Many growers are engaged in growing citrus at home. And of the whole variety of such cultures, the Lunario variety of lemons is especially popular. This variety takes root well in the apartment, does not require much attention and at the same time annually gives a good harvest of fruits.
Description
Lemon Lunario is a fruit tree reaching a height of 4.5–6 meters. But at home, the size of the culture is much more modest. With proper care, the variety grows to one and a half meters. The plant has a gray-brown bark and a spreading crown. The pointed oval leaves located on the short petioles reach 12-14 cm in length.
Sharp spines are present on the branches of this lemon variety. Their size depends on the age of the tree, but they reach a maximum of 1.3 cm in length. During flowering, red-blue buds with a diameter of up to 5 cm are formed at the base of the leaves. They are single or collected in inflorescences. Peduncles exude a pleasant, unobtrusive aroma.
Fruit characterization
After flowering on the tree, fruits are formed - lemons. Moreover, in apartment conditions, the plant begins to bear fruit in the second year after planting. In the open ground, the fruits are tied in trees 3-4 years old. On average, their weight reaches 150 grams. They have an elongated shape, visually resembling a cucumber, and a thin smooth skin, painted in bright yellow color.
At home, the tree gives up to 10-15 fruits per season. But fruits do not ripen at the same time. The ripeness of the lemon is indicated by the rich golden color of the peel. At this point, you need to remove lemons from the tree, as they do not fall on their own and continue their development. But at the same time, the taste and smell of fruit deteriorates greatly - the skin becomes thinner, the pulp dries and the acidity disappears.
Culture cultivation
For homemade Lunario lemon, choose the location on the east side of the room. If this is not possible, then place the pot near the south window. But do not forget to obscure the plant at noon, as the hot sun causes burns on the foliage. To crown evenly developed, be sure to turn the culture in different directions to the light.
Many gardeners make a mistake and grow lemons in the kitchen. It is absolutely impossible to do this, since the fruit tree absorbs and accumulates the gases emitted by the stove. From this, it can suddenly dry up, even if otherwise you provide it with ideal conditions.
With the advent of summer, you can take the plant to the balcony, where it will receive a maximum of fresh air. But keep in mind that it is worth gradually accustoming a lemon to such conditions. To get started, take the tree to a 10-minute session. The next day, let the culture spend 20 minutes on the street and so on. Do not forget to cover the foliage from the sun.
Temperature
Lemon Lunario, whose photo is posted in the article, refers to thermophilic plants. But, nevertheless, he does not tolerate heat. And for the normal growth and development of the tree, maintain a temperature of 17-20 ° C in the summer. During fruit ripening, raise it to +22 ° C.
In winter, when the plant "sleeps", it is advisable to move the pot to a room where the temperature is 7-14 ° C. If this is not possible, install the lemon in a cool place where the temperature does not exceed +18 ° C. In this case, be sure to illuminate the fruit tree with photolamps so that daylight hours last 12 hours.
Watering
Lunario lemon is a moisture-loving plant, and in the spring and summer it needs regular and abundant hydration. Water the crop 2 times a week and in no case do not allow the soil to dry out. In winter, irrigate the plant once every seven days and at the same time avoid overmoistening the soil. For irrigation use only filtered, settled water at room temperature.
This fruit tree loves high humidity. Therefore, in the summer, daily spray its foliage. In winter, carry out the procedure 1-2 times a week. Every 7–10 days, give the lemon a warm shower. In addition, place a wide container filled with water near the pot.
Top dressing
If you want to achieve fruiting from Lunario lemon, then be sure to feed the culture. From spring to autumn, fertilize every week. In winter, one feeding a month is enough. Try to alternate organic and mineral fertilizers with each other. Be sure to moisten the soil two hours before applying the preparations. This will help to avoid root burns.
Use citrus preparations as mineral supplements. To prepare organic fertilizer, mix cow dung with water in a 1: 1 ratio. Leave this mixture for a week for fermentation, then strain and dilute with water in a ratio of 1: 5.
Transfer
Young Lunario lemons, under 3 years old, transplant every spring. Adult plants need only one transplant every 2-3 years. Perform the procedure carefully, taking care not to damage the roots. To do this, use the transshipment method with a partial removal of the old earthen coma.
Choose a pot 10-15 cm larger than the previous one. At the bottom of the container, lay out a 3-cm layer of drainage made of sand or expanded clay. Transplant the plants into a store soil mix intended for citrus crops. If it is not, prepare the substrate yourself. To do this, mix the following components:
- 4 parts of sheet land;
- 1 part of sand;
- 1 part of dung humus.
Before planting, be sure to calcine the substrate in the oven to destroy all germs and pests. After disinfection add to the ground 1 tbsp. l wood ash.
Crown formation
With proper care, the Lunario lemon grows quickly. And so that the plant gives strength to the formation of fruits, and not the growth of shoots, it is important to prune. Start the event in the spring, before the start of active growth. Form a culture with a bush 15–18 cm high. Cut out all dried up and damaged branches, and shorten the remaining shoots to 4–5 leaves.
Note that the fruits are tied only on highly branched trees. If the crown is correctly formed, then flowering occurs on the 2nd – 3rd year. To prevent this process from draining the tree, be sure to remove half of the buds. In the first year, leave 3-4 ovaries, in the second - 5-6 and so on.
Breeding
Lunario lemons can be grown from lignified cuttings. Start the procedure in spring or summer. For cuttings, choose shoots with a length of 10-12 cm and 2-3 growth buds. Treat the cut sites with “Kornevin” and deepen the shoots into a 2 cm moistened substrate.
As a soil, use a mixture of garden soil and sand, and cover the planting on top with polyethylene or glass. Ventilate the greenhouse daily and spray with water from a spray bottle.
After 2-3 weeks, when the cuttings take root, plant them in separate pots and rearrange them in a room with diffused lighting and a temperature of 20-25 ° C. Take care of them later, just like ordinary trees.
Growing a Lunario lemon at home is not so difficult. The main thing is to provide the culture with comfortable conditions, and it will certainly thank with rapid growth and abundant fruiting.