Is it possible to grow Chinese lemongrass in an apartment?

• Text updated: 10/17/2016
• Views: 4867
• Comments: 5

Liana Schisandra chinensis is a deciduous plant found in China, in the Far East. The plant is appreciated by gardeners for its medicinal properties and decorative properties. Stems, leaves, flowers smell like lemon.

Lemongrass is grown in summer cottages as a hedge. Liana needs a garter to the support, it is able to twist around the support to a height of 8 m.

Indoor plant lemongrass

The apartment feels good. In its natural environment, the vine grows in the forest and is adapted to diffused sunlight, so lemongrass should be supplemented in the room only in winter.

Top dressing with potash and phosphorus fertilizers serve as sufficient nutrition for the superficial root system of the vine.

Does not tolerate lemongrass when grown in a watering room with unboiled tap water and dry air. In the summer, the plant is sprayed, and for the winter, part of the trunk is covered with sand.

Application in medicine

The composition of the fruits and leaves of Schizandra contains the substance schizandrin, which stimulates the nervous system and increases immunity. The high content of antioxidants and stimulants determines the field of application of vines in medicine:

• restores working capacity;
• improves visual acuity;
• stimulates the respiratory system;
• stabilizes blood pressure.

Growing vines

Grown with seeds and root shoots. The plant is rooted worse by cuttings, only 20% of the specimens take root.

Seed reproduction

Monoecious plants emerge from the seeds, which ensures good pollination. Seeds are selected from the middle part of a ripe brush.

• The berries are harvested in September when the fruits are ripe.
• In the spring, the fruits are soaked, the seeds are washed from the pulp.
• Soak for 4 days in running water.
• Placed in wet sand for a month at + 20 ° C.
• The seeds, without taking them out of the box, are buried under the snow, preventing freezing, for a month.
• The box is brought into a room with a temperature of + 10 ° C for 2 weeks.
• The seeds crack, after which they are planted.

Planting material is covered to a depth of 0.5 cm. Plants dive when 4 leaves appear, and are planted in the ground at the beginning of summer. The seed-grown vine will bloom in 6 years.

Reproduction by root shoots

A shallow rhizome in the soil gives a large amount of growth. In spring, the shoots of a young liana are sprinkled with a layer of earth, watered to get sprouts for jigging. Jigging is planted in place next spring. Within 2 years, lemongrass can bear its first fruits.

• Tags: liana landing

1. Gentlemen are gardeners and florists. In late autumn I bought a rooted cutting of lemongrass without leaves. It was too late to plant and he stayed on my window in a pot. Began to develop. And at the end of January, for some reason, the leaf began to dry. Lemongrass transplanted into new soil. On a whim, I added sphagnum there. Maybe only hurt? Tell. It’s a pity to lose the plant. Thanks

2. Most likely, the leaf began to dry due to lack of lighting. It began to develop too early. And the room might be too warm for him. Place it in the sunniest place and cover with a clear bag until it releases a strong shoot. : comp writer:

3. Aunt Lee, I agree with Alexey, most likely it is dark for him, well, nothing, soon spring, will hold out. Process with Epin.

5. Thank you. And I was already going to cut at the root and hide in a cold basement

6. Lemongrass in the apartment? Maybe someone tried to grow lemongrass in an apartment? Well, at least on the glassed-in balcony. A friend suggested to me to "dig up" cuttings, will they grow in a pot or not torment the plant?

7. Here is a good article about him />Lertsya, there is so much about agricultural technology that you may even be able to grow it at home. Provided that you figure out how this deciduous vine will winter.
   Here's a good description too

8. In August, she rooted a stalk of lemongrass. I had to leave it on the windowsill, under a fluorescent lamp. With 12 hours of light, it feels great, it is not going to dump foliage. By the spring there will be a decent seedling.

   Concerning the rooting of winter cuttings. In November, I placed 3-4 bud cuttings in plastic bottles and glass jars. Naturally under a fluorescent lamp. In blue plastic bottles, green shoots have formed on the cuttings. It looks like the problem is light period and humidity.

9. I read the link to lemongrass, but I can't understand why Chinese…. PRIMORSKY he (our Chukchi, when they went to the taiga, took a bag of dried lemongrass with them). My neighbors have relatives in Primorye, so there is lemongrass, they brought him 20 years ago to Chel-sk, now everyone has lemongrass.
   My lemongrass grows on black soil, it feels great. I planted it in 4 different places - in the sun (it bears fruit best in the sun), in the shade and partial shade.,. I use not only berries, but also leaves (I make a balm). Soon it will turn red - I will post a photo.

   - this is a photo of a month ago.

   Last edited by a moderator: 05/12/2017

11. I so recommend to grow this vine, that is, the seaside lemongrass, it is problem-free, that is, it does not freeze, does not require special care, except for installing a trellis. And what lemongrass is useful, for the Chukchi it is the second ginseng.
    Here he is my beauty man (I consider him the main value that is growing with me)

    - after half an hour the berries turned into juice, and the extracts were filled with vodka for 2 months.

    Last edited by a moderator: 05/12/2017

13. Nicoletta, And I live in the Southern Urals, We can very often have snow in May ... (and even more so in Primorye) My lemongrass are many years old and I would not say that it strangles trees like that. Probably a different variety. If I have it, I will dig as much as necessary, but the end of April or the beginning of May is desirable. (I never regret it)

14. zlaton, thanks, but lemongrass - he is lemongrass, I haven't read about different varieties. At home, in the Far East, it forms impenetrable thickets. It grows along the edge of the site and eats up to its fullest with the abundance of pouring under the berry fields, so it makes a brawl. The rest is absolutely problem-free.

16. zlaton, I see, so I will limit myself to one plant. Then I will wait. At least I would winter. And what kind of balm is so wonderful?

18. Until the snow melts, I will try to grow from seeds. Soaked the seeds for a day. Now I put it in the refrigerator. Let them lie down for at least two weeks.

    Tanais, I read that young plants need to be covered for the winter for two years. Maybe yours are freezing

    Last edited by a moderator: 11/02/2015

2. Replies: 7 Views: 1.406

Where does lemongrass grow in natural conditions?

Of the 14 species of lemongrass in the countries of the former USSR, only lemongrass is common, which grows in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk regions, on the islands of the Kuril ridge and Sakhalin. Prefers valley and mountain sparse coniferous-deciduous forests, open spaces formed as a result of felling, fires and windbreaks. The most favorable are the gentle slopes of the low mountains. They are rare in shady forests.

What are the beneficial substances contained in the fruits of lemongrass?

The fruits are rich in biologically active substances. Dry fruits contain sugar - up to 16%, organic acids (citric, malic, succinic, tartaric, etc.) - 10, tannins - 3, pectins - 0.15% and dyes; in freshly harvested: sugar - 2%, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) - 70 mg%, as well as citrine (vitamin P), sterols and carotenoids, essential oil, etc. The seeds contain fatty oil - 47%, essential oil - 3 %. The fatty seed oil contains tocopherol (vitamin E) - 30 mg%. The juice and seeds contain many macro- and microelements, especially silver and molybdenum. The active ingredients of Schizandra are schizandrin, schizandron and several other compounds of a rather complex composition (contained in the seeds).

Chinese Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)

What is the dietary and therapeutic and prophylactic value of lemongrass fruit?

You can use fresh and dried fruits, as well as tinctures from seeds and fruits, powder from seeds. In the Far East, Schizandra fruits have long been used as a tonic, as well as for the treatment of many diseases: colds, frostbite, impotence, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal disorders, etc. Schizandra fruits and preparations have an exciting effect on the central nervous system, stimulate cardiovascular activity and respiration, increase efficiency, relieve fatigue during physical and mental stress, drowsiness, exhaustion of the nervous system, neurasthenia, depression, etc. Promote an increase in blood pressure, aggravation of night vision. Contraindicated in hypertension, epilepsy, stomach ulcers and gastritis. Susceptibility to lemongrass is not the same, so it should be consumed in consultation with your doctor.

What else can you use besides fruits and seeds?

As a flavoring, stimulating and tonic agent, you can use the stems, leaves, roots and bark of lemongrass. All of them contain biologically active substances. In addition, the ascorbic acid in the leaves is five times more than in the fruit. Leaves and bark give off a lemon scent, especially when rubbed in hand. It is recommended to make tea, decoctions, tinctures from whole organs or powder from them, which have a pleasant color, delicate aroma and have a tonic and thirst-quenching effect.

How to use lemongrass fruit?

Basically, the fruits are processed for use in therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. At the same time, crushing and crushing of seeds should be avoided, as as a result, the products acquire a bitter, burning taste. Dried fruits are widely used in cooking. The fruits keep well.

What are the biological characteristics of lemongrass?

It is a woody liana up to 18 m long, 2.5 cm in diameter. Supports itself in an upright position, leaning on other plants and supports. Shoots twine around the supports in a spiral. The bark is dark brown, smooth and shiny on young shoots, scaly on old ones. Lianas and their shoots are elastic, soft, do not break when bent, always directed upwards. Kidneys - oblong-ovate, sharp, 3-4 mm long, collected in three in a knot. The middle, most developed kidney starts to grow, the two lateral ones remain dormant. Leaves are light green, alternate with a wedge-shaped base, petioles are pink. Flowers - unisexual, 1.5 cm in diameter, waxy, white, on long drooping pedicels, two to four on shortened shoots. They have a delicate odor. Male flowers have white stamens, accrete so that only anthers remain free, opening with a longitudinal slit. In females, a greenish pistil with numerous carpels located on a cylindrical receptacle. Male flowers bloom two to three days earlier than female flowers. They do not lose their petals after flowering, but fall off along with the peduncle. Females lose petals during fertilization and at the beginning of the development of the ovary.

How is the qualitative composition of male and female flowers formed on monoecious plants?

Young lemongrass plants entering the fruiting period form predominantly male flowers, female flowers as they grow. In an adult lemongrass, flowers are arranged in tiers: in the lower part - mainly male, in the middle - male and female from one mixed bud, in the upper part - female. The presence of flowers of one sex or another is not a stable sign, it depends on age and environmental factors such as illumination, nutritional conditions, temperature regime and soil moisture. Flower buds are laid on the shoots of previous years. Lemongrass blooms in June for 8-12 days.

Schisandra chinensis

What are the features of the formation and development of fruits?

After fertilization, the ovary gradually increases and lengthens, a brush is drawn from one flower - an elongated receptacle with a pedicel and fruits. The latter are at first green, then increase in size, turn white, turn brown and more and more “stand apart”. By the time of ripening, the brush grows 25-50 times. The fruits turn carmine red. The fruit is a juicy multileaf, a cylindrical polyberry with an elongated receptacle (8-10 cm), on which there are about 40 spherical leaflets (fruits) with a diameter of 5-10 mm. The average weight of the fruit is 0.45 g, the bunch is 1.37-14.67 g. Ripe fruits do not fall, but hang until frost.

Are there dioecious lemongrass plants (separate female and male)?

Yes. This biological feature is fixed in the offspring only during vegetative reproduction. With seed, as a rule, three types of plants are obtained: male, female and monoecious. The first two annually confirm their dioeciousness: either female or male. Monoecious plants have an unstable ratio of female to male flowers, in one year there may be both those and others, in the next - most or all are female. This phenomenon does not contribute to the annual guaranteed yield if only monoecious plants are planted on the site. Therefore, along with monoecious, it is necessary to plant dioecious plants.

Why does lemongrass sometimes bloom annually, but there is no harvest?

Perhaps only female or only male plants grow on the site, and they are not tied to female fruits because there are no male plants nearby. Lemongrass flowers are pollinated by insects.

What are the requirements for lemongrass for growing conditions in the garden?

Under natural conditions, lemongrass is picky about light, high atmospheric humidity and soil fertility. When breeding on a plot, it must be placed in an open place (it grows slowly in shade and bears little fruit). The soil should be fertile, well-drained, with a light texture. Reacts well to organic and mineral fertilizers, irrigation. On dense clay, peaty or sandy soil, the growth and development of lemongrass slows down - such soil should be improved. Lemongrass does not grow in swampy areas, does not withstand flooding by flood waters.

Are there varieties of lemongrass?

There are no varieties yet. There are selected forms and samples that differ in yield, elongation and compactness of the brush, large fruits, good content of sugars, vitamins and other biologically active substances.

What are lemongrass seeds?

Seeds are shiny, yellow, reniform, with a thin dense shell (the surface of the latter is finely grooved), 4x3x2 mm in size. Each fruit contains one or two seeds. The average weight of 10OO seeds is 20 g. Schizandra has an extremely developed "empty grain", sometimes reaching 95%. Empty seeds are devoid of embryos and endosperm, although outwardly they are no different from normal ones. In normal seeds, the embryo grows and develops during stratification.

What is the seed yield?

The seed yield is 6-8% of the yield of fresh fruits. In 1 kg of pure seeds, there are 40-50 thousand seeds. Germination capacity lasts no more than two years.

Can lemongrass be propagated by seeds?

It is possible, but due to the splitting of signs and properties, an exact copy of the mother plant cannot be obtained.

How to prepare seeds in the post-harvest period?

Squeeze the juice from freshly picked fruits, rub them lightly through a sieve, rinse and separate from the pulp and skin. Dried seeds should be stored in paper bags until January, then begin stratification.

How to properly stratify seeds?

In January, lemongrass seeds should be soaked for 4 days and the water should be changed daily. After that, wrap them in a nylon cloth and place them in moist, calcined coarse-grained sand in a box, and keep them in a room for 1 month at a temperature of 18-20 ° C. From time to time (once a week), the seeds need to do air and water baths. To do this, they need to be dug out, rinsed, allowed to dry for 15-20 minutes, wrapped in a cloth again and put in the sand. After a month, a box with seeds should be placed under the snow, and 20-25 days before sowing, take it out and put it in a warm room with a positive temperature so that the sand will thaw and the seeds will nest.

Schisandra chinensis flowers

How to sow stratified seeds?

Fertile soil, well prepared in the fall, should be loosened and marked in the spring, grooves 1.5-2 cm deep at a distance of 12-15 cm from each other, and the bed should be compacted. It is necessary to sow the seeds in the grooves 2 cm apart, close them with a layer of humus 1.5 cm and water. In the same grooves, simultaneously with sowing lemongrass seeds, sow the seeds of a lighthouse culture, which is characterized by a rapid seed germination. Seedlings of a lighthouse culture indicate rows of lemongrass crops, which will prevent damage to them when leaving.

Can lemongrass seeds be sown in autumn?

Yes. Freshly sown seeds for 3-4 days before sowing must be moistened with water, which should be changed daily. Then it is necessary to prepare the ridges, make shallow grooves, compact the bed, sow the seeds and cover them with light humus with a layer of 1.5 cm. Seeds sown in the fall undergo natural stratification in the soil, shoots appear at the beginning of the next summer.

How to care for crops, seedlings and seedlings?

Crops should be in partial shade. If the ridges are located in an open place, they need to be covered with lattice shields or gauze pulled. In summer, you should loosen the soil, weed weeds, and if necessary, moisten with water.Seeds sprout at the same time, the process lasts 2-2.5 months. First, the hypocotyledonous knee appears in the form of a loop, it gradually straightens and takes out the cotyledonous leaves with a seed coat. After release from the shell, the cotyledons expand, increasing in size. If the seeds are sown often and give good shoots, then with the appearance of the third true leaf, they can be sown. In the first year, seedlings grow very slowly (by autumn, the height is 5-6 cm). In the second and especially the third year, they develop faster, with good care, they grow by 0.5 m by autumn. At the sowing site, seedlings must be grown for two to three years, then transplanted to a permanent place.

How else can lemongrass be propagated?

By all methods of vegetative proprietary propagation.

Lignified cuttings.

Shoots harvested in the fall should be cut into cuttings 20 cm in size, tied in bunches and placed under the snow. In the spring, cuttings (three-quarters high) must be placed in water (changed daily). After three days, lignified cuttings must be planted in loose fertile soil (to a depth of three-quarters of the cut). Planting care consists in loosening the soil, weeding, watering. Water daily for a month, at the end of which adventitious roots form. At the same time, watering should be reduced: first, they should be carried out every other day, then once a week. At the site of rooting, cuttings should be grown for two years.

Root offspring.

Around fruiting plants, especially old ones, many root suckers are formed. Carefully at a considerable distance from the plant with a shovel, you need to cut off the rhizome with an adventitious shoot. If there are several shoots, then the rhizome should be cut with the pruning shears according to the number of shoots. Root offspring often do not have their own roots, so they should be planted for growing (for one to two years) or in a permanent place (in the latter case, more careful care and watering are needed). All root suckers cannot be dug up: the root system is destroyed and the mother plant dies.

Rhizome cuttings.

The rhizome must be carefully excavated, cut off with a shovel from the mother plant and removed from the soil. With pruning shears, you need to cut it into cuttings so that each one has adventitious buds or etiolated shoots that have started to grow. Rhizome cuttings must be grown in loose fertile soil and watered daily.

Schisandra chinensis

Green cuttings.

This breeding method can be used in June and July. Fresh shoots should be cut into three-node cuttings in the shade, a leaf with a petiole should be removed from the lower node. During the day, the cuttings must be treated with stimulating substances (heteroauxin, indolylbutyric acid, etc.). For rooting, cuttings should be planted in a sterile substrate in greenhouses or greenhouses at high humidity. Cuttings root faster and better where the substrate temperature is at least half a degree higher than the air temperature. This can be easily achieved with biological heating (rotting manure or organic waste). Excessive watering contributes to the soaking of the roots or poor overwintering of rooted cuttings.

Can lemongrass be propagated indoors?

Yes. A pot should be placed in a well-lit place, two-thirds of it must be filled with fertile structural soil, and on top (one-third) - with coarse-grained sterile sand. Plant a green cutting in the last one (the cutting preparation technique is described in the previous answer). The aerial part of the cutting should be covered with a film or glass jar. Watering is necessary often, but in small doses, while the shelter is not removed. The water should be at room temperature, it is better to keep it on the windowsill. After two to three weeks, roots will appear on the cutting, during this period you can remove the jar (film) at night, constantly increasing the time the cutting is left without shelter. Four and a half weeks after landing, the shelter must be removed completely.Watering at this time must be reduced, since the roots can suffocate and rot from excess water. Overwintering rooted cuttings are better tolerated in the open field.

Where is the best place to plant lemongrass on the site?

Choosing the right place for planting is of great importance, since not only the yield of lemongrass, but also the decorative design of the garden, largely depends on this. The place should be open to the sun, but protected from cold and drying winds. It is good to place lemongrass on the south side of the buildings, but it is possible on the east or west side (so that the sun shines on the plants for half a day). The best soil is loose, humus-rich, drained, with a reaction close to neutral. Therefore, the area intended for planting lemongrass must be thoroughly prepared and deeply cultivated. Heavy, dense, clayey soil must be sealed with sand and organic fertilizers, peaty and sandy - with clay and organic fertilizers, sour - lime. Areas with high groundwater levels must be raised or lemongrass must be planted on ramparts or other elevations.

How to properly prepare a footprint?

One plant can be planted in a pit, but it is not recommended to place lemongrass alone. It is better to plant several plants in a trench 50 cm wide and no more than 60 cm deep. In the middle of it, at a distance of 1.5 m from each other, metal stakes must be driven in to fasten the trellis. At the bottom, you need to lay drainage material (shabenka, gravel, slag, broken brick, construction waste) with a layer of 30 cm and slightly compact, then fertilized soil. The latter should be preliminarily prepared: add (per 1m2) to the excavated cultivated layer: rotted manure (60-70 kg), sand (three to four buckets), lime (500 g,) phosphorus (150 g), nitrogen ( 40-50 g. In.). The soil with fertilizers must be thoroughly mixed and compacted in a trench. At each landing site (after 1 m), you need to pour a cone-shaped tubercle from fertile soil and slightly compact it.

How to plant lemongrass correctly?

When planting, the strongest shoot of the seedling should be cut into three buds, from which the plant will form, weak shoots must be cut into a ring, the roots must be shortened by 20-25 cm. bucket). When planting, the seedling must be placed on a cone-shaped tubercle, spread the roots in all directions and sprinkle with soil. The latter is slightly compacted, watered abundantly and mulched.

When is it better to plant seedlings in a permanent place?

It is best to plant them immediately in a permanent place. If the seedlings are purchased in the fall, then it is necessary to plant at this time. Prykopka for the winter worsens the survival rate during spring planting.

How to care for lemongrass?

In the first two years, the root system develops intensively. It is fibrous and is located at a depth of 8-10 cm. Therefore, it is highly undesirable to loosen the soil, and mineral and organic fertilizers must be applied superficially in the form of mulch. In the third year, rather good growth shoots are formed, which must be directed upward and temporarily tied with twine. They curl themselves around the support. The soil should be weeded and the mulch should be loosened to a depth of 2-3 cm. Mineral fertilizers, starting from the third year of planting, should be applied in the form of three additional dressings during the growing season. In the spring, before bud break, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium should be added (40 g a.i. per 1 m2), after the end of flowering during the period of active growth of the ovary - nitrogen (20 g), potassium and phosphorus (15 g each), after harvesting in September - phosphorus and potassium (30 grams of oil per 1 m2). Fertilizers must be covered in mulch with a rake and watered abundantly.

Schisandra chinensis

In what form to cultivate lemongrass?

The form of growing lemongrass affects not only the yield, but also the completeness of the brushes. Of the two forms - bushy and vertical (on a trellis) - the latter is better. At the same time, the vines are well lit, and the conditions for pollination of flowers by insects are also improved.As a result, the length of the brush, the number of fruits and their mass increase. The average weight of one brush is 3.5 g, on a trellis - 9.8 g. In addition, with vertical culture, the lifespan of the plant increases, vines develop better, it becomes easier to form a crown, and more female flowers are formed.

What supports can be used for lemongrass?

The same as for actinidia.

Does lemongrass grow without support?

Yes. But it will bear fruit later and worse. To speed up the entry into the season of fruiting, the vine must be raised on a support as early as possible.

For what year does lemongrass begin to bear fruit?

Vegetatively propagated plants - after three to four years, grown from seeds - after five to six years.

Do plants need to be pruned and shaped?

With good care during the fruiting period, the vines branch out intensively, due to which the crown thickens and the yield decreases. At the same time, a large number of root suckers are formed. Therefore, it is necessary to cut and shape the vines. To reduce thickening in the crown, in late autumn (after leaf fall), dried, weak and excess shoots should be cut out. It is possible to shorten the too long increment of a given year. With a large thickening on the trellis, young growing shoots must be shortened in the summer (usually by 10-12 buds), and all root suckers must be cut out annually, old vines must be replaced with young ones. Cutting old vines does not depend on age, but on the bareness and distance of their crowns from the ground.

What is the decorative effect of lemongrass?

It is a fast-growing liana with graceful and juicy green foliage, white, pleasantly smelling beautiful flowers in spring and bright red fruits in autumn. In summer, it creates a pleasant shade and coolness near arches, trellises, pergolas, gazebos, trellises, etc. Deserves widespread adoption in garden plots.

How to pick lemongrass fruit correctly?

You need to harvest when you reach full ripeness (for the middle lane - in September-October). Brushes should be plucked or cut off at the base. It is unacceptable to put the fruits in metal dishes, since harmful compounds are formed in the juice during oxidation. With good care on fertile soil from one plant, you can get 4 kg of fruit, but most often - about 0.7-1 kg.

Are all biologically active substances preserved when growing lemongrass in the middle lane?

Yes, all biologically active substances are preserved when growing lemongrass in the middle lane

How to dry fruits?

Slightly dried fruits must be sorted out, removed impurities and stalks, spread in a thin layer and dried in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 60-70 ° C (otherwise they turn black). Dried fruits should be firm, large-wrinkled, irregular in shape, dark red or almost black, have a spicy, bitter-sour, slightly irritating taste and slightly aromatic odor. Drying whole juicy fruits at room temperature is ineffective, as they become moldy.

How to dry leaves and young shoots?

The optimal time for harvesting leaves and young shoots is early August. They should be crushed with secateurs into pieces up to 2-3 cm, spread out in a thin layer and dried in the shade with natural ventilation, stirring regularly. Store in paper bags.

Schisandra chinensis

What can be made from lemongrass fruits at home?

Mostly the fruits are used for drying. Lemongrass juice can be used to make kvass, syrups, jelly, preserves, marmalade, etc. The processed products acquire a good color and have the aroma and taste of fresh lemon.

Are there diseases and pests on lemongrass?

They exist in natural conditions. On lemongrass grown in the middle lane, they have not yet been seen.

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26.12.2017

5 minutes.

Schisandra chinensis is a tree-like vine whose leaves spread the scent of lemon around it. The plant is used for landscaping vertical walls, fences, gazebos in the country.But it can also be grown at home on the south side of the apartment. It is important to create the most natural conditions and properly care for the plant. The liana blooms for only 1 week, but it gives sweet fruits, they are used for homemade preparations.

1 Description

Schizandra chinensis or schizandra refers to subtropical plants. Grows wild in China, grown in Russia and the CIS countries. The climate of the middle zone with mild winters, like in the Moscow region, is best suited for lemongrass. In the Urals and Siberia, it requires shelter for the winter, but feels good at home.

The liana can reach a height of 10 m. The main tree-like stem is 4 cm thick. The lashes are flexible, twine around any vertical support. Leaves are fleshy, 5-10 cm in size. Flowers are small, pale yellow or pale pink in color. They bloom in June, and by the end of summer, bright red berries ripen. In autumn, the plant changes the color of the leaves, and with the onset of frost, it discards them.

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1.1 Male and female plants

Schisandra is a bisexual vine, both male and female flowers are formed on it. This facilitates pollination and fruit formation. Usually, male flowers are located on the lower parts of the plant, and female flowers are located on the upper parts. Therefore, it is important to put supports and grow the vine only vertically.

The peculiarities of seed reproduction do not guarantee the formation of a bisexual plant. Flowers of only one sex may form, or differently each year. This does not provide a stable yield. To pick berries, it is better to plant monoecious and dioecious vines side by side.

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2 Landing

Lemongrass can be planted with seeds or seedlings. In the latter case, all hereditary characteristics of the plant are preserved, including its sex. When planting with seeds, there is no such guarantee.

To grow lemongrass from seeds, they need to be stratified. They are soaked in water for 5 days, the liquid is changed daily. After that, it is poured into calcined wet sand or peat and left in a dark place at room temperature. After that, the mixture is kept in the refrigerator for another 2 months. It is tedious to check the box periodically, the sand must remain wet. In February, the box is taken out and left at room temperature.

In spring, seeds can be planted in the ground. Optimal soil composition:

• compost;
• humus;
• sod land;
• wood ash.

All components are taken in equal parts, cleaned of stones and disinfected with boiling water. After a few days, you can plant the seeds along with the sand.

It is better to do this in spring, in March-April at a temperature of 18-20 degrees. Before the first shoots appear, the box is covered with a film, it is opened daily for airing. It is better to put it in a lighted place, since lemongrass belongs to light-loving plants.

The sprouts are planted in a permanent place in May. A plot in the garden is chosen on the south side, protected from the wind. Vine houses are placed on the south window or balcony.

Growing from seedlings is advisable only in the open air, since they are adapted to outdoor conditions, they have formed the trunk and root system. You need to buy seedlings at the age of 2-3 years.

For planting, you can use young shoots that are dug from the roots of an adult plant. They are planted in the ground and covered with a jar until the sprout takes root.

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3 Home care

Planting lemongrass is the easiest step in growing. It is much more difficult to take care of him. In open places, the vine grows well, it has enough fresh air, sun and moisture. And in an apartment this may cause problems.

It is necessary to bring the conditions of lemongrass as close to natural conditions as possible. It needs a lot of light, so you need to keep it on the south side of the apartment. It is better to take out the pot with the plant for the summer on the balcony, provided that it is protected from the wind. Liana care consists in watering, feeding, pruning and preparing for winter.

You need to water it with boiled settled water. Lemongrass naturally grows in humid climates, so you need to water it frequently. It is important to shake off water from young plants so that they do not rot. In summer, mature plants are sprayed with warm water.

From the age of three, you need to start fertilizing the soil. Liquid organic fertilizers are suitable for lemongrass. In the summer, it's tedious to dilute chicken droppings with water and water the vine with a mixture once every 3 weeks. In the spring, at the beginning of growth, 1.5 tablespoons of saltpeter are introduced, and in the fall, ash or potassium salt.

Correct pruning is essential for the formation of the trunk and lateral stems. It is not required in the early years, since the shoots grow slowly, all growth goes to the roots. On an adult plant, broken and dry branches are removed in the fall. Leave 3 strong stems, cutting off dense growth. This improves growth and fruiting. Once every 8-10 years old shoots are cut out, leaving strong young ones.

Supports for plants

Strong and reliable support is important for lemongrass. Since the shoots are flexible, they are difficult to break, any material is suitable as a support - wood, metal, plastic. For home, you can purchase a wooden trellis or make it yourself. The stems themselves will cling to it and develop correctly.

In the fall, with a reduction in daylight hours, you need to reduce watering. Gradually, the plant will shed its leaves. Shoots must be removed from the supports and laid on the ground. On the garden plot, they are covered with spruce branches, but in the conditions of an apartment, shelter is not required, it is enough to put the pot in a dark place. You can take it to the cellar and store it at +5 degrees.

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4 Diseases and pests

Schisandra chinensis is resistant to pests and diseases. They rarely hit the vine because of the persistent citrus aroma. In rare cases, she gets sick with the following diseases:

• Powdery mildew. A white bloom appears on the leaves. To save the plant, the leaves must be completely cut off and burned, and the shoots must be sprayed with Bordeaux liquid at a concentration of 1%.
• Spotting. Spots of yellow or brown color appear on the leaves. The affected leaves must be cut off and burned, and the liana must be sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.
• Fusarium wilting. The leaves are covered with spots, the plant withers. You cannot save it, you need to completely cut it out and burn it so that other flowers do not get infected.

To protect lemongrass and other indoor plants from disease, they need to be regularly inspected for pests and leaf spots. At the first sign, the damaged parts are removed and the plant is disinfected.

5 Fruit picking

It is unlikely that at home pollination will occur and fruits will form on lemongrass. This can only happen if you keep it on an open balcony or terrace.

It begins to bear fruit after a long period of time after planting - 6-10 years. If the fruit does not form, most likely, flowers of only one sex appear on the liana.

Usually the berries ripen by September. They need to be collected with brushes so as not to crush. It is best to process the fruit immediately after harvest. You can freeze them with sugar, make jam, tincture or compote.

Schisandra chinensis is an ornamental vine that can be grown in an open area and at home. With proper care, it retains its attractiveness, pleases flower growers with a pleasant aroma, beautiful flowers and fruits.