How to grow indoor lemon at home?

Evergreen citrus crops harmoniously fit into the interior of apartments and offices. Growing lemon attracts indoor flower lovers with its exoticism, combined with the ease of caring for the tree. Many have tried to plant a bone extracted from a sour fruit in a pot, but not everyone succeeded in achieving the desired result. In order for the plant at home to please with luxurious flowering, and fruits ripen on its branches, you will have to try. And the first step here is a careful study of the requirements of the culture for the conditions of detention.

Lighting and temperature

The subtropical origin of lemon makes it capricious in terms of temperature. The plant loves heat, 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 warmed up to + 10- + 22 ° C. It is not easy to keep the lemon tree at a moderate temperature in the summer in the apartment. Many gardeners find a way out by placing a pot with a plant on the loggia. Owners of a private house can take it outside and leave it under a canopy until autumn. In winter, in the room where the indoor lemon grows, the temperature should not exceed + 14 ° C. But it is also impossible to allow it to fall 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 the northern windows, although it is better to choose the southeast side for the pot. An adult lemon is not afraid of direct rays of the sun. It can also be placed on a south-facing windowsill. If the plant is young, it will need shading care. The delicate leaves of the tree 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 culture can easily tolerate short daylight hours and are able to do without additional care. These include the undersized Panderoza variety. If you add coolness to a short daylight hours (from +7 to + 14 ° C), the plant will plunge into a dormant period. A hibernating lemon tree is rarely watered. You don't need to light it up.

Soil and pot

To plant a plant correctly, you need to take into account the peculiarities of its root system. Citrus species have no root hairs. Soil mushrooms help lemon to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. They can be seen on its delicate roots. They look like threads forming bulges at their ends. The roots of the tree and the mushrooms 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;
• a sharp drop in temperature (below -7 ° C);
• extreme heat (if the thermometer rises above + 50 ° C).

From this follow the basic rules for growing lemon:

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

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

To prepare a nutritious substrate at home on your own, three components are mixed:

• sod land (3 parts);
• humus earth (1 part);
• sand (1 part).

Advice

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

You can fill the pot with a composition of sod land, deciduous soil and dung.

All components are taken in equal proportions. River sand will give the resulting substrate looseness, and crushed charcoal will enrich it with mineral substances.

For planting lemon at home, it is best to use a clay pot. If the plant is large, it will thrive in a wooden tub. Natural materials will facilitate the penetration of air to the roots of the tree. At the bottom of the planting tank, drainage is poured with a layer of 2 cm.You can make it from broken brick. From above, the drainage layer is covered with sand, and then the pot is filled with a nutrient substrate.

Reproduction methods

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

The easiest way to propagate a tree that is already bearing fruit is at home by cutting cuttings from it. Young lemon branches with not yet coarse and flexible wood are suitable for their harvesting. They must be one year old or slightly older.

A correct stalk has the following characteristics:

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

The cut line from above should be at right angles at a distance of 7 mm from the kidney. 1 cm recede from the lower kidney. The cut is made at an angle of 45 °. From above, the wound is smeared with garden pitch. It will protect the cutting from infection. It is advisable to apply shallow grooves to the lower cut using a needle. This will improve root formation. You can plant cuttings at home in sand or in a nutritious substrate. Having made a small depression, they put a cut branch in it. You do not need to press it into the soil.

Advice

Before planting, the lower part of the cutting is dipped into 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 with scissors by ⅔. This way they will evaporate less moisture. The planted stalk is covered with a jar. Lemon roots form slowly. In a warm place (at a temperature of + 25 ° C) and with a constant humidity of the substrate, they will have to wait 2-3 months.

Caring for cuttings is simple. They need to provide a lot of light, but the 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 air of the room begins. The jar is lifted and a chip or other support is placed under it so that a small gap is formed. The size of the hole is gradually increased. You can do it differently - daily ventilate the future tree. First, the jar is removed from the handle for a couple of minutes, the next day this time is doubled. For the sprout to get used to the climate at home, it will take 2 weeks of airing. Then the shelter can not be returned to its place.

Professionals almost never use the generative way of breeding lemon. It is not difficult to plant a seed in a pot, but the plant obtained from it is unlikely to bear fruit, even if it is provided with proper care. There is only one way out - to plant a tree. It will take 2-3 years, and it will be possible to pick fruits from its branches. For grafting, cuttings from a fruiting plant are most often used. A good result is given by budding with an eye.

Watering

Lemon prefers moderate watering.The soil in the pot is moistened with water at room temperature, which is pre-defended. 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 to determine when the next watering is needed: if the earthy lump has dried out, it's time to moisten it.

Lemon responds well to spraying treatments. They are carried out daily, regardless of the season. Spraying is especially important for wood in winter, when the air becomes dry due to the operation of heating devices. But you cannot overdo it with them, otherwise the plant can be affected by fungal diseases. Spray the leaves with warm water, occasionally you can do this with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to strengthen the health of the plant. With the onset of cold weather, watering is reduced, but not much - up to 2 times a week.

Problems with growing citrus at home are most often due to irregular or too much moisture. When under-watering, the leaves on the tree turn yellow, wither, and mycorrhiza dies. Excessive moisture 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 by distributing water over the surface of the substrate. If you pour it in one place, the earthy ball will get wet unevenly, and the roots may suffer from leaching.

At home, lemon is periodically "bathed". Such care is carried out once a month. The soil is reliably protected with a film, and a warm shower is arranged for the leaves of the tree, thoroughly rinsing them from all sides. This is necessary to clean their surface from dust and other contaminants. When they accumulate on the leaves, they interfere with photosynthesis, which weakens the plant and can cause health problems.

Top dressing

In order for the lemon to grow quickly at home and not lose its decorative effect, it will need regular feeding. It will not work to do with one drug. Fertilizers should be different and should be changed periodically. If you use the same nutrient for a long time, the reaction of the soil will change. It will become too acidic for lemon or alkaline. From such soil, the plant will not be able to receive the elements necessary for its development.

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

From the middle of autumn, fertilization is started less often. A hibernating plant no longer needs feeding. If it hibernates in warmth and with good lighting, they are carried out every 1.5 months. Complex mineral compositions are suitable for lemon. Of organic fertilizers, it reacts well only to some types:

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

Advice

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

Pruning

You cannot do without crown formation when caring for lemon at home. Regular pruning has a decorative and sanitary function. Its scheme is determined by the purpose of growing the tree. Decorative lemons do not need a large crown, they are given a compact shape. In a fruiting citrus, the main branches must be balanced by the growing shoots. The formation of the crown is carried out by pinching.First, the skeleton of a tree is created, 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 lateral branches. When they develop well, they are pinched, leaving 3-4 leaves on the shoot. Such care is necessary for a lemon, 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 greatly weaken and may even die.

Old branches that interfere with the development of the lemon and will dry out sooner or later, it is better to cut them off so that they do not draw strength from the tree. They also remove weak, growing inside the crown or interfering with neighboring shoots. Pruning is usually done in March, but it can also be done after harvest. For a fruiting lemon, care is required in the form of removing excess buds. The plant blooms profusely, but the ovaries are normalized according to the number of leaves. For each fruit, there must be at least 10 of them, otherwise an exhausted lemon will not please the next harvest soon.

During the ripening of the fruit, the tree requires increased attention. They 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;
• disease.

Transfer

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

The bottom of the container is covered with a drainage layer. On top of it they put a lemon extracted from an old pot along with an earthen lump. The voids on the sides are filled with fresh substrate, prepared at home or purchased from the store. The plant is watered abundantly. After moistening, the soil will settle, then more earth is added. Lemon roots must "breathe". If the pot is firmly on a pallet, it is advisable to place small stones or chips between them to improve air circulation.

The transplanted tree is returned strictly to its original place, without changing its orientation. Lemon reacts sensitively even to minor turns, responding to them with stress and loss of decorativeness. The leaves of the tree follow the sun. To prevent its crown from being one-sided, you need to slightly rotate the pot around its axis. This is done 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 in order for it to become a real decoration of the room and a source of pride, you will have to pay attention to it. Taking care of a lemon tree is easy. His agricultural technique consists of procedures familiar to all lovers of indoor flowers. Only they must be carried out strictly in accordance with the requirements of the plant, because the lemon will not tolerate neglect. If you provide the tree with comfortable conditions, it will please the eye all year round, either with its glossy leaves, or with an abundance of unusual flowers, or with bright shades of ripening fruits.

Indoor lemon is one of the most spectacular and beautiful ornamental plants. Delighting its owners with bright foliage and fragrant flowers, this citrus, however, belongs to the very moody group. Lemon care at home should be done correctly.At the slightest violation of the technology, the tree will not only not bloom and bear fruit, but it may completely shed its foliage and die. In order for the plant to develop well and have a lush crown, it should be properly watered and fertilized.

What do you need to know about?

Further in the article, we will deal in all the details with how home care is carried out for such a plant as indoor lemon. Flowering and fruiting of this citrus is possible only if:

• choosing the right place;
• using suitable soil;
• regular watering and feeding;
• periodic pruning.

Bloom

The main decorative value of lemon is its dense leaves of rich dark green color. The star-shaped flowers of this citrus, which are white with yellow stamens, are quite spectacular. However, they grow in the depths of the crown, in the axils of the leaves, and are practically invisible from the outside. Therefore, lemon cannot be attributed to the group of flowering indoor plants. But although the flowers of this citrus are not its main decoration, they smell very pleasant. Moreover, the aroma spreads literally throughout the room.

The abundant appearance of buds is possible only if the correct home care for such a plant as indoor lemon is carried out. This citrus does not bloom most often precisely because of a lack of nutrients in the soil and irregular watering. Also, the lack of buds and fruits can be affected by a lack of sunlight.

How to choose a variety?

In the wild, indoor lemon, which is really difficult to care for at home, grows in hot India. As a cultivated plant, this plant has been cultivated for a very long time, including in Russia. Lemons were brought to our country back in the days of Peter the Great. Over the years of cultivation, many varieties of this citrus fruit have been bred, fruitful and unpretentious. But of course, not all varieties are suitable for growing in a confined space. The most popular varieties among indoor plant lovers are:

1. Pavlovsky. Such lemons, under favorable conditions, can even reach a height of up to 2 meters. The advantages of this variety include, first of all, the fact that it reproduces very easily. Pavlovsky lemon, growing and caring for which at home - procedures, in comparison with other varieties, are relatively simple, is well suited to a not too experienced florist. Its fruits are very fragrant and fragile. The variety is not very fond of bright sunlight.
2. Meyer. This variety is good for early fruiting and unpretentiousness. It differs from most other varieties in more acidic fruits. Also, Meyer's room lemon, which is taken care of at home in about the same way as for any other varieties, is compact. This variety grows very low.
3. Novogruzinsky. This lemon is easy to make harvest all year round. Its fruits are seedless and smell very good.

How to choose a seat?

The peculiarities of lemon, among other things, can be attributed to the fact that he really does not like a change of scenery. Therefore, the place for it must be chosen carefully. Most varieties prefer good lighting. But it does not tolerate direct sunlight.

They put a lemon, growing and caring for which at home will be successful only if the place is chosen correctly, most often on the east window. Bright, but rather diffuse morning light is enough for this plant to develop well.

It is allowed to put lemons on the south window. However, in this case, you should definitely take care of shading. Direct sunlight will surely cause burns in the plant. In addition, lemon will react to excess lighting by the appearance of a large number of small whitish leaves.Thus, citrus will simply try to reduce the area of ​​contact with UV rays and lose its showiness.

You should also choose a place for the lemon so that the pot is not cooled by a draft. This is especially true for the cold season. If the temperature of the soil in the pot is lower than the ambient temperature, the plant will shed its leaves.

How to propagate by cuttings?

This is the easiest way to get some fresh lemons at home. Cuttings are cut from an adult plant in early spring. The branch should be mature, about 4-5 mm thick. The lower leaves are removed from the cutting. It is best to plant a twig in a greenhouse made from an ordinary plastic bottle.

A 2 liter container is perfect. The top of the bottle is cut off, and several holes are made in its bottom to drain the water. Next, a layer of steamed sand is poured onto the bottom. A nutritious soil with an acidity of 6.5-7 pH is laid on top. You can buy lemon substrates at the store or make your own. In the latter case, take:

• leafy ground - 1 hour;
• humus - 1 tsp;
• sod land - 2 hours;
• sand - 1 tsp

All components should be thoroughly mixed and placed in a bottle.

The end of the cut cutting is sprinkled with wood ash, powdered with a heteroauxin stimulant and immersed in the ground by 2-3 cm. Next, the plant must be thoroughly watered, and the bottle must be covered with plastic wrap on top. In the future, it is not recommended to moisten the soil in the container before the rooting of the plant. Twig roots are released in about a month.

When using cuttings as planting material, in the future it will be easiest to carry out home care for such citrus fruits as indoor lemon. Reproduction using this technology allows you to quickly get a lush, healthy, fruiting adult plant.

Using seeds

Planting material with this method of cultivation should be chosen as carefully as possible. From the fruit of an even shape, you need to get the largest seed. It should be planted immediately. In this case, you can use a regular plastic cup with drainage holes made in it as a container. A little sand should be poured at its bottom. The soil in this case is used the same as for the cuttings.

It is best to plant several seeds at once in different cups, and then choose the strongest plant for growing. The seeds are buried in the ground by 2-3 cm.Immediately after planting, watering is carried out. The selected lemon will need to be transferred to a larger container at the age of 3-5 months. Transfer should be done as carefully as possible. If the roots of the lemon are damaged, it will shed the foliage.

How to water?

Moisture is what indoor lemon is very fond of. Home care for him, as well as for all citrus fruits, includes frequent watering. In summer, the soil under the plant is moistened once a day - two. In winter, lemon is watered once a week. With a lack of moisture, the leaves of this plant change color to yellow-brown.

If this happens, in no case should the lemon be poured with plenty of water at once. Otherwise, the root system will die. You can correct the situation in such a situation by slightly moistening the soil under the plant and sprinkling it abundantly. Wrapping the stem with a damp cloth is also helpful.

How to fertilize?

Lemon should also be fed quite often. In the summer, once a month, the plant is watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This is best done at night. It is also useful to water the lemon with a solution of ferrous sulfate once a month. The best organic fertilizer for this citrus fruit is regular cow dung.

You can also purchase a complete feed containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus from the store. Lemon is fed with such a remedy twice a month. Wood ash, which contains a huge amount of microelements, is also very useful for this ornamental culture.

Lemon care at home in terms of dressing can also be carried out using commercial formulations designed specifically for citrus fruits. Sometimes indoor plant lovers also replace the topsoil in a lemon pot with pond silt, which contains many nutrients. In winter, if the plant bears fruit, it should be fed with complex fertilizer or organic matter once a month.

Crown formation

Periodic pruning is also something that indoor lemon must necessarily require. Home care for this plant in terms of crown formation should be periodic. Otherwise, it may happen that the tree will not bear fruit. For the first time, pruning is done immediately after the lemon reaches a height of 20-30 cm.At this time, the top is carefully removed from it so that 3-4 buds remain on the stem.

Of these, about a year later, shoots of the first level are formed. After they reach a length of 20-30 cm, they are also pinched. Further, shoots of the second, third, etc. levels will begin to form on the branches. Each new "wave" should be pinched in such a way that it is 5 cm shorter than the previous one. That is, the branches of the second level should be 15-25 cm long, the third - 10-20 cm, etc. Of course, you need to remove diseased shoots growing inside the bush, etc.

Pests

Thus, the lemon should be watered and fertilized on time. It is also necessary to deal with the formation of its crown. What other difficulties await a florist who takes care of such a plant as an indoor lemon at home? Diseases affect this type of citrus, unfortunately, often. Therefore, lemon may need to be treated from time to time.

Trees of this variety can be affected by both fungi and microorganisms or pests. Most often, indoor flower lovers have to deal with scale insects, mealbugs and aphids that infect lemons. All of these types of pests are engaged in sucking the juice from the leaves. You can fight them with soapy water or tobacco infusion (50-60 g per liter). Sometimes scale insects, aphids and ticks are expelled from plants using a chlorophos solution (30 g per 10 l).

Diseases

Gommosis is also one of the problems faced by many ornamental plant lovers who grow indoor lemon. Home care for this citrus includes, among other things, periodic inspection of the leaves and stem. In a plant with gommosis, cracks appear in the lower part of the stem, from which gum begins to stand out. Treat the tree with garden varnish or clay. Cracks are pre-disinfected with a solution of copper sulfate 3%. Then the wounds are simply carefully covered with pitch or clay.

This is how home care is carried out for such a plant as indoor lemon. The photos on the page clearly show the beauty of these citrus fruits. If you grow your lemon according to the rules described in the article, you will grow the same spectacular fragrant tree with bright green leaves and a lush crown.

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Some indoor plant lovers have adapted to growing citrus trees on the windowsill. Lemon is especially popular. Growing lemon at home will not take a lot of energy from the owner.

Growing lemon can be done at home

Lemongrass are native to southern countries with warm and humid climates. Therefore, the main task of the grower is to ensure similar microclimatic conditions in the house or apartment.

Why is lemon grown at home?

There are several advantages to breeding lemon crops at home. The main one is the fragrant healthy fruits that the plant produces annually. In addition, placing a lemon on a windowsill can be an interior decoration.

You can grow lemon at home in a pot or tub. The pot is more suitable for dwarf plant varieties, the tub is useful if a large tree is grown from a stone. With a sufficient amount of heat, moisture and light, indoor lemon can reach one and a half meters in height and produce up to 150 fruits per season. It is very difficult to achieve such results, but taking into account all the features of care, it can still be done.

Another advantage of growing lemon is the beautiful appearance of the tree. He has a dense and always green crown. During the flowering period, the plant throws out beautiful flowers. They are often covered with mighty green leaves. The only exception is the Ponderosa lemon, whose branches are thin and resemble a spreading bush. Despite the external weakness, the twigs can withstand up to 50 fruits. This decorative tree can be grown on a windowsill, since it does not take up much space.

Lemon bush can produce up to 50 fruits

General features of growing lemon at home

Lemon is a thermophilic tree. Lack of heat affects the fact that the plant grows poorly, gets sick or dies. If you decide to put a pot on the window, then you must:

1. Choose south or east side. The plant should receive a lot of sunlight.
2. On sunny days, the tree is placed in the shade, and on cloudy days, it is illuminated with fluorescent lamps.
3. In the summer, take the plant out to the balcony or loggia. There it receives more oxygen and solar energy. And only by the fall it is brought back to its original place. In winter, you should monitor the temperature indicator, which should not fall below 10 degrees.

Special attention should be paid to the quality of the soil and the pot. The fact is that lemons have an individual nutritional system. They get water not through ordinary hairs on the roots, but through fungi in the soil. The connection of the house plant with the mycelium of the fungi is sensitive to external factors. It can be easily disturbed by a lack of oxygen, improper watering and sudden changes in temperature.

Before growing a lemon tree, you should take care of a suitable soil. Plant lemons in loose soil types that are pH neutral. It is best to plant citrus in ready-made soil purchased from a specialized store. If the indoor lemon is placed in a self-made substrate, it is important to take into account the proportions of humus, turf and sand. The soil with meadow turf, leafy soil, humus and sand is also popular.

Mistakes in care lead to the fact that the lemon tree at home dies from aridity or excess moisture, poor living conditions or pests.

Lemon prefers the sunny side of the room

Planting lemon

For small plants, a clay pot is suitable, for large plants it is better to use a wooden tub, which is considered the best option for placing citrus fruits. Natural material allows oxygen to pass better to the lemon roots. Before placing the planting material in the pot, it should be inspected for damage. The planting process itself is simple:

1. The root collar is buried 5 cm deep.
2. The container is filled with soil almost to the very top. Better if there is a space of 1-1.5 cm between the edge of the pot and the soil.
3. After planting, the seedling is sprayed with water and watered with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The planted tree is left on the windowsill. A young plant needs a lot of light and warmth. On hot days, it is better to create partial shade, which will save you from burns. It is not worth changing the place for the pot, the lemon does not like moving. Occasionally, you can turn the tree with darkened leaves towards the sun for even heat.

Lemon seedlings are sprayed with water after planting

Growing lemon from seed

If you decide to germinate a varietal lemon from the seed, you should know the peculiarities of its cultivation. This process takes much longer than planting seedlings. To find out how long it takes for the seeds to germinate, you need to take into account the following features:

1. The sprout breaks out of the soil 2 weeks after planting.Sometimes it takes more time (up to one month).
2. Citrus buds require greenhouse conditions, so the pot with a bone is covered with a cut plastic bottle or wrapped in plastic wrap. Inside such a cap, the humidity is several times higher than in an open space, and the transparency of the bottle allows the ascending sprouts to receive sunlight. In a homemade greenhouse, watering should not be overused. The soil already gives off moisture to the allotted space of the greenhouse, so it should only be sprayed.
3. When a small stalk has broken through, it is taught to indoor conditions by removing the greenhouse cap for 1-2 hours a day.
4. Transplanting into a large pot occurs only when 4 leaves appear on the sprout.

Growing lemon in a greenhouse will also work for mature seedlings. With the correct organization of climatic conditions, you can do without it. It is also not worth rushing with feeding.

Until the citrus root system is fully formed, any external additives will be perceived by the tree as poison. It is best to do top dressing in the spring or summer, but not earlier than three months from planting.

Growing a lemon from a seed will take quite a long time.

Lemon watering

Growing a lemon at home is not an easy task, often a lemon does not survive for several months. And one of the reasons for this is improper watering. Providing proper home care is essential for the plant to grow healthy and strong. How to properly water

1. Provide moderate watering with settled water once a day. You can water it once twice a day (you need to monitor the condition of the soil).
2. Water the lemon 2 times a week in winter.
3. Drain the accumulated water in the sump immediately after watering. Plant roots can rot from excess moisture.
4. Sprinkle lemon leaves daily with warm water. It is especially important to do this in winter, when the air becomes dry from the operation of heating systems.

Experienced growers advise beginners to find a moisture balance: avoid overflow and lack of moisture. With a lack of it, the leaves of any kind of lemon begin to turn yellow. If watering is not done in a timely manner, the microza and the plant die. If yellowed leaves are detected, the lemon should be sprayed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

We must not forget about the benefits of a warm shower. Like everything standing motionless in a dwelling, a lemon is covered with a layer of dust and dirt. It should be washed off as dust interferes with the process of photosynthesis. Bathing of the plant is carried out no more than 1 time per month.

Dust should be regularly washed off lemon leaves.

Lemon fertilization

Recommendations on how to care for a lemon also apply to plant nutrition. Citrus fruits are sensitive to fertilizers. The preparations must be constantly changing, because when using one fertilizer, the pH of the soil can change to an acidic or alkaline side. In such soil, lemon does not ripen, it grows for a long time, gets sick and dies. To avoid this, you should:

1. Choose only mineral formulations for fertilization.
2. Apply fertilizers from March to October at intervals of 2-3 weeks. For young plants, it is enough to carry out the procedure once a month and a half.
3. Combine top dressing with watering in the summer.
4. In spring and autumn, feed the plant only after watering. Fertilizer is applied at least 2 hours after the soil is moistened.
5. In winter, fertilize once.

Unlike complex mineral fertilizers, not all organic substances are suitable for lemon. The most effective solution is a weak solution of manure with water (1/6) and an extract from wood ash. A special infusion of birch and quinoa leaves is popular.

Some citrus fruit owners are faced with the problem of flowering. When flowers do not appear on the crown among the ripening leaves, this indicates poor feeding. Why does the plant react this way? The fact is that the lemon does not have enough strength to bear fruit.And a change in fertilizer will help him cope with this problem.

From quinoa, you can prepare an infusion for fertilizing lemon

The importance of pruning

The need for pruning is due to decorative and sanitary features. Its shape and scheme most often depend on the purpose of growing the tree. Small ornamental plants do not need sprawling large branches, so they are cut as much as possible, making the crown compact. For citrus fruits that bear fruit, the rule of balancing branches and shoots applies. The most common pruning method is pinching.

It begins after the lemon has reached the age of one year, with preliminary pruning of the main shoot. It is best to leave 30 cm in length. This is necessary so that the lateral buds on the tree begin to sprout.

Only after the lemon gets stronger and gives new branches, they should be pinched. 3-4 leaves remain on each branch. This pruning method allows the tree to grow strong, able to hold and ripen fully.

It is important to prune old dead branches. The lemon spends its powers on them, but it will not work to revive them. Therefore, it is better to rid the lemon of the extra load. Those shoots that grow inside the crown also lend themselves to pruning. They most often prevent neighboring branches from developing and getting enough sunlight.

Lemon harvest

Enjoy the ripe lemon fruit grown on your own balcony or windowsill only if the blooms are formed correctly. Weak immature plants can throw out a large number of flowers in the second year of life. You cannot leave them. The structure of the tree cannot withstand a heavy load, and the lemon will die, giving all its strength to the fruit. To grow a large crop, you should:

1. In the second year of the lemon's life, leave 2 flowers on the whole tree or completely remove the inflorescences.
2. During flowering, carefully monitor the health of the tree, protect it from drafts and carry out all the features of caring for it.
3. Know the rule of forming inflorescences - there should be 10 leaves for 1 fruit. All other ovaries are removed.

Lemon harvest can be expected 4-5 years after planting.

Do not expect high fertility rates from a houseplant. The tree grows and develops very slowly. Any human error can delay the appearance of blooms. You should constantly monitor the condition of the lemon and feed, cut and water it in a timely manner.

Some citrus fruit owners get their first good fruits within 4-5 years. Their number rarely exceeds 5–8 pieces. A larger harvest will have to wait longer. The tree reaches its maturity only by 8-10 years, and at home the lemon lives up to 40-45 years.

Transplant features

Some citrus owners are faced with the problem of the rapid death of the plant. If its cause depends on watering and fertilization, then the tree suffers from an incorrectly selected pot. Too much capacity causes root rot. It is better to use pots commensurate with the root of the plant and replant the tree only when it becomes cramped. It is best to increase the space gradually, while controlling the growth of the tree's roots.

We must not forget about the proper access of oxygen to the roots. It is better to install the pot on a pallet with a gap so that air can penetrate into the ground. Place a lining of stones or wood under the bottom of the pot.

After transplanting, the citrus is returned to the same place where it stood before. Any change in the environment is bad for the health of the plant. It can hurt and even die. If you want to turn the tree with the darkened side towards the sun, then you should change the angle by no more than 10 degrees. Only in this way will the lemon grow strong and healthy.

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

Room lemon - a short description

At home, lemons are grown in flower pots or tubs. Growing a lemon in a tub, you can get from 10-30 fruits every year from a young plant to 200 from an adult. Lemons, which are not inferior in quality to the southern varieties, can be removed from a tree about one and a half meters in height. You can grow a houseplant from a lemon seed, but truly delicious fruits are obtained only from varietal plants. Lemon is a perennial plant 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 essential oils secreted by all parts of the plant.

Growing features

Growing lemon at home is not as easy as other indoor flowers. A home tree requires a spacious, well-lit space 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 receipt of the first fruits, so please be patient and wait for your tree to bloom and give you the first medium-sized lemons. Over time, the tree will get stronger, and will delight you with a more generous harvest.

When growing indoor lemon, you must comply with the prerequisites:

• Bright room.
• Regular airing.
• Good drainage.
• Regular feeding.
• Cool wintering.

Planting lemon

If you decide to grow lemon from a seedling, pay attention to the "pedigree". It will be difficult for a fruiting 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 is likely to die. When choosing a seedling, carefully study the information about it.

When planting, the root collar should be buried only 5 mm into the ground. The ground 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 off during watering. After planting, spray the seedling and water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Place the pot in a lighted place, but protect the leaves from direct sunlight, 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 abruptly so that the house flower can develop normally.

Optimal time

The best time to plant 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 sod) - 2 parts.
• Leafy ground - 2 parts.
• Dung humus - 1 part.
• Coarse sand - 1 part.

On ordinary land from a summer cottage, a lemon will bear fruit poorly.

If you cannot assemble such a complex composition, buy Lemon or Rose earth in a flower shop.

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

Care features

Lack of sunlight shouldn't kill the plant. When the days are lengthened, the growth of the tree is activated, but at the same time fruiting is delayed. The southern and eastern windows are suitable for a houseplant. The most favorable place for lemon is the sills of the eastern windows, on which in the morning the sun's rays are bright, but not scorching. In hot summer, shield the flowerpot from the sun with a gauze curtain.

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

Advice. In winter, it is advisable to arrange daylight illumination for 6 hours a day. Place an incandescent or fluorescent light bulb 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 away or cover the batteries with a damp cloth. Spray the lemon periodically, but do not get carried away so as not to cause the development of the fungus. Place a cup of water in or near the pot.

In the summer, it is useful to have 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 at high temperatures during flowering and fruit formation is especially dangerous. Flowers and ovaries may crumble. The more humid the air, the longer the leaves of the plant live.

Watering

In May and September, lemons should be watered daily, but in moderation. Swampy soil is categorically unsuitable, but overdried soil can also destroy the tree. Water the lemon less often during the winter, but keep it moist.

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

Temperature

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

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 cold, try to gradually move the pot of the plant so that it can adapt to the new conditions.

Top dressing and fertilization

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

By the state of the leaves, shoots and fruits, one 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 are deformed and coarse - phosphorus deficiency.
• The leaves grow, and the fruits become smaller - potassium starvation.
• The tops of the branches dry out, the leaves turn pale and turn yellow, the lemon does not bloom and does not bear fruit - there is little iron.

It is recommended to fertilize lemons with 0.5% ammonium nitrate combined with potassium salt. With a lack of phosphorus, superphosphate is used.

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). It is not necessary to apply all fertilizers at the same time - lemons suffer from excessive feeding.

Carry out the planned feeding twice a month in the summer; from October to February, you do not need to feed the lemon.

Pruning

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 cut, the crown will become too large. When pruning, part of the branches is removed after the fifth leaf - the crown from such a haircut will become productive and compact.

Lemon transplant

The fact that it is time to transplant the lemon is evidenced by the roots sticking out of the drainage hole, but this is a case of extreme neglect. A planned transplant should be carried out as the tree grows, each next flower pot should be slightly larger than the previous one. There are circumstances of a forced transplant, for example, a pot may break or you will feel an unpleasant odor from the soil.

If the lemon does not grow well, it can be transplanted in the fall, although the optimal time is the end of February, before active growth begins, or the middle of summer.

• Carefully take out the plant, cut off the broken and damaged roots, and sprinkle them with crushed coal or Kornevin. It is not necessary to completely shake off the earth lump.
• Place a drain on the bottom of the pot and add some river sand. Above - a layer of soil.
• Cut off some of the branches to make it easier for the roots to feed the plant.
• Make a depression in the soil, set the lump so that the neck is just below the edge of the pot. If you need to raise, fill up the earth.
• Sprinkle soil around the edges in layers, making sure that the trunk is in the middle of the pot.
• Trample the soil with your hands so that no voids remain.
• Pour with settled water and loosen the soil a little.

Advice. To make the lemon easier to bear stress, sprinkle it with Zircon and cover it with foil for 5-7 days.

Reproduction

Lemon propagation

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

Seed propagation

You can get the 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.

Planting soil - well-drained peat and flower soil in a 1: 1 ratio. Deepen the seeds 1 cm and keep the soil moist without overflowing. At room temperature, the sprouts should appear in two weeks. Pick the tallest ones and delete the rest. Cover the sprout with a jar and place in a well-lit place without direct sunlight. Ventilate the sprout for several hours each day by removing the can.

When a few true leaves appear, plant the sprouts in pots up to 10 cm in diameter with good drainage. When replanting, try to keep the roots and soil around them. Pour a mixture of peat and soil for flowers into the pot. Transplant the plant that has grown up to 15-20 centimeters into an "adult" pot.

Propagation by cuttings

In the spring, semi-lignified twigs 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.

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

It is necessary to spray the cutting twice a day with water of about + 25 ° C until rooting occurs. At room temperature, the cutting should take root in 3-4 weeks. After that, remove the can for a few hours a day, and after a week, remove it completely. After another 7 days, you can transplant the cutting into a small pot with nutritious soil and reliable drainage. Within a year, you can transplant the lemon into a regular pot, and after 3-4 years it will begin to bloom.

Bloom

The tops of young shoots of lemon are pink-purple in color. The oval toothed leaves contain an essential oil. Leaves change after 2-3 years. Large lemon flowers (4-5 cm) bloom in spring five weeks after the bud appears, flowering lasts more than two months. After the petals fall off, the fruit is tied, ripening in 200 or more days.

If a young plant begins to bloom in the first years of life, it is advisable to cut off the buds so that the tree can develop normally.When the buds appear a second time, they are no longer torn off - the lemon itself "decides" how many fruits it can feed. The extra buds will fly around by themselves. You can allow flowering when the tree already has at least 20 leaves. It is believed that each fruit needs at least 10 mature leaves.

Post-flowering care

Lemon grows, blooms and bears fruit all year round. One tree may contain ripe fruits, ovaries, flowers and buds. It is not necessary to pick off the faded inflorescences, as they turn into ovaries. If the lemon blooms in summer, the fruit ripens faster than in spring bloom.

Problems, diseases, pests

Many diseases of ornamental lemons are caused by improper care. With a lack of light and nutrients, lemon leaves brighten. Buds and leaves fly around if there is not enough moisture. The dryness of the indoor air is especially difficult for the plant, flowering may stop, the leaves darken and fall off.

Pests also often settle on the plant:

• Scabbards lead to the drying of branches, leaves and the death of the lemon. Remove the pests with a toothbrush and wash the lemon with soapy water.
• The spider mite settles on the wrong side of the leaves and the cobweb gradually envelops the entire tree. Spray with Actelika 0.15% solution three times, every 10 days.
• 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. Actelika solution helps to get rid of this pest.
• Thrips and whiteflies also settle on lemons, which must be collected by hand, and the tree must be washed under the shower and treated with soapy water.

Popular types of indoor lemon

Meyer's lemon

Lemon Pavlovsky

Lemon Lunardio

Ponderosa lemon

Lemon Jubilee

• Meyer's lemon
• Lemon Pavlovsky
• Lemon Lunardio
• Ponderosa lemon
• Lemon Jubilee

Useful Tips

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

Answers on questions

The lifespan of indoor lemon

With careful attention and proper care, lemons live up to 45 years. An indoor flower dies ahead of time due to diseases and pests.

Why isn't the lemon blooming?

You have probably planted the plant in a pot that is too tight. Transplant it and feed it with complex fertilizer.

What if the lemon drops its leaves?

For lemon, 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 a shadow. The reason may be excessive or insufficient watering - souring of the soil and drying out of the earthy coma are equally harmful for lemons. If the tree has not been watered for a long time, do not moisten the soil abundantly, add water little by little over several days.

Why does lemon shed fruit?

Lemon sheds 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 wintering?

The main task during the winter is to preserve the leaves. The room should not be too hot - no more than + 20оС. Keep the plant pot away from batteries and place a container of water next to it. If the windows are well protected from cold air, arrange a tree in the southeast or southwest window. Watering lemon in winter should not be as abundant as in the warm season.