Kira Stoletova
Pruning lemons at home is necessary not only to give indoor plant a neat appearance, but also to ensure flowering and fruiting.
Purpose of pruning and principles of implementation
Pruning lemon tree carried out for the following reasons:
- to give the crown a decorative look,
- to rejuvenate and prolong life life cycle adult plant
- to reduce the risk of fungal and bacterial diseases,
- to ensure fruiting and extend its duration.
Principles of conducting
Lemons are trimmed at home, following a number of rules:
- Pruning is carried out at the dormant stage, which occurs in late autumn-early spring, until young shoots appear.
- To improve the quality of fruiting for the next year, pruning is planned for the end of autumn.
- Before pruning an adult lemon tree, fruit is removed from it at the fruiting stage. The right time for pruning adult citrus for aesthetic purposes - spring, from April to May.
- Side shoots at the first level are cut to a length of up to 25 cm, at the second level - no more than 10 cm, all subsequent shoots - up to 5 cm.
An incorrectly carried out procedure will give the citrus tree an inappropriate direction of development, disrupting the processes of flowering and fruiting.
Main stages
The procedure for pruning lemons at home for beginning gardeners is conventionally divided into 2 stages.
Initial stage
The first time a lemon tree is pruned is in the first or second year of life. This is done so that indoor citrus does not stretch out and bear fruit. The right time is February.
Subsequent stage
Second and subsequent cuts homemade lemon involve the formation of a crown and include:
- partial pruning of overly actively developing branches that take up most of the nutrition,
- complete removal of dead and old branches that cause diseases,
- pruning shoots that prevent each other from developing due to their dense arrangement, leaving the strongest shoot.
Strong shoots that grow vertically are removed, leaving less strong shoots that grow horizontally, which will ensure proportional growth of the crown both in breadth and length. At the top of the lemon head, the upward growing shoot is cut off.
Scheme
How to properly trim a lemon at home:
- In the first year of the plant’s life cycle, the central trunk is cut off at a height of 20-30 cm from the surface of the soil in the pot, leaving 3-4 developed buds, from which young shoots are formed and later lateral branches develop.
The kidneys should be at the same level as different sides central trunk.
- In the second year, vertically developing branches are additionally removed, shortening them by 25 cm. At the same time, the growth of 3-4 new shoots is observed. If only one shoot develops, they resort to the breaking-out procedure: it is completely removed to ensure the formation of other young shoots.
- In the third year of life indoor lemon cut off the third-order tier.
- In the fourth year, the formation of the crown is completed by cutting off the branches of the fifth order. After this stage is completed, the citrus begins to bear fruit.
Pruning problems and their solutions
In some cases, difficulties arise:
- In place of the cut branches, so-called tops develop - vertically growing branches that are not capable of bearing fruit. Compared to fruit-bearing ones, they are distinguished by an increased growth rate and take a significant share of nutrients in the process of caring for citrus, preventing the remaining shoots from developing. To correct this situation, they are removed completely or cut to 25 cm.
- Even if all pruning rules are followed, in some cases homemade citrus does not bear fruit, so it is worth taking a closer look at the working shoots, whose tops are pinched, which gives impetus to the formation of fruits. Pinching is carried out when the branches have 6-7 leaves.
- A lemon tree over 15 years old often stops bearing fruit, regardless of quality care. Allows you to increase fruiting spring pruning crown, in which all branches up to 4-5 orders are cut off, the plant is transplanted into new pot, having previously shortened the roots by 30%. This stimulates the activity of dormant buds and gives impetus to the formation of new shoots.
A lemon tree can be grown at home from an ordinary seed, but the easiest way to do this is by cuttings. What to do when the plant has grown? In the warm season, it is better to take it out into the garden under a canopy or onto the balcony. They really like it here: the turgor of the leaves improves, and the green mass begins to actively grow. In winter, the tree needs to have a dormant period. In the room where he is located, the temperature is maintained at +18 degrees.
Usually Pavlovsk lemon is grown in the form of a small compact bush with branches hanging down, up to 1.5 m high. The plant can also be formed on a trunk with a small crown, but this is not so simple. Lemon has its own, sometimes unpredictable, character. For some time, the plant does not want to grow shoots on all sides and looks one-sided. Then suddenly he suddenly throws out the lashes, the length of which, even after pinching, still increases.
When and how to prune?
Lemons have three growth periods during the growing season. The first occurs in mid-March and continues until early June. The second is from mid-June to mid-July. And the last one - from mid-September to the end of October (the beginning of the onset of winter dormancy). You can prune the plant at any of the indicated periods.
If you radically trim the branches to the desired length, then there will be no fruit this year. Therefore, corrective pruning must be carried out; last year’s growth must be shortened a little. Most often, flowers appear on them, since small pruning stimulates these processes. Literally a week after pruning, new growth points form on bare branches.
In addition to pruning, you can pinch out young shoots at the level of the third leaf. Pinching, unlike pruning (this is always stressful for any plant), is a less painful procedure. If time permits, it is better to inspect the lemon more often and pinch the shoots in time.
Another example of pruning a lemon is as follows: if only the lower bud has woken up, but you need to awaken the second one, which is looking up, you can break off a young shoot, and then it will most likely wake up.
To standardize the future harvest, it is necessary to leave 10 fruits at the rate of 1 lemon per 10 leaves, and remove the remaining ovaries. By the way, lemon fruits grow on branches of at least the fourth order.
Why does my home lemon tree drop its fruit?
Sometimes the lemon itself begins to drop small fruits. There may be several reasons. This and improper watering, and non-compliance temperature regime, and moving the plant to another location.
During flowering and fruiting of lemons, it is important to balance the temperature of the soil in the pot with the temperature in the room. To do this, you need to lift it from the floor to a small hill. As a rule, in our houses and apartments the difference in temperature in the floor area and above is 5-8 degrees. This is often one of the reasons why a lemon may drop its fruit.
Lemon is a wonderful plant that many people want to have in their home. Being heat-loving and whimsical, it requires increased tireless attention and troublesome care, so it would be useful to familiarize yourself with some information on its cultivation. In appropriate conditions, a tree can bloom beautifully, filling the room with a delightful aroma, and bear fruit, giving the owner healthy and tasty fruits almost constantly.
Conditions for proper cultivation and care of homemade lemon
Lemon is classified as a remontant plant. But in order for it to produce a harvest at home, you first need to choose the right variety. Dwarf citruses are pleasing to the eye and decorate the home, but they do not produce a very large harvest. Tall trees have large fruits, but require a lot of effort to care for. They need to be trimmed and tied up more often.
Like any plant, citrus loves light. It is optimal to place it on a window on the southeast side. On windows facing north, the lemon will need lighting, especially in winter, and on windows facing south, you need to take care of its shading.
The temperature regime is no less important for the tree. It feels good when room temperature. During the formation of buds on the lemon, the room should be about 15 ˚C. Higher temperatures lead to drying out and the buds are dropped; when low, they may stop appearing. In summer, to make caring for the lemon easier, you should move the pot to Fresh air on a glazed balcony, while not forgetting about the undesirability of sudden temperature changes.
The soil around the lemon roots should be evenly moistened. Warm, settled water is used for irrigation. In summer, water every other day, in winter - once every few days, also spraying around the lemon so that the air is not dry, otherwise the foliage begins to curl.
At home, the plant also needs feeding. Organic blends are best for citrus that you have had growing for several years. It is advisable to apply fertilizer in liquid form.
Lemon fruits take a very long time to ripen and can be picked a little greenish. It is worth noting that the fruits of this plant can hang on the tree for up to three years. According to reviews from fans, the taste of homemade lemon fruits differs from store-bought ones for the better.
Pruning at home
Pruning, like care, helps the growth of the plant, is carried out in order to form beautiful shape bush and improve fruiting. So, the trunk of a small tree is pinched already at a height of about 20 cm.
This allows for the development of branches on the side. Be sure to cut off all vertical branches. You need to make sure that they do not grow vertically. To do this, the shoots are tilted to the side, tying them to a stick placed in the pot.
Young indoor lemons should be trimmed correctly in winter, before the start of spring. There must be a branch with buds at the bottom. Next, the already sprouted lemon shoots are cut off, leaving three buds on them. The tree is cared for during its growth and beyond in a similar way. If the lemon is not trimmed, there is a high probability of having only the main stem or the formation of a very dense bush.
Fruits do not appear on the first lemon branches. They can only be expected if there is a fourth row of branches from the ground, so you will have to patiently care for the tree. In order for the crown of a homemade lemon to acquire an oval shape, the pot must be turned frequently in the window. If there are greater demands on the beauty of the tree, wire is used to secure the branches in the desired direction.
To preserve the shape of the bush and stimulate the growth of the branch, when collecting ripe fruits, not only the stalk is cut off, but also a separate piece of the branch on which the fruit is located.
Pruning is also necessary in the presence of diseases and to prevent them. Dry branches must be removed. To support a depleted home lemon, you should pick the flowers, leaving only a couple of buds.
Transplanting lemons at home
Properly replant a plant in early spring or autumn. The tree is taken out of the pot along with the pre-moistened soil, being careful not to damage the roots. If rotten roots are found, they are cut off.
A correctly selected pot should be spacious enough. Place drainage at the bottom, a certain amount organic fertilizer and land. The lemon tree is placed in the center, then soil is added.
Features of lemon care in unfavorable home conditions
Indoor lemon should take root in specific home conditions. Even minor changes in them (temperature or humidity) can negatively affect the development of the plant. We offer you some tips for caring for citrus in adverse conditions.
When the soil dries out, the leaves turn yellow and brown. You can’t water the plant right away big amount water due to the possibility of destruction of roots. It is worth moistening a little near the root and spraying the foliage, and wrap the trunk with a damp cloth for a while.
With increased watering, leaves begin to fall off your homemade lemon. In this case, it is worth replanting the plant. The lemon is taken out along with the ground, allowed to dry, placed in not too moist soil, and subsequently observing a moderate watering regime.
A frozen lemon plant is practically impossible to revive. The trunk becomes dark, the leaves fall off. In this case, we can advise you to move the lemon tree to a warm place under a lamp for illumination, transplant it into another container, removing dead roots and branches.
When too high temperature and strong influence of direct sun rays appear on lemon leaves brown spots. The pot should be removed from overheating, the plant should be shaded from the sun, and protected from burns.
You cannot change the place where citrus grows very often, as it takes a long time to adapt to new conditions. The plant does not like drafts and stagnant air.
Brown leaf color may be an indicator of poor home conditions and poor care. Possible reason This will result in inappropriate soil acidity. In this case, the plant should be replanted by choosing a different soil.
It is necessary to constantly inspect the tree for the presence of pathogens and pests. Ticks and scale insects love to settle on citrus fruits at home. You should completely rinse the lemon with water several times at intervals of a couple of days.
Using infusions of garlic or onion for spraying helps against ticks. To combat scale insects, you can try wiping the trunk and leaves with soap.
We hope that our article will help you make caring for your citrus plant easier.
Lemon is often grown at home. This is not only a beautiful tree, it is also capable of bearing fruit. When growing and caring for lemon at home, the formation of the crown and regular pruning trees play a significant role. Thanks to correct pruning the tree will look beautiful, neat and well-groomed. In addition, the growth activity of the tree depends on the correct pruning.
Why is pruning necessary?
Lemon pruning is done to achieve the following goals:
- maintaining a beautiful and well-groomed crown shape;
- security correct height tree and fruiting;
- extension of life and duration of fruiting;
- rejuvenation of an old tree;
- reducing the likelihood of developing tree diseases.
Pruning a lemon at home is not only done so that the tree begins to bear fruit faster and more. Pruning also performs only decorative tasks to make the tree look beautiful.
How to trim a lemon at home in a pot?
Pruning must be approached competently, otherwise you can harm the tree. There are several basic rules for cutting a lemon:
- The tree should be pruned when it is dormant. This condition occurs during the cool season;
- All fruits should be removed from a tree that is already bearing fruit before pruning;
- the lowest shoots are shortened by 25 cm, those next from the bottom - by a maximum of 10 cm, the rest - by no more than 5 cm.
There is nothing complicated about pruning. But mistakes cannot be made, since the tree may grow in the wrong direction.
Correcting errors will require pruning a large number of branches, which will slow down the development of the tree. Therefore, before pruning a lemon at home, you should consider in detail the scheme and sequence of removing branches.
When to prune a lemon tree?
There is no consensus among citrus growers regarding the timing of pruning lemons grown in pots. According to most, it is best to trim the tree in early spring, before young shoots have yet appeared.
But even in winter, a slight thinning of the crown is allowed. To improve fruiting throughout the next season, it is also recommended to prune the lemon tree closer to the beginning of winter.
First lemon pruning
The first pruning plays a vital role in terms of fruiting. Pruning must be done in the 1st year of life of the lemon tree. Pruning should be done at a height of about 20 cm.
It is important to leave 3-4 full healthy buds, which are necessary for the appearance of young shoots. Lateral branches will form from them. Lemon pruning is done with pruning shears.
Pruning young tree, remove branches that grow vertically. It is advisable to carry out this procedure in February.
The height of the tree is determined by the location of the pot. If it is on a windowsill, do not let the tree grow too tall. Based on this, the shape of the crown is determined.
Second and subsequent cuts
Starting from the 2nd year of life, lateral branches will form on the tree. These shoots are usually called first-order branches. Their number should be 3-4 units. Therefore, in the 1st year, exactly 3-4 buds are left during the pruning process.
To form branches of the 3rd order, the tree should also be pruned correctly. After this, the tree will form a crown on its own. When the branches of the 4th order grow, the process of fruiting should begin.
Ways to remove branches
There are two main options for pruning branches:
- partial. Large branches are made 25 cm shorter;
- complete. The branch is completely cut off. The method is usually only relevant for dried or damaged shoots, which can cause tree diseases to develop.
Shoots need to be cut off if they create obstacles to each other's growth. Weak shoots need to be removed and the strongest ones left. In the case of vertical strong shoots, they should also be cut off. At the top of the tree, first of all, the shoot, which is directed vertically, is cut off.
Lemon tree pruning diagram
The tree should be pruned according to this scheme:
In the 1st year, only the trunk is cut so that the lateral branches begin to grow. Without such pruning, the tree will be too long and sparse. The plant should be 25-30 cm in height.
In the 2nd year, cut off the side branches. This promotes the formation of young shoots. The latter should be about 3. If only 1 shoot has formed, it is cut off to stimulate the development of others.
Then the 3rd order branches are pruned.
When the branches of the 5th order are cut, the crown is considered formed. From this moment fruiting begins.
The subtleties of lemon trimming at home
Experienced citrus growers give several useful recommendations for pruning a lemon tree:
- After pruning, the cut areas must be treated with garden varnish. In case of complete removal of thin branches, processing may not be performed;
- the tree needs to be pruned every year to create a neat decorative crown;
- all weak and vertical shoots must be removed;
- The tops of fruiting shoots are cut off to activate the process of fruit formation. The top can be pinched when 6-7 leaves have formed.
If the tree is already quite old, it is worth doing rejuvenating pruning. It involves shortening old branches to stimulate the development of young shoots.
Photo instructions on how to trim a lemon
It is necessary to care for indoor lemons competently. This plant is quite demanding to care for, but among all citrus fruits it is considered the most suitable for a beginner. In addition to maintaining optimal temperature indoors, regular watering and fertilizing, there is another important component of the growing process indoor shrub. This is what pruning is. How to prune a lemon correctly, and how often is it recommended to do it? Let's consider the most important points more details.
Forming the crown of a young lemon is an important stage of care. But everything needs to be done correctly and in due time. Many experts argue that it is necessary to shorten the shoots of a tree immediately before all the life processes of the plant are activated, that is, in early spring. Moreover, it is not necessary to wait long: the first molding pruning is carried out when the lemon is approximately one year old. Optimal time to carry out such a procedure – February.
But there is a slightly different approach. There are many gardeners who prefer to prune lemons in the spring, when the plant is blooming. Interestingly, pruning indoor lemons is not necessarily carried out during a strictly specified period. In fact, this procedure can be carried out throughout the year. The main thing is to choose the right moment, and not remove shoots whenever you want. In autumn, for example, flower growers also rejuvenate shrubs. This is done after all vital processes of the citrus tree have stopped, and the sap flow is no longer so active.
Is it worth pruning a lemon in autumn and winter? In fact, it is even beneficial for the plant. This way you will improve the fruitfulness of the lemon tree. If we talk about the most optimal time for removing branches, this is, of course, spring. Having carried out this procedure during the period of active sap flow, you will be absolutely calm about your indoor flower. Remember: resort to such “treatment” only when necessary. Too frequent pruning of branches is fraught with low intensity of tree development.
Formation instructions
Pruning fruit-bearing lemons at home should be carried out taking into account the basic rules. If you shorten the branches incorrectly, you can only cause serious harm to the plant. Prune lemons at home based on the following guidelines:
- If desired, you can shorten all the branches of your homemade lemon. However, the procedure will be truly effective if you start from the trunk. The whole point is that in this way you will be able to form a bush plant that can bear fruit quite generously;
- you should not cut the tree trunk by more than 20 cm;
- At the end of the procedure, be sure to treat all cut areas. Use an antiseptic for this - garden var. Moreover, it is better not to touch the most fragile branches.
Remember: treating a home plant with an antiseptic after the crown has formed is very important. lemon tree It adapts much less well to new conditions if it grows in our climate. That is why any nuance you miss (for example, neglecting the need to process shortened branches) can lead to the bush becoming sick.
Effect of branching on pruning
Lemon pruning is not the easiest part of plant care. Only experienced specialists know how to form a crown efficiently. However, all this can be learned. The main thing is to master the intricacies of the process. Special attention Pay attention to the branching features of the lemon:
- the seedlings or occulant of the plant constitute one vertical shoot;
- during the second year of development of the lemon tree, lateral branches are formed on it, which, together with the vertical shoot, are classified as first order;
- After some time, branches of their own begin to form on the stronger side branches. They are already classified as second order.
What is interesting is only when citrus plant shoots of the fourth order are formed, the process of fruiting is possible. When a tree in a pot bears fruit, fruits are not formed on every branch, since the youngest and weakest shoots are still developing.
Crown formation
How to pinch correctly indoor tree lemon? Trim home plant according to the rules, it is simply necessary, otherwise you will not be too pleased with the results. When the growing season arrives, it’s time to start a similar procedure. First of all, it is necessary to remove the length from the main trunk. Only after this can you take on the remaining branches.
If you approach this pruning wisely and shorten almost all the branches of the lemon, it will grow and form much faster.
Do not think that your home tree will take the shape you need after the first removal of branches. It will take approximately 2–3 years to achieve the desired result. Remember, there should be several buds on each shoot. Otherwise, the branch can simply be cut off, but not the entire branch, but only the shoot. Many novice flower growers or those who have recently been faced with the need to learn the rules for pruning homemade lemons suddenly wonder what shape of crown they need.
