How to grow a lemon from a seed at home. How to grow a lemon tree from seed

Lemon (Citrus limon) is a representative of the genus Citrus, belonging to the Rut family. A plant native to China, India and the islands Pacific Ocean, today cultivated in many subtropical countries. And where the climate does not allow, the lemon tree is grown as a houseplant. From the seed of a lemon, you can grow a compact evergreen tree, which will not only decorate the interior, but also delight with tasty, healthy fruits. And the essential oils and phytoncides secreted by lemon leaves will help fight stress and nervous strain.

In countries with a subtropical climate, lemons are grown in the open air, and in Central and Eastern Europe the climatic conditions for the lemon tree are not suitable, and here it is cultivated as a houseplant.

Naturally, a lemon is evergreen shrub. Home grown lemon is also a small shrub with thorns on the trunk and dense leaves with a dark green, glossy surface.

The result of a long, lasting hundreds of years, selection was the emergence of many varieties of lemon.

Pavlovsky. It is very popular with Russian gardeners. The unpretentious lemon tree grows up to 1.5 m, begins to bear fruit in the third year of life and produces an average of 15 lemons per year.
Ponderosa (otherwise Canadian). A low-growing tree, not exceeding 1 m in height. It blooms early enough and bears few fruits - no more than 5 pieces.
Lunario (otherwise four-season). A medium-sized plant that produces fruits with mild palatability. This variety is cultivated mainly in Egypt.
Libson. A tree 1.5 m high with powerful spines produces large, fragrant fruits (on average - 15 pieces). The first time blooms 3 years after planting.
Maykop. It is easy to care for and high yield, grows up to 1.3 m. It is especially popular in the Krasnodar Territory.
Corsican (otherwise the hand of the Buddha). An exotic variety, the fruits of which are used in cooking mainly for the preparation of candied fruits. Reaches a height of 1.5 m and produces about 10 fruits annually.
Anniversary. The most suitable variety for growing at home, hardy and requiring the least attention. It grows up to 1.5 m in height and bears fruit well. But the fruits have a thick peel and a mild taste.
Meyer (otherwise Chinese dwarf). The variety, bred by crossing a lemon and an orange, is a low-growing shrub no more than 50–70 cm high. But the plant is quite whimsical, often gets sick, and requires additional lighting in autumn and winter.

Lemon Meyer is characterized by high yields and gives many fruits of unusual taste, but due to whimsicality and capriciousness, it is not often grown at home.

Features of care

Indoor lemon does not respond well to rearrangements, so it is better to decide on the choice of a suitable place right away. After moving to another place, the lemon tree begins to shed its leaves, and if you disturb the plant in the flowering phase, you may not wait for the harvest.

Lighting

The lemon tree loves light, but it also tolerates partial shade normally. Southern windows are not suitable for the plant, because with excessive access to light, the growth of the vegetative part is activated, and the phase of flowering and fruit formation is inhibited. On the north side, the tree, on the contrary, will not have enough light. As a result, the leaves will grow more slowly, and the fruits will be too acidic. Windows facing east or west are most suitable for lemon.

For a symmetrical crown formation, a flowerpot with a lemon tree needs to be rotated about a quarter of a turn once a week around its axis.

Temperature

The optimum summer temperature for a lemon tree is from 18 to 20 ° C. In winter, it is recommended to grow a plant at 15–18 ° C. In spring and summer, citrus can be taken out to a balcony or terrace, but with the onset of autumn coolness, the tree must be transferred to the room, since there are sharp jumps temperatures are detrimental to him.

Humidity and watering

The lemon tree loves moist air. It can be sprayed all year round, and it is desirable to place the pot on a pallet filled with wet gravel. The plant does not tolerate stagnant water in a pot, so the optimal watering regime in winter is once a week, and in summer twice in 7 days, but plentifully.

Priming

Lemon loves nutritious soil with a sufficient content of mineral and organic substances. Suitable for planting:

ready soil for all citrus plants;
universal land for indoor flowers;
soil with humus;
composition of leaf and sod land, humus, river sand and charcoal.

The soil should be soft, loose. And so that the water in the pot does not stagnate, you need good drainage from expanded clay and brick pieces with a thickness of at least 2 cm.

The soil for growing lemon should be light, well-permeable to moisture and air, with a pH level in the range of 6.6–7.0.

Fertilization

You need to feed indoor lemons constantly. In summer, fertilizers are applied only in liquid form every week, in the rest of the time - at least once every 30 days. It is recommended to alternate mineral fertilizers with organic top dressing. Can be used:

a weak solution of mullein, bird droppings;
water with the addition of nettle infusion (infuse for 2 weeks);
infusion eggshell(only from the fourth year of the plant's life).

pruning

A grown lemon from a stone grows quite large, with long branches. The plant takes up a lot of space, while its yield is reduced. To achieve an acceptable crown size, pinching and pruning is carried out.

The first pinching is carried out when the main shoot grows to 20–25 cm. The next pinching is carried out at a height of 15–20 cm from the previous one. Between two pinches, 4 buds should remain, which in the future will give the main branches. Pinching the shoots of the first row is carried out after 20–30 cm, and when the branches become hard, they are cut 5 cm below the pinching point. Pinching the next shoots is carried out so that they are 5 cm shorter than the branches of the previous row. The formation of the crown is completed on the shoots of the fourth row.

Pruning is usually carried out in the spring, before flowering. The roots of a lemon tree also need to be cut during transplantation, otherwise root system will stop developing normally, and the lemon leaves will turn pale.

If necessary, during pruning, weak shoots and twigs growing inside the crown should be removed.

Transfer

A young, recently appeared lemon from a stone needs to be transplanted annually, and preferably twice a year (in February and June). Lemons older than 5 years are transplanted every three years in the spring.

Each new pot should be 3-4 cm larger than the previous one - both the root system and the crown of the lemon tree grow very quickly. When transplanting, you can not sprinkle the root neck (the junction of the stem with the roots) with earth.

The roots of a young lemon are very sensitive and vulnerable, and require extremely careful handling during transplantation.

Ringing

Banding is a procedure that helps speed up the appearance of fruits. It consists in the following. The base of the trunk with one or two adjacent shoots is wrapped copper wire so that it is slightly pressed into the bark (but not much!). As a result, nutrients begin to accumulate at the place of ringing, and the formation of fruit buds begins on the lemon. The wire is removed after six months, and the transferred bark is treated with garden pitch, wrapped with elastic tape.

reproduction

At home, lemon can be propagated in three ways:

seeds (bones);
cuttings;
layering.

seeds

Many people believe that a grown lemon from a stone does not bear fruit. But this is wrong. With proper care, a plant grown from a seed begins to bear fruit in 5–8 years.

For those who do not know how to plant a lemon from a stone, it is worth saying that even a novice gardener can handle this simple process. The main task in seed propagation is to choose the right planting material.

Due to the ease of obtaining planting material, the seed method of lemon propagation has become the most common.

The fruits must be of good ripeness, with a smooth surface and uniform color, without dents, spots on the peel and other damage. Lemon seeds should also be intact, large. It is better to take planting material from several fruits, and then select the most viable seeds.

The procedure for growing a lemon from a stone includes several stages.

Prepare small long pots with a drainage layer and a soil substrate consisting of flower land and peat.
Immediately after extracting the seeds from the fruit, they are treated with a solution of sodium humate - this will accelerate germination.
Treated seeds are planted in the ground at a distance of 3 cm from the walls of the pot and to a depth of 1.5–2 cm.
The containers are covered with polyethylene until the first shoots appear, kept at a temperature of 20 ° C. Lemon seeds germinate for a very long time - from two months to six months.
From the sprouts that have appeared, the healthiest and strongest are selected, covered with glass jars to create the desired microclimate. The containers are placed in a place with sufficient lighting, aired every day.
When the first leaves appear on the sprouts, they are seated in separate pots.
Seedlings are planted in larger containers when their height reaches 20 cm.

The seeds should be planted in one container at a distance of at least 5 cm from each other, but it is better to take separate small containers (for example, disposable cups) with drainage holes.

cuttings

When propagated by cuttings, lemon begins to bloom in the third or fourth year.

Propagation by cuttings is carried out in the spring (March-April), includes several stages.

From a well-bearing plant, 10 cm of a sufficiently hard, and at the same time flexible cutting (about 5 mm thick) with 2-3 live buds are cut. An oblique cut is made under the sheet with sharp knife. The top cut should be 1.5–2 cm above the kidney.
The stalk is treated with a root system growth stimulator (drugs rootin, heteroauxin, sodium humanate), placed in water or in moist soil for 2–3 cm.
The stalk is covered with polyethylene so that it does not dry out.
After the appearance of the roots (on average after 2 weeks), the cutting is transferred to a small pot, kept at a temperature of 20 ° C in a place where there is sufficient access to light. Spraying the cuttings is carried out twice a day.
To accustom the plant to room air, the film is opened daily, first for an hour, then gradually increase the time.
After 2 months, when the plant is fully rooted, it is transplanted into a larger pot (diameter 10 cm) with nutrient soil, placed in a permanent place.

If the selected cutting is supposed to be placed not in water, but in the ground, you need to prepare a container with a soil substrate:

cover the bottom of the tank with a drainage layer (clay shards, porous vermoculite, expanded clay);
cover the drainage with nutrient soil with a layer of 5 cm (you can take equal parts of the forest and sod substrate, a sixth of the sand);
pour a mixture of equal amounts of sand and sphagnum moss on top (can be replaced with high-moor peat).

When planting several cuttings in one container, a distance of at least 5 cm is left between them. Immediately after planting, the cuttings should be sprinkled with warm water and covered with a film.

Withdrawals and vaccinations

This method of reproduction is quite complicated and time-consuming, and therefore rarely practiced by amateur gardeners. The plant is grafted more often by professionals to get fruit as soon as possible. Usually a lemon blooms in the year of grafting, and a year later it gives the first fruits.

In general, the vaccination procedure is carried out as follows. A kidney is cut from an older lemon that has reached the age of 2-3 years. She sits down in the cut over young plant. It is best to plant citrus in May or late August.

Bloom

Depending on the variety, the color of the flowers can be white, pink or red. To get fruits, it is important to properly care for the plant during flowering and follow a number of rules:

in the flowering phase, do not rearrange the lemon tree to another place;
independently carry out pollination of the plant (with a cotton swab, carefully transfer the pollen to the stamens);
timely remove excess flowers.

At the first flowering, remove half of the buds. It is best when one fruit has 15 to 25 leaves.

From the moment the ovary appears to the full maturity of the fruit, more than 9 months can pass.

Growing problems

A grown lemon from a seed is not picky about the conditions of detention, but is often subject to diseases and pest attacks. One of the most common problems- yellowing and falling leaves. The reasons for this may be:

watering with cold water;
excessive watering;
insufficient lighting;
heat;
drafts;
change in soil acidity;
lack of nutrients.

If yellowing of the leaves is observed in a recently acquired plant, this is a normal phenomenon associated with acclimatization.

Pests

The defeat of the lemon tree by aphids.

Diseases

Gommoz. An infectious disease that affects the trunk of a tree. Cracks appear in the bark below, and a dark, sticky liquid begins to seep through the cracks. After a while, the lemon fades, putrefactive spots appear on the damage sites. You can save a lemon tree by transplanting it into a pot with fresh soil. Before planting, you should clean the roots and damaged areas, treat them with copper sulphate. It is possible to cure a tree from gommosis in rare cases, more often the plant dies.
Late blight. It manifests itself in the same way as gommosis. More often it affects young plants, while an oily brown ring forms on the trunk. For treatment, the affected area must be treated with copper sulfate.
Root rot. The disease is characterized by damage to the root system, while the lemon begins to shed its leaves for no apparent reason. If you suspect root rot you need to remove the plant from the pot, inspect the root system, remove damaged roots, and treat healthy roots with a growth stimulator. After that, the tree needs to be planted again. Lemon care until full recovery includes minimal watering, providing sufficient lighting, and regularly wiping the leaf plates with a damp cloth.
Tristeza. A viral disease in which the bark dies on a tree. This disease, unfortunately, cannot be cured.
Leaf mosaic. Characteristic patterns appear on the leaves of the lemon tree. It is impossible to cure the disease, but with careful care, leaf damage becomes less noticeable.
Cancer of citrus. A disease that cannot be cured, which is characterized by the appearance of dark brown spots on the leaf plates. The disease leads to the rapid death of the plant.

Growing a lemon from a seed or a cutting is easy. But to achieve fruiting is possible only with proper and regular care of the plant. The lemon tree will be a wonderful decoration for any interior, during the flowering period it will fill the room wonderful aroma. And if you pay enough attention to the plant, the long-awaited fruits will be the reward.

Today you can buy lemons everywhere, the time has passed when citrus fruits were in short supply in Russia, and the prices don’t bite so much anymore, but sometimes the hostess wants to have indoor garden not only flowers and cacti ... Is it possible to grow a lemon tree at home, as they say, on the windowsill?

Let's say right away - yes, almost any housewife can grow a lemon from a stone at home, even if the stone is peeled from a purchased lemon, and not bought at a garden store. For the successful implementation of this idea, certain rules are necessary, to which this publication is dedicated, we will tell you how, when and what you need to grow a lemon tree at home.

It is possible that some of you have already tried to plant a lemon tree from a fresh stone, but the results have been mixed ... and all because you need to approach the issue of growing a tree from a lemon stone with patience and follow certain rules for the planting and care process, then the reward for this is years in 5 will be the first harvest of your own lemons on your windowsill.

How to plant a lemon seed correctly?

To grow a lemon from a seed, start by choosing two absolutely healthy and beautiful lemon fruits. Cut the selected fruits in half and select only the largest full-fledged seed pits, which must be soaked overnight in some kind of seed growth stimulator so that sprouts actively germinate from the pits and sprouts develop safely in the future. After the bones have been spent all night in a growth stimulator solution, they must be soaked in an aqueous solution of a bioregulator (enough, for example, regulators such as Zircon or Epin Extra at a concentration of 1 drop per glass of water) for 12 hours, which will help future seedlings successfully cope with the lack of lighting and humidity room conditions cultivation.

At this point, you need to prepare the planting soil and containers. The soil mixture should be fertile and loose. It can be prepared by yourself from equal parts of sod land and humus with the addition of peat, mixing thoroughly. It is much easier to purchase a certified sterile potting mix from flower shops. As a container for planting a lemon from a seed at home, small flower pots or polyethylene glasses with bottom perforation.

At the bottom of the planting tank, it is required to place drainage material, vermiculite can be used, up to one and a half centimeters in height. Fill to the top with prepared moistened soil, where prepared lemon seeds are placed at a two-centimeter depth. Up to 10 seeds are laid for landing in one container, so that later, from those that hatch and sprout, the most viable specimens are selected.

The air temperature in the room with containers for successful germination lemon seeds should not be lower than +18 degrees Celsius. If conditions do not allow such a temperature to be created, then it is possible to place each container in a transparent plastic bag and, by tying it with an upper knot, create the necessary micro-greenhouse conditions, and place all this economy in the warmest place of the dwelling, excluding drafts.

Instead of plastic bags you can use plastic bottles with a cut bottom as a greenhouse cover, but the cork must be screwed. This will allow you to further ventilate the greenhouse-cover for the adaptation of lemon tree sprouts. Lighting for seed germination does not matter until the sprouts hatch.

Since the lemon seeds are planted in moist soil, and the maintenance of the pot is entrusted to the greenhouse, there is no need for irrigation or watering in the first week. In the second week, moisten the top layer of soil by spraying, and then spray twice a week until shoots appear, avoiding cracks in the soil, when they appear, you should water only on the inner walls of the container.

The waiting period for the first shoots is related to the growing conditions: temperature and humidity of the room, but, as a rule, on average it is equal to the period: from 2 weeks to 1 month. With the advent of seedlings, the greenhouse can be walked around, opening briefly and closing again. With the advent of the fourth leaflet, place the pots in a well-lit place and free from greenhouse devices. Direct sunlight for young leaves is not recommended - the sprout can get burned and die. Especially in the first months of lemon tree development, it is important to follow the correct watering regimen:

the temperature of the settled water should be at room temperature;
it is optimal to water with rain and also settled and non-cold water;
metered watering should be carried out as the surface of the soil of the pot dries.

V autumn period minimal watering is necessary for a lemon tree as rarely as possible, focusing only on the dried top layer of soil in a pot.

Feeding mode for lemon seedlings

Remember, in order to grow a lemon from a stone, an ascended seedling must be fed, but competently and observing the terms and rules:

do not feed anything in the first months of sprout development;
in the continuation of the development of a lemon seedling, minimal top dressing is allowed in spring and summer once every two weeks, avoiding overdose - it is better to underfeed than to overfeed;
in autumn, the minimum subcortex is once a month.

We must not forget that the lemon tree is very demanding on the regime of care in all directions and will respond to the slightest deviations from it (excess of the sun, uncomfortable temperature, air humidity, draft or strong wind), which can cause its complete leaf fall.

prepare fertile soil or buy a soil mixture suitable for growing citrus fruits in a specialized store;
prepare pots suitable for the first year of growth with a diameter of 12 centimeters and the same height;
from germinated, choose only strong sprouts with developed young leaves, but weakened, with thin stems and with an insufficient number of leaves, ruthlessly remove and do not even waste strength and hope on them;
viable seedlings must have a properly developing crown, with a minimum distance between the buds on the developing shoot; there should be few needles, and as many strong leaves with even pigmentation as possible;
it is necessary to transplant a lemon seedling from the previous container into a larger pot with the preservation of a soil clod and with the addition of biohumus.

How to form the crown of a homemade lemon tree

It is necessary to form the crown of a lemon tree from a developing seedling. Start by stimulating the growth of side shoots by pinching the top buds of the shoots. Deformed or growing shoots must be removed with a sharp and clean pruner. Given the peculiarity of the vegetation of this plant - a quick reaction to lighting, for a harmonious crown, it should be at least 10 times during daylight hours by 1/4 turn to turn the pot with the plant. A uniformly formed crown of a lemon tree is the right way to future full-fledged fruits.

If after a year the lemon tree has blossomed, then no matter how sorry you are, be sure to eliminate the flowers by carefully pinching. Otherwise, having spent prematurely strength, the young plant may wither and die. You can allow a lemon tree to bloom only if correct proportion leaves and flowers: 1 flower should fall on 15 leaves.

To care for an adult lemon, an annual transplant of a young plant into a pot larger in radius by 2-3 centimeters is added, and from the 4th year of vegetation - once every three years. All transplants are carried out by the transshipment method, that is, with the preservation of a soil coma with the addition of fresh fertile soil. Violation of the frequency of transplantation leads to thickening and tangling of the root system, and this stops the growth and fruiting of the lemon tree. Transplant better in summer, in June, in winter - in February.

A complete care for a fruitful lemon tree provides for winter illumination with a phytolamp. It is rational to feed a fruiting lemon by alternating mineral and organic fertilizers only in an aqueous solution, according to the instructions. single dose mineral fertilizers per 1 pot of an adult lemon should not exceed 2 grams, so that the root system does not get burned, and the interval for their application is at least 10 days.

How to speed up the fruiting of a lemon at home

This technique consists of grafting a homemade lemon tree to other citrus fruits (such as grapefruit). Optimal timing its implementation - the end of spring or summer. You can graft in a split or by budding, we can advise the technique in a split - it gives the best results.

So, if you did everything right, then the result of your work will be not only the harvest of your fresh lemons, but also a lush beautiful lemon tree that ennobles the home climate not only with an aesthetic appearance, but also with useful phytoncides that block the reproduction of pathogens and fill the room with fragrant air. Everything promises beauty and benefit!

Even if you have tried to grow a seed lemon at home before and failed - we hope that these tips will allow you to succeed and have a good harvest. An excellent reward for your work will be the freshest and most environmentally friendly lemon fruits right at your home!

The lemon plant belongs to the genus Citrus of the Rutaceae family. The birthplace of the lemon is India, China and the Pacific tropical islands. It was introduced into the culture in Pakistan and India, and then spread throughout Southern Europe, Middle East and North Africa. Where is the lemon currently growing? Today, this plant is cultivated in countries with a subtropical climate, such as Italy, Mexico, India and the United States.

For indoor floriculture, the plant is also of interest, because you can independently grow a lemon from a seed at home. It is so popular not only because of its decorative effect. The fruits of some varieties of homemade lemon are as tasty as the fruits of lemons growing under the southern sun.

Description of homemade lemon

Room lemon is perennial evergreen plant having strong thorny branches. leaves it stunted tree oblong-oval, leathery, jagged, green, containing essential oil. Bud development occurs within five weeks. A blossoming flower lives 7–9 weeks, and such a flowering has a wonderful fragrance.

Fruits ripen from the moment of formation of the ovary and ending with full maturity for more than 9 months. They are covered with tuberculate or yellow pitted peel, which has a characteristic odor. White ovoid seeds are covered with a dense shell.

Gallery: lemon at home (25 photos)

Growing lemon at home

Grow lemon at home usually from the bone. To do this, the seeds are taken from the fruits that are purchased in the store. The fruits must be ripe yellow color, and the seeds in them are mature and formed. The substrate for growing lemon from the stone at home must be of a certain composition. To do this, mix the ground for flowers from the store and peat in equal parts, as a result of which the composition is light and well-permeable to water.

How to plant a lemon, many beginner gardeners are interested. Lemon is a whimsical plant, and therefore success in its cultivation is ensured only if the conditions created for citrus are ideal.

Lemon is a whimsical plant that requires special care. It is best to grow a plant at home by cuttings.

The main conditions for the successful growth of a lemon tree are proper watering and qualitative composition soil. Lemon does not like a change of place for growing and can get sick with a sharp change in temperature and light.

Lemon planting options

If a person is able to follow the basic guidelines and provide stable care for a lemon tree, it will begin to bear fruit in 3-5 years, and planting a lemon in the future will not cause problems.

First you need to decide which way it is more convenient for a gardener to grow a tree:

Grow by cutting off a cutting from an adult lemon tree.
Obtained by germinating the seeds from the fruit.

It is easier and faster to grow a lemon at home by cuttings, since the germination of seeds takes a lot of time. The best time for cuttings is early spring or when the parent plant is not bearing fruit.

The advantage of planting a cutting is that grown in this way houseplants are considered stronger. By choosing a healthy lemon that has not been affected by diseases or chemicals, you can get a similar tree with the same set of healthy genes.

Planting a lemon at home would be a good idea if the hostess wants to grow an environmentally friendly product at home on her own.

Materials for planting cuttings

It is important to buy a pot that is suitable in size and material. If the owner of the lemon does not plan to form the crown of a growing tree, giving it the desired look, and the lemon variety grows to 150–170 centimeters, it is better to purchase a large plastic pot. It will be easier to move it if necessary, and in the future it will be possible to limit itself to only a surface replacement of the soil layer.

If the tree is small, up to 130 centimeters tall, you can choose a clay or ceramic pot, which will add weight to it and prevent it from turning over.

An important point will be the determination in which soil the cuttings will be planted. It is better to give preference to the purchased special mixture of peat and useful additives for this type of plant.

Soil "light" will perfectly and evenly pass water.

The first mistake at the beginning of cultivation is the desire to save on land. Having planted the shoots in ordinary backyard soil, there is a high probability that it will stick together in a lump when watering. This will entail the parietal development of the root system, and not its uniform distribution throughout the volume of the pot. Thus, rational watering will become problematic, and a lemon tree at home can dry out quickly.

People who have been growing lemons for many years suggest choosing more unpretentious varieties of lemons: Panderose, Lisbon, Meyer and Pavlovsky. These varieties are amenable to formation and relatively low (up to 1.7 m).

When the most hardy lemon variety and suitable soil are selected, it is necessary to take strong cuttings from a healthy lemon. If these are not at hand, you can order them in a specialized online store.

Before planting new branches, it is advisable to have a solution in stock that stimulates the growth of a lemon, including contributing to the good development of the root system.

If the grown cuttings are treated with Kornevin, the chance of their rooting increases many times over.

In order to plant a lemon at home, you will need:

pot, soil, gloves, jar or bag, warm water and spray;
growth stimulator, which is intended for citrus fruits, and at least 2-3 cuttings.

There is an opinion that before rooting the cuttings, you need to dip them in water for half an hour. room temperature. But if the hostess planted them after half an hour soaking in the Kornevin stimulator, this would not be a mistake.

Wearing gloves, put a layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot, it can be sea pebbles, shells, or any natural materials not covered with rust or moss. Then pour a layer of earth, gently stick shoots into it and sprinkle with the remaining soil.
Apply some pressure to the areas around the cuttings to squeeze out the air and ensure desired density for "clutch". Pour warm water well enough. If the soil is chosen correctly, the water will not “roll” along the edges of the pot.
It is advisable to immediately put the container on the future permanent habitat of the lemon tree. To maintain a stable microclimate, you need to cover the shoots with a jar or bag. Greenhouse conditions will prevent temperature fluctuations, as drops of 4-5 degrees can slow down growth.

The first 20 days are very important care, thanks to which the grown trees can take root safely. The bottom line is to monitor the condition of the edges of the leaves, they should not wither or dry out. Daily maintenance of cuttings does not require much effort, but it will take some attention.

Caring for lemon seedlings

It is important to measure the temperature near the pot, it should not fall below 26-27 ° C. After two days, you can slightly open the greenhouse for watering for a short while. It is better to do this by spraying. A spray bottle with boiled or purified water is useful here.
It is important to spray moisture not only directly under the root, but also around it: the walls of the pot and inner surface Films must be damp. Such conditions are more similar to the subtropics, the birthplace of the lemon.
You can sprinkle the earth according to different schemes, every day a little or abundantly moisten the earth every 2-3 days, the main thing is regularly.
Graduality is the key to success. getting used to external environment should be gradual from the moment when growth was noticed, you can open the lemon for no more than 10-15 minutes a day, gradually prolonging the contact.

Cuttings are considered to have taken root when new, fully developed and opened leaves appear on them. From now on, care will be different, but just as regular.

Lemon growth at home occurs quite quickly if it is “fed”. Usually, useful fertilizers for favorable development, it is enough for the first 6 months if the plant is planted in a standard mixture with a high peat content.

If there is no desire to feed the tree ready chemical compounds you can use wood ash. A method proven for centuries will help not only replenish the supply of useful consumables, but also prevent the appearance of certain pathogens, as well as scale insects, sooty fungus, and increase the plant's immunity.

Wood ash can be used to fertilize a grown lemon

As a regular top dressing (1 time per week), you can choose a weak decoction of green tea without aromatic additives. A decoction of onion or garlic husks has an antimicrobial property, which will also have a beneficial effect on the root system and the general condition of the flower.

Lemon at home grows willingly if you give it enough regular attention. Some specialists manage to collect up to 3 kg of lemons in the first "fruitful" year.

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

Lighting and temperature

The subtropical origin of the lemon makes it moody in regards to temperature regime. The plant loves heat, but does not tolerate extreme heat, especially if the air is dry. At home, he will be most comfortable in a room where the air is warmed up to + 10- + 22 ° C. In summer, it is not easy to provide a lemon tree with a moderate temperature in an apartment. Many flower growers get out of the situation by placing a pot with a plant on the loggia. Owners of a private house can take it outside and leave it under a canopy until autumn. V winter period in the room where it grows indoor lemon, the temperature must not exceed +14°C. But it is also impossible to allow it to fall below + 10 ° C.

All citrus fruits love light. But compared to its relatives, the lemon tree is less painfully endures the lack of sunlight. You can grow it at home even on the northern windows, although it is better to choose the southeast side for the pot. An adult lemon is not afraid of the direct rays of the sun. It can also be placed on the windowsill, which is oriented to the south. If the plant is young, it will need care in the form of shading. The tender leaves of the tree can suffer from sunburn.

In winter, when it gets dark early, indoor lemon needs additional lighting. It is organized with the help of special phytolamps. Certain types of culture easily tolerate short daylight hours and are able to do without additional care. These include undersized variety Panderose. If you add coolness to a short daylight hours (from +7 to +14 ° C), the plant will plunge into a dormant period. A hibernating lemon tree is watered very rarely. You don't need to light it up.

soil and pot

To properly plant a plant, you need to take into account the features of its root system. Members of the genus Citrus do not have root hairs. Soil fungi help the lemon to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. They can be seen on its thin roots. They look like threads that form thickenings at their ends. Tree roots and fungi interact closely with each other. In the scientific literature, their symbiosis is called mycorrhiza. She is very sensitive to external conditions and may die in unfavorable conditions:

prolonged drought;
lack of air;
sudden drop in temperature (below -7°C);
strong heat (if the thermometer rises above + 50 ° C).

From this follow the basic rules for growing lemons:

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

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

To prepare a nutrient substrate at home on your own, mix three components:

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

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

You can fill the pot with a composition of soddy land, hardwood and manure humus.

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

To plant a lemon at home, it is better to use a clay pot. If the plant is large, it will thrive well in a wooden tub. natural materials facilitate the penetration of air to the roots of the tree. Drainage is poured at the bottom of the landing tank with a layer of 2 cm. You can make it from broken bricks. From above, the drainage layer is covered with sand, and then the pot is filled with a nutrient substrate.

Reproduction methods

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

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

The correct stalk has the following features:

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

The cut line from above should run at a right angle at a distance of 7 mm from the kidney. 1 cm recede from the lower kidney. The cut is made at an angle of 45 °. From above, the wound is smeared with garden pitch. It will protect the cutting from infection. On the lower cut, it is desirable to apply shallow grooves with a needle. This will improve root formation. You can plant cuttings at home in sand or in a nutrient substrate. Having made a small depression, put a cut branch in it. You don't need to push it into the ground.

Before planting, the lower part of the cutting is dipped into a solution of a drug that stimulates root growth, where it is kept for 1-2 hours.

Cuttings will take root faster if the leaves on them are cut with scissors by ⅔. So they will evaporate less moisture. The planted stalk is covered with a jar. Lemon roots form slowly. In heat (at a temperature of + 25 ° C) and with a constant humidity of the substrate, they will have to wait 2-3 months for their appearance.

Caring for cuttings is easy. They need to provide a lot of light, but the direct rays of the sun should not fall on them. With the appearance of the first leaves, the process of adaptation of the cuttings to the air of the room begins. The jar is lifted and a chip or other support is placed under it so that a small gap forms. The size of the hole is gradually increased. You can do it differently - air the future tree daily. First, the jar is removed from the handle for a couple of minutes, the next day this time is doubled. In order for the sprout to get used to the climate at home, it will take 2 weeks of airing. Then the shelter can not be returned to its place.

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

Watering

Lemon prefers moderate watering. The soil in the pot is moistened with water at room temperature, which is preliminarily defended. You can add a little vinegar to it (2-3 drops per 1 liter). The liquid accumulated in the pan is drained, preventing it from remaining in it for more than 2-3 minutes. In the summer, at home, the procedure is carried out every day or every other day. The condition of the soil will help determine when the next watering is needed: if the earthen lump is dry, it's time to moisten it.

Lemon responds well to care in the form of sprays. They are held daily, regardless of the time of year. Spraying is especially important for a tree in winter, when the air becomes dry due to work. heating appliances. But you can’t overdo it with them, otherwise the plant can be hit. fungal diseases. Spray the leaves with warm water, occasionally you can do this with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to strengthen the health of the plant. With the onset of cold weather, watering is reduced, but not much - up to 2 times a week.

Growing problems citrus at home most often occur due to irregular or too abundant moisture. When underfilling, the leaves on the tree turn yellow, wither, and the mycorrhiza dies. Excessive moisture will cause the soil in the pot to acidify and the roots of the plant to rot. It is important to carry out the procedure correctly, distributing water over the surface of the substrate. If you pour it in one place, the earthen lump will get wet unevenly, and the roots may suffer from washing out.

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

top dressing

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

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

From mid-autumn, fertilizers begin to be applied less frequently. A hibernating plant no longer needs to be fed. If it hibernates in warmth and at good lighting, they are carried out every 1.5 months. Lemon is suitable for complex mineral compositions. Of organic fertilizers, it responds well only to some types:

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

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

pruning

You can’t do without crown formation when caring for a lemon at home. Regular pruning performs decorative and sanitary functions. Its scheme is determined by the purpose of growing a tree. Decorative lemons do not need a large crown, they give it a compact shape. In a fruiting citrus, the main branches must be balanced by growing shoots. The formation of the crown is carried out by pinching. First, a tree skeleton is created, cutting off the side branches so that they do not outweigh each other and do not interfere with the development of neighboring ones.

When the lemon is 1 year old, the main shoot is shortened to 30 cm. Then the buds located on its sides will germinate, forming side branches. When they develop well, they are pinched, leaving 3-4 leaves on the shoot. Such care is necessary for a lemon, otherwise its branches will grow very long and bring a meager harvest, which will take a long time to wait. The tree is allowed to bear fruit after its crown is formed. If it blooms earlier, the buds are cut off. Otherwise, the plant will be greatly weakened and may even die.

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

During the ripening of the fruit, the tree needs increased attention. Handle it very carefully, trying to completely eliminate the factors that can lead to shedding of the ovaries:

lack of nutrients;
drafts;
dry air;
lack of light;
illness.

Transfer

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

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

The transplanted tree is returned strictly to its original place, without changing its orientation. Lemon sensitively reacts even to minor turns, responding to them with stress and loss of decorative effect. The leaves of the tree follow the sun. So that its crown does not turn out to be one-sided, you need to slightly rotate the pot around its axis. They do this once every 10 days, very carefully, deviating from the previous position by a maximum of 10 °.

Lemon will take pride of place among the plants on the windowsill. But in order for it to become a real decoration of the room and a source of pride, you will have to pay attention to it. Caring for a lemon tree is easy. His agricultural technology consists of procedures familiar to all lovers of indoor flowers. Only they must be carried out strictly in accordance with the requirements of the plant, because the lemon will not tolerate neglect. If you provide a tree comfortable conditions, it will please the eye all year round either with its glossy leaves, or with an abundance of unusual flowers, or with bright shades of ripening fruits.