Planted a lemon seed how to care for a sprout. Homemade lemon is the decoration of your home. Soil requirements for planting

A lemon grown in a pot on the windowsill will saturate the air in the house with phytoncides and essential oils, protecting against infectious diseases and bacteria. And to miniature tree regularly pleased not only with the appearance, but also with the fruits, it needs to be vaccinated. You can buy seedlings in specialized stores, but it is more interesting and cheaper to plant a seed in the ground and wait until it turns into a young sprout.

Choosing planting material

Where can I get lemon seeds? Go to the supermarket or the market, choose the largest fruit of a rich yellow hue and get a bone out of it. The main thing is that there are no spots or other damage on the citrus peel. In planting material taken from a dented or rotten sample, an infection or disease may lurk that will destroy fragile sprouts that have hatched from the ground.

The purchased lemon is carefully cut, trying not to touch the shell of the seeds with the blade, and the seeds are removed. Planting material is immediately sorted: large specimens are left, small ones are thrown away, because they rarely sprout.

It is advisable to plant the seeds in pots immediately, while they are still wet. But if there are a few dry lemon seeds left in the closet, which are a little more than a month or two, the workpiece is soaked in warm water for several hours, and then buried in the ground.

Lemons are also grown from cuttings, which you can get hold of from friends or neighbors. Cut off a young twig from a fruiting tree, put it in water, add heteroauxin and wait a day. There must be at least 3 buds on the handle, and the mother lemon must necessarily produce at least 6-10 citrus fruits per year.

Soil and pots

Some home trees grow up to 8–10 m in height, others stop at around 3–4 m. Beginners who deal with lemons for the first time try to plant a seed or cutting directly into a huge pot or wooden box. The plant needs space, but when there is too much, root system develops incorrectly. Therefore, at the first stage, a small clay pot or a disposable plastic cup will suffice.

You can create a container for growing lemon from a bottle:

Cut in half or a third. Throw away the top with the lid, leaving the bottom of the bottle.
Make many small holes in the bottom to allow air to circulate.
Place the homemade pot on a plastic plate or tray to excess water dripped on the stand, not on the windowsill.
Fill the bottle with earth and plant a lemon seed in it.

You can also grow citrus seedlings in a flower pot, several pieces at once, but there should be a distance between them. It is recommended to mentally draw an equilateral triangle on the surface of the earth and stick 1-2 grains in each vertex of the geometric figure.

Use for growing lemons and wooden rectangular boxes. Between the seeds, 15–20 cm recede so that the root system has space for development. Regardless of the chosen capacity, the bottom of the pot or box is placed drainage layer 1–1.5 cm high. If it is absent, moisture begins to accumulate, the air circulates poorly and a fungus appears in the soil. The root system of the lemon rots, and the plant disappears.

As a drainage use:

small pebbles or pebbles;
small pieces of earthenware;
grated foam;
coarse sand;
expanded clay or crushed wine cork.

Tip: To provide the plant with a nutrient medium, it is recommended to put a layer of peat, dried cow or horse manure or some moss. The height of top dressing is 1.5–2 cm, then comes the soil.

Ideal soil
lemon count unpretentious plant that can take root in any land. The main thing is to be warm and have enough moisture. Often seeds are planted in a mixture of soddy soil, river sand and humus. More experienced gardeners wood ash is added to the soil, which will nourish weak sprouts.

Suitable for growing a citrus tree and land intended for indoor plants. You can buy soil in flower shops, it is advisable to add a little peat to the soil. If lemon cuttings are planted in pots, then a layer of sand is poured over the ground. This helps the citrus take root faster and take root in a new place.

Disembarkation process

Make a small depression in the soil, about 1.5–2 cm, slightly moisten the soil and stick a few seeds into it. It is recommended to take 2–3 grains per hole, because part planting material may be empty and unusable. If several sprouts have hatched from the hole at once, the strongest and healthiest specimen is left, the rest are carefully pulled out or cut off to the very root.

How it all happens:

Put the seeds in moistened soil, sprinkle them with earth and lightly tamp the soil.
Spray the ground with warm distilled or melted water using a spray bottle.
Cover the pot with a plastic bag, which will create the effect of a greenhouse.
Put lemons in a room where the temperature does not fall below +18. Before the first sprouts appear, the seeds do not need light, so citrus fruits can be kept in any room.
Periodically open the film and ventilate the earth in pots, regularly moisten the soil with a spray bottle, but make sure that the earth is not too wet and damp.

With cuttings they do a little differently:

A twig that stood for several days in special solution, planted in the ground after the appearance of thin roots.
The plant is buried so deep that only two buds remain on the surface, the rest must hide underground.
The stalk at first needs abundant watering, because the lemon does not have strong roots that can draw moisture from the soil.
The plant feels comfortable at a temperature of + 18-20 degrees.
It will take about 1.5–2 months for a citrus cutting to finally take root in a pot and begin to grow actively.

Tip: If you overdid it with watering, and the earth cannot dry out in any way, you should not wait for mold to appear. The pot is freed from moist soil and filled with new dry soil, into which the lemon is transplanted.

little trick
You can cover the hatched lemon shoots not only with a bag, but also with an ordinary glass jar. Place the container upside down to create a greenhouse effect. Lemons draw faster in humid conditions reminiscent of tropical climates. If citruses were planted in a pot in winter or early spring, the plant is placed next to a battery or heater, and watered 3 times a week.

Water is used rain or melt, heated to room temperature. Irrigation liquid should settle for several days to harmful impurities precipitated.

Fertilizer and transplant
Seedlings are fertilized every two weeks. Citrus fruits are suitable for dressings such as "Ideal" or "Healthy". You can buy special fertilizers created for lemons and other exotic plants, but they must include:

manganese;
zinc.

Citrus leaves are regularly wiped with a damp cloth, cleaning from dust. A pot with seedlings should stand in a well-lit window so that the plant receives a lot of ultraviolet light. But in order for the sprouts to stretch evenly and not shed their leaves, the lemon should be rotated around its axis by 1.5–2 cm every month. You can’t twist the seedlings sharply, otherwise such unexpected changes may result in “baldness” of the young tree.

In early spring, the grown citrus is transferred to another, more spacious pot. In the first year, the lemon should "move" 4 times. mature tree can live in its pot for several years, the main thing is to update it from time to time upper layer soil.

How to understand that a lemon needs a new home? If its roots reach the drainage layer and try to get out of the pot, the tree has become cramped. Move the lemon from one container to another carefully so as not to damage the base. A little earth is left on the root system so that the plant adapts to new conditions faster.

Tree formation
So that the seedling does not turn into a shaggy bush of an incomprehensible shape, you need to take care of it. When the central shoot becomes strong and begins to stretch upward, acquiring branches and additional leaves, it is cut off. A stump 20 cm high should remain. Further, branches of the second order are formed on the central trunk, which are pinched when they reach 18–19 cm. Repeat the procedure again until shoots of the fourth “generation” appear. It is on them that buds, flowers and fruits are formed.

If you do not cut off the extra sprouts and branches, the crown of the lemon will become thick, and the tree will spend too much energy on feeding the leaves and unnecessary shoots.

When the trunk of the seedling becomes as thick as a pencil, the lemon should be grafted. It is necessary to ask friends or order a two-year-old stalk cut from a fruiting citrus in a specialized store. You will also need:

well-sharpened knife;
a roll of electrical tape;
plastic bag;
garden var.

First, a lemon branch is cut off, extending from the central trunk, leaving a stump 5–10 cm high. It must be carefully split into two equal parts. Sharpen the bottom of the handle in the shape of a blade and insert into the stump. Coat the open "wounds" with garden pitch, tightly tighten with electrical tape so that it covers the stump.

The top of the scion is also cut off, leaving 2 to 4 buds. Treat the cut with garden pitch, cover the pinned lemon with a bag to create a warm, humid microclimate. In such conditions, wounds heal faster, and the stalk takes root better. Remove the cellophane after the first shoots appear. A grafted lemon will begin to bear fruit in 2-3 years.

For the first time, 2 flowers are left to be pollinated with a cotton swab. Collect pollen from one cup and transfer to another. In the future, as many fruits can ripen on a lemon as the ovary appears.

In late autumn, the temperature in the room where the citrus pot is standing should be gradually reduced to 15 degrees so that the plant adapts to harsh conditions. At the same time, daylight hours are increased, otherwise the tree will begin to shed its leaves.
In winter, it is recommended to wrap a tub of lemon with heaters or thick blankets to protect the roots from hypothermia.
The soil is loosened every 5-6 waterings to improve the flow of air into the soil and prevent acidification of the earth.
In late spring and summer, it is useful to endure an adult citrus tree outdoors, but keep it out of direct sunlight.

Lemon, like other plants, needs regular care and care. The plant loves heat, moisture and sun in moderation, sometimes it needs to be fed and protected from pests. If you do not forget to water the tree, fertilize and keep it away from drafts, it will live long and regularly delight with fruits.

Video: how to grow citrus fruits at home

Some indoor plant lovers have adapted to grow citrus trees on the windowsill. Lemon is especially popular. Growing a lemon at home will not take much effort from the owner.

Lemon cultivation can be done at home

Lemongrass is native to southern countries with a warm and humid climate. Therefore, the main task of the plant breeder is to provide similar micro climatic conditions in a house or apartment.

Why is lemon grown at home?

There are several advantages to growing a lemon crop at home. Chief among them are fragrant useful fruits that the plant produces annually. In addition, placing a lemon on the windowsill can become an interior decoration.

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

Another advantage of growing lemon is beautiful appearance tree. It has a dense and evergreen crown. During the flowering period, the plant throws out beautiful flowers. Often they are covered with mighty green leaves. The only exception is Ponderosa lemon, whose branches are thin and resemble a sprawling bush. Despite the external weakness, the branches can withstand up to 50 fruits. This ornamental tree can be grown on a windowsill as it does not take up much space.

A lemon bush can produce up to 50 fruits

General features of growing lemon at home

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

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

Special attention is the quality of the soil and the pot. The fact is that lemons have an individual nutrition system. They get water not through ordinary hairs on the roots, but through fungi in the soil. Connection home plant with fungal mycelium is sensitive to external factors. It is easy to break it with a lack of oxygen, improper watering and sudden changes in temperature.

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

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

lemon prefers sunny side premises

Planting a lemon

For small plants fit clay pot, for large ones it is better to use a wooden tub, which is considered the best option to accommodate citrus fruits. natural material better passes oxygen to the roots of the lemon. Before placing the planting material in a pot, it should be inspected for damage. The landing process itself is simple:

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

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

Lemon seedlings after planting are sprayed with water

Growing a lemon from a seed

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

The sprout breaks out of the ground 2 weeks after planting. Sometimes it takes more time (up to one month).
Citrus germs require greenhouse conditions, so the pot with the bone is covered with the cut plastic bottle or tight plastic wrap. Inside such a cap, the humidity is many times greater than in open space, and the transparency of the bottle allows the ascending shoots to receive sunlight. In a homemade greenhouse, watering should not be abused. The soil already gives moisture to the allotted space of the greenhouse, so it should only be sprayed.
When a small stalk has broken through, it is taught to room conditions, removing the greenhouse cap for 1-2 hours a day.
Transfer to big pot occurs only when 4 leaves appear on the sprout.

Growing lemon in a greenhouse is also suitable for mature seedlings. At proper organization climatic conditions, you can do without it. It is also not worth rushing to feed.

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

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

watering lemon

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

Provide moderate watering with settled water 1 time per day. You can water it twice a day (it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil).
Water lemon 2 times a week in winter.
Drain accumulated water in the pan immediately after watering. The roots of the plant can rot from excess moisture.
Spray lemon leaves daily warm water. It is especially important to do this in winter, when the air becomes dry from the operation of heating systems.

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

We must not forget about the benefits of a warm shower. Like everything standing still in the home, the lemon is covered with a layer of dust and dirt. It should be washed off, because dust interferes with the process of photosynthesis. Bathing plants spend no more than 1 time per month.

Remove dust from lemon leaves regularly.

lemon fertilizer

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

Choose only mineral compounds for fertilizer.
Fertilize from March to October with a frequency of 2-3 weeks. For young plants, it is enough to carry out the procedure once every one and a half months.
Combine top dressing with watering in the summer.
In spring and autumn, feed the plant only after watering. Fertilizer is applied at least 2 hours after soil moistening.
In winter, fertilize once.

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

Some citrus growers face the problem of flowering. When flowers do not appear among the ripening leaves on the crown, this indicates poor feeding. Why does the plant react this way? The fact is that the lemon does not have enough strength for the fruit. And changing the fertilizer will help him cope with this problem.

From quinoa you can prepare an infusion for fertilizing lemon

The Importance of Pruning

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

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

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

It is important to prune old dried branches. Lemon spends his strength on them, but it will not work to revive them. Therefore, it is better to rid the lemon of excess load. Also amenable to pruning are those shoots that grow inside the crown. They most often prevent neighboring branches from developing and receiving enough sunlight.

Enjoying a ripe lemon fruit grown on your own balcony or windowsill will only work if the flowers are shaped correctly. Weak immature plants can throw out a large number of flowers already in the second year of life. You can't leave them. The structure of the tree cannot withstand a heavy load, and the lemon will die, giving all its strength to the fruits. To grow big harvest, follows:

In the second year of a lemon's life, leave 2 flowers on the entire tree or completely remove the inflorescences.
During flowering, carefully monitor the health of the tree, protect it from drafts and perform all the features of caring for it.
Know the rule for forming inflorescences - 1 fruit should have 10 leaves. All other ties are removed.

Lemon harvest can be expected 4-5 years after planting

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

Some citrus growers get first good fruit within 4–5 years. Their number rarely exceeds 5-8 pieces. More harvest to come. The tree reaches its maturity only by 8–10 years, and at home, the lemon lives up to 40–45 years.

Transplant Features

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

We must not forget about the proper access of oxygen to the roots. It is better to install the pot on a pallet with a gap so that air penetrates into the soil. A lining of stones or wood should be installed under the bottom of the pot.

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

This deservedly popular citrus can live in your home. How to grow a lemon from a stone at home? This evergreen perennial, a guest from the subtropics, has taken root quite comfortably in our houses and apartments. Home-grown lemons have a thinner rind and intense flavor than outdoor-grown ones.

Homeland lemon - Southeast Asia, more than a thousand years ago, these fruits were brought from India, and eventually found popularity in Africa and America.

This citrus tree produces color several times a year. To grow a lemon from a seed, you will need to create comfortable conditions for it: high-quality ventilation, lighting, periodic fertilizing, individual approach according to the season.

One of the main stages is the selection of high-quality seeds - this is the key to the future harvest. For planting material, seeds from purchased ripe lemons are quite suitable. Sow many seeds at once, so that later you can choose the strongest sprouts.

How to plant a lemon from the seed?

Step by step process:

Remove pits from ripe citruses. Select the largest of them seeds.
Most often, the seeds are sown immediately, but some gardeners recommend pretreating them with sodium gummate solution. The solution is diluted with water according to the attached instructions, the seeds are immersed for 24 hours.
Drainage (small pebbles, charcoal or expanded clay) is pre-filled at the bottom of pots or special containers, soil is poured on top. Soil for indoor lemon a should consist of equal parts of peat, earth for flowers. You can buy ready-made soil mixture for citrus plants. Lemons feel great in black soil mixed with leaf humus (1: 1), sand can also be added there.
The bones are deepened by about 1 cm, the distance between them should be at least 5 cm, and from the sides of the container - at least 3.
To maintain the temperature regime necessary at home, the soil must always be moistened, but not oversaturated with water. The ideal temperature for seedlings is +18..23ºC.
After about 10-14 days, the first sprouts appear from the seed. From the very beginning, stronger specimens are visible, it is they who are selected for further growth.
In order for a room lemon to begin to grow, to reveal the first full-fledged leaves to the world, it is necessary to create an appropriate microclimate for it. To do this, the sprouted sprouts cover glass jars, and then exposed to a well-lit place, however, direct sunlight should be avoided.
Airing should be daily. Banks are removed from the sprouts for 15-20 minutes.
When full-fledged leaves appear (two or three pieces), it's time to transplant indoor lemon into individual containers. A pot for a sprout with a diameter of no more than 10 cm. Drainage at the bottom of a pot with a nutrient soil mixture is a prerequisite.

Here, a young seedling from the stone should grow to about 17-20 cm, after which it is transplanted. The volume of the new pot should be larger than the previous one.

Room lemon - home care

This tree loves bright, but diffused light, so that in summer the scorching sun's rays do not harm the leaves, it needs to be shaded. Here, as when watering, you need to adhere to the golden mean, since with a lack of light, the fruits will be sour, and the foliage will be lethargic and sparse.

The optimal temperature regime for flowering, fruit formation (setting) is approximately +17..20°C.

Room lemon does not like being moved from place to place, but being outdoors (for example, on a balcony) still does not hurt him. Keep a close eye on the weather forecast, as a sharp temperature drop can harm the plant (it will shed its foliage). Wintering should take place in cool home conditions, a temperature of +15..18°C will be enough.

How to care for a lemon in terms of watering? Like all citrus crops, it loves moisture. In summer, it is necessary to provide perennials with abundant watering, twice a week is enough. In winter, one watering per week is enough. Overflows should be avoided. In this case, the water should be boiled or well settled, have room temperature. This plant does not tolerate chlorine, which is rich in tap water - consider this factor.

Photo of indoor lemon at home

Citrus fruits require frequent irrigation of the crown with moisture. This is especially true in summer, and in winter (with constantly running batteries or heaters), spraying becomes simply necessary. Sometimes you can arrange a plant warm shower- this is a good prevention against the appearance of a tick, scale insects. To further increase the humidity, the lemon pot can be placed on the tray with wet expanded clay(or charcoal, gravel).

Fertilizer for indoor lemon is a prerequisite for harmonious development and fruiting. Compared to other domestic perennials, this citrus needs to be fed more frequently than its green counterparts. In summer, fertilizers are introduced weekly (with water for irrigation), in winter - once a month will be enough.

Mineral top dressings are more effective. But organic ones contain all the important trace elements, have a beneficial effect on the structure of the soil, and activate the vital activity of the necessary microorganisms. If you combine minerals with organics, then such a union will provide the best nutrition for this citrus at home.

During the activation of shoot growth (in spring), it is appropriate to introduce potash, nitrogen supplements, and when flowers appear, phosphorus. Carefully study the information on the fertilizer packaging - compliance with the dosage is very important, as you will subsequently consume these lemons. With the onset of the so-called "rest period" (autumn-winter time), the dose and frequency of feeding is reduced to once a month.

Transplanting a lemon into a new pot, pruning, crown formation

Every year, preferably in the spring (the beginning of the growing season), a lemon is transplanted. Transplantation should be carried out carefully so that the root system of the perennial is not disturbed. The transshipment method is the most preferable for this case. Only young specimens are transplanted annually when they reach 3 years of age (individual varieties - 5 years). Transplantation is done every 2 or 3 years. It is highly not recommended to carry out this process during flowering or fruiting - the plant can drop inflorescences with fruits.

Do not forget that high-quality drainage at the bottom of the tank is a prerequisite for citrus crops. The size of the pot is also important, because if the capacity is too small, then the plant will not have enough soil or nutrients. Too large a pot will also not work - the soil will turn sour, and the root system will rot.

Pot for lemon - size (diameter):

small bushes up to 2 years old - about 20 cm;
plants 3-4 years old - 30 cm;
young trees 5-6 years old - 35 cm;
citrus older than 7 years - 45 cm.

It is desirable that the pot was made of clay. However, wood, glass, plastic are also acceptable, the main thing is that the container has drainage holes.

It is also better to give the crown a shape, remove extra branches in the spring (April), until the active growth of the shoots begins. At the first formation of the crown, the trunk of the bush is cut to a length of 25-30 cm.

The strongest buds remain on the sides (these are shoots of the first order), from which skeletal branches will grow after. Usually there are three or four of them, make sure that they are evenly spaced, as the beauty of the future crown depends on this. Each subsequent order of shoots must be pinched 5 cm shorter than the previous one.

In most citrus fruits, the ovary is observed on the branches of the 4th and 5th order. These branches grow in the second or third year of life.

On the branches of the first order, the fruits are not tied at all. And on the branches of the 2nd and 3rd order - only individual varieties(for example, Meyer).

meyer lemon

The number of flowers also needs to be controlled so that the vitality of the plant is not depleted. In order for the tree to develop harmoniously, at about the 3rd year of life, you need to start removing half of the inflorescences (the harvest will be less, but the fruits are larger), and leave 3 or 4 pieces from the ovaries. For the same purposes, after a year, you can already leave 5 or 6 citrus fruits. And for the future, do not leave more than 7 or 9.

Growing branches can be carefully, without undue enthusiasm, cut by eye so that the crown visually has an attractive shape. It should be borne in mind that a short pruning provokes the growth of new powerful shoots, and a long pruning contributes to the emergence of fruit buds.

The skeleton of a tree is considered to be formed after the young shoots of branches grow back, become woody. A properly formed crown gives all leaves the required amount of light and air.

How to pinch a lemon? If it actively branches, forms shoots, then extra fragments must be removed as soon as they appear. In those shoots that are left for development, the tops are pinched after the appearance of the 6th leaf.

Diseases of indoor lemon

Often, diseases appear due to non-compliance with the rules of care: underfilling leads to drying out of the tree, when oversaturated with moisture, the root system rots, and the leaves turn yellow.

If the foliage becomes covered with yellow spots, and then turns pale and dries out, then the lemon is most likely lacking iron.

If the tips of the leaves dry, and they seem to rust, then this indicates a lack of phosphorus.

A lack of potassium leads to wrinkling of the leaves, and with a deficiency of manganese, the ovaries generally disappear.

Proper, timely fertilization of the plant is an ideal prevention of the above negative manifestations.

It is not enough to know how to grow a lemon. You need to know how to protect it in a timely manner. Weakened plants are the first to fall into the risk zone, it is they who are most often exposed to diseases. Proper care is the basis of keeping a lemon at home. If the tree is sick, then the affected leaves, flowers, fruits, branches should be removed immediately. If a pest is found, then a protective “attack” must be immediately carried out, but after certain types of processing, the lemon will no longer be eaten.

Good results are shown by the drug "Fitosporin". It suppresses a wide range of causative agents of citrus diseases. It is also good because it has no smell, does not contain toxic compounds. It is diluted with water when watering, irrigate plants. This drug is very good for the prevention of diseases.

When communicating with comrades of interest, one can often hear complaints: “a room lemon dropped its leaves, what should I do?” The main reasons for such a reaction are insufficient lighting, overfilling or underfilling, depleted soil, excessive dryness of the air, heat or extreme cold. For reference, we list the most common diseases of domestic citrus, give a brief recommendation to eliminate the cause:

Scab or wart - has fungal origin, manifests itself on young shoots and leaves: first, pale yellow spots appear, which later become grayish warts. The growths grow, cover the shoots, which subsequently die. Scab also affects the fruits: bright yellow spots appear on them, which then turn red and darken. All affected parts of the plant must be cut and destroyed, and the trunk with the crown should be plentifully treated with 1% Bordeaux liquid(a mixture of a solution of copper sulphate and milk of lime).
Anthracnose is the most common fungal reason why indoor lemon leaves turn yellow at home. With this disease, the tree loses buds, brown spots appear on the fruits, branches die off. All affected shoots, fruits must be removed, and the plant itself should be treated with the Fitosporin preparation described above or Bordeaux liquid.
Soot fungus is a consequence of damage by pests - a mealybug or scale insect. Active preventive measures the right way protect the tree from such consequences.
Gommosis - manifested by the appearance of dark red spots on the trunk and branches, at the sites of damage the bark cracks, a sticky liquid (gum) is released from the crack, which subsequently hardens. There are many reasons for this disease: excessive deepening of seedlings, "dirty" soil, mechanical "injuries" of the plant, improper care of indoor lemon. Treatment - finding out the root cause of the disease, as well as a radical cutting of the affected areas with a sharp knife. Damage should be treated with a 3% solution of copper sulfate, and then covered with garden pitch.

This citrus perennial should be regularly examined to notice the disease at its very beginning. As you know, any disease is easier to cure on initial stage. You need to inspect not only the trunk or foliage, but also the root system of the tree, the soil.

Lemon in the apartment - benefit or harm

Of course, the benefits of it are much greater than possible harm. Everyone knows the healing, protective properties of this citrus for the human body. Vitamins, flavonoids, biologically active substances successfully suppress viruses, create a powerful shield against pathogenic bacteria.

The use of this yellow citrus strengthens the immune system, normalizes hormonal levels, improves vision, and stimulates the digestive tract. Lemon mobilizes the internal resources of the body, helps with sore throats, colds. It is widely used in cosmetology: face masks (whitening, healing, cleansing) and hair (growth stimulant). Even just green Tree(room lemon from the stone, grown at home) saturates the air with phytoncides, improves mood, makes breathing easier.

Contraindication to use may be individual intolerance, peptic ulcer of the stomach, duodenum, chronic gastritis, pancreatitis. In everything you need to know the measure, since eating a lemon in large quantities it won't lead to anything good.

Considering all of the above, now you know how to grow a lemon from a seed at home. Despite the abundance of information, this process does not require special knowledge or skills. It is necessary to understand and take into account the main criteria - the rules of maintenance and care, competent pruning, timely prevention of diseases.

» Lemon

Lemon - a tree of the genus Citrus everyone knows its fruit. The homeland of this plant is China, India and the Pacific tropical islands.

The lemon was first brought by the Arabs to the Middle East, North Africa, Spain and Italy.

People know about the benefits of lemon firsthand. Lemon is an excellent remedy for many ailments.. It strengthens the immune system, normalizes hormonal levels, improves vision, and stimulates the digestive tract.

It is used for colds, as it has a huge amount of vitamin C and many simply like the sour, aromatic taste.

It is possible to grow a lemon at home. If you cut a lemon, you can see a lot of seeds. From these seeds it is quite possible to grow a full-fledged lemon tree.

To a person who decides to plant a lemon at home, it is important to consider the following rules:

the fruit should be yellow, the most ripe, because if the lemon is green, then due to the fact that it is not ripe, the sprout germs in the seeds of such a lemon may not sprout;
for planting, it is important to choose several large seeds - from 10 to 15 pieces, so that later you can choose a beautiful and actively growing seedling;
it is important to choose a suitable variety that will grow well at home.

Suitable variety for a house or apartment: Pavlovsky, Meyer and others

There are a large number of varieties. Below are some of them that are suitable for growing in a house or apartment:

Pavlovsky- differs from other varieties in its large fruits, which can reach 500 grams, has a sweetish taste, and the tree of this variety is quite large - more than 2 meters. This variety has fragrant leaves. The aroma is so sharp and strong that the whole house will be filled with it.
- a hybrid of lemon and grapefruit, has a sweet and sour taste, a small tree with a rich harvest, the size of one lemon can reach 150 grams, blooms in clusters, there is a seasonal dormant period.
Ponderosa- a hybrid of lemon and grapefruit, has a bitter taste, as well as the presence a large number bones. Pleased with the fact that it constantly blooms. According to the people who grow this type of lemon, a very grateful plant and completely unpretentious.
Genoa- an average tree, gives a big harvest already for 4-5 years of life. Fruits with tender pulp, have a sour, aromatic taste. You can also eat the peel. This variety is considered unpretentious. For 2-3 years, the seedling is already blooming.
Anniversary- a medium-sized tree, considered a variety that gives a rich harvest, the fruit is distinguished by its thick skin. Very suitable for growing in a house or apartment.

After the stage of choosing a variety has been passed, it is necessary to proceed to the very planting of the seeds in the pot.

How to plant the seeds of a plant: the main points

Some active citrus growers with rich experience, it is advised to free the bone from the upper husk, which, in their opinion, allows you to get seedlings in the shortest possible time.

This must be done very carefully, since any damage to the bone can lead to the fact that seed germination will not occur.

But you can plant seeds without the above procedure.

Lemon seeds must be moist before planting.. It is advisable to soak them for a day in water or in a solution of sodium humate. You can buy this growth stimulator at any botanical store.

But even if the seeds were planted without soaking, and as soon as they were taken out of the lemon, they are likely to germinate.

Next, you need to find a suitable small, shallow pot or glass, pour earth into it. There should be holes in the bottom of the pots. They are important so that excess moisture, due to which the roots of the sprouts can die, flows down.

Put 1.5-2 cm of expanded clay, small pebbles or very coarse sand on the bottom of the pot. Soil for planting can be bought at the store, but you can prepare yourself. To do this, mix garden soil, sand, humus and some charcoal.

It is better to plant bones to a depth of no more than 1.5-2 cm. It is important to moisten the soil before planting. It should not be dry, but excessive moisture is also undesirable.

The pot can be covered with a film on top. The air temperature in the room where the stone pot is located should be above +18℃.

Once every 2-3 days it is necessary to spray the soil. If the ground has become completely dry, then you can water it a little. After the first shoots appear, the film must be removed.

It is better to rearrange the pot with sprouts in a bright place and water it with settled or rain water, at room temperature.

The first sprouts will sprout no earlier than 3-4 weeks after planting.

According to experienced citrus growers, the best time to plant a lemon is the end of winter, the beginning of spring. Since the increasing daylight hours will only benefit the emerging young sprouts.

Will an indoor lemon tree bear fruit?

Many people think that growing a lemon from a stone is a thankless job. Since it will take 5, 7, or even all 15 years to wait for fruits from such a lemon, and its fruits will be small in size.

For, in order not to wait decades for the lemon tree to bear fruit, it must be. This can be done in two ways in the warm season (summer or warm spring):

In split– more preferred view vaccinations. It is necessary to take a cutting of a cultivated fruit-bearing lemon. A branch is cut on the seedling, and the remaining stem of the seedling is split. A “wedge” is sharpened on the handle of a fruiting lemon, which is then inserted into a split in the stem. Next, you need to tie the vaccine with electrical tape. On the handle of a fruiting lemon, 2-4 buds are left, everything else is cut off. The vaccine is covered plastic bag. When the vaccine grows together, the package can be removed.

Lemon grafting - by budding or splitting - is necessary for early fruiting

budding- shoots are cut off from the seedling, a “stump” 10 cm high remains from the tree. Next, they take a sprig of cultivated fruit-bearing lemon. Under each leaf of the branch is the so-called "sleeping bud". It is necessary to make a cut in front of this kidney. Next, cut off the leaf plate, but leave its petiole. On the "stump" of the seedling, make a cut of the bark and insert the petiole there with the cut down. Tie the vaccination site with electrical tape. The petiole of the cut leaf plate will serve as an indicator. If the petiole falls off after 2-3 days, then we can assume that the vaccination has succeeded, but if it dries up, then the vaccination has failed and must be repeated.

Interestingly, what grown lemon from the stone adapts to home conditions faster and better, it is less picky than cuttings and grafted seedlings.

Why a lemon grown from a seed does not bear fruit:

Optimal conditions for growing, care after planting

It is advisable to be very attentive to a lemon that has risen in a pot. When on lemon seedlings 3-4 leaves will appear, they are transplanted into separate pots.

As a rule, a lemon can react both to excessive heat and sunlight, and to cold and strong wind. Therefore, when changing the location of the pot of lemon, it is advisable to keep this in mind.

BUT best solution will not change the place of "residence" of the lemon. The best place for a lemon there will be a south or southwest side in the apartment. As for temperature, lemon can tolerate temperatures from +14℃ to +27℃.

Lemon creates conditions without sharp temperature jumps because they can kill him. It is desirable to maintain moderate humidity - 60-70%.

water the plant rainwater at room temperature is best. In hot summer it is better to do it 2 times a day. And on cloudy and cold days, it is important to add lighting to the lemon with LED or fluorescent lamps.

feed in summer a seedling can be a solution of humus and liquid mineral fertilizers.

Lemons, like all indoor plants susceptible to disease and pest attack. Therefore they need meticulous care, and it is also recommended to carefully examine the plant every day in order to detect the appearance of a particular pest as early as possible and take the necessary measures in time.

Care and protect: the main enemies of citrus

Lemon gets sick if you do not follow the rules of care. If the tree is not watered enough, it will dry out. If the earth in a pot is oversaturated with moisture, then yellow leaves, and this will be a sign that the roots of the tree are starting to rot.

Also the appearance of yellow spots on the foliage, after which the leaves dry and fall off, indicate that the tree lacks iron.

Dry ends of leaves they say that the tree needs phosphorus. A lack of potassium and manganese leads to wrinkling of the leaves and falling off of the ovary.

Fitosporin is considered a good remedy for many diseases and pests. It is non-toxic and odorless. It is also good to use as a preventive measure.

A lemon tree is not a geranium, it needs competent care and for a beginner it is very difficult to figure out what, how and when to do it.

With effort and study of the rules for caring for a lemon, you can get a pleasant result. home grown lemon will delight not only with its aroma, but also with delicious fruits.

Growing a lemon from a seed:

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

Indoor lemon - a brief description

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

Growing Features

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

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

When growing a room lemon, the following conditions must be met:

Light room.
Regular ventilation.
Good drainage.
Regular feeding.
Cool winter.

Planting a lemon

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

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

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

Optimal time

The best time to plant is late winter to early spring as this is when the natural growing season begins.

The soil

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

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

On the ordinary earth with suburban area the lemon will bear fruit poorly.

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

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

Features of care

Lack of sunlight should not kill the plant. When the days lengthen, the growth of the tree is activated, but fruiting is delayed. South and east windows are suitable for a houseplant. The most favorable place for a lemon is the windowsills of the eastern windows, on which the rays of the sun are bright in the morning, but not scorching. In the hot summer, fence off the flower pot from the sun with a gauze curtain.

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

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

Humidity

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

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

Important! The plant reacts painfully to changes in air humidity, dry air is especially dangerous at high temperatures during flowering and fruit formation. Flowers and ovaries may fall off. How wetter air the longer the leaves of the plant live.

Watering

In May-September, lemons should be watered daily, but sparingly. Waterlogged soil is categorically not suitable, but overdried soil can destroy a tree. In winter, water the lemon less often, but provide it with sufficient humidity.

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

Temperature

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

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

Top dressing and fertilizer

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

According to the condition of the leaves, shoots and fruits, one can judge what kind of nutrition a lemon needs:

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

In summer, when the plant can be taken out of the house, you can feed it organic fertilizer(bird droppings or water in which the meat was washed). It is not necessary to apply all fertilizers at the same time - lemons suffer from excessive feeding.

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

pruning

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

Lemon transplant

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

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

Carefully remove the plant, cut off the broken and damaged roots, and sprinkle them with crushed coal or Kornevin. The earthen ball does not need to be completely shaken off.
Put drainage on the bottom of the pot and sprinkle some river sand. Above is a layer of soil.
Cut off some of the branches to make it easier for the roots to nourish the plant.
Make a recess in the soil, set the clod so that the neck is just below the edge of the pot. If you need to raise, add earth.
Pour the earth in layers around the edges, making sure that the trunk is located in the middle of the pot.
Trample the soil with your hands so that there are no voids left.
Pour with settled water and loosen the soil a little.

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

reproduction

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

Reproduction by seeds

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

The soil for planting is well-drained peat and soil for flowers in a 1: 1 ratio. Bury the seeds 1 cm deep and make sure that the ground remains moist, but without overflow. At room temperature sprouts should appear in two weeks. Choose the tallest ones, and delete the rest. Cover the sprout with a jar and place in a well-lit place without direct sunlight. Every day, air the sprout for several hours by removing the jar.

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

Reproduction by cuttings

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

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

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

Bloom

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

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

Care after flowering

Lemon grows all year round, blooms and bears fruit. On one tree there may be ripe fruits, ovaries, flowers and buds. It is not necessary to pluck faded inflorescences, as they turn into ovaries. If the lemon bloomed in summer, the fruits ripen faster than in spring flowering.

Problems, diseases, pests

Many diseases of ornamental lemons are caused by improper care. In the absence of light and nutrients lemon leaves are brightening. Buds and leaves fly around if there is not enough moisture. The dry air in the room is especially hard for the plant, flowering may stop, the leaves darken and fall off.

Pests also often settle on the plant:

Shchitovki lead to the drying of branches, leaves and the death of a lemon. Remove the pests with a toothbrush and wash the lemon with soapy water.
The spider mite settles on the wrong side of the leaves and the web gradually envelops the entire tree. Spray with a 0.15% Aktelik solution three times, every 10 days.
The mealybug leaves sticky secretions on the leaves. The fruits and leaves fall off. It is recommended to inspect the plant and collect the larvae.
Citrus aphid. The Aktelik solution helps to get rid of this pest.
Thrips and whiteflies also settle on lemons, which must be collected by hand, and the tree should be washed in the shower and treated with soapy water.

Popular types of indoor lemon

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

Answers on questions

Lifespan of indoor lemon

With care and proper care lemons live up to 45 years. indoor flower dies prematurely due to diseases and pests.

Why isn't the lemon blooming?

You probably planted the plant in a too cramped pot. Transplant it and feed it with complex fertilizer.

What to do if a lemon sheds leaves?

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

Why does a lemon shed fruit?

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

How to winterize?

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

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