Lemon tree at home: winter care, diseases, reproduction, photo. Learning to grow and care for lemon at home

Indoor citrus varieties are compact, they rarely grow more than two meters in height. How to care for a lemon on the windowsill so that it grows safely, blooms and bears fruit, read the article.

Choosing a lemon for home cultivation, you need to take into account its need for lighting. If the apartment windows face west or north, you can choose Pavlovsky lemon, it grows beautifully on north windows. This variety is unpretentious in cultivation, begins to bear fruit at 3-4 years of age, yielding 20 to 40 tasty medium-sized fruits.

For more experienced growers, a variety is suitable. Meyer or Chinese lemon. He is picky about watering, lighting and air temperature. If in winter in the room where it grows, more than +12 ° C, the fruits may not set.

Differs in beautiful flowering variety Anniversary... Flowers, collected in inflorescences of 14 pieces, are white with a purple tint. Fruits are large, can reach 600 g, they begin to set 3-4 years after planting. The variety is undemanding to watering and air humidity.

Variety Maikop attracts with high yield. Mature tree can give a year from 100 to 300 fruits weighing about 150 g. Lemon prefers wintering in a cool room.

Large fruits, weighing more than 500 g, grow on a variety Panderosa... This hybrid was obtained by crossing a citron and a lemon. He normally tolerates dry, hot air, loves bright diffused light, and needs frequent feeding. It blooms with large creamy white flowers.

Tasty miniature lemons, with a diameter of about 4 cm gives a variety Volcano... This bonsai does not exceed 1.2 m.It is very decorative, because it blooms all year round, on it you can often see flowers and fruits at the same time.

Optimal conditions for growing indoor lemon

It is advisable to choose a well-lit place for indoor lemon, where it will be protected from direct sunlight. In order for the crown to develop evenly, the plant is turned towards the window by several degrees 1 time in 10 days.

Growing conditions and care for lemon:

soil with a slightly acidic reaction (pH 6);
regular feeding all year round;
backlighting in winter;
abundant summer watering;
air temperature from 14 to 27 ° C;
formative pruning.

You need to feed homemade lemon by alternating mineral and organic fertilizers. When a tree begins to bear fruit, it especially needs feeding.

Can be applied under lemons nitrophosphate. Plants accept Fertiku or Pocon fertilizer for citrus fruits well. V winter period lemon is fertilized only with wood ash (1-2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water). From early spring to late autumn, they are fed with biohumus, where there is more nitrogen, which promotes the growth of leaves. In summer, you need to apply fertilizer once every 2 weeks, in winter - once a month.

How to properly water a tree

It is necessary to water the plant as the soil dries out in the pot. In summer, when the evaporation of moisture is stronger, this is done more often. If the plant is outdoors - in the garden or on the veranda - it needs daily watering.

You can check the soil moisture level with an indicator or by touch, if it has dried out to a depth of 5 cm, watering is performed. They take the key water, room temperature... Likes lemon sprinkling in the morning, when the sun's rays will not leave burns on wet leaves.

Trim technology

For plants to be compact, they need formative pruning. It is best to prune the top shoot point in January, when the plant is still dormant.

In February indoor lemon will begin to "wake up", and will give lateral shoots from 3-4 buds located closest to the top. Lateral shoots are also cut off, leaving 3-4 internodes, after which branches of the third order begin to awaken.

Formation is essential for good fruiting. The more orders of branching a plant has, the more fruits it has.

In order for the plant to begin bearing fruit faster, the branches must be taken to a horizontal position. This can be done with thick copper wire.

Leftover lemon cuttings after pruning can be rooted in sand or perlite, they easily take root after about a month. Then they are transplanted into fertile soil.

Basic transplant rules

Transplant pots should be suitable for the size of the root system. It is undesirable to place a plant in a spacious planting container.

While the citrus is young, it is transplanted 2 times a year. For an adult 8-year-old lemon, the soil can be renewed once every 5 years.

To prepare the soil, take compost, humus, coarse sand. It is good to add fine pine bark, then the root system develops better.

You can not use sphagnum moss as mulch for lemon, it retains moisture for a very long time, this leads to decay of the root collar, and the death of the plant. As mulch better fit chopped pine bark.

How to care for a lemon during flowering

On a young lemon, it is better to cut off the blossoming flowers so that it gains strength, grows roots and leaves, and only then fructifies. The plant must have at least 20 leaves in order for it to produce the first few fruits and then bear fruit annually.

In order for a full-fledged crop to grow at home, flowers need to be pollinated. In citrus fruits, fruits are tied without pollination, but seeds are formed in them only with cross-pollination. If there was no pollination, the fruits are smaller, the ovaries are worse on the branches, sometimes they fall off.

The more fruits there are on the tree, the smaller they will grow, so some of the ovaries are removed immediately after flowering. Leave, usually, of several closely spaced, the largest. Citrus fruits have a very long ripening period, from 7 to 9 months.

Disease and pest control

If the root system is rotten, the leaves fall off. This happens when the plant is overflowing. Intensive watering in the cold season is dangerous. To help the lemon, which begins to "go bald", it is transplanted into a pot with fresh soil.

The roots are well cleaned of the old substrate, washed under warm water, cut off all rotten ones. You can put the plant for several hours in Kornevin's solution (1 tsp per 1 liter of water). Then the roots are sprinkled with Fundazol and charcoal, and planted in the "Universal" substrate.

Noticing insect pests on the tree, they are treated with Fitoverm. Most often settles on lemon spider mite and scabbard Against insects, two sprays are carried out with an interval of 5-7 days.

What difficulties can you face when growing and caring for

In evergreens, nutrition is deposited in the leaves, so they need to be protected. Sometimes, the lemon sheds its foliage and its existence is threatened.

Causes of leaf fall and treatment:

When the earthy coma dries out, the lemon can shed the foliage. To help the plant, it is watered and placed on the lightest windowsill. When new leaves grow, all dry branches are cut off.
Lemon can shed its leaves 1-2 months after buying it in flower shop... This is due to the fact that indoor conditions are very different from the greenhouse, to which the plant is accustomed. Lemon primarily lacks light. Noticing the falling leaves, it is necessary to organize the backlight for the plant.
Low air humidity also contributes to leaf fall. You can buy a moisturizer or simply spray the plant 2-3 times a week over the leaves with room temperature water.
Yellowing and falling foliage can be caused by nutritional deficiencies. The plant needs to be fed and transplanted into fertile soil.
If the leaves have fallen, the lemon needs to be transplanted, fed, and covered with a bag to create high humidity, then young branches and roots will grow. You cannot immediately remove the package, this is done gradually. You can treat a weak plant with Epin.

"Aboriginal" plants are more resistant and unpretentious than those bought in the store, you can grow a tree yourself from a lemon seed. To do this, a fresh seed is placed in a pot with soil, deepening by 1 cm, it will rise in about 1 week. In order for lemons grown from seeds to begin bearing fruit, they are grafted when the trunk is 4 mm thick. The grafting can be done about a year after the seedling germinates.

Plant lovers grow citrus fruits even on the windowsill. What factors do you look for to see bloom 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, it requires attention not only to watering, but also to the temperature regime of the room where it is located. Mandatory element care is feeding, which is performed in accordance with certain rules. Air humidity, lighting, timely transplantation are also important. If all the elements of care are performed regularly and efficiently, then the plant will bear fruit and delight with ovaries.

Factors That Affect Lemon Growth

Lemon, which is grown on your windowsill, may differ slightly from those sold in the markets. This is due to the fact that for home breeding they choose indoor varieties... Small lemons, which have a very thin skin, are especially appreciated. In addition, they look very bright and beautiful on the window. More large fruits will have a dense and thick skin, and will look no less exotic.

The difficulty of caring for this fruiting tree is that it is accustomed to the climate of the subtropics where it comes from. This means that its comfortable 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 gets below 70%. And the 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 and the degree of illumination of the room. The correct place for the tree in the room is chosen taking into account the fact that it does not like direct sunlight. The most ideal location would be good degree lighting throughout the day, but this light will be diffused.

The utensils for the tree also matter. To enter the phase of active growth and the formation of ovaries of future fruits, it should be placed in a tighter pot. If the root system is too spacious, then the flowering phase will be postponed indefinitely. Tableware made of natural materials... These are earthenware or boxes made of wood.

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

Moisture has a direct effect on growth. Therefore, abundant watering in spring and summer, when the ambient temperature tends to rise. In winter, the frequency of watering is reduced. Older trees require more moisture. It is advisable that watering is carried out with prepared water. Pre-filled in a container and standing will do. You can also use thawed water, although rainwater is the most ideal option.

To lemon Tree fruited, it is fed. Any organic or mineral species fertilizers. The frequency of this procedure should not be too intense. The optimal period of time is 20 days.

Lemon care at different times of the year

To grow a lemon, home care of the plant must take into account some differences depending on the season. V spring season it begins a phase of active growth, and then forms buds, which will subsequently become fragrant fruits. The temperature regime should be in the range of 14-18 degrees. An excessively warm room will lead to dropping of buds and ovaries. And such an event can provoke the death of the entire tree.

Well promotes natural growth of lemon Fresh air... From the moment the air temperature outside the window stabilizes at 13-14 degrees, the plant can be placed on a balcony or terrace for the entire warm period. However, they monitor possible temperature changes due to possible frost and its decrease by night. To avoid the death of the plant, they wrap it up.

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

Winter time for lemon is characterized by the stage of final ripening of the fruit. Optimal conditions for this period include moderate temperature regime(16-18 degrees). Be sure to support optimal humidity(about 70%). One more important condition good condition of the tree in winter is the exclusion of air flows that come from heating sources. The lemon pot is removed away from heaters and batteries. It is also provided with a light source for at least 12 hours.

Lemon tree in care is quite moody. Too high temperatures are not suitable for him, as well as too low. Watering should be moderate, but very dry soil should be avoided. The plant does not like direct sunlight, but requires prolonged exposure to ambient light during 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 top dressing, correct soil are also of great importance.

Mistakes when growing lemon on video

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

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

Room lemon: home care

Lemon care consists in regular watering, sufficient lighting, feeding, adherence to temperature and humidity. It is equally important to know how to transplant your homemade lemon.

Having decided to grow a lemon - a tree at home, check out the intricacies of care:

Watering lemon

How to water a lemon? In 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 spill the soil well with warm water once a day. Periodically we loosen the top layer of the earth.

The main thing in watering a lemon is to prevent stagnation of water in the soil, leading to decay of the roots, and not to dry out the earthen ball: this is fraught with twisting of the leaf and falling leaves and lemons.

Lighting for lemon

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

To make the crown grow evenly, turn the lemon tree in the direction of the sun 2 times a month. And we do not allow low light: in partial shade and shade, the leaf grows slowly, and the fruits are too sour.

Temperature regime

Homemade lemon care involves maintaining a certain temperature.

While the lemon grows and gains green mass, or blooms, we keep it in a room where the temperature is 17-20 degrees Celsius.
When fruits appear and ripen, a 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-hour daylight hours using phytolamps.

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

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

Room lemon: home care

Moisture level for lemon

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

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

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

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

Top dressing lemon

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

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

Fertilization with minerals... For feeding, you will need a ready-made product such as a "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 fertilization... We make an infusion by mixing 1 part of water and 1 part of mullein (horse manure) and, after waiting 7 days, dilute it with water: infusion of mullein - 1 to 15, infusion of horse balls - 1 to 10.

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

Lemon transplant

Young lemon plants in a pot, how to care for which, we will learn today, need replanting 1 and 2 years after planting.

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

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

Subsequently, we transplant the plant every two years, when the growing season begins. When transplanting, do not forget to put drainage (expanded clay + charcoal or a layer of sand) with a layer of 2 cm. Thanks to transshipment, you do not 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 pruned - in the spring, on a low stem about 18 cm, before the green mass begins to build up. We cut off the shoots, leaving 5 leaves, so that the tree branches out by the beginning of fruiting.

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

Formation of the crown of indoor lemon

Lemon flowering on the windowsill and harvesting

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

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

Flowering regulation is essential to maintain a strong and healthy lemon tree: excess buds will quickly deplete it. Each ovary should have at least 10 developed leaves.

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

Fruiting of lemons is possible up to 4 times a year: it depends on the variety. It takes about 6-8 weeks for the fetus to develop and begin to ripen. The rind of fully ripe lemons takes on a rich golden hue, which means it's time to harvest.

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

Now you know how to care for a lemon at home so that it grows strong and healthy, and produces many fruits. Follow all the rules for keeping indoor lemon, and it will delight you with beautiful flowering and abundant fruiting all year round.

How to take care of lemon at home? This question interests every inexperienced gardener. After all, it is the care that affects the growth and fruiting of the plant. Lemon is a very useful citrus for the human body. It can be used to make delicious tea and boost immunity.

Proper lemon care is a guarantee of fruit production

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

Lemon watering

Home care primarily consists of proper watering... In cold weather, homemade lemon is watered once a week. For this, warm water must be defended in advance. V warm time of the year, watering is necessary once a day, because in the heat any plant requires a lot of liquid.

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

Lighting

It is worth knowing about the right lighting if you are wondering "how to take care of indoor lemon." After all, no plant can exist without sunlight. The lemon tree does not need a long day of light. The amount of light only affects the formation of leaves, not fruit. 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. For correct formation the crown must be rotated the tree several times a month.

The shade negatively affects the development of the 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

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

The temperature regime for lemon should be as follows:

When the lemon begins to bloom or grow actively, the air temperature should be at least 17 ° C.
When active fruiting begins: 20 ° C.
During the dormant 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 should be followed clearly. The slightest swings cause illness and death.

Lemon can be taken out into the fresh air in summer.

Humidity level

Homemade lemon care includes controlling moisture levels. 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 once a week in the shower.

To increase the humidity level, you need to put a small container of water next to the pot, which will evaporate and create optimal conditions for the growth of the tree. 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 also includes feeding it. In the summer, it is carried out every seven days, and in the winter - every month, if the lemon is fruitful. If there are no fruits, then this can be done less often. Lemon tree care includes fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers.

Before depositing useful material, the plant is watered. This will prevent root burns. If you use a ready-made mineral fertilizer, then the proportion of substances (N: P: K) is 14:16:18. Use the product according to the instructions.

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

Dung is a great organic fertilizer for lemon

Transfer

Growing a lemon includes not only proper care, but also its transplant. It is recommended to do it with trees every two years while they are young. In the spring, it is necessary to purchase a special soil and transplant the lemon into a pot that is 4 cm larger than the previous one in diameter. 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 and charcoal drainage. You cannot replant the tree during flowering and during the period when it bears fruit. Correct fit- the key to the health of the tree.

Lemon transplant is carried out in spring

Lemon flowering and fruiting

Lemon trees must be looked after carefully, especially during the period when flowers appear on it. This occurs for the first time two years after sowing the seeds. When a plant is in bloom, you cannot leave all the flowers on it, i.e. To. young tree unable to grow all the ovaries that appear.

Flower Removal Process:

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

These manipulations with the tree allow you to properly care for it and achieve active fruiting. The older the tree, the more lemons it will produce. Therefore, do not be afraid to pick 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 ripening, it takes about 6 months.

When fully ripe, the fruit has a golden skin. It is not worth delaying the harvest, because the lemon will lose all its beneficial properties.

Lemon flowering should be regulated

Pollination of lemon in pots

Flowering and fruiting occurs only in mature plants. If the lemon is still young, then it is recommended to pick off all the flowers. There must be about 20 mature leaves on a tree to produce fruit. Early fruiting depletes the plant, it can die. If the tree has grown stronger, then you need to wait until it blooms, and then you can pollinate.

How to pollinate 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.

Carefully, using prepared tools, collect pollen from the stamens and transfer it to the pistils. Do this with all flowers. If you are in doubt that the pollination process went well, you can repeat it.

If you wish, you can use special drugs. Biological products "Bud" or "Ovary" are popular. They allow the fruit to form if the ovary develops very weakly.

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If you have a lemon "settled", caring for it at home will require a lot of work. It belongs to remontant plants, therefore, under certain conditions, it is able to bloom and bear fruit all year round. But not everyone succeeds not only in trying the fruits of their citrus, but also just admiring 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 are characterized by high yields. Pay attention to these varieties of dwarf and semi-dwarf lemons:

Meyer
Pavlovsky
Novogruzinsky
Maikop
Eureka
Genoa

Among the most common varieties in our latitudes, Meyer's lemon, caring for it is the least troublesome in comparison with other species. This variety is sometimes called the Chinese dwarf, and its fruits are not as sour as those of other varieties. Dwarf lemons do not have a rich harvest, but they will add comfort to the interior of the apartment.

Indoor lemon video

Tall lemons will certainly delight you with tasty and large fruits, but at the same time they require a lot of time to care, because, in addition to normal activities, they need more frequent pruning, garters and crown shaping. If you are interested in these citrus fruits, choose from the following varieties:

Novogruzinsk
Kursk

Creation of optimal lighting, temperature and humidity conditions

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

The first thing that matters to a lemon is light.

Homemade lemon photo

For the arrangement of the pots, it is better to choose southeastern windows with moderate lighting, if, of course, you are lucky and you have them. But what if your whole alternative is north or south.

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

There is always plenty of light on the south side of the house, and even a surplus for lemon. Therefore, at midday 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 on the thermal regime.

In the spring, during the budding period, the room temperature should be 14 - 16 degrees. A high degree contributes to the drying out and shedding of the buds, and a low degree slows down or even stops this process. During the rest period, room temperature is sufficient up to 26 degrees. If possible, transfer your pet to the 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 acute. However, you should be wary of both sudden temperature changes and drafts. As a true southerner, indoor lemon requires meticulous care.

Homemade lemon in the photo

Moisture. This parameter is very important for lemon. Therefore, it is necessary to control that the soil in the pot is constantly slightly moist. In summer, it is reasonable to increase the number to 3 waterings per week, and in winter you can reduce it to 1 time, but spray the air around the tree. This is provided that heating devices stand far from the plant. Water the lemon with cold water, which has settled for 5 hours. Water should be poured not directly under the root, but evenly over the entire soil surface. The air around the tree should also not be dry - at least 60% humidity. Otherwise, you run the risk of seeing twisted, brownish leaves on the lemon.

Fertilizing, feeding ...

Lemon, like the rest of the plants in your home, needs support and 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.

Pictured is a lemon tree

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

For abundant fruiting, sometimes ordinary watering is replaced with infusion eggshell... But you should not get carried away with this method, so as not to reduce the acidity of the soil with an excess of calcium.
If the plant develops normally, has a healthy appearance and pleases with flowering, fertilization can be abandoned.
During the growing season, it is worth feeding the lemon twice with superphosphate (for 1 liter of 50 grams of fertilizer).
Ammonium nitrate is highly recommended for improving growth. It is taken in the proportion of 30 grams per liter of water. Watering with such fertilizer can be carried out monthly.
Water your lemon periodically with a 7-day infusion of horse manure, diluted tenfold.
Lemon needs microelements for normal development: magnesium, phosphorus, nitrogen and others. To compensate for their deficiency, you can use the Citrus mixture fertilizer once a quarter. 2-3 grams of this fertilizer is diluted in a liter of water and used instead of the main irrigation.

Pruning and replanting indoor lemon

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

Instances older than 3 years - with a frequency of 2-3 years. However, the need for a transplant may arise "unscheduled", for example, due to illness or deterioration of the lemon condition.

In the photo, a lemon transplant

The soil around the trunk is watered abundantly so that it softens, then the tree is carefully removed. In this case, extreme caution must be exercised so as not to disturb the earthen lump and not to hurt root system.
If you find damaged roots, cut them off with a sharp knife or blade.
For transplanting, take a capacity 30-50% larger than the previous one. Too big, like too small a pot, slows down growth. Give preference to a cone-shaped container.
Place the crock at the bottom of the pot on the drain hole so that its convex side is on top. Then a layer of drainage is laid (small pebbles, pebbles), a thin layer of dry manure and an earthen mixture.
Closer to the center of the pot, a tree is installed along with a lump of earth. Slowly start filling the container with soil between the lump and the walls of the pot. You can lightly press down on the laid soil, but there is no need to tamp it tightly.

Lemon pruning is done with the aim of forming beautiful crown and improving fruiting.

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

Vertically grown branches should be pruned without mercy.

To form correct shape the flower pot must be gently turned every 10 days in relation to the sun. Gardeners sometimes improve the crown using copper wire - they fix individual branches with it, giving them the desired direction of growth.

Photo of a lemon cut

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

Homemade lemon - emergency care

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

Dried citrus needs watering. By the appearance of the foliage - it becomes yellowish-brownish and rare - it is easy to guess the cause of the disease. But do not rush to irrigate the soil abundantly, you can spoil the root system. Better to pour in a little settled water under the root, and spray around the crown. You can wrap the barrel with gauze folded in several layers and soaked in water. Let the tree stand in this "outfit" for several hours, but do not leave it overnight.

Excess watering will quickly make itself felt with a sudden leaf fall. Seemingly healthy leaves suddenly fly around en masse. As soon as a symptom is identified, proceed with a transplant immediately. Gently remove the tree from the pot, set it together with the earth lump on newspaper or cardboard so that the roots dry out. You need to plant in the soil, slightly moistened and continue to water moderately.

In the photo, homemade lemon with fallen leaves

It is very difficult to save a frozen lemon. In conditions of a sharp cold snap, the vital activity of the plant may cease. In addition to falling foliage, the trunk darkens when freezing. You can try to carry out "resuscitation". To do this, move the lemon to a warmer room, extend the daylight hours using artificial lights. It makes sense to transplant into another pot. When removing, be sure to inspect the rhizome, remove dead and rotten parts. Remove dead branches.

Overheating is no less dangerous for citrus. The emerging brown spots on the leaves clearly indicate overheating. Therefore, on hot summer days, remove the container with the plant deep into the room. Make sure that the air from the air conditioner does not get on the crown. No additional watering or cooling is required.

Important! You cannot often change the place and habitat, it takes a long time and does not adapt well to new circumstances. Therefore, it slows down growth and fruiting, and may even show signs of illness. Drafts and unventilated rooms are equally destructive for him.

Photo of lemon tree

Lemon pests and diseases

Appearing white flies may indicate stagnation. Their larvae feed on roots and cause significant damage to the plant. To combat them, insecticides are used. different types- solutions for irrigation and aerosol forms for the destruction of insects that have managed to hatch. Karbofos and Aktelik are quite effective against these insects.

It is necessary to regularly look at lemon leaves, on which ticks and scale insects can settle. Outwardly, mites are like tiny spiders. They are given by the color orange or brown, which stands out noticeably against the green background. back side leaves. They tighten the damaged areas with a thin cobweb, by which it is easy to recognize pests. Rinse the twigs and leaves on both sides at intervals of three to four days several times under a high pressure shower head. Effective multiple spraying infusions

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

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

Scabbards look like small brown turtles, motionless and tightly attached to leaves. It is difficult to deal with them. Three times at weekly intervals wipe the plant, including leaves on both sides, twigs and trunk, thoroughly 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 the penetration of liquid into the root system.

Lemons often get sick from improper care. Brownish leaves on the outside healthy plant, and even during the flowering period - one of the ailments. In this case, reconsider the conditions for keeping the flower, it may make sense to transplant it. But in this case, choose a soil different from that at present. Perhaps it was the acidity of the soil that caused the disease.

Video about pests of indoor lemon

As for the human body, disease prevention is important for citrus fruits. To prevent diseases, observe the regime, carry out transplantation, pruning of damaged areas. Sometimes a sudden illness can be dictated by the depletion of the plant itself. In this case, limit the flowering to a few buds, and remove the rest, no matter how sorry. Each house has its own separate microclimate, which is not always suitable for lemon. The plant owner's job is to adapt it to existing conditions gradually.

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

The lemon tree is an evergreen perennial thermophilic plant that does not tolerate well low temperatures... It is a hybrid species of plants of the genus Citrus, belongs to the Rutov family. The lemon tree was originally grown as ornamental plant in China.

Lemon tree - description.

The lemon tree can be up to three meters high. The leaves of the plant are dark green with shine. Lemon tree flower has white inflorescences, which are arranged in brushes in the axils of old leaves or at the tips of old and new shoots.

Flower bud formation occurs throughout the year, but more in the spring. After the bud appears, the flower of the lemon tree develops for another month and only then blooms. Lemon blooms for several days. The aroma of blossoming buds is delicate and sweetish, a bit like the smell of acacia or jasmine. With a sharp drop in air temperature in the room, the lemon tree reacts immediately. It is for this reason that the lemon tree leaves, unblown buds and flowers fall off. The optimum temperature of the room in which the plant is located is +16 + 18 ° С, the humidity should be at least 60%.

The color range of the lemon pericarp can be from light yellow to red or green. Lemon peel dense from orange to bright yellow color... It contains glands with essential oils which give it a specific aroma. Fruit weight is small, on average 65 grams. The length of the lemon is from 6 to 9 centimeters, the diameter is from 4 to 6 centimeters. The sectional interior has several nests with seeds. The fruit of the lemon tree can be arranged either singly or in bunches. They differ in shape depending on the variety or type of hybrid.

Types of lemon trees.

By the presence of the stipule, it can be determined that the lemon tree in the pot is hybrid. These varieties include Jubilee lemon, Meyer's lemon, Ponderosa lemon. Also distinguish Pavlovsky lemon, Novogruzinsky lemon, Genoa, Lisbon, Ural lemon, Kursk lemon, Maikop lemon, Jubilee lemon, Eureka, Lunario and other species.

Some types of domestic lemons have a reddish-lilac color during flowering. Room or decorative species lemon trees are unpretentious, relatively low and produce well (some varieties up to four times a year). They differ only in the taste of the fruit, the size of the plant and the frequency of appearance and ripening of fruits. Flowering and fruiting in them begins in the third year of life.

Where does the lemon tree grow?

The homeland of lemons is considered to be China, India and the tropical Pacific islands. The wild state of the lemon is unknown, most likely a hybrid that arose through evolution. As an agricultural crop, lemon is grown in the CIS countries: in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan. The leaders in the cultivation of lemons are India, Mexico, Italy, Turkey.

Lemon tree care.

In order for this plant to be able to delight you with its aroma and frequent harvest, you should know the rules for caring for a lemon tree. It is important to learn how to fertilize, how to prune, and how to water the lemon tree before planting.

First of all, watering lemon tree produce only with settled (not less than a day) water. The trickle of water should be directed as close to the ground as possible to avoid erosion of the roots. The pot is filled with water until it appears at the bottom of the pan.

The soil during planting and during growth should be loose and nutritious. Fertilizer is applied once a week along with watering the lemon. In winter, if the air temperature in the room is not higher than 15 ° C, the lemon goes into "sleep mode" and does not require strong lighting. A pot with a lemon tree is placed as close to the window as possible, but it is better if direct sunlight will not fall on the lemon. If the lemon tree begins to bloom prematurely, such buds must be removed, otherwise the plant may die.

Leaves require special care. It is necessary to ensure that pests do not appear on the surface of the leaves, spray them with water at least once a week. If, nevertheless, pests were found, a soap solution or tincture of tobacco should be prepared, with which each leaf is treated. You can also purchase special insecticides. The most dangerous and common pests of homemade lemon are scale insects, scale insects, nematodes, and garden slugs.

A nematoda is a small transparent worm that gnaws at the roots of a lemon, settles in them and sucks out the juice. At the same time, the tree begins to lose leaves abundantly. To detect a pest, you need to dig out the roots, there will be small swollen areas or growths on them, and the pest lives in them.

Interesting fact: If you move the plant from its usual place, where it was constantly, and simply unfold the pot of lemon, the plant can slow down its growth and bear poor fruit.

Plant lovers grow citrus fruits even on the windowsill. What factors do you look for to see bloom 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, it requires attention not only to watering, but also to the temperature regime of the room where it is located. An obligatory element of care is feeding, which is performed in accordance with certain rules. Air humidity, lighting, timely transplantation are also important. If all the elements of care are performed regularly and efficiently, then the plant will bear fruit and delight with ovaries.

Factors That Affect Lemon Growth

Lemon, which is grown on your windowsill, may differ slightly from those sold in the markets. This is due to the fact that indoor varieties are chosen for home breeding. Small lemons, which have a very thin skin, are especially appreciated. In addition, they look very bright and beautiful on the window. Larger fruits will have a dense and thick skin, and they will look no less exotic.

No less important for the growth of lemons and the degree of illumination of the room. The correct place for the tree in the room is chosen taking into account the fact that it does not like direct sunlight. The most ideal location will have good lighting throughout the day, but this light will be diffused.

The utensils for the tree also matter. To enter the phase of active growth and the formation of ovaries of future fruits, it should be placed in a tighter pot. If the root system is too spacious, then the flowering phase will be postponed indefinitely. Dishes made from natural materials will be ideal for planting a plant. These are earthenware or boxes made of wood.

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

Lemon care at different times of the year

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

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

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

Winter time for lemon is characterized by the stage of final ripening of the fruit. Optimal conditions for this period include a moderate temperature regime (16-18 degrees). Be sure to maintain optimal humidity (about 70%). Another important condition for the good condition of the tree in winter is the exclusion of air flows that come from heating sources. The lemon pot is removed away from heaters and batteries. It is also provided with a light source for at least 12 hours.

Mistakes when growing lemon on video

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Many amateur flower growers would probably like to know how to grow properly. Caring for this plant is relatively simple. However, in order for the lemon to grow lush and spectacular, you should adhere to certain recommendations regarding the technology of irrigation and feeding. This is especially true for the winter season.

How to care in October - April: general rules

How is it grown in the autumn-winter period at home? Caring for him in winter is a little different from in summer. This plant stays green all year round. However, in October - April, all vegetation processes in him, of course, slow down. In the warm season, lemon is usually fed twice. In winter, such an operation is not performed. However, this plant also needs watering. cold period... In the wild, the lemon tree grows in the humid tropics and subtropics. Therefore, it is very sensitive to drying out of the soil. The only thing - to moisten the soil in the pot in winter should be less frequent. In the warm season, the lemon tree is watered 2-3 times a week, in winter - no more than once.

What should be the air temperature

It is usually quite warm in city apartments and houses in winter. The air temperature can fluctuate between 12-25 degrees. In principle, lemon tolerates such a microclimate well. However, although the plant is not deciduous, its crown can thin slightly at these temperatures. Therefore, some amateur flower growers set a lemon in separate room and periodically open a window there. The fact is that at a temperature of 10-12 grams. the process of photosynthesis is greatly slowed down in the tree. Its roots stop consuming nutrients and it stops growing. But at the same time, not a single leaf falls from the bush. The plant remains as showy as in summer.

Where is the best place to put the lemon tree

In terms of lighting, this plant is considered quite whimsical. The lemon tree feels best on the southeast window. Of course, the ability to arrange the plant in this way does not always exist. In principle, lemon can be placed on both northern and southern windowsills. However, in the first case, in the cold season (and preferably in spring and summer), the plant will have to be illuminated with an artificial lamp.

On the southern window, the leaves and branches of the plant should be slightly shaded, even in winter. Otherwise, they may get burned.

How lemon multiplies

As you can see, in fact, it is not particularly difficult to carry out in winter (and in summer) for such houseplant like lemon tree, home care. Reproducing it is also quite simple procedure. Growing a luxurious, healthy citrus fruit can be made from:

The choice of planting material

As for the seedlings, they can often be seen in specialized stores. However, experienced florists do not advise buying such material. The shops usually sell plants brought from Brazil, Greece or Holland. In these countries, young lemons are grown in greenhouses. This is done so that they are as lush as possible and have a presentation.

Transferred to city apartment, such seedlings very quickly become unsightly and even stop growing. Lemon does not tolerate a change of scenery (especially for the worse). In this case, among other things, it will be very difficult to take care of a plant such as a lemon tree at home. Diseases, developmental arrest, foliage dumping - these are the problems that a lover of indoor flowers will most likely have to face.

Therefore, in an apartment, it is still better to try to grow a lemon from a cuttings or seeds. The first is simply cut from an adult plant. If there are no lemons in your home greenhouse yet, you can ask a gardener you know for a stalk.

Subscribing such material by mail is also undesirable. The stalk is likely to be of poor quality and unsustainable. The fact is that in this way sellers usually simply get rid of lemons that go to plantations for disposal.

A good solution would be to grow a seedling from a seed. This technique is considered even simpler. Unfortunately, however, in this case, it is not possible to quickly obtain a fruiting lemon tree. Home care (the seedling grows out of the seed extremely slowly) for the plant in this case long time will consist only of a rather frequent watering... But the fruits on such a seedling will begin to grow, most likely, not earlier than in 12 years.

Which variety to choose

Of course, only wild can be grown from a seed. As for the cuttings, in this case there is a choice. Many amateur flower growers are interested in which is better to grow, tall or short, lemon tree at home. The care of compact and large plants is approximately the same. However, a tall lemon should still only be chosen if the grower has enough free time. Watering, pruning and feeding such a plant will have to be a little more often than a small one.

Tall include, for example, such as:

Novogruzinsky.

Of the undersized, the most popular are:

Meyer (Chinese).

Genoa lemon.

Planting container and soil

Since lemon is a rather capricious plant with regard to root rotting, the pot for it must be selected as carefully as possible. Clay is best suited for a seedling. The walls of such containers allow air to pass through well, allowing the roots to breathe. Of course, the pot must have holes in the bottom. On those drain holes it is imperative to lay also clay shards. A layer of coarse sand is poured over them.

The soil for lemon also needs to be selected correctly. The following composition is best suited for this plant:

humus leaf - 1-2 parts;

sod soil - 1 part;

coarse sand - 1 part.

How to grow from a cutting

The planting material of this variety should be about 10 cm long. warm water for 2-3 days, immersed in half the length. Then it is buried in the prepared soil by 3 cm. The roots of lemon cuttings appear in about 60 days. It is better to plant several in a pot at once. Then the chance to get at least one new plant will increase.

As long as the lemons do not sprout roots, they should be sprayed periodically (at least once a day). The soil in the pot should be moderately moist.

Growing from seeds

It is also a very good way to get a luxurious lemon tree at home. In this case, caring for the seedling will be even easier. An amateur florist will only have to make sure that the earth in a pot with a planted lemon does not dry out.

Seeds should be taken from healthy, large fruits. They must not be allowed to dry out. Once they are removed from the lemon, they should be planted right away. They are buried in the ground by 2 cm. The seed planted in this way is watered and covered with a jar on top.

Lemon transplant

Periodic transplants are what is required for such an inhabitant of a room greenhouse as a lemon tree. Home care for him, even the best, will not be particularly effective otherwise. The fact is that nutrients Lemon roots, and especially large ones, consume quite a lot. Therefore, the potted soil under the plant is quickly depleted.

Lemon is transplanted in the spring, or in the fall (later). Young lemons are transferred to other containers once a year, adults - no more than once every 2 years. Actually, this procedure itself is performed as follows:

The day before transplanting, the soil in the pot is carefully shed.

The plant is carefully removed from the old pot, holding it by the stem.

The removed lemon is placed in a new pot and the space between the lump and the walls of the pot is filled with prepared soil.

After transplanting, the plant should be watered.

Fertilization

As mentioned, lemon is not fed in winter. This is done only in spring and summer. Moreover, only adult plants are fertilized. Lemons planted with cuttings or from a stone do not need to be fed at first. Trees that are three to four years old? fertilize twice a season (50 g per liter of water).

Diseases and pests

Subject to the cultivation technology, in this way, you can get a very beautiful lemon tree at home. Caring for this plant, however, may not only involve watering and feeding. Like all indoor flowers, lemons sometimes get sick. Most often, trees affect:

Late blight. Fight the disease or with a weak solution copper sulfate, or through special antifungal drugs.

Sooty fungus. The methods of struggle in this case should be the same as in the case of late blight.

Gomoz. In this case, a crack appears on the stem of a diseased plant. In order to help the lemon, the wound should be cleaned and lubricated with a solution of vitriol.

Malsecco. This is perhaps the most dangerous disease, which may be encountered by a lover of indoor flowers who cares for a plant such as a lemon tree at home. The leaves fell off, the twigs began to dry out - it means that the bush, most likely, “picked up” the Malsecco virus. Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure this disease.

May infect lemons and insect pests. Most often these are white flies, ticks or scale insects. The former are usually fought with karbofos, the latter are destroyed with an infusion of garlic (1 head per half a liter of water). The scale insects can be expelled by wiping the leaves, twigs and trunk with a mixture of soap and kerosene in a 1: 0.5 ratio.

This is how such a tropical guest as a lemon tree is taken care of at home. The photos presented on this page clearly demonstrate how effective it can be in the case of adherence to irrigation technologies, periodic transplants, etc. Pay more attention to your tree, and it will delight you with lush foliage, healthy appearance, and eventually even fruiting.