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How to grow lemon at home. How to plant and grow lemon from seed at home? How to plant a lemon tree from a seed

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Lemon is a tree of the Citrus genus., everyone knows its fruit. The homeland of this plant is China, India and the tropical Pacific islands.

Lemon was first introduced by the Arabs to the Middle East, North Africa, Spain and Italy.

People know firsthand about the benefits of lemon. Lemon is an excellent remedy for many ailments. It strengthens the immune system, normalizes hormonal levels, improves vision, and stimulates the gastrointestinal tract.

It is used for colds, as it contains a huge amount of vitamin C and many people simply like the sour, aromatic taste.

It is possible to grow lemon at home. If you cut a lemon, you can see a lot of seeds. From these seeds it is quite possible to grow a full-fledged lemon tree.

For a person who decides to plant a lemon at home, It is important to consider the following rules:

the fruit should be yellow, the ripest, because if the lemon is green, then due to the fact that it is not ripe, the germs of the sprouts in the seeds of such a lemon may not sprout;
for planting, it is important to select several large seeds - from 10 to 15 pieces, so that later you can choose a beautiful and actively growing seedling;
It is important to choose a suitable variety that will grow well at home.

Suitable variety for a home or apartment: Pavlovsky, Meyer and others

There are a large number of varieties. Below are some of them that are suitable for growing in a house or apartment:

Pavlovsky- differs from other varieties in its large fruits, which can reach 500 grams, has a sweetish taste, and the tree of this variety is quite large - more than 2 meters. This variety is distinguished by fragrant leaves. The aroma is so pungent and strong that the whole house will be filled with it.
- a hybrid of lemon and grapefruit, has a sweet and sour taste, small tree with a rich harvest, the size of one lemon can reach 150 grams, blooms in clusters, and has a seasonal dormant period.
Ponderosa- a hybrid of lemon and grapefruit, characterized by a bitter taste, as well as the presence large quantity seeds. I am glad that it is constantly blooming. According to people who grow this type of lemon, it is a very rewarding plant and completely unpretentious.
Genoa- a medium tree, produces a large harvest already in 4-5 years of life. Fruits with delicate pulp have a sour, aromatic taste. You can also eat the peel. This variety is considered not whimsical. By 2-3 years the seedling is already blooming.
Anniversary- a medium-sized tree, considered a variety that produces a rich harvest; the fruit is distinguished by its thick skin. Very suitable for growing in a house or apartment.

After the stage of choosing a variety has been completed, you need to move on to planting the seeds in the pot.

How to plant plant seeds: main points

Some active citrus growers with extensive experience It is advised to free the stone from the top husk, which, in their opinion, makes it possible to obtain seedlings in the shortest possible time.

This must be done very carefully, since any damage to the seed may prevent the seed from germinating.

But you can plant seeds without the above procedure.

Lemon seeds must be moist before planting.. It is advisable to soak them in water or a solution of sodium humate for a day. You can purchase this growth stimulator at any botanical store.

But even if the seeds were planted without soaking, and as soon as they were removed from the lemon, they will most likely germinate.

Next, you need to find a suitable small, shallow pot or glass and pour soil into it. There should be holes in the bottom of the pots. They are important so that excess moisture, which can cause the roots of sprouts to die, drains down.

Place 1.5-2 cm of expanded clay, small pebbles or very coarse sand on the bottom of the pot. Soil for planting can be bought in the store, or you can prepare it yourself. To do this, you need to mix garden soil, sand, humus and a little charcoal.

It is better to plant seeds at a depth of no more than 1.5-2 cm. It is important to moisten the soil before planting. It should not be dry, but excessive moisture is also undesirable.

The top of the pot can be covered with film. The air temperature in the room where the pot with seeds is located should be above +18℃.

Once every 2-3 days it is necessary to spray the soil. If the soil has become completely dry, then you can water it a little. After the first shoots appear, the film must be removed.

It is better to move the pot with sprouts to a bright place and water it with settled or rainwater at room temperature.

The first shoots will sprout no earlier than 3-4 weeks after planting.

According to experienced citrus growers, best time for planting lemon - end of winter, beginning of spring. Since increasing daylight hours will only benefit the emerging young shoots.

Will an indoor lemon tree produce fruit?

Many people think that growing lemons from seeds is a thankless task. Since you will have to wait 5, 7, or even 15 years for fruits from such a lemon, its fruits will be small in size.

For that, in order not to wait for decades for the lemon tree to start bearing fruit, it is necessary. This can be done in two ways in the warm season (summer or warm spring):

Into the cleft- a more preferable type of grafting. It is necessary to take a cutting of a cultivated fruit-bearing lemon. A branch on the seedling is cut off, and the remaining stem of the seedling is split. A “wedge” is sharpened on the cuttings of a fruiting lemon, which is then inserted into a split in the stem. Next, you need to tie the graft with electrical tape. 2-4 buds are left on the cuttings of a fruiting lemon, and the rest is cut off. The graft is covered with a plastic bag. When the graft has grown together, the package can be removed.

Lemon grafting - by budding or splitting - is necessary for speedy fruiting

Budding— the shoots of the seedling are cut off, leaving a “stump” 10 cm high from the tree. Next, take a branch of cultivated fruit-bearing lemon. Under each leaf of the twig there is a so-called “dormant bud”. It is necessary to make a cut in front of this bud. Next, cut off the leaf blade, but leave its petiole. On the “stump” of the seedling, make a cut of the bark and insert the petiole there, cut side down. Tie the grafting site with duct tape. The petiole of the cut leaf blade will serve as an indicator. If the petiole falls off after 2-3 days, then we can assume that the grafting was successful; if it dries out, then the grafting was unsuccessful and must be repeated.

What's interesting is that lemon grown from seeds adapts to home conditions faster and better, it is less picky than cuttings and grafted seedlings.

Why does a lemon grown from a seed not bear fruit?

Optimal growing conditions, care after planting

It is advisable to be very careful when dealing with lemons that have sprouted in a pot. When on lemon seedlings 3–4 leaves will appear, they are transplanted into separate pots.

In general, lemons can react to either excessive heat and sunlight or cold and strong winds. Therefore, when changing the location of the lemon pot, it is advisable to keep this in mind.

A the best solution will not change the place of “residence” of the lemon. The best place for lemon there will be a south or southwest side in the apartment. As for temperature, lemon can tolerate temperatures from +14℃ to +27℃.

Conditions are created for lemon without harsh temperature jumps , because they can kill him. It is advisable to maintain moderate air humidity - 60-70%.

Water the plant It is best to use rainwater at room temperature. In hot summers it is better to do this 2 times a day. And on cloudy and cold days, it is important to add lighting to the lemon using LED or fluorescent lamps.

Feed in summer seedlings can be treated with humus solution and liquid mineral fertilizers.

Lemons, like all houseplants susceptible to diseases and pest attacks. Therefore, they require careful care, and it is also recommended to carefully inspect the plant every day in order to detect the appearance of a particular pest as early as possible and take the necessary measures in time.

Care and protect: the main enemies of citrus

Lemon gets sick if you don't follow the rules of care. If the tree is not watered enough, it will dry out. If the soil in the pot is oversaturated with moisture, then yellow leaves will appear on the lemon, and this will be a sign that the roots of the tree are beginning to rot.

Also the appearance of yellow spots on the foliage, after which the leaves dry out and fall off, indicate that the tree lacks iron.

Drying ends of leaves they say that the tree needs phosphorus. And a lack of potassium and manganese leads to wrinkling of the leaves and loss of the ovary.

“Fitosporin” is considered a good remedy for many diseases and pests. It is non-toxic and odorless. It is also good to use as a preventive measure.

A lemon tree is not a geranium; it needs proper care and for a beginner it is very difficult to figure out what, how and when to do.

With some effort and studying the rules for caring for lemon, you can get a pleasant result. Home grown lemon will delight not only with its aroma, but also with delicious fruits.

Growing lemon from seed:

Bright yellow, fragrant lemons against a background of dark green leaves will decorate the simplest home or office space. It is generally accepted that lemons grow only in the garden. However, today there are many varieties of indoor cultivation of this citrus. Growing lemons at home is not very easy. But as a result, the tree, surrounded by attention and care, will bring joy with the beauty of snow-white flowers and bear delicious aromatic fruits.

Growing lemon at home

Lemon is a southern culture, capricious, loves an abundance of sunlight and warmth. Like most citrus fruits, it grows mainly in the subtropics of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, Mediterranean countries and South-East Asia. And residents of more northern regions can only dream of growing fragrant, bright fruits in their gardens. Fortunately, solving this problem is not that difficult these days. Varieties of lemons have been developed specifically for cultivation in greenhouses and heated greenhouses. They can be successfully grown in room conditions.

Photo gallery: indoor lemon varieties

Pavlovsky is a variety of folk selection, most suitable for growing indoors: unpretentious, grows well and bears fruit even on north-western windows, tolerates shade and dry air Lemon Lunario is a low (1–1.5 m) tree with numerous small thorns ; the variety is unpretentious in care, the aromatic fruits have high taste. The Ponderosa variety is a natural hybrid of lemon and citron; resistant to high temperatures and drought, characterized by tall growth (1.5–1.8 m) and a dense spreading crown. Lemon variety Yubileiny is shade-tolerant, easily adapts to environmental conditions, grows and develops quickly; 100% fruit set is observed even with low air humidity and lack of moisture in the soil. Meyer variety (Chinese) is the result of natural hybridization of lemon and orange; Among other varieties, it stands out for its early flowering (March - April), abundant fruiting and early ripening of fruits

Of course, you will have to make some efforts, be patient and gain the appropriate knowledge. After all, a lemon requires the creation of comfortable conditions and on its own, without satisfying its immediate needs, it will not grow.

But the result of efforts and labors will be a holiday tree, blooming fragrantly and beautifully, surprising and delighting with its fruits. Attempts to grow an indoor tree, not supported by knowledge and thoughtful care, are doomed to failure! And, conversely, on proper care homemade lemons respond gratefully good flowering

and fruiting.

V.V. Dadykin, agronomist, Moscow Indoor lemon

can bloom and bear fruit from one to four times a year, filling the surrounding space with a delicate aroma and pleasing the eye with delicate white flowers

If you are planning to get an indoor lemon, the easiest way is to purchase an adult tree at a flower shop. But it should be taken into account that it was grown in a greenhouse, which is not always possible to provide for a plant in a city apartment or in a private house. It is much more interesting to grow a lemon yourself. A fruit-bearing tree will suit your tastes and the conditions of your home, and after a certain time it will bloom and give you wonderful fruits.

You can get the freshest, most delicious and aromatic fruits from your homemade lemon.

There are several options for growing lemon seedlings at home: from seeds, from cuttings, and also by root layering. The most effective and short-term method is to grow a seedling from a semi-lignified cutting taken from an adult citrus tree. In this case, the first harvest can be obtained already in the third year of the plant’s life, i.e. 2 years earlier than from his brother, who grew from a seed. However, it is not always possible to find or buy cuttings of a suitable variety. In this case, choose the simplest and affordable way- growing lemon from a seed, when after one and a half to two years you can get a very attractive tree with dark green shiny leathery leaves.

The only, but very big, drawback when growing lemon from a seed is that such a tree will begin to bear fruit naturally no earlier than after 8–12 years. There are many ways to make a lemon yield earlier. One of them is to grow a rootstock from a seed and then graft it with an eye or cutting into a split from a fruiting plant. Most favorable period

The time for planting seeds is late spring - early summer (April-June). At this time, daylight lasts for 15–18 hours (lemons need at least 12 hours) and the air temperature remains stable, i.e. there is no need for additional illumination of seedlings and dry air in the room due to central heating is eliminated.

Preparing lemon seeds for planting Having decided on the variety of lemon to grow, choose the ripest, largest and healthiest fruit. Depending on the original variety of citrus, there can be from 6 to 20 seeds. To plant, you need to take two dozen seeds, taking into account the fact that some of them will not sprout. They should be large, regular oval in shape, without damage. Dried seeds can also be used, but their germination is not guaranteed. To speed up the process of further germination, it is recommended to pre-soak dry seeds for 10–12 hours in a nutrient solution of Kornevin or Zircon preparations.

To remove pulp and juice from lemon seeds, rinse them in small quantity warm boiled water and lightly dry on a napkin

Planting lemon seeds

Before planting seeds, you should first prepare the containers for planting and the soil. To germinate seeds, you can use any suitable small container (plastic glasses, food containers with a lid, bowls or small ceramic pots). Each container used must have holes in the bottom to drain irrigation water. It is advisable to purchase ready-made soil for future seedlings (Lemon, For citrus crops, etc.), it contains all the components necessary for young citrus fruits in the optimal ratio.

If it is not possible to use ready-made soil, you can make it yourself by taking equal amounts of garden soil and humus and adding river sand in an amount of approximately 1/3 of the total soil mass. The finished soil mixture should be loose, light and porous. For additional loosening, depending on the density of the original soil, you can add a little vermiculite to the soil (according to the instructions). To the bottom flower pot

you need to put drainage made of pebbles, fine gravel or expanded clay, cover it with prepared soil on top, not reaching the edges 2–3 cm

Planting lemon seeds is done as follows:

When the first leaves appear on small lemon seedlings, the film can be removed from the pot. One of the main conditions for the normal development of citrus crops is light. Lemons need twelve hours of daylight. Therefore, containers with seedlings should be placed on a window with the best illumination, optimally facing south or southwest. In summer, plants should be shaded from the sun with a light curtain or net. And in the autumn-winter season, from late October to February, it is recommended to turn on the powerful lamps daylight

or phytolamps with a special spectrum (Reflex type). Additional illumination must be carried out for at least 6 hours.

Lemon reacts negatively to movement and change of orientation in relation to the window. You should not twist or move the pot with the tree, especially when it is blooming and about to bear fruit, because... lemon can drop fruit.

Video: growing lemon from seed

Transplanting and transferring indoor lemons

In the process of growth and development, seedlings, and subsequently lemon seedlings, require more and more space for their root system. When the roots of the plant completely fill the entire container in which it is grown, it should be transplanted into a container 3–5 cm larger in diameter compared to the previous one.

A signal that a lemon needs replanting is the roots of the plant sticking out of the drainage holes of the pot. You can also carefully move the soil away from the sides of the pot with a stick and see if the roots are touching the walls of the pot. If the root system of the plant extends beyond the earthen ball, this means that the pot has become too small for the tree and it is time to change it.

When the roots of the lemon have completely entwined the earthen ball, it means it’s time to transplant it into a larger pot. All winter, from November to February, the lemon tree remains in a state of organic dormancy and practically does not grow. With the onset of spring warmth, if citrus growth does not resume, then one of possible reasons This is an illiterate plant transplant. It is advisable to transplant (or transship) lemons at the end of winter (February-March), as needed. Young citrus trees are replanted quite often - two to three times a year, usually in spring and autumn, and also in the summer between two waves of growth. Starting from 5–6 years, lemons are replanted less frequently, once every three to four years. A distinction is made between transplanting and transshipment of plants.

When replanting, the soil in the pot is completely replaced, and the cramped pot is replaced with a more spacious one. During transshipment, the root ball of soil is completely preserved, the pot is left the same or changed to a larger pot.

Lemon transplant

The reason for a transplant may be: The plant was bought in a store and is located in the so-called. "transport" pot. As a rule, such a pot has small size
and is intended for the temporary residence of a seedling in it.
The lemon leaves wither and turn yellow, and the smell of rot comes from the pot. This means that as a result of excessive watering, the water in the pot has stagnated and the roots of the plant have rotted.

If a lemon's leaves turn yellow and fall off, you should definitely check it. root system and find out the cause of the phenomenon

The transplant process is as follows:

In order to free the lemon from the pot, you should thoroughly wet the earthen lump, watering it generously with water. Then you need to hold the stem of the tree between the ring and middle fingers of your hand and, pressing your palm to the ground and holding the crown, carefully turn the pot over.
Gently tapping the pot, shake out the plant along with earthen lump. The room should have good lighting in order to be able to carefully examine the lemon roots. If the plant needs replanting, it must be done as soon as possible.
Since lemon roots have practically no suction hairs and are therefore very vulnerable, when replanting it is highly undesirable to wash them and try to straighten them.
The earthen lump should be carefully loosened with a sharp wooden stick. If, upon examination of the root system, diseased, damaged and dry roots were identified, they are removed. This should be done very carefully so as not to hurt healthy parts of the plant. To quickly restore the roots, they can be lightly dusted with root stimulator Kornevin or Zircon.
During the examination of the roots, if necessary, remove diseased and damaged ones.
It is necessary to replant the lemon in new pot(or container), the dimensions of which do not exceed the dimensions of the previous one. Drainage in the form of expanded clay, fine gravel or pebbles, broken shards, sand and a soil mixture (substrate) appropriate for the plant must be prepared in advance.
The pot should be larger than the previous one by 3–5 cm in diameter
For citrus plants, ready-made soil is sold and, if it has a good composition, it is advisable to use it. The soil for lemons should consist of a mixture turf land, humus, leaf soil and sand. If only peat is indicated on the soil bag, then it must be mixed with river or lake sand and leaf soil (for example, from under a birch tree).
Ready-made soil mixture for citrus fruits or Lemon based on peat is recommended to be used for young lemons; For adult plants (from 5 years old), soil can be prepared independently from the following components: garden soil, sand, rotted manure in a ratio of 5:1:1
The new pot for replanting should have holes in the bottom to drain excess watering water and protrusions to allow air to pass between the pot and the tray.
There should be several holes at the bottom of the pot for draining water and legs so that the pot is raised above the tray
A layer of broken shards and expanded clay (or pebbles) is placed at the bottom of the pot for drainage so that water does not stagnate in the root area. Sand and a little prepared substrate are poured on top of it.
The bottom of the pot must be covered with a layer of drainage of at least 2–3 cm

A plant with a treated root is placed in the center of the pot, after which planting soil is added to the pot. It is important that there are no voids left in the ground. To do this, shake the pot with lemon slightly to compact the soil, and then gently press the surface of the soil around the stem with your hands. The soil should be 2-3 cm below the top edge of the pot.

The root neck of the lemon is placed at the level of the edges of the pot or slightly below

After transplantation, the plant is watered abundantly with warm, settled water. When the water is completely absorbed, you can lightly loosen the soil to better access air to the roots. Then the leaves are sprayed with a spray bottle and placed in a warm, draft-free, shaded place. The transplanted plant should not be fed at the root for a month after transplantation.
To relieve stress and restore vitality after transplantation, it is recommended to spray citrus warm water with the addition of growth stimulants HB-101 or Epin-extra

Video: transplanting a lemon seedling

Transshipment of lemon

If, upon examination of the lemon’s root system, no problems are identified, the plant is healthy and all that is required is to replace the pot with a more spacious one, the citrus is transshipped. Since this process is gentle and less traumatic for the roots, transferring the lemon to a new pot is preferable to replanting. Usually young seedlings are transferred, starting from the first year of life and up to five years. This is due to their rapid growth and development of roots.

During the transshipment process the following operations are performed:

If there is an urgent need, lemon transshipment can be done during flowering. If everything is done carefully and correctly, the roots of the plant are not damaged and this does not delay its development.

Video: transshipment of a young seedling

Grafting a lemon seedling grown from a seed

A lemon seedling grown from a seed is called self-rooted. Such a lemon, even if it begins to bear fruit, will only do so after 8–12 years. A solution to this problem has been found. To force citrus to bear fruit, it is grafted by budding (with an eye) or into a split. To be grafted, the seedling (rootstock) must be two to three years old and have a stem at least 8–10 mm thick. The best period for grafting is considered to be the end of spring (April) and all summer (ending with August), that is, the time when active sap flow occurs in the plant. To carry out grafting, the scion (eye or cutting from a fruiting citrus) should be cut off immediately before it is carried out. In the case when the operation will be carried out after a certain time, in order to avoid drying out, the scion is placed in a wet cloth and kept in it until grafting. All tools for grafting (secateurs and garden knife) are thoroughly treated with alcohol. You should also prepare FUM tape in advance for bandaging the vaccination site and garden var for coating the surface of the bark.
Budding involves placing an eye (bud) from a shoot of a fruiting lemon in a T-shaped cut on the bark of the rootstock (seedling from the seed).

The grafting technology looks like this:

The eye is cut off directly with the scute (a piece of bark).
Choose a budding location - on a branch 5–10 cm from the ground surface.
An incision is made across (≈1 cm), then along (≈2–3 cm). The cut is made by two cuts: 1 cm above the eye and 1.5 cm below the eye.
Carefully pry up the bark with a knife and push it apart slightly.
Quickly return the bark to its place, leaving a small hole on top. You will need to insert a peephole here.
The cut eye, holding it by the leaf petiole, is quickly inserted into the cut made on the rootstock.
The grafting site is tied with FUM tape.

The petiole of the cut leaf blade will serve as an indicator: if the petiole falls off after 2–3 days, then the graft has been successful; if it dries out, the grafting was unsuccessful and must be repeated

Cleft grafting is the more preferable type of grafting, because the impact on the tree is not so traumatic for it and is easier for a less experienced gardener to perform.

A cutting (part of the shoot with eyes) is prepared from a varietal fruit-bearing lemon.
The top of the rootstock (or part of the skeletal branch) is cut off. The remaining stem is split.
The end of the handle is sharpened with a “wedge”. The cutting with the sharpened part is placed in the split of the stem and the graft is tightly wrapped with FUM tape.
2–4 buds are left on the scion cutting, the rest are removed.
To speed up fusion, the cutting along with the grafting site is covered with a plastic bag, which is removed after the grafting has fused.

After grafting into the cleft, the buds left on the scion (fruit-bearing shoot) quickly produce new shoots

Video: grafting indoor lemon

Having enough information about growing lemons indoors, you can grow this wonderful citrus without much difficulty. You just have to be patient and love your pet.

In this article you will find answers to all questions on the topic of interest, including how to germinate seeds. In this case, flower growers use one of two simple methods. We’ll talk about how to grow a lemon from a seed later, but now we’ll just warn you that flowering and fruiting can be expected no sooner than in 8-10 years. To achieve the desired goal, special conditions must be created in the house and proper care organized.

Cultivation capabilities

Whether there is a chance or not to grow a lemon at home, assessing this probability using the table below will help.

Since growing lemons at home is not easy (the process is long and labor-intensive), you need to be patient in advance. Only then will the lemon tree bloom one day and bear fruit, which, depending on the variety, can be 15-50 per year. When they ripen, they fill the air with a strong aroma and their color takes on a rich yellow hue.

None indoor plant does not need as much attention as a lemon. But it also has advantages over them:

hardy - with good care and creation necessary conditions for normal life (then the tree all year round grows, blooms and bears fruit at the same time);
durable - if you take good care of the plant, its life expectancy will be 35-45 years (although diseases and numerous pests shorten this period);
useful - ozonizes indoor air with volatile essential oils;
beautiful - lemon (including tangerine), like ornamental plants valued for their emerald shiny leaves and large fruits, thanks to which they stand out from other indoor plants.

First method of planting seeds

Now let's talk about how to grow lemons from seeds at home, using for this purpose a mixture of peat, leaf soil and coarse sand in a ratio of 2:1:1. Seeds are planted after heat treatment(sterilization) of soil, when it was first frozen and then thawed or steamed:

in the oven for an hour at a temperature of 100-120 ° C;
microwave - five minutes on maximum mode;
on the stove (fill the soil with water and turn on low heat for an hour).

Before planting, the soil should be moist (but not wet, otherwise the lemon seeds will rot - this can also happen if they are not washed off the slimy coating). The prepared (sterilized) soil is poured into a small pot with drainage holes. To plant 1 seed, it should be 10 cm wide and 15 cm deep.

Make a 1 cm depression in the soil with your finger or a stick, into which the bone is immersed vertically - with the pointed end down and the rounded end up, sprinkled with soil. It may fail to germinate only when it is too small - like a grain of rice or wrinkled (like a raisin). In these two cases, even if a sprout appears, healthy plant it won't grow anyway, so don't waste your time.

After planting the seed, the pot is covered with plastic film, in which several holes are made with a pencil, toothpick or fork. Find a warm place for it with an air temperature of 20-28 °C (sunlight is not a vital factor at the moment). Water as needed when the soil begins to become dry. After about two weeks, a sprout will appear, then remove the film and move the pot to a sunny place, continuing to keep the soil moist.

Experienced flower growers advise planting 5-10 seeds at a time, recommending Meyer lemon, which, compared to other varieties, has sweeter fruits, is compact and has high yields. Grown from seed, it blooms for the first time at the age of four years.

Sprouting seeds in a plastic bag

Lay a paper towel on a flat surface and moisten it with water. Select 5-10 plump seeds (not tiny or shriveled ones). You will have to come to terms with the fact that not all of them will germinate, and not every seedling will survive. Note that the bones are kept in water overnight the day before.

They must remain moist the entire time they are being prepared for germination. Preparation consists of a number of actions:

rinse the seeds in cold water to clean them of a gel-like coating filled with sugar, which can stimulate the growth of mold and bacteria;
remove the outer white shells with a knife (it’s easier to start peeling the seeds from the pointed end);
remove thin brown films from the grains (the coatings are removed using your fingertips).

In this form, the seeds are evenly laid out on a damp towel, and then, without covering them with anything, they are carefully transferred to a plastic zipper bag. Close tightly (this will help retain moisture) and transfer to a dark and warm place. Under these conditions, they germinate within one to two or even three weeks.

Planting of seedlings into the ground is carried out after the roots have grown to a length of 2-8 cm. The pot is filled with soil, in which a shallow hole is made. A vertically germinated seedling is lowered into it with its root (tail) down and watered. Throughout the following days, the soil should always be kept moist (not soggy or dry).

Proper lemon care

After the formation of four developed leaves on the seedlings, they begin to be cared for as an adult plant.

1. Watering - two or three times a week, with warm, boiled and sour water.	When only the surface of the soil dries out, the bottom layer should always remain moist.
2. Lighting - 8 hours of sunlight.	In winter, turn on the lamps: in the morning/evening, if the lemon is on the windowsill; for 10 hours a day, when he is at some distance from the window.
3. Transplantation - the first time when the plant reaches the age of 1 year.	Each new pot should be only 2-4 cm wider than the previous one.
4. Maintain soil pH in the range of 5.7-6.5.	Continuous measurement of acidity using a test kit or indicator strips.
5. Feeding - from March to October.	At the frequency recommended in the instructions for the fertilizer for citrus plants.

1. For irrigation, dissolve the powder of one acid from the list in 3-4 liters of water:

ascorbic acid - 0.1 g;
lemon - 0.5 g;
nitrogen or phosphorus - 4 drops.

It is also watered with an infusion of 200 g of high-moor peat, which is diluted with water in an amount of 3 liters and left for 24 hours. From time to time, a solution of 2 tablespoons of soot is also prepared for feeding in a 10-liter bucket.

2. In summer, young and mature plants are exposed to Fresh air, accustoming them to direct sun rays gradually. To keep the soil from overheating, place the pot with lemon in wooden box and fill the space between the containers with drainage material, expanded clay, pebbles or moss, watering them from time to time.

3. A rule that helps you understand that the time has come for replanting - the roots begin to emerge through the drainage holes. Experience shows that a plant with fruits grows normally in a pot 30-45 cm wide and 25-40 cm deep.

4. You can reduce the acidity of the soil by watering with a small amount of coffee or tea.

5. Indoor lemon needs to be fed with organic matter twice a year; for this purpose, choose only one of all the types of feeding listed below.

In 10 liters of water:

stir 20 g of potassium salt and 50 g of ammonium nitrate;
liquefy chicken manure or humus, which is then infused for 10 days. For feeding, prepare a solution of low concentration, stirring in it an additional few grams of potassium salt.
superphosphate is diluted, but first boil 50 g of the substance for half an hour in 1 liter of water. At the same time as applying phosphorus fertilizer, the lemon tree is fed with manure or compost;

In winter, once a month foliar feeding is carried out - spraying with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. It is recommended to do such procedures in the evening, at night. Manganese is necessary for the plant in the same way as potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, magnesium, copper and many other elements. Their lack in the soil leads to serious difficulties when growing lemon.

Consequences of deficiency of macro- and microelements in the soil:

Flaw	leaves	fruit
nitrogen	They turn pale	small, in insignificant quantities.
Phosphorus	Fall off	wrinkled
potassium	Are deformed	low weight, low yield.
Gland	Turn yellow	lemons lose their rich color and fall off before they are ripe. The branches are drying up.
Calcium	Spotted, curling and crumbling.
Manganese	Dull, with pronounced veins.
Sulfur	Turn yellow
boron	The same changes occur as with calcium deficiency.	with dark spots
copper	The growth of shoots of an abnormal shape, which suddenly die, as do the upper undeveloped leaves.

Only the right fertilizers allow you to grow lemon at home without experiencing any difficulties. But if something goes wrong with it, and there is no way to use organic or ready-made mixtures from the store, then home methods for resuscitating lemon can help.

Folk remedies:

Anyone who has grown lemons from seeds probably knows about two more useful folk remedies:

aquarium water, which is also sprayed on the lemon tree;
sugar - as a source of glucose, needed by the plant at the growth stage, 1 table is scattered on the surface of the soil once a week. l. sand or watered with sugar solution.

Lemon pruning is a guarantee of good yield

Over the course of a year, a long vertical shoot, called a zero shoot, grows from the seedling. In the spring, in March, it is pruned at a height of approximately 20 cm, leaving at least four developed buds on the branch. The main lateral shoots (first order) are formed from them. When they grow 30 cm long, they are pinched.

The shoots of the second generation are pruned, leaving 20 cm of branches, the third - 15 cm, and the fourth - 10 cm. This completes the formation of the crown, and the first fruits appear on the lemon. In addition to regular spring pruning, old and weakened branches are removed from the tree, as well as growing:

inside the crown;
and vertically upward (such shoots are called fat shoots; they never bear fruit).

They also increase productivity by:

additional winter pruning and pinching;
removing part of the flowers.

Growing a lemon from a seed may not be so difficult in comparison with the care that is provided to the fruiting of the tree. Only patient and responsible people achieve results.

You can grow citrus from a seed on your own balcony or loggia. Wanting to get strong beautiful plant, you need to know all the features of planting and caring for it. Fruiting depends on the variety and planting method.

Lemon can be grown from a seed

Benefits of growing lemon

A large amount of vitamin C and trace elements allow this citrus to be used in the fight against cold symptoms. Its use helps to normalize hormonal levels and the activity of the gastrointestinal tract.

Lemon is a very sour but aromatic fruit that can be eaten fresh or processed into juices, jams, tea, etc.

Lemons grow in countries with warm climates, such as Georgia, Turkey, northern Africa and Asia. But you can try to grow citrus at home. Plant in open ground Citrus will not work, because it does not tolerate temperature changes, so it will quickly die during the first cold snap.

For cultivation, use a balcony equipped with a heating system or a glass greenhouse. If a tree is grown in such conditions, then in a few years you can expect a harvest.

Popular indoor lemon varieties

It is best to plant the following varieties in an apartment:

Pavlovsky. A very tall and beautiful tree. It often reaches 2 m in height. The fruits have a sweetish taste, and their weight can reach 400–450 g.
Meyer lemon. A hybrid obtained by crossing with grapefruit. Does not take up much space on the balcony or in the room. One plant can produce up to 2 kg of fruit per season. The weight of each citrus reaches 150 g.
Ponderosa. Known for its bitter taste and big amount seeds. This tree is very beautiful because it blooms most of the season.
Genoa. It is unpretentious in care, so it is often grown by novice gardeners. It bears fruit in the 5th year of life, and blooms already in the second year.
Anniversary. One of the most high-yielding varieties. Its fruits have a thick skin.

Ponderosa lemon produces slightly bitter fruit

Seed selection

A lemon grown from a seed can produce up to 8 kg of fruit per season, if planting material was chosen correctly, and the care met all the requirements. Anyone who decides to grow lemons needs to choose the right planting material:

choose seeds only of a fruit-bearing variety that can be grown at home;
You can only remove seeds from ripe fruit;
For sowing you will need 10–15 large seeds.

We must not forget that from the right choice The variety depends on how the tree will grow. Don't expect active fruiting right away. The first harvest will appear only 5–8 years after planting.

The seed should be taken from a ripe fruit

Planting a lemon

To grow, you will need a container for lemon, soil, fertilizers, and plastic film.

Before planting seeds, it is advised to soak them in a solution of monosodium glutamate and a growth stimulator for 24 hours.

After this, the planting material is dried. Landing:

Soil preparation. You can buy it in a specialized store or mix it yourself, using compost, peat and soil, and river sand in equal proportions.
A thin layer of drainage is laid on the bottom of the pot: broken brick, on top of which the prepared soil is poured.
Plant seeds to a depth of 2–2.5 cm in pre-moistened soil.
Cover the pot with plastic wrap.

Such greenhouses should be kept at room temperature 18–22 °C. There is no need to moisten the soil: excess water can cause the seeds to rot.

The lemon is kept in the greenhouse until the first shoots appear. After this, the pots are placed in a well-lit place. The film is removed from the pots only when the first leaves appear. Before this, you should ventilate the greenhouse for 2–3 hours a day, opening part of the film.

Lemon sprouts should be ventilated regularly

Young tree care

In order for a lemon to grow and develop, you need to feed it with mineral fertilizers no more than once every 3 months.

When the tree reaches 15–20 cm in height, you can transplant it into a larger pot. For active fruiting, it should be replanted 2 times a year.

Care is as follows:

Formation of the tree crown. The first pruning is carried out when the main stem reaches 20–22 cm. It is shortened to give the plant strength to form side shoots. Further pruning is carried out every spring.
Trunk banding. Used copper wire, which is tied at its base. As the citrus grows, it will cover the strapping with bark. In this place useful material will accumulate in large volumes, which will affect the yield.
Watering. Lemon loves moisture, but does not tolerate its excess. More attention needs to be paid to spraying. They are carried out once every 2–3 days. Regular watering is carried out with room-settled water no more than once every 2 weeks.
Cleaning. Mature trees become covered with indoor dust. It negatively affects the quality of tree growth. Dust should be wiped off with a damp cloth or washed off with a shower, which can be used no more than once a year, using only warm water.

The tree can bear fruit within 3 years, but experts advise removing the first blossoms from the tree, leaving only 2–3 flowers. A young lemon cannot yet withstand heavy loads. By cutting off the inflorescences, a person allows the tree to grow stronger.

Copper wire is used to trim lemons

Protection from diseases and pests

Preventive measures:

bathing in the shower;
wiping leaves with soapy water;
spraying with Fitosporin solution.

Regular preventive procedures help protect citrus from scale insects, mealy mites and spider mites.

They reduce the yield of the tree or destroy it. Prevention is necessary for both adult and unfruitful lemons.

How to get a good harvest

Whether a lemon will bear fruit depends on many factors. If all requirements are taken into account, then after 4–7 years of plant life you can obtain good harvest. Grafting allows you to accelerate the growth of the tree and reduce the waiting time for the first harvest. Most often it is carried out by budding or splitting.

Reading time: 5 minutes

If you have ever seen a flowering lemon tree, you will understand why many gardeners want to have such a miracle at home. Their lush, dark green, oval leaves have a glossy surface that glistens beautifully in the sunlight. And their white flowers emit a pleasant citrus aroma and fill the whole room with it. Plus, lemons grow on them)

In hot, sunny regions, lemons grow outdoors all year round, but no one forbids growing them at home, regardless of our harsh climate.

Small tree with big fruits

And although cuttings from a healthy tree are a reliable option for quickly obtaining a harvest, for many such cuttings are not available. But you can find lemons with their seeds! And despite the fact that a lemon grown in this way will begin to bear fruit no earlier than in 5-10 years, there is an additional pleasure in this - growing a tree from a small seed. Watching lemons grow is an interesting and exciting experience!

Below is described step by step guide for growing lemon from a small seed.

You will need

How to germinate lemon seeds

Make sure the soil is moist;
Try growing 3-5 seedlings in one pot. This will prevent the soil from getting too wet. When the sprouts are large enough, move them to separate pots.
It may take several months for the sprouts to sprout and look like a real lemon tree.
Sometimes, several sprouts grow from one seed. If this is your case: wait until each sprout has about 4 leaves, then carefully separate them and replant them in separate pots.

Show a little patience, put in your work, your love and warmth, and a small seed will turn into a tree that will delight you with beautiful flowers and fruits!