Many amateur gardeners would probably like to learn how to grow a lemon tree at home. Caring for this plant is relatively simple. However, in order for the lemon to grow lush and spectacular, you should adhere to certain recommendations regarding the technology of irrigation and top dressing. This is especially true of the winter season.
How to care in October - April: general rules
How is lemon tree grown in the autumn and winter at home? Care in the winter for him is a little different than in the summer. This plant remains green year-round. However, in October - April, all vegetative processes in him, of course, slow down. In the warm season, lemon is usually fed twice. In winter, such an operation is not performed. However, this plant needs watering, including in the cold period. In the wild, a lemon tree grows in humid tropics and subtropics. Therefore, the drying out of the soil is very sensitive. The only thing is to moisten the soil in the pot in winter should be less frequent. In the warm season, lemon tree is watered 2-3 times a week, in winter - no more than once.
What should be the air temperature
In urban apartments and houses in the winter, it is usually quite warm. Air temperature can vary between 12-25 gr. In principle, such a microclimate lemon tolerates well. However, although the plant is not deciduous, its crown may slightly thin out at these temperatures. Therefore, some amateur gardeners install a lemon in a separate room and periodically open a window there. The fact is that at a temperature of 10-12 gr. photosynthesis slows down in a tree. Its roots stop consuming nutrients, and it stops growth. But at the same time not a single leaf falls from the bush. The plant remains as spectacular as in the summer.
Where is the best place to put a lemon tree
In terms of lighting, this plant is considered quite whimsical. Lemon tree feels best on the southeast window. Of course, the ability to arrange the plant in this way does not always exist. In principle, lemon can be placed on the northern and southern windowsill. However, in the first case, in the cold season (and preferably in spring and summer), the plant will have to be highlighted with an artificial lamp.
On the southern window, the leaves and branches of the plant should be slightly obscured, including in winter. Otherwise, burns may appear on them.
How is lemon propagated?
As you can see, it is actually not particularly difficult to carry out home care such as a lemon tree in a winter plant (and even in summer). Reproduction of it - the procedure is also quite simple. You can grow luxurious healthy citrus from:
seedling;
cuttings;
sunflower seeds.
Selection of planting material
As for the seedlings, they can often be seen in specialized stores. However, experienced flower growers are not advised to buy such material. In stores, plants usually come from plants imported from Brazil, Greece or the Netherlands. In these countries, young lemongrass is grown in greenhouses. This is done so that they are as lush as possible and have a presentation.
Being transferred to a city apartment, such seedlings very quickly become unsightly and even stop growing. A lemon changes the situation (especially for the worse). In this case, among other things, it will be very difficult to take care of such a plant as a lemon tree at home. Diseases, a halt in development, foliage dumping - these are the problems that a lover of indoor flowers will most likely have to face.
Therefore, in an apartment, it is better to try to grow a lemon from a cuttings or seeds. The first is simply cut from an adult plant. If lemons are not in the home greenhouse yet, you can ask for a cutter from a familiar grower.
Writing such material by mail is also undesirable. The shank is likely to be poor-quality and non-viable. The fact is that in this way sellers usually just get rid of lemons going on emission plantations.
A good solution is to grow a seedling from the seed. This technique is considered even simpler. However, unfortunately, in this case it is impossible to quickly obtain a fruiting lemon tree. Home care (seedlings grow very slowly from the seed) in this case, for a long time, the plant will consist only in fairly frequent watering. But the fruits on such a seedling will begin to grow, most likely, not earlier than in 12 years.
Which grade to choose
Of the seeds, of course, you can grow only a wild bird. As for the cuttings, in this case there is a choice. Many amateur gardeners are interested in what is better to grow, tall or low, lemon tree at home. Care for compact and large plants is approximately the same. However, tall lemon should still be selected only if the grower has enough free time. Watering, pruning and feeding such a plant will have a little more often than a small one.
To tall include, for example, such varieties of lemon, such as:
Of the undersized, the most popular are:
Meyer (Chinese).
Lemon Genoa.
Volcano.
Planting Capacity and Soil
Since lemon is a plant rather capricious in relation to rotting of roots, a pot for it needs to be selected as carefully as possible. Clay is best for a seedling. The walls of such containers pass air well, allowing the roots to breathe. Of course, the pot should have holes in the bottom. Clay shards should also be laid on these drainage holes. A layer of coarse sand is poured over them.
Soil for lemon also needs to be selected correctly. The best composition for this plant is:
humus leaf - 1-2 parts;
turf soil - 1 part;
coarse sand - 1 part.
How to grow from a shank
Planting stock of this variety should have a length of about 10 cm. Previously, the stalk should be soaked in warm water for 2-3 days, immersed in half the length. Then it is buried in the prepared soil by 3 cm. The roots of the lemon cuttings appear after about 60 days. It is better to plant several at once in the pot. Then the chance to get at least one new plant will increase.
Until lemons let the roots, they should be sprayed periodically (at least once a day). The soil in the pot should have moderate moisture.
Growing from seeds
This is also a very good way to get a luxurious lemon tree at home. Caring for a seedling in this case will be even easier. An amateur flower grower will only have to ensure that the earth in a pot with a lemon planted does not dry out.
Seeds should be taken from healthy, large fruits. They must not be allowed to dry. Once they are taken out of the lemon, they should be planted immediately. They are buried in the soil by 2 cm. The seed planted in this way is watered and covered with a jar on top.
Lemon transplant
Periodic transplants - this is what is required for such an inhabitant of a room greenhouse as a lemon tree. Home care for him, even the best, otherwise it will not be particularly effective. The fact is that the nutrients of the roots of lemon, and especially large ones, consume quite a lot. Therefore, the soil in the pot under the plant is rapidly depleted.
Transplant the lemon in the spring, or in the fall (later). Young lemons are transferred to other containers once a year, adults - not more than once every 2 years. Actually this procedure itself is performed as follows:
The day before the transplant, the soil in the pot is carefully shed.
The plant is carefully removed from the old pot, holding on to the stem.
The removed lemon is set in a new pot and the space between the lump and the walls of the pot is covered with pre-prepared soil.
After transplanting, the plant should be watered.
Fertilizer application
As already mentioned, in winter, lemon is not fed. Do it only in spring and summer. Moreover, only adult plants are fertilized. For the first time, lemons planted with cuttings or from a seed are not necessary. Trees that are three to four years old? twice a season, fertilize with double superphosphate (50 g per liter of water).
Diseases and Pests
Subject to the cultivation technology, in this way, you can get a very beautiful lemon tree at home. Care for this plant, however, can consist not only in the form of watering and top dressing. Like all indoor flowers, lemons sometimes get sick. Most often, the trees are affected:
Late blight. They fight this disease either with a weak solution of copper sulfate, or through special antifungal drugs.
Sooty fungus. The methods of control in this case should be the same as with late blight disease.
Homose. In this case, a crack appears on the stem of the diseased plant. In order to help the lemon, the wound should be cleaned and greased with a solution of vitriol.
Malsecco. This is perhaps the most dangerous disease that a lover of indoor flowers can encounter, caring for such a plant as a lemon tree at home. Fallen leaves, twigs began to dry out - which means that the bush most likely “picked up” the Malsecco virus. Unfortunately, this disease cannot be cured.
May infect lemon and pests. Most often these are white flies, mites or scale insects. The former are usually fought with karbofos, the latter are destroyed by the infusion of garlic (1 head per half-liter of water). The scabbard can be expelled by wiping the leaves, twigs and trunk with a mixture of soap and kerosene in a ratio of 1: 0.5.
This is how it is carried out for such a tropical guest as a lemon tree, home care. The photos presented on this page clearly demonstrate how effective it can be in case of observing irrigation technologies, periodic transplants, etc. Pay more attention to your tree, and it will delight you with lush foliage, a healthy appearance, and eventually fruiting .