How does a lemon sprout? Lemon - contraindications

» Lemon

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

Lemon was first introduced by the Arabs to the Middle East, North Africa, Spain and Italy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Pavlovsky- differs from other varieties in its large fruits, which can reach 500 grams, has a sweetish taste, and the tree of this variety is quite large - more than 2 meters. This variety features aromatic leaves. The aroma is so pungent and strong that the whole house will be filled with it.
2. - a hybrid of lemon and grapefruit, has a sweet and sour taste, a small tree with a rich harvest, the size of one lemon can reach 150 grams, blooms in bunches, there is a seasonal dormancy period.
3. Ponderosa- a hybrid of lemon and grapefruit, characterized by a bitter taste, as well as the presence of a large number of seeds. I am glad that it is constantly blooming. According to people who grow this type lemon, a very grateful plant and completely unpretentious.
4. Genoa– medium tree, gives big harvest already for 4-5 years of life. Fruits with delicate pulp have a sour, aromatic taste. You can also eat the peel. This variety is considered not whimsical. By 2-3 years the seedling is already blooming.
5. Anniversary- a medium-sized tree, considered a variety that produces a rich harvest; the fruit is distinguished by its thick skin. Very suitable for growing in a house or apartment.

After the stage of choosing a variety has been completed, you need to move on to planting the seeds in the pot.

How to plant plant seeds: main points

Some active citrus growers with extensive experience It is advised to free the stone from the top husk, which, in their opinion, makes it possible to obtain seedlings in the shortest possible time.

This must be done very carefully, since any damage to the seed may prevent the seed from germinating.

But you can plant seeds without the above procedure.

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

But even if the seeds were planted without soaking, and as soon as they were removed from the lemon, they will most likely germinate.

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

Place 1.5-2 cm of expanded clay, small pebbles or very small pebbles on the bottom of the pot. coarse sand. Soil for planting can be bought in the store, or you can prepare it yourself. To do this, you need to mix garden soil, sand, humus and a little charcoal.

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

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

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

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

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

According to experienced citrus growers, best time for planting lemon - end of winter, beginning of spring. Since increasing daylight hours will only benefit the emerging young shoots.

Will an indoor lemon tree produce fruit?

Many people think that growing lemons from seeds is a thankless task. Since you will have to wait for fruits from such a lemon for 5, 7, or even 15 years, and its fruits will be small sizes.

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

1. Into the cleft- a more preferable type of grafting. It is necessary to take a cutting of a cultivated fruit-bearing lemon. A branch on the seedling is cut off, and the remaining stem of the seedling is split. A “wedge” is sharpened on the cuttings of a fruiting lemon, which is then inserted into a split in the stem. Next, you need to tie the graft with electrical tape. 2-4 buds are left on the cuttings of a fruiting lemon, and the rest is cut off. The vaccination is covered plastic bag. When the graft has grown together, the package can be removed.

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

1. Budding— the shoots of the seedling are cut off, leaving a “stump” 10 cm high from the tree. Next, take a branch of cultivated fruit-bearing lemon. Under each leaf of the twig there is a so-called “dormant bud”. It is necessary to make a cut in front of this bud. Next, cut off the leaf blade, but leave its petiole. On the “stump” of the seedling, make a cut of the bark and insert the petiole there, cut side down. Tie the grafting site with duct tape. The petiole of the cut leaf blade will serve as an indicator. If the petiole falls off after 2-3 days, then we can assume that the grafting was successful; if it dries out, then the grafting was unsuccessful and must be repeated.

What's interesting is that lemon grown from seeds adapts to home conditions faster and better, it is less picky than cuttings and grafted seedlings.

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

Optimal growing conditions, care after planting

It is advisable to be very careful when dealing with lemons that have sprouted in a pot. When on lemon seedlings 3–4 leaves will appear, they are transplanted into separate pots.

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

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

Conditions are created for lemon without sudden temperature changes, because they can kill him. It is advisable to maintain moderate air humidity - 60-70%.

Water the plant It is best to use rainwater at room temperature. In hot summers it is better to do this 2 times a day. And on cloudy and cold days, it is important to add lighting to the lemon using LED or fluorescent lamps.

Feed in summer seedlings can be treated with humus solution and liquid mineral fertilizers.

Lemons, like all houseplants susceptible to diseases and pest attacks. Therefore, they require careful care, and it is also recommended to carefully inspect the plant every day in order to detect the appearance of a particular pest as early as possible and take the necessary measures in time.

Care and protect: the main enemies of citrus

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

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

Drying ends of leaves they say that the tree needs phosphorus. And a lack of potassium and manganese leads to wrinkling of the leaves and loss of the ovary.

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

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

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

Growing lemon from seed:

Lemon is a plant that belongs to the citrus family. It contains a large amount of vitamin C. It helps improve immunity and prevent the occurrence of various viral diseases. Those who would like to have such a tree at home are wondering how to grow a lemon from a seed at home.

Lemon can be grown from a seed

To grow a lemon at home, you should study the technology and know how to properly care for it. After all, no plant can grow without proper care.

The best varieties for growing citrus at home

To answer the question of how to grow a lemon tree from a seed, you need to choose a variety, it depends on the necessary conditions for planting and seed germination.

To obtain this citrus fruit from seeds, these varieties are most often used:

1. Pavlovsky. It has large lemons (the weight of one can be about 500 g). The taste of the fruit is sweetish with sourness. The tree can reach 2 meters. The Pavlovsk variety has fragrant leaves, the smell of which spreads throughout the house.
2. The Meyer variety is a mixture of lemon and grapefruit. The fruits have a pleasant sweet and sour taste with a slight bitterness. This tree is small in size, with small fruits (the weight of one is maximum 150 g).
3. Ponderosa is another hybrid with predominantly grapefruit characteristics. The seeds of this plant are quite large. The variety is constantly in the process of flowering. The advantage of this type is its ease of care.
4. The Genoa variety is a small tree. By the second year of life, the seedlings of this plant begin to actively bloom, and in the fifth year of life they produce good harvest. The fruits have sour taste but a pleasant aroma.

Once you decide on the variety, you can start selecting the seeds and planting them in a pot. The first good seedling will appear from a lemon seed within a year.

Every person at least once in his life tried to plant a plant, but few managed to get the fruits. There may be several reasons: improper care or improper planting. How to plant a lemon from a seed so that it pleases you with its fruits?

Ponderosa lemon produces large seeds

Growing lemons from seeds is quite possible. Therefore, you should not ask the question whether it is possible to grow lemon at home. Inside the fruit you can see more than one seed, which is perfect for this. The main thing is to choose the right ripe lemon. Only from a seed can such a lemon be grown full plant, because embryos will already be formed inside.

Growing lemon at home should be done using 10 large seeds. This will allow you to choose the strongest seedling from several sprouts. It is also very important to choose the right variety, because it determines whether the tree will bear fruit and how many fruits it can produce.

Landing technology

To grow a lemon from a seed at home, you need to follow all the steps step by step. The first thing is to germinate the seed. To speed up the process, it is carefully cleaned from the top layer, being careful not to damage the core of the stone. You can't expect germination from a spoiled seed.

There are other methods. Before planting the seed, it must be soaked in water for several days. Be sure to germinate the seeds if you want to get good seedlings. If desired, you can soak the seeds in a special solution to accelerate growth, which is sold at any gardening store.

You should prepare a small pot in advance and pour soil into it. There must be small holes at the bottom of the container to allow it to be removed from the soil. excess moisture. Before planting a lemon, add a little expanded clay to the bottom of the pot. Planting a lemon from a seed at home should be done to a depth of no more than 2 cm and only sprouted seeds should be used for this.

After the seedling grows from the seeds, it should be transplanted into a larger pot. You need to replant in the same way as you planted the seeds. Next, you should carry out proper care at home.

You can grow lemons from cuttings. This method allows you to quickly get fruit. But many still prefer to plant lemon seeds. This method takes more time, but it allows you to get new, young trees.

Lemon seeds should be soaked before planting.

Fruits of indoor lemon

Some people think that a growing seedling is useless because it is not a fruit. How long do you have to wait to receive them? The citrus you grow will bear fruit only after 7 years. There are several methods to accelerate fruiting:

1. Cleavage A cutting of a fruiting plant is taken. A small cut is made on the seedling and a fruiting cutting is applied to it. The vaccine must be wrapped with electrical tape and covered with a bag. When the branch grows, the polyethylene must be removed.
2. Budding. The seedling is pruned to 10 cm and grafted with a fruiting cutting.

Most often, the first method is used to vaccinate. It is much simpler and more effective. Many gardeners claim that if we grow lemons from seeds at home, they will begin to bear fruit earlier than those planted from cuttings.

You can use any of the above methods. Experienced gardeners Both the first and second methods of vaccination are practiced. The result will be the same, only in the second case you will have to wait a little longer.

A lemon grown from a seed will bear fruit 7 years after planting.

Caring for a young plant

When a seedling is actively growing, it needs careful care. The first thing to do with the tree is to replant it when four leaves appear on the trunk. Young lemons need to be replanted twice a year.

The lemon tree reacts to any climate change. Therefore, it is best to keep it in one place all the time. Window sills that are located on the south or southwest side are suitable for wood. The optimal temperature is 22 °C. Air humidity should be about 65%.

It is recommended to water the lemon with rainwater. The temperature of the liquid should be at room temperature. IN summer period Watering should be done twice a day. With the onset of autumn and the shortening of the day, you should illuminate the lemon with LED lamps. In summer, fertilizing is carried out using humus and mineral fertilizers.

Rainwater is optimal for watering lemons

Diseases and insects of lemon

Lemon can be attacked by pests and diseases, especially if the tree grows in the garden. In order for lemons to grow well, we care for them carefully. A lemon can only get sick if it is not cared for properly. If there is insufficient watering, the tree dries out, and if there is too much moisture, the leaves begin to turn yellow. This indicates that the roots of the plant are rotting. If a lemon lacks iron, the leaves not only turn yellow, but also dry out.

There are also a number of pests that actively attack lemons:

• mealyworm;
• scale insect;
• spider mite

It’s worth getting Fitosporin. It allows you to fight all diseases and pests of lemon.

The lemon tree is highly valued for its decorative value, aroma, and bright yellow fruits. It ranks first in popularity among lovers of home gardening. It can not be grown from any variety, but only from dwarf ornamental varieties bred through selection. And in this article you will learn how to grow lemon at home and enjoy its yellow color. bright view on cloudy days.

The most popular are:

• "Pavlovsk lemon"
• "Genoa"
• "Maikop lemon"
• "Lunario"
• "Novogruzinsky lemon"
• "Mayera."

Each of them has good yield, but Pavlovsky is considered the most unpretentious and fruit-bearing variety.

It has a bush-like shape and a rounded crown, green and dark green glossy leaves. Grows from 1.5 to 2 meters. One and a half centimeter thorns most often grow on its branches hanging down. The leaf change cycle occurs every two to three years. A plant often has both new and old leaves adjacent to it.

Pavlovsk lemon blossoms all year round and is self-pollinating. Fruits in the second or third year. To prevent the tree from becoming depleted, all the flowers are plucked off in the first two years. On a three-year-old tree only 3-4 flowers are left, and on a four-year-old tree the strongest ones are left.

Fruits that set closer to the base and on short branches have a better chance of ripening. They, like strong flowers, are left, and weak ones are removed. They ripen within a month. They grow throughout the year. Lemons are picked when they turn bright yellow. The color and taste of ripe fruits on the tree deteriorate.

How to grow lemon at home. Conditions of detention:

Lighting

Lemon loves light, but does not tolerate direct sunlight. It is best to locate it on the east, west or southeast side. In summer, the windows are darkened with gauze or tulle. In winter, the lack of lighting is compensated for by lighting.

Temperature

In summer it is above +18, and in winter – from +14 to +15 degrees. Requirements to temperature conditions for the root system and above-ground parts are similar. Bring the lemon out open air Not recommended. The plant is very sensitive to sudden changes in its environment.

Watering and humidity

The plant is provided with moderate watering warm water two times a week. Humidity is maintained at 60-70%. In winter, use an electric humidifier or place a container of water next to the flowerpot. The rest of the time, spray with a spray bottle. It is recommended to periodically moisten the place where the fruit joins the branch.

Reproduction

Seeds

Indoor lemons planted this way begin to bear fruit after 10-15 years. This drawback is quite significant. Grafting with a bud allows you to shorten the time before the first lemons appear. It should contain some of the bark and wood of an adult, fruit-bearing tree. Fruits on a plant obtained by grafting from a bud begin to set after about three years.

By cuttings

Time-tested and most reliable way. The optimal period for carrying out is considered to be from March to mid-April. Plant the cuttings in a container with good drainage. It is covered with five centimeters of a mixture of forest soil and turf. The nutrient layer is sand and sphagnum moss, taken in equal parts. Instead of moss, it is permissible to use high-moor peat.

Cuttings 10-13 cm long and 0.5 cm wide are taken from young branches of a fruit-bearing and healthy tree. The cut must be made under acute angle. The cuttings must have at least four leaves. The upper ones are left or cut in half, and both lower ones are removed.

The cuttings are planted in a nutrient substrate, sprayed, and covered with a jar or film. At an air temperature of +20, periodically ventilate. This procedure is carried out every day after a month and a half. The time is gradually increased over two to three weeks.

Transplanting and caring for seedlings

Rooted and established seedlings, leaving a layer of old soil on them, are transplanted into a one and a half liter flowerpot and watered. Drainage is installed at its bottom, it is filled with river sand and a mixture of manure humus, rotted wedge and linden leaves, and turf.

In summer, seedlings are watered every day, in winter 2 times a week. Doing so better in the morning. If the soil dries out in the heat, watering is carried out in the evening. They use river, melt, rainwater or water supply that has stood for a day. Its temperature should exceed room temperature by 2-3 degrees.

Lemon feeding

Carry out for established seedlings. During the year they are fertilized twice a month, and in winter - once. In autumn, spring and summer time watered with mineral fertilizers. biennial plant fed with a phosphorus-potassium mixture. Both mineral and organic fertilizers are used.

Crown formation

In order for the plant to adapt to a permanent location, it should be rotated no more than twice a month. The crown is formed from branches from the second to the fifth level, periodically pinching the shoots. The process takes up to three years. It is easier to give a bush shape to a lemon planted by cuttings, and to a tree - to a grafted one.

Transplantation

When the root system fills the flowerpot and sticks out of the drainage holes, the lemon is replanted using the transplanting or transshipment method. It is recommended to do this in the spring, no more than once a year.

The transplantation method is used when the old substrate has soured. Rotten roots are removed. If the volume of the root system is significantly reduced, the tree is transplanted into an old flowerpot. The main thing is to increase drainage layer and use a new nutrient soil mixture.

If the plant has normal condition substrate, but the roots have grown excessively, it is replanted using the transshipment method. The lemon along with the soil is transferred to a new pot, the diameter of which is 2-3 cm larger than the old one. It is preferable to take a clay pot.

That's all. We hope that the information will be useful and you will grow beautiful and strong. lemon plant at home. We have provided all the necessary information on how to grow lemons at home. Leave your reviews and comments at the bottom of the article.

If you want to have a tropical beautiful plant beneficial, then you can grow lemon from a seed at home. Growing lemons at home is not an easy task; it is quite troublesome and you need to be patient to get it. desired result. A lemon tree at home will not only purify the air and decorate the room, but also bear delicious fruits if grown correctly. In order for lemon seeds to germinate and grow well at home, you must strictly follow the growing recommendations.

How to properly grow a lemon from a seed

Seed preparation

Before planting and growing lemon at home, you need to carefully select planting material. To do this, choose ripe lemon fruits that are free from damage, spots of rot and deformation. First, the fruits are washed, then cut in half. Take the seeds out of the lemon and select the largest ones.

It is better to plant seeds selected at home immediately while they are still wet. If the lemon seeds dry out, then the seedlings will have to wait a very long time or they will not appear at all. To increase the germination of seeds, you can treat them with a growth stimulator such as Kornevin. To do this at home, the bones are soaked in it overnight, and in the morning a solution of Epin or zircon is prepared. Thanks to these drugs you can grow strong and healthy seedlings at home even in low light conditions.

Preparing containers and planting

To grow lemon from a seed at home, you need to choose the right containers and soil. The pots should be small, they can be made at home from plastic bottles or buy pots for seedlings in the store. In those pots that you make yourself at home, you need to do drainage holes. A drainage made of expanded clay or small crushed stone about 2 cm thick is placed at the bottom of each pot. It is better to plant lemon seeds with a reserve of about ten, so the likelihood that some of them will sprout will be greater. In addition, then from the emerging seedlings it will be possible to select fast-growing and healthy seedlings. The soil for planting can be taken ready for citrus fruits, or you can prepare a soil mixture at home from humus and turf soil, taken in equal quantities. The components are mixed in equal parts. The soil should be poured into pots, and then the lemon seeds should be planted to a depth of 2 cm.

Growing conditions

To grow a lemon from a seed at home, you need to provide good temperature and humidity conditions. The room where the planted seeds are located should be warm enough - not lower than +18 degrees. For creating required temperature at home, the pots can be covered with greenhouses. You can purchase special glass caps or use necks from plastic bottles. Greenhouses will protect seeds, and then seedlings, from the influence of drafts and temperature changes.

Watering

Planting lemon seeds at home is only a small part of the entire process of growing it. Often inexperienced gardeners destroy plants that have not yet sprouted improper watering. It is generally not recommended to water seeds planted at home. Such an abundance of moisture can cause the seeds to rot. Therefore, it is better to spray the soil in a pot with a spray bottle. Optimal mode spraying twice a week.

Sprout care

The appearance of the first shoots at home, if all conditions are met, can be expected from two weeks to a month. When four leaves appear on the seedlings, the greenhouses are removed and the pots are placed in a well-lit place. Water the seedlings as the soil dries. In the first months, you should not feed the plant with fertilizers. When the tree grows a little, you can plant it in a larger pot.

When transplanting, you can choose from all the seedlings one that can be used for fruiting. When choosing, first of all you need to pay attention to root system. It should be well developed, and the roots should be even and without dry ends. The seedling should have at least two old leaves; they are denser, rougher, and the color is slightly darker than that of young leaves. Such a seedling proper care will grow well and bear fruit.

Caring for an adult tree at home involves forming a crown, regular watering and spraying, and maintaining temperature conditions and maintaining the required air humidity.

To grow a beautiful lemon tree, you need to start forming a crown in the early stages of its growth. This procedure is carried out when lemon tree reaches a height of 20 cm. At the beginning of spring, the top of the plant needs to be cut off, leaving 3-5 buds on the stem, from which, after some time, young shoots, called first-order shoots, will appear. They will also need to be trimmed over time. Then you can get a neat decorative bush.

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Cultivate lemons under conditions open ground it will only work out in southern regions. But lovers indoor plants can take up growing it at home. Don’t expect that you will taste juicy lemons next season - your home tree will begin to bear fruit in at least 5 years.

But even without bright fruits on the branches, the plant smells very beautiful and pleasant, which is what makes growing them attractive to many gardeners.

Seeds or cuttings: which planting material to choose for growing?

There are 2 methods for growing lemons at home - from a seed or cutting. Seed propagation will ultimately produce a healthier, powerful tree, but it will begin to bear fruit only after 7-8 years. Having purchased plant seedlings, you will see fruits on the branches within 3-5 years. Planting lemons with seeds is a more common method. The quality of the fruit will depend on heredity and living conditions.

Seeds for planting lemon- fruit seeds. So, for seed material let's go to the nearest grocery store. Choose a large yellow lemon. Set aside damaged fruits - we need quality lemons. At home, cut the fruit, take out 2-3 of the largest seeds - this way you can choose those seedlings that have taken root better. Since dry seeds lose their viability, seeds freshly extracted from lemons are suitable for planting.

Have you decided to grow lemon from cuttings? Either buy young seedlings at the market or borrow from friends. Annual cuttings cut from a healthy fruit-bearing tree. The “correct” seed material has at least 3 leaves at total length the stem is 8-12 cm long. Pay attention to the cuts - the lower one is made under the first bud or directly through it, and the upper one goes diagonally above the last bud. It will be difficult for non-specialists in the field of floriculture to choose a high-quality cutting - it will seem normal in appearance, but in practice it will turn out that the plant is constantly sick.

Preparing the land for planting lemon

Whatever method of growing lemons you choose, plant during the period from April to June– the house is already warm, and the plant will be provided with optimal conditions for growth.

Do not buy a large pot for your future “pet” - for the first year, a small clay container up to 10 cm in diameter will do. There must be a hole at the bottom of the pot to drain excess moisture.

Cover the bottom of the container with expanded clay or small pebbles(1.5-2 cm) for better drainage. Then fill in the soil. To plant lemon seeds regular will do soil, which is sold in every flower shop. Eat soil mixtures, designed specifically for citrus fruits - you can try this option. Do you want to do everything yourself? Fertile soil for growing lemons can be obtained this way: half of the turf soil is mixed with half of humus.

for growing lemon from seed

But for rooting cuttings, it is better to prepare the soil in another way - a layer of moss (1 cm) is placed on the drainage layer and filled fertile land, and then 4-5 cm of sand. In such a nutrient mixture, the young seedling immediately begins to receive the necessary nutrients for growth. nutrients.

Planting lemons with seeds and cuttings

Once the place for growing lemon has been prepared, you can begin planting the plant.

Deepen the fruit seed by 1-1.5 cm, sprinkling the hole with soil. After planting, lightly moisten the soil and place the pot in a warm place. If it’s cold at home, be sure to cover the top of the pot with film. An abundance of sunlight is not required for seedlings to emerge. Lightly spray the soil every 3-4 days. The seeds should sprout after 30-40 days. After sprouts appear on the surface of the earth, the film can be removed. It is not recommended to pick seedlings. As they develop, they form a long tap root - it needs to be trimmed without digging up the plant. To do this, arm yourself with a sharp knife and insert it into the ground at a distance of 7-20 cm from the sprout at a slight angle to the soil surface. Trim the root in a circular motion. The operation can be repeated several times.

With the rooting of the seedling on permanent place You won't have to mess around either. Before planting the cutting, it is recommended to soak it for 12 hours in a solution of a root former (for example, heteroauxin). Root the seedlings in a pot covered with a jar on top to create greenhouse effect. After planting, spray the branch with water. It takes 1-1.5 months for the cuttings to root. During this period the plant needs good lighting, regular hydration and warmth. A sign of “successful” rooting is the formation of new roots and leaves on the shoot. Now you can transfer the plant to a larger pot - use the same mixture as in the case of lemon seed planting. Replant carefully so as not to damage the young roots.

rooting lemon seedlings

Growing and caring for lemon

Caring for lemons is no more difficult than caring for other house plants. Follow the basic rules:

Temperature regime. Optimal temperature growing lemons – 18-25 ˚C. Strong deviations in one direction or another can lead to leaves falling off. If it is very hot in summer, shade the plant a little and spray it with water more often.

Lighting. A growing lemon tree loves light. He needs direct Sun rays at least 2 hours a day. But given that the plant does not tolerate changes in its “habitat,” immediately assign it a permanent bright place - on a window facing the south side. Do not turn the pot towards the light too often - a sudden change in conditions will cause the leaves to fall off. You can turn the lemon tree no more than once every 10 days and no more than 10 degrees.

Watering. Water the plant 2 times a week with boiled water at room temperature. You can use rain water, but it should not be cold. Remember to spray the tree with water several times a week to moisten the leaves and stem. Lemon will not tolerate excessive soil moisture. But if this does happen, the earth will have to be completely replaced.

Transfer. Replant your lemon in a new pot every year. bigger size, otherwise, the developing root system will not have room in a small container. Replant the lemon carefully, transferring it with the “native” lump of earth. If you accidentally damage the roots, cover the plant with polyethylene for 2-3 weeks to prevent it from dying. And when the pot is already large enough (8-10 liters in volume), replanting can be replaced by updating the top layer of soil (twice a year).

Feeding. In the first months there is no need to feed lemon. And then you can fertilize the plant with complex mineral fertilizers - no more than once a month. For good growth lemon needs the following microelements: iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur.

Crown formation. In order for the tree to look beautiful and have lateral buds formed, it is necessary to shape its crown. In the first year, the lemon will grow to about 30 cm. In the second season, shorten the plant to 20 cm, cutting it with pruning shears top part escape. Next year, do the same, but with the developed side branches. Branches of orders 1-3 will not produce fruit - lemons will appear only on branches of a higher order. That's why, best shape the crown will become low-standard. Trim the side shoots so that over time, fertile branches of 4-5 orders are formed. And then, in order to maintain the shape of the crown and prevent the tree from becoming too leafy, do only pinching. It is important to prevent the formation of fattening shoots in the lower part of the trunk - they do not allow the plant to develop normally. Either cut them off or turn them into “regular” shoots, bending them to the ground.

During the lemon flowering period, in order for the ovaries to form, transfer pollen from the pistils to the stamens (you can use cotton swab). Too much large flowers remove - they don’t produce fruit. For each set fruit there should be at least 10 full leaves. If there are too many ovaries, some will have to be removed.

How to speed up the fruiting of lemons?

When properly cared for, the lemon tree looks great and smells good. But this is not enough for flower growers - how much they want to see bright fruits on the branches. To speed up fruiting, 2 methods are used - constriction and budding.

A simpler technology is constriction. Do it on side branches of 1-2 orders! In this case, one of the selected shoots is tied with a tin ring or ordinary wire. Remove the banner when buds appear on the branches. Do not overdo it - you must not damage the bark, otherwise the branch will dry out completely.

Grafting (budding) lemons in plant care is a technique for more experienced gardeners, as it will require certain skills. This is the insertion of an eye from a fruiting shoot into a cut T-shape on the bark of the rootstock. The eyes are cut off directly from the shield. Make the cut with two cuts - 1 cm above the eye, 1.5 cm below the eye. Seedlings 2-3 years old can serve as a rootstock. Do budding on a cloudy rainy day. The technology is like this:

Select a budding location - on a branch 5-10 cm from the ground surface.

Make a cut across (≈1 cm), then along (≈2-3 cm).

Carefully pry the bark with a knife and pull it apart a little.

Quickly return the bark to its place, leaving small hole above. You will need to insert a peephole here.

Quickly insert the cut eye, holding it by the petiole of the leaf, into the cut made on the rootstock.

lemon grafting

Now “bandage” the grafting site to prevent water from flowing in here. PVC tape. After 2-3 weeks, did the petioles begin to turn yellow and fall off? The vaccination went well! After about 30-40 days, you need to cut off the entire top of the rootstock - first 10 cm above the graft (so that the eye does not dry out), and then the remaining part of the branch above the eye is cut off. The bandage is also removed at the same time.

But if the petioles remain in their place, while drying out, something went wrong during budding.

Fighting diseases and pests when caring for lemons

Lemon care includes not only watering and fertilizing, but also the fight against diseases and pests, because they can overcome even home plant. This is especially true for trees grown from cuttings.

All the problems that a gardener may encounter when growing lemons arise for one of 3 reasons - improper care, diseases and pests.

If you don't comply important rules Caring for a lemon and its fruiting may not wait. Eg, insufficient watering leads to drying out of the tree, and excess water- to rotting of roots. Lack of one or another microelement in the soil experienced florist will immediately determine:

Lack of iron - yellow spots appear on the leaf, then it dies.

Lack of phosphorus - the leaves turn red, their tips dry out.

Lack of potassium - leaves wrinkle.

Lack of manganese and boron - ovaries crumble.

Only timely lemon feeding necessary microelements.

Indoor lemon can hit various diseases– bacteria, mycoplasma, viruses, fungi. They are transmitted from other plants or arise due to improper care. Let's list the most common diseases:

Anthracnose. Buds and leaves fall off, shoots die. Be sure to trim off the affected parts of the lemon.

Scab (wartiness). Characteristic yellowish spots appear on the leaves, which gradually turn into pink-gray “warts”. The escape may eventually die. Scab forms orange spots on fruits. Trim off the affected parts of the lemon and discard. Spray the top of the tree with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Gomoz. Red-brown spots appear on the shoots and trunk of the lemon. The bark gradually dies, and from the cracks on it a sticky dark orange liquid begins to ooze, solidifying in the air. There are many reasons for the occurrence of homosis - an excess of nitrogen, a lack of phosphorus, poor drainage, high humidity air. And in order to cure lemon, you need to establish the cause that caused it. Cut out the affected areas with a knife and disinfect with a 3% solution copper sulfate.

lemon juice

To treat diseases, try not to use chemicals. Lemon especially doesn’t like chlorine!

Dangerous pests rarely appear on homemade lemons. But if there are several other types of indoor plants “next door” to the tree, you need to be more careful. When caring for lemons, protect them from the following insects:

Shield. They feed on leaves and shoots. The affected parts of the plant die. When you notice pests, remove them from the lemon (with a toothbrush, for example), and wash the plant with soap emulsion.

Spider mite. The larvae settle on inside leaf. The pest's web can gradually envelop the entire plant, preventing it from breathing. To get rid of mites, spray lemon special solutions, for example, 0.15% Aktelika solution.

Mealybug. Insect larvae leave sticky secretions on lemon leaves. The fruits die, the leaves fall off. If you notice a pest on the plant, immediately remove it from the branches.

Citrus aphid. Insects destroy the tops of young shoots. To prevent the spread of aphids, lemon can be placed next to the geranium.

mealybug

If you take timely treatment measures lemon tree from diseases and pests, it will remain green and smelling good all year round.