Lemon tree - home care, pruning, watering. Lemon tree at home: winter care, diseases, reproduction, photo

Agrotechnics growing citrus in the room is difficult. It should start with lemon, growing and caring at home is easier for him than for other sons. You can buy a young bush, and you can grow it, starting from sowing a seed or rooting the cutting. Under all favorable conditions from the plant from the seed, the crop can be obtained in 20 years, from the cutting in 7-8. But the lemon from the stone at home will be more fit, healthy, beautiful with its dark shiny foliage. To him you can graft escape from fruiting lemon, which will accelerate flowering. The choice is for the lover.

What care requires indoor lemon at home

Lemon is a tree, in room conditions it also tends to grow. There are several varieties that breeders have accustomed to room maintenance. But they rebel if the withdrawal 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 characterized by rapid entry into fruiting and high productivity in the care of lemon at home. When buying a finished varietal seedlings need to wait two or three years.

Room lemon with good care lives up to 30 years. The lemon after setting is poured 9 months, but after it continues to increase in size, but becomes tasteless and thick-skinned.

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

Optimal conditions in the care of lemon

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

From the stand to the ceiling should be at least two meters.
Dry air can not stand. Optimal 70% humidity. This means keeping the plant away from the radiator, having a humidifier or an aquarium, equipping the humidity zone in any way possible and often spraying the leaves with a fine spray.
In summer, it is useful for a lemon to stay in the sun for 2 hours, but not longer. Therefore, the morning sun on the east window for him just right. In winter, when growing lemon and caring at home, it should be organized 5-6 hours.
The temperature of the content for lemon should be from 14 to 27 degrees. During the flowering period, the lemon needs cool.
The watering schedule in summer is very stressful. The pot is watered twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, soaking the whole lump of earth. Due to good drainage, water stagnation does not occur. At the bottom should be installed pan to collect water. For irrigation using soft settled water.

The temperature should not change dramatically. If the plant is brought from a cold veranda into a warm room, it will throw off the foliage. The ground in the barrel is cold and the leaves are warm! In winter, you need to find a lemon the coldest corner in the home. Without a full-fledged rest period, the flowering will later be scanty.

Of great importance in the care of lemon is the formation of it, keeping in growth with systematic pruning and pinching the green cone. The deepest pruning is done in spring. 5-6 live leaves are left on the branches, the rest are removed, and material for propagation of lemon is obtained from them by cuttings.

Lemon Diseases and Pests

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

from above the earth is gray, in the hands a lump crumbles;
the pot makes a ringing sound when tapping;
the leaves curled up and the tips wilted.

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

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

If the plant has not been transplanted or changed land for a long time, fertilizer irrigation may not save. The earth is compacted, the irrigation water has made moves in the thickness and merges, not completely wetting the volume.

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

Various specific citrus diseases, they are called:

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

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

How to grow lemon at home

Of great importance is the selection of the container for the plant and the substrate. The tank should have good drainage holes. The lemon root system is compact, a young plant is good for an annual transplant, so it’s not worth creating conditions for acidification of the soil in a large pot. For older plants, the earth is changed less frequently, but the upper fertile layer is updated annually.

Composition of the land:

leafy humus - 2 parts;
humus from cattle - 1 part;
washed river sand - 1 part;
- 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 is carried out after the grown roots of a lemon will entangle a lump of earth, using the method of transshipment.

When pruning the lemon tree there are a lot of planting material, twigs. They will produce cuttings, if you pinch a couple of leaves from below and put a green sprig in the water. Further, the stalk rooted in the substrate in a small volume. How to care for lemon, obtained from the cutting? After the stalk has been given leafy shoots, it is contained as an adult plant. At a height of 25 cm, the plants pinch the tip, limiting growth. The resulting central and lateral shoots in the amount of 4 pieces left, the rest cut off on the ring.

Side shoots grow 25 cm and pinch again, repeating the operation, as for the first time. A bush is formed twice more, as a result, enough leaves are obtained on a round tree, and flower buds are laid on the branches. Lemon is ready for fruiting; it has gained enough strength to feed the fruits.

Lemon propagation by seeds is a long process. The resulting seedling must be grafted to obtain a fruiting tree. The wilderness will develop for a long time, it will be little to bloom and the quality of the obtained lemon will be poor. Therefore, the grown plant should be planted by budding or splitting it in order to obtain a cultivated tree.

Seedling without vaccination will be 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 its branches, occupying a large space.

Video about planting and caring for lemon

Lemon tree illuminates the room with juicy and bright fruits, and also decorates the window sill. We will tell in detail how to care for lemon grown in a pot. At home, everything is quite simple, you just need to ensure the plant proper lighting, watering and feeding. It is noteworthy that a lemon tree can live to 100 years and even more, so it is inherited

Preparation for growing lemon from the stone in the pot

Before you grow a strong and completely healthy lemon from the stone, conduct preparatory activities.

1. First pick up planting material. To this end, remove the bones from fresh fruit. In no case do not use the seed that you got a long time. It will not germinate.

2. As soon as you collect the bones, wash them in warm water. Do not wait and do not dry, immediately immerse in the substrate. Such a simple move will increase the number of seedlings by 60%.

3. Citrus fruits are shared by one more effective method of enhancing the quality of the future tree and the speed of seed germination. They recommend using a sharp knife to release the seed from the hard shell. It prevents the germ from breaking out.

4. Before taking care of a lemon, it must be germinated in a pot. But before planting at home, the collected material is aged for 3 hours in a special growth stimulator. We can not allow the drying of seed shells. Growth stimulator is used only when planting seed with a shell.

Growing lemon from the stone in the pot at home

Lemon can be obtained from the stone, following the step-by-step instructions at home. Growing is not difficult, given all the nuances.

1. So, first take care of the shallow containers, make holes at the bottom (side) to release excess moisture. Thus, you will prevent water stagnation and rotting of the planting material.

3. Now about the soil. It is better to make it personally from river sand, humus and garden soil. Crushed coal (wood) is added to the substrate for enrichment with nutrients and a bactericidal effect.

4. If you can not make the soil, buy a ready-made substrate in the store "Summer Resident" or "Everything for gardening." Choose a soil designed for sprouting citrus.

5. Before you take care of a lemon in a pot, you need to plant it and germinate it at home. The ideal period for sowing pits is February. If you are in a hurry, then manipulations are carried out earlier.

6. So, at first it is necessary to moisten the soil until water begins to pour out of the drainage holes below. This means that there is enough liquid. Now you need to make the holes 2 cm in depth, put the bones in them and sprinkle.

7. If the container is rectangular in format, it is allowed to plant a pair of seeds at the same time. Plants will not interfere with each other, because with the appearance of 3-4 leaves, they will need to be transplanted.

8. Place a film over the containers, make holes to prevent condensation from accumulating. Leave the seedlings at a temperature of 22-25 degrees. It is impossible to allow a drop in temperature, otherwise the sprouts will not hatch.

9. Now it only remains to wait. As practice shows, you will see the first shoots after 1-4 weeks. Spray the soil out of the sprayer for a given period of time. Do not water the soil if there are no obvious signs of drying.

How to care for seedlings of lemon bone

How to care for an adult lemon in a pot, we will tell below. For now we will study features of care of the seeds planted in the soil. At home, all the manipulations are as follows:

1. When you see green sprouts that have spiked over the soil, accustom them to room temperature gradually. Periodically remove the film from the surface of the container so that the germs “breathe”.

2. After the appearance of 3-4 leaves, remove the polyethylene permanently. It is time to transplant small plants in their individual pots, in which they will grow stronger every day.

3. In the first year of the seedling's life, all care is reduced to pinching, watering, timely transplanting and shaping the first crown.

4. In addition, in cold weather and cloudy weather, seedlings should be lit with phytolamps using LEDs or fluorescent lamps.

5. In the summer, over the course of 2 weeks, fertilizing is carried out (alternation of mineral substances with a solution of humus).

6. Replanting young plants is necessary every year. You cannot disturb the roots, so move with extreme caution.

7. If the earth lump around the root system is not formed properly, it is not at all necessary to replace the entire soil. Citrus fruits recommend that you manage to change the top layer.

8. To prevent the plant from weakening, do not allow it to bear fruit before the age of 3. Therefore, the first shoots directed deep into the crown, simply remove. Systematically rotate the seedling so that the light goes evenly.

How to care for a lemon tree in a pot

Now we will analyze in detail how to care for an adult lemon in a pot. Follow the simple instructions at home.

№1. Provide coverage

1. Do not forget that the plant in question loves light. And it should be bright enough.

2. However, fence off seedlings from direct sunlight. As soon as the tree grows stronger and grows, nothing will threaten it.

№2. Maintain temperature

1. Lemon tree is classified as a subtropical plant. Therefore, it needs moderate warmth.

2. In winter, provide a seedling temperature of +12 degrees. In the summer season - no higher than +22 degrees. Take the tree to the loggia or the street. If necessary, build a canopy.

Number 3. Watch for humidity

1. In addition to watering, the tree requires systematic spraying with water.

2. For this purpose, boiled liquid is used at room temperature.

3. Attention: the seedling requires exactly the increased air humidity (!), And not the soil.

Watering a lemon tree in a pot

№1. Summer / spring / autumn watering

1. In the warm season, take care of frequent and abundant moisture. If the room is cool and there is high humidity, frequent watering to anything.

№2. Winter watering

1. In winter, watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries. Ensure that the soil does not dry to a depth of more than 1 cm.

2. To do this, subject it to mulching, that is, sprinkle hay / sawdust / pieces of bark, etc. Then the plant does not dry out. Do not abuse the watering so that the tree does not rot.

Soil and feeding of lemon tree in a pot

It is important to learn how to care for a lemon tree in a pot, and continue to grow it at home. Consider some of the features.

№1. The soil

1. Lemon tree needs fertile soil that will easily pass water and oxygen.

2. To create such a soil, it is enough to combine peat, rotted leaves, sand, humus and 2 parts of turf in equal proportions.

3. Maintain acidity at pH 5.8-6.5. Place 2 cm of drainage on the bottom of the pot. He will not hold water.

№2. Top dressing

1. In order for a lemon tree to develop fully, systematically pamper it with fertilizers of mineral and organic origin.

2. With the onset of spring and until mid-autumn, fertilize once every 20 days. At the same time alternate mineral and organic fertilizer.

4. Adhere to the main requirement - feed in the warm season 2 hours after watering.

Pruning lemon tree in a pot

The answer to the question of how to care for a lemon in a pot will be incomplete if you do not consider the timely pruning of the tree at home.

1. Pruning is considered an integral part of care. Correctly form the crown, depending on the purpose of growing lemon.

2. If the plant is grown as a decor, the crown should be made compact. To obtain full-fledged citrus uses a completely different way.

3. A fruit tree must have several main branches consisting of fruit wood. Form a crown by pinching.

4. Pinch zero shoots whose length is 25 cm. Next, repeat the procedure at a height of 20 cm from the previous pinching. As a result, 4 developed buds remain on this segment.

5. Shoots on the first row, pinch after 25-30 cm. As they mature, cut them 5 cm shorter than the previous row. At the end complete the formation of the crown on the shoots of the last order.

Lemon from the stone will bear fruit if all requirements are taken into account. At the same time, citruses will begin to ripen on the tree without vaccination. Do not expect a good harvest earlier than 4 years. If you vaccinate, the ripening of the first lemons will be slightly reduced. For the rest, follow the clear instructions for the care of the tree.

Plant lovers grow citrus fruits even on the windowsill. What factors are paying attention to see the flowering and enjoy the exotic fruits?

You can grow a beautiful tree that will delight you with fragrant fruits at home. But this plant has a whimsical character, requires attention not only to watering, but also to the temperature regime of the room where it is located. A necessary element of care is fertilizing, which is performed in accordance with certain rules. Important and humidity, lighting, timely transplant. If all the elements of care are performed regularly and efficiently, then the plant will bear fruit and delight the ovaries.

Factors that affect lemon growth

A lemon that is grown on its window sill may differ slightly from those sold in the markets. This is due to the fact that for home breeding choose indoor varieties. Particularly appreciated are small lemons, which have a very thin skin. In addition, they are very bright and beautiful on the window. Larger fruits will have a dense and thick skin, and will look not less exotic.

The difficulty of caring for this fruiting tree is that it is accustomed to the climate of the subtropics, where I come from. This leads to the fact that its comfortable air temperature should not be more than 17-18 degrees. In the apartment in the winter due to heating, this figure is higher. The presence of batteries also affects humidity. It becomes below 70%. And the compliance of indicators characterizing the air standards is very necessary for the tree to grow.

Equally important for the growth of lemons and the degree of illumination of the room. The right place for the tree in the room is chosen taking into account the fact that it does not like direct sunlight. The most ideal location will have a good degree of lighting throughout the day, but this light will be diffused.

Crockery for trees also matters. To enter the phase of active growth and the formation of ovaries of future fruits, it should be placed in a closer pot. If the root system is too spacious, the flowering phase will be postponed indefinitely. Ideal for planting plants will be dishes from natural materials. These are earthenware or boxes made of wood.

Land for growth does not matter. But it must comply with the qualities of air and water permeability. The soil mix may contain peat and sand. Fertility will add humus. The soil should be loosened.

Moisture has a direct effect on growth. Therefore, abundant watering in spring and summer, when the ambient temperature tends upwards. In winter, the frequency of watering is reduced. Older trees require a greater abundance of moisture. It is desirable that watering is carried out with prepared water. Suitable pre-recruited in a container and standing. You can also use thawed water, although the most ideal option is rainwater.

To the lemon tree fruited, it is fed. Any organic or mineral fertilizer will be suitable. The frequency of this procedure should not be too intense. The optimal time interval is in 20 days.

Lemon care at different times of the year

In order to grow a lemon, home care for the plant must take into account some differences depending on the time of year. In the spring season, it begins a phase of active growth, and then forms buds, which will later become fragrant fruits. Temperature range should be in the range of 14-18 degrees. An excessively warm room will lead to dropping of buds and ovaries. And such an event can provoke the death of the whole tree.

Well contributes to the natural growth of lemon fresh air. Since the stabilization of the air temperature outside the window at 13-14 degrees, the plant can be positioned for the entire warm period on the balcony or terrace. However, they monitor possible temperature differences due to possible freezing and reducing it by night. To avoid the death of the plant, it is wrapped.

In the summer, open sunlight is a danger to the lemon tree. Therefore, this situation is carefully controlled to avoid burns.

Winter time for lemon is characterized by the stage of final ripening of fruits. Optimal conditions for this period include a moderate temperature regime (16-18 degrees). Be sure to maintain optimal humidity (about 70%). Another important condition for the good condition of the tree in winter is the elimination of air flows from the heating sources. Pot with lemon clean away from heaters and batteries. It also provides no time at least 12 hours of the light source.

Lemon tree in the care is quite capricious. For it, unnecessarily high temperatures are not suitable, as well as too low. Watering should be moderate, but at the same time strongly dry land should be avoided. The plant does not like direct sunlight, but requires prolonged exposure during the day scattered light. Without taking into account and the fulfillment of all these conditions, it is impossible to achieve the appearance of ovaries, which will subsequently be pleased with fragrant fruits. Timely watering and fertilizing, the right soil is also of great importance.

Mistakes when growing lemon video

You bought a young lemon tree hoping to get yields of fragrant fruits for tea drinking and immunity strengthening all year round.

And it really will give a lot of fruit, if you know how to care for a lemon: water, feed, transplant, etc. We learn all the subtleties of care for lemon trees grown at home, including the formation of the crown and the collection of fruits.

Room lemon: home care

Lemon care is a regular watering, sufficient lighting, dressing, compliance with temperature and humidity. It is equally important to know how to transplant a homemade lemon.

Deciding to grow a lemon - a tree at home, familiarize yourself with the subtleties of care:

Lemon watering

How to water a lemon? In the cold season, starting in October, and up to spring, we moderately water the tree once a week, using warm water. In the spring and summer months, as well as in September, it is good to spill the soil with warm water once a day. Periodically loosen the top layer of the earth.

The main thing in lemon irrigation is to prevent stagnation of water in the ground leading to decay of the roots, and not to overdry the earthy lump: it is fraught with leaf twisting and dropping leaves and limbs.

Lemon Lighting

How to care for homemade lemon in terms of lighting? Lemon does not need a long light day if you want to get more fruits, not leaves. The tree bears fruit well in bright diffused light: it is better to keep it on the windows facing east. If the window is south, in the summer we must protect the plant from direct sunlight.

To crown overgrown evenly, 2 times a month turn a lemon tree in the direction of the sun. And do not allow low light: in the penumbra and shadow sheet grows slowly, and the fruits are too acidic.

Temperature conditions

Caring for homemade lemon implies compliance with a certain temperature.

While the lemon grows and gains green mass, or blooms, we keep it in a room where there is 17-20 degrees of heat.
When fruits appear and ripen, the temperature is needed a couple of degrees higher.
In winter, during dormancy, the temperature is not higher than 14 degrees, or 18 ° C, if the plant is not “sleeping” yet - in this case we provide it with a 12-hour light day with the help of fitolamps.

Do not keep lemon in a hot room and do not allow sudden temperature changes.

In the summer, you can take a tree outside - the main thing is to have time to bring it home before evening (if cool weather is expected).

Room lemon: home care

Lemon Moisture Level

How to water a lemon, we figured out: find out what level of humidity is suitable for growing it. He needs a fairly high humidity, especially in hot weather - in the summer or during the heating season.

When it is hot, every day we spray the tree and once a week we give him a warm shower.

To increase the level of humidity, we place a jar with a wide neck next to a pot of lemon filled with water so that it evaporates, or we put the pot in the pan by placing moisture evaporating material into it.

The third option: turn on next to the plant household air humidifier.

Lemon feeding

Room lemon needs regular feeding: in the summer - every week, in the winter - every month (if there is fruit).

How to feed a lemon? Mineral and organic fertilizers, previously 2 hours before the procedure of watering the plant, so as not to burn the roots.

Mineral fertilizer. For feeding you will need a ready-made tool of the "citrus mixture" type, in which the proportions N: P: K are 14:16:18. We part it in water according to the enclosed instruction and we water soil.
Organic fertilizer. We make an infusion by mixing 1 part of water and 1 part of a mullein (horse manure) and, after waiting for 7 days, we dilute it with water: an extract of mullein - 1 to 15, an infusion of horse balls - 1 to 10.

Twice a year we water the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate - to enrich and disinfect the soil.

Lemon Transplant

Young plants of lemon in a pot, how to care for them, we learn today, need to be transplanted after 1 and 2 years after planting.

In the spring, we buy soil for citrus or we make it ourselves from humus (1 part), the ground from under deciduous trees (4 parts), calcined sand (1 part) and wood ash (1 tbsp).

Just cross the plant, gently shaking off part of the old earth, in another pot with soil. The diameter of the new pot should be 4 cm larger than the previous diameter.

Subsequently, we transplant the plant every two years, when vegetation begins. When transplanting, do not forget to put a drainage (expanded clay + charcoal or a layer of sand) in a layer of 2 cm. Thanks to transshipment, you don’t have to think about how to root a lemon. The main thing is not to transplant while lemon blossoms or bears fruit.

Crown formation

As the lemon grows, the crown should be cut off - in the spring, on a low trunk about 18 cm, before the green mass begins to grow. We cut off the shoots, leaving 5 leaves, so that by the beginning of the fruiting the tree branched.

A tree with a well-formed crown blooms in the second or third year.

Formation of the crown of room lemon

Lemon Blossom on the Window Sill and Harvesting

While lemon is blooming, you cannot leave all the flowers on the plant:

At the first flowering, we cut off half of the flowers and leave no more than 4 fruits from the formed ovaries.
At the second flowering, only 6 fruits are left.
At the third color we leave 8 fruits, etc.

Flowering regulation is necessary to preserve a strong and healthy lemon tree: its superfluous buds will quickly deplete. Each ovary should have at least 10 developed leaves.

The flowers do not need pollination and bloom for about 2 months.

Fruiting lemons is possible up to 4 times a year: it depends on the variety. On the development of the fetus and the beginning of maturation takes about 6-8 weeks. The rind of fully ripe lemon leaves gets a rich golden hue: it means it's time to harvest.

If you tighten with the collection, the skin will become thicker, the slices will dry out and the juice will lose its characteristic acidity.

Now you know how to care for lemon at home, so that it grows strong and healthy, and gives a lot of fruit. Follow all the rules of the content of indoor lemon, and it will delight you all year round with beautiful flowering and abundant fruiting.

How to care for lemon at home? This question interests every inexperienced gardener. After all, care affects the growth and fruiting plants. Lemon is a very useful citrus for the human body. With it, you can make delicious tea and improve immunity.

Proper lemon care is a guarantee of fruit

Therefore, if you want to get all the useful vitamins, you need to know how to care for the lemon tree.

Lemon watering

Care at home in the first place is the right watering. In cold weather, homemade lemon is watered once a week. To do this, it is necessary to defend warm water in advance. In the warm season, watering is necessary once a day, because in the heat of any plant requires a lot of fluid.

After each watering, the top layer of soil must be loosened. Water should be brought into the ground according to a scheme so as not to harm the root system of the lemon, because a large amount of moisture can lead to its rotting, and the lack of water leads to the fact that the lemon tree at home begins to throw off the leaves. This is the first answer to the question of how to care for homemade lemon.

Lighting

It is worth knowing about the correct lighting if you ask yourself “how to care for a room lemon”. After all, no plant can exist without sunlight. Lemon tree does not need a long light day. The amount of light affects only the formation of leaves, not fruits. A tree at home is best to keep on the windowsill, which is located in the east.

If there are no windows on the right side, then the plant should be protected from direct sunlight. For the correct formation of the crown, it is necessary to turn the tree several times a month.

Shadow adversely affects the development of lemon. Try to properly care for the lemon, then such problems will not arise.

Lemon tree loves color, but not direct sunlight

Air temperature

Lemon care at home provides for a temperature regime. This is one of the main conditions for fruiting lemon.

Temperature conditions for lemon should be as follows:

When the lemon begins to bloom or actively grow, the air temperature should be at least 17 ° C.
When active fruiting began: 20 ° C.
During the rest period, which most often occurs in winter, the apartment should be between 14 ° C and 18 ° C.

For a lemon at home, care in terms of temperature should be strictly observed. The slightest drops cause illness and death.

In summer, lemon can be taken out to fresh air.

Humidity level

Caring for homemade lemon includes controlling the level of humidity. In order for it to grow normally and produce fruits, the humidity must be high, especially in summer due to the heat. On such days, the plant must be sprayed daily and once a week to wash it in the shower.

To increase the level of humidity, it is necessary to put a small container with water next to the pot, which will evaporate and create optimal conditions for the growth of the tree. If desired, you can purchase a special air humidifier, which should be in the same room with lemon.

Top dressing

Care for indoor lemon includes its feeding. In the summer, it is carried out once every seven days, and in the winter - every month if the lemon is fruiting. If there is no fruit, then it can be done less often. Lemon tree care is supplemented with mineral and organic fertilizers.

Before making useful substances, the plant is watered. This will avoid burning the roots. If you use a ready-made mineral fertilizer, the proportion of substances (N: P: K) is 14:16:18. Use the tool according to the instructions.

Organic fertilizer for lemon must be properly prepared. To do this, pour manure with water and insist on it for a week. Then the mixture is diluted in a ratio of 1:15. Twice a year it is recommended to treat the soil with potassium permanganate, this will prevent diseases.

Manure - an excellent organic fertilizer for lemon

Transfer

Growing a lemon includes not only proper care, but also transplanting it. It is recommended to do it with trees every two years while they are young. In the spring, you need to purchase a special soil and transfer the lemon into a pot that is 4 cm more in diameter than the previous one. Thanks to the transfer method, the roots retain their strength and quickly take root in a new place.

It is necessary to replant the tree several times a year, during the growing season. Use the drainage of expanded clay and charcoal. You can not replant a tree during flowering and in the period when it bears fruit. Proper planting is a guarantee of tree health.

Lemon Transplant Is In Spring

Flowering and fruiting lemon

Lemon trees must be carefully managed, especially during the period when flowers appear on it. For the first time it occurs two years after sowing the seeds. When the plant blooms, you can not leave all the flowers on it, t. K. A young tree is not able to grow all the ovaries that have appeared.

The process of removing flowers:

For the first time a blooming lemon is cut in half, leaving an ovary for four fruits.
When the tree begins to bloom a second time, the ovaries are left for six lemons.
For the third time on the lemon should leave the ovary for eight fruits.

These manipulations with the tree allow you to properly care for him and to achieve active fruiting. The older the tree, the more lemons it will give. Therefore, do not be afraid to tear off the flowers.

The plant produces fruit about four times a year, depending on the variety and care. It takes about 6 months from the moment of development to the time of ripening.

Fully ripened fruit has a golden peel. To delay the harvest is not worth it, because the lemon will lose all its useful properties.

Lemon bloom should be regulated

Pollination of lemon in pots

Flowering and fruiting occur only in adult plants. If the lemon is still young, it is recommended to pick off all the flowers. To get the fruit on the tree should be about 20 adult leaves. Early fructification drains a plant, it can die. If the tree is strong, then you need to wait for it to bloom, and then you can pollinate.

How to pollinate a lemon correctly? First you need to create the necessary conditions. Humidity should be 70%, and the air temperature is 25 ° C. It is also worth preparing special tools:

soft brush;
a small piece of fur;
cotton swab.

Carefully collect the pollen from the stamens using the prepared tools and transfer it to the pistils. Carry it with all the flowers. If you doubt that the pollination process was successful, you can repeat it.

If desired, you can use special preparations. Biological preparations “Bud” or “Ovary” are popular. They allow fruit to form, in cases where the ovary develops very weakly.

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If you have “settled” lemon, care at home will require a lot of work. It belongs to remontant plants, therefore in certain conditions it is able to bloom and bear fruit all year round. But not everyone succeeds in not only trying the fruits of their citrus, but simply admiring the flowering. What is the reason? Let's figure it out.

Variety selection

First of all, for planting in the house should choose varieties specifically bred for this purpose. They do not grow to giant dimensions, but at the same time they are characterized by high yields. Pay attention to these varieties of dwarf and semi-dwarf lemons:

Meier
Pavlovsky
Novogruzinsky
Maikop
Eureka
Genoa

Among the most common varieties in our latitudes lemon Meier, care for him the least troublesome compared to other species. This variety is sometimes called the Chinese dwarf, and its fruits are not as sour as those of other varieties. Dwarf lemons do not differ rich harvest, but will add comfort to the interior of the apartment.

Video about indoor lemon

Tall lemons will certainly delight you with tasty and large fruits, but they require a lot of time for care, because besides the usual activities, they need more frequent pruning, garter and crown formation. If you are interested in such citruses, choose among the following varieties:

Novogruzinsky
Kursk

Creating an optimal mode of lighting, temperature and humidity

How to care for lemon in a normal city apartment, when there is no heating, then windows to the north, then the air for citrus is too dry? You have to provide the tree with comfortable conditions for growth and development.

The first thing that matters to lemon is light.

Photo of homemade lemon

For the location of the pots, it is better to choose south-east windows with moderate lighting, if you are, of course, lucky and you have them. But what to do if your whole alternative is the northern or the southern side.

On the northern windows, the lemon will noticeably lack light, so you will have to use fluorescent lamps, extending the light day for the plant to 12 hours. This is especially true of the winter period.

On the south side of the house there is always plenty of light, and for the lemon it is even surplus. Therefore, in the afternoon it is necessary to shade your citrus, saving it from the destructive action of direct sunlight, they are able to leave these burns on the leaves.

Lemon - a native of the Pacific tropics, so it is not surprising that the tree is demanding to thermal conditions.

In the spring during the budding temperature in the room should be 14 - 16 degrees. A high degree contributes to drying and dropping the buds, and a low degree - slowing down or even stopping this process. During the rest period, room temperature up to 26 degrees is enough. If possible, for the summer transfer your pet to the glassed-in balcony. Fresh air will benefit the lemon and the question of how to care for a lemon will not be so acute. However, you should be wary of both sudden changes in temperature and drafts. Like a true southerner, room lemon requires scrupulous care.

Pictured homemade lemon

Moisture. This parameter is very important for lemon. Therefore, it is necessary to control that the soil in the pot was constantly slightly moist. In the summer, it is reasonable to increase the number to 3 waterings per week, and in winter it can be reduced to 1 time, but to spray the air around the tree. This is provided that the heating devices are far from the plant. Water lemon necessarily non-cold water, which was settled for 5 hours. Water should not be poured directly under the root, but evenly over the entire surface of the soil. The air around the tree should also not be dry - not less than 60% humidity. Otherwise you risk to see rolled up, browning leaves on a lemon.

We fertilize, feed ...

Lemon, like the rest of the plants in your home, needs support, so it must be periodically fed.

Young lemon trees do not need additional stimulation, you need to fertilize lemons that have reached 3-4 years old.

Pictured lemon tree

You can purchase specialized blends of organic fertilizers, and you can use traditional methods:

For abundant fruiting, sometimes ordinary watering is replaced with egg shell extract. But to get involved in this way is not worth it, so that an excess of calcium does not reduce the acidity of the soil.
If the plant develops normally, has a healthy appearance and pleases with flowering, fertilization can be abandoned.
During the growing season it is worth twice to feed the lemon with superphosphate (50 g of fertilizer per 1 liter).
Ammonium nitrate is highly recommended for improving growth. It is taken in proportion to 30 grams per liter of water. It is possible to carry out watering by such fertilizer monthly.
Periodically water your lemon 7-day infusion of horse manure, tenfold diluted.
Lemon for normal development requires trace elements: magnesium, phosphorus, nitrogen and others. To compensate for their deficiency, you can use the fertilizer once a quarter. Citrus mixture. 2-3 grams of this fertilizer are diluted in a liter of water and used instead of the main irrigation.

Pruning and transplanting indoor lemon

Replant young lemon trees should be at least once a year.

Copies older than 3 years - at intervals of 2-3 years. However, the need for transplantation may occur "unplanned", for example, due to illness or deterioration of the lemon.

On the photo is a lemon transplant

The soil around the trunk is watered abundantly, so that it becomes soft, then carefully remove the tree. At the same time, utmost care must be taken not to disturb the earthen room and not to touch the root system.
If you find spoiled roots, cut them with a sharp knife or blade.
For transplant, take the capacity of 30-50% more than the previous one. Too big, like too small a pot, helps to slow growth. Give preference to a cone-shaped container.
At the bottom of the pot on the drain hole set shard so that its convex side was on top. Then a layer of drainage is laid (small pebbles, pebbles), a thin layer of dry manure and earth mixture.
Closer to the center of the pot is set a tree with a clod of earth. Slowly begin to fill the container between the clod and the walls of the pot with soil. You can lightly press the laid ground, but it is not necessary to tamp tightly.

Pruning lemon commit to the formation of a beautiful crown and improve fruiting.

With a tree height of 20-25 cm from the ground, the stem is pinched, giving the opportunity to develop lateral branches. Consider that the first fruits appear on the branches of 4-5 order (rows from the bottom) and until they are formed, it is not necessary to wait for the fruits.

Vertically grown branches should be cut without pity.

For the formation of the correct shape of the pot with a flower you need to gently rotate every 10 days relative to the sun. Gardeners sometimes improve the crown using copper wire - they fix individual branches with it, giving them the right direction of growth.

Lemon Trim Picture

The formation of the crown is carried out in the moments of the gathering of fruits. Ripe lemon is cut off not only with the stalk, but also with a section of the branch itself with 1-2 internodes. Thus, the growth of the branch is stimulated.

Lemon Home - Emergency Care

Lemon is very fastidious to the environment and reacts instantly to the slightest fluctuations in temperature or humidity. Care should be taken to save the plant.

A dried citrus needs watering. In appearance foliage - it becomes yellowish-brownish and rare - it is easy to guess the cause of the disease. But do not rush to irrigate the soil abundantly, you can spoil the root system. It is better to pour a little of the separated water under the root, and spray around the crown. You can wrap the barrel with gauze, folded in several layers and moistened with water. Let the tree stand in such an "outfit" for several hours, but do not leave it at night.

An excess of watering will quickly make itself known by a sudden leaf fall. Healthy-looking leaves suddenly fly around massively. As soon as a symptom is identified, transplant immediately. Carefully remove the tree from the pot, place it on a newspaper or cardboard along with the land lump so that the roots dry out. Plant should be in the ground, slightly moistened and continue to water moderately.

Pictured homemade lemon with fallen leaves

Frozen lemon is very difficult to save. In conditions of a cold snap, plant life may stop. In addition to falling leaves, the trunk darkens when frosting. You can try to "reanimation". To do this, move the lemon to a warmer room, extend the light day with the help of artificial lights. It makes sense to change to another pot. When excavating, be sure to inspect the rhizome, remove dead and rotted parts. Remove dried branches.

Overheating is no less dangerous for citrus. Appeared brown spots on the leaves clearly indicate overheating. Therefore, on hot summer days, remove the plant container into the interior of the room. Make sure that the air from the air conditioner does not fall on the crown. Additional watering or cooling is not required.

Important! You can not often change the place and habitat, it is long and poorly adapted to new circumstances. Therefore, it slows growth and fruiting, may even show signs of illness. Equally destructive for him as drafts, and unventilated premises.

Lemon Tree Photo

Lemon Pests and Diseases

Appeared white flies may indicate stagnation. Their larvae feed on roots and cause significant damage to the plant. To combat them, insecticides of various kinds are used - solutions for irrigation and aerosol forms for the extermination of insects that have managed to emerge. Karbofos and Aktelik are quite effective in the fight against these insects.

It is necessary to regularly look through the leaves of lemon, on which mites and shchitovki can settle. Externally, mites are like tiny spiders. They are colored orange or brown, which stands out noticeably on the green background of the back side of the leaves. They tighten the damaged areas with a thin spider web, which makes it easy to recognize pests. Rinse the twigs and leaves from both sides for several times at intervals of three to four days under a shower head with strong water pressure. Multiple spray infusions are effective.

garlic (1 head medium size insist in 0.5 liters of water),
onions (1 onion, grated on a fine grater, filled with a liter of water),
bay leaf (2-3 leaves per 0.5-liter jar of water)
strong brewing of green tea (for 2 cups of boiled water 2 tablespoons of dry tea leaves).

Attention! It is not recommended to water the soil with these means.

Shchitovka look like small brown turtles, motionless and tightly attached to the leaves. Fight them hard. Three times with a weekly interval, the plant, including the leaves on both sides, the branches and the trunk, should be thoroughly wiped with a mixture of soap and kerosene, taken in a ratio of 1 / 0.5. Cover the earth with cardboard or plastic, wrap the trunk at the bottom with a narrow bandage to prevent liquid from entering the root system.

Often, lemons are “sick” from improper care. Brownish leaves on the outwardly healthy plant, and even during the flowering period - one of the ailments. In this case, review the conditions of the flower, perhaps it makes sense to transplant it. But the soil in this case, choose a different than at present. Maybe it was the acidity of the soil that caused the disease.

Video about pests room lemon

As for the human body, disease prevention is important for citruses. To prevent disease, follow the regime, transplant, prune damaged areas. Sometimes a sudden illness can be dictated by the depletion of the plant itself. In this case, limit the flowering to several buds, and remove the rest, as if it were not a pity. Each house has its own microclimate, not always suitable lemon. The task of the owner of the plant is to adapt it to the existing conditions gradually.

Sometimes the process of caring for a lemon at home is comparable in difficulty to caring for small children - it is difficult at the beginning, but all works are rewarded when the tree begins to actively grow.

Lemon is a citrus evergreen plant from the rut family. In natural habitat is found in Southeast Asia. Now lemon is used as an ornamental and fruit tree. At home, in apartments, or greenhouses, lemon is able to bear no more than 15-20 fruits.

Lemon healing properties

The medicinal qualities of the lemon tree and in particular its fruits have been known for a long time. From the extruded peel, get good essential oils. The fruit itself contains vitamin C, a group of vitamins B, E.

In medicine, lemon is used on temperature, as a remedy for bronchitis, tonsillitis, and stomach diseases.

Juice makes the blood vessel more elastic and strong, reduces blood pressure. It is also used as a preventive action as an additive to teas and infusions for colds, improves immunity.

Description: A perennial plant, 1-1,5 m high in the form of a bush or a miniature tree. Branched stems, which over time lumber and become covered with brown bark. Numerous shoots with several periods of growth over 1 year.

On the shoots, rather massive leaves are formed in relation to the size of the tree; they are oval in shape and preferably in a monochromatic light green color. Along the sheet, there is a clear streak.

After 2-3 years, the old leaves fall, and in their place grow new ones. But the leaves are considered an integral part of the ripening of the fruit. They contain and accumulate the necessary nutrients. Need up to 15 pcs. for ripening a single fruit.

Flowering usually takes place in spring, but at home, it can occur at any time. The flowers are white, or cream.

The ripening of a lemon is very slow, in its natural environment for at least half a year, it can even reach a year at home, so there may be fruits and new flowers on the bush at the same time. The fruit tastes sour with plenty of vitamin C. When ripe, they change color to bright yellow and the fruit must be picked, they do not fall off. The tree can exist and bear fruit for more than 40 years, there are up to 60.

Lemon varieties

Lemon care at home

Location: The plant tolerates sunlight quite well, but starting from spring, it is necessary to gradually accustom it to it. In the hot period, especially at lunchtime, you need to prune the room lemon. Like most citrus plants, they are extremely sensitive to sudden changes in light and frequent changes in the situation; leaves and flowers begin to fall off.

In winter, artificial light can extend the daylight for 10-12 hours. It is better to choose windows with an exit to the east, or the west, where there is no lunch sun. Shade-tolerant varieties are able to grow on the north side.

Direct sunlight, leaves burning, brown spots appear on the surface. It is necessary to regularly ventilate the room, but especially the room lemon is afraid of drafts.

Temperature: When reaching 12-14 degrees, the tree can be carried out to the open area. In the spring, the flowering process begins and the temperature exceeds 20 degrees, leading to a drop in color. But in early spring, beware of low rates and frost at night. Cover the bush with gauze, or take it to closed spaces. With the onset of autumn and cold snaps, when the temperature drops to 10-12 degrees, the tree is taken into the apartment, but also it is necessary to accustom to the heat gradually. Optimal wintering rates of 14-16 degrees. Such a regime will ensure optimal ripening of the fruit and protect the leaves.

Humidity: Low humidity, very destructive for the plant, especially during the heating season, where in addition, the temperature can reach over 22-25 degrees. It is necessary 2-3 times a day, moisturize, or spray the leaves with warm distilled or soft water, and also put the pot on the tray with moist clay.

Watering: Since spring, the tree needs regular and abundant watering, before the onset of cold weather. In the fall, watering smoothly reduced. All excess water is poured from the pallet, otherwise fragile roots will begin to rot. In the summer-spring period, the earthen room should be constantly wet, with the onset of winter, it is watered only after the upper layer dries out. Insufficient watering leads to yellowing of the leaves and further shedding. Water used is soft, rainy, or separated at room temperature. It is usually watered in the early morning, or after sunset, in order to avoid large evaporation.

Soil: For lemon, use purchased soil for citrus ornamental plants, or make their own: turf and leaf soil, sand, peat. All components are mixed in the same proportions. At the bottom of the pot pre-make good drainage.

Transplantation: Up to 4-5 years, the plant needs annual transplanting. Mature trees have a branched fragile root system, and transplanting can adversely affect a shrub. Replace annually only the upper layer of the earth, and completely transplanted every 3-4 years. When transferring, the roots of a plant are transferred to a new pot along with an earthy ball, only the necessary amount of earth is sprinkled.

At the bottom of the pre-put on the ¼ part of the drainage of expanded clay. It is planted in a loose substrate, which should pass water and air well. Pots pick up high, better clay with a hole at the bottom to release excess water when watering. Large individuals are planted in wooden tubs of hard wood.

Reproduction: There are several ways of reproduction of lemon and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Reproduction can occur: seeds, cuttings, vaccinations.

Seeds. With seed reproduction, good and high-quality fruits come out of the lemon, the process is less whimsical and does not require special care conditions. But one of the major shortcomings, only after 6-7 years, the first fruiting begins to appear, and the full-fledged phase begins after 12-15 years. Improper care of the crown with a large number of young shoots, further delays the period of fruiting. If you plant dormant buds in the shoot from a fruit tree, in 2-4 years, you will see the first fruits of lemons.

From ripe lemon precisely adapted to room conditions, take seeds. Immediately after ripening, the seeds are sown in the ground from sand and humus, taken in equal quantities, deepening no more than 1 cm. Plates take 7-10 cm in diameter. Until the seeds sprout, the temperature is kept around 25 degrees with regular watering.

A month later, they will appear, first ascend, protect them from direct sunlight. 2 times a month, add fertilizer in the form of a 1% solution of nitrate and manure slightly diluted with water. Only 3-4 leaves will appear, young saplings dive into separate pots.

Inoculation This is a method of grafting a bud (eye) onto a young shoot, taken from a fruiting shrub. Cuttings taken, which have 2-3 years, placed in wet sand. Those shoots from which cuttings are cut, remove all the leaves.

For grafting, take seedlings for 2-3 years, grown in room conditions, pre-preparing for the process of grafting. The shoots are diverted to the side, at the seedling, where the bud will be planted, for 15-20 days they are cut, thereby saving internal juices.

The stem is wiped with a damp cloth and made with a sharp knife 5 cm from the ground, a transverse incision of the bark, then longitudinal by 2 cm. It is necessary to cut the upper layer (bark) without damaging the shoot itself.

Take one eye, from the middle of the cutting, there they are better formed and inserted into a T-like incision. Place wrapped with electrical tape or cloth. After 2-3 weeks, the kidney should settle down. Insulating tape unwound and slightly weaken. After another 2 weeks, the stock is cut 3-5 cm above the grafting and the place is covered with oil paint.

The best period for this is the beginning - the middle of spring, when the highest juiciness, although in lemons adapted for indoor conditions, the term may be at the end of summer.

Cuttings. Perhaps one of the easiest and most reliable ways, not only for lemon, but also for other indoor decorative fruit-bearing bushes. 3-4 years after grafting, the young sprout will begin to bear fruit.

In the middle of summer, cut off the shoot and placed in a container with moistened sand, constantly keeping the humidity and temperature of 25 degrees. Cut off last year's shoots, where the thickness does not exceed 4-5 mm. Length about 10 cm and must have at least 3 buds. The upper and lower sections are made from the kidney 3 cm higher and lower, respectively.

After being placed in the sand, the glass bulb is closed on top for better rooting. Use or sand in its pure form, or with the addition of earth. Regularly spray the stalk and protect it from direct sunlight. After a month, the roots should appear, and the upper kidney will begin to grow. The temperature is reduced to 18-22 degrees.

There is another method of breeding taps, but this method is rarely used through a number of inconveniences. Spend it from spring to mid-summer.

Top dressing: The lemon, as well as any tree, for maturing of a fruit, needs fertilizer. During the period of active growth, the bush is fed twice a month with organic and mineral fertilizers in a liquid state. In the winter period, supplements are reduced by 4 times, or they are not added at all while maintaining not higher than 14 degrees.

The state of the room lemon will speak for itself.

Lack of nitrogen leads to yellowing of leaves and decrease in fruitfulness, the fruit loses its qualities and sizes.
An insufficient amount of nitrogen causes the leaves to fall off, the color becomes pale and dull.
Potassium - its deficiency affects the fruits, the amount decreases and the size decreases, the folding of the leaves increases.
Reducing the amount of iron leads to yellowing, and further fall of the leaves, begins to dry the upper part of the bush.
Calcium is the main element in the growth of any plant. Lemon noticeably slows down in growth and maturation, becomes pale and gradually dies off.

Often use complex commercial fertilizer for citrus plants. The consistency is added according to the specified instructions, an excessive amount is detrimental to the plant.

Organic fertilizer in the form of humus, diluted in water, is also well suited. You can add blood to the water from the meat of animals. When washing meat, water is collected and poured wood.

Pruning: For successful fruiting, it is necessary to trim the extra branches, otherwise the bush will grow chaotically.

The first time on reaching 20-30 cm, the young lemon is cut off the top, by itself, giving pomp. This is done at the end of winter. There should be at least 4-6 buds that will release new side shoots. Of these shoots, leave only 3-4, evenly spaced in all directions.

After growth, these shoots also cut the tops and leave also 3-5 buds. From these buds will grow new shoots of the second level.

Having reached level 4 of the shoots, the formation of the crown ends and the fruiting process begins. Further constantly it is necessary to carry out pinching (pruning) of new shoots.

Fruiting also has its own characteristics, for even ripening, some flowers are evenly spread throughout the bush. Abundant flowering depletes the tree, the fruits become small in size, and in the second year may not bear fruit.

Pests and Diseases: The main pests that damage the lemon tree are: scytworm, spider mite, thrips.

A spider mite appears on the bottom of the leaves. To remove, the leaves are treated with a solution of actellic.

On the new shoots and leaves, a scythe appears, drinking the sap of the plant. The leaves turn yellow, with a long lesion, the bush dies.

The thrips appearing on the leaves slow down the growth of the plant and cause yellowing.

Most of the pests are washed off with a cloth and soap solution, or garlic solution.

Lemon Care Difficulties

Wither and curl leaves - too dry earthy clod, water lemon with water, increase the humidity of the room, but do not fertilize until the former form is restored.
Leaves fall - too dry, or wet soil, air humidity is less than 50-60%, temperature conditions are disturbed, drafts.
Falling leaves and dry branches - excessive watering. Wait for the soil to dry completely, then resume watering, but less intensively.
Twisted and darkened the tips of the leaves - cause, burns from direct sunlight.
Falling and wilting of leaves - exhaustion of the tree. There should be at least 12 leaves per fruit, all other ovaries should be removed.
Yellowing of leaves from the middle to the edge - overheating of the pot (earth) in the sun.
Leaves fall sharply - excessive fertilizer burned the roots. Keep the soil constantly wet and do not fertilize until the lemon is restored to its previous appearance.
The leaves change chaotically their shape, curl, shrivel - The reason, most likely in a change of location, or improper fertilizer (one component is missing, and the other is too much). After adaptation, everything should be restored. Apply only purchased citrus plant food. Fertilizer is diluted according to the instructions, but 2 times lower concentration.

It is widely known to the inhabitants of our planet for the past 8 centuries. In the XII century, the inhabitants of the Indian state domesticated this citrus tree and began to use its fruits not only in cooking, but also in medicine.

Today, this beautiful can be grown for decorative purposes right in the apartments. In the article we will talk about how to grow and plant a lemon at home, how to care for and treat it from various diseases.

Indoor Lemon: Choice of Variety for Home Growing

Propagated by lemon plants or grafting. This is a must and it is worth paying attention to when purchasing.

The seller must be asked whether the plant was imported from Armenia, Georgia or Azerbaijan. After all, the seedlings in these countries were separated from the trees growing under the open sky, and they will not survive in your apartment.

You need to buy a lemon plant grafted on the "Trifoliat", since this is the best option for decorative cultivation in our climate zone.

It is necessary to buy lemon saplings only from trusted sellers, and ask them in detail all the data about the seedling. For the southern regions of our country the most suitable varieties of lemon will be "Lisbon", "Genoa", "Meier", "Maikop".

If the cultivation of lemon at home will occur in the northern regions, then you need to look for such varieties: "Pavlovsky", "Kursky", "Lunario", "Ponderoza".

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

In order for a citrus plant not to feel discomfort and grow under the most optimal conditions, it must be properly planted, the best place in the apartment should be selected.

The choice of space in the room

From the right place in the home will depend on the fate of homemade lemon. If you place this plant on (many people place it there), then you need to carefully monitor the temperature differences that the lemon tree does not tolerate well.

Natural sunlight will fall on the crown of the plant only a few hours a day (in the morning or in the evening, depending on the location of the balcony), while the heat from the rooms will be regular, within +20 ° C.

Heat masses from a heater or batteries will also warm only one part of the citrus plant. The result will be a constant temperature differential, due to which it can often shed leaves or even die.

To avoid this, on the balcony you need to maintain a stable temperature throughout the volume.
If you place a room lemon on the windowsill, then again, the sun's rays will illuminate only one part of the crown. In addition, the summer heat can contribute to the shrinkage of the root system.

To prevent this, the citrus tree should be regularly and daily deployed. Of course, the most ideal option for placing a tree will be a bay window, where lighting will occur in a more or less normal way.

However, in winter, citrus plants require different conditions. From the beginning of November to mid-February, it is better to “slow down” growth, to do the so-called artificial rest stage.

Due to the fact that in winter the sun rays no longer warm, the tree should be at temperatures of + 5–10 ° C. Moreover, it is important that any sharp temperature drop may adversely affect.

Therefore, if the lemon is contained on the balcony or in the bay window, then try not to open the door there for longer than 5 minutes, otherwise the thermal masses will begin to fill the space of the colder room.

I would also like to note that an ideal place for citrus tree growth will be a room with a glass roof, where a stable temperature of about +20 ° C and high humidity are maintained.

How to choose a container for planting lemon at home

In order to properly plant a lemon at home, you need to know how to choose the optimal capacity. The lemon tree planting pot can be made from any material: plastic, wood, metal, ceramics, etc.

When buying a container, pay attention to the fact that its upper diameter should be no more than 15 cm, and at the very bottom there should be several small holes for draining excess water.

The height of the pot should be 15–20 cm. It is better not to buy particularly high containers, since the roots of the lemon are small and you only take a lot of space on the balcony.

What should be the soil for homemade harvest

At the bottom of the pot you need to make a drainage with a height of 3-5 cm. It is made of sand or. However, ash combined with sand will be the best drainage. The bottom of the pot should be filled with 3 cm of ash, and then filled with a 2 cm layer of sand.

Ground for homemade lemon should be special, from your garden or just will not work. It is best to buy this soil in specialized stores. Just ask the vendors if they have room citrus plants.
If you do not have the opportunity to buy soil, you can prepare it yourself. To do this, you need to take forest land (top layer, no deeper than 10 cm, preferably under old, except and), river sand, humus and wood ash (ashes can be purchased at the store, as well as sand with humus).

It is important to respect the proportions in the preparation of lemon: for two glasses of forest soil you need to add a glass of sand, 3 tablespoons of humus and 1 tablespoon of wood ash.

Stir the mixture with water until a creamy mass is obtained. This mass needs to fill the pot so that the roots of the lemon are completely covered. After 6 months, it is advisable to transplant the tree to a wider container (20–25 cm in diameter).

Features planting lemon home

The water that flows from the taps in high-rise buildings is not suitable for watering a room lemon, as it contains many alkaline metal macronutrients, as well as chlorine ions. Such water can cause leaf chlorosis and other tree diseases.
It is best to take water from a well or a well, defend it during the day, and then water the plant. But if you do not have the opportunity to collect some water from a well or a well, then take hot water from the tap (the chlorine content is minimized in it) and infuse it for 24–36 hours.

Water temperature for irrigation should be + 30–35 ° С, especially in the winter season.

A container for watering a lemon tree should be with a narrow neck. When watering, tilt it close to the soil, so that a strong water pressure could not expose the root system of the plant.

Water need not regret, water the lemon until then, until you see the liquid flowing out of the lower holes. This will mean that all the soil along with the roots is saturated with water.

Excess water can be removed from the pan 30–40 minutes after watering. It should also be noted that a citrus plant in a natural range grows in a tropical, humid climate, where frequent rainfall is normal.

Therefore, try 1-2 times a day to spray lemon leaves with water. So you can create optimal humidity.

How to fertilize lemon

In autumn, when the lemon is prepared for the rest period, it can be watered with natural black tea 2–3 times at weekly intervals. In the period from November to February, the plant does not need feeding, as it is at rest.

How and when to prune the plant

There is a lot of information on how to rejuvenate and trim a room lemon. Some recommend cutting the plant in the fall, the second - in the winter, and others - in the spring.

Moreover, each of the “specialists” has a lot of positive arguments in the direction of his own method of pruning.

Autumn pruning, which takes place in November, allegedly increases the fruiting of the tree, winter pruning (in February) causes minimal damage to the tree, and spring - stimulates the growth of young shoots, respectively, increases fructification and strengthens the tree.
Therefore, from a professional point of view, the most optimal period for the rejuvenation and pruning of citrus trees will be spring, when the process of budding and flowering begins.

Cut the lemon plant is needed in order to form a crown, give growth to young shoots and provide the maximum possible coverage of the entire plant.

Therefore, in the process of pruning, it is necessary to take into account the fact that a very dense plant will constantly need sunlight, in addition, a thick lemon will produce fewer fruits.

The first pruning of a citrus tree should be done only when it reaches a height of at least 20 cm. First, a zero-order shoot (main trunk of the tree) is cut at a height of 20–30 cm (4 developed buds are left).

Over time, there will appear lateral skeletal branches, on which beautiful lemon fruits will ripen. Shoots of the first and second order are cut to a height of 20-25 cm.
Only those that interfere with the growth of young shoots are completely removed. Shoots of the third order are cut at a height of 15 cm, the fourth - 10 cm. Shoots of subsequent orders are not cut.

Lemon tree transplant basics at home

There are several reasons for transplanting lemon tree, and you need to be able to identify them in a timely manner:

The lemon has grown a lot and there is little room in the old pot. Liberally water the plant, turn the pot to a horizontal position and try to remove the tree along with the earthy ball. If roots stick out from all sides, an immediate transfer to a wider and deeper container is necessary.
Lemon tree struck root rot. If the roots of citrus began to produce an unpleasant rotten smell, they should be washed in potassium permanganate, and the plant should be urgently planted in a new pot with new soil.
Crashed pot plant. In this case, you need to purchase a new container, and for a while wrap the lemon tree root system with a wet rag (in this form, the tree cannot be kept longer than a day). When transplanting into the soil you need to add the drug.
The plant has ceased to actively grow and bear fruit. This is a sign that it lacks trace elements in the soil and room for normal growth and development of the roots, so a transplant is required, and the sooner the better.

If you find a reason for transplanting in your tree, then you need to act immediately. The transplant rules are very similar to the planting rules, so you need to pick up the pot and soil for filling as described in several points above.

But during transplantation, it is necessary to focus on the state of the root system of the adult lemon tree. If some processes are affected by rot and an unpleasant smell emanates from them, then carefully remove all rotten roots.

Then pour some soil into a new pot and add “Kornevina” there. Insert a tree with a lump on the root system and sprinkle with soil to the desired level.

Since in the first month the root system of the lemon will actively dissolve its roots throughout the entire container, try to feed the plant at least once a week.

Difficulties in growing indoor lemon

Growing a gorgeous lemon tree at home is not so easy, difficulties always await in the most unexpected places.

In order for the citrus plant not to hurt and regularly bear fruit, we need timely watering, fertilizing, maintaining temperature and humidity, regular lighting, timely transplanting, etc.

All the listed subtleties in the care of a tree should be performed regularly and in a timely manner, and this is difficult even for housewives who are constantly at home, because you can always forget and miss some point in the care. For example, improper lighting and failure in temperature conditions can cause early leaf fall, and excessive watering can cause root rot.

Without fertilizing, the tree will not be able to grow and bear fruit normally, and low humidity will cause the leaves to turn yellow. All these difficulties always make you think before buying a lemon tree.
But many citrus enthusiasts claim that over the years, all difficulties disappear, and people get used to their plants. Caring for them no longer seems so difficult, moreover, a new experience appears, and citrus fruits begin to grow and bear fruit more actively.

Plant Diseases and Pests

The most common homemade lemon disease is yellowing of the leaves. The causes of this phenomenon can be many different factors, depending on which and need to take measures for treatment. The main causes of yellowed leaves:

low air humidity;
irregular and improper feeding;
increased air temperature during the rest period (from November to February, the lemon tree should be maintained at temperatures of + 6–10 ° C);
defeat

The first three reasons are eliminated by mechanical methods, and to combat it you need to use chemicals such as “Kleschevit”, etc.

Sometimes the leaves of the lemon tree may fall out of time. Such a phenomenon may be associated again with the presence of a spider mite. But besides it, unstable temperature conditions, poor lighting, as well as low humidity of the soil and air can contribute to leaf fall.

Moreover, improper care of citrus plants provokes drying of young green leaves.

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