How to care for a lemon in a pot at home? Lemon tree from seed at home: planting features, care rules, pests and diseases Caring for fruit-bearing lemon at home.

If desired, anyone can grow a lemon tree at home. Care at home is not particularly difficult, but there are, of course, certain points. If you do everything correctly, then in the 5th or 7th year you can expect fruits from the plant you grew yourself. evergreen leaves lemon tree They release phytoncides, refresh the air in the room, and emit a delicate, unobtrusive aroma.

Fragrant, tasty, healthy citrus is familiar to everyone; we see its bright yellow fruits on store shelves all year round. Lemon is good as a fruit, useful as a preventative drug, tasty as candied fruit, and simply beautiful, like an exotic indoor tree. However, even dark green leathery lemon leaves look beautiful and at the same time have a beneficial effect on the human body.

Lemon tree, photo:

Depending on the variety, the lemon tree may be different sizes. If the goal is precisely the fruits, and not just decorative function, then you can get the result in two ways. Citrus grown from cuttings will begin to bear fruit earlier (with proper care), but the plant from the seed will be healthier and actively developing.

If you do not want to bother yourself with the germination/growing process, you can purchase ready-made lemon bushes and seedlings in specialized departments and stores. You can buy a lemon tree in an online store that belongs to a botanical garden, for example, or from amateur breeders. If you are not looking for easy ways, you are interested in the process of plant birth itself, then you will find information about how in another article. The planting method itself is not very different from the technology for growing other citrus crops.

Lemon tree care?

An important stage of care is proper lighting at home. The permanent location of the lemon should be well lit, but direct sunlight should still be avoided. How to care for a lemon tree? Try to decide in advance permanent place residence of the plant, since it does not like to be moved. To ensure that the crown develops evenly, you can gently turn the lemon towards the light. This process must be done slowly and gradually.

For harmonious growth and development, the plant at home must be replanted annually. Each time the container should be larger; during replanting, the roots and soil are carefully moved into a new pot, the missing amount of soil is added to the required volume. Soil for indoor lemon should be similar in composition to the previous soil.

When the plant reaches a certain size and the pot holds 10 liters, replanting can be stopped. Now you only have to periodically update the top layer of soil (twice a year), feed the plant with fertilizers (Vermisol, Humisol, Biohumus - for citrus crops).

Caring for a young tree at home at first does not include fertilizing, but with the onset of summer, you can add a little fertilizer to the water for irrigation. The plant is very capricious; it requires a delicate approach regarding the ambient temperature and moisture. There should be no sudden changes - if something goes wrong, the plant will react by losing leaves.

How to prune a lemon tree? Pruning shapes the crown and prevents it from growing to large sizes, which is very important if you have a small apartment. Crown care should begin with young when the plant reaches 20-30 cm in height. Thus, the top of the tree is cut off, the side shoots are cut off at the level of the 5th leaf, the lower branches (those located close to the soil) are also removed - this makes it possible for the trunk to fully develop.

If you see too much crown splendor on one side, then carefully trim off the excess and give the tree the desired shape. Branch pruning is always done just above the leaf. The lower branches should be longer than the upper ones. Pruning should be carried out only when it is really required (stimulating the growth of new branches, rejuvenating an old tree). Frequent cutting of branches can weaken the plant.

Should I prune my lemon tree according to the time of year? There are several approaches to this process: the best time for pruning is spring. March is best. Often pruning is done when the lemon is flowering and buds are setting. Winter pruning is also used: if the plant is already bearing fruit, then it should be done after harvesting.

Lemon blooms very profusely and spreads a truly magical aroma. The houseplant lemon tree has bisexual flowers, so fruit set occurs spontaneously. If you want to increase productivity, you can use artificial pollination techniques. To do this, the flowers must be ripe; use a soft brush to collect pollen from the stamens and carefully transfer it to the pistil (sticky top). This is a rather monotonous process, but very effective. Additionally, you can insure yourself with fruit formation stimulants and plant growth regulators - Ovary and Bud fertilizers (spraying).

The ideal temperature for the growth of foliage and branches is +16..18ºC, for the harmonious development of fruits – 22..23ºC. Sudden changes in temperature, very high, as well as too low, have an extremely negative impact on the general condition of the lemon tree.

The soil temperature at home should be approximately the same as the air temperature. Sometimes the lemon is taken out to “ventilate”, for example, on the balcony, and then brought into the room - this is not advisable. Such changes are stressful for the lemon. It reacts by dropping leaves. Because cold ground and warm room air create an unfavorable temperature difference.

How to water a lemon tree at home?

The most vigilant care for lemon extends from autumn to spring (October-March). In winter, batteries and heating devices work actively at home, drying the air. For this reason, the plant should be placed away from sources of active heat, the radiators should sometimes be covered with a damp cloth and the crown should be irrigated daily with water. Such care also requires compliance with measures, because excessive moisture of the lemon threatens the development of fungus. You can also place containers of water next to the pots - the evaporation of moisture has a beneficial effect on the plant. With the onset of summer heat, it is recommended to wipe lemon leaves with a damp cloth.

How often to water lemon at home? Here you need to adhere to the golden mean - do not allow the soil to dry out and do not overfill it. Boiled water at room temperature is suitable for irrigation; twice a week will be enough. If it happens that you overdo it with watering (the soil begins to rot), then you need to change the soil in the pot as quickly as possible. Clay pots are ideal containers for growing lemons at home; they evaporate excess moisture well and allow the soil to “breathe.”

If the lemon dries out

Sometimes on gardening forums you can see requests for help: “the lemon tree is drying up, what should I do?!” - often this situation arises again from a lack of moisture and dry air in the room. Improper care: lack of lighting, stagnation of water in the soil are secondary reasons for lemon drying out. Sometimes such unfavorable changes can occur due to an attack by a pest - a spider mite.

If we know how to cope with a lack of moisture, then more radical measures are needed to combat mites. Treating a lemon tree with insecticides will put an end to harvesting, since after it it will be impossible to eat the fruits. But there is a way out - ultraviolet light (UV lamp) kills spider mites in 2-3 minutes and such a short “irradiation” of the plant at home will be enough.

The cause of drying out may also be seasonal acclimatization of the plant. You will have to trim off the dried branches. And in the spring, new shoots will appear in their place. The lack of micro- and macroelements is also expressed in the form of drying out; the introduction of the necessary fertilizing and balanced fertilizers solves this problem. Nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium supplements or the Root Feeder fertilizer (KP-5) will help the tree come to life and receive all the missing nutrients.

Pavlova lemon

As we can see, lemon requires careful care and compliance with the rules of cultivation, but the result of such efforts cannot but please. A beautiful plant with vitamin-rich fruits is a worthy gift that the lemon tree gives us. it's not that complicated if you know all the nuances.

Plant lovers grow citrus fruits even on the windowsill. What factors do you pay attention to in order to see flowering and enjoy exotic fruits?

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

Factors that affect lemon growth

The lemon that is grown on your windowsill may be slightly different from those sold in the markets. This is due to the fact that for home breeding choose indoor varieties. Particularly prized are small lemons, which have very thin peels. In addition, they look very bright and beautiful on the window. Larger fruits will have a dense and thick skin, and will look no less exotic.

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

No less important for the growth of lemons is the level of illumination in the room. The right place for a tree indoors is chosen taking into account the fact that it does not like direct sunlight. The most ideal location will have a good amount of light throughout the day, but this light will be diffuse.

Dishes for the tree are also important. To enter the phase of active growth and formation of the ovaries of future fruits, it should be placed in a tighter pot. If the root system is too spacious, the flowering phase will be delayed indefinitely. Dishes made from natural materials are ideal for planting plants. These are clay products or boxes made of wood.

The land has no room for growth special significance. But it must meet the qualities of air and water permeability. The soil mixture 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 time when the ambient temperature tends to rise. In winter, watering frequency is reduced. Older trees require more moisture. It is advisable that watering be carried out with prepared water. Pre-filled in a container and left to stand will do. You can also use thawed water, although most perfect option- rain.

In order for the lemon tree to bear fruit, it is fed. Any of the organic or mineral types of fertilizers will be suitable. The frequency of this procedure should not be too intense. The optimal period of time is after 20 days.

Lemon care at different times of the year

To grow a lemon, caring for the plant at home 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 subsequently become fragrant fruits. The temperature should be in the range of 14-18 degrees. An excessively warm room will cause the buds and ovaries to drop. And such an event can provoke the death of the entire tree.

Fresh air is good for the natural growth of lemongrass. From the moment the air temperature outside the window stabilizes at 13-14 degrees, the plant can be placed on the balcony or terrace for the entire warm period. However, they monitor possible temperature changes due to possible further frost and a decrease in temperature at night. To avoid the death of the plant, it is wrapped.

In summer, open sunlight poses 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 the fruit. Optimal conditions for this period include moderate temperatures (16-18 degrees). Be sure to maintain optimal humidity (about 70%). Another important condition good condition of the tree in winter is the exclusion of air flows that come from heating sources. The pot with lemon is removed away from heaters and radiators. It is also provided with a light source for at least 12 hours.

The lemon tree is quite capricious to care for. Excessively high temperatures are not suitable for it, nor are too low temperatures. Watering should be moderate, but very dry soil should be avoided. The plant does not like direct sunlight, but requires prolonged exposure to diffused light throughout the day. Without taking into account and fulfilling all these conditions, it is impossible to achieve the appearance of ovaries, which will subsequently delight you with fragrant fruits. Timely watering and fertilizing, proper soil are also of great importance.

Mistakes when growing lemons on video

You bought a young lemon tree in the hope of receiving harvests of fragrant fruits all year round for tea parties and strengthening the immune system.

And it will really bear a lot of fruit if you know how to care for a lemon: water, feed, replant, etc. We will learn all the intricacies of caring for lemon trees grown at home, including crown formation and fruit harvesting.

Indoor lemon: care at home

Lemon care consists of regular watering, sufficient lighting, fertilizing, compliance temperature regime and air humidity. It is equally important to know how to replant a homemade lemon.

Having decided to grow a lemon tree at home, familiarize yourself with the intricacies of care:

Watering the lemon

How to water a lemon? During the cold season, starting in October and until spring, water the tree moderately once a week using warm water. In the spring and summer months, as well as in September, we thoroughly water the soil with warm water once a day. Periodically loosen upper layer land.

The main thing in watering a lemon is to avoid stagnation of water in the soil, leading to rotting of the roots, and not to overdry the earthen ball: this can lead to the leaf curling and the leaves and lemons falling off.

Lighting for lemon

How to care for homemade lemon in terms of lighting? Lemons don't need long daylight hours if you want more fruit rather than leaves. The tree bears fruit well in bright, diffused light: it is best to keep it on windows facing east. If the window is south, be sure to protect the plant from direct sunlight in summer.

To ensure that the crown grows evenly, we turn the lemon tree in the direction of the sun twice a month. And we don’t allow low light: in partial shade and shade, the leaf grows slowly, and the fruits turn out to be too sour.

Temperature

Caring for homemade lemon requires maintaining a certain air temperature.

• While the lemon is growing and gaining green mass, or blooming, we keep it in a room where the temperature is 17-20 degrees.
• When the fruits appear and ripen, the temperature is needed a couple of degrees higher.
• In winter, during the dormant period, a temperature of no higher than 14 degrees is required, or 18°C, if the plant is not yet “sleeping” - in this case, we provide it with 12 hours of daylight with the help of phytolamps.

Do not keep the lemon in a hot room or allow sudden temperature changes.

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

Indoor lemon: care at home

Humidity level for lemon

We figured out how to water a lemon: we find out what level of air humidity is suitable for growing it. It needs quite high humidity, especially in the hot season - in summer or during the heating season.

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

To increase the level of humidity, place a wide-necked jar filled with water near the pot with lemon so that it evaporates, or place the pot in a tray, placing moisture-evaporating material in it.

Third option: turn on a household humidifier next to the plant.

Lemon feeding

Indoor lemon needs regular feeding: in the summer - every week, in the winter - every month (if there are fruits).

How to feed lemon? With mineral and organic fertilizers, water the plant 2 hours before the procedure so as not to burn the roots.

• Fertilization with minerals. For feeding you will need ready-made product type of “citrus mixture”, in which the proportions N:P:K are 14:16:18. We dilute it in water according to the attached instructions and water the soil.
• Organic fertilizer. We make an infusion by mixing 1 part water and 1 part mullein (horse manure) and, after waiting 7 days, dilute it with water: mullein infusion - 1 to 15, horse ball infusion - 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 lemon plants in a pot, which we will learn today how to care for, need to be replanted 1 and 2 years after planting.

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

We simply transfer the plant, carefully shaking off some of the old soil, into another pot with soil. The diameter of the new pot should be 4 cm larger than the diameter of the previous one.

Subsequently, we replant the plant every two years, when the growing season begins. When replanting, do not forget to put 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 the lemon is blooming or bearing fruit.

Crown formation

As the lemon grows, the crown should be trimmed - in the spring, at a low stem of about 18 cm, before the green mass begins to grow. We cut off the shoots, leaving 5 leaves, so that by the time fruiting begins the tree will branch out.

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

Forming the crown of an indoor lemon

Lemon blossom on the windowsill and harvest

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

• At the first flowering, we pick off half of the flowers and leave no more than 4 fruits from the formed ovaries.
• During the second flowering, we leave only 6 fruits.
• During the third flowering, we leave 8 fruits, etc.

Regulating flowering is necessary to maintain a strong and healthy lemon tree: excess inflorescences will quickly deplete it. Each ovary should have at least 10 developed leaves.

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

Lemons can bear fruit up to 4 times a year: it depends on the variety. It takes about 6-8 weeks for the fruit to develop and begin to ripen. The peel of fully ripened lemons takes on a rich golden hue: this means it’s time to harvest.

If you delay picking, 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 lemons at home so that they grow strong and healthy and produce a lot of fruit. Follow all the rules for keeping an indoor lemon, and it will delight you with beautiful flowering and abundant fruiting all year round.

How to care for lemon at home? This question interests every inexperienced gardener. After all, it is care that affects the growth and fruiting of the plant. Lemon is a very healthy citrus for the human body. With its help you can prepare delicious tea and boost your immunity.

Proper care of lemons is a guarantee of fruit production

So if you want everything healthy vitamins, you need to know how to care for a lemon tree.

Watering lemon

Home care primarily involves proper watering. In cold weather, water homemade lemon once a week. To do this, you need to settle warm water in advance. In the warm season, watering is necessary once a day, because in the heat any plant requires a lot of liquid.

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

Lighting

It’s worth knowing about proper lighting if you’re wondering “how to care for indoor lemon.” After all, no plant can exist without sunlight. The lemon tree does not need long daylight hours. The amount of light only affects the formation of leaves, not fruits. It is better to keep the tree at home on the windowsill, which is located in the east.

If there are no windows on the right side, then you need to protect the plant from direct sunlight. To properly form the crown, you need to turn the tree several times a month.

The shade negatively affects the development of lemon. Try to properly care for the lemon, then such problems will not arise.

The lemon tree loves color, but not direct sunlight.

Air temperature

Caring for lemons at home requires temperature control. This is one of the main conditions for lemon fruiting.

The temperature regime for lemon should be as follows:

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

For lemon at home, care in terms of temperature conditions must be strictly observed. The slightest changes cause illness and lead to death.

In summer, lemons can be taken out into the fresh air.

Humidity level

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

To increase the humidity level, you need to place a small container of water next to the pot, which will evaporate and create optimal conditions for tree growth. If you wish, you can purchase a special air humidifier, which should be in the same room as the lemon.

Top dressing

Caring for indoor lemon includes feeding it. In summer, it is carried out once every seven days, and in winter - every month, if the lemon bears fruit. If there are no fruits, then you can do this less often. Caring for a lemon tree involves fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers.

Before you deposit useful material, the plant is watered. This will avoid burns to the roots. If you are using ready-made mineral fertilizer, then the proportion of substances (N:P:K) is 14:16:18. Use the product according to the instructions.

Organic fertilizers for lemons must be prepared correctly. To do this, you need to fill the manure with water and leave it for a week. After which 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 is an excellent organic fertilizer for lemons.

Transfer

Growing a lemon includes not only proper care, but also replanting it. It is recommended to do this to trees every two years while they are young. In the spring, you need to purchase special soil and, using the transshipment method, transplant the lemon into a pot that is 4 cm in diameter larger than the previous one. Thanks to the transshipment 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 expanded clay drainage and charcoal. You cannot replant a tree during flowering and during the period when it bears fruit. Proper planting is the key to tree health.

Lemon transplantation is carried out in the spring

Flowering and fruiting of lemon

Lemon trees must be looked after carefully, especially during the period when flowers appear on it. This first happens two years after sowing the seeds. When a plant blooms, you cannot leave all the flowers on it, because... To. young tree is not able to grow all the ovaries that appear.

Flower removal process:

1. For the first time, a flowering lemon is cut off in half, leaving the ovaries for four fruits.
2. When the tree begins to bloom for the second time, leave the ovaries for six lemons.
3. The third time, the ovaries for eight fruits should be left on the lemon.

These manipulations with the tree allow you to properly care for it and achieve active fruiting. How older tree the more lemons it will produce. Therefore, you should not be afraid to pick off flowers.

The plant bears fruit about four times a year, depending on the variety and care. From the moment of development to the moment of maturation, approximately 6 months pass.

A fully ripened fruit has a golden skin. You should not delay harvesting, because the lemon will lose all its beneficial properties.

Lemon blossoms should be regulated

Lemon pollination in pots

Flowering and fruiting occur only in mature plants. If the lemon is still young, it is recommended to pick off all the flowers. To bear fruit, the tree must have about 20 mature leaves. Early fruiting exhausts the plant and it may die. If the tree has grown stronger, then you need to wait until it blooms, and then you can pollinate.

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

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

Using prepared tools, carefully collect pollen from the stamens and transfer it to the pistils. Do this with all the flowers. If you doubt that the pollination process was successful, you can repeat it.

If desired, you can use special medications. Biological products “Bud” or “Ovary” are popular. They allow fruits to form in cases where the ovary develops very poorly.

If you have a lemon, caring for it at home will require a lot of work. It belongs to the remontant plants, therefore certain conditions capable of blooming and bearing fruit all year round. But not everyone manages not only to taste the fruits of their citrus, but also to simply admire the flowering. What is the reason? Let's figure it out.

Variety selection

First of all, for planting in the house, you should choose varieties specially bred for these purposes. They do not grow to gigantic dimensions, but at the same time they are characterized high yield. Pay attention to these varieties of dwarf and semi-dwarf lemons:

• Meyer
• Pavlovsky
• Novogruzinsky
• Maykop
• Eureka
• Genoa

Among the most common varieties in our latitudes is Meyer lemon; caring for it is the least troublesome compared to other types. This variety is sometimes called Chinese Dwarf, and its fruits are not as sour as other varieties. Dwarf lemons are not known for their rich harvest, but they will add coziness to the interior of the apartment.

Video about indoor lemon

Tall lemons will certainly delight you with tasty and large fruits, but at the same time they require a lot of time to care for, since in addition to the usual activities, they require more frequent pruning, tying and crown formation. If you are interested in such citrus fruits, choose among the following varieties:

• Novogruzinsky
• Kursk

Creating optimal lighting, temperature and humidity conditions

How to care for lemons in an ordinary city apartment, when there is no heating, the windows face north, or the air is too dry for citrus? You will have to provide the tree with comfortable conditions for growth and development.

The first thing that is important for a lemon is light.

Photo of homemade lemon

To place the pots, it is better to choose south-eastern windows with moderate lighting, if, of course, you are lucky and you have them. But what to do if all your alternative is the north or south side.

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

On the south side of the house there is always plenty of light, and even too much for a lemon. Therefore, during the midday hours it is necessary to shade your citrus, saving it from the destructive effects of direct sunlight, which can leave real burns on the leaves.

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

In the spring, during the budding period, the room temperature should be 14 - 16 degrees. A high degree causes the buds to dry out and drop, while a low degree helps to slow down or even stop this process. During the rest period, room temperature up to 26 degrees is sufficient. If possible, move your pet to a glassed-in balcony for the summer. Fresh air will benefit the lemon and the question of how to care for the lemon will not be so pressing. However, you should be wary of both sudden temperature changes and drafts. Like a true southerner, indoor lemon requires meticulous care.

The photo shows a homemade lemon

Moisture. This parameter is very important for lemon. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the soil in the pot is constantly slightly moist. In summer it is reasonable to increase the number of waterings to 3 times per week, and in winter you can reduce it to 1 time, but spray the air around the tree. This is provided that the heating devices are located far from the plant. Do not water the lemon cold water, which stood 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 - at least 60% humidity. Otherwise, you risk seeing curled, browning leaves on the lemon.

We fertilize, feed...

Lemon, like other plants in your home, needs support, so it needs to be fed periodically.

Young lemon trees do not need additional stimulation; lemons that have reached 3-4 years of age need to be fertilized.

The photo shows a lemon tree

You can purchase specialized mixtures of organic fertilizers, or you can use traditional methods:

• For abundant fruiting, sometimes regular watering is replaced with infusion eggshells. But you should not get carried away with this method, so that excess calcium does not reduce the acidity of the soil.
• If the plant develops normally, it has healthy looking and pleases with flowering, you can refuse to apply fertilizers.
• During the growing season, it is worth feeding the lemon with superphosphate twice (50 grams of fertilizer per 1 liter).
• Ammonium nitrate is highly recommended for improving growth. It is taken in a proportion of 30 grams per liter of water. You can water with this fertilizer monthly.
• Periodically water your lemon with a 7-day infusion of horse manure, diluted ten times.
• Lemon needs microelements for normal development: magnesium, phosphorus, nitrogen and others. To compensate for their deficiency, you can use Citrus mixture fertilizer once a quarter. 2-3 grams of this fertilizer are diluted in a liter of water and used instead of the main watering.

Pruning and replanting indoor lemon

Young lemon trees should be replanted at least once a year.

Copies older than 3 years - with a frequency of 2-3 years. However, the need for a transplant may arise “unplanned”, for example, due to illness or deterioration of the lemon’s condition.

The photo shows a lemon transplant

1. The soil around the trunk is watered generously to soften it, then the tree is carefully removed. In this case, extreme care must be taken so as not to disturb the earthen lump and not touch the root system.
2. If you find spoiled roots, cut them off sharp knife or a blade.
3. For transplantation, take a container 30-50% larger than the previous one. A pot that is too large, like a pot that is too small, will slow growth. Give preference to a cone-shaped container.
4. Place a shard at the bottom of the pot on the drainage hole so that its convex side is on top. Then a layer of drainage (small stones, pebbles), a thin layer of dry manure and earthen mixture is laid.
5. Closer to the center of the pot, a tree is installed along with a lump of earth. Slowly begin to fill the container between the lump and the walls of the pot with soil. You can lightly press the laid soil, but there is no need to compact it tightly.

Lemon pruning is done to form beautiful crown and improved fruiting.

When the height of the tree is 20-25 cm from the ground, pinch the stem, allowing side branches to develop. Please note that the first fruits appear on branches of the 4th-5th order (rows from the bottom) and until they are formed, there is no need to wait for fruits.

Vertically grown branches should be pruned without pity.

To form the correct shape, the flower pot must be carefully rotated relative to the sun every 10 days. Gardeners sometimes improve the crown using copper wire - they secure individual branches with it, giving them the desired direction of growth.

Photo of lemon trimming

The formation of the crown is also carried out at the moments of picking fruits. A ripe lemon is cut off not only with the stalk, but also with a section of the branch itself with 1-2 internodes. This way the growth of the branch is stimulated.

Homemade lemon - emergency care

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

Dried citrus needs watering. By appearance foliage - it becomes yellowish-brownish and sparse - it is easy to guess the cause of the disease. But don’t rush to irrigate the soil abundantly; you can damage the root system. It’s better to pour a little settled water under the root and spray around the crown. You can wrap the trunk with gauze, folded in several layers and soaked in water. Let the tree stand in this “dress” for several hours, but do not leave it overnight.

Excess watering will quickly make itself felt with sudden leaf fall. Healthy-looking leaves suddenly fly off en masse. As soon as a symptom is identified, perform a transplant immediately. Carefully remove the tree from the pot and place it together with the soil ball on newspaper or cardboard to allow the roots to dry. You need to plant it in soil that is slightly moistened and continue to water it moderately.

In the photo there is a homemade lemon with fallen leaves

It is very difficult to save a frozen lemon. In conditions of sudden cold weather, the vital activity of the plant may cease. In addition to the falling of leaves, the trunk darkens when it freezes. You can try to carry out “resuscitation”. To do this, move the lemon to a warmer room and extend daylight hours with the help of artificial lights. It makes sense to transplant into another pot. When removing, be sure to inspect the rhizome and remove dead and rotten parts. Remove dried branches.

Overheating is no less dangerous for citrus. Brown spots that appear on the leaves clearly indicate overheating. Therefore, on hot summer days, move the container with the plant deeper into the room. Make sure that air from the air conditioner does not hit the crown. No additional watering or cooling is required.

Important! You can’t change your place and habitat often; it takes a long time and doesn’t adapt well to new circumstances. Therefore, it slows down growth and fruiting, and may even show signs of disease. Both drafts and unventilated rooms are equally destructive for it.

Photo of lemon tree

Pests and diseases of lemon

The appearance of white flies may indicate stagnation. Their larvae feed on roots and cause significant damage to the plant. Insecticides are used to combat them various types- watering solutions and aerosol forms to kill insects that have managed to hatch. Karbofos and Aktelik are quite effective in combating these insects.

It is necessary to regularly inspect lemon leaves, on which mites and scale insects can settle. Externally, mites resemble tiny spiders. They are distinguished by their orange or brown color, which stands out noticeably against the green background of the back of the leaves. They cover the damaged areas with a thin web, which makes it easy to recognize pests. Wash the twigs and leaves on both sides several times at intervals of three to four days under a shower head with strong water pressure. Repeated spraying with infusions is effective

• garlic (infuse 1 medium-sized head in 0.5 liters of water),
• onion (1 onion, finely grated, poured with a liter of water),
• bay leaf (2-3 leaves per 0.5 liter jar of water)
• strong brew of green tea (for 2 cups) boiled water 2 tbsp. dry tea leaves).

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

Scale insects look like small brown turtles, motionless and tightly attached to the leaves. It's difficult to fight them. Three times at weekly intervals, thoroughly wipe the plant, including leaves on both sides, twigs and trunk, with a mixture of soap and kerosene, taken in a ratio of 1/0.5. Cover the ground with cardboard or polyethylene, wrap the trunk at the very bottom with a narrow bandage to prevent liquid from penetrating into the root system.

Lemons often get sick from improper care. Browning leaves on the outside healthy plant, and even during the flowering period - one of the ailments. In this case, reconsider the conditions of keeping the flower; perhaps it makes sense to replant it. But in this case, choose a different soil than the current one. Perhaps it was the acidity of the soil that caused the disease.

Video about indoor lemon pests

Like the human body, disease prevention is important for citrus fruits. To prevent diseases, follow the regime, replant, and trim damaged areas. Sometimes a sudden illness can be caused by depletion of the plant itself. In this case, limit flowering to a few buds, and, no matter how sorry it is, remove the rest. Each house has its own separate microclimate, which is not always suitable for lemon. The task of the plant owner is to adapt it to existing conditions gradually.

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

Evergreen citrus fruits fit harmoniously into the interior of apartments and offices. Lemon cultivation attracts hobbyists indoor flowers its exoticism, combined with the ease of caring for wood. Many people tried to plant a seed extracted from a sour fruit into a pot, but not everyone was able to achieve the desired result. In order for a plant to please your home with luxurious flowering and fruits to ripen on its branches, you will have to try. And the first step here is a careful study of the cultural requirements for conditions of detention.

Lighting and temperature

The subtropical origin of lemon makes it capricious in terms of temperature. The plant loves warmth, but does not tolerate extreme heat, especially if the air is dry. At home, he will be most comfortable in a room where the air is heated to +10-+22°C. In summer, it is not easy to provide a moderate temperature to the lemon tree in an apartment. Many gardeners get out of the situation by placing a pot with a plant on the loggia. Owners of a private house will be able to take it outside and leave it under a canopy until the fall. In winter, in the room where indoor lemon grows, the temperature should not exceed +14°C. But it should not be allowed to drop below +10°C.

All citrus fruits love light. But compared to its relatives, the lemon tree tolerates a lack of sunlight less painfully. You can even grow it at home on north-facing windows, although it is better to choose the south-east side for the pot. An adult lemon is not afraid of direct rays of the sun. It can also be placed on a windowsill that is oriented to the south. If the plant is young, it will require care in the form of shading. The tree's tender leaves can suffer from sunburn.

In winter, when it gets dark early, indoor lemon needs additional lighting. It is organized using special phytolamps. Certain types of crops easily tolerate short daylight hours and are able to do without additional care. These include low-growing variety Panderosa. If you add coolness (from +7 to +14°C) to the short daylight hours, the plant will enter a dormant period. A hibernating lemon tree is watered very rarely. There is no need to light it up.

Soil and pot

To plant a plant correctly, you need to take into account the characteristics of its root system. Representatives of the genus Citrus do not have root hairs. Soil fungi help lemons absorb water and nutrients from the soil. They can be seen on its thin roots. They look like threads that form thickenings at their ends. Tree roots and fungi interact closely with each other. In the scientific literature, their symbiosis is called mycorrhiza. She is very sensitive to external conditions and can die in an unfavorable environment:

• prolonged drought;
• lack of air;
• sudden drop in temperature (below -7°C);
• extreme heat (if the thermometer rises above +50°C).

From this follow the basic rules for growing lemons:

• do not allow the substrate in the pot to dry out;
• do not flood the tree.

The plant grows well in loose soil rich in nutrients. Its reaction should be neutral (with a pH value in the range of 5.8-6.5). The easiest way is to buy it in a store. ready soil, intended for citrus fruits.

To prepare a nutrient substrate at home yourself, mix three components:

• turf soil (3 parts);
• humus soil (1 part);
• sand (1 part).

If you need to plant an adult lemon, the volume of humus soil is doubled.

You can also fill the pot with a composition of turf soil, deciduous soil and manure humus.

All components are taken in equal proportions. River sand will add looseness to the resulting substrate, and crushed charcoal will enrich it with minerals.

To plant lemon at home, it is better to use clay pot. If the plant is large, it will develop well in a wooden tub. Natural materials will facilitate the penetration of air to the roots of the tree. Place a 2 cm layer of drainage on the bottom of the planting container. You can make it from broken bricks. The drainage layer is covered with sand on top, and then the pot is filled with nutritious substrate.

Reproduction methods

Indoor lemon can be grown from seed, cuttings or layering.

The easiest way to propagate a tree that is already bearing fruit is at home by cutting cuttings from it. Suitable for preparing them are young lemon branches with not yet roughened and flexible wood. They must be one year old or slightly older.

The correct cutting has the following characteristics:

• length not less than 10 cm;
• 3-4 developed buds;
• at least 3 sheets.

The cut line from above should run at a right angle at a distance of 7 mm from the kidney. 1 cm is removed from the lower bud. The cut is made at an angle of 45°. The top of the wound is lubricated with garden varnish. It will protect the cuttings from infection. It is advisable to apply shallow grooves on the lower cut using a needle. This will improve root formation. You can plant cuttings at home in sand or in a nutrient substrate. Having made a small depression, place the cut branch in it. There is no need to press it into the soil.

Before planting, the lower part of the cutting is dipped in a solution of a drug that stimulates root growth, where it is kept for 1-2 hours.

Cuttings will take root faster if the leaves on them are cut by ⅔ with scissors. This way they will evaporate less moisture. The planted cuttings are covered with a jar. Lemon forms roots slowly. In warm conditions (at a temperature of +25°C) and with constant substrate humidity, you will have to wait 2-3 months for their appearance.

Caring for cuttings is simple. They need to be provided with a lot of light, but direct rays of the sun should not fall on them. With the appearance of the first leaves, the process of adaptation of the cuttings to the indoor air begins. The jar is lifted and a sliver or other support is placed under it so that a small gap is formed. The hole sizes are gradually increased. You can do it differently - ventilate the future tree daily. First, remove the jar from the cutting for a couple of minutes, the next day this time is doubled. In order for the sprout to get used to the climate at home, it will take 2 weeks of ventilation. Then the shelter will not need to be returned to its place.

Professionals almost never use the generative method of lemon propagation. Planting a seed in a pot is not difficult, but the plant obtained from it is unlikely to bear fruit, even if you provide it with proper care. There is only one way out - to graft the tree. 2-3 years will pass, and fruits can be picked from its branches. For grafting, cuttings from a fruiting plant are most often used. Budding with an eye gives good results.

Watering

Lemon prefers moderate watering. The soil in the pot is moistened with water at room temperature, which is preliminarily settled. You can add a little vinegar to it (2-3 drops per 1 liter). The liquid accumulated in the pan is drained, not allowing it to remain in it for more than 2-3 minutes. In the summer, at home, the procedure is carried out every day or every other day. The condition of the soil will help determine when the next watering is needed: if the earthen ball is dry, it’s time to moisten it.

Lemon responds well to care in the form of spraying. They are carried out daily, regardless of the time of year. Spraying is especially important for trees in winter, when the air becomes dry due to work. heating devices. But you can’t overdo it with them, otherwise the plant may be damaged. fungal diseases. Spray the leaves warm water, occasionally you can do this with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to improve the health of the plant. With the onset of cold weather, watering is reduced, but not much - up to 2 times a week.

Problems when growing citrus fruits at home most often arise due to irregular or too much moisture. When underwatered, the leaves on the tree turn yellow, wither, and the mycorrhiza dies. Excessive humidity will lead to acidification of the soil in the pot and rotting of the plant roots. It is important to carry out the procedure correctly, distributing water over the surface of the substrate. If you pour it in one place, the earthen lump will get wet unevenly, and the roots may suffer from being washed out.

At home, lemons are periodically “bathed.” This type of care is carried out once a month. The soil is reliably protected with a film, and the leaves of the tree are given a warm shower, thoroughly washing them from all sides. This is necessary to clean their surface from dust and other contaminants. Accumulating on the leaves, they interfere with photosynthesis, which weakens the plant and can cause problems with its health.

Feeding

In order for a lemon to grow quickly at home and not lose its decorative appearance, it will need regular feeding. You won't be able to get by with just one drug. Fertilizers should be different, and they need to be changed periodically. If you use the same nutrient composition for a long time, the soil reaction will change. It will become too sour for lemon or alkaline. From such soil the plant will not be able to obtain the elements necessary for its development.

At home, they begin to feed lemon in March. Until October, they feed it once every 2-3 weeks, either with organic or mineral compounds. If the plant is young, fertilize it less often - once every 1.5 months. In summer, fertilizing is combined with watering. In spring and autumn, fertilizers are applied to already moist soil. At least 2 hours must pass from the moment of watering. Lemon suffers even more from an excess of nutrients in the soil than from a lack of them. Therefore, you cannot overfeed him.

From mid-autumn, fertilizers are applied less frequently. A plant that has gone into hibernation ceases to need feeding. If it overwinters in a warm place and in good light, they are carried out every 1.5 months. Lemon is suitable for complex mineral compounds. Among organic fertilizers, it reacts well only to some types:

• wood ash extract;
• infusion of birch leaves or quinoa (fill the jar ½ full with chopped green mass, add water; 2-3 days, and the natural fertilizer will be ready);
• weak (diluted 5-6 times) infusion of fresh manure.

If leaves are actively growing on the lemon, and flowering is delayed, it is worth changing the fertilizer. Nitrogen-rich compounds are excluded by feeding citrus with preparations high in phosphorus.

Trimming

You can’t do without crown formation when caring for lemons at home. Regular pruning has decorative and sanitary functions. Its scheme is determined by the purpose of growing the tree. Decorative lemons do not need a large crown; it is given a compact shape. In a fruiting citrus, the main branches must be balanced by growing shoots. The formation of the crown is carried out by pinching. First, they create the skeleton of the tree, cutting off the side branches so that they do not outweigh each other and do not interfere with the development of neighboring ones.

When the lemon is 1 year old, the main shoot is shortened to 30 cm. Then the buds located on its sides will sprout, forming side branches. When they are well developed, they are pinched, leaving 3-4 leaves on the shoot. The lemon needs such care, otherwise its branches will grow very long and bring a meager harvest, which will take a long time to wait. The tree is allowed to bear fruit after its crown is formed. If it blooms earlier, the buds are cut off. Otherwise, the plant will become very weak and may even die.

It is better to cut off old branches that interfere with the development of the lemon and will sooner or later dry out so that they do not drain the strength from the tree. Weak crowns growing inward or interfering with neighboring shoots are also removed. Pruning is usually done in March, but can be done after harvest. For fruit-bearing lemons, care is required in the form of removing excess buds. The plant blooms profusely, but the ovaries are normalized by the number of leaves. There should be at least 10 of them for each fruit, otherwise the depleted lemon will not be pleased with the next harvest soon.

During fruit ripening, the tree requires increased attention. Handle it very carefully, trying to completely eliminate factors that can lead to shedding of the ovaries:

• lack of nutrients;
• drafts;
• dry air;
• lack of light;
• diseases.

Transfer

Beginning gardeners often make a mistake that ruins all their efforts to grow a lemon tree at home. It consists of trying to plant a young citrus tree immediately in a large pot. As a result, the tree's growth slows down greatly, its roots rot, and the lemon dies. The planting capacity should be proportionate to the root system of the plant. When it develops and fills the entire pot, the lemon is transferred to another container, the volume of which is slightly larger. Doing so better in spring when the tree begins its period of active growth.

The bottom of the container is covered with a drainage layer. A lemon removed from an old pot along with an earthen lump is placed on top of it. The voids on the sides are filled with fresh substrate, prepared at home or purchased in a store. The plant is watered abundantly. After moistening the soil will settle, then add more soil. Lemon roots need to “breathe.” If the pot sits tightly on a tray, it is advisable to place small stones or wood chips between them to improve air circulation.

The transplanted tree is returned strictly to its original place, without changing its orientation. Lemon reacts sensitively to even minor turns, responding to them with stress and loss of decorativeness. The leaves of the tree reach for the sun. To prevent its crown from becoming one-sided, you need to slightly rotate the pot around its axis. This is done once every 10 days, very carefully, deviating from the previous position by a maximum of 10°.

Lemon will take pride of place among the plants on the windowsill. But for it to become a real decoration of the room and a source of pride, you will have to pay attention to it. Caring for a lemon tree is not difficult. His agricultural technology consists of procedures familiar to all lovers of indoor flowers. You just need to carry them out strictly in accordance with the requirements of the plant, because lemon will not tolerate neglect. If you provide the tree comfortable conditions, it will delight the eye all year round, either with its glossy leaves or abundance unusual flowers, then the bright shades of ripening fruits.

Lemon is an evergreen citrus tree. The homeland of lemons is the subtropics, so the plants love warmth and moisture. IN open ground the tree grows up to 8 meters, although there are also dwarf three-meter trees. Home varieties good care bear fruit all year round.

Indoor lemon - brief description

At home, lemons are grown in flower pots or tubs. By growing lemon in a tub, you can get from 10-30 fruits from a young plant to 200 from an adult plant every year. Lemons, not inferior in quality to southern varieties, can be picked from a tree about one and a half meters high. You can grow a houseplant from a lemon seed, but truly tasty fruits are obtained only from varietal plants. Lemon – perennial and it blooms profusely, although the flowers are not too noticeable behind the dense foliage, but the room is filled with a fresh aroma from the essential oils released by all parts of the plant.

Features of cultivation

Growing lemon at home is not as easy as other indoor flowers. A home tree requires a spacious, well-lit room and constant attention. But there are also obvious advantages - durability, pleasant smell, tasty and healthy fruits.

Several years pass from the moment of planting to the first fruits, so be patient and wait until your tree blooms and gives you the first small lemons. Over time, the tree will get stronger and will delight you with a more generous harvest.

When growing indoor lemon, the following conditions must be met:

• Bright room.
• Regular ventilation.
• Good drainage.
• Regular feeding.
• Cool winter.

Planting a lemon

If you decide to grow a lemon from a seedling, pay attention to the “pedigree”. It will be difficult for a fruit-bearing tree from the subtropics to acclimatize. We recommend choosing seedlings from indoor plants or from a tree that lives in your climate. Lemons from the Caucasus, grafted on trifoliate, are suitable for growing in cool rooms - winter gardens or greenhouses. At home, the plant will most likely die. When choosing a seedling, carefully study the information about it.

When planting, the root collar should be buried only 5 mm into the soil. The soil level is 1 centimeter below the edge of the pot. This is necessary so that the root collar does not rot and the soil is not washed away during watering. After planting, spray the seedling and water it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Place the pot in a bright place, but protect the leaves from direct sunlight and shade the tree if necessary.

Lemons do not like to move from place to place, so choose a permanent home for the plant and do not turn it suddenly so that home flower could develop normally.

Optimal time

The best time for planting is late winter–early spring, as the natural growing season begins at this time.

The soil

Pour loose and nutritious soil into the pot after laying the drainage. Soil composition:

• Light loam (meadow turf) - 2 parts.
• Leaf soil - 2 parts.
• Manure humus - 1 part.
• Coarse sand - 1 part.

On ordinary land from a summer cottage, lemon will not bear fruit well.

If you cannot assemble such a complex composition, buy from flower shop land "Lemon" or "Rose".

Important! The tree will grow in the same soil for several years, so the correct selection of substrate and regular feeding are very important.

Features of care

Lack of sunlight should not destroy the plant. As the days lengthen, tree growth accelerates, but fruiting is delayed. South and east windows are suitable for indoor plants. The most favorable place The window sills of the eastern windows, on which the rays of the sun are bright but not scorching in the morning, are used for lemon. In hot summers, protect the flower pot from the sun with a gauze curtain.

Indoor lemons do not like changes in lighting and rearrangement; the growth and development of fruits may slow down a little, but the tree will form correctly when rotated.

Advice. In winter, it is advisable to organize daylight lighting for 6 hours a day. Place an incandescent or fluorescent lamp 60 cm above the tree.

Humidity

The most difficult period for indoor plants is October-March. The air in the apartment at this time is dry due to heating. Move the pot aside or cover the radiators with a damp cloth. Spray the lemon periodically, but do not get carried away so as not to cause the development of fungus. Place a cup of water in or near the pot.

In summer, it is useful to give the tree a cool shower once a week and wipe the leaves with a damp sponge. This is necessary so that the plant can breathe fully.

Important! The plant reacts painfully to changes in air humidity; dry air is especially dangerous when high temperature during flowering and fruiting. Flowers and ovaries may fall off. The more humid the air, the longer the leaves of the plant live.

Watering

In May-September, lemons should be watered daily, but in moderation. Wet soil is absolutely not suitable, but overdried soil can destroy the tree. In winter, water the lemon less often, but provide it with sufficient air humidity.

Important! Do not water lemons with cold water or in the sun. The optimal time for watering is morning or evening.

Temperature

The optimal temperature for the development of shoots and leaves is +17°C; for fruit growth, the temperature should be higher - +21...22°C. Lemons do not survive heat well, especially in low humidity. In the summer, when it gets sharply warmer, flowers and ovaries may fall off, and temperature changes in autumn and winter can lead to leaves falling off.

Attention! The soil temperature should be close to the air temperature. It is dangerous to bring lemon from the open air into a heated room. When it gets colder, try to gradually move the pot with the plant so that it can adapt to the new conditions.

Feeding and fertilizer

Fertilizers should be applied to the soil moderately but regularly, since their excess is harmful to plants.

Based on the condition of the leaves, shoots and fruits, you can judge what kind of nutrition the lemon needs:

• The leaves turn yellow, the number of fruits decreases, and they become smaller - there is not enough nitrogen.
• The leaves turn pale and fall off, and the fruits become deformed and become rough - phosphorus deficiency.
• Leaves enlarge and fruits become smaller - potassium starvation.
• The tops of the branches dry out, the leaves turn pale and yellow, the lemon does not bloom or bear fruit - there is little iron.

In the summer, when the plant can be taken out of the house, you can feed it with organic fertilizer (bird droppings or water in which the meat was washed). There is no need to apply all the fertilizers at the same time - lemons suffer from excessive feeding.

Carry out scheduled feeding twice a month in the summer; from October to February there is no need to feed the lemon.

Trimming

When growing indoor lemon, it is important not to let it grow to the size of a tree, especially since this plant is prone to forming long branches. If the bush is not trimmed, the crown will become too large. When pruning, part of the branches is removed after the fifth leaf - the crown from such a pruning will become productive and compact.

Lemon transplant

The roots protruding from the drainage hole indicate that it is time to replant the lemon, but this is a case of extreme neglect. Planned replanting should be carried out as the tree grows; each subsequent flower pot should be slightly larger than the previous one. Circumstances arise that require a forced transplant, for example, a pot may break or you feel bad smell from the ground.

If the lemon grows poorly, it can be replanted in the fall, although optimal time- end of February, before active growth begins, or mid-summer.

• Carefully remove the plant, cut off broken and damaged roots, and sprinkle them with crushed coal or Kornevin. There is no need to completely shake off the earth ball.
• Place drainage at the bottom of the pot and add some river sand. On top is a layer of soil.
• Trim off some of the branches to make it easier for the roots to feed the plant.
• Make a depression in the soil, place the lump so that the neck is just below the edge of the pot. If you need to raise it, add more soil.
• Add soil in layers around the edges, making sure that the trunk is located in the middle of the pot.
• Compact the soil with your hands so that there are no voids left.
• Water with settled water and loosen the soil a little.

Advice. To make the lemon endure stress more easily, sprinkle it with Zircon and cover it with film for 5-7 days.

Reproduction

Lemons can be propagated using cuttings or seeds. A tree grown from a seed will bloom and begin to bear fruit no earlier than after 8 years. If you plant a cutting, you can expect to see your own lemons in about 4 years. A baby lemon grown from a seed will not necessarily inherit the characteristics of the variety from the parent tree, and with cuttings, identity is guaranteed. But trees and seeds are more resistant to disease and adapt better to life in captivity.

Propagation by seeds

You can get a lemon seed from any ripe fruit. Each lemon contains several seeds, take them out and plant several at a distance of 5 cm. It is better to plant seeds from several fruits.

Soil for planting - well-drained peat and soil for flowers in a 1:1 ratio. Bury the seeds 1cm deep and keep the soil moist but not overwatered. At room temperature sprouts should appear in two weeks. Select the tallest ones and remove the rest. Cover the sprout with a jar and place it in a well-lit place without direct sunlight. Every day, ventilate the sprout for several hours by removing the jar.

When several true leaves appear, plant the sprouts in pots up to 10 cm in diameter. good drainage. When replanting, try to preserve the roots and the soil around them. Pour a mixture of peat and flower soil into the pot. Transplant the plant that has grown to 15-20 centimeters into an “adult” pot.

Propagation by cuttings

In the spring, semi-lignified branches about 10 cm long with several leaves are cut off and rooted in a homemade greenhouse with high humidity and temperature. Soil: peat and soil for flowers.

Place drainage at the bottom of the pot, on top - a 5-centimeter layer of a mixture of turf soil and sand (6:1), then - a mixture of sand and moss. This layer will mainly contain root system future plant. Plant the cutting, water it and spray it with warm water. Cover with a jar.

You need to spray the cuttings twice a day with water at about +25°C until rooting occurs. At room temperature, the cutting should take root in 3-4 weeks. After this, remove the jar for several hours a day, and after a week, remove it completely. After another 7 days, you can transplant the cuttings into a small pot with nutritious soil and reliable drainage. In just a year you will be able to transplant the lemon into a regular pot, and after 3-4 years it will begin to bloom.

Bloom

The tops of young lemon shoots are pink-violet. The oval toothed leaves contain essential oil. The leaves are replaced after 2-3 years. Large lemon flowers (4-5 cm) bloom in spring five weeks after the bud appears; flowering continues for more than two months. After the petals fall, the fruit begins to ripen in 200 days or more.

If a young plant begins to bloom in the first years of its life, it is advisable to cut off the buds so that the tree can develop normally. When the buds appear for the second time, they are no longer torn off - the lemon itself “decides” how many fruits it can bear. The extra buds will fall off on their own. Flowering can be allowed when the tree already has at least 20 leaves. It is believed that each fruit requires at least 10 mature leaves.

Care after flowering

Lemon grows, blooms and bears fruit all year round. One tree may contain ripe fruits, ovaries, flowers and buds. There is no need to pick off faded inflorescences, as they turn into ovaries. If the lemon bloomed in summer, the fruits ripen faster than during spring flowering.

Problems, diseases, pests

Many diseases of ornamental lemons are caused by improper care. With a lack of light and nutrients, lemon leaves lighten. Buds and leaves fly off if there is not enough moisture. The plant has a particularly hard time with the dry air in the room; flowering may stop, the leaves darken and fall off.

Pests also often settle on the plant:

• Scale insects lead to drying of branches, leaves and death of the lemon. Remove pests with a toothbrush and wash the lemon with soapy water.
• Spider mites settle on the underside of leaves and the web gradually envelops the entire tree. Spray with a 0.15 percent Aktelika solution three times, every 10 days.
• The mealybug leaves a sticky discharge on the leaves. Fruits and leaves fall off. It is recommended to inspect the plant and collect larvae.
• Citrus aphid. The Aktelika solution helps get rid of this pest.
• Thrips and whiteflies also settle on lemons, which must be collected by hand, and the tree must be washed in the shower and treated with soapy water.

Popular types of indoor lemon

• If your lemon leaves turn brown, increase the humidity in the room and water the plant more often.
• Small leaves and thin shoots indicate that the lemon urgently needs to be fed and placed in a more illuminated place.
• Leaves dry out and curl when there is not enough light and moisture. Spray the lemon every day, water it and feed it with complex fertilizers.

Answers on questions

Lifespan of indoor lemon

With careful attention and proper care, lemons can live up to 45 years. Indoor flower dies prematurely due to diseases and pests.

Why don't lemons bloom?

You probably planted the plant in a pot that is too small. Replant it and feed it with complex fertilizer.

What to do if a lemon drops its leaves?

For lemons, leaf fall is a reaction to stress. Perhaps after the summer you moved it into the room or, conversely, sharply placed it under bright rays. Arrange artificial lighting or create shadow. The cause may be excessive or insufficient watering - souring of the soil and drying out are equally harmful to lemons earthen coma. If you have not watered the tree for a long time, do not moisten the soil abundantly; add water little by little over several days.

Why does a lemon drop its fruit?

A lemon drops its fruits when it does not have enough strength to develop them. The first flowers that appear on a young lemon must be cut off, and only 2 fruits can be left on a three-year-old plant. In the future, each fruit should have at least 10 leaves.

How to arrange winter quarters?

The main task during wintering is to preserve the leaves. The room should not be too hot - no more than +20°C. Keep the plant pot away from radiators and place a container of water next to it. If the windows provide reliable protection from cold air, place the tree on a southeast or southwest window. Lemon should not be watered as much in winter as in the warm season.

Lemon(Citrus limon) belongs to the Rutacea family and includes dozens of varieties of small evergreen citrus trees. These beautiful plants with a well-leafed crown are distinguished by fairly abundant fruiting. The leaves of the lemon tree are very dense, shiny, dark green in color and have an ovoid plate shape with jagged edges. Some lemon varieties are perfectly adapted for growing at home. Caring for a lemon tree is quite simple. Photos of indoor lemon varieties and rules home care behind this miniature tree you will find later in this article.

Many lovers of indoor plants have long appreciated the decorative qualities of lemon, as well as the opportunity to annually obtain a harvest of tasty, juicy and healthy fruits. Indoor lemon can be used to form a floral composition of bushy and tree-like plants in home interior. These would look interesting together with lemon: miniature trees such as Ficus Benjamin, Dracaena Marginata, Crassula Money Tree, Zamioculcas Dollar Tree, Schefflera in the form of a bonsai, myrtle with a lush crown, home yucca.

Some of the most popular indoor varieties of lemon trees in our country include Pavlovsky (Citrus Limon Pavlovsky), Ponderosa, Meyer (or Chinese). Typically, Pavlovsk lemons grow up to 1.5-2 meters in height, have a rounded crown with oblong shiny leaves. They begin to bear fruit already in 3-4 years. The rough skin of the ripe fruit is light green in color. For panderosa lemon, the first fruiting season at home can begin in the second year. The variety is famous not only for its delicate, pleasant-tasting fruit pulp, but also for its abundant flowering. Large cream-colored flowers are collected in beautiful inflorescences.

IN last years The leader in the popularity of growing at home is held by the Meyer lemon (Citrus Limon Mejer). The miniature tree reaches a height of 1.2-1.5 meters. By pruning and pinching young shoots, you can give a very interesting, original shape to the crown of this lemon tree. This variety of indoor lemon is valued for beautiful flowers white in color, with a unique delicate aroma. Fragrant flowers usually bloom at the end of winter, 2-6 pieces per inflorescence or one per shoot. But the most important distinctive feature of Meyer lemon is its very juicy, sweet fruits with yellowish-orange pulp. The round fruits are protected by a thin skin and change color as they ripen from green to bright yellow or light orange. This miniature lemon tree is often used to form an original phytodesign indoors or for landscaping winter gardens. Against the background of these compact trees with a lush crown, such popular flowering indoor plants as the phalaenopsis or dendrobium orchid, the flower Male happiness (anthurium) or Female happiness (spathiphyllum), Thompson's clerodendrum, New Guinea balsam, home gerbera, miniature Saintpaulia violets, geranium will look interesting with lush large flowers, tuberous begonia, Persian cyclamen.

♦ WHAT IS IMPORTANT!

Location and lighting.

Indoor lemon is a light-loving plant. The plant will feel comfortable on the windowsill of a window facing the east or west side of the room. You can place a pot with a tree next to the south window on a stand, but in this case it is necessary to shade window glass so that direct sunlight does not damage the foliage (yellow burn spots begin to appear on the leaf blade). If possible, take the lemon tree outside open air when the temperature does not drop below 12°C. At home, try to ventilate the air more often, but keep the plant away from drafts. When there are short periods of sunlight during the day, be sure to place phyto- or other high-quality plants next to the pot. fluorescent lamps. The daily lighting period for indoor lemon is 12-14 hours.

Temperature regime.

Comfortable temperature for a lemon tree in spring and summer is 16-24°C. Sudden changes in temperature during the day can worsen the decorative value of the plant - lemon leaves begin to curl and turn yellow at the edges.

In order for the budding period to occur on time and the lemon fruits to ripen completely, it is advisable to organize a “cold wintering” the day before. In winter, try to keep the temperature in the range of 14-17°C.

Air humidity.

The best option is moderate humidity. Protect lemon from dry air during the heating season and summer heat. Try to spray the plant with warm, settled water more often (3 times a day in dry indoor air). You can place the pot with the tree on a tray with wet pebbles, and place a container of water next to the pot.

Watering.

Water indoor lemons with warm boiled water or water that has stood for several days. In late autumn and winter, you need to water the plant very moderately, when the top layer of soil is completely dry. But it is also impossible to overdry the earthen ball, as the leaves will begin to turn yellow and crumble. In spring and summer, you can water the plant abundantly, but without overflowing. Pour out any water that flows into the pan. With constant waterlogging of the earthen coma, the roots begin to rot.

Earth mixture and fertilizing.

To plant lemons, you can use a purchased substrate for citrus fruits or make an earth mixture yourself: turf soil, leaf soil, humus, peat and coarse sand (proportion - 2:1:1:1:1).

In winter, there is no need to feed the lemon (a weak solution of complex fertilizer once a month) if the room is slightly cool. If the room is cold, then there is no need to apply fertilizers during wintering at all. In spring, summer and until mid-autumn, apply liquid fertilizer once every two weeks, alternating organic fertilizers with minerals.

Transfer.

For replanting, it is best to choose a baked clay pot with a hole in the bottom. Young plant replanted every year, and an adult lemon - once every 3 years, changing the top layer of soil annually. A 2 cm drainage layer of expanded clay is poured onto the bottom of the pot, and a layer of sand is placed on top. The new pot for replanting should be 5-6 cm in diameter wider than the previous one. Do not bury the root collar of the tree into the substrate.

Trimming.

Reproduction.

Lemon can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering, or grafting (a cutting from a fruiting plant can be grafted onto a three-year-old rootstock grown from a seed).

At home, propagation by cuttings is most often used. From a fruit-bearing indoor lemon, use a sharp knife to cut off a shoot 3-4 mm thick, ripened since last year. We bury the cuttings a few centimeters into a container with damp sand. Roots will begin to appear at high humidity and temperatures of 21-24°C.

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