Lemon grows well and develops at an air temperature in the room of 18 ... 20 ° C.

At a temperature of 15 ... 17 ° C, buds develop best and the percentage of fruit set increases, and at 19 ... 25 ° C, fruits grow and ripen better. At rest, i.e. in the autumn-winter period (from November to February), it is desirable that the air temperature be reduced by 4 ... 5 ° C. It would be even better if the temperature could be maintained at about 8 ° C.

The optimum air humidity for a lemon is 60-70%. Practically in a room with an air temperature of 18 ... 20 ° C, it is maintained at this level.

Watering

Lemon is best watered with rain or snow water. If this is not possible, it is watered tap water, which is preliminarily defended for at least a day in a dish with a wide neck. You can not water the lemon with boiled water.

In summer, plants are watered more often and more abundantly than in winter. It is better to do it in the evening. So overnight, the plant will better make up for the water deficit formed during the day. Water is served in small portions, waiting for the absorption of each of them. Watering is continued until the first drops appear at the bottom of the pan, otherwise all the water will go into the pan, washing out the nutrients from the soil that are so necessary for the normal growth of the lemon. The soil is periodically allowed to dry out, as with excessive watering the plant can get sick. During budding and flowering, you should especially carefully and plentifully water the lemon.

There are signs that indicate the need for a firm watering of the plant. They are:

folding young leaves "into a boat";
drooping of non-lignified shoots;
changing the dark color of the soil to gray;
the earth does not absorb water at all, lags behind the walls of the pot, and when watering, the water, running along the walls, instantly ends up in the pan.

So that the earth does not lag behind the walls of the container, three hours after watering, the soil is loosened (near the walls to a depth of 1.5 cm) with a wooden stick, and before the next watering, it is compacted along the walls of the pot and the plant stem is spudded. These measures contribute to a more uniform moistening of the earth clod and protect the plant from the aggressive action of fertilizer solutions. Loosening also facilitates the access of air to the roots of the plant, which contributes to their better development and general condition.

Often after watering, especially with tap water, upper layer the earth is covered with mold or a whitish coating. Therefore, it is advisable to replace a layer of soil 1-1.5 cm thick with fresh earth once a month. Its composition is the same as when landing. This change will provide extra food plants.

Lemon reacts positively to washing the leaves. It is advisable to repeat this procedure at least twice a month. On the upper side, the leaves are washed with a soft cloth or cotton swab, and on the lower side they are sprayed. It is also advisable to take out the lemon in the rain. Only 8-10-year-old plants with a large blood and a large volume of soil cannot stand it.

Washing the walls has a good effect on the growth and development of the plant ceramic pot once a month warm water(40 ... 45 ° C), which helps to cleanse the pores of the pot and free access of air to the roots.

At the end of spring, the plants are set aside from the window by 50-100 cm, and after the danger of damage to the lemon by late spring frosts has passed, they take it out to the balcony or to the street. In the first case, the pots are installed in oblong wooden boxes, fill the free space between the pots with sand and cover it with moss or peat; in the second, they drop it on a “warm pillow” in the shade of trees. On the street, it is desirable to protect the lemon from snails, larvae and worms with the help of a nylon stocking, which is pulled from below onto the vessel, and it is often sprayed with various preparations from pests (aphids, mites, etc.).

1-2 weeks before the early autumn frosts, plants begin to accustom to room conditions. Within 5-7 days they are sprayed and brought into the room at night, and taken out again during the day.

In winter, the lemon is placed in a cool place. It overwinters without any harm to itself even with strong shading at an air temperature of 3 ... 5 ° C. In diffused lighting optimum temperature for wintering lemon 8 ° C. It should be remembered that during cold wintering, the plant blooms in spring and ends flowering only in autumn.

Lemon can also be grown on the balcony, if it is specially equipped. To do this, install bindings with double glazing and two transoms, then carefully close up all the holes (the lemon is afraid of drafts). To insulate the balcony, they lay it on the floor, and 10-15 cm thick foam is glued to the walls (with the exception of the wall separating the room and the balcony) and to the ceiling. In addition, linoleum is laid on the floor, and the walls are covered with very light wallpaper. In the immediate vicinity of the crown, the plants are attached fluorescent lamps equipped with a time relay. After sunset, lamps should be connected to illuminate for 2-4 hours. Late autumn, they install on the balcony oil radiator with a thermostat that connects the heater at an ambient temperature of 5 ° C.

However, in most cases, the lemon hibernates on the windowsills, where the air is always cool and fresh (the air temperature is 3 ... 5 ° C lower than in the room). It should be borne in mind that the lemon is afraid of both drafts from under the frames and excessively dry air rising from hot battery. To protect against unwanted effects in the fall, it is necessary to isolate the plant plastic wrap both from the draft and from the overheated air of the battery and isolate the window with a white curtain from the room, which will increase the illumination of the crown, protect it from direct contact with the dry air of the room.

In addition to this, periodically (every two days) the plants are sprayed with warm water (25 ... 28 ° C) and the room is ventilated every evening, opening the window for 2-3 hours.

In winter, plants are sprayed 1-2 times a week. The water temperature should be 2 ... 3 ° C higher than the air temperature in the room. Water the plants every two or three days and so that the earthen ball does not dry out.

At the end of February, the plant is often sprayed with warm water to prevent leaf fall.

Experienced citrus growers, in order to accelerate the start of growth and flowering of lemon, after wintering, in March, warm the ground with the plant. To do this, pour boiling water into the basin with a layer of 5-6 cm and put a pot of lemon in it for 20-30 minutes. Hot water as if steaming the earth along with the roots. A few days after the procedure, the buds swell, that is, the plant wakes up and starts to grow.

Light mode

In winter, it is useful to illuminate lemons, bringing the duration daylight hours up to 10 hours. For additional lighting, lamps are used (preferably fluorescent white glow). Lemon feels good at 5000 lux illumination (light intensity is measured in lux). It can be measured with a photo exposure meter. Thus, crown illumination of 7 thousand lux is achieved when the plant is placed at a distance of 7 cm from the fluorescent tubes, 6 thousand lux at 15 cm and 3 thousand lux at 50 cm. To increase the illumination, it is desirable to have a reflector (reflector - tin, covered with special lighting enamel, which is attached between or near the fluorescent tubes).

With a lack of light, a lemon needs enhanced nutrition. It is fertilized with mineral solutions once a month, alternating the application of nitrogen, potash (possibly their joint application) and phosphorus fertilizers.

Transshipment and transfer

Transshipment- this is the transfer of a plant with an undisturbed clod of earth from a pot that has become cramped for normal root growth, to another - a larger one.

At transplant the plant is moved to another container with a bare root system. Transplantation is an undesirable procedure for a lemon, since its root system does not have root hairs. But it is carried out with poor (heavy) soil or when rejuvenating an old plant when it is at rest.

The diameter of the container for transshipment or transplantation of lemon, depending on its age

plant age	Pot diameter, cm
Up to 3 months	6-10
3 to 6 months	10-14
1-1.5 years	13-17
1.5-2 months	16-20
2-3 months	19-23

The time of transshipment is determined by the state of the plant: the appearance of roots on the surface of the soil or from a drainage hole and the depressed state of the plant - clear signs urgent need for transshipment.

To form a strong tree with a well-developed crown, young plants are transshipped up to 2-3 times a year. Adult plants (older than five years) are transshipped every 3-4 years, but in this case the transshipment is replaced by an annual change of the topsoil.

For transshipment, a container is selected in advance. Its size is increased gradually. The diameter of each new pot should be 2-4 cm larger than the previous one, and the tubs should be 6-8 cm larger. Moreover, the height of the container should be 3-5 cm larger than its width. Under such conditions, the plant develops better and can stay longer without a transplant.

A shard is placed in the vessel, then drainage, tea with iron filings on it, and a well-boiled and cooled soil mixture on a piece of paper next to it.

Before extracting the plant from the vessel, the top layer of soil is removed, the clod of earth is well watered and the vessel is tapped from all sides with a wooden hammer or stick. Then, passing the stem of a lemon between the index and middle fingers, turn the pot over on the palm of your hand and, tapping the edge of the vessel on the edge of the table, carefully remove the plant. If the pot does not come off, then you need to press a wooden stick through the drainage hole on the shard and try again to remove the plant from the vessel. If this succeeds, then a shard, drainage and a small layer of earth are removed from the clod of earth. Then carefully examine root system and if black or brown (rotten or decaying) roots are found, they are cut with a razor to a milky white color in a cross section.

After that, the plant with a clod of earth is placed in a more spacious vessel and so that it is equidistant from the walls of the pot and is 2 cm lower than the edge of the pot, and then sprinkle it with soil and compact it with a finger or a wooden stick (depending on the gap between the clod of earth and the walls of the pot and the depth of the vessel), tapping from time to time with the bottom of the vessel on the edge of the table (air voids in the soil have an extremely negative effect on the growth and development of a lemon). After transplanting, the plant is thoroughly watered so as to evenly moisten the entire clod of earth. Watering is stopped when the first drops appear on the pallet. Then the pits are filled up and the top layer of soil is removed so that it becomes 0.3-1 cm below the edge of the vessel. The plant is placed in the same place with the same orientation of the leaves to the light.

If a clod of earth fell apart during transplantation, despite all efforts to keep it intact, then, having shaken off the roots from the soil or washed them, the plant is placed in a pre-prepared pot and, spreading the roots well on the mound of soil, fill them soil mixture, diluted with water to a state of thick kefir. After draining the water from the pot, the plant is corrected, the soil is poured into the pot and, after sprinkling the leaves, cover it with a film. The leaves are sprayed daily, while avoiding excessive waterlogging of the soil. After 2 weeks, airing begins.

Transshipment can be carried out throughout the summer, but transplantation, as already mentioned, is only at rest. best term transfers - February-March. It is done like this: in an adult tree more than 2 m high, they tie the trunk at the root neck with a rag, and over this bandage they throw a loop of rope. A strong stick is inserted into this loop and, using it as a lever, the whole plant with the vessel is lifted up. In this position, the end of the lever is fixed. Then the old dishes are removed or disassembled. The plant is rejuvenated by cutting both roots and branches (this measure will prevent the shedding of leaves), a new vessel is brought under a lump of earth with drainage poured to the bottom, and the plant is slowly lowered into it. Then pour the soil and compact it around the clod of earth. The tree is well watered, and after soaking up the water, the holes are filled up and a little earth is poured on top.

Old lemons (over 8 years old) also rejuvenate: young shoots are removed, and old ones are cut off (by 1 / 2 -2 / 3 of their length). After that, the plant is removed from the vessel in the manner described above, the roots are shortened and transplanted into a smaller vessel with rich soil.

molding

The plant can be given a variety of shapes. The choice depends on many factors, but above all on the future location of the lemon. So, when placing it on a window, regardless of shape, all branches are fanned along the glass.

The simplest of the forms are bush and standard (the height of the trunk in the first case is 5-15 cm, in the second - 40 or more). The bush is easy to form from a rooted cutting. The advantage of this form is earlier fruiting, and the disadvantage is that the plant needs more space. A lemon with a standard crown shape decorates the room, but fruits from it should be expected 2-4 years later than from a bush one.

In a cutting with three or more eyes, at least two buds “wake up”. Depending on the chosen form, one is left for the stem and no more than three multidirectional shoots for the bush, and the rest are immediately pinched. Moreover, if two shoots appear from the kidney, the weak one is also immediately pinched.

Pinching is a positive element of plant crown care. Removing the growth point above the third and fifth leaves accelerates the ripening of both shoots and leaves and contributes to the economical use of nutrients. After the shoot and leaves ripen, the top leaf with the stem is removed (decapitation is done). This technique causes the awakening of not one so-called continuation shoot, but 2-3 shoots, which contributes to the formation of a compact, well-leafy crown.

So, using the method of I. M. Yakhovsky "5-3-5-3" (leaving five leaves on the shoot, then three on the continuation shoot, etc.), we can expect the flowering of a rooted lemon by the end of the second year of life. In our practice, having slightly modified this method - "6-4-6-4" (leaving six leaves on the shoot, then four) - with the removal of the upper, mature leaf, we found the appearance of buds on a rooted plant at the beginning of the second year of life.

Experience has also shown that the use of garden pitch when smearing the cut after decapitation leads to cracking of the bark. Obviously, this is due to the active influx of plastic substances to the remote growth point, which contributes to the thickening of the stem, and this, in turn, causes cracking of the bark. This does not happen when using wood ash. When covering the same wounds on the stem, the action of the var is effective.

The laying of a large number of generative buds is observed on horizontally located branches of the 4th and higher orders. In order to give the desired location to the shoot, you can use paper clips, elastic bands and clothespins to bend down or pull branches together until woody. Competitively growing shoots, thickening the crown, and "fat" also bend down.

Flowering and fruiting

From the time of the formation of the bud to its blooming, 40-50 days pass. Mass flowering lasts 10-12 days.

In order to save nutrients, you should thin out the buds sitting next to you. They leave those that are located closer to the base and in which the ovary is better developed (large buds resembling an egg in shape). If it is still difficult to choose the desired bud, then they are left on the plant until blooming. After that, flowers are removed without a pistil and with a short stigma at the pistil. When single buds appear in winter, from November to February, 1-3 buds are left on the plant for aroma, and the rest are removed.

The lemon is a self-pollinating plant, so it can be hand-pollinated by transferring pollen from flower to flower. To do this, a cotton swab is wound around a match and gently touched with it to the stamens and stigmas of each flower.

The ovaries, up to 1 cm in diameter, are also thinned out, leaving those that are closer to the base and sit on shorter branches (the fruit grows more slowly on a long branch). Ultimately, in the first year of fruiting, 1-3 fruits are left on the plant, in the second - 3-8, in the third - 10-15, in the fourth - 15-25, etc.

A lemon fruit is considered ripe when it has juicy flesh and reaches certain size(appropriate for this variety). However, it may be green. Green lemons, as already noted, contain more vitamin C, and therefore they are preferable. If such fruits are placed in a glass jar, add 2-3 ripe apples and cork it tightly, then after 5-7 days the lemons will turn yellow. Fruits should be removed with a sharp pruner along with the fruit.

Caring for the crown of a fruit-bearing tree

After the entry of the lemon into fruiting, annually in the spring, before the plant begins to grow, pruning is carried out. At the same time, cut into a ring:

fructified small twigs with drying ends (they are usually leafless);
diseased, dry, broken shoots and branches thickening the crown;
"fatty" shoots that cannot be used to shape the crown by trimming and bending down.

All extra shoots that appear on the trunk, uterine branches (branches of the first order) and vegetative shoots of the crown in directions where they will interfere with each other in the future are plucked out.

In addition to pruning, the crown is improved annually. At the same time, strongly growing shoots are pinched, and after

when they ripen, they are cut by 15-20 cm. As a result, a panicle of new shoots is formed on them, from which 2-3 well-developed multidirectional shoots are left, and the rest are plucked. If the plant blooms profusely and bears fruit without forming a vegetative growth, then during budding, every 2-3rd shoot is cut to 2/3 of the length. Short pruning leads to the appearance of new shoots (replacement shoots), which, in next year will give a harvest.

Falling leaves on a lemon at good conditions life support is observed only after 2 years with physiological aging, but if the leaves begin to fall off earlier than this period, then you need to find out the reason.

It may be related:

with strongly acidic or alkaline soil (methods for determining its pH and methods for making it slightly acidic are described earlier);
with any sharp, contrasting changes in external conditions: transferring the plant from the Shadow to the sun and from the room to the street (it is necessary to gradually accustom the plant to new living conditions, while the leaves are often sprayed);
With insufficient lighting plants in autumn and winter, which is especially detrimental in combination with hot and dry air in the room (they carry out supplementary lighting, spraying and ventilation, and also isolate it from the room with a white curtain);
with physiological drought - excessive cooling of the pot on the windowsill with poor pasting of the window and dry hot air flow rising from the battery (carefully paste over the window and isolate the plant);
with poisoning carbon monoxide(you can not place the plant in the kitchen with a gas stove);
with overdrying of the soil or its constant waterlogging (in the first case, the top layer of soil is loosened after watering, and before watering it is compacted along the walls of the vessel, which contributes to uniform moistening of the entire clod of earth; in the second, the soil is periodically allowed to dry out).

With constant waterlogging (flooding) of the soil, its “souring” is possible. The external manifestation of this phenomenon is a change in the color of the leaves (their edges and tips become brown-brown), and when the clod of earth is removed, browned and even black roots are visible, instead of light yellow and white. The only way to save the plant in this case- washing the root system and removing browned roots, up to light yellow, with a razor. After that, a vessel of the appropriate size is selected and the plant is planted again, sprayed, covered with a plastic bag, etc. Flooding can also occur if the drainage device is incorrect or if the soil is too heavy in texture (clay) soil. In the first case, water stagnates for a long time on the soil surface. To fix this, you need to lift the crock through the drainage hole with a stick, after which the water quickly runs into the pan. In the second case, the plant is urgently transplanted into another soil and cared for accordingly;

with a lack or excess of batteries;
heavily infested with diseases and/or pests;
with a burn with pesticides (it is necessary to strictly adhere to the recommended doses of the drug, while it is important to first test its effect on 2-3 lemon leaves, and after 2-3 days, if there are no signs of damage, treat the entire plant);
with an unsuccessful stock (for example, if a distant relative of lemon trifoliate is used in this capacity, which sheds leaves in winter, so you need to be careful when buying grafted plants).

It is better not to wait for the lemon to drop all the leaves, but to take all possible measures to stop this process. But if in the spring-summer period the lemon nevertheless completely dropped the foliage and this is not connected with the need to transplant it, then the plant is moved to partial shade and, having sprinkled the leaves with water, covered with polyethylene. Spraying is repeated daily and 2 times a week is poured over with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. At the same time, it is important to prevent excessive waterlogging of the soil.

When dropping foliage in the autumn-winter period, the plant is transferred to a dark room, where the air temperature does not exceed 12 ° C and air humidity is not higher than in a residential area. The soil is kept moist. In February, the vessel is immersed (by 1/3) in a basin with hot water(50 ° C), replacing the cooled water during the day. At night, lemon is brought into the room. The next day, the vessel is heated again. On the third day, it is installed at the window, while arranging the lower heating (20 ... 25 ° C). After 2-3 days, the soil is watered (until completely saturated) with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and the stem of the plant (at a height of 15-20 cm) is bandaged with a clean rag soaked in warm water. The cloth is kept moist until young leaves appear. After that, the bandage is removed and the heating is stopped.

The lemon fruit can stay on the plant for up to two years. Ripening after 8-12 months and not being plucked, it turns green, and by the end of the second year it turns yellow again. In this case, the lemon increases in volume due to the thickening of the peel.

Falling fruitlets (ovaries) may be related:

with a lack of nutrients (more often they do top dressing with a solution of slurry, and in addition, they count the number of leaves that “feed” the fruit, and if there are less than 10, then immediately remove the excess ovary. It is impossible to leave more than 2-3 fruits per 1 plant in the year of transplantation.
With high temperature during flowering (more than 16 ... 18 ° C) and during fruit growth (more than 18 ... 22 ° C) (isolate the plant and ventilate the room more often). It is useful once a day with the help of cotton wool to moisten the stalk of the fetus with warm water.
with a high degree of pest infestation.

The process of growing a guest from the subtropics - lemon - is an exciting and time-consuming task. The lemon tree appeared on Russian window sills over 300 years ago. The point here is not the extraordinary usefulness of the fruit. Not in their culinary value. In itself, the result of many years of caring for a tree in the form of bright yellow fruits on the branches is a victory even for an experienced gardener. Besides, the lemon especially homemade, exudes a marvelous aroma, releases essential oils that are valuable to the human body when inhaled.

Features of lemon care at home

So, a new tenant appeared in the house - a wonderful green tree, bought in a store or grown on its own. Of course there are certain subtleties of lemon care, depending on such factors as the plant variety, the method of its cultivation, whether it has its own root system or whether the cutting was grafted, whether there is the possibility of additional lighting and humidification in the room.

Experts say that even the characteristics of seedlings that served as a stock for new plants can affect the fruitful ability of a lemon. So, a fruit grown by grafting on trifoliate needs a cool wintering. The trouble is that it is not always possible to find out the details of the growing conditions of purchased lemons. However, there are general rules for citrus fruits, invariably observed by gardeners, regardless of the plant variety and other features.

Lighting

The first and most important factor in caring for a lemon at home is sufficient lighting, so a tub or pot with a tree is best placed by a window to the south or southwest. In winter, the plant will need lighting for at least 12 hours a day., That's why better than a window sill no place to be found. You can resort to the help of phytolamps. In summer, the tree is taken out into the garden and placed on sunny place. With a lack of lighting, it will not be able to fully develop..

Secret! Pots of lemon, standing in the same place, will not tolerate constant turning first one side, then the other towards the sun. Experienced gardeners make a mark on the illuminated side of the pot: if the plant needs to be removed for a while, then it is then put again correctly thanks to the marker.

Temperature regime

Lemon is not a tropical plant, but a subtropical one, therefore it does not tolerate high temperatures even in summer. Permissible temperature indicators in the room in the summer season are not higher than + 24 ... + 25 degrees. If flowering began in the summer, the ovary appeared, then in hot air the tree may crumble.

Secret! The ovary can crumble for another reason. It is quite a natural phenomenon when a young plant begins to shed excess fruits in order to fully develop the remaining ones. This happens when a young lemon is not able to "feed" all the ovaries.

In winter, citrus fruits prefer to rest at lower temperatures. For lemons, the mode + 12 ... + 16 degrees is suitable. If this condition is not observed, then the plant will not live long - about 3-4 years.

Watering

Improper watering can make adjustments to the development citrus tree. It is impossible to allow the plant to suffer either from an excess of moisture, or from its lack. Watering conditions depend on the level of humidity in the room and the time of year. In dry weather and a period of active growth, you will have to water the plants more often, the main thing is to make sure that the soil is moderately moist to the bottom and never dries out.

Secret! The leaves of the citrus tree turn yellow and fall - they lack moisture. Lemon leaves turn black and crumble - watering should be done less often. In the latter case, it is urgent to transplant the plant, cutting off the rotten roots.

Transfer

The frequency of transplantation when caring for a lemon at home depends on the age of the plant. So, fruits grown from seeds should be transplanted within 3-4 months after germination. Then the plant needs an annual transplant. It is advisable to carry out this process in the spring. To do this, the plant is transferred to a new pot with a clod of earth, trying not to damage the delicate root system. A tree older than 3 years does not need to be transplanted so often - once every two years. Over time, transplantation is performed less and less - as needed.

Secret! Fruits in citrus fruits begin to be tied when the plant reaches the age of 3-4 years. To stimulate the process, with the onset of summer, you can take the tree to a lighted area of the garden.

top dressing

For lemon ideal soil will become special soil For fruit trees or citrus. It will provide the plants with the necessary minerals. But do not forget about the benefits of fertilizers. Active development the tree will be provided with regular top dressing with organic and mineral fertilizers.

Secret! In summer, top dressing should be used especially often, as the plants are in a period of abundant growth and vegetation. Every 10-14 days it is recommended to alternate mineral and organic top dressing. In winter, it is better to leave the lemon alone and not use organic matter, you can feed with mineral supplements, but not more than once a month.

Now you know how to care for a lemon at home. As you can see, the procedures are simple, the main thing is the gardener's patience and love for plants!

The wild lemon tree perfectly adapts to the natural climate and is able to actively bloom and bear fruit in any weather. But at home citrus begins to act up, becomes overly sensitive to any temperature fluctuations and movements. To provide the southern variety with proper care, you need to carefully study its features.

Reproduction of the lemon tree is carried out by cuttings, layering, grafting and seeds. However, few lovers of exotic plants decide to breed a culture on their own. Basically, a young seedling is purchased fully matured in a specialized store and brought home. So, you have a new window sill inhabitant, what to do next?

How to care for a lemon - location and lighting

Homemade lemon should be placed in a well-lit room. Ideal - a window on the east and west sides, reflecting the scattered rays of the sun. The plant can be kept in a scorching open area for no more than 2-3 hours a day, if the time is exceeded, burns can form on the tender leaves. In winter, citrus crops will need additional lighting.

Homemade lemons have the peculiarity of turning their leaves towards the incoming light. So that the crown of the tree does not look one-sided, the flowerpot needs to be carefully rotated every 15-18 days.

Prolonged exposure to light (more than twelve hours) leads to a slowdown in fruiting and an increase in green mass. With insufficient lighting, citrus growth slows down, and the root system becomes vulnerable to infection by fungal diseases.

How to care for a lemon - temperature regime

Lemons are especially demanding on temperature control. When the tree begins to form ovaries, form buds and flowers, you need to create a cool plant, at least + 15-18 degrees. Excess allowable temperature can cause flowers to drop and leaves to wilt.

Throughout the winter time, citrus must be kept in bright room, with a temperature not exceeding +12 degrees. For these purposes, an insulated loggia will do just fine. Depriving a plant of wintering can lead to a lack of fruiting and the appearance of diseases.

How to care for lemon - humidity

The leaves, trunk and soil of a lemon tree require constant humidity, at least 70% at a temperature of 20 degrees. In the summer, the plant is sprayed 1-2 times a day. If the lemon is kept in the winter next to hot batteries, then spraying must be saved. Leaves and shoots suffering from dry air can overcome mites and scale insects.

How to care for lemon - soil

The soil mixture for the lemon tree should be non-acidic, with a neutral reaction. Mature trees need drainage from fine gravel, crushed foam or charcoal. The approximate composition of the soil should consist of:

1 part sand, 1 part leafy soil, 3 parts sod, 1 part humus.

In order for the root system to breathe and pass water well, the top layer of soil is gently loosened once every two weeks.

How to care for a lemon - watering

Starting from March and continuing until mid-October, the lemon is poured abundantly 2 times a day, with previously settled water.

During the wintering period, watering is reduced to 1 time in 7 days. But do not forget about the regular inspection of the condition of the leaves and the earthy coma. If the lemon experiences a lack of moisture, the leaves will turn yellow, curl and fall off. In this case, you need to wrap the trunk with wet gauze, spray the crown abundantly and shed the soil well.

How to care for lemon - top dressing

The most important component in caring for a capricious crop is regular fertilization. Ready-made feed mixtures can be bought at a flower shop, they contain all essential trace elements providing good growth and abundant fruit.

In the first summer months, the first top dressing is introduced - it will prevent the bitter taste of ripening lemons, which is characteristic of indoor plants.
Further fertilizers are applied every 3 weeks, 15 minutes after watering.

If citrus fruits get additional illumination in winter, their root system also needs fertilizer.

How to care for a lemon - pruning and transplanting

A young tree is transplanted into a deeper flowerpot once a year. in early spring or mid-September. A three-year-old plant that has grown stronger should be disturbed less often; a transplant once every two to three years will be enough.

Before transplanting, the root system is abundantly shed, after which it is carefully removed from the pot.
Excess damaged roots must be removed.
The new flowerpot should be one and a half times larger than the previous one, preferably with a conical shape.

Timely pruning will give growth to new shoots and increase fruiting. When the lemon reaches 20-25 cm, the trunk must be pinched so that side branches appear. To speed up the formation of ovaries, there is one trick - the trunk is grabbed with copper wire, together with 2 branches of the lower tier, the procedure is called banding. This technique disrupts the metabolic processes of the plant, stimulating the appearance of buds in the area of the copper ring. As a result, the owner of a lemon will receive the first harvest 3-4 years earlier.

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How to care for a lemon at home - a cheat sheet for housewives

Growing exotic plant in an apartment, you need to know how to care for a lemon at home. The tree is capricious enough to get a tasty harvest, it takes a lot of time and effort for the long-awaited result. Only compliance certain rules will make the lemon bear fruit and delight in healthy growth.

What conditions do indoor lemons need?

Lack of nutrients leads to wilting, yellowing of the leaf apparatus, poor flowering, dropping buds, little or no fruiting. When to fertilize a lemon? Firstly, during the period of budding, fruit setting, and secondly, with visible deficiencies in the plant's nutrients.

When caring for a lemon, you need to remember that the tree has an enhanced growth period 3-4 times a year. To get a crop, you need to regularly feed citrus. Usually, abundant flowering comes from February months to august. In winter, the amount of top dressing is reduced to once a month.

Top dressing of a lemon during the flowering period, exactly, as well as during fruiting, is done once every two weeks. It is better to feed indoor lemon with organic matter. Well suited, for example, Gumi Omi Kuznetsova Lemon, the drug is basically natural, so it can be used for house tree. Dilute 1 tbsp. fertilizer in a liter of water, mix well, pour 0.5 cups per plant (larger volume is required for adult powerful trees). You can use another natural preparation Lemon-Mandarin "Mother Earth".

Lemon fruiting at home cannot be achieved without fertilizing, neither in spring nor in summer. It is also recommended to spray the underside of the leaves with a fertilizer solution. Top dressing of citrus fruits after transplantation is carried out after 3-4 weeks, the main dose is given before the tree is placed in a new container for 2-3 days. After transplanting a lemon into a new pot, it is recommended to water the plants with Cornesil to improve and restore the root system.

Diseases and pests of lemon, the fight against them

In poor conditions, lemon can be affected by pests, various diseases infectious and fungal. The main damage is caused by ticks. Red mite and silver mite are most present on lemon, which is grown in room conditions in the south of the country. known to everyone and most common, both in the middle latitudes and in the north, where plants are year-round in the apartment, without the possibility of being taken out to fresh air.

spider mite - pictured

The spider mite is brown, sometimes with a red or yellow tint. With a thorough examination of the plants, the pest is easy to detect. Usually hordes of pests are on the underside of the leaves, braiding the green mass of the tree with the thinnest cobweb. Over the summer, one female can leave up to 10 generations, laying 150 eggs at a time.

Fighting spider mite on a lemon is carried out using a soapy solution, which is used to treat leaves and branches. Do not forget about washing the crown with a regular shower (leaves are washed on both sides). Keep the lemon pot away from other plants. Use garlic infusion, 5-6 crushed cloves are poured into a glass of boiling water, infused for 48 hours and sprinkled with lemon. If the plant is severely affected, insecticidal preparations are used (Omayt, etc.).

in the photo - harvest homemade lemon

It can also become an unpleasant guest that damages sheet plates citrus fruits. On the reverse side of the leaves, sometimes on the stems, clusters of small brown scales can be found, which practically do not separate from the plant. It is necessary to deal with the scale insect immediately, otherwise the defeat of the leaf apparatus will lead to, fruiting may slow down. The methods of dealing with scale insects on a lemon are similar to those in the fight against aphids.

In addition to dirty pests, lemon can suffer from diseases such as:

root rot, mainly found when the leaves begin to fall en masse. Here it is necessary to transplant into a new pot with a good washing of the roots and removal of rotten ones;
gommosis destroys the trunk of homemade lemon. In the lower part, browning of the bark and the formation of cracks are noticeable, from which a dark-colored glue-like liquid is released. The size of the cracks gradually increases, the process of decay begins. Citrus urgently needs to be transplanted into new ground with obligatory stem treatment blue vitriol, V difficult cases- a severely affected bark is first cleaned off, then coated;
malsecco known for its defeat of shoots, sometimes to complete death. The disease begins at the tips of the branches, moves to the leaves, the trunk. Damaged parts will be painted in brick color. The disease has various forms, sometimes the lesion begins with the root system, as a result, the citrus dies very quickly. Unfortunately, at present there are no specific drugs and methods that can destroy the strain of the fungus. Follow preventive measures, if signs are found, treat infected areas of the plant with copper sulphate.

Lemons- perennial evergreen subtropical plants from South-East Asia. They are hardy, durable, but require enough attention.

Thanks to the shiny leathery leaves, they are very decorative even in a non-flowering state. And during flowering, the whole room will be filled with its gentle invigorating aroma.

The plant releases volatile essential oils , which have a bactericidal effect, ozonize the air, improve mood, give vitality.

Varieties of indoor lemons (with photo)

For cultivation The following varieties of lemon are suitable:

Pavlovsky. Shade tolerant, yields 6-15 annually delicious fruits weighing 200 g (up to 400 g) with a thin peel. An old popular variety. Blooms for 3 years. There are several clones of the variety, with different shapes and weights of fruits.

Lunario. Most unpretentious variety. The taste of fruits is average, their weight is 120-180 g. It gives 8-16 fruits per year. They bloom for 2-3 years. Most common in Europe.

Ponderosa. A variety up to 1 m high, unpretentious, but low-yielding (3-5 per year). The weight of tasty fruits is more than 300 g. They bloom for 1-2 years.

Lisbon. Unpretentious, resistant to heat. The branches are rounded. Delicious fruits weighing 180-200 g. Yield 6-16 fruits. Seedlings bloom for 3 years. The correct formation of the crown can reduce the height of the plant.

Meyer. The shortest (0.5-1 m), remontant, precocious. Capricious, painful, requires lighting in winter. Fruit weight 150-190 g. Their taste is average. Gives 6-15 fruits per year. Blooms for 1-2 years. Due to its size, this is the most common variety.

Suitable for growing indoors, but rarely seen varieties lemon: variegated Eureka (with white veins on the leaves), Kursk and Genoa - both with very tasty fruits, Maykop (the most productive), Villafranca, Novogruzinsky.

Lemon Houseplant Care

To get fragrant flowers and long-awaited fruits, you need to know how to care for indoor lemon.

Lighting

This plant short daylight hours. A long day enhances growth but delays fruiting. Bright diffused light is needed, so place the lemon on the east window. South windows are also suitable, but with shading from the direct summer sun.

For uniform crown growth, once or twice a month, slightly turn the lemon in relation to the sun. Lack of lighting leads to slow leaf growth, sour fruit taste.

Temperature

For growth A, flowering the temperature is + 17-20, for the development and ripening of fruits + 21-22. In summer, the plant can be kept on outdoors but remember to keep an eye out for sudden temperature changes.

In winter, lemon is kept at + 15-18, lighting up to 12-hour daylight hours, or at + 7-14, while the plant is “sleeping”. Excessive heat is very harmful, especially when the air humidity is low.

Better if soil temperature close to air temperature. Sharp fluctuations that occur when keeping a lemon on the street and immediately brought into the room when it gets cold are undesirable.

Air humidity

Humidity should be very high. The plant reacts negatively to its decrease, especially in the heat. In summer- daily spraying, spraying is also necessary during the heating season. Periodically (after 7-10 days), a warm shower is arranged for a lemon.

Humidity increase by placing a wide container of water nearby for evaporation, or by placing the pot in a tray with moisture-evaporating material.

Watering

In summer it must be plentiful and regular (2 times a week). You can not overdry the earth! Water is needed at room temperature, it should not contain chlorine, for which it is boiled or settled.

Winter watering is more rare (once a week). Avoid waterlogging earth.

top dressing

For indoor lemon, fertilizers are of great importance! IN summer period - weekly winter- once a month only in case of fruiting.

use organic and mineral supplements. An hour or two before their introduction, it is necessary to water the plants in order to avoid burning the roots.

organic nutrition: manure is mixed with water 1:1 and left to ferment for a week. Before watering, the solution is filtered, diluted: horse 1:10, cow - 1:15. Top dressing is combined with watering 2 times a year with a solution of iron sulfate (3 g / l) and a pinkish solution of potassium permanganate.

Mineral top dressing: produced with citrus fertilizers according to the instructions, for example, "Citrus Mix" with a ratio of N: P: K - 14:16:18 and a complex of trace elements.

Transfer

Lemons up to 3 years transplanted annually in the spring. Transplantation should be done carefully, without damaging the root system. It is better to use transshipment with partial removal of the old earth.

adult lemons transplanted after 2-3 years at the beginning of the growing season. You can not transplant during flowering and fruiting.

pot size no more than 10-15 cm. Drainage (2-3 cm) from sand or expanded clay with charcoal is required at the bottom.

The soil should be loose, nutritious, neutral reaction.
Compound:

4 parts of leaf land with the addition of turf;
1 part manure humus;
1 part sand;
1 tablespoon of ash.

If it is impossible to make a mixture, use a purchased one, but you can only use special - for citrus fruits.

Trimming and shaping

crown pruning indoor lemon is best done in the spring, before growth begins. The crown is formed by a bush on a low (15-18 cm) trunk. Shoots are cut, leaving 4-5 leaves.

To start fruiting, the plant must be branched. Most varieties set fruit on branches of 4-5 orders, only Meyer lemon can form fruits on branches of 2-3 orders.

A lemon with a well-formed crown can to please with flowers already for 2-3 years. Be sure to regulate the number of flowers, otherwise exhaustion of the entire plant may occur. In the first flowering, half of the flowers are removed, and 3-4 fruits are left from the resulting ovaries. In the second year, you can leave 5-6 fruits, then - 7-8.

Flowering and harvest

Depending on the variety, lemons can flower and bear fruit from 1 to 4 (Ponderosa lemon) once a year. flowers bisexual, forming ovaries without cross-pollination.

Growth and bud development lasts about 5 weeks. Each flower blooms for about 2 months. It takes 180-230 days from fruit set to the beginning of ripening, depending on temperature and lighting.

Flowering and fruiting are allowed only if there is a sufficient number of leaves. For every fruit- at least 10 developed leaves.

Intense golden skin color fruits indicates their full ripening. You need to remove them at this moment, because after ripening they do not fall off, continuing their growth. But their quality is deteriorating, the peel becomes thicker, the pulp is drier, the juice is less acidic.

Subject to the conditions of detention, a lemon can grow, bloom, bear fruit all year, at the same time on the plant there can be buds, flowers, fruits.

Reproduction of indoor lemon

You can grow indoor lemon as from seeds, and vegetatively(cuttings, layering).

Reproduction by seeds

More commonly used seeds from purchased lemons. They germinate easily, but it takes more than 10 years to wait for flowering and fruiting.

Vegetative propagation

cuttings produced in spring and summer. Semi-woody cuttings with 2-3 buds (length 10 cm) are cut from fruit-bearing plants.

The lower cut is treated with stimulants ("Kornevin"). The cuttings are placed in water or a wet mixture of earth and sand, deepening by 2 cm. Covered with a transparent film on top to preserve moisture.

rooting it takes 2-3 weeks, then the cutting is transplanted into a small pot and placed in a room with diffused lighting and a temperature of + 20 + 25.

For getting layering on a developed branch of a fruit-bearing tree sharp knife the bark is removed, making a ring 1-2 cm thick. The exposed wood is treated with rooting agents, covered with moistened sphagnum moss and wrapped in black polyethylene.

After 2-3 months, the branch with the formed roots is separated and planted in light soil.

Indoor lemon diseases

May be caused by the following reasons:

Violation of agricultural technology

dropping leaves indoor lemon in winter can be caused by high temperatures in combination with insufficient lighting, watering cold water, increased acidity of the soil, overflow.

nutritional deficiency

If not enough:

nitrogen: appear yellow spots on the leaves, then the leaf turns yellow completely and falls off;
phosphorus: shine disappears from the leaves, their tips turn brown and dry:
potassium: deformations in the form of pits and folds appear between the veins;
gland: foliage becomes very pale, dark green veins clearly stand out on it;
manganese, boron: new ovaries are not tied and the already formed ones fall off.

At overnutrition blackening and death of the edges of the leaves occurs.

Fungal, infectious, viral diseases

Let us briefly consider the main diseases that are characteristic of lemons and the methods of ambulance for plants in this case.

fungal diseases.
late blight- the damaged area is cleaned, lubricated with copper sulfate or special chemicals.
root rot- the affected roots are cut off, disinfected, the plant is planted in fresh soil.
sooty fungus- just wash the leaves with soap.
Mold- spraying with Bordeaux liquid or other fungicides.

infectious diseases.
Not always curable.
Gommosis (a crack on the browned bark with fluid flowing out), malsecco (drying of the shoots, incurable).

Viral diseases.
Not curable, lead to the death of the plant.
These are xylopsorosis, tristeza, leaf mosaic, citrus cancer.

Indoor lemon pests

The most common: scab, aphid, whitefly, . It is necessary to mechanically remove insects, wash the plant with soap and water using a brush, take a cold shower every 3 days, and if necessary, treat it with insecticides according to the instructions.

Prevention- regular washing of plants.

And for those who like to know more, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with useful video, in which you will learn about the care of citrus fruits and will be able to decide whether you are ready to plant these plants in your garden.