Citrus fruits are grown on an industrial scale, in greenhouses and in private households. All citrus, in particular lemon, lime, tangerine and even orange or grapefruit, you can grow up in an apartment. Citrus fruits are cultigens, as they have been growing in cultivation for a long time. Grown from seed, they do not require grafting, but formation is required for them, otherwise citrus fruits will not bloom.
Features of growing Citrus fruits
In addition, they are important for the presence of mycorrhiza in citrus fruits, which is found in the mother soil in the roots of each citrus plant, since they grow in a community with microfungi living on their roots. If the microfungi die, the plant itself will die. Therefore, you should not use pesticides or a too bright solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) to water the soil when controlling pests. For the same reason, it is prohibited to use fresh manure or apply large doses of mineral fertilizers when fertilizing.
Seeds When removed from a ripe fruit, they should be heated in warm water, this will speed up germination. The seeds are buried in the soil 2-3 times the diameter of the seed, that is, slightly deeper than the nail. Sometimes several plants grow from one seed at once, since citrus fruits are characterized by polyembryony. You should leave only one plant, cutting off the rest with scissors. Citrus seeds have good germination. Plants grown from seed usually bloom and begin to bear fruit in the 10th year, but the quality of the fruit may be low.
You will get much better results if you first grow a seedling from a grapefruit or pomelo seed, and then graft any other citrus plant onto it at an early stage, when the seedling has a stem as thick as a match (2-3 years after germination). The grafted plant develops faster, since the root system of pomelo and grapefruit is more powerful than that of other citrus fruits. This significantly accelerates the plant’s entry into fruiting. In this case, you will need a cutting of a fruit-bearing plant (you can contact a greenhouse, nursery or friends). From a grafted cutting, the plant blooms and begins to bear fruit in the 2nd–3rd year.
Grafting for growing citrus fruits
Vaccination The easiest way to do it is by budding, that is, with an eye. A more mature plant (that is, 5–6 years old) will be required for grafting. Budding begins when the bark is well separated from the wood (in April or August). A well-ripened 1–2-year-old branch is cut from a fruiting citrus plant. Cut off the leaves, leaving only the stalk, and place it in a glass of water. On the stem of a plant grown from seeds, at a height of 5–6 cm, the place chosen for grafting is thoroughly cleaned; there should be no dirt on it. You can wipe this area with vodka, as well as your hands and the knife blade. The operation must be sterile - this is the key to success.
Using a sharp knife (placed perpendicular to the stem of the seedling), you need to make a T-shaped cut on the bark, without touching the thin green layer of cambium between the bark and the wood. The length of the cut is about 2 cm, the width is about 1/2 cm. On the prepared grafting cutting, two transverse cuts are made in the bark 1 cm below and above the eye. Then they carefully cut off the bud, grabbing the bark along with the cambium (this is literally a jewelry job, so first practice on the branches of any plants brought from the street). While spreading the top edges of the T-shaped cut on the seedling, insert a bud (pay attention to where it is at the top) and push it deep into the cut. Smooth the cut well with your fingers, pressing the bud firmly against the cambium. Tie the top and bottom so that the bud remains outside. The easiest way is to use a narrow strip of ordinary polymer film for tying, which must be wiped with vodka.
After about 20 days, the kidney should take root, that is, begin to grow. When the cutting from the bud grows 5–10 cm, the seedling on which the bud was grafted must be cut obliquely, 2–3 mm above the base of the new shoot from the graft. After this, you need to immediately cover the cut with liquid garden varnish, or black metal varnish - bitumen, or natural oil paint (it is now sold only in stores for artists and is expensive). The shoot that has developed from the grafted bud is tied to a peg stuck into the soil.
The cuttings can not only be grafted, but also rooted. Rooting It goes slowly, it takes 1.5–2 months for lemon and up to 6 months for orange and tangerine! The grafted plant will begin bearing fruit in the 3rd year. In any case, cuttings should be taken from the ends of the shoots of a healthy fruit-bearing tree, which have just finished growing this season, have become slightly lignified, but still retain flexibility. The bark on them should still be green. The length of the cutting is 8–10 cm, it should have 3–4 leaves. Cut the cuttings with a very sharp and thin knife or scalpel. The lower cut is made oblique (directly under the leaf or bud), and the upper cut is made straight (1–1.5 cm above the bud). Cutting citrus fruits indoors It is possible throughout the year, but it is better to do this in April - May, then they will have time to build up a good root system by winter.
Substrate for planting cuttings when grafting citrus fruits
Best substrate for planting cuttings is a mixture of sphagnum moss and steamed sand in equal volumes. The cuttings are planted immediately in pots, at the bottom of which shards or coarse sand (2–3 cm) are placed. Then pour a layer of nutritious soil (5–6 cm), and on top - a substrate of moss and sand (3–4 cm).
After planting the cuttings sprayed and placed in a plastic bag, into which you need to take several exhalations (to increase the concentration of carbon dioxide), and then tie the bag. The pots are placed in a bright but not sunny place. Every morning and evening, the bags are untied, the cuttings are sprayed with warm (about 25 ° C) water, air is exhaled into them and tied again. The procedure can be simplified by covering the cuttings with jars and exhaling air into them or using small pieces of dry ice as a source of carbon dioxide. The air temperature should be between 20–25 °C. After rooting, the top bud will begin to grow, then the jar or bag can be removed, but daily spraying must be continued throughout the life of the plant.
Soil at citrus growing
Soil for citrus fruits must be rough, but at the same time fertile, with a neutral reaction and necessarily containing a large set of microelements. The introduction of fresh organic matter or large amounts of mineral fertilizers can destroy the cohabitants of citrus fruits (microfungi) and thereby harm the plants. Be sure to place broken shards at the bottom of the pot to allow excess water to drain. And of course, you need to put the pots on pallets. A rough or heavy mixture consists of turf soil, coarse river sand and leaf humus, taken in a ratio of 1: 1: 1 by volume. Nowadays, gardening stores or the corresponding departments of large supermarkets sell ready-made mixtures for a wide variety of plants, including citrus fruits X.
They don't like citrus fruits movements. Plants may drop leaves even when the pot is rotated. Therefore, before starting citrus fruits, determine a place for them in the apartment. It should be light, but do not place plants on the windowsill (except in cases where there are double-glazed windows). The fact is that citrus fruits come from the subtropics, that is, they love warmth and moisture, so they get chilly on the windowsill near the glass in winter. In hot summer, without turning the pot, they should be moved away from the window, deeper into the room, to avoid direct exposure to sunlight, which can cause sunburn. In case of burns or freezing, plants should be helped by spraying them with a solution of Ecoberin or Epin-extra.
Air temperature when growing citrus fruits
Citrus fruits love warmth, so room temperature should not fall below 24–25 °C. In addition, all citrus fruits need moist air, for this reason they should not be placed close to heating radiators. In addition, in winter, when the apartments are too dry, constant spraying of the leaves with water is required. For this, water obtained from melted snow or ice and heated to 22–25 ° C is best suited. You cannot use water directly from the tap; it must be passed through a filter or at least allowed to sit for a couple of days and be sure to be heated before spraying.
Watering citrus fruits
For glaze, which must be combined with fertilizing, you should also use filtered or settled water, always warm (temperature not lower than 20–22 °C). How much water should you pour, what fertilizers should you add to it, and how much of them are needed? All these questions will definitely arise in your mind. Despite their love of moist air, citrus trees die from excessive watering. They should be watered moderately, especially in winter. Their leathery leaves evaporate little moisture, and therefore excess water leads to rotting of the roots. It is better to loosen the top layer of soil more often. With infrequent watering, the water should moisten the entire lump of earth. An indicator of sufficient watering is the appearance of water in the pan. I advise you to combine watering with weak mineral fertilizers (1 teaspoon per 5 liters of water).
Fertilizing for growing citrus fruits
Top dressing must contain all the necessary composition of macro- and microelements. It is best to use Uniflorom-bud. It contains all the macro- and microelements that plants need, including extremely useful substances for citrus fruits - magnesium, selenium, cobalt and molybdenum. In addition, all minerals are enclosed in an organic shell, that is, they are in chelated form, and therefore are absorbed by plants immediately. The fertilizer itself is liquid and easy to dose. Pour the cap into 5 liters of water, stir and let it settle. The finished solution can be stored indefinitely.
You can also use the powder fraction fertilizers AVA. You need to pour 1 teaspoon of powder into 3 liters of water and let it brew for at least 3 days. Then you need to stir, let the sediment settle and water the plants. This fertilizer does not dissolve in water (so you don’t have to boil it for the sake of the experiment), but due to Brownian motion, ions of mineral elements contained in the fertilizer gradually penetrate into the water, and in very small doses. You will add water to the sludge for most of the year and continue to use it. This is a very profitable fertilizer, despite its apparent high cost. It contains all the necessary nutrients, but at the same time there are no harmful impurities in it, which are necessarily present in other mineral fertilizers, although this is not written about anywhere. All plants, especially citrus fruits, require organic silicon. It is contained in the preparations Energen and Siliplant. You only need to add 1-2 drops per 1 liter of solution for watering and fertilizing.
When citrus fruits bloom, especially lemons, there is a fabulous aroma in the apartment! They bloom for a long time, usually in inflorescences collected in a brush. The flowers are pink or white, appearing on the current growth of 3-year-old lateral horizontal shoots. During flowering, plants can be pollinated manually by applying pollen from the stamens to the pistil with a soft (squirrel) brush.
Citrus leaves emit phytoncides, so the smell of these plants is constantly diffused in the apartment. It is very gentle and also has a detrimental effect on pathogenic microbes in the room. At a temperature of 18–20 °C, the fruits do not ripen. To ripen one fruit, 15 leaves are needed; if there are not enough of them, the lemon will shed excess fruits. Therefore, store the leaves, each of them is very valuable for the plant. Shedding of leaves can occur as a result of increased dryness or air temperature (more than 24–25 ° C). If the plant does not bloom for too long, you can “hurry it up” by reducing watering and slightly pulling the horizontal 3-year-old branch with a tight constriction.
Citrus leaves are glossy, shiny, leathery, and well adapted to retain moisture. Although these plants are called evergreens, each leaf lives for only 3 years. Dead leaves turn yellow and fall off, so don't be alarmed when this happens..
Transplanting citrus fruits
The transplant is being done every 3–5 years along with the entire clod of earth. Plants should not be planted or replanted in pots that are too spacious. If you give the plants the opportunity to grow freely, then they either stretch upward with one trunk without side branches, which means there will be no fruiting, or they take the form of a very dense bush.
You definitely need to study citrus crown formation. In a young tree that has reached 15–20 cm in height, in February, before the next growth begins, the top is cut off, leaving 5–6 well-developed buds below. These buds will soon germinate and give rise to lateral branches of the 1st order. Of these, 3–4 shoots are left, growing in different directions.
As soon as these branches finish growing, their ends are trimmed, leaving 3-4 buds on each. Second-order shoots will appear from them, the ends of which are also cut off after their growth has finished, again leaving 3–4 buds. Fruit branches of the 3rd order begin to grow from them. They do the same with them.
From the moment the branches of the 4th order appear, the formation of the crown ends and the fruiting period begins. Until the formation of skeletal branches of the 4th order is completed, fruiting should not be allowed, since the premature appearance of buds on the branches of the 3rd order will stop the further growth of the tree, therefore, before the growth of the branches of the 4th order ends, the first buds on the branches of the 3rd order should be removed .
WITH fruit tree at the end of February - beginning of March, you need to trim strong branches by 10-15 cm, cut out vegetative branches. In addition, it is necessary to cut out fattening sprouts, remove dry branches and branches that bear fruit (they are usually without leaves). Branches that grow too strongly upward are bent to a horizontal position (while they are growing upward, they will not bear fruit). In addition, branches growing inside the crown that are not capable of bearing fruit are cut out.
All citrus fruits are very sensitive to frost, during which the roots may dry out. In winter, it is best to keep plants in a bright room with a temperature of 7–8 °C. A glazed loggia or balcony is suitable for this. At the same time, it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature so as not to overcool the trees, otherwise they will die (citrus crops do not tolerate temperatures below 5 ° C). Watering at this time is done very moderately.
During frosts, plants should be brought indoors, maintaining their orientation towards the sun (that is, without turning), and keep them near the balcony door. If you do not have loggias or balconies, keep citrus fruits on the windowsills close to the glass, but in severe frosts, move them deeper into the room. Transfer the lemons carefully without turning the plants. In a dark room, citrus fruits, especially lemons, can lose their leaves, so lighting is needed in winter.
Pests when growing citrus fruits
Citrus pests, like any other plants in the apartment, - whitefly, aphids, scale insects, and less often thrips. The enemy of citrus fruits exclusively is the mealybug.
Spraying with the absolutely safe and also useful for both people and plants with the Healthy Garden preparation (4 grains per 1 liter of water) helps against aphids. The scale will have to be scraped off onto the litter and destroyed. Whiteflies and thrips are sucking insects. To combat them, you need to use the absorbable biological product Fitoverm, which is allowed to be used in an apartment (1 ml per 3 liters of water). It is especially effective when combined with Healthy Garden.
Whitefly- This is a disgusting insect, similar to a very small moth, which sits on the underside of the leaf and is therefore hardly noticeable. It multiplies as quickly as aphids, but at the same time, sooty fungus (a black smearing coating) immediately settles on its sweetish secretions. The whitefly should be destroyed, the plaque should be washed off the leaves with soapy water, and then the leaves should be sprayed with Zircon (4 drops per glass of water).
Against scaleworm you need to use a pink solution of manganese the next time you water the plants. For preventive purposes, this is done with each watering and fertilizing, since potassium permanganate contains not only manganese, which has a detrimental effect on the mealybug, but also potassium, and all citrus fruits love potassium. Do not forget that too strong (dark pink) potassium permanganate solution can destroy microfungi living on the roots.
Recommendations:
Growing citrus fruits at home is very promising type of home business, ornamental plants are always in high demand. You can sell plants on the market, through flower shops.
Profitability:
- Initial costs: from 500 rubles
- Monthly income: from several thousand rubles
For printing
Svetlana Mitrofanova 03/12/2014 | 18115
Citrus fruits are the most popular and accessible crop for experiments in growing from seeds. In addition, these plants purify the air well, so keeping them at home is completely justified.
Citrus seeds for sowing it is necessary to take from ripe fruits collected on time, i.e. when it is mid-winter in the middle zone. It is undesirable to use old, stale and rotten citrus fruits - the shoots will be weak and sick.
Before planting, the seeds are washed to remove the pulp to prevent the shells from molding in the ground. Before planting, it is recommended to soak the seeds in warm water with the addition of a drop of Epin or Zircon. In general, they germinate no longer than 2 weeks.
The fastest are tangerines: they can germinate on the 3-5th day. The longest wait is for grapefruits, sweeties, limequats, kumquats and other exotics to germinate.
For germination For seeds, it is best to use vermiculite, as it retains moisture well and does not contain restrictive particles that can rot and infect the seedlings with mold. At the stage of the appearance of the first leaf, citrus fruits can be transplanted into the soil, into a separate pot. Seedlings They need lighting and a temperature of at least 25ºС; they do not tolerate drafts. Requirements for soil citrus fruits are as follows: the soil in the pot should be loose and breathable (for this you can add the same vermiculite in proportions 1:4). To avoid stagnation of water, be sure to do it in a pot. drainage.
Lemon and tangerine are the least capricious and adapt better to apartment conditions than other citrus fruits. It is also easiest to form by pinching the tops of branches for further branching. But lemon And grapefruit They often get sick after this procedure, and new branches at the pinching site do not appear immediately. Saplings also respond well to pruning, picking and transplanting. miniols, which is a hybrid of grapefruit and tangerine. Orange really does not like drafts and abundant watering, preferring spraying.
Crown formation usually begins at the age of about six months, when the citrus tree forms a trunk (trunk) of sufficient height. It consists of pinching branches growing in the right direction in time for their further branching, and not forgetting to trim those branches that grow in the wrong direction or inside the crown. Branches are usually pinched above every 5th leaf.
A plant grown from a seed blooms after 3-5 years (not earlier). The longest wait is for hybrids and grapefruit to bloom. It often happens that they do not bloom even once in their entire life on the windowsill. And lemon and kumquat bloom and bear fruit the easiest and fastest. The general unpretentiousness of tangerine does not extend to flowering.
Flower buds in citrus fruits they are already laid on branches of the 5th order; the stem itself is considered as the zero reference point. Branches of the 1st order grow on it, they grow branches of the 2nd order on themselves, and with sufficient lighting and general health of the plant, buds and subsequently fruits appear already on the 5th generation of branches. Often citrus fruits bloom too profusely, then die with the fruit set due to lack of strength. To prevent this from happening, excess flowers need to be plucked out at the bud stage. The calculation is simple - for each flower there should be 10 healthy adult leaves.
Interest in lemons and other citrus crops that can be grown on windowsills or in winter gardens is growing every year.
Seeds or cuttings?
Sometimes plant lovers plant seeds in pots that they found in fruits they bought at the store. Then they ask: when can we expect a harvest from the resulting seedlings? Alas, in this case they will have to wait a long time for fruits!
Lemons from seeds- these are, in fact, wild plants - they do not repeat the properties of their parents - an adult cultivated plant. It is difficult to predict what will ultimately grow from a seed, for example, a lemon, and this applies not only to lemons. It happens that from such seeds plants worthy of attention grow, but this is rather an exception. Typically, lemons grown from seeds begin to bear fruit after 20 or even 25 years.
True, there are secrets on how to make a lemon bear fruit much faster.
The first is pruning.. Every year the lemon produces new growth, sometimes more than one; this happens in different ways on different varieties. If you cut a branch, it will begin to develop from lateral buds. Consider this, one year has already passed. The slightly pruned branches will grow back, so you can prune new ones too. And this is how you can “live” 5-6 years in one year.
The second method is ringing: the stem or one or two main branches at the very base are tightly pulled - “ringed” with copper wire so that it is slightly pressed into the bark. Very quickly, an influx and deformation of the bark forms in this place, which causes the accumulation of substances that stimulate the formation of fruit buds. Six months later, in order to avoid constriction of the branches and the threat of breaking, the ring is carefully removed, and the operation site is covered with garden varnish.
The third method is vaccination. Plant a cultivated plant, and it can be not only lemon. But this method requires skill, although we all did it for the first time once.
In our nursery we propagate plants by cuttings. We cut a twig from a well-cultivated, large lemon and plant it in specially prepared soil. And in the greenhouse, after some time, this branch grows roots, and a new plant develops. This is a vegetative method of propagation. Small plants obtained in this way replicate the properties of an adult plant 100 percent - they begin to bear fruit in the third or fourth year. And we don’t graft lemons as there is no need for it; we get by with the vegetative method.
By the way, I can tell novice gardeners how to distinguish lemon grown from seeds from lemon from the cutting. You can tell the difference by the roots! If the lemon is obtained from a seed, then you can see one more developed root, and small roots are already extending from it, and the large root is in the middle, at the bottom. If a lemon is grown from a cutting, then its roots grow from the sides - from the bark.
Now let's look at issues such as closed and open root systems. Often people don't quite understand what this means. A closed root system is when a plant took root and grew in a separate pot, and not among the total mass in a greenhouse, and then was replanted. In our nursery, all the seedlings have a closed root system, since we root them separately in peat pots, and then place them in permanent pots.
We usually send seedlings with a small lump of earth in damp moss or sawdust. Packed securely. We have already seen that they can travel well this way, even over long distances. And then flower gardeners place the resulting seedling in their pot. Now they sell a lot of grafted seedlings that come from Holland and Georgia. But here you need to be careful, alas, such seedlings very rarely survive or only live for two years.
These lemons are usually grafted onto trifoliate, a plant that is in a state of deep dormancy in winter. For open ground on the southern coast, where light frosts occur, this is good, but for closed soil, especially indoor cultivation, the trifoliate rootstock is unsuitable, since, entering the dormant stage in winter, the grafted citrus fruits shed their leaf cover at high room temperatures and die. And the shade tolerance of such seedlings is weak, because they grew up in conditions where there is an abundance of moisture and sun.
What is a grafted plant? They grow wild animals, and then graft a cultivated plant onto it. The grafting site is the weak point of the seedling. And grafting makes sense only when the plant reproduces poorly by vegetative means, for example, oranges do not take root well, and it makes sense to graft them.
So plants from cuttings are self-rooted plants, they are more reliable.
Stores sometimes also sell seedlings, and sometimes even small beautiful citrus trees, which should also alert you. The pots there are filled with some kind of substrate, sometimes not even earth, but something resembling a sponge. All this is processed with preservatives. And as soon as this substance runs out in the pot, the plant dies. Such a plant dies even if you transplant it into your own pot. So choosing a citrus plant seedling is a serious and responsible matter.
Planting citrus fruits
What to do after you have received a parcel with seedlings or purchased them, for example, in a store? We need to plant them faster. And for this you will need a pot and soil.
Which pot to choose for planting citrus seedlings? A good pot is one that allows air to pass through and serves as a humidity regulator. Clay is best, but most of our residents grow lemons in wooden tubs. Size pot matters. Often this is where the first mistake of beginning citrus growers lies. The owner of the seedling wants his pet to live well and at ease, and therefore buys a large, beautiful pot. But in fact, it destroys the plant. The size of the pot when transplanting the seedling for the first time should not exceed 10-15 cm (the diameter of its upper part). But then once a year you need to transplant the plant into a larger pot. It is better to do this in February, before new shoots begin to grow.
The dimensions of the dishes should correspond to the age of the plants:
- for annuals – 10-15 cm;
- for two-year-olds – 15-20 cm.
And then gradually add about 5 cm in diameter.
Adult plants (5-7 years old) can no longer be replanted, but left to live in a pot with a diameter of up to 50 cm and a height of up to 40 cm, but once a year it is advisable to partially replace the soil, remove its top layer and add new soil.
Place drainage at the bottom of the pot, do not forget to also make holes in the bottom of the pot. The best drainage is expanded clay; if it is not available, various pebbles, shells, slag, crushed stone or charcoal will also do.
You can buy special earthen mixtures for citrus plants. Or you can prepare the earthen mixture yourself. For this purpose, go to the forest or to a park where fallen leaves are not removed. Preferably away from the highway. There, collect soil under old linden trees or any deciduous plants, except oak. Take the top layer, rich in humus, where there are rotted leaves and twigs. Add sand, preferably river sand, and a little ash to this soil. If you were unable to immediately find the right soil, then use any garden soil, adding, if possible, all the above components to two cups of such soil. Six months later, when you replant the lemon into a slightly larger pot (5 cm in diameter), prepare good soil.
Indoor plants suffer from a dense earthen lump in a pot. The roots stop growing and rot. In nature, this does not happen, since the soil is loosened by worms. It is not advisable to let worms into a pot with lemon or flowers, since there are no fallen leaves in it, and the worms will feed on the roots of our favorite flowers. What is important is not so much the nutritional value of the soil (this can be regulated by fertilizing), but rather its air and water permeability. You need to add river sand (up to a third of the volume). Citrus fruits do not like acidic soil, so there should not be any peat, it has an acidic reaction.
A seedling is planted correctly when the root collar (the place where the roots come out) is buried no more than 5 mm into the soil, and the soil itself is not filled to the edge of the pot by 10 mm. This is done so that the root collar does not get wet and does not rot during watering, and the soil is not topped up so that it does not wash off along the outer wall of the pot.
All buds must be cut off in the year of planting. Flowering requires a large expenditure of energy and nutrients, and a fragile tree cannot always withstand such a load and may die. For the first three to four years, plants need crown formation.
Avoid uncontrolled growth and stretching of shoots. Try to give the crown of the tree bushiness and proportionality. Rotate the pot occasionally, but no more than 30 degrees per month. Avoid the appearance of individual vertical branches inside the crown. Horizontal branches and those whose direction you don't like can be straightened a little. At a young age, when lignification has not yet occurred, tilt them as you want and fix them in that position. You can insert an additional stick and tie an unruly branch with twine.
Trim long shoots. The more the tree bushes, the faster it will bloom, and it will simply be more beautiful.
On our website: you can order seedlings of fruit trees and berry crops for your garden, and for home breeding - “Pavlovsk lemon” and other citrus plants. We send planting material by mail to any corner of the country. My address: 606160, Nizhny Novgorod region, Vachsky district, Novoselki village, Molodezhnaya street, building 4/2. Tel.: + 7 950-360-27-68 – V.F. Svistunov. I will also answer questions that are asked in almost every letter.
Valery Svistunov, gardener
Earth.
In practice, over the years it has become clear that the land does not have such a great influence on the cultivation of citrus fruits. The biggest influences are light, heat and humidity; in comparison with them, the composition of the earth has no significant significance. The purpose of the substrate in a flowerpot is to create sufficient conditions for plant roots to take in water, nutrients and air in a small space.
Briefly, when growing citrus fruits, you can follow the following rules:
1. The flowerpot should not be large. Soil that is not used by the roots, especially wet soil, causes rot and turns sour. The plant withers and drops its leaves. (My experience - I planted a small lemon in a 15-liter flowerpot. It stood on the veranda all summer - under the wind, rain, sun, even hail broke the leaves. I watered it quite abundantly, with the addition of a weak infusion of chicken droppings. So I watched the plant and gave him what he lacked. The lemon became so strong and big - everyone was surprised. It’s not scientific, but it’s the way it is in small flowerpots, and the growth is also small).
2. An abundance of water is harmful to the plant. Good drainage is needed. When replanting a plant, choose a pot that is a couple of centimeters larger in size. The shape of the flowerpot should be such that there is room for the root ball and it can easily “slip out” of the flowerpot when needed (my experience is that the same plant in a large flowerpot does not need to be replanted, the plant is not stressed: there is enough land, it is spacious and good) .
3. In between waterings, let the soil dry out (not dry out). The water temperature should be 2 degrees higher than the air temperature. If the temperature of the substrate and irrigation water differs by more than 8 degrees, the plant becomes stressed and drops flowers and fruits. The same is true when spraying a plant.
In a small flowerpot, it is good to “water” the plant with water, immersing it along with the leaves in a bowl with water. When the bubbles stop, remove the pot, let the water drain and place it in a tray. If you are watering directly into a flowerpot, it is important to water around the edges of the flowerpot to moisten the roots near the walls of the flowerpot. Drain the water that flows into the tray after watering after an hour. If water quickly flows through the substrate when watering, it means that the plant’s soil is dangerously dry, and the entire flowerpot with the plant’s leaves must be placed in a bowl of water.
When growing a plant in an apartment, you need to spray it every day (just not in the sun). Drying is very dangerous for a young plant. But even if it drops all its leaves, there is no need to throw it away, the leaves can grow back. A moistened bag is placed on the plant, and the leaves will not take long to appear. The plant accepts not only water but also fertilizers well through its leaves. If there is any doubt whether it is necessary to water it or not, it is better to spray the plant, adding not only fertilizers, but also pesticides to the water if necessary (just not in the evening or in the sun).
Watering, of course, depends on the growing and growing conditions. Lemon is ideally placed outdoors, where the plant enjoys dew, fog, and raindrops. The plant really likes it. And also for practice - sometimes the plant is overwatered and water flows over the edge of the pan; To prevent this from happening, you can water through a tray and pour into it as much water as the plant absorbs. If necessary, this procedure can be repeated after several waterings. Some gardeners thereby promote the growth of roots, which need to reach water (my experience is to water only with rain or melt water and always with a small amount of the fertilizer that the plant “requests”).
4. Vases. Clay containers allow air to pass through, but they dry out quickly. Plastic holds moisture, but does not allow air to pass through. Wooden containers have both positive properties, but they are not durable.
The roots of the plant breathe air that passes through the bottom of the flowerpot, so drainage of the flowerpot is required, and no water should remain in the pan after watering. The flowerpot is selected according to the size of the plant, the composition of the substrate, and the place where it will stand (the black flowerpot heats up in the sun). In a large plastic flowerpot, you will have to drill side holes so that the plant can breathe (my experience is that I did not drill holes in a large flowerpot; however, I periodically stick thin wooden sticks into the flowerpot).
If you use a wooden flowerpot, you should not treat it with chemicals. It is best to treat with linseed oil mixed with ash and crushed charcoal. A clay pot dries out quickly in the sun, and salts clog the walls of the pot, which is why air does not pass through them. But a clay pot prevents the roots from rotting when overwatering, as in a plastic pot; in addition, if the flowerpot will not stand on the balcony, it can be buried in the ground in the garden.
Over time, the roots of the plant rest against the walls of the flowerpot. In wooden flowerpots, it is these thin roots that suffer from drying out - then the edges of the leaves dry out (this is often the reason for the drying out of the edges of the leaves). When growing citrus fruits, gardeners most often use square containers - they save space and provide a microclimate (nearby plants protect each other from overheating and moisture loss, and it is convenient to spray the leaves). In large flowerpots, the top layer of soil is periodically replaced. Any flowerpots should be protected from sunlight.
Place.
Choosing a place for citrus fruits is one of the important tasks. It is dangerous to place a plant on a windowsill in an apartment, both in winter and in summer. In winter, radiators are heated, and they are most often located under the windowsill. Cold air from the window cools the substrate and roots, which causes them to rot. Dry and warm room air dries out the leaves, and we water the plant more often. Where the plant stands, the batteries need to be covered with something or a humidifier installed. The flowerpot needs to be raised so that its bottom does not cool.
Lemon is a plant that loves a warm and fairly sunny place; loves the greenhouse very much. (My experience is that after spring frosts and until autumn frosts, lemons stand in an open place - the steps of the veranda). When the nights are cold in the fall or the temperature difference between day and night is large, I cover the plants with agro-film at night. They stand on the south side of the house, covered from the north by a wall. Citrus fruits are very resistant, if you are accustomed to this from an early age, you just need to look at the leaves - they indicate the problems the plant has.
When a plant is taken outside after winter, it is necessary to gradually accustom it to open sunlight - out of habit, there may be burns on the leaves.
Light.
Sufficient light intensity is one of the most important conditions for the growth of citrus fruits. Lack of light can affect the plant's absorption of water. There are plants with “long” and “short” days; citrus fruits are neutral.
Still, in winter, problems emerge - you need to reduce the temperature and watering, otherwise the plant begins to grow unhealthy: due to lack of light, the branches become elongated and the leaves become smaller. This is a problem for apartments. The plant, although growing, may later shed its leaves and even die, having lost too much reserve energy. The only way out is to find a balance between watering, air humidity, temperature and lighting. This is when additional lighting may be needed. By the way, direct lighting is not necessary for citrus fruits; they do well in diffused bright light, but they cannot tolerate long shadows.
In the summer, when the plants are standing outside, at noon sometimes you have to cover them and create temporary shade from the intense rays of the sun.
Temperature.
Beginning amateur citrus growers often imagine that in their homeland citrus fruits grow in very warm conditions that we are unable to create. It's true - citrus fruits love warmth and, in our climatic conditions, catch every ray of sunshine. After all, on native plantations the average annual temperature is 16-18 degrees, the average fruit ripening temperature is 9-15 degrees. In places of natural cultivation, the average temperature of the coldest month is 7-14 degrees.
So what temperature is acceptable in our conditions? Citrus fruits are hardy; in the absence of flowers or fruits, they can remain in sub-zero temperatures for a short time (up to 3 hours), as well as up to 50 degrees in heat (this can happen in a greenhouse or on a windowsill). This, of course, inhibits the development of plants, and with longer exposure it can destroy them. Just as a temperature difference of 8 degrees between irrigation water and substrate can put a plant in a state of shock, so quickly transferring a plant from a dark place to bright light - from a house under direct rays of the sun - can destroy the plant.
Temperature influence:
Vegetation and fruit growing: 22-24 degrees;
- Flowering: 14-16 degrees;
- Setting fruit flowers: 22-24 degrees
- The ovaries fall off at a temperature of 30 degrees;
- Fruit ripening: 14-18 degrees;
- Seed germination: 20-25 degrees;
- Wintering: 5-10 degrees;
- Active spring growth: 12 degrees;
- Growth stops below 12 degrees and above 38 degrees;
- The water temperature for watering and spraying citrus fruits should be 1-2 degrees higher than the substrate temperature (if the water is 8 degrees warmer or colder than the substrate, the plant will get stressed);
- The air temperature should be 1-3 degrees higher than that of the substrate.
Transpiration.
Transpiration is the evaporation of moisture by a plant through its leaves; 98% of the water passing through a plant is lost to transpiration. This is of great importance when growing citrus fruits. The leaves of the plant must be clean, free of dust, without spraying with leaf shine, etc. At high temperatures and wind, the intensity of moisture evaporation increases 6 times compared to normal weather. Sometimes, it would seem that all conditions have been created for the plant, but it begins to shed its leaves. One of the reasons is a failure in the balance of fluid passage in the plant.
Air humidity at 22-24 degrees: 60-70%;
Air humidity in winter: 40-50%.
The water should be soft, without chlorine. Ideally, soft, fresh rainwater (it contains air, is slightly acidic, pH 6-6.5). Clean rainwater is collected 15 minutes after the rain starts.
Some tips for growing citrus fruits in an apartment.
Many examples show that growing citrus fruits indoors is quite possible. Of course, more attention needs to be paid to them, especially in winter. All problems of citrus fruits when grown in apartment conditions increase significantly, but citrus fruits tend to adapt.
You can grow citrus fruits in an apartment:
Whole year;
- take it out into the air;
- if you find a place for wintering (about 10 degrees).
The positive side is that plants are less prone to fungal diseases, because fungi do not like dry air, unless we ourselves bring these diseases home from somewhere.
In apartments, the temperature is too high (sometimes the same day and night), low humidity - this is also harmful for humans. When caring for plants, it is advisable to bring the air humidity to 60%; this is beneficial for plants and humans.
All citrus fruits require a winter rest at low temperatures. In an apartment, plants enter a dormant period due to a lack of light intensity, which can kill the plants. Wintering takes place in a cool place (10 degrees) with minimal watering, because dormant roots do not accept moisture and will begin to rot. The leaves are sometimes sprayed. Wintering conditions depend on the type of citrus fruit.
Citrus fruits can be kept in a dark room for three months - in the basement, garage, staircase, etc. (this applies to strong and healthy plants; for amateur citrus growers this can be difficult, because it will be difficult to control the plants).
In a cold room, when plants hibernate, watering and spraying stops, since at low temperatures they get enough moisture from the air. Of course, fertilizer also stops. Plants should not be left to overwinter in areas with chemical fumes. When checking plants, they should not be allowed to dry out.
Warm winter.
If the plant overwinters in a warm room, place it in the brightest place and reduce watering. We shorten young immature branches, since in the spring they will still be lost, and in winter they will bother the plant.
We isolate the plant from the batteries; We organize everything in such a way that warm air currents do not reach the plant. We also protect the plant from cold air currents; a cold flowerpot and dry, warm leaves will lead to the death of the plant.
In winter, we spray the plant through the leaves more intensively than water it. The solution can be made slightly nutritious.
Plants spend more resources in winter than they can take. If they grow, they stretch out, because they want to get more light and moisture. We have to do additional lighting.
In the spring we add moisture when we see that the plant is waking up; Little by little we begin to feed.
Citrus fruits do not like the same temperature night and day. At night you need to either ventilate the room or turn down the heating. All the same, these are unnatural conditions for citrus fruits - high wintering temperatures and dry air.
In winter, the more dangerous thing is not the overdrying of the substrate, but the general decrease in plant fluids. If citrus leaves begin to dry out in winter, there is no need to rush to water the plant, as the resting roots will begin to rot. All attention should be focused on air humidity, spraying and spraying water around the plant. You can place the plant in an aquarium or next to another plant (but not on another flowerpot); you can attach a plastic bag over the plant.
Planting and transplanting.
Transplantation is an inevitable process, after which we look at the plant as if it were a critically ill patient, for whom any stress can result in death.
Young citrus fruits are replanted every year or every other year, older ones - less and less. The older the plant, the more stress it experiences during transplantation.
For adult plants, the top layer of soil is changed, and, while this is possible, it would be good to also change the side soil (by choosing a larger pot). The new substrate should be nutritious; it is advisable to add rotted manure to it.
Citrus seedlings dive when the first pair of leaves appears.
Citrus fruits are replanted in early spring before the beginning of the growing season (during the dormant period). Then the plant is brought into a lighter and warmer room, gradually increasing the heat and light. When the first signs of growth appear, increase the moisture and only then fertilize.
If the plant will overwinter in a warm place, you can replant it in the fall, if the soil is warm enough and rooting occurs before November. Summer replanting is possible only without damaging the root ball, between two growth periods; then keep the plant in the shade. In winter, you can replant citrus fruits by destroying the earthen clod, since the roots are inactive at this time; this is unacceptable for plants without leaves at temperatures below 12 degrees.
Plants are replanted if they were purchased in a store and if necessary (diseases, soil contamination, etc.) at any time, after replanting, taking all measures to save the plants.
The rules for transplanting citrus fruits are the same as for other plants. If the roots are damaged, they are disinfected. Planting is done in a moist substrate, since the plant is watered only the next day. When replanting, a certain amount of old soil must be left on the roots, since bacteria live in it, facilitating the absorption of nutrients by the roots. If this cannot be done, you need to take some soil from a flowerpot of another citrus.
The plant is planted at the same level, preventing the base of the neck from falling asleep. After transplantation, the plant is shaded; There is no need to change other conditions to avoid stress. Citrus trees need quite a lot of attention; mistakes are not easy to correct. The critical period after transplantation is 6 months.
If the volume of roots decreases during replanting, take a smaller pot. Then we trim the crown in proportion to the roots. Pruning the crown does not harm even with minor damage to the roots.
If after replanting the plant has unwanted branches with leaves, let them grow, let the plant breathe - this will promote root growth. They can be trimmed later.
Trimming.
If we want to get a good harvest, we must prune citrus fruits.
The key is to prune frequently so that the pruning is moderate. And keep in mind that the brain must work faster than the hand.
The rules for pruning citrus fruits are similar to the rules for pruning fruit trees. There may be different purposes for pruning, so there will be differences in timing and methods. The main goal is to form a crown and keep the plant in good shape. Pruning is carried out during the life of the plant to rejuvenate it, stimulate the growth of lower branches, thin out the crown, during transplantation, to obtain a bountiful harvest, etc. The idea that pruning has a direct effect on yield is wrong; it only rejuvenates the plant.
Fertilizing and pruning plants have a close relationship. A well-fertilized plant requires less pruning and the harvest will be larger. On the other hand, pruning can reduce the yield so as not to overload the plant. Excessive pruning slows down the growth of citrus fruits, so you need to find harmony between pruning and harvest. It also depends on the type of plant; Some citrus fruits have a tendency to thicken the crown.
You can consult a specialist about the specifics of pruning citrus fruits.
Fertilizer.
Fertilizer helps the plant develop, but it is not a way to “pump up” the plant in hopes of a miraculous result. Fertilizer is selected carefully so as not to harm the plant; especially since the plant has a rest period, which may be disrupted.
General rules for fertilizing:
Do not fertilize dry soil;
- Take into account temperature, growing season;
- Frequent watering or rain washes away fertilizers.
The plant itself says what it needs. There are many rules for this that experienced flower growers know. (If you spray a plant with beer, it not only nourishes, but also shines. Some citrus pests really don’t like beer).
With constant care, plants usually feel quite good. After transplantation, citrus fruits do not need feeding for two months. Some citrus growers recommend feeding citrus fruits not only with beer, but also with leftover coffee or tea. You can’t often feed a plant - overfeeding is more dangerous than not feeding it.
Diseases.
It is known that a strong plant has good immunity. We must remember that by destroying pests, we also destroy living creatures that help the plant to exist and defend itself. When spraying against pests, you can feed the plant through the leaves. If the pests can be collected with your hands, that’s great, but you should not rub the leaves with a brush (only hard branches or trunk). When spraying, first treat the underside of the leaf.
Health.
What benefits does citrus provide for health? Its smell kills bacteria and viruses; Its essential oils have a positive effect on humans. Plants, not just citrus fruits, absorb harmful emissions emitted by environmental devices. Plants have a positive effect on the psyche and health of their loved ones.
So... If we want to propagate our citrus fruits:
We sow citrus seeds and then graft, propagate citrus fruits by cuttings. If the plant does not bloom, you can graft a sprig of flowering citrus onto it; the fruits will be like those of the mother plant.
Types of citrus fruits are recognized by their leaves.
All about citrus fruits on the website website
All about exotics on the website website
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An exotic domesticated tree - lemon, tangerine or orange - can delight its owner not only with its beautiful appearance, but also with tasty and aromatic fruits. Even novice gardeners can grow citrus as a houseplant.
Features of cultivation
You can grow citrus indoor plants (lemon, tangerine or orange) from seeds. This is a proven and most reliable method.
To do this, you will need ripe citrus with uniform skin, without damage or rot. You can buy it at any supermarket. The seeds must be ripe and formed.
Substrate
It is better to germinate citrus plants in a light nutritious substrate of peat soil and store-bought flower soil. Mix both components in equal proportions.
At the bottom of the seedling box you need to lay a 2 cm layer of expanded clay, then fill it to the top with soil mixture.
Planting and conditions of detention
Seeds should be planted to a depth of 2 cm immediately after removal from the fruit, since dried citrus seeds are less likely to germinate than wet ones.
- on the windowsill, where there is bright but diffuse lighting with protection from the sun;
- at a temperature of 20-22°C;
- the soil should be regularly moistened with a spray bottle;
- ventilate periodically.
Under a transparent glass or film cover under such conditions, citrus fruits from the seed will germinate in 2 weeks.
Caring for sprouts
After citrus plants germinate, the sprouts are regularly watered with warm water, as well as loosening the soil after watering in order to increase its aeration.
As soon as the citrus fruits produce one pair of leaves, they are transplanted into separate pots with a diameter of 8-10 cm. To create a greenhouse microclimate, the plants are covered with a jar. They are ventilated once a day by removing the cover for an hour.
Plants are kept in such pots until they reach 20 cm in height. Then the indoor trees are transplanted into spacious containers using the earthen ball transfer method.
During each subsequent transplantation, containers 5-6 cm in diameter larger than the previous ones are used for plants. You should not plant a homemade citrus tree in a container that is too large, since the soil that is not occupied by roots begins to turn sour when exposed to moisture.
A 2-3 cm thick layer of expanded clay, pebbles or broken polystyrene is placed on the bottom of the container. Garden soil flavored with humus or a flower substrate for citrus fruits are suitable as a substrate.
For planting seedlings, you can buy substrate in special stores
When replanting citrus fruits at home, try not to deepen the root collar too much, as this may cause it to rot.
Rules for cultivation and maintenance
Growing citrus fruits at home is a difficult but rewarding process. In order for an exotic plant to be healthy, bloom beautifully and bear fruit, it should be provided with proper care.
Lighting
Decorative citrus trees at home need good lighting. This is a short day plant. Under conditions of 10 or 12-hour lighting, it begins to intensively grow green mass, as a result of which fruiting is delayed or does not occur.
The best place to keep it is a window sill on the south or east side. At lunchtime it should be shaded from the sun to eliminate the risk of burning the leaves.
In order for citrus fruits to form a symmetrical crown, during the growth process they should be regularly (every 10 days) rotated around their axis by 10°.
In winter, if the plant is not in the dormant phase, it should be illuminated for 6-7 hours.
Temperature
Indoor citrus fruits grow well under stable temperature conditions within 15-18°C. At higher temperatures, this plant sheds flower buds and ovaries.
During fruit ripening, citrus trees at home need warmer temperatures of 21-23°C.
Citrus trees need warm temperatures during fruit ripening.
In summer, they are taken out to the balcony, terrace or placed in the garden. It is important to prevent sudden changes in temperature, so the citrus is brought indoors or covered at night.
In winter, the plants are taken to a cool room where there are no heating devices and the temperature is 12-14°C. Over the winter, citrus, which is in the dormant stage, will get stronger for the next fruiting.
Watering
Caring for citrus plants at home involves regularly moistening the substrate. Between May and September the tree is watered daily. From October to April, the frequency of watering is reduced to twice a week. Each watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries out. To moisten the substrate, use settled water at room temperature.
With excessive watering, there is a risk of rotting of the root system, so the flooded plant should be urgently transplanted into a new substrate.
If in winter it is at room temperature and located next to heating devices, it should be sprayed daily with a spray bottle. This will increase the humidity level and prevent the indoor tree from drying out. Do not spray it too often, otherwise it may rot.
Feeding
In order for citrus home plants to be healthy, bloom and bear fruit profusely, they need to be fed regularly. Complex mineral fertilizers are used as food.
For young specimens, such feeding is applied once every 1.5 months, for adults more often - once every 2-3 weeks throughout the spring-summer period.
With the onset of autumn, citrus fruits that are in the dormant stage stop fertilizing. Those specimens that develop all year round should be fertilized no more than once every 1.5 months. Fertilizers are applied immediately after watering. This prevents the risk of burning the roots.
Of the organic components, indoor citrus prefers an ash solution or an infusion of birch and quinoa leaves (0.5 liters of raw material is poured with water and infused for 2 days). Manure infusion has proven itself well (1 liter of substance is dissolved in 5 liters of water). The scheme and frequency of adding organic matter are the same.
An infusion of birch leaves is an excellent organic fertilizer for homemade citrus.
If your indoor citrus is rapidly growing green mass, you should exclude nitrogen from the fertilizers and increase the dose of phosphorus.
Trimming
Basic care for citrus fruits at home involves regular pruning. The formation of the crown is carried out taking into account the purpose of growing the tree:
- If you want to get a home decorative tree, then the crown should be given a compact, small shape.
- To obtain a fruit-bearing tree, pruning is done differently. The crown is formed by pinching. The first pruning of the apical shoot is carried out after it reaches 25 cm in height. The next one is carried out at a height of 20 cm from the previous one. In this segment between the first and second pinching, it is necessary to leave 4 vegetative buds, from which lateral branches will subsequently grow. Shoots of the first order are pinched after 20 cm. After ripening, they are cut 5 cm lower. All subsequent shoots should be 5 cm shorter than the previous ones. The final pruning is carried out on shoots of the fourth order. If you do not carry out such a haircut in a timely manner, it is impossible to achieve fruiting from indoor citrus. The plant will randomly produce shoots growing in different directions. A thickened and shapeless crown will look unsightly.
In addition to formative pruning, plants require sanitary pruning. All damaged, broken and shriveled shoots must be removed.
Difficulties in growing
Growing an exotic tree at home is not an easy process. Indoor citrus is often affected by diseases and pests, which are constantly being fought. Often, due to inexperience and ignorance, flower growers do not take any measures to eliminate them, as a result of which the tree dies.
Yellowing
This is one of the most common problems encountered in domestic trees. There may be several reasons:
- indoor air is too dry;
- lack of nutrients in the soil;
- keeping the plant in a warm room in winter near heating devices;
- spider mite damage.
You can easily eliminate all reasons, except the last one, by optimizing the care of your trees: irrigate the crown more often, feed the tree and keep it cool in winter.
The leaves are falling
One of the reasons for massive leaf fall is the presence of spider mites on the home tree, which feed on the sap of leaf tissue. Control measures are described above. You can avoid using pesticides and try limiting yourself to an infusion of grated onion (1 teaspoon of onion pulp, pour 200 g of water, leave for 2 days, strain).
The second reason why citrus leaves fall off is a lack of moisture in the soil and low air humidity, so it is important to regularly water and irrigate the crown, especially on hot days.
Drying out
Due to insufficient watering and dry indoor air, the leaves dry out at the tips and turn brown.
If they dry out and curl into a tube, this is a sure sign that the plant is not being cared for properly: the home tree is in direct sunlight or suffers from a lack of light, nutrients, or excessive watering.
If the leaves of a citrus tree dry out, you need to choose the right care tactics
Pests
In addition to spider mites, citrus plants at home are affected by aphids, whiteflies, scale insects and mealybugs.
This product helps well in cases of minor pest infestation. At an advanced stage, you will have to resort to chemical preparations (insecticides) “Aktellik”, “Aktara” or “Fitoverm”.
Diseases
An indoor tree gets sick for many reasons:
- lack of light;
- excess or lack of moisture in the soil;
- lack of nutrients in the substrate;
- dry indoor air.
Due to such deficiencies in care, the plant becomes weakened and susceptible to various infections.
Citrus at home is often affected by the diseases described below.
- Tristeza is the death of the bark on a tree trunk. It is no longer possible to save such a specimen, but it is worth trying to propagate it with a healthy cutting from a diseased specimen.
- Gomoz. Cracks appear on the trunks and shoots of the plant, from which a sticky substance - gum - flows out. The affected areas are cleaned, then treated with a 3% concentration of copper sulfate solution. After this, the wounds are lubricated with garden varnish.
- Cancer. This is a bacterial disease that appears as dark brown spots on the surface of leaves and fruits. Cannot be treated.
- Root rot. The affected plant is removed from the pot, the rotten roots are cut off, treated with charcoal powder and transplanted into a new substrate.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that citrus fruits at home are capricious plants, if you follow the basic rules of care, you will not have any difficulties in maintaining them. In return, you will receive a decorative tree with healthy and tasty fruits.
