Lemon tree at home: winter care, diseases, reproduction, photo

Many amateur growers certainly would like to know how to grow lemon tree properly at home. Care of this plant is relatively simple. However, in order for the lemon grows fluffy and spectacular, one should adhere to certain recommendations concerning the technology of irrigation and feeding. In particular, this applies to the winter season.

How to care in October-April: general rules

How to grow lemon tree in the home during the autumn-winter period? Winter care for him is a little different than in the summer. Green this plant remains all year round. However, in October-April all vegetative processes in him, of course, slow down. In the warm season, the lemon is usually fed twice. In winter, such an operation does not produce. However, in the watering of the plant, this plant also needs it during the cold period. In the wild, a lemon tree grows in humid tropics and subtropics. Consequently, the drying of the soil is very sensitive. The only thing - to moisten the soil in the pot in winter should be less often. In the warm season, the lemon tree is watered 2-3 times a week, in winter - no more than once.

What should be the air temperature

In urban flats and houses in winter, it is usually quite warm. The air temperature can vary between 12-25 g. In principle, such a microclimate tolerates lemon. However, although the plant is not deciduous, its crown at such temperatures may be slightly subdued. Therefore, some amateur growers install lemon in a separate room and periodically open the window. The fact is that at a temperature of 10-12 gr. The processes of photosynthesis are strongly slowed down in the tree. Its roots stop consuming nutrients, and it stops growth. But at the same time with a bush does not drop a single sheet. The plant remains as effective as in the summer.

Where is the best place to put the lemon tree

With regard to lighting, this plant is considered rather whimsical. The best lemon tree feels on the southeast window. Of course, the ability to arrange a plant in this way does not always exist. In principle, a lemon can be placed on both the northern and southern windowsill. However, in the first case in the cold season (and preferably in spring and summer), the plant will have to be illuminated using an artificial lamp.

On the southern window, the leaves and branches of the plant should be slightly shaded, including in winter. Otherwise, they may be burned.

How the Lemon Reproduces

As you can see, in fact, it is not particularly difficult to carry out winter (and summer) for such an indoor plant as a lemon tree, home care. Reproduction of it - the procedure is also quite simple. Growing a luxurious healthy citrus fruit is possible from:

• Seedling;

• Cuttings;

• Seeds.

Selection of planting material

As for seedlings, they can often be seen in specialized stores. However, experienced flower growers do not advise buying such material. In stores usually sold plant, brought from Brazil, Greece or Holland. In these countries young lemon trees are grown in greenhouses. This is done so that they are as lush as possible and have a marketable appearance.

Being transferred to a city apartment, such saplings very quickly become unsightly and even cease to grow. Change of the situation (especially for the worse), the lemon tolerates extremely poorly. In this case, among other things, it will be very difficult to carry out a plant such as lemon tree, home care. Diseases, a halt in development, the dumping of foliage - these are the problems that, most likely, the lover of indoor flowers will have to face.

Therefore, in an apartment, it is better to try to grow a lemon from a handle or a seed. The first is simply cut from an adult plant. If there are no lemons in the house greenhouse yet, you can ask for the stalk from a friend of the florist.

It is also undesirable to write such material by mail. The stalk is likely to prove to be substandard and unviable. The fact is that in this way sellers usually simply get rid of the lemons that go to the plantations for release.

It's a good idea to grow a seedling from a bone. This method is even more simple. However, unfortunately, in this case it is impossible to quickly obtain a fruit-bearing lemon tree. Care at home (from the seedling seedling grows extremely slowly) for the plant in this case, a long time will be only in fairly frequent waterings. But the fruits on this seedlings will begin to grow, most likely not earlier than 12 years.

Which grade to choose

Of the seed you can grow, of course, only wild. As for cuttings, in this case there is a choice. Many amateur growers are interested in what it is better to grow, high or low, lemon tree at home. Care for compact and large plants is approximately the same. However, a tall lemon should still be selected only if the florist has enough free time. Watering, pruning and feeding such a plant will have a little more often than a small one.

To tall ones are, for example, such lemon varieties as:

• Novogruzinsky.

• Kursky.

Among undersized, the most popular are:

• Meyer (Chinese).

• Lemon Genoa.

• Volcano.

Capacity for planting and soil

Since the lemon-plant is rather capricious with regard to decaying the roots, the pot under it needs to be selected as carefully as possible. It is best for a seedling to use clay. The walls of these tanks pass air well, allowing the roots to breathe. Of course, the pot must have holes in the bottom. It is necessary to lay on these drainage holes also clay shards. Over them a layer of coarse sand is poured.

Soil for lemon should also be selected correctly. Best for this plant is suitable for such a composition:

• Humus leaf - 1-2 parts;

• Turfy soil - 1 part;

• Coarse sand - 1 part.

How to grow from a cut

Planting material of this variety should have a length of about 10 cm. Preliminarily, the stalk should be soaked in warm water for 2-3 days, immersing it in half the length. Further, it is buried in the prepared soil by 3 cm. The roots of the lemon cuttings appear after about 60 days. In the pot is better to plant a few at once. Then the chance to get at least one new plant will increase.

Until the lemon trees are allowed to spine, they should be sprayed periodically (at least once a day). The soil in the pot must have moderate humidity.

Growing from sunflower seeds

This is also a very good way to get a luxurious lemon tree at home. Care of the seedlings in this case will be even easier. The amateur-floriculturist will have to watch only so that the land in the pot with the planted lemon does not dry out.

Seeds should be taken from healthy, large fruits. Do not allow them to dry out. Once they are taken out of the lemon, they should be immediately planted. In the soil they are buried 2 cm. The seed is planted in this way and poured over with a jar.

Lemon transplantation

Periodic transplants - this is what is required for such an inhabitant of a room greenhouse, like a lemon tree. Care at home for him, even the best, otherwise it will not be particularly effective. The fact is that the roots of the lemon, and especially the large ones, consume quite a lot of nutrients. Therefore, the soil in the pot under the plant is rapidly depleted.

Transplant the lemon in spring, or in autumn (later). Young lemons are transferred to other containers once a year, adults - not more often than the 1st time in 2 years. Actually this procedure is performed as follows:

• The day before the transplant, the soil in the pot is carefully spilled.

• The plant is carefully removed from the old pot, holding it by the stem.

• The lemon is placed in a new pot and the space between the lump and the pot walls is filled with pre-prepared soil.

After the transplant, the plant should be watered.

Application of fertilizers

As already mentioned, in winter the lemon is not fed. Do this only in the spring and summer. And fertilize only adult plants. Planted with cuttings or from the bone, lemon can not be fed at first. A tree that has reached three or four years of age? Twice a season fertilize with double superphosphate (50 g per liter of water).

Diseases and pests

Subject to observing the technology of cultivation, in this way, you can get a very beautiful lemon tree at home. Care for this plant, however, can be not only in the form of irrigation and fertilizing. Like all indoor flowers, lemons sometimes get sick. Most often, trees startle:

• Late blight. Fight this disease either with the help of a weak solution of copper sulfate, or through special antifungal drugs.

• A black fungus. The methods of struggle in this case should be the same as in the disease of late blight.

• Gomoz. On the stem of the diseased plant, a crack appears in this case. In order to help the lemon, the wound should be cleaned and greased with vitriol solution.

• Malsekko. This, perhaps, is the most dangerous disease that an indoor flower lover may encounter, carrying out a plant such as lemon tree, home care. The leaves have fallen off, the twigs have begun to dry up, which means that the bush, most likely, was picked up by the malsekko virus. Cure this disease, unfortunately, impossible.

Lemon and insect pests can be affected. Most often these are white flies, mites or scutes. With the first usually struggling with carbophos, the second destroy the infusion of garlic (1 head for half a liter of water). Shielding can be expelled by wiping leaves, twigs and trunk with a mixture of soap and kerosene in a ratio of 1: 0.5.

Here and so it is carried out for such a tropical guest, as a lemon tree, care at home. The photos presented on this page clearly demonstrate how effective it can be in case of observance of irrigation technologies, periodic transplants, etc. Give your tree more attention, and it will please you with lush foliage, healthy appearance, and eventually even fruit bearing .