Indoor lemon - problems when growing. lemon tree at home

Indoor lemons, like other citrus fruits, are very popular for decorative edible fruits, fragrant white flowers and shiny dense dark green leaves that saturate the air of the room with aromas of essential oils and phytoncides. It is especially joyful to admire the bright fruits of a lemon tree in the house when outside the window Cold winter. Vitamin-rich juicy pulp of elliptical yellow fruits with a small number of seeds is pleasant, without bitterness. Lemons easily tolerate the warm dry air of living quarters, most varieties do not suffer from low humidity and low light.

Special varieties of lemons adapted to room conditions grow well in the house and quickly begin to bear fruit: the old proven varieties Meyer, Pavlovsky, Novogruzinsky, Kursky, Maikopsky, Lisbon, Genoa, Ponderosa , "Villa Franca" and new cultivars.

Indoor lemons are different:

compact, well leafy crown;
abundant flowering, remontant, good fruit set;
early fruiting, early ripeness and not very sour pleasant taste of lemons with a smooth or bumpy surface, thin or thick peel ( average weight fruits are about 100-150 grams, but with a decrease in their number, fruits can reach 500 g ("Pavlovsky") and even 1 kg ("Ponderose");
good rooting of green cuttings.

Lemons grown from seeds begin to bear fruit after 8-12 years. If seedlings are grafted with shoots from fruit-bearing specimens, then grafted lemons can bloom 2-3 years after grafting (different types of citrus fruits are well grafted onto one another: plants obtained from seeds serve as rootstock, and cultivars of citrus fruits serve as scion).

With the active growth of grafted plants, the fruiting period can be delayed, then flowering is stimulated by pruning. Some varieties of lemon, propagated by green cuttings, begin to bloom early to the detriment of growth (even at the stage of rooted cuttings, which is undesirable) - it is better to cut off early flowers. For cuttings of lemons from a healthy fruit-bearing tree, well-bending semi-lignified shoots are taken: in spring - autumn growth, in summer - spring.

In an adult well-developed plant, there is no need to regulate flowering, the number of ovaries is independently regulated by the lemon tree in accordance with its capabilities (extra flowers fall off). Practice shows that stable fruiting of a lemon occurs when there are 10-15 leaves per ovary.

At proper care lemons bloom in the house several times a year from February to October. During the flowering period optimum temperature in a room of 20 degrees, the time from the beginning of flowering to fruit ripening is 8-12 months. Often the fruiting branch on which the fruit has ripened is delayed in growth for a long time, so it is better to cut the fruit not at the place of its attachment, but by grabbing a shoot with 1-2 internodes. This technique allows you to accelerate the beginning of the growth of the branch and at the same time improve the shape of the crown.

Spreading

Homeland - India, China and the Pacific tropical islands. Not known in the wild. It is widely cultivated in many countries with a subtropical climate. Cultivated in the Caucasus, on the Black Sea coast, in Central Asia. Distributed in greenhouse and room culture. Lemon - perennial, evergreen. There are trees at the age of 45 years. Indoor culture of lemon is currently distributed almost throughout Russia. The city of Pavlovo-on-Oka, Nizhny Novgorod Region, became the center for the distribution of indoor lemon culture, known as the Pavlovsky lemon. From each tub tree you can get 10-30 fruits. There are cases when one tub tree annually brought 180-200 fruits. The fruits of these indoor lemons are different good quality and size, not inferior to the best southern varieties. Pavlovsky lemon - early ripening, medium-sized, propagated by cuttings. Lemon tree 150 cm high, crown diameter 75-85 cm, few thorns, fruiting begins in the 3rd year after the rooting of the cuttings. Blossoms 2 times a year - in March - April and in October. The fruits ripen after 8-9 months in the period November - May. In addition to Pavlovsky, other varieties are also suitable for room culture: Ponderosa (aka Skiernevitsky), Genoa, Lisbon, Lunario, Novogruzinsky, Maikopsky, Chinese dwarf (aka Meyer lemon), etc.

Care

Transfer

Lemon seedlings at 1-3 years of age, transplanted every year in fresh soil. Mature plants every 2-3 years. Lemons can be transplanted at any time of the year, but better in the spring.

The soil

The soil should be nutritious and loose, neutral or slightly acidic. The tree will bear less fruit if "garden" soil is used. Far from every gardener will be able to make the right mixture on their own. I recommend buying the soil in the store. But not everyone fits.

Suitable earth "Lemon".

Watering

It is necessary to water the settled tap water room temperature.

In winter, do not be afraid of hypothermia of an earthy coma of citrus fruits on the windowsill - reduce watering and water the plant only when necessary to avoid root rot and death of the tree.

top dressing

Trees must be watered with fertilizers 3-4 times a month.

Apply mineral fertilizers with trace elements, 2-3 grams of fertilizer is dissolved in a liter of water.

Lighting

In winter, when daylight hours are short, citrus trees it is desirable to keep at a temperature of 7-14 degrees Celsius. The tree at this temperature "falls asleep" and does not require good lighting. If a tree is grown in a warm room, with an air temperature of +18…+22°C, it is desirable to additionally illuminate it, so that the total daylight hours are 10-12 hours a day.

Lemons that are grown on the windowsills of southern windows should be protected from sunburn and overheating of the roots on hot sunny days - move the pot with the lemon tree deeper into the room from the windowsill. Unlike other citrus fruits, some varieties of lemons do not tolerate direct sunlight well.

Lemon crown formation

We recommend making a lemon crown in the form of a bush with a low trunk 12-20 cm (to the leaves). But sometimes a high graft is specially made. In order to balance the crown, the tree is occasionally turned very carefully and no more than once every 2-3 years.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):

Why do lemon leaves fall?

Lemon is very sensitive to changes in lighting, so it should not be moved from place to place, otherwise it will not grow until it adapts to new conditions. The plant is hardy to any room temperature, but not higher than 14-18C in winter time. In this case, he begins untimely growth, which significantly depletes him. The most favorable temperature in winter is 13-14C. It is enough to water two or three times a week with settled water.

From April to August, lemon is fed two to three times a week, alternating mineral fertilizers with organic ones, but in small doses. In summer, during the period of strong growth, abundant watering is required so that the earth does not dry out.

For the successful fruiting of a lemon tree, it is important to properly form the crown. In the first year of life in early February, the top of the plant is cut off, leaving 4 leaves. In summer, 3-4 branches will develop from the axils of these leaves, in which next year also cut off the tops, leaving two leaves on each branch. On each of the branches of the first order, two shoots of the second order are allowed to develop: a crown of 6-8 main branches is obtained, on which shoots of the third and fourth orders will develop in the future. It is on them that the fruits will appear.

The so-called fatty shoots that have grown on the lower part of the trunk must be cut out, because they do not bear fruit and inhibit the growth of other branches.

I planted a lemon pit. Is it necessary special care? What needs to be done to start bearing fruit?

A lemon planted from a stone will bear fruit only after 8-12 years, this will happen much earlier if compact indoor varieties are grafted onto them.

Lemon can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering. Strong beautiful healthy plants grow from lemon seeds, saturating the air in the room with phytoncides, but they do not bloom for a very long time. Special indoor varieties of lemon up to 2 meters high quickly begin to bear fruit in the house: Meyer, Pavlovsky, Novogruzinsky, Kursky, Maikopsky, Lisbon, Genoa, Ponderosa, Villa Franca and new cultivars. Indoor lemons and other citrus fruits are very popular for their decorative edible fruits, white fragrant flowers against the background of shiny evergreen leaves. On a lemon, flowers and fruits appear all year round often at the same time, the fruits last for weeks and months.

Lemon leaves curl. Why? And how to prevent?

Lemon leaf curl can occur as a result of unfavorable conditions (lack of fresh air, dry air, rare spraying, insufficient watering), and due to damage by herbivorous mites (wipe lemon leaves with a soft sponge dipped in hot 50-degree soapy water - 20 g of liquid green soap per 1 liter of water, the next day after the procedure, give the lemon a “shower”). Take the lemon out in the summer to fresh air, put the pot of lemon in a wide container of water on a stand (so that water does not flow into the drainage hole), in the summer water the lemon regularly and spray at least 2 times a day.

Appeared on lemon leaves brown spots. What to do?

Brown spots on lemon leaves indicate errors in plant care (excessive or insufficient watering, dry air, lack of substrate).

Follow these lemon care tips:

in summer, a lemon needs a warm and sunny location (preferably on outdoors), in winter - light at a temperature of 15 -18 degrees;
uniform moderate soil moisture from spring to autumn, rare watering in winter;
it is better to filter water for watering lemons: citruses do not tolerate chlorine, lime water causes leaf chlorosis (in the absence of a filter, boil water for irrigation or stand it for at least a day in an open container);
in winter, water with melt water heated to room temperature;
from March to August light lemon fertilizer every week (alternate organic and mineral fertilizers);
in winter, foliar top dressing 1 time per month by spraying the entire citrus tree with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
frequent spraying of lemon with boiled water at room temperature and sometimes washing the crown in the shower;
to humidify the air, place a pot of citrus in a wide pan with water (on a stand so that water does not get into the drainage hole);
small and careful pruning;
transplanting a lemon in early March with the soil completely braided with roots.

For a lemon, a substrate is suitable from a mixture of soddy, humus soil and sand in a ratio of 3: 1: 1 (for adult plants, take twice as much humus soil), add a little clay.

When transplanting, the roots of a lemon cannot be cut; remove only dried and damaged roots.

In a pot of lemon, good drainage is needed (from coarse sand, pebbles, charcoal), on which put some dry manure, and only then soil.

The defeat of indoor lemons with a scale insect. How to save a plant?

Scale insects appear on plants with excessive dryness of the air. Lemon needs frequent spraying.

With a large invasion of scale insects, one has to resort to spraying the lemon with Actellik (2 ml per liter of water) - they can be treated three times per season with an interval of 5-10 days.

Try to place the tree in a mini-greenhouse and regularly spray the bare lemon branches with the Epin solution, airing the greenhouse - if the roots are alive, your tree will definitely release new leaves.

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Anyone who wants to grow a lemon tree at home on a windowsill can do this without much difficulty. Indeed, for planting a plant, only seeds from a fresh lemon fruit or a stalk from an adult plant are required. Caring for a plant at home does not differ in any complex manipulations, but has its own characteristics. And with proper care, already in the seventh year after planting, you can achieve a stable rich harvest.

Caring for a lemon tree is not difficult.

We create the best conditions for growing lemon at home

A homemade lemon planted in an ordinary pot often reaches a size of one and a half meters (some varieties may be higher). Lemon looks like a small tree with oval dark green dense leaves. A lemon in a pot looks impressive, but a tree makes a greater impression when the fruits ripen on it. Planting and growing a homemade lemon tree is not difficult, but in order for a lemon flower to begin to bear fruit, certain conditions must be met.

Choose a place in the room

The lemon tree is a rather unpretentious plant, but just putting a pot on the balcony and forgetting about it will not work. It is necessary to monitor temperature changes, because room lemon is very sensitive to changes of this nature. It is best to place the lemon on the windowsill in a room where there are no drafts. So the lemon will receive enough natural sunlight during the day, and the temperature will remain stable throughout the day.

If you place a lemon next to a heater or radiator, then the thermal masses will conflict with the temperature in the room and the plant will feel a constant temperature difference. This negatively affects the plant and it sheds leaves, sometimes it can even die. If the weather is hot outside and the sun's rays fall on the lemon, then the plant will have to be watered regularly and deployed daily.

It is best to place the lemon in a bay window or a room with a glass roof, which maintains a constant temperature without sudden changes and there is high humidity.

Lemon Genoa, like other varieties, does not like drafts

Choosing the right container

To grow a beautiful lemon at home, you need to choose the right container. The material of the pot can be any (plastic, ceramic or metal). In diameter, the container should not exceed fifteen centimeters, and at the bottom there must be small drainage holes to drain excess moisture. Tall pots are not suitable for lemon, as its roots are small.

What kind of soil is needed for a lemon tree

It is easy to grow a lemon at home, for this you need to meet several conditions, one of them is right soil and drainage. Land from the garden or soil for seedlings is not suitable for lemon. In a specialized store, it is best to purchase soil for indoor citrus plants and drainage from expanded clay. Drainage can also be used on the basis of sand and wood ash.

If it is not possible to purchase soil for citrus fruits, then ordinary soil can be prepared for planting on your own. To do this, take forest land with humus, sand from the river bank and wood ash. There is a special formula for preparing soil for citrus fruits, it looks like this:

Three glasses of forest soil with humus.
One and a half tablespoons of wood ash.
Half a glass of sand.
Water.

All components are mixed until a consistency similar to sour cream is obtained from the mixture. After that, the mixture is poured into a container prepared for planting, and a lemon is planted. The roots of the plant must be completely covered with the mixture.

Soil for lemon can be bought at the store

How to care for a lemon tree

Caring for a lemon tree is quite simple, you just need to maintain a constant temperature regime and avoid drafts. Then the houseplant will please with abundant flowering and juicy fruits. Those who are going to grow lemons at home are interested in the question of whether it is possible to use lemons grown on the windowsill in the usual flower pot, in food. There are such lemons can be useful. Therefore, growing lemons on the windowsill is not just an exciting activity, but also a contribution to your own health.

Watering and fertilizing

Lemon, as a southern plant, needs regular and plentiful watering. In summer, the soil in a pot of lemon should not be allowed to dry out, otherwise its leaves will begin to curl up and fall off. In winter, it is necessary to water the plant only a few times a week, as it enters an artificial dormant stage. It is necessary to monitor the leaves of the plant, it does not like the accumulation of dust. It is necessary to wipe the leaves several times a month with a damp cloth.

Citrus roots need oxygen, so when watering, you need to slightly loosen the soil. In addition to moisture, citrus fruits are very susceptible to fertilizers, with proper feeding lemon will bloom all year round (with a break only in winter period). The best fertilizer to use organic fertilizers(chicken manure or manure), or mineral remedies for fertilizing citrus fruits without chlorine. In winter, citrus fruits do not need fertilizers.

Chicken manure is suitable for fertilizing lemons

plant pruning

In order for a lemon to please with flowering, it needs a properly formed crown. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the emergence of new branches and prune them correctly. This is an obligatory component of plant care, and not just its decorative part.

In the second year of life, a lemon produces many shoots, in which, with the onset of winter, it is necessary to cut off the top, leaving two leaves on each branch. Over time, shoots of the second order appear on the branches, on which you also need to remove the tops and leave two leaves. The operation must be repeated until six to eight main branches are formed on an adult plant. Such branches will eventually give shoots of the fourth order, on which flowers and fruits will grow. In this way, you can also form a lemon bonsai - a small flowering tree that will produce miniature fruits all year round.

When the crown is formed, long fatty shoots appear at the base of the plant. They are easy to identify by their elongated rod-like shape and rapid growth. Shoots must be removed, as they interrupt the process of feeding the upper branches and the plant will not bear fruit.

Pruning a lemon gives a crown of the correct shape

Transplant Features

All citrus fruits do not react well to a change of residence, so it is better not to disturb the plants without the need to once again. It is possible to transplant plants without flowers every year without harm to it, but if the plant has flowers or fruits, then it is better to leave it alone. If transplantation can be done, then it is performed according to a certain scheme:

The plant is taken out of the old pot along with an earthy clod. It is impossible to clean the roots of plants from the earth - it may die.
About five centimeters of drainage are poured into a new pot, then a few centimeters of fresh earth.
The plant is placed on top along with an earthen clod and sprinkled with fresh earth until the roots are completely covered.
The land is watered abundantly.

You can not feed a lemon for several months after transplantation. The plant needs time to recover fragile small roots that were damaged during transplantation.

If the plant has long shoots, then some of them can be planted in small pots of sand, where they will quickly take root and begin to grow.

When transplanting a lemon, do not damage its roots.

The best indoor lemon varieties for home growing

All varieties of lemon home growing can be divided into three groups:

Varieties of a habitual form for lemons with a bright sour taste.
Sweet varieties of lemons that are completely acid-free (acid-free varieties).
Large varieties with a shape close to a real lemon.

If you do not divide lemons into these groups, then plants are distinguished by the thickness of the skin, the roundness of the shape and the presence of seeds (seed or seedless). All types of lemons that are suitable for indoor cultivation tend to reproduce quickly. The cuttings of such plants take root quickly and grow vigorously.

When breeding indoor lemons, it is necessary to choose those varieties that are adapted to shady lighting and feel great in the dry air of apartments.

Lisbon

This variety is distinguished by a small height of mature trees, all of them do not reach the mark of one and a half meters. The fruits have an oval shape of medium size, slightly pointed downwards. The description notes that the lisbon lemon has excellent tasting fruits, there are few seeds in the pulp. The skin of a Lisbon lemon is thin and smooth, it glistens in the light. The smell of lisbon is strong and pleasant. And the branches of the tree are strong, the crown is well formed even without stopping the upper shoots.

Home care for this variety is simple - lisbon easily tolerates dry air and high temperatures and needs only constant good lighting.

Lemon Lisbon does not grow above one and a half meters

New Zealand variety

The New Zealand lemon is one of the most beautiful exotic hybrid plants that you can grow on your windowsill. The form of the New Zealand lemon variety is unknown in origin, but compared to other varieties it has a more attractive appearance. The New Zealand lemon is the closest relative of the citron, so it has signs of this variety:

Large beautiful flower shape.
The presence of spines.
Narrow winged leaves.
Strong fresh aroma.

This is the most large variety lemons that can be grown at home. Fruits often reach a weight of eight hundred grams, are egg-shaped with a wide nipple. The skin of the fruit is rough and thick with large tubercles. The flesh of the New Zealand lemon is juicy and moderately acidic.

Lemon New Zealand has a bumpy thick skin

Genoa

The Genoa lemon variety has nice shape crowns from nature. The genoa lemon is a low-growing tree with few thorns on the shoots (sometimes no thorns).

The fruits of this variety are elongated, pronounced oval shape. At the end of the fetus there is a small elongated nipple. The description of the variety says that the skin of the genoa, although dense, but without bitterness, is suitable for eating.

The plant feels great at home, endures high temperatures and exposure to direct sunlight. The best locations for plants are windows on the south side of the building.

Yugoslav early variety

Yugoslav lemon is an early ripe variety that gardeners love very much. The plant has juicy, fragrant, medium-sized fruits that can hang on a tree for up to six months. The long stay of the fruits on the tree stains them in Orange color, it is for this attractive feature that many give preference to Yugoslavia. Such a plant becomes an ornament for a winter garden. And it grows up to three meters in height. The Yugoslav lemon is very prolific, in seven years it is able to produce more than twenty kilograms of fruit per year.

Yugoslav is unpretentious in care, but loves humidity and shade. Therefore, the plant feels best in winter gardens or on the windows of the shady side of the house.

Lemon Yugoslav early ripening unpretentious in cultivation and very decorative

Difficulties in growing indoor lemon

Although most varieties of homemade lemon are unpretentious in their care, there are certain problems when growing it.

In order for the tree not to hurt and regularly bear fruit, it is necessary to water it in a timely manner, feed it and observe a certain temperature regime in the room. An important role is played by lighting, with its lack, the plant withers and sheds leaves.

Citrus fruits often get sick, so you need to carefully monitor the condition of the tree and follow all the rules of care. And if you find any unpleasant changes in the appearance of the plant, you should carefully study the defect and eliminate its cause.

It is difficult to observe all the subtleties, so most owners are advised to think several times before purchasing a citrus. Although experienced gardeners claim that over the years you can get used to the characteristics of citrus fruits.

Diseases and pests

The most common disease among citrus fruits is leaf yellowing. Among the causes of this disease are the following:

There is too little moisture in the air containing lemon.
Lemon has not been fertilized for a long time or the bait was wrong.
In winter, the plant entered a state of artificial dormancy, and it needs a certain temperature (from plus five to minus ten degrees). Elevated room temperature during this period causes yellowing of the leaves.
The plant is infected spider mite.

Sometimes leaves fall off a lemon, and often this pathology is associated with infection of the plant with a spider mite or a change in temperature. The main pests affecting lemon trees are aphids and mealy worms. If the plant is massively infected with pests, then chemical insecticides are used to eliminate them.

Many of you have tried to start a lemon citrus plant at home. This plant is distinguished by its active flowering and bear fruit well. But, unfortunately, not everyone who wants it turns out to try the fruits of citrus grown at home. There may be enough reasons for this.

What kind of lemon to choose

First you need to decide on a lemon variety suitable for growing at home. They are compact in size and highly productive.

Exist the following varieties dwarf lemons:

Pavlovsky;
Eureka;
Meyer;
Genoa;
Novogruzinsky;
Maykop.

The Meyer lemon variety is considered the most popular species in our region. He does not require special care, because it is not very whimsical. People call him the Chinese dwarf. In terms of taste, it has not very acidic fruits, compared with other varieties. The number of fruits is insignificant, but it has an attractive appearance. A room with such a plant will be filled with warmth and comfort, will create a unique design.

In order to please themselves and their loved ones with juicy and tasty fruits, many use tall varieties. But it should be borne in mind that such varieties need to be given much more care and time.

These varieties include:

Kursk;
Novogruzinsky.

They should be cut more often, tied up, and also more attention

devote to the formation of the crown.

How to care for lemons at home

Often there is not enough heat in the apartments, the north side does not give the light necessary for the lemon, the plant begins to wither and does not bear fruit.

The most important thing for growing lemons is lighting. Most auspicious places located on the southeast side of the apartment. If the windows in the apartment face north, it is necessary to apply additional lighting. Via fluorescent lamps the plant is given 12 hours of light. Especially such light is convenient in the winter time of the day.

Too much light in south sides flats are also unacceptable for growing lemon. The direct rays of the sun at lunchtime have a detrimental effect on the plant. If you do not shade the lemon, its leaves will get real burns.

The tropical fruit lemon is a fairly thermophilic plant. Therefore, it is important for a tree to maintain room temperature up to 16 ° C. Due to too high a temperature, the plant may dry out and at the time of budding, the buds will stop growing. In a quiet period, the room can reach 26 ° C, it is useful to take the plant out onto a glazed balcony.

Lemon needs to be enriched with fresh air, but you should not arrange strong drafts. It should not be forgotten that this is a southern fruit, and it does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature.

Humidity is also very important for a lemon. It is constantly necessary to monitor how the soil of the pot is saturated. In hot seasons, especially in summer, you need to water at least three times a week. In winter, we reduce the watering time to 1 time per week, but you also need to spray it with water from a spray bottle. Water for irrigation should not be very cold, it is best to let it stand for five hours. It is strictly forbidden to pour under the root, it is necessary to water around the trunk.

It is required to protect the plant from dry air; in the room where the lemon grows, the humidity should be at least 60%. Otherwise, from drying out, the leaves will wither, curl and turn yellow.

How can you fertilize a lemon

If you have purchased a young lemon tree, you do not need to feed it additionally. Fertilize the plant begin at the age of three years. As with other plants, you can purchase ready-made admixtures, and you can also use folk methods.

In order for the lemon to bear fruit well, it is placed in water eggshell and then water the plant with this infusion. But you should be careful not to overdo it with an excess amount of calcium, this can lead to a decrease in the acidity of the soil.

If your plant looks healthy, actively blooms and develops, it is not necessary to fertilize the soil.

For the vegetative period, it is necessary to give bait a couple of times in the form of a solution of 1 liter of water with 50 g of superphosphate.

Sometimes water is infused with horse manure, but at the same time dilute it tenfold.

For rapid growth, ammonium nitrate helps. It is diluted in 1 liter of water with a mixture of 30 gr. Fertilize with this composition once a month.

Citrus top dressing can replace such fertilizers that are useful for lemon, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium and others. To do this, take 3 g of such a mixture, dilute it in 1 liter of water, and at the same time replace the main watering.

How to transplant and trim a lemon

Young trees are transplanted once, sometimes twice a year. Plants that have reached the age of three are transplanted less often, once every 2-3 years. But in some cases, you have to suddenly transplant flowering plant to avoid illness.

It is better to start replanting a lemon in spring or autumn, before the cold weather sets in.

The transplant process includes the following steps.

The soil is gently watered around the trunk of the tree until it becomes soft. Care must be taken to keep the root system intact.

If you notice that the roots are damaged, too dry, or, on the contrary, covered with strong mucus, they must be carefully cut with a sharp knife or blade.

We choose a new pot 30-50% larger than the previous one, since a very small pot size significantly slows down growth. Big sizes also unacceptable for good development lemon, so it is best to choose cone-shaped pots.

We put the shard in the hole in the bottom of the container in such a way that the protruding side is at the top.

The trunk of a lemon should be placed in the center of the pot, and gradually covered with soil around, while trampling the ground a little.

Pruning a lemon tree is necessary for better crown development, as well as to increase fruit growth.

When the tree reaches a size of 20-25 cm, it is necessary to pinch its trunk in order to better develop side branches. The very first lemon fruits can be observed only on branches 4-5 orders from below. Therefore, you need to be patient and monitor the healthy growth of the tree.

If the position of the branches becomes vertical, then, without hesitation, they need to be cut.

To achieve an even trunk of a tree, it is necessary to turn it at least every 10 days. Sometimes gardeners use copper wire, with its help, strengthen the edges of the branches so that their direction is according to the growth of the plant.

Also, the crown of the tree is formed at the stage of harvesting. So, a lemon should be cut along with a small section of a branch on which there are one or two internodes. This is how the future growth of branches is formed.

Lemon Care in Unforeseen Situations

As you know, the lemon tree is quite thermophilic and requires a lot of attention and care. Even with the slightest temperature fluctuations or changes in humidity in the apartment, it is immediately necessary to react in order to save the plant.

If you notice that the lemon leaves have turned yellow, darkened, or have begun to crumble, you need to moisten the soil. However, it is also impossible to overdo it with moisture so that the root does not die. You should pour a little water on the root of the plant with settled water, and just sprinkle it on top. Also, wet gauze is used to increase humidity. It is folded several times, and the tree trunk is wrapped for a couple of hours. Don't forget to take it off at night.

Excessive moisture will also cause the plant to experience significant leaf drop. Even if their appearance corresponds to a healthy one, you should immediately replant the lemon. To do this, carefully remove the trunk from the pot without damaging the earthen clod, spread it on a dry newspaper and let the roots dry. Then plant it back in the pot, as previously indicated, and in the future, make sure not to overfill with a lot of water.

If your lemon could not stand the low temperature and froze, it will be quite difficult to save it. Since heat for lemon is the main vital important product. To resurrect him, you will need to place him in a warm place, use additional lighting with energy saving lamps. And it is best to transplant, while carefully examining and finding damaged roots, frozen parts of the trunk, and removing all dead branches.

If brown spots appear on the leaves of your plant, this is an indication that your plant has overheated. With such manifestations, it is necessary to immediately move the lemon away from sunlight, and make sure that there is not a strong breath of air. It is not necessary to water or cool the lemon abundantly.

It should be remembered that the lemon is very difficult to get used to new habitats. Therefore, a frequent change of location will only harm your plant: it will worsen fruiting, signs of disease will appear. Equally dangerous for the plant, both stuffy rooms and constant drafts.

How to deal with pests

Larvae in the form of white midges love to feed on roots, while delivering significant health losses to the plant. Insecticides are used to get rid of pests. Such solutions are usually used together with water or using aerosol cans. The most popular preparations are Karbofos and Aktelik.

In rare cases, mites and scale insects appear on the leaves. Ticks are shaped like small spiders. They have a bright orange or brown color, so it will not be difficult to notice them against the green background of the leaves. After them, a thin web remains on the leaves. Such places must be immediately washed with strong water pressure. Also, damaged areas must be treated with solutions consisting of:

1 onion, 1 liter of water (grate the onion and add water);
1 head of garlic let it brew in 0.5 liters of water;
2-3 bay leaves per half-liter jar of water;
2 tbsp brew dry tea leaves with two cups of boiled water.

Carefully! These solutions are not suitable for watering the soil.

Insects such as scale insects are very similar to mini turtles. Brown. They practically do not move and hold tightly at the base of the leaves. Three times a week, wipe the leaves with a solution of kerosene and soap in a ratio of 1: 0.5. Before washing, it is good to cover the soil with cardboard or cellophane, and wrap the stem from below with a bandage so that the liquid does not penetrate to the roots of the plant.

Due to improper care of the plant, especially during the flowering period, when its leaves become brown shade, you should immediately understand the conditions in which the lemon is located. In the case when the transplant is forced, it is imperative to replace the soil with a new one, since the increased acidity of the soil is often the cause of the disease.

Just like people, citrus fruits need the prevention of various diseases. To avoid diseases, it is necessary to maintain the thermal regime necessary for the lemon, monitor the humidity, transplant, cut off the dead areas. It happens that the plant is depleted on its own, so in this case, you need to leave all a few buds on it.

Each apartment has its own microclimate, so let the plant get used to your conditions a little, help it at all stages of development. Such a careful attitude on your part and careful care will bring you worthy fruits, for more than a year your plant will bring such citrus fruits as beneficial to the body as lemons.

Lemon is a subtropical plant and the climate of the apartment is perfect for it. Despite this, caring for a lemon in a pot is different from growing it naturally.

Consider how to care for a lemon at home so that your plant grows healthy and that the lemon bears fruit.

Seedling selection

With the acquisition of a seedling of lemon, do not rush. You should choose a healthy-looking plant with brightly colored, shiny leaves.

Examine carefully the stem, the reverse side of the leaf.

They must be clean, free of visible pests and disease.

Boarding and seat selection

Having planted the plant in open ground, be sure to water it abundantly, make sure that direct sunlight does not fall on it.

If a weather not very good (rainstorm, strong wind, etc.) it is better to build a small shelter and leave for a few days until the lemon tree takes root in a new place.

In the open field, plants meet their needs at the expense of the natural environment. It is much more difficult to create favorable conditions for growing lemons at home.

ADVICE: Purchased decorative lemon tree seedling (for indoor cultivation) do not rush to transplant. Let it adapt to your home.

Approach responsibly to the choice of a place for a plant. Don't post indoor lemon in dangerous places:

in a draft;
near heating appliances;
in an unlit corner or dark corridor;
between closed curtains and a window in cold weather.

ADVICE: Inspect the seedling daily, spray it with water. In hot weather, 2 times a day. After a few days, the plant must be transplanted.

Features of care in different periods of the year

Consider how to care for a lemon at home, depending on the time of year.

In spring, the plant wakes up and begins to grow actively. He needs more light.

On warm days, lemon can be taken out to fresh air.

The room must be ventilated, as fresh air is necessary for good growth citrus fruits.

After watching the video, you can learn how to help your lemon in spring:

In summer, it is best to dig a lemon tree in the garden or in the country. If this is not possible, it is necessary to rearrange it to a balcony or terrace.

With over 25 years of experience growing lemons at home, I note that such a “ summer rest"gives a powerful charge for plants for the whole year.

In the autumn, before returning the lemon home, we inspect the whole plant well, if necessary, process chemicals. Be sure to arrange warm shower, we wash the leaves well, and the stems from dust and dirt.

We return to our usual place and continue caring for indoor lemon in a pot. Gradually reduce watering and fertilizing plants.

In winter, most often the plants are in a dormant period. But one of my lemons leaves with fruits in the winter and therefore the dormant period for it comes after the harvest.

I feed this plant for the entire period of fruiting and, if necessary, organize illumination for 2-3 hours daily. The rest of the plants rest during the winter.

Comfortable temperature for lemons during this period is within 14 - 16 degrees.

Winters in Siberia are long and cold. It is not always possible to save plants in the winter. Some branches dry up. Do not rush to prune such plants. Very often, a dried branch comes to life.

In the photo below you can see examples of home-grown dwarf lemons:

Maybe due to the fact that growing a lemon tree is not easy in our latitudes, citrus pruning is not practiced. But if desired, for better branching and crown formation, pruning can be done in early spring.

How to prune a plant at home can be found on our website.

Why does the lemon not bloom and bear fruit?

Often novice flower growers are faced with the fact that the lemon does not bloom.

Why isn't the lemon blooming? There are several reasons: the first and most basic - the plant was planted with a stone and not grafted.

How to make lemon bloom at home? In order for a plant grown from a stone to bloom, many years must pass or it must be grafted.

Also, your plant may be planted in poor soil and it lacks mineral fertilizers. Very dry air, pests, diseases…

Watch your pet and the plant itself will tell you the reason.

I bought my first lemon on vacation in Adjara. It was a grafted 3-4 year old seedling of Pavlovsky lemon, all in bloom and with small fruits. It so happened that the plant had to be handed over to the storage room for a day. When the plant was returned to me, I almost burst into tears - the leaves, flowers, the ovary all fell off. I kept the lemon, but it only bloomed after 5 years.

ATTENTION: If you are transporting a plant from one place to another, be prepared for the fact that it may not bloom in due time.

Lighting

If your plant does not have enough light, it will have small and pale leaves, small flowers or none at all, lower leaves yellow color, the plant practically does not grow or the shoots are weak and very elongated.

For lemons, southeast windows with bright diffused light and a small amount of direct sunlight are best suited. If there is no possibility natural light, then for the normal cultivation of lemons it is necessary to organize artificial lighting. It is best to use fluorescent lamps.

Lemon is not very whimsical to air temperature - in winter it is enough for 14 - 16 degrees, in summer it can also tolerate 30 degree heat.

IMPORTANT: It is necessary that the difference between day and night temperatures should not be more than 4-6 degrees. This is especially dangerous for flowering plants.

In winter, it is necessary to insulate the window on which the plant stands, on very cold days, remove the lemon from the windowsill, do not close it tightly window curtains. Warm air from the room must penetrate to the plant.

Air humidity

Air humidity is another important factor growing lemons.

This problem is especially relevant in the winter months.

In apartments with central heating, the air becomes so dry that many plants are very difficult to tolerate such conditions.

The air in the room must be constantly humidified. It is better to use industrial humidifiers.

If it is not possible to buy such a device, use the knowledge of experienced flower growers:

Spray your plants with warm water (necessarily settled) 2-3 times a day;
Pour expanded clay into the pan, moisten it with water and place the flower pot in this pan. Expanded clay keep constantly wet;
Group several colors - the humidity will increase;
You can move the lemon to the kitchen, where the humidity is much higher.

ADVICE: During the flowering of a lemon tree, many sources recommend pollinating flowers with cotton swabs.

For pollination, you need to take a cotton swab. Trying not to damage the flowers, carefully collect pollen from one flower and transfer it to another, then to the third and all subsequent ones. However, in all the years of growing these plants, I have never used this method. Pollination happens by itself.

Watering

At different people your own drinking regimen. The same can be said about plants. All houseplants need watering to one degree or another. Some like rare watering, others water often and abundantly.

If you ask beginner gardeners about the most common cause of plant death, most of them will say: - "Dry!" But much more often plants die from improper watering.

If we notice something wrong with our plant, we begin to water it abundantly. In response to this, the leaves wilt and turn yellow, and we continue to believe that the plant lacks moisture, and water it again.

Over time, in such plants, the earthen ball turns into a swamp, the roots rot and the plant dies.

How to water a lemon so that it grows healthy, develops and bears fruit?

The most important rule is to water the lemon abundantly with settled water, the water temperature should not be lower than room temperature.

Water only when upper layer the earth will dry out no less than 1-2 cm. After watering, let the water drain, loosen the top layer of the earth and the next days only spray the leaves.

In order for the plant to develop well and grow, it is necessary to replant it in a timely manner, renew the soil for it.

IMPORTANT: Never use unsterilized soil for planting indoor plants.

It is best to buy a special mixture for planting citrus plants. How to prepare a soil mixture at home can be found on our website.

For lemons, good drainage and proper soil composition are important.

If you did everything as described above, but did not get the result, then your pet is not enough nutrients. The plant must be constantly fed. In spring and summer, 1 time per week, in autumn 1 time per month, in winter (if the plant is “resting”) we do not feed, if the plant has fruits or it blooms, regular feeding necessary.

You can find out how to care for a lemon tree with fruits at home and how to feed a plant at home on our website.

All for the sake of which we start this difficult path - the fruits of our tree (lemons). It is as if we have achieved its flowering, but there is no ovary, the fruits are not formed.

How to pollinate a lemon at home and what else you can do:

Manual pollination with a cotton swab;
The use of the drug "Buton"

to stimulate fruit formation, preserve the ovary in adverse conditions;

The use of the drug "Kornerost, Heteroauxin"

to stimulate the growth of the root system, strengthen the whole plant.

And now our lemon has faded, the ovary has appeared and - Oh, horror !!! The tie falls off. Why?

Several reasons are possible:

if the plant blooms for the first time and only a few flowers, as a rule, these will be empty flowers. Do not rush, wait for real flowering;
if the lemon blooms profusely and a lot of ovaries - the plant itself regulates the number of fruits it needs;
if already formed, grown fruits fall, your plant lacks light, nutrition, or it gets sick (plants also get sick). Perhaps there are pests on the lemon.

If your lemon has faded, fruit has begun on it, wait for the harvest.

Lemon ripening is not a quick matter. Lemons grow slowly, be patient for a few months.

To know when to pick lemons from house tree enough to take a good look at the fruits. Well-ripened lemon fruits are bright yellow, the color is uniform.

If the lemon is ripe, it easily separates from the stalk.

ADVICE: Often gardeners ask the question: "The lemon does not grow, what should I do?" If your tree is not growing well or not moving at all, pay attention to how the plant is planted.

Perhaps during the transplant, you buried the vaccination site in the ground. Immediately remove the top layer of the earth and release the growth point.

In order to speed up the fruiting process, a seedling grown from a seed must be grafted. If you do not own this procedure, it is better to contact specialists.

You can learn how to properly plant a decorative lemon by watching the video below:

A lemon seedling is transplanted in the spring as needed. Consider when a Lemon transplant is needed and what care is needed at home.

I know three conditions necessary for transplantation:

the root system has grown, and the roots appeared in the holes of the pot;
after watering, the plant dries very quickly;
the plant wilts.

IMPORTANT: If you take a previously used pot for transplantation, it must be washed well and disinfected. The pot for transplanting should be slightly larger than the one in which the lemon grew. Plant transplantation can be easily done at home.

Caring for indoor plants involves more than just watering and fertilizing.

Lemon must be periodically washed from dust and dirt.

Dust not only spoils the appearance, but also makes it difficult for the normal development of the plant. It is also necessary to tie branches with fruits to a support, in order to avoid breakage of branches.

Inspect plants regularly, clean the crown of your tree from dead leaves and dried flowers.

Where do plant diseases come from? Most of the time, we are to blame.

There are several reasons. These are unfavorable conditions for growing plants. They bought a sick plant, and, unable to withstand the quarantine, they placed others with other indoor plants.

Lemon fruits are a storehouse of vitamins. Eating brings health and vitality.

REFERENCE: They drink tea with lemon and use it in cooking. Lemon is often used in various recipes recovery.

Growing a lemon tree at home, we get the opportunity not only to have wonderful fruits. The smell of blooming lemon fills the entire apartment with a fabulous aroma.

Is there any harm in growing lemon at home?

I would not advise keeping a profusely flowering plant in the bedroom. There may be headaches. That's all.

You can watch video from detailed story about the benefits and harms that lemon can bring:

In conclusion, I would like to say if you are for your lemon tree:

create the required temperature regime;
provide an appropriate light regime;
ensure timely watering;
will support required humidity air;
give your seedlings the necessary mineral fertilizers;
give them rest;
provide access to fresh air;
will take care of appearance their plants;

And as a result, it will thank you with abundant flowering and useful fruits.

Agrotechnics for growing citrus fruits in a room is complex. You should start with a lemon, growing and caring for it at home is easier than other sissies. You can buy a young bush, or you can grow it, starting from sowing a seed or rooting a cutting. Under all favorable conditions, a crop from a plant from a stone can be obtained in 20 years, from a cutting in 7-8. But a lemon from a stone at home will be more adapted, healthy, beautiful with its dark shiny foliage. You can graft a shoot from a fruiting lemon to it, which will speed up flowering. The choice is for the amateur.

What care does indoor lemon require at home

Lemon is a tree room conditions he also wants to grow. There are several varieties that breeders have accustomed to room content. But they rebel if the care is wrong. Before planting a seed, you need to know that only indoor varieties can share a home with a person. These include:

Pavlovsky;
Anniversary;
Mayer.

These varieties are distinguished by their rapid fruiting and high productivity when caring for lemons at home. When buying a ready-made varietal seedling, flowering should be expected in two or three years.

Room lemon at good care lives up to 30 years. Lemon after tying is poured for 9 months, but even after that it continues to increase in size, but becomes tasteless and thick-skinned.

It is important to prevent the weakening of the flower and cut off the buds until there are 20 leaves on the bush. Scientists believe that each fruit feeds 9-10 leaves. middle age. Depending on the number of leaves, you need to leave the crop. For the same reason, you need to protect the leaves from shedding, which the plant protests when it is uncomfortable. At the same time, it is obligatory to trim the tops of the branches in order to form new shoots, which means to increase the number of leaves. Therefore, plant care is carried out on the verge of knowledge and intuition.

Optimal conditions for lemon care

Only if you have a spacious bright room can you count on creating a citrus garden. Even being on permanent place, the tree does not like to be moved. And for uniform development, it is rotated a few degrees after 10 days, so that a full turn is obtained in a year:

From the stand to the ceiling must be at least two meters.
Lemon does not tolerate dry air. Optimally 70% humidity. This means keeping the plant away from the radiator, having a humidifier or an aquarium, equipping the humidity zone with any accessible way and often spray the leaves with a fine spray.
In summer, it is useful for a lemon to be in the sun for 2 hours, but not longer. Therefore, the morning sun on the eastern window is just right for him. In winter, when growing lemon and caring for at home, lighting should be organized for 5-6 hours.
The temperature of the content for a lemon should be from 14 to 27 degrees. During the flowering period, the lemon needs coolness.
The watering schedule in summer is very busy. The pot is watered twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, soaking the clod of earth completely. Due to good drainage, water stagnation does not occur. A drip tray must be installed at the bottom to collect water. Soft settled water is used for irrigation.

The temperature should not change drastically. If the plant is brought from a cold veranda into warm room, it will drop foliage. The earth in the barrel is cold, but the leaves are warm! In winter, you need to find the coldest corner in the home for the lemon. Without a full dormant period, flowering in the future will be poor.

Of great importance in caring for a lemon is its formation, keeping it growing with systematic pruning and pinching. green cone. The deepest pruning is done in the spring. 5-6 living leaves are left on the branches, the rest are removed, and material for propagating lemon by cuttings is obtained from them.

Diseases and pests of lemon

When caring for a lemon at home, and growing it, you need to know the signs of disease in order to quickly correct the mistakes made. Often the plant needs moisture, which can be determined:

the earth is gray from above, the lump crumbles in the hands;
the pot makes a loud sound when patted;
the leaves curled up, and the tops drooped.

As a result, after a while, the leaves, flowers and ovaries will begin to fall.

If the plant does not receive top dressing, the leaves become light, flowering stops, the ovaries begin to fall off. But the same signs and with excessive fertilizer. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the recommended doses and instructions on how to care for lemon at home.

If the plant has not been transplanted for a long time and has not changed the ground, fertilizing watering may not save. The earth has compacted, irrigation water has made passages in the thickness and merges without completely wetting the volume.

As a result of errors in care, a weakened plant is colonized by pests or fungal and bactericidal diseases appear.

Various diseases of citrus fruits are specific, they are called:

xylopsorosis and tristera - viral incurable;
gommoz - infectious when a tree trunk is affected;
malseco - infectious, begins with reddening of the leaves, the tree dies;
root rot - fungal disease, it is required to remove the damaged parts and transplant into a new soil.

The cause of any disease is improper plant care. And even if the tree does not bear fruit, it has the same diseases.

How to grow a lemon at home

Of great importance is the selection of a container for the plant and substrate. The container must have good drainage holes. The root system of a lemon is compact, the young plant treats the annual transplant well, so you should not create conditions for acidification of the soil in a large pot. For older plants, the land is changed less frequently, but the upper fertile layer is renewed annually.

The composition of the earth:

leafy humus - 2 parts;
humus from cattle - 1 part;
washed river sand - 1 part;
wood ash - 0.25 parts.

At the bottom, lay out a layer of charcoal mixed with expanded clay, add vermiculite to the substrate for looseness. Transplantation of plants should be carried out after the grown roots of the lemon braid a clod of earth, using the transshipment method.

When pruning a lemon tree left a lot planting material, branches. Cuttings will be obtained from them, if you pinch off a couple of leaves from below and put a green twig in the water. Further, the cutting takes root in the substrate in a small volume. How to care for a lemon obtained from a cutting? After the stalk has given leaf shoots, it is kept as an adult plant. At a height of 25 cm, pinch the top of the plant, limiting growth. The resulting central and side shoots in the amount of 4 pieces are left, the rest are cut off into a ring.

Lateral shoots grow by 25 cm and pinch again, repeating the operations, as for the first time. A bush is molded twice more, as a result, enough leaves are obtained on a round tree, and flower buds. The lemon is ready to bear fruit, it has gained enough strength to feed the pouring fruits.

Propagation of lemon seeds is a lengthy process. The resulting seedling must be grafted in order to obtain a fruit-bearing tree. The wild will develop for a long time, bloom little and the quality of the resulting lemons will be poor. Therefore, the grown plant must be grafted by budding or splitting to get a cultivated tree.

A seedling without grafting will become an excellent ornamental tree with good disease resistance. It is necessary to form a crown so that the bush is neat and does not stretch with branches, taking up a large space.

Oct 23, 2016 Sergey

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