Who among us has not tried to plant a lemon seed at least once? There are probably few of these, because the seeds of lemon (tangerine, orange, grapefruit) seem to have some kind of magical power, which encourages us to do this, and we stick the seed into the first flower pot we come across. When a sprout hatches, there is no limit to joy. True, it goes away as soon as we find out that we won’t see fruit for 10 years. It is believed that a lemon grown from a seed will not bloom before. Is it so? After all, I want it early. And the tree grows well, and the leaves are green. Is it really that long to wait for a lemon from the seed? Is it true? So... In part, this is true. A lemon from a seed planted in the first pot you come across and growing “on its own”, even with regular watering and fertilizing, will begin to bear fruit in 10-15 years (or maybe this won’t happen). But if you have a great desire and put in a little effort, you can get a “harvest” of citrus fruits in 4-5 years. Don't believe me? But in vain. In the mass cultivation of lemons (and other citrus fruits), planting with seeds is mainly practiced. Of course, this is in subtropical conditions, so we will need to use some “tricky” techniques. How to grow a lemon from a seed. First, a small digression. To avoid confusion, I will write specifically about lemon. But this technology is suitable for growing not only lemons, but also any other citrus tree from seeds. First of all, you need to choose a seed. The seeds for planting lemons must be large and fresh. They must be planted immediately after being removed from the fruit. It is better to plant several at once, so that later you can choose the best seedling (or several). We plant the extracted lemon seeds in separate containers (100g “disposable” cups are ideal). It is advisable to pre-treat the lemon seeds with a preparation for root formation, for example, by soaking them for 12 hours in a solution of root, heteroauxin or sodium humanate. We definitely make it in a glass drainage hole and fill in the drainage, for example, vermoculite. The soil for planting lemon seeds should be sufficiently nutritious, light and loose. To do this, you can take one part of humus and turf soil with the addition of part of peat, although other options are possible at this stage of growing lemon from a seed. You can germinate lemon seeds both in a greenhouse and without it. We will be able to determine which of the seedlings is of the highest quality when they grow to 7-10 cm in height (from 3 to 6 months). High-quality lemon seedlings have an initially bushy crown and the maximum number of buds on the branches, there are no short needles, and the leaves are strong and do not fall off. It is based on these characteristics that we choose the highest quality plant, which we continue to develop. During this period, the seedlings are transferred to a large container (7 cm pot), into which we add vermicompost (it is freely sold in flower shops). You should start forming a bush at this time. To do this, we pinch the top of the plant to stimulate the growth of side shoots, which in turn also need to be pinched when they have at least three leaves. Lighting for lemon plays a very important role. And to obtain a uniform crown, it must be illuminated evenly, but in an apartment this is not easy to achieve. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically turn the plant (I do this once every 10 days), but no more than a quarter of a turn (use a marker to draw a mark on the pot and use it as a guide). It should be noted that lemon grows in waves, which means that it only has a maximum of 5 growth periods per year, with a break between them of approximately 3 months. It is during these periods that maximum attention should be paid to the formation of the bush. I repeat. Young lemons grown from a seed, grafted or planted from cuttings do not need to be pruned! For citrus fruits, every leaf is important. Therefore, the crown is formed only by pinching. A properly formed bush is the basis of a high-quality fruit-bearing lemon tree. Of course, this is not all. We continue to grow our lemon from the seed. We have formed the crown and continue to form it as the tree grows. But this, of course, is not all that is required to speed up the fruiting of lemons from seeds. The main role here is played by proper lemon care and the use of certain technologies. Lemon from the seed. Part II. Published: Fruit garden in the room Limon iz kostochki. We continue to grow our lemon from the seed. We have formed the crown and continue to form it as the tree grows. But this, of course, is not all that is required to speed up the fruiting of lemons from seeds. The main role here is played by proper lemon care and the use of certain technologies. Lemon care. As I already wrote, you can achieve flowering and fruiting of a lemon grown from a seed already in the fourth or fifth year (during this period, by the way, a lemon planted from a cutting will also bloom). To do this, you need to make extra efforts when caring for it. Lemon is a light-loving plant, and for normal, and even more intensive development, it needs a lot of light. Even in the brightest room, during the growing season, and especially when it falls during periods of short days (autumn-winter), our seeded lemons need to be illuminated. It is better to do this with special phytolamps, or, in extreme cases, fluorescent lamps (an 18-20 W energy-saving lamp with any homemade reflector is also suitable). By the way, about lighting. In order to understand how to properly and effectively illuminate indoor plants, it is not at all necessary to go to a greenhouse. All you need to do is go to a regular grocery store. The method of lighting display chest freezers is quite suitable for us. Moreover, the very structure of such a display case is an indoor greenhouse. And it’s easy to make. The second important component for successfully obtaining fruit from a lemon from a seed is air humidity. It would be better if it was an electric humidifier (they are now huge selection). By the way. An electric humidifier will improve your well-being too. It is believed that lemons cannot be replanted often and that they love tight containers. And this is of course true. But not in our case. To successfully achieve our goal, two transplants per year are necessary, one in February, the second in June. Since the plant grows intensively, each subsequent pot should be taken 3-4 cm larger than the previous one. In order not to damage the tender roots of the tree, it is better not to remove the entire lump from them, but to perform the so-called. "partial transplant" The soil for lemon must be very nutritious. Therefore, it will be better if you prepare it yourself. To do this, you need to stock up on rotted leaves of linden or maple (in a forest, park, etc.), turf soil (soil on which grass grows densely) and manure humus (this is more difficult for a city dweller, but can still be solved). Then all this is mixed in equal parts. If it is possible to get horse manure, then a quarter of the manure added to ordinary garden (but loose!) soil will also make it suitable for planting lemons. But even such frequent transplants are not able to provide our lemon from the seed with all the necessary nutrition. Those substances contained in the soil mixture can feed our tree for no more than five months, and even then this is already the deadline. Therefore, an important component of lemon care is feeding it with fertilizers. This moment must be taken Special attention. You don’t have to choose which fertilizers to use – mineral or organic. Both should be used. Alternate. There should be a break between feedings - at least a week, maximum 10 days (during the growing season, a little less often during breaks). Apply fertilizer only in liquid form (no sticks or surface granules!). The maximum dose of complex mineral fertilizer is 2 grams. If you overdose, you can burn the roots. You can use purchased organics (there are plenty of them in stores), but it is still better to use infusions of mullein or bird droppings (weak solutions). In the summer, it will be very useful to add nettle infusion to water for irrigation (you can infuse it in any closed container, just fill the nettle with water for two weeks), add 50 grams of infusion per liter of water. In the fourth year, after starting to grow lemon from the seed, you can add an infusion to the water for irrigation. eggshells(the smell is terrible but the effect is great, I recommend using it for everyone flowering plants). And finally - a mechanical effect on the tree, which will contribute to the speedy flowering of our lemon from the seed. In the fourth year, it is necessary to produce the so-called. “ringing” our plant. To do this, we tightly pull the central trunk of the tree at the very base with copper wire, slightly deepening it into the bark. This is done so that an influx will form at the site of the constriction, which will contribute to the accumulation of substances necessary for flowering. After 6-10 months (maximum a year), the ring must be removed to avoid squeezing the plant. Lubricate the wound mark with garden varnish and cover it with electrical tape. If you do everything correctly, then after 4-5 years your efforts will be rewarded by the flowering and fruiting of lemon grown from the seed. At the same time, it should be noted that a lemon grown from a seed is more adapted to home conditions than one bought in a store (greenhouse, market, etc.). And the fruits, as a rule, are larger and tastier than the “mother” ones. True, with the beginning of fruiting, one must observe the rule of proportionality of the ovaries to the leaves. This is very important for young plants. There are many tips and recommendations on this matter. Some advise leaving one ovary for 25 leaves, and there are those who leave all 50. Personally, I chose the golden mean for myself - one ovary for 30 leaves, I remove the rest, although it’s a shame. But if you leave more, the tree will not be able to feed them and, as a result, an exhausted tree and small fruits. In the summer, it is better to take the tree out into the fresh air, it will be very grateful to you. And in a house where there are children, the place for him is in the nursery! It perfectly disinfects the air. But it is better to keep it away from people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. And the very last thing. ENEMY! Most terrible enemy for lemon - scale insects. This evil spirit is capable of sucking out all the juice from a plant within a short time. And the most unpleasant thing is that initial stage it is extremely difficult to detect. This is a very small insect, the size of a flea, and moves just as quickly throughout the plant. You can see it with the naked eye already in the adult stage. That's why! If, during inspection (and it should be carried out regularly), you found gray-brown spots (beige, light brown) at the base of the leaves, on the leaves themselves (especially on the back), on the stem and branches (beige, light brown), if gum (sticky sap) - take action immediately (!), this is a scale insect. It is very difficult to destroy this infection; there are few drugs that can really remove it from a plant. These include, first of all, “Aktara” (process in a ventilated place!) and special drug trademark"Blank sheet". These drugs have been personally tested by me, and I vouch for them. The rest... After processing, it is also advisable to manually collect the “loose” scale insects from the leaves and trunks of the plant. After 10 days, repeat the treatment.
1. If you propagate an indoor lemon with seeds, it will begin to bear fruit in the eighth or tenth year, if by budding or cuttings, in the third or fourth year. Or you can collect lemons already in the first or second year by growing a bush from a rooted cutting separated from the mother plant.
For air layering, you can use branches that need to be removed to lighten the crown, or branches that bear fruit, which are also recommended to be pruned every year to stimulate the growth of young lateral thin short branches, the so-called fruitlets.
When breeding by layering, it was previously advised to take some kind of container, usually a pot sawn in half. However, sawing the pot, placing it and securing it to the plant can be quite difficult. It is much easier to use synthetic film.
At the bottom of the branch of a fruiting lemon, make a ring cut of the bark about 1-3 cm wide, without damaging the wood, then remove the cut ring of bark. A little below the cut site, wrap the branch with synthetic film in 1.5 - 2 layers and tie it tightly at the bottom with a reliable thread, elastic band or insulating tape. It is recommended to fill the funnel that appears with an earthen mixture: turf (or garden) soil 50%, humus 20%, leaf humus 20%, river sand 10% and be sure to add lemon soil to it.
Or you can take soil from the top layer of the same lemon from which you are cutting to stuff around the cut.
The layer of packed earth should be equally located within a radius of 3-5 cm around the removed area of bark and cover 4-5 cm above the cut. Please pay special attention to the last circumstance, because the layering root system will be formed in this place.
Immediately after filling and forming a funnel, moisten the soil.
After it shrinks, add required quantity soil mixture. Next, tie (not too tightly) the upper end of the film so that the edges of the film form a funnel, convenient for watering.
Maintain the soil contained in the bag wet, watering once every 1-2 days. The amount of water and frequency of watering depend largely on the water-holding capacity of the package made, the temperature and humidity of the environment.
Air layering can be done throughout the year, but it is better to take into account active annual growth cycles indoor lemon, they usually occur 3-4 times a year, in March - June, from mid-June to mid-July, from mid-September to the end of October.
At the time of rooting the cuttings, observe general rules for caring for the mother plant: the air humidity in the room should be between 60-70%, the temperature should be about 20°, and if it is higher, you need to humidify the air and spray the lemon with a spray bottle 1-2 times a week clean water.
Pay special attention to feeding the mother plant with mineral fertilizers at the rate of 2-5 g nitrogen fertilizers, 3-4 g of superphosphate per 1 liter of water. Periodically feed lemon and wood ash: 1-2 teaspoons per 1 liter of water. Try to alternate fertilizing with mineral fertilizers with organic fertilizing: infusion chicken manure, mullein, horse manure, diluting them with water by 10-15, 8-10 and 4-5 times, respectively.
Remarkable results can be obtained by superficially applying medium doses of organic fertilizers and watering them with water so that the fertilizers are absorbed into the surface layer of the soil. Mineral fertilizers and wood ash enter only twice, and organic fertilizers once a month.
Taking into account temperature regime And general conditions growing for 1.5-2 months, the layering forms a developed root system. Through the film you can easily see the process of the roots appearing, and when they evenly penetrate the lump of earth in the bag, cut the cuttings into a ring without leaving the hemp on the mother plant. Immediately coat the cut area with garden varnish or oil paint. Plant the cuttings in a 2-3 liter container. First, spray the trees with clean water every day and moisten the soil in the morning and evening.
With certain skills and following the rules, the survival rate of layering is 100%. The young tree actively develops its root system and quickly begins to produce new shoots and leaves, bloom and begin to bear fruit. If you want layering, you can make a branch with flowers and even formed fruits.
It is advisable to grow lemon obtained by layering in bush form. Skeletal branches can be formed at a height of about 10 cm. If no side shoots appear on the plant, then pinch the top of the main shoot, and then leave the required number of branches and give them direction.
Indoor lemons grown from cuttings grow and bear fruit for many years in a variety of institutions and among some hobbyists.
A quick method of propagation by layering using synthetic film can be used for propagation of all types of citrus crops and absolute majority fruit crops in indoor, as well as in general amateur gardening, for propagation of breeding material when breeding new varieties in fruit growing. This method is very simple, effective and makes it possible to collect fruits during the first years of planting a young plant.
2. To grow lemon, cut off the circular bark on a two- to three-year-old branch of a good lemon tree, 5-6 cm from where it originated, trying not to damage the wood. The cutting width is 1 cm.
Next, we burn the can of canned food and cut it with scissors from top to bottom and to the middle of the bottom. We make a hole in the bottom with a diameter of 2 cm in advance. We put the jar on the lemon branch so that the processed part of the branch is closer to the bottom. We tie the jar with soft wire and fill it with fertilized soil. Water from time to time fresh water from May 20 to June 10.
At the end of November, we cut off a young “tree” under the jar and plant it directly in the jar in wooden box or a bucket. There should be several holes in the bottom of this container.
The breeding method is quite effective (95-100% success). The resulting tree begins to bear fruit in the first or second year. I often prop up the jar with the branch to be rooted at the bottom with a stick.
3. If the land for growing lemon is poorly selected, then you should not expect amazing results. We recommend the following composition: leaf soil 4 parts by weight, turf 2, compost soil 2, manure 2, sand 2, ground charcoal 0.5 parts.
Water the soil with tap water, which is given time to settle in advance, and add a little salt, adding table salt. But it is worth considering that a large amount of salt will have a bad effect on the plant. Add only 0.5 g of table salt to a liter of water.
If young lemon shoots suddenly begin to wither and the leaves fall off prematurely, then in most cases the cause may be a mite. What to do?
Carefully remove the plant from the pot along with the soil stuck to it and place it in a prepared vessel with fresh water. Almost all the land disappears. We carefully remove the lumps from the water, and place the plant in another vessel, also with fresh water. After several hours, the lemon is planted in a new flower pot.
First, cover the bottom of the pot with a 3-4 cm layer of earthen mixture, composed as described above. After this, the plant is placed in a pot and the mixture is added there, being careful not to damage the roots. Periodically, the soil is moistened with water so that it adheres better to the roots.
Remember that if there is not enough soil in the pot, the plant's growth will suffer.
Other articles in the “Garden and Vegetable Garden” section:
- 24.07.12 How to speed up the fruiting of homemade lemons (3 ways)
- 07.20.12 Black nightshade - a brother of tomato, pepper, eggplant, potato
- 07/16/12 Golden currant
- 07/14/12 How to grow lemon in an apartment
- 07/14/12 How to grow sea buckthorn
- 07/12/12 Protection of apple, pear, plum, cherry trees
- 07/11/12 Protection of currants and gooseberries, raspberries and strawberries
- 07/10/12 How to grow dwarf pomegranate
- 07/10/12 Peppermint: cultivation and use
- 07/06/12 Houseplants: chlorophytum, monstera, cissus, scindapsus
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How to stimulate lemon blossoms
Homemade lemons are the most spectacular and ornamental plants. Delighting everyone with its bright leaves and fragrant flowers, this culture belongs to the capricious type. The slightest disturbance in cultivation leads to a lack of flowering and fruiting. Consistent and competent care contributes to the proper development of the plant. There are several ways you can make a lemon bloom.
Lemon blossom from seed
The technology for growing lemons from seeds begins with the extraction and selection of large seedlings from the fruit. Planting several selected seeds, after pre-treatment with sodium humanate or heteroauxin preparations, is carried out immediately in separate containers.
How lemon blossoms photo
Sprouted in greenhouse conditions. When the seedlings reach a height of 7 - 10 cm, a high-quality selection is carried out, which is carried out with transplantation into a large container. The formation of a bush begins with pinching the top.
How to make homemade lemon bear fruit video
Proper care of lemon will bring abundant flowering in 4 - 5 years. Particular attention is paid to uniform illumination of the plant, with periodic rotation.
How to make lemons bloom at home
In autumn winter period required additional lighting. IN summer time It is recommended to take the lemon tree out into the fresh air more often.
Citrus grown from seeds is better suited for home use compared to store-bought citrus.
Ways to stimulate lemon blossoms:
Graft
Correctly carried out grafting allows a lemon grown from a seed to bloom earlier and produce fruits 3-4 years after planting.
The eye grafting method is the most popular method. Grafting with a cutting occurs by selecting a branch with a small amount leaves. In this case, two methods are used: “by the bark” and “into the split.”
How to graft a lemon video
Vaccination is carried out in the phase of active sap flow - April - May. The procedure applies to mature trees with thick trunks and branches. During this period, their bark is freely separated from the wood. There are 5 - 6 young leaves per growth. Using a knife with a sharp blade will allow you to perform the operation quickly and efficiently. Careful tight binding ensures strong alignment. After 3 weeks, a yellow leaf petiole near the eye indicates a successful grafting procedure.
If the bark does not lag well, the graft may not take root.
Top dressing
Feeding is very important for lemon trees. Growing crops in limited space requires correct dosing when applying fertilizers. During flowering, it is carried out once every 2 weeks. In winter, the amount of fertilizing is reduced to 1 time per month. Lemon responds well to both organic matter and humic fertilizer: Lemon “Mother Earth”, Gumi-Omi Kuznetsova Lemon. Natural preparations have a balanced composition for growing a full-fledged citrus tree.
Regular feeding of citrus gives good flowering during the period February - August.
Crown formation
Lemon also contributes to good flowering correct pruning, starting from the first year of tree life. Annual pruning of the tops leads to the final formation of a crown with 6 - 8 main branches, in the 3rd - 4th year of development during the flowering period.
Blooming lemon photo
Sometimes, with a well-formed crown, it is possible to achieve early flowering in the second year of life. The formation of flowers begins on fruitlets - thin branches.
The lower shoots must be removed when they appear, as they do not bloom and take up moisture.
Pulling branches
At the beginning of the sap flow period, the branches on the citrus tree become flexible. Tightening the branches with soft wire is carried out in order to concentrate nutrients in them, which subsequently contribute to the formation of flowers on next year.
Blooming lemon photo
Giving the branches a more horizontal position allows you to achieve a spreading crown shape that resembles a fountain. The plant is released from the garter with the onset of November - at the end of sap flow.
The tightening procedure is repeated after 1 - 2 years.
Indoor lemons, like other citrus fruits, are very popular for their decorative edible fruits, fragrant white flowers and shiny dense dark green leaves that saturate the air in the room with aromas. essential oils and phytoncides. It’s especially joyful to admire the bright fruits in the house lemon tree when it's cold winter outside. The vitamin-rich juicy pulp of elliptical yellow fruits with a small number of seeds is pleasant, without bitterness. Lemons easily tolerate the warm, dry air of living spaces; most varieties do not suffer from low humidity and insufficient lighting.
Special varieties of lemons adapted to indoor conditions grow well in the house and quickly begin to bear fruit: old proven varieties “Meyer”, “Pavlovsky”, “Novogruzinsky”, “Kursky”, “Maikopsky”, “Lisbon”, “Genoa”, “Ponderosa” , “Villa Franca” and new cultivars.
Indoor lemons are different:
- compact, well-leafed crown;
- abundant flowering, remontant, good fruit set;
- early fruiting, early ripening and not very sour pleasant taste lemon trees with a smooth or lumpy surface, thin or thick peel (the average fruit weight is about 100-150 grams, but when their quantity is reduced, the fruits can reach 500 g (“Pavlovsky”) and even 1 kg (“Ponderosa”);
- good rooting of green cuttings.
Lemons grown from seeds begin to bear fruit after 8-12 years. If seedlings are grafted with shoots from fruit-bearing specimens, then the grafted lemons can bloom 2-3 years after grafting ( different types Citrus fruits are well grafted onto one another: the rootstock is plants obtained from seeds, and the scion is cultivated varieties of citrus fruits).
With active growth of grafted plants, the fruiting period may be delayed, then flowering is stimulated by pruning. Some varieties of lemon, propagated green cuttings, they begin to bloom early to the detriment of growth (even at the stage of rooted cuttings, which is undesirable) - it is better to cut off the early flowers. To cut lemons, well-bending semi-lignified shoots are taken from a healthy fruiting tree: in the spring - autumn growth, in the summer - spring growth.
In an adult, well-developed plant, there is no need to regulate flowering; the number of ovaries is independently regulated by the lemon tree in accordance with its capabilities (excess flowers fall off). Practice shows that stable fruiting of lemon occurs when there are 10-15 leaves per ovary.
At proper care lemons bloom in the house several times a year from February to October. During the flowering period optimal temperature the room is 20 degrees, the time from the beginning of flowering to the ripening of the fruit is 8-12 months. Often the fruiting branch on which the fruit has ripened is delayed in growth for a long time, so it is better to cut the fruit not at the place of its attachment, but by grabbing a shoot with 1-2 internodes. This technique allows you to accelerate the onset of branch growth and at the same time improve the shape of the crown.
Spreading
Homeland - India, China and the tropical Pacific islands. Unknown in the wild. Widely cultivated in many countries with subtropical climates. Cultivated in the Caucasus, on the Black Sea coast, and in Central Asia. Common in greenhouse and indoor culture. Lemon - perennial, evergreen. There are trees aged 45 years. Indoor lemon cultivation is currently widespread throughout almost all of Russia. The city of Pavlovo-on-Oka, Nizhny Novgorod region, has become a distribution center indoor culture lemon, known as Pavlovsk lemon. Each tub of trees can produce 10-30 fruits. There are cases when one tub tree bore 180-200 fruits annually. The fruits of these indoor lemons are different good quality and size, not inferior to the best southern varieties. Pavlovsk lemon is early-ripening, medium-sized, propagated by cuttings. The lemon tree is 150 cm high, crown diameter 75-85 cm, few thorns, fruiting begins in the 3rd year after rooting of the cuttings. It blooms 2 times a year - in March - April and in October. The fruits ripen in 8-9 months during the period November - May. In addition to Pavlovsky, other varieties are suitable for indoor cultivation: Ponderosa (aka Skiernevitsky), Genoa, Lisbon, Lunario, Novogruzinsky, Maikopsky, Chinese dwarf (aka Meyer lemon), etc.
Care
Transfer
Lemon seedlings at 1-3 years of age are transplanted every year into fresh soil. Mature plants every 2-3 years. Lemons can be replanted at any time of the year, but it is better in the spring.
The soil
The soil should be nutritious and loose, neutral or slightly acidic. The tree will bear less fruit if you use “garden” soil. Not every gardener can make the right mixture on his own. I recommend buying soil at the store. But not every one is suitable.
Land "Lemon" is suitable.
Watering
It is necessary to water with settled tap water room temperature.
In winter, do not be afraid of hypothermia of the earthen lump of citrus fruits on the windowsill - reduce watering and water the plant only when necessary to avoid rotting of the roots and death of the tree.
Top dressing
Trees must be watered with fertilizers 3-4 times a month.
Apply mineral fertilizers with microelements, 2-3 grams of fertilizer are dissolved in a liter of water.
Lighting
In winter, when daylight hours are short, it is advisable to keep citrus trees at a temperature of 7-14 degrees Celsius. The tree “falls asleep” at this temperature and does not require good lighting. If the tree is grown in warm room, with an air temperature of +18...+22°C, it is advisable to additionally illuminate it, so that the total daylight hours are 10-12 hours a day.
Lemons that are grown on the windowsills of southern windows should be protected from sunburn and overheating of the roots on hot sunny days - move the pot with the lemon tree deeper into the room from the windowsill. Unlike other citrus fruits, some varieties of lemons do not tolerate direct sunlight.
Lemon crown formation
We recommend making the lemon crown in the form of a bush with a low trunk of 12-20 cm (to the leaves). But sometimes they specially make a high graft. In order to balance the crown, the tree is occasionally turned very carefully and no more than once every 2-3 years.
FAQ (frequently asked questions):
Why do lemon leaves fall off?
Lemon is very sensitive to changes in lighting, so it should not be moved from place to place, otherwise it will not grow until it adapts to the new conditions. The plant is tolerant to any room temperature, but not higher than 14-18C winter time. In this case, he begins to experience untimely growth, which significantly depletes him. The most favorable temperature in winter is 13-14C. It is enough to water two to three times a week with settled water.
From April to August, lemons are fed two to three times a week, alternating mineral fertilizers with organic ones, but in small doses. During the summer strong growth Abundant watering is required so that the soil does not dry out.
For successful fruiting of a lemon tree, it is important to form the crown correctly. In the first year of life, in early February, the top of the plant is cut off, leaving 4 leaves. In the summer, 3-4 branches will develop from the axils of these leaves, the tops of which are also cut off the following year, leaving two leaves on each branch. On each of the first-order branches, two second-order shoots are allowed to develop: a crown of 6-8 main branches is obtained, on which shoots of the third and fourth orders will subsequently develop. It is on them that the fruits will appear.
The so-called fat shoots that have grown on the lower part of the trunk must be cut out, because they do not bear fruit and inhibit the growth of other branches.
I planted a lemon seed. Do I need special care? What needs to be done to start bearing fruit?
A lemon planted from a seed bears fruit only after 8-12 years; this will happen much earlier if compact plants are grafted onto them. indoor varieties.
Lemon can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering. Lemon seeds grow strong and beautiful healthy plants, saturating the air in the room with phytoncides, but they do not bloom for a very long time. Special indoor lemon varieties up to 2 meters high quickly begin to bear fruit in the house: “Meyer”, “Pavlovsky”, “Novogruzinsky”, “Kursky”, “Maikopsky”, “Lisbon”, “Genoa”, “Ponderosa”, “Villa Franca” and new cultivars. Indoor lemons and other citrus fruits are very popular for their decorative edible fruits, white fragrant flowers against a background of shiny evergreen leaves. Flowers and fruits appear on the lemon all year round often at the same time, the fruits last for weeks and months.
Lemon leaves are curling. Why? And how to prevent it?
Curling of lemon leaves can occur as a result of unfavorable conditions content (lack of fresh air, dry air, infrequent spraying, insufficient watering), and due to damage by herbivorous mites (wipe the lemon leaves with a soft sponge dipped in hot 50-degree soapy water - 20 g of liquid green soap per 1 liter of water, the next After the procedure, give the lemon a “shower” the day after the procedure). Take the lemon out into the fresh air in the summer, place the lemon pot in a wide container of water on a stand (so that water does not flow into the drainage hole), water the lemon regularly in the summer and spray it at least 2 times a day.
appeared on lemon leaves brown spots. What to do?
Brown spots on lemon leaves indicate errors in plant care (excessive or insufficient watering, dry air, lack of substrate).
Follow these conditions for caring for lemon:
- In summer, lemon needs a warm and sunny location (preferably in outdoors), in winter - light at a temperature of 15 -18 degrees;
- uniform, moderate soil moisture from spring to autumn, rare watering in winter;
- It is better to filter water for watering lemons: citruses do not tolerate chlorine, lime water causes chlorosis of leaves (if there is no filter, boil the water for watering or leave it for at least 24 hours in an open container);
- in winter, water with melt water heated to room temperature;
- from March to August, lightly fertilize lemon every week (alternate organic and mineral fertilizers);
- in winter foliar feeding Once a month by spraying the entire citrus tree with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
- Sprinkling lemon frequently boiled water room temperature and sometimes rinsing the crown in the shower;
- to humidify the air, place the pot of citrus in a wide tray with water (on a stand so that no water gets into the drainage hole);
- small and careful pruning;
- Transplanting lemons in early March when the soil is completely entwined with roots.
For lemon, a substrate made from a mixture of turf, humus soil and sand in a ratio of 3:1:1 is suitable (for adult plants, take twice as much humus soil) add a little clay.
When replanting, lemon roots cannot be trimmed; remove only dried and damaged roots.
A pot of lemon requires good drainage (from coarse sand, pebbles, charcoal) , on which put a little dry manure, and then soil.
Damage to indoor lemons by scale insects. How to save a plant?
Scale insects appear on plants when the air is excessively dry. Lemon needs frequent spraying.
If there is a large invasion of scale insects, you have to resort to spraying the lemon with Actellik (2 ml per liter of water) - you can carry out three treatments with it per season with an interval of 5-10 days.
Try placing the tree in a mini-greenhouse and regularly spraying bare lemon branches with Epin solution, ventilating the greenhouse - if the roots are alive, your tree will definitely produce new leaves.
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What goal do people pursue when growing citrus fruits at home? Of course, basically everyone dreams of seeing large ripe fruits on a small tree growing in a small pot on the windowsill; and only a few take care of plants for years, despite the fact that there is not even a hint of flowering, considering them to be quite exotic and decorative. It can be difficult to wait for fruiting not only from seedlings, but even from cuttings taken from cultivated plants and many people wonder: How to make a lemon bloom?". This article will discuss methods for accelerating the fruiting of citrus fruits.
However, citrus fruits are not much different from fruit trees in the garden and all the methods that are practiced on apple or pear trees are applicable to lemons, oranges, etc. Vegetation and flowering are two opposite processes. That is, the tree either spends all its energy on growth or on planting flower buds. Well, the optimal balance is when the tree grows well and at the same time gives good harvest. Logically, the conclusion suggests itself: in order to make a tree bloom, you need to reduce its growth force, but not through poor care (although there were cases that seedlings bloomed precisely after the influence negative factors, but I would not risk purposefully suppressing the plant). I know of several methods that will speed up fruiting, but, of course, they do not provide a 100% guarantee that any seedling will bloom in the near future.
Crown formation
Anyone who follows my blog knows that I believe that correctness is the most important factor in citrus fruiting. Many resources write that you can only wait for flowers on branches of the 5th-6th order. This is true, but let's figure out why this is so. I have never seen shoots of such order being fatty: that is, powerful, vigorously growing, and directed mainly strictly vertically. They usually appear on the trunk or branches of 1-2 orders. If they are not removed, pruned and left to grow vertically, they usually develop the same fatty shoots in the buds. If you don’t want to remove such a shoot, you can bend it down. Even a bent fatty shoot will in the future produce normal shoots with a chance of setting flower buds. The more we tilt horizontally, the greater the chances. That is, we conclude: vertical shoots are aimed at intensive growth, while horizontal shoots are aimed at fruiting. It is worth bending the branches when they have not yet matured; they are very elastic and allow you to bend them in any direction.
Padding
Hauling is another method aimed at inhibiting vegetation and the outflow of beneficial substances accumulated in the leaves. This simple technique can be performed both on the trunk and on individual strongly vegetative skeletal branches. To do this, you need a soft copper wire, which we tighten around the branch so that it cuts a little into the bark. As it grows and thickens, the cutting will become deeper, so periodically the constriction can be loosened so that there are no unsightly bulges and growths, or it can be moved a little higher or lower.
Banding
Banding is already a “surgical” operation that requires cutting off a ring of bark (hence the name). With this method we achieve the same thing as with reupholstery, but it has some features. It is advisable to carry out ringing during active sap flow, when the bark is easily separated from the wood, but the constriction can be done at any time. To perform ringing, you need sharp knife make 2 cuts in the bark to the wood in a circle at a distance of about 1 cm, one from the other. Then connect them with a vertical cut and carefully remove this ring of bark. Turn it upside down and put it back. Next you need to wrap it tightly, just like when grafting.
Cold winter
When the temperature drops to 2-5 degrees, all vital processes of citrus fruits slow down greatly and the tree goes into “hibernation”, gaining strength. It's also very important factor, which affects the possibility of flower buds awakening in the spring.
Verdelli method
One of the unusual practices for stimulating the flowering of lemons and limes that grow in open ground is the so-called Verdelli method. Its essence is simple: in the summer the tree is limited in watering and one begins to fade. Then watering is abruptly resumed with the addition of nitrogen fertilizers, which provokes vigorous flowering. This explains the cases when seedlings in room conditions with poor care they can bloom much earlier than their counterparts that were grown in compliance with agricultural techniques. But you should use this method very carefully because you can ruin the tree. I believe that this method is relevant for all citrus crops.Fertilizers
Each of the macroelements has its own influence on different life processes of plants. I won’t go into detail about everything, but I’ll just write on the topic that phosphorus is responsible for flowering and fruiting. Therefore, to speed up fruiting, citrus fruits can be fed with superphosphate or complex fertilizers with a predominance of phosphorus. On each package, the manufacturer must indicate the ratio of macroelements N-P-K, where “P” is phosphorus. But you should not get carried away with fertilizing, because overfeeding with phosphorus, as well as other elements, will have a very negative effect on the plant.
Today, homemade lemon has become very popular. This is a room dweller that can easily be purchased at the store. Many people choose it because it is exotic, but before purchasing such plants, you need to know how to care for lemon at home. After all, if not cared for properly, the lemon does not bloom and the plant does not set fruit. In this article we will tell you what to do to make a lemon bloom.
In general, during the period that the tree will be in a new pot, it will have time to take root there and get used to the new place. Therefore, when replanting, simply select a larger pot for it; the earthen lump itself in which it grew before can be left. Naturally, if this is not done on time, your pet is unlikely to bloom in cramped conditions.
Inappropriate conditions
In addition to following agricultural practices, caring for a lemon means providing it good conditions. Otherwise, he will not please you with a single flower.
Unsuitable soil. If the soil where the tree was planted is highly acidic or alkaline, your pet begins to wither and lose flowers. In order to determine the acidity of the soil, it is enough to use litmus paper. If this was indeed the problem, it is necessary to give it a slightly acidic reaction.
Lack of sunlight. This plant is very thermophilic, so for optimal development it needs a sufficient amount sunny color. You shouldn't expect beautiful flowers without it. It would be best to place it on a window that is oriented to the south or southwest.
And remember that under straight lines Sun rays It’s better not to expose your pet – it’s fraught sunburn, and then you’ll have to think about how to revive the poor plant. Then you don’t have to ask why the lemon doesn’t bloom.
Watering cold water. Flowers and trees are usually watered with warm water. A lemon tree is also no exception to the rule - watering it with cold water will nullify all attempts of the tree to bloom.
A sharp change in conditions of detention. A sudden change of environment has a detrimental effect on this citrus tree. For example, you decided to move your pet to the sun, although before that it was always in the shade. Or they took it out onto the street indoor plant without hardening it beforehand. Naturally, if the situation changes so abruptly, the tree simply does not have time to adapt to the new conditions. It is because of this “stress” that it can stop blooming. Therefore, if you decide to change the conditions of detention, do it gradually so as not to provoke stressful situations.
Lack of vitamins and minerals
It is imperative to feed your pet - after all, for full growth and development, he needs nutrients, which he receives thanks to regular feeding. Fertilize the tree twice a month (during the active growth phase), and take a short break for the winter.
