Winter care for citrus fruits. Citrus fruits at home - advice from experienced gardeners

Care

Pavlovsky lemon.
Pavlovsky is one of the most attractive varieties of this type of citrus grown in the room. This is a small compact bush from 1 to 1.5 meters in height, rarely reaching 2 m. Usually it has 2-4 stems. Its crown is rounded, up to 1 m in diameter, or up to 1.5 m if formed in a fan, with branches hanging down. The bark on old branches is olive-gray, with longitudinal cracks, on young branches it is green. Spines on branches up to 1-2 cm long, pointed at the ends. Young spines are green, then they turn brown.

Lemon leaves are light green, 13-15 cm long, 5-8 cm wide. Leaf blades vary in shape - from oval to oblong. But there are specimens with ovoid leaves and broadly lanceolate. Fledging on petioles, as a rule, is not found, with rare exceptions. The serration at the ends of the leaves is also varied, usually the denticles are located in the upper part of the leaf. The surface of the leaves is glossy, shiny. Leaves live 2-3 years.

Pavlovsk lemon is a self-pollinating plant. Cross-pollination is done artificially. Flower buds are laid and develop throughout the year. Often you can see on the same specimen both young ovaries, flowers, and mature fruits.

But Pavlovsky lemon blooms profusely in March and April, and in autumn - in September-October. Flowering of each flower lasts 7-10 days. The flowers are fragrant, solitary 2-3 cm in diameter, but sometimes they are collected in small inflorescences.

Pavlovsky lemon has several periods of growth. The first period starts from the end of February and lasts until June. Then comes a short rest. From July 15-20, the second wave of growth begins. And the third - from about September 15 and ends at the end of October. During this period, shoots can increase by 50-70 cm.
Fruits are first formed in the third or fourth year after the rooting of weakly lignified green cuttings. High yields in tubs give 15-20-year-old plants - several dozen fruits.
After flowering, the growth of the ovary and fruit ripening lasts 8-9 months.

The last stage of maturation is 30-35 days. If the plants are poorly lit, then the duration of ripening increases to 11-12 months. If a ripe lemon is not removed from the branch, then its growth continues. The fruits acquire a green color, grow, increase in volume.
Pavlovsk lemons can ripen from 8 months to a year or more. Moreover, a partially yellowed lemon begins to turn green again and increase in size. Then, within a few months, it turns yellow completely. Sometimes " full cycle"takes about a year and a half. A fully ripe pavlova lemon is pure yellow in color.
Pavlovsky lemon is large-fruited. On young, well-leafed bushes, fruits weighing 300-540 g are formed. The surface of the fruit can be smooth, shiny or in varying degrees rough and even slightly bumpy.

The amount of vitamin C in the pulp varies from 25 to 57 milligrams per 100 grams of the substance, and in the peel it is 1.5-2 times more. The acidity ranges from 4 to 7 percent, its ratio with sugar and aromatic substances is in most cases favorable. Medium the thickness of the peel is 4 - 5 millimeters. Often the fruits are seedless. But also often there are fruits with 5-10 seeds and multi-seeded (10-20). Seeds with high viability. Their germination rate ranges from 80 to 90%. The fruits are in no way inferior to the best southern varieties. The amount of vitamin C in the pulp varies from 25 to 57 milligrams per 100 grams of the substance, and in the peel it is 1.5-2 times more. The acidity ranges from 4 to 7 percent, its ratio with sugar and aromatic substances is in most cases favorable. Medium peel thickness 4 - 5 millimeters.

Room conditions, not characteristic of the nature of citrus fruits, contributed to the appearance of deviant forms, which were fixed vegetatively (by cuttings). As a result, many different forms were formed, differing in the strength of growth, the shape of the leaves, and especially in the shape, size, color, internal structure and taste of the fruits. Both high-quality forms and low-value forms are formed. But most of them are different. high quality. There is an active artificial selection.
Pavlovsky lemon grows better on east-facing windows; on south-facing windows it often burns from straight lines. sun rays. Easily propagated by green cuttings.

Panderose (Ponderose)
A room culture variety belonging to a natural hybrid between lemon and pompelmus or citron, in room conditions it is a small compact bush with a beautiful decorative form, very resistant to high temperature and dry air, begins fruiting in the 2nd year. The branches are strong, the leaves are dark green, smooth, hard, rounded.

It blooms profusely, the flowers are large, white-cream in color, often collected in an inflorescence,

but few fruits are set. True, they are larger in size than the previous varieties, often grow in weight up to one kilogram.

The pulp is pleasant, lemon flavor, characteristic citric acid in the fruit is almost not felt. The peel is thick, bumpy on top. The variety has proven itself well in room culture, thanks to the small volume of the crown and abundant flowering. Easily propagated by cuttings. Sometimes it begins to bloom already at the rooted cutting stage, which interferes with growth.

anniversary lemon
Mysterious variety. Here is what you can read about this variety on the Internet.
“Obtained in Uzbekistan by grafting Tashkent variety lemon onto Novogruzinsky variety. At the same time, one of the branches began to grow rapidly and give giant fruits weighing up to one kilogram or more. This is a rare phenomenon of gigantism among plants. The Yubileiny variety turned out to be sterile in relation to any other varieties, although it pollinates them itself. The endurance and productivity of this variety is even higher than that of Tashkent. Anniversary lemon deserves the attention of specialists and amateurs for its shade tolerance, productivity, unique ability to reproduce, grow, and almost 100% fruit set in conditions of low air and soil moisture.
This statement may be true, but it is alarming that this variety is very similar to Panderose in many ways. It is possible that he is a Panderose hybrid or a clone.
The tree is medium-sized: the height of an adult plant is not more than 1.5 m. It tolerates the dry air of the room well, it rarely needs to form a crown. The variety is high-yielding, the fruits are large with a thick skin, resistant to high temperatures and dry air, it begins to bear fruit in the 2nd year (in the picture, Yubileiny lemon at the age of two years), but sometimes the fruits are tied for 1 year of life. It is very difficult to achieve growth from a tree, instead of new branches, bouquet branches with buds constantly appear, there are a lot of them on the tree - several such branches appear from each leaf axil, from each sleeping bud.


It blooms profusely, large flowers are collected in inflorescences of 10-15 pieces. When flowering, the tree turns into a white ball. (Yubileyny blooms in this picture, 1 flower is left on each bouquet branch).

The branches are strong, but droop under the weight of the fruit. The leaves are large, dark green, smooth, hard, round or oval.

meyer lemon
Often found among lovers and this variety of lemon, the origin is as mysterious as that of the Jubilee lemon.

According to some sources, "Meyer" is considered the result of a long-standing natural hybridization of lemon and orange, according to others, it is a variety or hybrid of the Cantonese lemon, which has an orange-red peel. The lemon owes its name to the researcher Franz Meyer, who discovered it in Beijing, the inhabitants of the city grew lemon in pots. From China, lemon came to the USA, and in the early 30s it was introduced from the USA to Southern regions Soviet Union.

The variety is widely distributed in the open ground of the subtropics. Black Sea coast where it is grown on a trifoliate rootstock. The tree is medium-sized, 1-1.5 m high, with a rounded, compact, well-leafed and easily shaped crown, with no large quantity spines. The leaves are dark green, shiny, dense, thick, ovate, serrated. It stands out among other varieties for abundant fruiting and not very sour taste of fruits. Fruit weight 70-150 g. Remontant, early maturity, good fruiting of this variety make it promising for room culture, where it is grown on its own roots. Blooms earlier than other varieties, usually in March-April. Buds are formed only on the shoots of the current year.

The flowers are white, very fragrant, smaller in size than other varieties (3-4 cm in diameter), solitary or arranged in clusters of 2-6 in the inflorescence.

The fruits are rounded, practically without a nipple, with a thin peel of bright yellow or orange, ripen 8-9 months after the ovary.
Meyer lemon fruits are harvested unripe, similar in color to the limequat fruit.

The pulp consists of 6-10 slices, tender, juicy, slightly bitter, containing 5% sugar. about 40% vitamin C and more than 20% vitamin P.

The plant easily tolerates the warm, dry air of living quarters when moistened in winter time. Needs good lighting, prefers south-facing windows. Easily propagated by cuttings, and grown from the stone begins to bloom in the fifth year.

Novogruzinsky (Novo-Afonsky) lemon
Selected by the breeder of the Sukhumi experimental station VIR N.M.Murri. On the plantations of Georgia, it is considered the best in terms of yield and quality of fruits. The trees are vigorous with a spreading beautiful, well-leafed crown, reaching 1.5-2 m in height in a room and with a large number of thorns. The leaves are light green, elongated with a pointed tip, average size 12 x 5 cm, very fragrant.

Remontant variety. The flowers are large, the outer side of the petals with lilac shade. Novogruzinsky lemon blooms at 4-5 years of age, being a powerful tree.

The fruits are almost without seeds, they look very impressive on the tree. The shape of the fruit is elongated-oval, with a wide blunt nipple, the peel is smooth, glossy up to 5 mm thick.

Average weight fruit - 120 grams. Juicy and tender fine-grained pulp consists of 9-10 slices, satisfies the most refined taste, has a pleasant acid and is very strong aroma. The chemical composition of the pulp: sugar - 1.7%, acid - 6%, vitamin C - more than 58 milligrams per 100 grams of substance. It begins to bear fruit later than the Pavlovsky lemon, for 4-5 years.

Lemon Maykop
Variety of national selection. Bred by seed propagation in the selection of the best seedlings. Thus, over a period of more than a century, gradually, from the mass of grown seedlings, individual plants were selected and formed, which then began to bear fruit, giving fruit. best quality than the original forms.
Currently, among the Maykop lemons, several forms or types have been identified that differ markedly from each other in a number of ways, here are two of them:
1st type. The trees are well formed almost without a trunk, giving a large, loose, well-leafed crown with an abundance of thin twigs-fruits. The twigs are flexible, without thorns, located mostly horizontally, and partly hanging down. The leaves are dark green, smooth with a waxy coating and almost smooth edges. Flowers and ovary are collected in brushes of 3-5 pieces. The fruits are round-elongated, not deformed, the nipple is medium, almost without a rim. The peel of the fruit is rough, thin. The aroma of the fruit is strong. The average weight of the fruit is 130-140 g. The trees are unpretentious, adapted to the usual housing conditions.
2nd type. Trees are formed with a symmetrical crown, having strong, stable twigs without thorns, located semi-vertically. Leaves with smooth edges and noticeable veins. Fruit branches are located singly. The fruits are oblong, with a slight thickening upwards, slightly noticeable ribbing, not deformed, the nipple is small without a rim. The peel of the fruit is thin, as if polished, with small dimples. The aroma of the fruit is good. The average weight of the fruit is 125-140 g. The trees are adapted for wintering in room conditions, but they winter better in cold rooms.
Here is what breeder V.M. Zinkovsky writes about this variety: “Maikop is famous for its indoor lemons, bred in tubs. 100-300 fruits are harvested from a tree annually, and there were cases when the harvest from a 30-year-old tree reached 750 fruits. The height of Maikop lemons in the rooms reaches 1.5-2 meters.

Lemon Genoa

Weak tree without thorns. A very productive variety: in the fourth or fifth year of life it produces about 50 fruits, from an adult tree 120-180 fruits are harvested. The fruits are oblong-oval in shape, with a small sharp nipple at the top. The quality of the fruit is higher than that of other varieties, the pulp is very tender, juicy, sour, with a pleasant taste, the peel of the fruit is edible. Needs sufficient lighting (south, southeast window, loggia.)

To be continued... Article written Alex

Organize your home tropics - plant indoor citrus plants. They diversify the interior and delight with delicious juicy fruits. These plants have a special charm, because for us they are a manifestation of something exotic. AT...

Organize your home tropics - plant indoor citrus plants. They diversify the interior and delight with delicious juicy fruits.

These plants have a special charm, because for us they are a manifestation of something exotic. In central Russia, citrus fruits cannot be seen on the street or in the park; this beauty is available only indoors. Yes, and here they show their rather capricious disposition, and above all this concerns wintering. It is this period for lemon-oranges that is the most difficult, not everyone can survive it. What do citrus fruits need in general and in winter in particular?

Lighting

The number one task is to provide the plants with sufficient lighting, because they are very photophilous (they should only be protected from the midday summer sun).

The most optimal is to place exotics on the southeast or southwest windows, and in the summer - in the garden, under the light shade of trees. In winter, it is desirable to provide "pets" with additional intense lighting so that the daylight hours are at least 12 hours. If there is not enough light, the plant, alas, will not be able to fully develop.

For the summer, it is advisable to take citrus plants into the garden and be sure to put them on sunny place.

Cool wintering

Second condition good growth bright exotics - a decrease in temperature in winter to 12-16 C. In the absence of a cool wintering, citrus fruits usually do not live longer than 3-4 years, they gradually become exhausted and die. Rest of southerners lasts from November to February. In early - mid-February, when the day begins to increase, most citrus crops wake up and grow.

A winter garden or a greenhouse heated to 3–12 ° C are ideal places for wintering calamondin:

And clementine:

The fruits hang on branches all winter and begin to ripen only by spring.

Watering

It is impossible to harvest, and the life of plants in general, without the correct irrigation regime. Too long breaks between waterings should not be allowed, during which the “pets” suffer either from an excess of moisture, or from a lack. “Water” citrus representatives of the flora should be so that the substrate in the pots never dries out and is moderately moistened to the very bottom.

During the period active growth spring and summer, especially in dry and hot weather, this means that the watering can should be taken daily! In winter, it is necessary to check every 2-3 days how wet the substrate is, and if necessary, water the exotic.

Pest control

If you water your plants properly, they don't get stressed. And this is very important, because this negative factor reduces the resistance of your pets to attack by pests such as spider mite and shield. Fight them with special means protection for residential use. Later, you can safely use the fruits as food, as the active ingredients usually break down within a few weeks. But healthy plant, which is properly watered and weekly from March to October (the rest of the time 2 times a month) is fed with fertilizers for citrus fruits, is able to resist enemies on its own.

Black plaque is a consequence of the vital activity of scale insects. Pests secrete a sticky secret on which the soot fungus settles. To get rid of adversity, spray the plant with this solution: dilute 20 ml of vodka in 1 liter of water and liquid soap. Wipe the leaves with a soft cloth.

And one more good news: care for all citrus plants, regardless of type and variety, according to by and large little different. Once you figure it out, you can literally reap even the most exotic fruits such as citron.

Such different citrus fruits

The citron, or zest (Citrus medica), has the largest fruits among citrus fruits. Obtained from the peel essential oil, which is used to flavor drinks, confectionery and culinary products.

Three-leafed poncirus (Poncirus trifoliata) is one of the most cold-resistant representatives of citrus fruits: it can withstand temperatures as low as -20°C. You can harvest its beautiful, but not juicy fruits from September.

Common lemon (Citrus limon) ‘Variegata’ is a real treat for both the eyes and the stomach. The pulp of its striped fruits is very juicy and pleasantly sour in taste.

Lemons are ripening all year round. Therefore, you can pluck organic fruits whenever you feel like it and use them along with the zest.

Hand of the Buddha - this is the name of the citron (Citrus medica) ‘Digitata’, the fruits of which are distinguished by a bizarre shape and a very fragrant peel.

Oranges (Citrus sinensis), such as ‘Ovale Calabrese’, taste sweet even if grown in our latitudes.

Oranges (Citrus sinensis) ‘Vainiglia’ have a particularly delicate taste.

Fortunella oval, or kumquat, or golden orange (Fortunella margarita), does not leave anyone indifferent: some simply adore him, while others experience real disgust.

After all, his small fruits eaten whole, that is, the zest is not removed. Their peel is sweet, and their flesh is sour - together they form an incomparable combination.

Wealthy aristocrats have been growing southern citrus plants since the 17th century for their own needs, as well as wanting to surprise their guests with rare fruits. For bright heat-loving exotics, greenhouses were built: rooms with big windows, later - whole buildings made of glass, which were heated with firewood, which was very expensive.

The bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), or bitter orange, was especially popular with collectors (still, citrus fans and gourmets especially appreciate the 'Fasciata' orange with bright yellow-orange striped fruits). By the way, the classic English orange jam is made from the pulp and strips of orange zest.

Tips and secrets

When to prune citrus fruits?

The secateurs can be taken from March to August, shortening too long shoots. Trimming the tops of the shoots makes the crown thicker and stimulates the formation of fruits.

Why do citrus fruits often shed a lot of ovaries?

Young plants are not able to "feed" all the fruits until they are fully ripe. That is why they shed extra ovaries. This is a completely natural process, because then the remaining fruits grow to normal sizes and become the most fragrant.

By what signs can you determine that the fruits are ripe?

If the fruit is slightly scrolled, a fully ripe fruit will easily separate from the branch. You need to make an effort to tear it off. It's too early to shoot.

What to do, if citrus doesn't want to bloom

For the formation of flowers, the tub with the "pet" for the summer must be taken out into the garden and placed in a sunny place. By the way, citrus fruits bloom and bear fruit from the age of 4.

A citrus garden at home is the dream of many! However, is it possible to grow it at home in order to be able to please loved ones with fresh "vitamins"? Yes, you can. In addition, growing citrus fruits at home can become your favorite hobby, and citrus garden become your pride. However, in order to grow such a garden, you will need to make some effort and be patient.

Citrus Care

Appropriate place

In winter, it is not recommended to put the container at home on the windowsill, because the glass will emit cold, and the battery will heat, this will negatively affect the health of the green pet.

A warm, damp place with plenty of light is best. in spring and summer periods put the pot on a window that is oriented to the southwest or southeast.

Temperature regime

These plants do not tolerate sub-zero temperatures. Remember this, otherwise your garden may die!

In the warm season optimum temperature is 19-27 degrees, and in winter you can lower it to 12-17 degrees.

Since citrus fruits are negatively affected by temperature fluctuations, in autumn period it is better to bring the plant in advance warm room before the first frosts appear. Citruses come from the tropics, so you should not forget about the humidity of the air. If the air is not sufficiently humidified, then purchase a special humidifier. Your citrus garden will thank you for this.

illumination

Your citrus garden will need good lighting, so keep it out of direct sunlight during hot summers. In autumn and winter, plants will not have enough natural light, so you need to do additional lighting with lamps, without this procedure you will not be able to grow decent harvest. Illuminate the citrus garden so that its daylight hours are 12 hours.

Watering

Water the plants regularly, as it is best to prevent the soil from drying out too much. But watering should be moderate!

It is also impossible to overmoisten the soil; before the next watering, the upper layer of the soil must dry out.

On hot summer days, it is allowed to water daily, but in winter, water citrus less often and not so plentifully - once a week is enough.

Take some water at room temperature, soft and not chlorinated.

Suitable for citrus soil

The soil must be fertile and breathable. It is necessary to provide good drainage from crushed brick or expanded clay. For these plants, the soil mixture is prepared from peat, leaf and sod soil, sand in equal proportions. Should be a slightly acidic environment. There is a much easier option - buy ready mix in the store, for citrus it is usually called "Lemon".

plant fertilizer

Feed the plant only in spring and summer months when it is actively growing, but during the winter dormancy, forget about fertilizers.

Water the soil well first, and then fertilize. Remember that better disadvantage fertilizer than their overabundance!

If you overfeed the plant, then root system may get burned.

As a top dressing, it is better to take special fertilizers for citrus fruits, which can be easily found in specialized supermarkets.

How to grow an orange tree at home?

Many people dream of growing it at home. After all, the orange tree gives incredibly tasty and healthy fruits. Where to begin?
1. The month of March is the most suitable for disembarkation. Take fresh orange seeds and rinse them in warm water.
2. Soak the seeds for 10-12 hours.
3. Plant them in a suitable fertile soil mixture and cover with 1 cm of soil. Cover the pot with plastic and place it in a warm, dark place.
4. When the first sprouts appear, the orange tree is moved to a more lit area.

Vaccinations

When the orange tree grows up, it should bloom and then bear fruit. However, not all owners manage to achieve this, or the fruits develop, but remain small and bitter in taste. All this is because a tree from a seed may not take on the mother's properties, which is why it is so important to plant an orange. How to do it? There are 2 methods: classical grafting and budding.

In the first method, a cutting is taken from a fruiting orange, it is he who will give a certain variety to our "savage". Then the seedling is used as a stock for a "pedigreed" cutting. The second method is easier than the first and less painful for the young plant. At the same time, a bud of varietal orange tree implanted together with a part of the wood into the trunk of a wild citrus. It is better to introduce several buds at once from different sides of the plant.

stem shaping

An orange tree can begin to bear fruit normally only after 5-6 years, but for this you need to properly form the crown. What is needed for this? When the tree stretches 24-28 cm, then the shoot should be pinched, leaving 18-20 cm in length.

Leave only the strongest side shoots, remove the rest so that the tree branches well. Young trees can also begin to bloom, but in this case it is better to get rid of flowers and ovaries, since the plant will waste its potential on only 2-3 fruits.

How to grow lime at home?

Lime is a wonderful plant of the citrus family, when grown at home, the tree spreads a delicious aroma around the room. In addition, lime is useful when eaten. And this tree is very beautiful, it will decorate any apartment! To grow it, you need to know some of the nuances.

Lime can act as a good rootstock for other citrus plants. Lemon, kumquat, tangerine, etc. can be grafted onto its massive trunk.

In order to grow lime at home from seeds, you need to follow certain steps.

1. Choose a suitable container for planting lime. It should be spacious 10-15 centimeters in length and pass liquid, air.
2. We take fertile soil and provide good drainage, you can sprinkle the bottom of the pot with sand.
3. Next, fresh lime seeds are buried in the soil by 2-3 centimeters. We cover the pot plastic wrap put in an area with good lighting. Do not forget to water and ventilate our future lime!
4. When the sprouts hatch and the first leaves appear on them, then you need to remove the polyethylene. Then the lime needs standard care, but do not forget to form a crown in a timely manner.

Your home garden will bear worthy fruits if it is properly looked after.

Citrus fruits belong to the rue family. Lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, kinkan and other citrus fruits are grown at home. Although it must be said right away that attempts to grow a fruit-bearing citrus tree at home often break off when more than a meter tall evergreen trees never bear fruit. Although with an annual cold wintering (+ 5-8 ° C), citrus fruits can bloom and bear fruit in 2-3 years (rooted cuttings).

If you decide to grow citrus fruits from seeds for their fruits, then even if you achieve fruiting, the taste of the fruits will most likely disappoint you, as it will be too sour and bitter. It is easier to buy an already fruiting citrus tree, in which case you will not have to take care of the graft and wait for years for it to bear fruit.

In general, at home, trees obtained from grafted or rooted cuttings will more likely bear fruit, and wild animals grown from seed do not bloom for a very long time - decades, but in their natural habitat, somewhere in the open spaces of Spain, trees begin to bear fruit at the age of 6 -7 years. For some, it will be a pleasure to grow a tree from a seed, and it doesn’t matter if it bears fruit or not. Be that as it may, in order for a citrus plant to develop well, it is important to know the conditions it needs and something about crown formation.

Citrus Fertilizer

Fertilizers are used in the first half of summer. This increases the sugar content of the fruit and reduces the bitter taste that is characteristic of citrus fruits at room culture. The plant needs more fertilizer, the older it is and the longer it stays in one dish. Fertilizers are applied with water for irrigation, but only healthy, not weakened plants can be fed. With additional artificial lighting of citrus fruits in winter, they also need to be fertilized, but not more often than once a month.

If citrus fruits were transplanted into fresh ground in spring, then after 1-1.5 months you can start feeding with fertilizers for flowering plants. If the plants have not been transplanted, then you need to start feeding with the introduction of organic matter: 2-3 times with an interval of two weeks, it can be an extract from dry horse manure, well-lying humus, ready-made vermicompost from the store. It is very important not to overfeed citrus fruits with organic matter and check the acidity of the soil. After two feedings nitrogen fertilizers, you can already feed with complex fertilizers for indoor flowering plants (for example, luxury fert).

By the way

Sometimes on sale you can see citrus fruits with a stalk - a small twig with a couple of leaves, mostly Chinese tangerines, passed off as Abkhazian ones. They taste good, but most importantly, if the branches are not frozen and have not had time to dry, you can try to carefully separate and graft them.

By the way

Light shading of citrus fruits from the scorching rays of the sun promotes the formation of healthy, dark green foliage. When placed in direct sunlight, the leaves of the plants acquire a pale green color, and after a gloomy winter, burns may appear in the spring. On the contrary, in a dark room, citrus fruits gradually shed their leaves, and new leaves, if they appear, are small and deformed.

Therefore, it is recommended to keep the plants in the summer on a window facing the northwest or southeast (these windows are less sunny, but also less hot), and in the winter to the south and southwest, so throughout the year there will be uniform lighting for the plant. But, of course, such permutations are possible in apartments and houses where the windows are on opposite sides.

You can also move the plants back into the room in summer, and in winter, on the contrary, move the plants as close to the window as possible.

The fruits of orange and lemon, with a lack of light, are characterized by high acidity. However, in the summer, plants should be shaded from the sun in the afternoon.

Citrus pests

Scale insects: this pest is not difficult to detect, scale insects are clearly visible on citrus fruits, but they cause significant harm - spreading throughout the tree, their brown shields stick around stems, petioles, leaves. If you run a fingernail over the shield, a damp spot remains. Under a microscope, these pests are similar in shape, sorry for the comparison, to fascist helmets, furry from the inside, and just as nasty: they suck out cell sap, leaves lose color, dry and fall off.

Control measures: if your citrus tree is small, it is better to take it to the bathroom and wash the stems and leaves with a soapy sponge. If a large tree in a bucket or tub, wipe all accessible places with a cotton pad dipped in alcohol.

Now we need the insecticide Aktara (or confidor), it is effective against any worms, including scale insects. It is necessary to dilute the drug according to the instructions and pour a lemon or orange under the root, and then spray carefully over the leaves. Repeat treatment after a week.

Other insecticides are also produced against scale insects and other insect pests: actellik, fitoverm, karbofos, decis and others. But they are more smelly, toxic and it is highly undesirable to use them at home.

The spider mite is one of the nastiest and most common pests on citrus fruits. Ticks are dangerous because:

• multiply and grow rapidly
• it is extremely difficult to wash them off - they hide in the axils of the leaves, in buds, in upper layers soil
• ordinary insecticides are not effective against them, but only special preparations - acaricides
• after two treatments, resistance is formed in ticks - the new generation is more resistant to the active substance of the drug.

Signs of mites on citrus fruits

• yellowish or whitish spots on the leaves without clear boundaries
• strokes and dots are gray or silvery, especially noticeable on young leaves
• deformed flower petals, young leaves, shriveled buds
• on the reverse side leaves small grains, crumbs, husks - the pests themselves and skins from molting
• with a strong increase (with a magnifying glass, in a microscope), the thinnest cobweb is visible.

Therefore, if you have mites at least once, you will have to observe and observe and periodically, at least once a month, carefully inspect the entire plant

Control measures. First, wash or wipe off the pests by hand. To do this, you will either have to take the pot to the bathroom or shower, put the pot on its side so that the leaves are in weight, and water with a powerful pressure of a hot shower; or wash each leaf by hand - take and wipe on both sides.

The problem is that there are no systemic drugs against ticks - so that you water it - and the ticks die. Only enteric-contact: sprayed, got a tick. Where the solution does not get - ticks will survive and continue to multiply.

Against ticks, it is worth trying such remedies as apallo, vermitec, oberon, etc.

Read more about pests of indoor plants in the section "pests"

Citrus crops originated from Southeast Asia: in the tropical zone it is warm almost all year round, only in winter there is a slight decrease in temperature, in addition, the plants are constantly in good light conditions and high humidity. It is quite difficult to create ideal conditions for indoor citrus plants at home, but it is possible: with the right one, they will become a real decoration of the windowsill and will even bear fruit several times a year. What are the features of citrus content, and what are the most common crops?

Many indoor citrus crops are able to bloom several times a year.

However, in winter, it is advisable to lower the temperature in the room a little: since the duration of sunny day, the plant suffers from a deficiency sunlight. Due to the large energy loss, it will look exhausted, leaf fall is often observed. In order to avoid unnecessary energy consumption, it is necessary either to provide additional artificial illumination of the desired spectrum, or to lower the temperature in the room.

Citrus indoor crops have several more growing features:

• All of them are very fond of sunlight - it is recommended to place them on the southern and eastern windows. If you want to plant citrus fruits, they should be well lit, you can plant them in the partial shade of other plants. Lack of light quickly depletes the plant, and it may die.
• The optimum content temperature is +18 degrees with air humidity up to 70%. It is difficult to provide such conditions in the room, so the plant is preferably regularly warm water. Without a seasonal drop in temperature and a dormant period, citrus fruits live no more than 3-4 years, so you need to remove them for the winter from November to February.
• Citrus fruits love water: should be regular and plentiful. However, in order to prevent rotting of the roots, it is necessary to let the soil dry out between waterings, and during the dormant period the plant is watered no more than once a week.

These are just the basic rules for growing citrus fruits, each culture has its own special requirements for content. Let's take a closer look at the most common citrus houseplants.

Indoor mandarin can be a dwarf or regular variety: this plant has long been used for growing in a greenhouse and on a windowsill. Mandarin can be grown as a bonsai - this is a special technology for the formation of a dwarf bush, which allows you to get a miniature tree that will bloom and bear fruit.

Mandarin is popular because of the beautiful green leaves, white flowers with pleasant smell and fragrant fruits that can hang on branches for several months.

The fruits of indoor mandarin have only a decorative value: they should not be eaten because of their too sour taste. To improve the taste of mono fruits through breeding work with several plants, however, the development of a new variety will take a very long time. look after room tangerine not too difficult, you need to follow a few basic requirements:

• Regular, but not excessive watering. The more leaves a plant has, the more actively they evaporate moisture, the required amount of water depends on this. In an apartment, tangerine is desirable regularly, as the plant suffers from constantly dry air.
• Regular top dressing with mineral soluble. AT in large numbers Mandarin especially needs nutrients in the spring, before the start - at this time it is carried out with a solution of fertilizers 1-2 times a week. Do not exceed the dosage: the plant is not able to absorb large doses of fertilizers, and they can destroy.
• . If you purchased not a room, but an ordinary variety. Several large branches should not be allowed to grow: their tips are regularly pinched to achieve the appearance of lateral processes.
• On young plants, flowers and ovaries need to be controlled: the fewer fruits the plant has, the larger they will be, so extra ovaries must be removed in time. At first, only one ovary is left, the next year the number of fruits can be increased.

Constant care will make the mandarin strong and beautiful: it will decorate your home with dense foliage and magnificent orange fruits with a pleasant smell. Growing mandarin on the windowsill does not require much hassle: compliance basic principles care will already allow you to quickly achieve good growth.

Growing oranges

Orange at home can be grown from a seed obtained from the most common purchased fruit. In nature, this plant is a medium-sized tree up to 7 meters high, indoor orange can reach 3 meters in height. You can grow it not only with seeds, but also if any of your friends already have an adult plant at home.

When planted with seeds, an orange begins to bloom and bear fruit no earlier than after 7-10 years, growing a plant from a cutting is much faster.

Growing conditions house orange approximately the same as for other citrus crops: the plant needs a lot of light, regular watering, and, however, it is undesirable to loosen it often - this can seriously damage the roots.

In growing an orange from a seed, you must follow the correct sequence of actions:

• This will require a mixture of peat with fertile soil, it is placed in small pots. For planting, it is advisable to take seeds from several fully ripened fruits, the seeds must have the correct shape.
• They are planted in the soil at a distance of 5 cm from each other, the seed planting depth is about 1 cm. In about two weeks, sprouts will appear.
• Of all the sprouts, only the strongest should be left. A mi-greenhouse is equipped for them: the plants are covered glass jar to provide sufficient temperature and humidity underneath. To ensure ventilation, the jar needs to be removed for half an hour every day.
• As soon as the sprouts have a few true leaves, they are transplanted into separate pots and placed on a well-lit windowsill. A second one will be required when the plant height reaches 20 cm, from about this time it will already be necessary to form a crown.

Like a homemade tangerine, the fruits of room orange are predominantly decorative. When propagated by seeds, due to cross-pollination, the fruit will not be the same as that of the parent plant. When growing oranges in greenhouses, breeders choose seeds from the sweetest and most delicious fruits in order to pass these qualities on to the next plant by inheritance, but this is a long, many years of work.

It is better not to move a homemade orange from place to place; it can react to changing conditions by dropping leaves. For him, a spacious, well-lit window sill is immediately selected and conditions are provided for consistently good growth.

Calamondin is a dwarf citrus tree, most resembling a small tangerine with bright small fruits. Its advantage in small sizes: for such a plant it is easy to find a place on the windowsill, and at the same time you do not have to worry about regular pruning of the crown. Calamondin requires approximately the same conditions as other citrus fruits, but still there are several important nuances in its cultivation.

Calamondin - light-loving indoor plant, however, it does not like direct, but diffused sunlight.

In summer, it feels comfortable on the south and east side, in winter it can be moved to the windowsill on the north side of the house. If there is not enough light for calamondin, it will grow very slowly without flowering and fruiting. During the summer months, it can be taken out to Fresh air, it can be put in partial shade for a while.

The plant requires regular abundant watering in the summer months, and in winter it is enough to water it once a week. It is advisable to move it to a cool room for wintering - the dormant period helps the plant regain strength and prepare for new flowering and fruiting.

Calamondin reproduces in two main ways - and. seed propagation- too much long way, fruiting will have to wait several years. Much faster you can propagate the plant using cuttings, this work is carried out as follows:

• The cuttings are young shoots, on which at least 2-3 buds should be present. They are cut from an adult plant and placed for some time in a nutrient solution.
• When the cuttings form their own young roots, they are transplanted into the ground. The optimal soil mixture consists of peat and flower land, they must be mixed well in a ratio of 1: 1.
• The stalk is covered with a glass jar to create with high temperature and humidity. To change the air in a mini-greenhouse, the jar needs to be cleaned once a day for half an hour.
• As soon as the cuttings have the first own leaves, the jar can be removed, after which calamondin is grown as an ordinary indoor citrus plant.

At proper care the plant will bear fruit every year, the bright fruits look beautiful among the thick dark green leaves. You should not eat pods, they will turn out to be too sour or even bitter.

Growing grapefruit at home is not as difficult as it might seem. With the correct formation of the crown, the height of the plant in room conditions does not exceed 1.5-2 meters, it will look very beautiful thanks to the dark leaves on especially curved petioles. Indoor varieties of grapefruits are able to produce juicy and quite tasty fruits, and their weight can reach 400 grams.

Grapefruit - photophilous plant, he needs a sufficient amount of sunlight and free space.

It is suitable for growing not only in an apartment, but also in an office, in a greenhouse or on an insulated loggia. Grapefruit does not like cold weather, even short-term frosts can cause serious harm to it, so you can only keep it outdoors during the summer months.

Watering the plant:

• Grapefruit requires regular watering in the warm season, while the water should not stagnate in a pot - equip at the bottom drainage layer expanded clay.
• To ensure normal air humidity, the plant must be constantly sprayed from a spray bottle.
• In winter, the plant is removed to a room with a lower temperature and less illumination; during the dormant period, it is enough to water it only 2 times a month.

Young plants are transplanted annually, for adult grapefruits with the replacement of the soil substrate should be carried out at least once every 5-6 years. During the period of active and fruiting, the plant is fed with a complex one, for example, "Rainbow".

Grapefruit - the best way for home growing from a seed. Ordinary seeds from mature fruits germinate quickly and take root well, the plant can begin to bear fruit as early as the fourth year when created for it. comfortable conditions. It is important to provide him with a sufficient amount of sunlight: if the illumination is not enough, growth slows down and a curvature of the trunk is observed. If it is not possible to put the plant on the southern or eastern windowsill, you need to purchase a special fluorescent lamp for indoor flowers. The result of care and care will be regular fruiting and beautiful abundant flowering.

Cultivation of citron

Citron is a rarer citrus plant, it is grown indoors only for its sake. decorative qualities. Citron has large yellow fruits, they look beautiful against the background of dark green leaves. In room conditions, the plant reaches a height of 1.5 meters.

the most interesting decorative variety is considered a finger citron - it is also called the "Hand of the Buddha".

He is interesting unusual shape fruits - outwardly, they most of all resemble a bunch of bananas. Such a citron begins to bear fruit already in the third year after planting. This plant is among the photophilous, even during the dormant period, it should be in a well-lit room. In summer, the citron needs a plentiful regular one; when the indoor air is dry, it is placed in a pan with water or regularly sprayed with a spray bottle.

Citron can also be planted with seedlings: the first option is longer, the fruits will have to wait more than 5 years. During reproduction, it is possible to obtain a plant that completely copies the parental traits; you can plant a citron at home with the largest and fragrant fruits. Growing citrus fruits at home is not difficult, and they will quickly turn into one of the main window sill decorations. With good conditions, any citrus plant will quickly begin to bloom and bear fruit.

More information can be found in the video.