of food, plants are fed with complex humate fertilizers at least 2 times a month. The best option nutrient mixtures - ready for citrus. During the winter holidays, fertilizers are not applied.

Plants develop well in fertile soil rich in humus and humus. Suitable and garden land, and special soil substrates.

Citrus crops are significantly susceptible to pest attacks: spider mite, thrips, California scale insects, mealybugs and others. Attention should be paid to preventive plant protection - at least once a month, carry out treatments with appropriate preparations.

Sergey RYZHOV, agronomist, collector of exotic plants, director of the nursery " exotic garden”, Sochi.

Transfer

Young citrus plants are transplanted with careful transshipment shortly after purchase (then annually in the spring), since the peat soil dries out easily and there is a threat to dry out the plant, and the roots tightly braiding the lump can get burned from heating the pot in the sun. Coarse sand or perlite is added to the finished substrate for citrus fruits, for example, "Lemon", for looseness and a little soddy land, the amount of which in the mixture can be gradually increased during the next transplants. Older specimens are transplanted every 3-4 years, in large ones, they change annually instead of transplanting upper layer soil, adding coarse sand or perlite and soddy or leafy soil to the finished mixture.

The soil mixture for citrus fruits should be neutral or slightly acidic (if the water for irrigation is hard) - pH from 5.5 to 7.0. Before use, the substrate is disinfected by heat treatment.

FROM CHERENKOV…

A mature (about 6 months old) young shoot is cut off, which has turned from angular to rounded. It is important that it is in a dormant stage, otherwise the chance of rooting is very small.

The branch is divided into segments with 3-4 leaves, the bottom leaf is removed, and an oblique cut is made under the kidney. It is useful to slightly scratch the bark with a thin, clean needle and dip the cuttings into Kornevin powder. They are planted in sterile soil of peat and sand, buried to the next leaf. They root at a temperature of about +25 degrees, in a greenhouse, preferably with lower heating, in bright diffused lighting (fluorescent lighting can be used). If it is humid in the greenhouse, it is better to leave the leaves without shortening - they will serve as a source nutrients. In case of poor tightness of the shelter, the two lower sheets are cut in half. Rooting lasts from 2 weeks to 1-2 months, sometimes longer.

… AND SEEDS

Citrus seeds germinate together, usually within a month. Seedlings grow well, are quite unpretentious, emit useful phytoncides. With the help of pruning, you can form beautiful trees.

SECRETS OF FERTILIZING

Many indoor citrus fruits are characterized by remontance - the ability to bloom and set fruits several times a year. Optimal conditions for the development of flowers - the temperature is + 18 degrees, and the humidity is about 70%. The flowers are bisexual and in many varieties self-pollinating, but for the reliability of fruit set, it is better to resort to artificial pollination with a soft brush. After flowering, not all ovaries remain on the branches, a large number of them soon fall off. The ovary can be considered complete if it has reached a size of at least 2 cm. The fruits ripen for 5-9 months, depending on the particular variety, and can hang on the tree until the next harvest.

CUTTING AND SHAPING

To give a beautiful and compact look to the crown of citrus fruits, I form a g. Best time for pruning at the end of the winter rest period (early February). In summer, too long and fattening branches should be shortened.

At various kinds and varieties their own way of growing. So, a lemon is not very willing to branch, and it is difficult to form a compact tree from it. Orange grows powerfully upwards - regular shortening pruning is required. In mandarin, the crown thickens quickly, you have to cut out part of the shoots growing inside. Kumquat grows compactly, requiring little or no pruning. It is not often necessary to cut off calamondin - young seedlings almost immediately acquire a beautiful shape.

Seedlings of citrus fruits should be formed from the age of one, if by this time they have reached at least 30 cm, they stop the crown.

Everyone's favorite "New Year's fruit" - mandarin is not only tasty and rich in vitamins, but also an assistant in solving many health problems.

Fungal diseases of the feet and nails: rub the juice into the affected areas 2 times a day. With nail fungus - for a long time.

Colds, SARS with high fever, cough, bronchitis, bronchial asthma: drink juice warmed and slightly diluted with water, 2/3-1 tbsp. several times a day.

Intestinal upset, loss of appetite: eat 0.5-1 fruit 2-3 times a day half an hour before meals while dieting.

Mandarin is useful for anemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, overweight, flu, swelling of the legs, articular and skin diseases, tumors of various organs, metabolic disorders, decreased vision, intestinal candidiasis, helminths.

Attention! Tangerines and their juice are contraindicated in gastric ulcers, acute nephritis, exacerbation of colitis, hepatitis, cholecystitis and gastritis with high acidity of gastric juice.

Dina BALYASOVA, Doctor of Chem. Sciences,

Growing mandarin at home

Homemade tangerine - photo

Did you know that the mandarin, familiar to everyone and everyone, came to Europe only in the 19th century? A hundred years ago, it was almost unknown to the general public, and now we simply cannot imagine life without its fruits. In an incredibly short period of time, mandarin spread throughout the planet, won the universal love and recognition of mankind.

The Amazing History of the Mandarin

In fact, mandarin has been cultivated for several thousand years. Its culture is almost as ancient as grapes, and perhaps older, since wild tangerines are unknown to botanical science. Only its cultural forms have come down to us. At the same time, tangerines were available to a limited circle of people for many centuries - they were grown in the gardens of tangerines, rich dignitaries of imperial China (hence the well-known name of the culture).

It is believed that the mandarin comes from Southeast Asia, this territory now belongs to India. There is no exact data on exactly when he migrated from China to the West. According to one story, Portuguese missionaries who returned from the colonies brought its trees with them, according to another version, a mandarin plant in a tub was presented to Napoleon Bonaparte. But one way or another, he got to Europe and conquered it.

Today at Asian countries Japan occupies the first place in the cultivation of tangerine, China is in second place, then India and others. On the European continent man-

Mandarin blossoms in January-February

The yield of tangerine is impressive

pot culture. Incidentally, the mandarin was the most unpretentious. compared to other citrus crops, and much easier to grow indoors than lemons and oranges.

Let's grow it!

Mandarin can be purchased at a specialty store or grown on your own.

After buying a plant, it must be kept “in quarantine” for several days, separately from other indoor plants, to make sure that no harmful insects have entered the house along with the tree.

This culture is propagated in the spring, by seeds and grafting.

The optimum temperature for growing mandarin is 16-18 °C. In winter, it is best to place the pots in well-lit, south-facing windows, and rotate occasionally so that the crown forms evenly (except during flowering and fruiting, when they are best left alone). In summer, it is desirable to shade the plants from direct sunlight, and also protect them from drafts.

A mandarin tree in protected ground can reach 0.8 to 1.5 m in height. Blooms in winter, in January-February. At this time, a delicate aroma spreads in the room. Fruits densely. The fruits are tied during self-pollination, remain on the branches for several months.

Young mandarin trees form a crown before fruiting. Remove dry shoots, too long, thickening and growing inside the crown of the branch. The crown of young and fruiting mandarin trees must be sprayed with water several times a week. If necessary - with complex fertilizer (the consumption rate is indicated on the package of the drug). Mandarin is fertilized from the second decade of February to September.

As the trees grow, they need to be transplanted into larger containers. The best time to transplant is spring, from March to May. Before transplanting, plants must be watered abundantly. room temperature. The tangerine tree is carefully removed from the old pot and placed in a new one filled with drainage and moistened soil. The stem of the tree should be located in the center of the container, and its root collar should be slightly above the soil surface, but below the upper edge of the container. Then they gradually fill up and tamp the soil, but make sure that the root collar remains at the same level, it cannot be filled up. After transplanting, the trees are carefully watered again, the spout of the watering can is kept closer to the surface of the soil so that the water jet does not knock the earth out of the pot and expose root collar and plant roots. Subsequent waterings are carried out as the topsoil dries up.

This is interesting

The tradition of giving tangerines on New Year's Eve is almost as old as the culture itself, dating back to 1000 BC. The Chinese, coming to visit, presented the hosts with a gift of two tangerines, and leaving home, in turn, received the other two tangerines from them. The word for a pair of tangerines in Chinese consonant with the word "gold" and thus people wished each other prosperity, abundance, happiness ...

Growing citrus fruits at home - video

ORDER QUALITY AND CHEAP SEEDS AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR HOME AND COTTAGE. PRICES CHEAP. CHECKED! JUST SEE FOR YOURSELF AND BE SURPRISED HOW WE HAVE REVIEWS. GO>>>: How to grow homemade grapefruit from ...

Care for citrus fruits at home - so that they bloom and bear fruit: Growing citrus fruits at home: ...

: Cucumbers in the apartment - secrets ...

: Sweet lemon - variety "Vanilla":...

Citrus crops originated from Southeast Asia: in the tropical zone, almost all year round warm, only in winter there is a slight decrease in temperature, in addition, the plants are constantly in conditions of good illumination and high humidity. Create ideal indoor conditions at home citrus plants quite difficult, but possible: with the right one, they will become a real decoration of the windowsill and will even bear fruit several times a year. What are the features of citrus content, and what are the most common crops?

Many indoor citrus crops are able to bloom several times a year.

However, in winter time it is desirable to lower the temperature in the room a little: as the duration of the sunny day decreases, the plant suffers from a lack of sunlight. Due to the large energy loss, it will look exhausted, leaf fall is often observed. In order to avoid unnecessary energy consumption, it is necessary either to provide additional artificial illumination of the desired spectrum, or to lower the temperature in the room.

Citrus indoor crops have several more growing features:

• All of them are very fond of sunlight - it is recommended to place them on the southern and eastern windows. If you want to plant citrus fruits, they should be well lit, you can plant them in the partial shade of other plants. Lack of light quickly depletes the plant, and it may die.
• The optimum content temperature is +18 degrees with air humidity up to 70%. It is difficult to provide such conditions in the room, so the plant is preferably regularly warm water. Without a seasonal drop in temperature and a dormant period, citrus fruits live no more than 3-4 years, so you need to remove them for the winter from November to February.
• Citrus fruits love water: should be regular and plentiful. However, in order to prevent rotting of the roots, it is necessary to let the soil dry out between waterings, and during the dormant period the plant is watered no more than once a week.

These are just the basic rules for growing citrus fruits, each culture has its own special requirements for content. Let's take a closer look at the most common citrus houseplants.

Indoor mandarin can be a dwarf or regular variety: this plant has long been used for growing in a greenhouse and on a windowsill. Mandarin can be grown as a bonsai - this is a special technology for the formation of a dwarf bush, which allows you to get a miniature tree that will bloom and bear fruit.

Mandarin is popular for its beautiful green leaves, white flowers with a pleasant smell and fragrant fruits that can hang on the branches for several months.

The fruits of indoor mandarin have only a decorative value: they should not be eaten because of their too sour taste. To improve the taste of mono fruits through breeding work with several plants, however, the development of a new variety will take a very long time. Caring for indoor tangerine is not too difficult, you need to follow a few basic requirements:

• Regular, but not excessive watering. The more leaves a plant has, the more actively they evaporate moisture, the required amount of water depends on this. In an apartment, tangerine is desirable regularly, as the plant suffers from constantly dry air.
• Regular top dressing with mineral soluble. IN in large numbers Mandarin especially needs nutrients in the spring, before the start - at this time it is carried out with a solution of fertilizers 1-2 times a week. Do not exceed the dosage: the plant is not able to absorb large doses of fertilizers, and they can destroy.
• . If you purchased not a room, but common variety. Several large branches should not be allowed to grow: their tips are regularly pinched to achieve the appearance of lateral processes.
• On young plants, flowers and ovaries need to be controlled: the fewer fruits the plant has, the larger they will be, so extra ovaries must be removed in time. At first, only one ovary is left, the next year the number of fruits can be increased.

Constant care will make the mandarin strong and beautiful: it will decorate your home with dense foliage and magnificent orange fruits with a pleasant smell. Growing mandarin on the windowsill does not require much hassle: compliance basic principles care will already allow you to quickly achieve good growth.

Growing oranges

Orange at home can be grown from a seed obtained from the most common purchased fruit. In nature, this plant is a medium-sized tree up to 7 meters high, indoor orange can reach 3 meters in height. You can grow it not only with seeds, but also if any of your friends already have an adult plant at home.

When planted with seeds, an orange begins to bloom and bear fruit no earlier than after 7-10 years, growing a plant from a cutting is much faster.

The conditions for growing a homemade orange are approximately the same as for other citrus crops: the plant needs a lot of light, regular watering, and, however, it is undesirable to loosen it often - this can seriously damage the roots.

In growing an orange from a seed, you must follow the correct sequence of actions:

• This will require a mixture of peat with fertile soil, it is placed in small pots. For planting, it is advisable to take seeds from several fully ripened fruits, the seeds must have the correct shape.
• They are planted in the soil at a distance of 5 cm from each other, the seed planting depth is about 1 cm. In about two weeks, sprouts will appear.
• Of all the sprouts, only the strongest should be left. A mi-greenhouse is equipped for them: the plants are covered with a glass jar to ensure sufficient temperature and humidity under it. To ensure ventilation, the jar needs to be removed for half an hour every day.
• As soon as the sprouts have a few true leaves, they are transplanted into separate pots and placed on a well-lit windowsill. A second one will be required when the plant height reaches 20 cm, from about this time it will already be necessary to form a crown.

Like a homemade tangerine, the fruits of room orange are predominantly decorative. When propagated by seeds, due to cross pollination the fruit will not be the same as the parent plant. When growing oranges in greenhouses, breeders choose seeds from the sweetest and most delicious fruits to convey these qualities. next plant by inheritance, but this is a long, many years of work.

It is better not to move a homemade orange from place to place; it can react to changing conditions by dropping leaves. For him, a spacious, well-lit window sill is immediately selected and conditions are provided for consistently good growth.

Calamondin is a dwarf citrus tree, most resembling a small tangerine with bright small fruits. Its advantage is in its small size: it is easy for such a plant to find a place on the windowsill, and at the same time you do not have to worry about regular pruning of the crown. Calamondin requires approximately the same conditions as other citrus fruits, but still there are several important nuances in its cultivation.

Calamondin is a light-loving indoor plant, but it loves not direct, but diffused sunlight.

In summer, it feels comfortable on the south and east side, in winter it can be moved to the windowsill with north side Houses. If there is not enough light for calamondin, it will grow very slowly without flowering and fruiting. During the summer months, it can be taken out to Fresh air, it can be put in partial shade for a while.

The plant requires regular abundant watering in the summer months, and in winter it is enough to water it once a week. It is advisable to move it to a cool room for wintering - the dormant period helps the plant regain strength and prepare for new flowering and fruiting.

Calamondin reproduces in two main ways - and. Seed propagation is too long a way; fruiting will have to wait several years. Much faster you can propagate the plant using cuttings, this work is carried out as follows:

• The cuttings are young shoots, on which at least 2-3 buds should be present. They are cut from an adult plant and placed for some time in a nutrient solution.
• When the cuttings form their own young roots, they are transplanted into the ground. The optimal soil mixture consists of peat and flower soil, they must be mixed well in a 1: 1 ratio.
• The stalk is covered with a glass jar to create with high temperature and humidity. To change the air in a mini-greenhouse, the jar needs to be cleaned once a day for half an hour.
• As soon as the cuttings have their first leaves, the jar can be removed, after which calamondin is grown as an ordinary indoor citrus plant.

With proper care, the plant will bear fruit every year, bright fruits look beautiful among the thick dark green leaves. You should not eat pods, they will turn out to be too sour or even bitter.

Growing grapefruit at home is not as difficult as it might seem. With the correct formation of the crown, the height of the plant in room conditions does not exceed 1.5-2 meters, it will look very beautiful thanks to the dark leaves on especially curved petioles. Indoor varieties of grapefruits are able to produce juicy and quite tasty fruits, and their weight can reach 400 grams.

Grapefruit is a photophilous plant, it needs a sufficient amount of sunlight and free space.

It is suitable for growing not only in an apartment, but also in an office, in a greenhouse or on an insulated loggia. Grapefruit does not like cold weather, even short frosts can cause serious harm to it, so keep it on outdoors available only during the summer months.

Watering the plant:

• Grapefruit requires regular watering in the warm season, while the water should not stagnate in a pot - equip a drainage layer of expanded clay at the bottom.
• To provide normal humidity air, the plant must be constantly sprayed with a spray bottle.
• In winter, the plant is removed to a room with a lower temperature and less illumination; during the dormant period, it is enough to water it only 2 times a month.

Young plants are transplanted annually, for adult grapefruits with the replacement of the soil substrate should be carried out at least once every 5-6 years. During the period of active and fruiting, the plant is fed with a complex one, for example, "Rainbow".

Grapefruit - the best way for home growing from a seed. Ordinary seeds from mature fruits germinate quickly and take root well, the plant can begin to bear fruit as early as the fourth year when comfortable conditions are created for it. It is important to provide him with a sufficient amount of sunlight: if the illumination is not enough, growth slows down and a curvature of the trunk is observed. If it is not possible to put the plant on the southern or eastern windowsill, you need to purchase a special fluorescent lamp for indoor flowers. The result of care and care will be regular fruiting and beautiful abundant flowering.

Cultivation of citron

Citron is a rarer citrus plant, it is grown indoors only for its decorative qualities. Citron has large yellow fruits, they look beautiful against the background of dark green leaves. In room conditions, the plant reaches a height of 1.5 meters.

the most interesting decorative variety is considered a finger citron - it is also called the "Hand of the Buddha".

He is interesting unusual shape fruits - outwardly, they most of all resemble a bunch of bananas. Such a citron begins to bear fruit already in the third year after planting. This plant is among the photophilous, even during the dormant period, it should be in a well-lit room. In summer, citron needs abundant regular, with dry indoor air, it is placed in a pan with water or regularly sprayed with a spray bottle.

Citron can also be planted with seedlings: the first option is longer, the fruits will have to wait more than 5 years. During reproduction, it is possible to obtain a plant that completely copies the parental traits; you can plant a citron with the largest and most fragrant fruits at home. Growing citrus fruits at home is not difficult, and they will quickly turn into one of the main window sill decorations. With good conditions, any citrus plant will quickly begin to bloom and bear fruit.

More information can be found in the video.

Growing citrus indoor plants at home is an interesting activity, but far from easy. Therefore, those who believe that it will be enough to plant a bone in the ground, and that’s all, you can no longer buy lemons for tea, are greatly mistaken. Without special knowledge, the first harvest of citrus fruits, if they are given, is not earlier than in twenty years.

But if you know some of the nuances and grow it correctly, observing all the rules, then you can enjoy the fruits much faster. But even here it is important not to make a mistake in choosing a variety. For growing on a windowsill, only those citrus houseplants that have been grafted on seedlings of orange, lemon, grapefruit or kumquat are suitable. Those crops that were grown from cuttings cut from fruit-bearing trees also proved themselves well.

Difficulties in Growing Homemade Citrus Plants

It would seem that it’s easier: you need to go to a flower shop and buy a pot in which some kind of citrus grows or is already bearing fruit - “golden orange”, Meyer lemon, which is not very difficult to care for at home, or tangerine. The tree just needs to be brought home, placed on the windowsill in right place and start watering. But this is not at all the case, since growing a lemon or tangerine at home is really difficult, moreover, this process is somewhat different from caring for ordinary specimens.

Those plants that are sold in flower shops today most often end up on the shelves from abroad, mainly from Holland. They have been kept there since day one. ideal conditions: supported optimum temperature for growth, high humidity, additional lighting is supplied, and fertilizers for citrus houseplants are constantly applied to the soil. When buying on dwarf trees, by the time they are sold, there may be a dozen or more fruits.

But after hitting the windowsills, beautiful citrus houseplants immediately begin to face stressful conditions. In our homes, the illumination is much lower - several times, and the air (especially in winter) is incredibly dry compared to the greenhouse, and growth stimulants stop helping after a while.

Therefore, in conditions of a shortage of their internal resources, citrus indoor plants begin to throw all their strength into preserving the fruits with which they were so abundantly strewn in the store. And as a result, the vast majority of purchased "pets" die.

Species suitable for growing at home

Man has long known citrus crops. Their people have been actively cultivating for so long that it has become difficult to find their wild ancestors in nature. Most often in open field Citrus fruits are cultivated in countries where a tropical or subtropical climate reigns. And it is from there that their fruits are delivered to store shelves in all corners of the planet.

A beginner grower who cannot pay too much attention and time to a pet growing on his windowsill needs to choose indoor citrus plant varieties that are easier to care for. If we talk about subspecies for a small apartment, then it is preferable for beginners to grow lemon, tangerine and trifoliate, since their growth is easier to restrain. In turn, oranges, grapefruits or pomelo, characterized by large sizes, after a couple of decades turn into a rather bulky tree.

Concerning exotic varieties, today it is quite common close relative tangerine - citrus kumquat nagami, as well as calamondin. Speaking of amazing varieties, it is necessary to mention the Hand of the Buddha.

cuttings

The most convenient option for those who decide to grow citrus crops on their own will, of course, be a young plant, which is purchased in a specialized store. But not always a purchased tree takes root in the house for many reasons. However, if, nevertheless, the culture has migrated from the store to the apartment, you need to contact the seller and get a recommendation from him for adapting citrus to the new conditions.

First, the plant must be inspected. If there are fruits on it, then they will have to be cut off. Seven to ten days, citrus should be left in a store pot, and only after that it should be transplanted into a new one.

Best of all, citrus trees grown from material obtained by cuttings take root at home. Of course, for beginners who have little idea of ​​how to grow a tangerine, lemon, etc., it will be difficult to propagate the plant correctly, but for those who have been growing citrus at home for more than one year, this is quite easy to do.

The shoot for the cutting should be cut from a well-developed and healthy citrus tree. Length planting material should be ten to twelve centimeters. It must have at least three kidneys. It is not recommended to use both too young and fairly old shoots with dense wood.

April is considered the best time for harvesting cuttings. Rooting of planting material can be carried out in a glass of water or in soil consisting of earth and sand. In the latter case, the cutting should be covered, for example, with a plastic bottle. Roots will appear in about twenty days. After that, the rooted cutting can already be planted in a permanent pot.

- seeds

You can often hear that a stone planted in the ground eventually turns into a luxurious citrus tree. But, even though growing mandarin or lemon from seeds is the most accessible way for lovers to propagate this type of plant, the result is often unpredictable.

As a result, you can get a culture whose fruits will be much smaller than the parent form, or you can grow a new excellent pet. Judging by the reviews, the use of seeds pulled from fruits as planting material often leads to a lack of flowering in such seedlings.

The seedling begins to sprout in about a month and a half, and it should be transplanted at the stage of the appearance of five leaves.

After the juicy fruits of this citrus bought in the store are eaten, the remaining seeds can be used as planting material. For the highest probability of success of the event, it is better that there are more seeds, since not all will definitely germinate. Therefore, to obtain seedlings, you need to take a dozen seeds.

Planting material is placed in gauze for several days and slightly wetted. This is necessary so that the bones, having swollen, “hatch”.

Mandarin at home can be grown in a purchased flower shop special land for citrus fruits. Although, in principle, almost any light soil is suitable for this crop. For example, in equal proportions of soddy and leafy soil mixed in equal proportions, to which compost and rotted manure humus will be added, the tangerine will be very comfortable. Do not make soil based on peat. We must not forget about the need for drainage. Before the appearance of the first shoots should take quite a long time. Sprouts become noticeable only after two or three weeks, and sometimes after a month.

Mandarin is a tree that grows rather slowly at home, and sometimes it stops growing. Therefore, do not lose hope and enthusiasm, because when providing this citrus with all necessary conditions it grows into a very beautiful tree.

Mandarin Care

According to agronomists, mandarin is a very unpretentious tree in maintenance, and not only among citrus fruits, but also among many other plants, however, compliance certain rules when leaving, he still requires. The most important condition for him is an abundance of sunlight. Mandarin requires intense lighting up to twelve hours a day year-round.

Watering and transplanting

No less reverent tangerine refers to humidity. In the summer months, it should be watered abundantly without flooding, while in winter the water supply should be reduced, periodically making sure that the soil does not dry out. In addition, it is necessary to spray the leaves daily, using filtered or boiled water for this purpose. clean water. You can compensate for the dryness of the air by placing a small decorative indoor fountain next to the tangerine. As the tree grows, it is periodically necessary to transplant into larger pots. It is best to move in early spring. In this case, the new pot should have a diameter of three to five centimeters larger than the previous one.

Other close relatives of citrus fruits are Kumquat and Calamondin. Fans of original houseplants should definitely acquire these species.

Speaking of exotics, it is necessary to mention the Buddha Hand variety. This citrus is distinguished by the unusual appearance of its fruit: it resembles a lemon in color, and outwardly - a fleshy brush on the hand. However, there is no edible pulp inside. Nevertheless, the fruit is so exotic that it should definitely be grown at home.

Earth.

In practice, over the years it has become clear that the land does not have such a great influence on the cultivation of citrus fruits. Light, heat and humidity have the greatest influence; in comparison with them, the composition of the earth does not have significant significance. The purpose of the substrate in a flowerpot is to create sufficient conditions for the roots of plants to take water, nutrients and air in a small space.

In short, when growing citrus fruits, you can be guided by the rules:

1. The flowerpot should not be large. Land not used by the roots, especially wet, is the cause of rot and turns sour. The plant withers, sheds leaves. (My experience - I planted a small lemon in a 15-liter flowerpot. It stood on the veranda all summer - under the wind, rain, sun, even hail broke the leaves. I watered it quite plentifully, with the addition of a weak infusion of chicken manure. So I watched the plant and gave him what he lacks. The lemon became so strong, big - everyone was surprised. Not in a scientific way, but it is so. And in small flowerpots everything is according to science, and growth is also small).

2. The abundance of water is harmful to the plant. Good drainage is needed. When transplanting a plant, we choose a flowerpot in size a couple of centimeters larger. The shape of the flowerpot should be such that the root who was spacious and he easily "slip" out of the flowerpot when needed (my experience is that the same plant in a large flowerpot does not need to be replanted, the plant is not stressed: there is enough land, spacious and good) .

3. Between waterings, let the soil dry out (do not dry out). The water temperature should be 2 degrees higher than the air temperature. If the temperature of the substrate and irrigation water differ by more than 8 degrees - the plant gets stressed, sheds flowers and fruits. The same is true when spraying a plant.
In a small pot, it is good to “drink” the plant with water by immersing it, along with the leaves, in a bowl of water. When the bubbles stop coming, pull out the flowerpot, let the water drain and put it in the pan. If watering directly into the flowerpot, it is important to water at the edges of the flowerpot to moisten the roots that are near the walls of the flowerpot. Drain the water that drains after watering into the pan after an hour. If water quickly flows through the substrate during irrigation, it means that the soil of the plant is dangerously dry, and the flowerpot must be placed all with the leaves of the plant in a bowl of water.

Growing a plant in an apartment, you need to spray it every day (but not in the sun). Drying is very dangerous for young plant. But even if it drops all the leaves, you don’t need to throw it away, the leaves can grow back. A moistened bag is applied to the plant, and the leaves will not keep you waiting. The plant through the leaves well accepts not only water, but also fertilizers. If there is any doubt - whether it is necessary to water or not yet - it is better to spray the plant, adding not only fertilizers, but also pesticides to the water if necessary (only not in the evening and not in the sun).

Watering, of course, depends on the growing conditions and vegetation. Lemon is ideally placed outdoors, where the plant enjoys dew, fog, raindrops. The plant loves it. And also for practice - sometimes the plant is poured and water flows over the edge of the pan; to prevent this from happening, you can water through the pan and pour as much water into it as the plant sucks. If necessary, this procedure can be repeated after several waterings. Some flower growers by this contribute to the cultivation of roots that need to reach the water (my experience is to water only with rain or melt water and always with a small amount of those fertilizers that the plant "requests").

4. Vases. Clay containers are breathable, but they dry out quickly. Plastic retains moisture, but does not allow air to pass through. Wooden containers have both positive properties, but they are short-lived.
The roots of the plant breathe air that passes through the bottom of the flowerpot, so the drainage of the flowerpot is mandatory, and no water should remain in the pan after watering. The flowerpot is selected according to the size of the plant, the composition of the substrate, according to the place where it will stand (the black flowerpot heats up in the sun). In a large plastic flowerpot, you will have to drill side holes so that the plant can breathe (my experience is that I did not drill holes in a large flowerpot; however, I periodically stick thin wooden sticks into the flowerpot).

If you use a wooden flowerpot, you can not process it chemical compounds. Best to handle linseed oil mixed with ashes, and crushed charcoal. A clay flowerpot dries quickly in the sun, and salt clogs the walls of the flowerpot, which prevents air from passing through them. But an earthenware pot prevents the roots from rotting when the plant is poured, as in plastic flowerpot; in addition, if the flowerpot will not stand on the balcony, it can be buried in the ground in the garden.

The roots of the plant eventually rest against the walls of the flowerpot. In wooden flowerpots, it is these thin roots that suffer from drying out - then the edges of the leaves dry (this is often the reason for the drying of the edges of the leaves). When growing citrus fruits, flower growers most often use square containers - they save space, provide a microclimate (next to standing plants protect each other from overheating, loss of moisture, it is convenient to spray the leaves). In large flowerpots, the top layer of the earth is periodically replaced. Any flowerpots should be protected from sunlight.

A place.

Choosing a place for citrus fruits is one of the important tasks. In an apartment, it is dangerous to put a plant on the windowsill both in winter and in summer. In winter, batteries are heated, and they are most often located under the windowsill. Cold air from a window cools the substrate and roots, causing them to rot. Dry and warm room air dries the leaves, and we water the plant more often. Where the plant stands, you need to cover the batteries with something or put a humidifier. The flowerpot must be raised so that its bottom does not cool.

Lemon is a plant that loves warm and enough sunny place; loves the greenhouse. (My experience is that after spring and until autumn frosts, lemons stand on open space- steps of the veranda). When there are cold nights in autumn or the temperature difference between day and night is large, I cover the plants with agrofilm for the night. They stand on the south side of the house, covered from the north by a wall. Citrus fruits are very resilient if taught from an early age, you just have to look at the leaves - they show the problems the plant has.
When a plant is taken outside after winter, it is necessary to gradually accustom it to open sunlight - out of habit, there may be burns on the leaves.

Light.

Sufficient lighting intensity is one of the essential conditions citrus growth. Lack of light can affect the absorption of water by the plant. There are plants of "long" and "short" days, citrus fruits are neutral.
Still, problems are revealed in winter - you need to lower the temperature and water, otherwise the plant begins to grow unhealthy: due to a lack of light, the branches stretch out, the leaves become smaller. This is a problem for apartments. The plant, although growing, may later shed its leaves and even die, having lost too much reserve energy. The only way out is to find a balance between watering, air humidity, temperature and lighting. That's when additional lighting may be needed. By the way, direct lighting is not necessary for citrus fruits, they are good in diffused bright light, but they cannot tolerate long shadows.
In the summer, when the plants are on the street, at noon it is sometimes necessary to cover them and make a temporary shadow from the intense rays of the sun.

Temperature.

Beginning amateur citrus growers often imagine that in their homeland citrus fruits grow in very warm conditions that we cannot create. It's true - citrus fruits love warmth in our climatic conditions catch every ray of sunshine. Still, on native plantations, the average annual temperature is 16-18 degrees, the average temperature of fruit ripening is 9-15 degrees. In places of natural cultivation, the average temperature of the coldest month is 7-14 degrees.

So what temperature is acceptable in our conditions? Citrus fruits are hardy, in the absence of flowers or fruits, they can be in sub-zero temperatures for a short time (up to 3 hours), as well as up to 50 degrees heat (this can happen in a greenhouse or on a windowsill). It certainly slows down plant development, and with a longer exposure can destroy them. Just as the temperature difference between the irrigation water and the substrate of 8 degrees can lead the plant into a state of shock, so fast transfer plants from a dark place to bright light - from the house under the direct rays of the sun - can destroy the plant.

Temperature influence:

Vegetation and cultivation of fruits: 22-24 degrees;
- Flowering: 14-16 degrees;
- Fruit flower set: 22-24 degrees
- The ovaries fall off at a temperature of 30 degrees;
- Fruit ripening: 14-18 degrees;
- Seed germination: 20-25 degrees;
- Wintering: 5-10 degrees;
- Active spring growth: 12 degrees;
- Growth stops below 12 degrees and above 38 degrees;
- The temperature of the water for watering and spraying citrus fruits should be 1-2 degrees higher than the temperature of the substrate (if the water is warmer or colder than the substrate by 8 degrees, the plant will get stressed);
- The air temperature should be 1-3 degrees higher than that of the substrate.

Transpiration.

Transpiration is the evaporation of moisture by a plant through its leaves; 98% of the water passing through the plant is used for transpiration. This is of great importance when growing citrus fruits. The leaves of the plant must be clean, free of dust, not sprayed with leaf gloss, etc. At high temperature and wind, the intensity of moisture evaporation increases by 6 times compared to normal weather. Sometimes, it would seem, all the conditions have been created for the plant, and it begins to shed its leaves. One of the reasons is the failure of the balance of fluid passage in the plant.
Air humidity at 22-24 degrees: 60-70%;
Humidity in winter: 40-50%.
Water should be soft, without chlorine. Ideal - soft fresh rainwater (it contains air, slightly acidic, pH 6-6.5). Pure rain water collected 15 minutes after the start of rain.

A few tips for growing citrus fruits in an apartment.

Many examples show that growing citrus fruits at home is quite possible. Of course, more attention should be paid to them, especially in winter. All the problems of citrus fruits when grown in an apartment increase significantly, but citrus fruits tend to adapt.

In the apartment you can grow citrus fruits:

A whole year;
- take out into the air;
- if you find a place for wintering (about 10 degrees).

The positive side is that plants are less prone to fungal diseases, because fungi do not like dry air, unless we ourselves bring these diseases home from somewhere.
In apartments, the temperature is too high (sometimes the same day and night), low humidity - this is also harmful for a person. When caring for plants, it is desirable to bring the air humidity up to 60%, this is useful for plants and humans.
All citrus fruits require winter rest at low temperatures. In an apartment, plants go into a dormant period due to a lack of light intensity, which can kill the plants. Wintering takes place in a cool place (10 degrees) with minimal watering, because the dormant roots do not accept moisture and will begin to rot. The leaves are sometimes sprayed. Wintering conditions depend on the type of citrus.

For three months, citrus fruits can be kept in a dark room - in the basement, garage, stairwell, etc. (this applies to strong and healthy plants; for amateur citrus growers, this can be difficult, because it will be difficult to control the plants).

In a cold room, when the plants hibernate, watering and spraying stop, as at low temperatures they have enough moisture from the air. Of course, the fertilization also stops. Do not leave plants for the winter in places of chemical fumes. When checking plants, they should not be allowed to dry out.

Warm winter.

If the plant hibernates in a warm room - put it in the brightest place, reduce watering. We shorten the young unripened branches, since in the spring they will still be lost, and in the winter they will bother the plant.
Isolate the plant from batteries; we organize everything in such a way that warm air currents do not reach the plant. We also protect the plant from cold air currents; a cold flowerpot and dry warm leaves will lead to the death of the plant.

In winter, we spray the plant through the leaves more intensively than we water. The solution can be made slightly nutritious.

Plants in winter spend more resources than they can take. If they grow, they stretch out, because they want to receive more light and moisture. We have to do additional lighting.

In the spring we add moisture when we see that the plant is waking up; little by little we start feeding.

Citrus fruits do not like the same temperature at night and during the day. At night, you need to either ventilate the room, or turn off the heating. All the same, these are unnatural conditions for citrus fruits - high wintering temperatures and dry air.
In winter, it is not the overdrying of the substrate that is more dangerous, but the general decrease in plant fluids. If the leaves of citrus fruits begin to dry out in winter, do not rush to water the plant, as the resting roots will begin to rot. All attention should be focused on the humidity of the air, spraying and spraying water around the plant. You can put the plant in an aquarium or next to another plant (but not on another flowerpot), you can fix a plastic bag over the plant.

Landing-transplant.

Transplantation is an inevitable process, after which we look at the plant as a critical patient, for which any stress can turn into death.
Young citrus fruits are transplanted every year or every other year, older - less and less. The older the plant, the more transplant stress it has.
For adult plants, the top layer of the earth is changed, and, while it is possible, it would be good to change the lateral earth as well (by picking up a larger flowerpot). The new substrate should be nutritious, it is advisable to add rotted manure to it.
Seedlings of citrus dive when the first pair of leaves appears.

Citrus fruits are transplanted in early spring before the start of the growing season (during the dormant period). Then the plant is brought into a lighter and warmer room, gradually increasing heat and light. When the first signs of growth appear, increase moisture and only then fertilize.

If the plant will winter in the warmth, you can transplant it in the fall, if the ground is warm enough and rooting will occur before November. Summer transplant possible only without damage to the root ball, between two periods of growth; then keep the plant in the shade. In winter, citrus fruits can be transplanted with the destruction of an earthy coma, since the roots are inactive at this time; this is unacceptable for plants without leaves, at temperatures below 12 degrees.
Plants are transplanted if they are bought in a store and if necessary (diseases, clogging of the earth, etc.) at any time, after transplanting, taking all measures to save the plants.

The rules for transplanting citrus fruits are the same as for other plants. If the roots are damaged, they are disinfected. Planting is done in a moist substrate, as the plant is watered only the next day. When transplanting, a certain amount is necessarily left on the roots. old earth, as bacteria live in it, contributing to the absorption of nutrients by the roots. If this is not possible, you need to take some earth from the flowerpot of another citrus.
The plant is planted at the same level, preventing the base of the neck from falling asleep. After transplantation, the plant is shaded; other conditions do not need to be changed so that there is no stress. Citruses need quite a lot of attention; mistakes are not easy to fix. The critical period after transplantation is 6 months.

If the volume of roots decreases during transplantation, we take a smaller flowerpot. Then we cut the crown in proportion to the roots. Pruning the crown does not harm even with minor damage to the roots.
If, after transplanting, unwanted branches with leaves appear in the plant - let them grow, let the plant breathe - this contributes to the growth of roots. They can be cut later.

Pruning.

If we want to get good harvest, cut citrus necessarily.
The main thing is to prune often so that pruning is moderate. And keep in mind that the brains must work faster than the hands.
The rules for pruning citrus fruits are similar to those for pruning fruit trees. There may be different purposes of pruning, so there will be a difference in timing and methods. The main goal is to form a crown and keep the plant in good shape. Pruning is carried out during the life of the plant to rejuvenate it, stimulate the growth of lower branches, thin out the crown, when transplanting, to obtain a bountiful harvest, etc. The notion that pruning has a direct effect on yield is erroneous; it only rejuvenates the plant.

Fertilization and pruning are closely related. A well-fertilized plant needs less pruning and will yield more. On the other hand, pruning can reduce the yield so as not to overload the plant. With heavy pruning, the growth of citrus fruits slows down, so you need to find harmony between pruning and harvest. It also depends on the type of plant; Some citrus fruits tend to thicken their crowns.
You can consult a specialist about the features of pruning citrus fruits.

Fertilizer.

Fertilizer helps the plant grow, but it is not a way to “pump up” the plant in the hope of a miraculous result. Fertilizer is selected carefully so as not to harm the plant; especially since the plant has a rest period that can be disturbed.

General rules fertilizers:

Do not fertilize dry soil;
- Take into account the temperature, the growing season;
- Frequent watering or rain washes out the fertilizer.

The plant itself says what it needs. For this, there are many rules that flower growers with experience know. (If you spray a plant with beer, it not only feeds, it also glistens. Some citrus pests really dislike beer.)

Plants at permanent care usually feel pretty good. After transplantation, citrus fruits do not need to be fed for two months. Some citrus growers recommend feeding citrus fruits not only with beer, but also with the remains of coffee or tea. It is often impossible to feed a plant - overfeeding is more dangerous than not feeding.

Diseases.

It is known that a strong plant has good immunity. We must remember that by destroying pests, we also destroy the living creatures that help the plant to exist and defend itself. When spraying against pests, you can feed the plant through the leaves. If the pests can be picked up by hand, fine, but you can’t rub the leaves with a brush (only hard branches or a trunk). When spraying, first treat the underside of the leaf.

Health.

What are the benefits of citrus for health? Its smell kills bacteria and viruses; have a positive effect on the person essential oils. Plants, not only citrus fruits, absorb the harmful emissions emitted by environmental devices. Plants have a positive effect on the psyche and health of their loved ones.

So ... If we want to propagate our citrus fruits:
We sow citrus seeds and then graft, propagate citrus cuttings. If the plant does not bloom, you can graft a sprig of flowering citrus on it; fruits will be like those of the mother plant.
Citrus species are identified by their leaves.

All about citrus on site site

All about exotics on site site

Weekly Free Website Digest website

Every week, for 10 years, for our 100,000 subscribers, an excellent selection of relevant materials about flowers and gardens, as well as other useful information.

Subscribe and receive!

Instruction

orchard the apartment looks attractive. Citrus fruits bloom with beautiful, exotic, fragrant flowers. Their fruits are quite bright, and the foliage itself serves as an interior decoration. Don't expect a huge harvest. But feast on exotic fruits grown on a windowsill is quite possible.

You can buy a ready-made seedling in a store, but more often citrus fruits are grown from seeds or cuttings. Seeds - longer, but more interesting. You can observe its development from a tiny sprout to the moment of flowering and fruiting.

Grow citrus fruits in large containers. Plastic containers are best suited - they are light and convenient. A prerequisite is the presence of drainage holes. Drainage is poured into the bottom of the container - expanded clay, polystyrene, pebbles. Then - the soil mixture for citrus. And they plant pre-sprouted bones or transplant trees bought in a store.

All citrus fruits need bright but diffused light. It is best to grow them on the southern and eastern windowsills, and in the summer in the heat - shade. Citrus fruits are not as demanding on temperature and humidity as many people think they are. They have enough normal room temperature + 20 ... 22 ° C and periodic spraying of the leaves.

The frequency of watering citrus fruits depends on the season. In winter it is less intense. The more leaves a plant has, the more moisture it needs. During the period of flowering and fruit set, the watering rate also increases. In indoor citrus fruits, it is often necessary to loosen the soil. They need constant aeration of the roots.

Indoor citrus fruits need more fertilizer than their "brothers" in the open field of hot countries. In the substrate bought in the store, the nutrients are enough for two months. Therefore, it is necessary regular feeding especially in spring and summer. You should not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers - they will cause an abundant leaf mass to the detriment of fruiting. For citrus fruits, a complete balanced complex of trace elements is suitable.