Fruiting of a lemon grown from a seed. How to grow a lemon from a seed at home with healthy fruits

Everyone knows the lemon - this evergreen perennial is a guest from the subtropics, which has taken root quite comfortably in our homes and apartments. Homeland lemon - Southeast Asia, more than a thousand years ago, these fruits were brought from India, and eventually found popularity in Africa and America. This deservedly popular citrus can live in your home. How to grow a lemon from a stone at home, you will learn from this article.

This is citrus tree gives color several times a year. Home-grown lemons have a thinner rind, more intense flavor than those grown in open field. To grow a lemon from a stone, you will need to create comfortable conditions for it: high-quality ventilation, lighting, periodic fertilizing, an individual approach according to the season.

One of the main stages is the selection of high-quality seeds - this is the key to the future harvest. For planting material bones from purchased ripe lemons are quite suitable. Sow a lot of seeds at once, so that later you can choose the strongest sprouts.

How to plant a lemon from the seed?

Step by step process:

At home, remove the seeds from ripe large citrus fruits, select the largest of them.
Most often, the seeds are sown immediately, but some gardeners recommend pretreating them with sodium gummate solution. The solution is diluted with water according to the attached instructions, the seeds are immersed for 24 hours.
Drainage (small pebbles, charcoal or expanded clay) is pre-filled at the bottom of pots or special containers, soil is poured on top. Soil for indoor lemon a should consist of equal shares of peat, land for flowers. You can buy ready-made soil mixture for citrus plants. Lemons feel great in black soil mixed with leaf humus (1: 1), sand can also be added there.
The bones are deepened by about 1 cm, the distance between them should be at least 5 cm, and from the sides of the container - at least 3.
To maintain the temperature regime necessary at home, the soil must always be moistened, but not oversaturated with water. The ideal temperature for seedlings is +18..23ºC.
After about 10-14 days, the first sprouts from the seed appear. From the very beginning, stronger specimens are visible, it is they who are selected for further growth.
In order for a room lemon to begin to grow, to reveal the first full-fledged leaves to the world, it is necessary to create an appropriate microclimate for it. To do this, the sprouted sprouts cover glass jars, and then exposed to a well-lit place, however, direct sunlight should be avoided.
Airing should be daily. Banks are removed from the sprouts for 15-20 minutes.
When full-fledged leaves appear (two or three pieces), it's time to transplant indoor lemon into separate containers. The pot for the sprout should be no more than 10 cm in diameter. Drainage at the bottom of the pot with nutrient soil mixture- required condition.

Here, a young seedling from the stone should grow to about 17-20 cm, after which it is transplanted. The volume of the new pot should be larger than the previous one.

Room lemon - home care

This tree loves bright, but diffused light, so that in summer the scorching sun's rays do not harm the leaves, it needs to be shaded. Here, as when watering, you need to adhere to the golden mean, since with a lack of light, the fruits will be sour, and the foliage will be lethargic and sparse.

Optimal temperature regime for flowering, fruit formation (set) - about +17..20°C.

Room lemon does not like being moved from place to place, but staying on outdoors(for example, on the balcony) he still does not hurt. Keep a close eye on the weather forecast, as a sharp temperature drop can harm the plant (it will shed its foliage). Wintering should take place in cool home conditions, a temperature of +15..18°C will be enough.

How to care for a lemon in terms of watering? Like all citrus crops, it loves moisture. In summer, it is necessary to provide perennials with abundant watering, twice a week is enough. In winter, one watering per week is enough. Overflows should be avoided. In this case, the water should be boiled, have room temperature or be well settled. This plant does not tolerate chlorine, which is rich in tap water- consider this factor.

Photo of indoor lemon at home:

Citrus fruits require frequent irrigation of the crown with moisture. This is especially true in summer, and in winter (with constantly running batteries or heaters), spraying becomes simply necessary. Sometimes you can arrange a warm shower for the plant - this good prevention from the appearance of a tick, scale insects. To further increase the humidity, a pot of lemon can be placed on a tray with wet expanded clay (or charcoal, gravel).

Fertilizer for indoor lemon is a prerequisite for harmonious development and fruiting. Compared to other domestic perennials, this citrus needs to be fed more frequently than its green counterparts. In summer, fertilizers are introduced weekly (with water for irrigation), in winter - once a month will be enough.

Mineral dressings are more effective, but organic ones contain all the important trace elements, have a beneficial effect on the structure of the soil, and activate the vital activity of all important microorganisms. If you combine minerals with organics, then such a union will provide the best nutrition for this citrus at home.

During the activation of shoot growth (in spring), it is appropriate to introduce potash, nitrogen supplements, and when flowers appear, phosphorus. Carefully study the information on the fertilizer packaging - compliance with the dosage is very important, as you will subsequently consume these lemons. With the onset of the so-called "rest period" (autumn-winter time), the dose and frequency of feeding is reduced to once a month.

Transplanting a lemon into a new pot, pruning, crown formation

Every year, preferably in the spring (the beginning of the growing season), a lemon is transplanted. Transplantation should be carried out carefully so that the root system of the perennial is not disturbed. The transshipment method is the most preferable for this case. Only young specimens are transplanted annually when they reach 3 years of age (individual varieties - 5 years), transplantation is done every 2 or 3 years. It is highly not recommended to carry out this process during flowering or fruiting - the plant can drop inflorescences with fruits.

Do not forget that high-quality drainage at the bottom of the tank is a prerequisite for citrus crops. The size of the pot is also important, because if the capacity is too small, then the plant will not have enough soil or nutrients. Too large a pot will also not work - the soil will turn sour, and the root system will rot.

Pot for lemon - size (diameter):

small bushes up to 2 years old - about 20 cm;
plants 3-4 years old - 30 cm;
young trees 5-6 years old - 35 cm;
citrus older than 7 years - 45 cm.

It is desirable that the pot be made of clay, but wood, glass, plastic are also acceptable, the main thing is that the container has drainage holes.

It is also better to give the crown a shape, remove extra branches in the spring (April), until the active growth of the shoots begins. At the first formation of the crown, the trunk of the bush is cut to a length of 25-30 cm.
The strongest buds remain on the sides (these are shoots of the first order), from which skeletal branches will grow after. Usually there are three or four of them, make sure that they are evenly spaced, as the beauty of the future crown depends on this. Each subsequent order of shoots must be pinched 5 cm shorter than the previous one.

In most citrus fruits, the ovary is observed on the branches of the 4th and 5th order, these branches grow in the second or third year of life. On branches of the first order, fruits are not tied at all, and on branches of the 2nd and 3rd order - only in certain varieties (for example, Meyer).

meyer lemon

The number of flowers also needs to be controlled so that the vitality of the plant is not depleted. In order for the tree to develop harmoniously, at about the 3rd year of life, you need to start removing half of the inflorescences (the harvest will be less, but the fruits are larger), and leave 3 or 4 pieces from the ovaries. For the same purposes, in a year you can leave 5 or 6 citrus fruits, and for the future do not leave more than 7 or 9.

Growing branches can be carefully, without undue enthusiasm, cut by eye so that the crown visually has an attractive shape. It should be borne in mind that a short pruning provokes the growth of new powerful shoots, and a long pruning contributes to the emergence of fruit buds.

The skeleton of a tree is considered to be formed after the young shoots of branches grow back, become woody. A properly formed crown gives all leaves the required amount of light and air.

How to pinch a lemon? If it actively branches, forms shoots, then extra fragments must be removed as soon as they appear. In those shoots that are left for development, the tops are pinched after the appearance of the 6th leaf.

Diseases of indoor lemon

Often, diseases appear due to non-compliance with the rules of care: underfilling leads to drying out of the tree, when oversaturated with moisture, the root system rots, and the leaves turn yellow.

If the foliage becomes covered with yellow spots, and then turns pale and dries out, then the lemon is most likely lacking iron.

If the tips of the leaves dry, and they seem to rust, then this indicates a lack of phosphorus.

A lack of potassium leads to wrinkling of the leaves, and with a deficiency of manganese, the ovaries generally disappear.

Proper, timely fertilization of the plant is an ideal prevention of the above negative manifestations.

It is not enough to know how to grow a lemon, you need to know how to protect it in a timely manner. Weakened plants are the first to fall into the risk zone, it is they who are most often exposed to diseases. Proper care is the basis of keeping a lemon at home. If the tree is sick, then the affected leaves, flowers, fruits, branches should be removed immediately. If a pest is detected, then a defensive “attack” must be carried out immediately, but after certain types processed lemon will no longer be eaten.

Good results are shown by the drug "Fitosporin". It suppresses a wide range of causative agents of citrus diseases. It is also good because it has no smell, does not contain toxic compounds. It is diluted with water when watering, irrigate plants. This drug is very good for the prevention of diseases.

Communicating with comrades of interest, you can often hear complaints: “a room lemon dropped its leaves, what should I do?” The main reasons for such a reaction are insufficient lighting, overfilling or underfilling, depleted soil, excessive dryness of the air, heat or extreme cold. For reference, we list the most common diseases of domestic citrus fruits, we give short recommendation to eliminate the cause:

Scab or warty - has a fungal origin, appears on young shoots and leaves: first, pale yellow spots appear, which later become grayish warts. The growths grow, cover the shoots, which subsequently die. Scab also affects the fruits: bright yellow spots appear on them, which then turn red and darken. All affected parts of the plant must be cut and destroyed, and the trunk with a crown should be liberally treated with 1% Bordeaux liquid (a mixture of a solution of copper sulphate and lime milk).
Anthracnose is the most common fungal reason why indoor lemon leaves turn yellow at home. With this disease, the tree loses buds, brown spots appear on the fruits, branches die off. All affected shoots, fruits must be removed, and the plant itself should be treated with the above-described Fitosporin preparation or Bordeaux liquid.
Soot fungus is a consequence of pest damage - mealybug or shield. Active preventive measures the right way protect the tree from such consequences.
Gommosis - manifested by the appearance of dark red spots on the trunk and branches, at the sites of damage the bark cracks, a sticky liquid (gum) is released from the crack, which subsequently hardens. There are many reasons for this disease: improper deepening of seedlings, "dirty" soil, mechanical "injuries" of the plant, improper care of indoor lemon. Treatment - finding out the root cause of the disease, as well as a radical cutting of the affected areas with a sharp knife. Damage should be treated with a 3% solution of copper sulfate, and then covered with garden pitch.

This citrus perennial should be regularly examined to notice the disease at its very beginning. As you know, any disease is easier to cure at the initial stage. You need to inspect not only the trunk or foliage, but also when root system trees, soil.

Lemon in the apartment - benefit or harm

Of course, the benefits of it are much greater than the possible harm. Everyone knows the healing, protective for human body properties of this citrus. Vitamins, flavonoids, biologically active substances successfully suppress viruses, create a powerful shield against pathogenic bacteria.

The use of this yellow citrus strengthens the immune system, normalizes hormonal levels, improves vision, and stimulates the digestive tract. Lemon mobilizes the internal resources of the body, helps with sore throats, colds. It is widely used in cosmetology: face masks (whitening, healing, cleansing) and hair (growth stimulant). Even just green Tree(room lemon from the stone, grown at home) saturates the air with phytoncides, improves mood, makes breathing easier.

Contraindications to use may be individual intolerance, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, chronic gastritis, pancreatitis. In everything you need to know the measure, since eating a lemon in large quantities will not lead to anything good.

Considering all of the above, now you know how to grow a lemon from a seed at home. Despite the abundance of information, this process does not require special knowledge or skills. It is necessary to understand and take into account the main criteria - the rules of maintenance and care, competent pruning, timely prevention of diseases.

» Lemon

Lemon - a tree of the genus Citrus everyone knows its fruit. The homeland of this plant is China, India and the Pacific tropical islands.

The lemon was first brought by the Arabs to the Middle East, in North Africa, Spain and Italy.

People know about the benefits of lemon firsthand. Lemon is an excellent remedy for many ailments.. It strengthens the immune system, normalizes hormonal levels, improves vision, and stimulates the digestive tract.

It is used for colds, as it has a huge amount of vitamin C and many simply like the sour, aromatic taste.

It is possible to grow a lemon at home. If you cut a lemon, you can see a lot of seeds. From these seeds it is quite possible to grow a full-fledged lemon tree.

To a person who decides to plant a lemon at home, it is important to consider the following rules:

the fruit should be yellow, the most ripe, because if the lemon is green, then due to the fact that it is not ripe, the sprout germs in the seeds of such a lemon may not sprout;
for planting, it is important to choose several large seeds - from 10 to 15 pieces, so that later you can choose a beautiful and actively growing seedling;
it is important to choose a suitable variety that will grow well at home.

Suitable variety for a house or apartment: Pavlovsky, Meyer and others

There are a large number of varieties. Below are some of them that are suitable for growing in a house or apartment:

Pavlovsky- differs from other varieties in its large fruits, which can reach 500 grams, has a sweetish taste, and the tree of this variety is quite large - more than 2 meters. This variety has fragrant leaves. The aroma is so sharp and strong that the whole house will be filled with it.
- a hybrid of lemon and grapefruit, has a sweet and sour taste, a small tree with a rich harvest, the size of one lemon can reach 150 grams, blooms in clusters, there is a seasonal dormant period.
Ponderosa- a hybrid of lemon and grapefruit, has a bitter taste, as well as the presence of a large number of seeds. Pleased with the fact that it constantly blooms. According to the people who grow this type of lemon, it is a very grateful plant and completely unpretentious.
Genoa– medium tree, gives big harvest as early as 4-5 years of age. Fruits with tender pulp, have a sour, fragrant taste. You can also eat the peel. This variety is considered unpretentious. For 2-3 years, the seedling is already blooming.
Anniversary- a medium-sized tree, considered a variety that gives a rich harvest, the fruit is distinguished by its thick skin. Very suitable for growing in a house or apartment.

After the stage of choosing a variety has been passed, it is necessary to proceed to the very planting of the seeds in the pot.

How to plant the seeds of a plant: the main points

Some active citrus growers with rich experience, it is advised to free the bone from the upper husk, which, in their opinion, allows you to get seedlings in the shortest possible time.

This must be done very carefully, since any damage to the bone can lead to the fact that seed germination will not occur.

But you can plant seeds without the above procedure.

Lemon seeds must be moist before planting.. It is advisable to soak them for a day in water or in a solution of sodium humate. You can buy this growth stimulator at any botanical store.

But even if the seeds were planted without soaking, and as soon as they were taken out of the lemon, they are likely to germinate.

Next, you need to find a suitable small, shallow pot or glass, pour earth into it. There should be holes in the bottom of the pots. They are important so that excess moisture, due to which the roots of the sprouts can die, flows down.

Put 1.5-2 cm of expanded clay, small pebbles or very coarse sand on the bottom of the pot. Soil for planting can be bought at the store, but you can prepare yourself. To do this, mix garden soil, sand, humus and a little charcoal.

It is better to plant bones to a depth of no more than 1.5-2 cm. It is important to moisten the soil before planting. It should not be dry, but excessive moisture is also undesirable.

The pot can be covered with a film on top. The air temperature in the room where the stone pot is located should be above +18℃.

Once every 2-3 days it is necessary to spray the soil. If the ground has become completely dry, then you can water it a little. After the first shoots appear, the film must be removed.

It is better to rearrange the pot with sprouts in a bright place and water it with settled or rain water, room temperature.

The first sprouts will sprout no earlier than 3-4 weeks after planting.

According to experienced citrus growers, the best time for planting a lemon - the end of winter, the beginning of spring. Since the increasing daylight hours will only benefit the emerging young sprouts.

Will an indoor lemon tree bear fruit?

Many people think that growing a lemon from a seed is a thankless job. Since it will take 5, 7, or even all 15 years to wait for fruits from such a lemon, and its fruits will be small in size.

For, in order not to wait decades for the lemon tree to bear fruit, it must be. This can be done in two ways in the warm season (summer or warm spring):

In split- the preferred type of grafting. It is necessary to take a cutting of a cultivated fruit-bearing lemon. A branch is cut on the seedling, and the remaining stem of the seedling is split. A “wedge” is sharpened on the handle of a fruiting lemon, which is then inserted into a split in the stem. Next, you need to tie the vaccine with electrical tape. On the handle of a fruiting lemon, 2-4 buds are left, everything else is cut off. The vaccine is covered plastic bag. When the vaccine grows together, the package can be removed.

Lemon grafting - by budding or splitting - is necessary for early fruiting

budding- shoots are cut off from the seedling, a “stump” 10 cm high remains from the tree. Next, they take a sprig of cultivated fruit-bearing lemon. Under each leaf of the branch is the so-called "sleeping bud". It is necessary to make a cut in front of this kidney. Next, cut off the leaf plate, but leave its petiole. On the "stump" of the seedling, make a cut of the bark and insert the petiole there with the cut down. Tie the vaccination site with electrical tape. The petiole of the cut leaf plate will serve as an indicator. If the petiole falls off after 2-3 days, then we can assume that the vaccination has succeeded, but if it dries up, then the vaccination has failed and must be repeated.

Interestingly, what grown lemon from the stone adapts to home conditions faster and better, it is less picky than cuttings and grafted seedlings.

Why a lemon grown from a seed does not bear fruit:

Optimal conditions for growing, care after planting

It is advisable to be very attentive to a lemon that has risen in a pot. When on lemon seedlings 3-4 leaves will appear, they are transplanted into separate pots.

As a rule, a lemon can react both to excessive heat and sunlight, and to cold and strong wind. Therefore, when changing the location of the pot of lemon, it is advisable to keep this in mind.

BUT best solution will not change the place of "residence" of the lemon. The best place for a lemon will be southern or southwest side in the apartment. As for temperature, lemon can tolerate temperatures from +14℃ to +27℃.

Lemon creates conditions without sharp temperature jumps because they can kill him. It is desirable to maintain moderate humidity - 60-70%.

water the plant rainwater at room temperature is best. In hot summer it is better to do it 2 times a day. And on cloudy and cold days, it is important to add lighting to the lemon with LED or fluorescent lamps.

feed in summer a seedling can be a solution of humus and liquid mineral fertilizers.

Lemons, like all indoor plants susceptible to disease and pest attack. Therefore, they require careful care, and it is also recommended to carefully examine the plant every day in order to detect the appearance of a particular pest as early as possible and take the necessary measures in time.

Care and protect: the main enemies of citrus

Lemon gets sick if you do not follow the rules of care. If the tree is not watered enough, it will dry out. If the earth in a pot is oversaturated with moisture, then yellow leaves will appear on the lemon, and this will be a sign that the roots of the tree are starting to rot.

Also the appearance of yellow spots on the foliage, after which the leaves dry and fall off, indicate that the tree lacks iron.

Dry ends of leaves they say that the tree needs phosphorus. A lack of potassium and manganese leads to wrinkling of the leaves and falling off of the ovary.

Fitosporin is considered a good remedy for many diseases and pests. It is non-toxic and odorless. It is also good to use as a preventive measure.

A lemon tree is not a geranium, it needs competent care and for a beginner it is very difficult to figure out what, how and when to do.

With effort and study of the rules for caring for a lemon, you can get a pleasant result. home grown lemon will delight not only with its aroma, but also with delicious fruits.

Growing a lemon from a seed:

Many types of citrus grow well at home. But how to grow a lemon from a seed, which would not only decorate the room with leathery dark green foliage, but also bear fruit?

It is the absence of ovaries on grown plants that often disappoints home citrus growers. Indeed, in the best case, from the moment of planting to the flowering of an indoor lemon, it takes from 4 to 7 years. And yet, getting a lemon from a stone is an exciting and not hopeless exercise. A strong tree can be used as a rootstock by grafting a cutting of a cultivated specimen onto it, or it can be pushed to bear fruit with competent care and crown formation.

Seed preparation for growing lemons

If you are going to grow a lemon from a seed at home, you need to be patient and have some knowledge.

The main mistake of amateurs indoor plants, failed in the cultivation of lemon or other citrus fruits, in that seeds were used for sowing, long removed from the fruit and had time to dry out.

It is much more correct to remove the seeds from ripe fresh lemons, rinse them with warm water and embed them in the substrate immediately, without drying. This will greatly increase the number of seedlings.

And experienced citrus growers recommend another way to increase the speed and quality of germination. For this, moist, home-grown lemon pits are carefully removed with a sharp knife from the hard surface shell, which is the main obstacle to the sprout hidden in the seed.

Following this advice, you need to be extremely careful and careful. An incorrect movement threatens to damage the cotyledons or the tender embryo, and then it will definitely not appear from the bone.

If lemon seeds remain in the shell, it is useful to immerse them for several hours in a growth stimulator solution, preventing the surface of the seeds from drying out between processing and planting.

Growing lemon from seed at home

Before planting lemon seeds, choose shallow wide containers with obligatory drainage holes. A 2-centimeter layer of fine expanded clay or vermiculite is poured onto the bottom of a pot or other container so that all excess moisture that is dangerous for delicate roots, flowing down, does not linger and leaves the ground in time.

The soil for growing lemon from the stone at home can be made independently by mixing garden soil, humus and sand. It is useful to add some crushed charcoal to such a substrate, which will reduce the risk of bacterial infections. If you do not have the necessary ingredients on hand, a ready-made citrus substrate, which is easy to buy in a specialty store, will do.

All preparatory work has been completed. Now it's time to start planting. How to grow a lemon from a stone at home?

The best sowing time is the end of winter. Then the hatched sprouts will receive good support in the form of an increasing daylight hours.

Seeds are planted in moist soil to a depth of about two centimeters. Several seeds can be planted in one container at once. Since the first transplant is waiting for the seedlings, when 3-4 true leaves appear on them, the plants will not interfere with each other.

Containers are determined in a greenhouse or placed in heat, after being covered with a bag or film. Do not forget that all citrus fruits are thermophilic, therefore, it is possible to grow a lemon from a seed at home only if a certain temperature regime is observed.

Seedlings will not start growing if the air and soil in the room are colder than +18 ° C. Optimally, if seed germination and subsequent growth takes place at a temperature of 22 to 25 ° C, at a constant high humidity, the absence of drafts and other negative factors. Compliance with simple rules on how to grow a lemon from a seed allows you to get friendly strong seedlings.

On average, from sowing to the moment sprouts appear, it takes from a week to a month. During this time, the soil in the pot can be gently sprayed, but it should be watered only when there are obvious signs of drying out.

Caring for seedlings of lemon seeds

With the appearance of green sprouts above the soil surface, they gradually begin to accustom them to room conditions, airing and opening the greenhouse. When 3-4 leaves appear on a young lemon from the stone, the film is removed altogether, and the seedlings are sorted and transferred to their own small pots.

Since the seeds of hybrid fruits do not always carry parental characteristics, citrus growers seeking to get a lemon from the stone at home risk growing a "wild".

You can already understand how soon the tree will begin to bear fruit, and what quality the ripe fruits will be. outward signs. First of all, cultivated citrus trees are distinguished by a small number of thorns on the shoots.

Further care in the first year of seedlings consists in timely watering, transplanting and pinching for the initial formation of the crown of the future tree.
In addition, plants

in summer months after 10–14 days they are fed, alternating humus solution and liquid;
on cloudy days and in the cold season, they are additionally illuminated with the help of.

The duration of illumination largely affects the flowering and fruiting of plants from the tropical zone. Therefore, the acquisition of such lamps should be taken care of before growing a lemon from a seed.

A transplant for young lemons is carried out annually, and the plant should be transferred very carefully, without disturbing the root system. If the roots have not yet mastered the entire earthen ball, you can get by with replacing the surface layer.

Interested in how to grow a lemon from a seed, many enthusiasts look forward to first shoots, and then the first flowers. But in order not to weaken the plant, the lemon should not be allowed to bear fruit until it reaches the age of 2-3 years. Seed lemon is ripe for flowering when there is only one flower per 15 leaves of its crown.

If earlier the formation of the ovary weakens the tree, then pinching at the age of about a year only contributes to the formation of the crown and lays the foundation for the future good harvests. Therefore, in a very young plant, it is necessary to remove all shoots directed deep into the crown, pinch the tops of excessively long shoots, and sometimes turn the pot with a tree so that it is illuminated and develops as evenly as possible.

We grow a lemon from a stone - video

Part 1. Planting seeds

Part 2. The appearance of the first sprouts

Part 3. Transplanting seedlings

Lemon tree in the apartment? This is not a joke or fiction. beautiful plant will not only decorate your interior with its bright green leaves and delicate flowers with a delicate aroma, but will definitely please the first harvest. Of course, you can buy a tree in the store and bring it home. But a real experimenter and plant lover will take up the matter with responsibility and determination. Growing a real lemon tree from a small seed is not easy. And yet this option is much more attractive than buying a finished tree. In addition, plants from the store do not always take root in new conditions and die after a few months. A lemon tree costs a lot of money. So why risk wasting them when you can get the same result for next to nothing?

The process, of course, is long and demanding. But growing such exotic plant can be a real adventure.

How to choose the right seeds for planting?

Health, appearance and ability to produce a crop largely depend on how well you choose the seeds. Best to take for landing the largest copies. Carefully inspect them (you can even under a magnifying glass). The surface must not be cracked or damaged. various types and spots.

Pay attention to the fact that highest vitality in fresh seeds. Breeders do not advise taking bones that have been in the open air for several days. Dried seeds sprout in very rare cases, but such seedlings usually have a poor appearance and poor resistance to temperature changes. They often die during growth.

Therefore, it is best to plant those seeds that you personally just recently got out of a lemon. So the probability of getting a crop is much greater.

In addition, gardeners with experience advise prepare for planting not two or three bones,but thirty. You can take less (about fifteen). Why do it? In order not to be left without the desired tree. The fact is that of all the seeds planted, no more than two thirds germinate. And most of them die at the growth stage, because the climate does not correspond to the habitual for lemons. If you manage to grow several lemon trees at once, then you can give extra seedlings to friends and relatives. Such a gift will definitely not go unnoticed.

Another secret used by breeders is seed pretreatment. Bones are treated with an agent that accelerates growth and protects the plant from an aggressive environment. They are kept in solution for at least a day. You can find exact recommendations on the package with the drug.

What soil composition is suitable for a lemon tree?

In stores you can find special soil for citrus fruits, which should suit your future seedlings and provide them with everything necessary for growth. But in reality, such mixtures do not always satisfy the needs of a growing tree. That is why experts advise preparing the soil at home on their own. Remember that all issues with the soil should be resolved at least a day before planting.

Ideal for growing lemons- the following mixture:

one piece of peat
one piece of soil
one part compost
three parts coarse sand.

All components are mixed. The soil should stand for at least a few hours, to be saturated with oxygen.

How to grow a lemon from a seed at home: step by step instructions

Such a capricious plant must be constantly monitored. At first, the lemon tree will require a lot of attention. But following all the steps will allow you to achieve positive result.

Planting seeds. Prepared bones should be planted in the ground to a depth of no more than 2 centimeters. Remember that sprouts and roots appear from certain sides of the bone. If you plant it vertically, then there is a chance that the side of the "sprouts" will be down. To avoid this situation, the bones are placed horizontally in the pits and lightly sprinkled with earth. The plant needs to make its way up to the light, so too deep a hole can lead to the death of the seedling. Pots can replace ordinary plastic cups or other utensils with drainage holes. Without them, the likelihood of bone rot is high. The planted seed must be covered. This will help maintain a stable temperature, protect against drafts and retain moisture. A mini-greenhouse can be a regular plastic transparent bag.
First sprouts. Until the plant has risen, try not to water it. Spray the ground instead. A sprout may appear in 5-6 weeks, in rare cases even later. If time has passed, and you do not see the result, then this bone turned out to be a “dummy”. A small and weak sprout indicates an equally weak root. Citrus fruits do not have a strong root system, which is why they die so easily during the growth stage. Do not touch the plants until six leaves have formed on the shoot. Now young trees can be transplanted.
Transplant and pruning. It is better to choose a pot wide and deep so that the root system has room to grow. Usually lemons have one main root, but breeders prefer to intervene in this imperfection of nature. At the time of transplanting into another pot, the root is cut off. Thus, additional branches are formed.

After that, the lemon tree only needs to be looked after, not allowing it to rot or dry out. What other requirements does this capricious plant make to the owner?

Rules and features of caring for a lemon tree

Remember that citrus fruits are not always happy with direct sunlight. Many tree owners immediately put them on the windowsill on the sunny side so that the lemons enjoy the light. But instead, the plant begins to wither and shed its leaves (on which mysterious spots appeared). Everything is logical - after all, the tree received a sunburn.

Actually lemon requires a different attitude in different period . In summer, this plant prefers a temperature of about 25 degrees, and in winter it is enough for +10. It is necessary to take care of humidity, because most often lemons die from dry air in room. Water the plant during the period of active growth should be twice a week, but plentifully. AT winter period requirements are reduced, and watering is best done according to the condition of the soil.

But here spray the leaves lemon tree needed every day. It is not worth wiping them with a sponge or cloth (only when in large numbers dust). Once a month, arrange a “bath day” for the lemon. To increase the humidity in the room, place a plate of water next to the plant.

Remember to feed the plant once a month (or once every 2 weeks during active growth). Suitable for the most common mineral fertilizers.

Timing of the beginning of the fruiting of the lemon tree

Not a single expert can tell the exact period of the appearance of flowers. The whole point is that lemons may not bear fruit at all. What is the reason? Too much maintenance. The tree will continue to grow, not feeling threats and barriers, it will be deprived of the need to "think" about the offspring.

And yet usually from planting the seed to the appearance of fruits takes at least five years. If you want to get results much faster, then you should look at other ways to grow a lemon tree.

How to grow a lemon from a seed at home: video

Lemon trees can often be found in offices, shopping galleries, pavilions or simply in the homes of flower lovers, but in most cases they are acquired mature plants and only occasionally grown from seed.

Many flower growers are afraid to grow a seed crop, because they don’t know how to do it right so that the lemon not only decorates the room with its dark green leaves, but also produces a crop.

It is the absence of ovaries that most often disappoints flower growers, because more than one year passes from the moment the seed is planted to the flowering of the lemon. A grown and strengthened tree proper care and shaping can be pushed to fruiting or used as a rootstock by grafting a stalk of a cultivated specimen. The main thing is the right approach and patience.

Growing a lemon from a seed is not difficult, but for this you need to choose the right variety so that it is suitable for growing indoors. First, the purpose of growing a lemon is determined. Does he need decorative purposes or as a fruiting plant. Will the fruits be used for food. What is the preferred taste, shape and color of lemons. Will the plant be thorny or not.

If you choose the right variety, caring for it is not difficult. Even if a plant grown from a seed turns out to be wild, grafting lemon stalk suitable variety allows you to get an excellent harvest of lemons.

There are several of the most popular varieties grown at home.

Eureka - resistant to low temperatures california variety. Fruiting occurs in the first year after planting. The height of the tree reaches 2 meters. The leaves are variegated. Inflorescences are bright purple. The fruits are large, with a pleasant taste. The flesh is pinkish. The skin is light yellow, thick, ribbed, slightly rough.

Maikopsky is a high-yielding variety adapted to room conditions. Plant height reaches 2 meters. There are 2 varieties of this variety.

In the first case, the tree has heavy, horizontally growing branches hanging down as it grows. Spines are absent. The leaves are shiny, dark green with a smooth rim. In inflorescence no more than 5 flowers. The fruits are elongated. The skin is rough and thin. The taste of lemons is moderately sour.

In the second variant, the crown of the tree is symmetrical. The branches are directed upwards. Spines are absent. Leaves with dark thick veins. Flowers solitary. The fruits are large, with small ribs. The skin is thin.

Both varieties of the Maykop variety of lemons produce more than 300 fruits per year.

Irkutsk - large-fruited light-loving variety. The tree is medium. Fruiting occurs 2 years after planting. The fruits are tasty, oval, with a pronounced papilla, large, weighing more than 1 kilogram. Ripens over 6 months. The skin is yellow-green, thick with small depressions.

Pavlovsky is a variety of lemon, often grown indoors. The plant is self-pollinating and lack resistant. sunlight. At correct formation crown tree reaches 2 meters in height, but most often remains low. On young trees, 20–30 fruits ripen, and adults produce 50–80 lemons per season. Fruit weight 150-500 grams. Lemons have a minimum number of pits and a strong, pleasant aroma. With proper care, the tree grows by 50 centimeters per year.

Meyer lemon (Chinese) is a dwarf light-loving hybrid obtained by crossing a lemon with an orange. The average plant height is less than 1 meter. The flowers look like large purple clusters. The fruits are small and sour. The peel is yellow-orange, shiny, thin. Fruiting occurs in the first year after planting.

Genoa is a stable fruiting light-loving high-yielding variety. Medium sized tree. The crown is beautifully branched. Spines appear only on the upper shoots. The leaves are bright green and large. Fruiting occurs 4 years after planting. The pulp of the fruit is soft, juicy, of a pleasant delicate taste, partitions, hard, poorly separated from the pulp. The peel is green-yellow, thick, rough.

When choosing a place to install a pot of lemon, you need to consider that the plant does not respond well to constant movement. It must be located away from heating devices, but at the same time in the light. For good growth and development of the tree, it is best to install it on the south side.

The intensity of illumination of the plant is determined in accordance with the varietal characteristics of the lemon. Some plants grow and fruit without problems with natural light, others in cold period additional lighting is required in the form of a phyto-lamp operating in evening time within 5-6 hours.

The main care of the lemon begins in the spring. The plant at this time increases the vegetative mass. Lemon is sensitive to climatic changes and therefore it is provided with a constant, stable air temperature equal to 18-27 degrees Celsius. The temperature should not fall below or above these indicators.

Seedlings do not start growing if the air and soil in the room are colder than 18 degrees Celsius.

The optimum temperature for seed germination and plant growth is 22-25 degrees, with constantly high humidity and no drafts.

Later, during the flowering period, the plant is provided with an air temperature not exceeding 18 degrees Celsius. Blooming lemon for this in spring period taken out to the loggia, balcony.

In winter, lemons are kept in a bright, cool room with an air temperature of 12-15 degrees Celsius. With absence cold wintering it does not bear fruit.

Growing a lemon tree - step by step instructions

When growing a lemon tree from a stone, all instructions must be followed. Observing all the rules, after a few years the tree gives its first fruits.

A drainage layer of expanded clay, vermiculite is laid out at the bottom of the tank, and a nutrient soil mixture from 2 parts of soddy soil, 1 part of leafy soil, 1 part of rotted humus, 1 part of river sand and 0.5 parts of wood ash.

Plant transplantation is carried out annually, by transferring the plant into a larger pot. This provides good drainage for the plant.

For an adult tree, when transplanting, 3 parts of turf, 1 part of leafy soil, 1 part of humus, 1 part of sand, 0.5 parts of oily clay and 0.5 parts of wood ash are taken.

The main mistake of flower growers who failed in the cultivation of lemon is the sowing of seeds that have long been extracted from the fruit and have had time to dry. It is best to take seeds from ripe fresh lemons. They are washed warm water and embedded in the substrate without drying. This increases the number of shoots.

For faster germination, the seeds of lemons are carefully released from the hard shell with a sharp knife. You need to act with extreme caution so as not to damage the cotyledons.

If the seeds remain in the shell, they are immersed in a growth stimulator solution for several hours, and then immediately planted in the ground.

If you are going to grow a lemon from a seed at home, you need to be patient.

The best time to plant lemon seeds is the end of winter. Sprouted sprouts receive additional support in the form of growing daylight hours.

Before planting the seeds, take a wide, shallow container with drainage holes. A two-centimeter layer of drainage is poured at the bottom of the tank. The prepared soil mixture is poured on top.

Bones are embedded in moist soil to a depth of 2 centimeters.

Several seeds are planted in one container. Containers are placed in warm place and covered with a bag, film or glass.

From sowing to the appearance of sprouts, it takes from 7 to 30 days. The soil in the container at this time is carefully sprayed, and watering is carried out only with signs of drying out of the earth.

We plant a lemon from the stone. Quick shoots of citrus seedlings: video

Lemon care at home

Not only the health of the plant, but also its development, flowering and, accordingly, fruiting depend on the proper care of homemade lemon.

With the appearance of sprouts above the ground, they gradually become accustomed to room conditions, airing and opening up the shelter. When 3-4 leaves appear on the plant, the film is removed altogether. Seedlings are sorted and transplanted into individual small pots.

In spring and summer, the plant is watered with warm water 1-2 times a day. In winter, moderate and rare watering is carried out 1-2 times a week. Overdrying the earth leads to shedding of leaves. Excess moisture leads to the death of the lemon. Neither one nor the other can be allowed!

Since October, watering is reduced. The earth periodically loosens.

Lemon in summer period requires regular spraying. If in winter the plant is kept in a room with central heating, then it needs spraying in winter.
Humidity should be 60-70%, at air temperatures up to 20 degrees Celsius.

In order for a tree to have a neat crown, it is necessary to carry out its formation. At the same time, shoots growing inside the crown are removed. The remaining shoots are pinched after 4 leaves grow on them.

When forming an adult, fruit-bearing tree, it is taken into account that at least 10 developed leaves are left for each ripening fruit. All other fruits are removed, otherwise the harvest may not be obtained at all.

Top dressing for lemon is very important, as the plant is cultivated in a limited space.

a lack of nutrients leads to yellowing of the leaves and wilting of the plant. An overabundance of fertilizers also negatively affects the health of the plant.

Top dressing from spring to the end of summer is carried out every 2 weeks. In winter, the number of top dressings is reduced to 1 time per month. Humic fertilizers or Lemon-Mandarin Mother Earth are best suited for top dressing. When top dressing, dry and liquid top dressing alternate. Spraying is also inside leaves with fertilizer solution.

The first top dressing of lemon after transplantation is carried out after 3-4 weeks. The main dose is given 2-3 days before transplanting the tree. After transplantation, the plant is watered with Cornesil.

How to get fruits?

To obtain fruits from a lemon grown from a stone, it is necessary to graft cuttings of a cultivated specimen to the plant or to carry out a number of activities that promote fruiting.

When does a lemon start to bear fruit?

A lemon grown from a stone bears fruit at 4–8 years of age. Fruiting time depends on varietal features plants.

Often, wild lemons grow from the seeds of hybrid lemons. You can understand how soon the tree will begin to bear fruit, and what kind of fruits it will have, by the external signs of the tree. Cultivated lemon trees have a small number of thorns on the shoots. If the tree is thorny, then it is perfect for grafting.

For a lemon grown from a seed, the best option copulation is considered butt.

The thickness of the plant to be grafted should match the thickness of the pencil. Scion and rootstock must match in diameter and thickness.

It is possible to be vaccinated even in winter. To do this, a young lemon is cut off where the vaccination will be carried out. Oblique cuts are made on the stock.

Next, cuttings are prepared from a fruit-bearing lemon tree with 2-4 buds. All leaves are removed. Similar oblique cuts are made on the cuttings. The stock and scion are applied cut to cut, tightly wound to each other with adhesive tape, electrical tape.

The grafted plant is covered with a plastic bag. Gradually, over several months, the cuttings learn to grow without a package. If new shoots grow on the plant below the graft, they are removed.

Lemon care and mistakes: video

AT bad conditions lemon content is often affected by pests and diseases.

Most often, the plant is harmed spider mites. With a careful examination of the plant, pests are easy to detect from the bottom of the leaves. They braid them with their thin web.

Pest control is carried out using a soapy solution, which processes the leaves and branches.

Instead of soapy water, you can use garlic infusion. 5-6 crushed cloves are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 2 days. The infusion is filtered, poured into a spray bottle and the whole plant is sprayed with it.

In case of severe damage, an insecticide is used, for example, Omite, Aktelik.

Whiteflies and thrips also settle on lemons, which are harvested by hand, and the tree is washed in the shower and treated with soapy water.

The scale insect also damages lemon leaves. On the reverse side of the leaves and stems, clusters of small brown scales appear, practically not separated from the plant. Pests must be dealt with immediately, otherwise the defeat of the leaves will lead to their shedding. Soap solution or insecticides are used to control pests.

Citrus aphids are removed from plants using Aktelik.

The mealybug leaves sticky secretions on the foliage. Leaves and fruits fall off when attacked by a pest. Regular inspection and collection of larvae helps protect the plant.

In addition to pests, lemon can suffer from diseases such as:

Gommosis affects the trunk of a lemon. In the lower part, the bark turns brown and cracks form, from which a dark glue-like liquid is released. The size of the cracks grows with time and the process of decay begins. The affected lemon is urgently transplanted into new land. The trunk is processed blue vitriol, and in difficult cases, a severely affected bark is first peeled off, then smeared with vitriol.

Root rot, manifested by massive shedding of foliage. In this case, pruning the diseased and washing the healthy roots helps, and transplanting the plant into a new pot.

Malsecco infects shoots, sometimes to their complete death. The disease develops from the ends of the branches, moving to the leaves and trunk. Damaged areas are painted in a brick color.

Sometimes the disease begins development from the root system, as a result, the plant dies very quickly. There are no methods to combat this disease. To protect the lemon from the disease allows regular holding preventive measures. When the first signs are found, the diseased areas are treated with copper sulphate.

To have a lush lemon beautiful crown, you need to plant a lemon at home in a spacious container.

If the leaves turn brown, you need to increase the humidity of the air and water the plant more often.

thin shoots and small leaves they say that the plant needs feeding and better lighting.

The leaves curl and dry when the plant lacks moisture and light. Daily spraying of lemon, watering and top dressing complex fertilizers correct the situation.

If necessary, the plant pot is turned clockwise so that the tree
was the correct form.

For grafting, it is better to take a graft that is suitable for climatic conditions region.

When taking a tree outside in the summer, it is impossible to expose it to the sun, as this will harm the lemon.

A lemon tree grown from a stone, with proper care, shaping or copulation, does not differ in yield from cultivated plants. It quickly grows, develops and envelops the room with a delicate aroma of its leaves, and later flowers and fruits.

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