Growing lemon on the windowsill in the house is not uncommon. In order for a lemon tree to please with fragrant fruits and a beautiful appearance, you need to choose the right variety and competently take care of the exotic plant.
Houseplant Description
Novice gardeners are interested in what a lemon is: a berry, a vegetable or a fruit. According to botanical features, lemon is a plant that is part of the Rutov family, the genus Citrus, a subfamily of Pomerantsev.
Lemon tree - home and garden decoration
Withdrawal of the Pomerantsevs occurs if different varieties are crossed with citron. Citrus fruits differ in size, however, according to morphological properties, they belong to berries that underwent changes in the process of varietal cultivation. Lemon is the name of the hybrid fruit of this crop.
The birthplace of lemon plants is considered China and India, as well as the tropical islands of the Pacific Ocean. Lemon does not grow in the wild - the hybrid formed spontaneously and developed as a special species. A subtropical climate is the main condition for successful growth.
Additional Information. Lemon appeared in Russia in the XVII century. Dutch merchants brought seedlings of lemon trees to the court of the Russian emperor. The lemon ranger took care of a healthy and valuable culture.
In the CIS countries, lemon is grown in the Central Asian territories and Transcaucasia (especially the Azerbaijani regions, where cultivates a plant in creeping culture).
Lemon trees belong to evergreens. With the advent of winter, they do not dump foliage, which is a storage and accumulator of nutrients. Plants spend reserves on the development of branches, shoots, fruiting.
Lemon leaves are large, leathery, rich green. They live 2-3 years, gradually fall. A sharp drop of foliage indicates diseases, the need for feeding. Leaf loss adversely affects fruit formation.
Flowering falls in March-April. The formation of buds occurs on the young stems of this year. Spectacular citrus flowers have a fragrant smell. Their location (individually or in inflorescences of 3-5 pcs.) Is determined by the variety.
Lemon loves leaving
The dimensions of the fruit and color depend on the variety: from orange-yellow to light yellow. The fruits ripen for 8-9 months.
Lemon is a remontant culture; it is characterized by the simultaneous development of fruits and flowering.
Good light and warm humid air are preferable for a culture. The tree does not tolerate when there is no moisture and there is not enough air in the compacted soil. Temperature values of +50 ° C and -7 ° C are dangerous for lemon and lead to its death.
Beneficial features
Lemon is considered a source of valuable minerals and vitamins. Used in cooking. English lemon jam has a sour taste and delicate texture.
Medicine cannot do without it. Lemon essential oil has antibacterial and wound healing effects. It is indispensable in the following cases:
- stopping bleeding;
- elimination of headaches;
- positive impact on the psyche;
- resolution of dermatological problems;
- elimination of toxins;
- cleansing the kidneys and liver;
- neoplasm prevention;
- strengthening of blood vessels and heart;
- overweight reduction;
- normalization of metabolism.
Lemon is very healthy.
Traditional medicine notes the benefits of lemon for diarrhea and vomiting. In the treatment of snake bites, they could not do without a lemon.
Contraindications
Lemon is contraindicated if:
- there is an individual intolerance to the body;
- children under 3 years of age;
- allergy;
- duodenal ulcer or stomach;
- gastritis;
- pancreatitis
- liver dysfunction;
- breast-feeding.
Attention! To avoid harm and preserve tooth enamel, drink lemon juice diluted through a straw. Rinsing your tongue and mouth does not hurt.
How does lemon grow at home
Planting and growing a lemon tree at home is carried out by 2 methods:
- cuttings;
- with a bone.
- The third way is to buy a lemon seedling.
It is important for novice gardeners to know how lemon grows at home, and what are the features of cultivation.
A lemon tree grows at home up to 1.5 m. For it to grow successfully, you need the right choice of location. A bright room in the apartment will do. It is advisable to purchase a special lamp to illuminate the crown. Manipulation will reduce the risk of lemon disease.
In the absence of these capabilities, you will need to gently rotate the tree daily to the sun. It is forbidden to change the location of the pot, rearrange it in another room.
Growing lemon at home
Soil renewal and pot volume changes are made annually. The maximum volume of dishes for lemon is 10 liters. The transplant is carried out by the method of transshipment. 5-year-old plants are transplanted after 3 years.
They use a universal mixture for Citrus fruits, which includes the same parts:
- perlite;
- coal;
- peat;
- turf.
Temperature jumps are the cause of drying and yellowness of lemon leaves. It is important to keep the tree away from the radiators turned on. Do not allow overheating of the root system. Fruits are tied if the temperature is + 17 ... +18 ° C.
Ovary shedding provokes:
- lack of nutrients;
- dry air and earth;
- drafts;
- excess moisture:
- lack of lighting in the winter season;
- turns in different directions and a change of place.
On a note. In order for the culture to develop normally, sufficient lighting is required: 8 hours - in winter, 12 hours - in summer. Recommended placement at a bright window and additional lighting with a lamp at a distance of 0.5 m from the lemon.
Types and varieties for indoor cultivation
Systematic care and the creation of the necessary conditions will allow you to grow a lemon tree at home. The correct selection of varieties is appreciated. What types are suitable for indoor cultivation?
Pavlovsky
When growing Pavlovsky lemon, home care provides growth of up to 2 m and flowering throughout the year. Lemon tree bears fruit for 3 or 4 years. It will delight the tree with 20-40 fruits. One thing weighs up to a pound.
Description of the variety indicates abundant flowering of lemon. Untimely removal of excessive inflorescences is fraught with the cessation of its growth.
Meyer
The hybrid variety is leading in popularity. It was obtained by crossing grapefruit with lemon. A small tree gives fruits 3 or 4 times a year, weigh fruits up to 150 g. Meyer lemon requires thorough care:
- spraying foliage;
- draft protection;
- enough light.
An excess of lighting is undesirable due to the inhibition of flower setting.
The green pet will bear its first fruits in four years.
Meyer lemon blossoms
Chinese
If you cross an orange with a lemon, you get this variety. When properly cultivated, the variety blooms beautifully and bears fruit well. It is often used for medicinal purposes.
Chinese lemon
Anniversary
Undemanding variety reaches 1.2 m. Ideally adapted to home conditions. Unpretentious culture grows in partial shade.
When flowering, it is covered abundantly with white-purple buds. The weight of ripening fruits varies from 300 to 500 g. The shape is round or oval. The taste is excellent.
Genoa
Belongs to rare types of lemon. The mass of fruits is an average of 110 g. Adults bring up to 180 fruits annually. The peel of the fruit is edible, without bitterness, the flesh is tender. The lack of light in the required amount affects the poor development of the lemon.
Lisbon
The Australian variety has been successfully cultivated indoors. The height of the tree is average. Oval-elongated fruits with a wrinkled tip and a thin, shiny skin. The pulp has from 9 to 11 slices.
Lemon Lisbon
The fetus usually has 4-5 seed seeds, pronounced aroma. Fruits are perfectly transported and stored.
Maykop
Obtaining a variety of folk selection refers to the city of Maykop, where gardeners grew a lemon tree by selecting seedlings. The yield of an adult lemon tree is 300-350 fruits.
The plant adapts well to adverse indoor conditions. The advantage is dwarfism.
Hand of buddha
Lemon is called differently Corsican, or palmate. It has an unusual shape - a half-closed hand with fingers.
The fertile citron loves warmth and fears the cold. Reaches a height of 1.5 m. Intensive green leaves are large, slightly wavy, shiny. The color of large buds is white with a reddish tint.
Fancy Lemon - Buddha's Hand
The length of citrus fruits is sometimes equal to 40 cm. The fruit weighs up to 500 g. The color is yellow, sometimes orange specimens are found. The citron peel is dense, reaches a thickness of 2.5 cm. Externally, the fruits are similar to bananas. The plant has a wonderful aroma.
Ponderosis
The height of the tree reaches 1.8 m. The distinctive features of the fruit are its size and shape: pear-shaped above and spherical below. The skin is too rough and thick, bumpy, matte. The light yellow flesh is like an orange, but sweeter. The fruit includes:
- ascorbic acid - 40-80 mg;
- citric acid - 5-8%;
- sugar - 2.5%.
Lemon tree is decorative when it blooms and bears fruit.
Volcano
It is a hybrid of kumquat and lemon. The tree is characterized by a decorative appearance and compact size. The diameter of the fruit is 4 cm, the taste is sour and bitter.
Lemon Volcano
Lunario
The variety demanded by florists bears fruit 2 times a year. At the flowering stage, ripe fruits and flowers can be seen along with the ovaries. The growth of the Lunario lemon plant is from 0.8 to 1.5 m.
Novogruzinskiy
Intends for the enclosed space. The medium-sized tree is characterized by a spreading crown. Oval fruits have a wide, blunt protrusion at the end. The peel is pale yellow, smooth or rough, thick.
Variety Novogruzinsky
Juicy flesh usually has 9-12 segments. A little seed: from 2 to 6 pcs.
Uzbek Tashkent orange lemon: description and care
Optimal conditions for Tashkent lemon, if the temperature is + 18 ... 20 ° С. In summer, sometimes culture is taken out onto a loggia in the absence of strong sunlight.
Lemon tree Tashkent grade
Watering mode
It is not recommended to water the Uzbek lemon often. Enough 2-3 weekly watering. Use the settled water. The alkali content in the water changes the acidity of the soil where the seedling grows. For a tree, this is fraught with death - he likes a slightly acidic substrate. In the winter season, hydration is reduced.
For an orange lemon, moisture in the air near the tree is beneficial. You will need to spray the plant twice a day in the heat. When the culture is located near heating appliances, the air is periodically humidified.
Top dressing
Guests from Uzbekistan are fed:
- ashes;
- humus;
- saltpeter;
- mineral fertilizers;
- potassium;
- superphosphates.
Important! Soil does not feed the first year. They make complex fertilizers for 2-3 years with the arrival of spring and autumn.
Meyer lemon: description and care at home
Meyer's lemon tree requires good lighting: at least 12 hours a day. With a short daylight, artificial lighting is just right, otherwise the lemon will drop the foliage and die.
An unheated room is not a good place for wood.
He feels comfortable in the summer at a temperature of +20 ° C, in the winter season - + 12 ... +15 ° C. When on the street in the summer, shading from direct sunlight is provided for the shrub.
Watering mode
Watering the lemon is carried out under the root and foliage. At the same time moisturize the earth and spray leaves from a spray bottle. In the spring-summer season, the manipulation is repeated twice daily: in the evening and in the morning. In autumn and winter, the frequency of watering per week is adjusted to 2 times. The drying up of an earthen coma is fraught with the death of a lemon.
Top dressing
During the growing season, flower growers fuel the crop 1 every 14 days from March to November. Fertilizerthat contain nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium.
Attention! To improve the productivity of mineral fertilizers every 2-3 months, the soil is sprayed with a solution of copper, boron, zinc, molybdenum, iron or manganese.
For the winter, plant feeding is stopped.
Pavlovsky lemon: description and care at home
Watering mode
Lemon is sensitive to soil moisture in the pot. Drying of the soil and an excess of moisture are the reasons for slowing down growth, dropping leaves and stopping fruiting.
Watering the tree in the summer 2-3 times a week, in winter quite 1 time. Change in the frequency of humidification is associated with the features of the room. Determination of dryness of the earth coma is carried out by touch and regulate the frequency of watering. Humidify the earth profusely. Rainwater is ideal. Use water from the pond. Tap water should settle.
Important! They do not allow stagnation of liquid at the bottom of the tank, otherwise phytobalness and decay are threatened by the roots.
Top dressing
The introduction of nutrients into the pot begins 6 months after transplanting into a new soil. The lack of signal the pale and curled ends of the sheet plates.
Efficiency for homemade lemon is distinguished by diluted horse manure in a proportion of 1:15. In urban conditions, complex fertilizers are used for citrus plants. They are characterized by accessibility, safety and ease of use. Dosage is calculated based on the recommendations on the package.
Lemon Panderosa (Ponderosa): description and care at home
Cultivation of Ponderosa in the open field is almost not carried out due to the excessive size of fruits and low productivity. Old trees give a maximum of 10-15 fruits, in the room the crop is even lower - 2-5 pcs.
Watering mode
The lemon tree is not afraid of dry air, but he likes spraying. In winter, at home at elevated air temperatures it will not hurt to put a bucket of water next to the crop. When there is a dry summer, humidify the air. In rainy weather open a window.
Watering homemade lemon
When watering, completely moisten the earthen lump. Make the next watering when the soil has dried 2 cm in depth.
Top dressing
Make recharge regularly. Fertilizers for citrus are preferred. They contain essential nutrients for lemon, as well as a complex that acidifies the substrate. When feeding with other fertilizers, several drops of lemon juice are introduced into the water monthly.
They feed in the warm season systematically: once a week and a half. Keeping a tree at a low temperature does not require additional nutrition.
Lemon New Zealand: description and care at home
With soil dilution, the hybrid withstands frosts to -5 ° C. You rarely see him in open beds. Lemon is in demand for home cultivation.
On a note. This species of plant is not cultivated in New Zealand.
Watering mode
New Zealand lemon is watered 2 times a week indoors. In the active growing season, from late spring to early fall, the earth is moistened daily in small portions. Humidify with lingering tepid water.
Spraying leaves
With dry air in the room, especially in winter, foliage is sprayed with warm liquid in a moderate volume.
Top dressing
Fertilizing the tree is carried out according to age and growth period. Seedlings are fed after 1.5-2 months, adults feed in spring and summer after 2-3 weeks. With the onset of autumn, the frequency of top dressing decreases, for the winter period it stops.
Lemon is fertilized with mineral mixtures for flowers, organics that are bred with water: ashes, fresh manure, herbal infusions (birch or quinoa, half a can of foliage is poured with boiling water and allowed to stand in the dark for 2-3 days).
Lemon dressing
Before top dressing for 2 hours, the tree is watered so that beneficial substances are better absorbed.
Lemon Novogruzinskiy: home care
According to the characteristic, the variety gives a generous harvest every year. The fruiting of the tree occurs at 4 or 5 years later, compared with other varieties.
Watering mode
Correct watering is responsible for the healthy development of roots, foliage, ripening of fruits. With water, lemon gets its nutrients. The watering regime is determined by the season and activity of crop growth: from May to September daily watering is carried out; from October to mid-spring, watered 1 or 2 times a week.
Water the plant with a moderate amount of water. Excessive moisture in the soil gives rise to rot of roots, damage to the leaves. Watering a lemon tree is carried out with a liquid with a temperature of + 20 ... +25 ° C. Lemon is sprayed with water twice a week in the summer, in winter - 2 times a month.
Note! Do not overdo the moistening of foliage, otherwise mold must not be avoided.
Top dressing
The plant grows quickly, the soil is depleted. Ripe lemons require more fertilizer. In spring and summer, fertilize every 2-3 weeks. In winter, mineral supplements will be required additionally.
When the lemon does not rest in the winter, it is fed once a month. Culture needs mineral fertilizing and organics. Diluted manure will come in handy.
The effect of recharge on the development of citron
Obtaining nitrogen comes from organic substances, complex fertilizers. Preferred liquid mineral mixtures. The intensive growth of Novogruzinsk lemon and the absence of fruiting will require an increase in phosphorus in the feed. Organics can be abandoned during this period.
Why lemon does not bloom at home
Often, a lemon tree blooms intensively, but the ovaries soon fall, the fruits do not form. Among the reasons why the lemon does not bloom, there are:
- Lack of pollination. To solve the problem, pollen is transferred independently during the flowering period using a brush or a cotton swab.
- The defeat of the culture by pests.
- There is no rest period. Lemon has not regained strength.
- Nutrient deficiency. Regular recharge required.
- Lack of light.
From the way the lemon blooms, they judge not only diseases, but also the compliance of containers with lemon.
For proper care, a room lemon will thank the hostess and will please the sunny fruits. The main thing is patience and desire.
