How to take care of a baby lemon tree

How to Grow and Care for an Indoor Lemon Tree

With sweet-smelling flowers, glossy foliage and tart, tasty fruit, an indoor lemon tree rewards your attention year-round. Regardless of your climate, you can grow a container lemon tree indoors and enjoy your own homegrown lemons. Growing indoor lemons isn't hard as long as you choose the right tree and meet its special needs. These basics on how to grow and care for an indoor lemon tree can have you drinking lemonade in no time.

Selecting the Best Lemon Tree for Indoors
Picking the Perfect Indoor Lemon Tree Pot
Planting Your Indoor Lemon Tree
Placing Your Indoor Lemon Tree
Watering and Fertilizing Your Indoor Lemon Tree
Pollinating and Pruning Your Indoor Lemon Tree

When grown outdoors in warm climates, regular lemon trees grow 20 feet tall and take up to six years to bear fruit.1 For indoor lemons, you need a tree that stays small and delivers lemons sooner. Growers graft indoor lemon tree varieties onto special dwarfing roots that speed up fruit-bearing ability and keep trees small.

Some of the easiest, most popular indoor lemon trees are actually crosses with other fruits, but some are true lemon trees that do well in pots. The best dwarf indoor lemon tree varieties include:

Dwarf Improved Meyer – The easiest indoor lemon tree, this cross between lemon and mandarin orange offers sweet, tangy lemons.
Dwarf Ponderosa – Another popular indoor choice, this lemon and citron cross bears large lemony fruit.
Dwarf Variegated Pink Lemonade – The green-and-yellow variegated fruit on this true lemon tree has pink flesh (but clear juice).

Most dwarf lemon trees sold by nurseries are two to three years old — old enough to start bearing fruit, but still immature. Container size helps limit a tree's eventual height, but most indoor dwarf Meyer lemon trees grow to at least 3 to 4 feet tall. Other indoor varieties can grow to 6 feet or more.

If you plan to grow a lemon tree from a seed, understand that the new tree won't be the same as the one the seed came from. Starting a lemon tree from a cutting will yield the same tree — from the ground up — but the process is challenging. Either way, your new tree won't have the small size and disease resistance of grafted dwarf trees, and you won't see fruit for many years.

Lemon trees fill your home with fragrance and fruit.

It's tempting to start your lemon tree in a pot worthy of its final size, but it's better to start out small. Overly large pots with excess soil make it difficult to tell when your indoor lemon tree needs water. For most young, nursery-grown trees, start with a 12-inch diameter container. As your tree grows over the years, slowly progress to pots double that size in width and depth.

Lemon trees do well in all kinds of pots, from porous terra cotta to lightweight resin. Just make sure the container has large, unobstructed drainage holes. Like other citrus trees, lemons prefer cool roots, so avoid black pots and other dark colors that heat up in sunlight.

Always use a deep saucer under your container to protect indoor floors from excess water. Consider putting a wheeled plant dolly underneath. Lemon trees get heavy and hard to move as they grow.

Lemon tree roots demand abundant oxygen, so proper planting and excellent drainage are key. When planting your tree, the flare at the base of the trunk should sit slightly above your eventual soil line.

Start by filling the new container's bottom with soil, then lightly tamp it down. Repeat until you reach the right depth for your tree's root ball. This helps provide a good foundation so your tree won't settle in too deeply. Always leave a few inches at the top for watering.

Indoor lemon trees do best when their soil stays evenly moist. Choose a well-draining potting mix designed for indoor palm trees or citrus. These mixes help prevent soggy soil while still retaining moisture, so roots don't get too wet or too dry.

As a final step, treat your newly planted lemon tree to Pennington UltraGreen Plant Starter with Vitamin B1, which provides micronutrients and reduces transplant shock.

Nursery-grown dwarf lemons bear fruit at a young age.

Once your lemon tree is in its new container, it's ready for its new environment. These two factors are critical to a successful indoor lemon tree:

Light: For peak performance — from blooms to fruit — your indoor lemon tree needs close to eight hours of sunlight each day. The more light it gets, the better your results will be. Lemons generally do well in front of unobstructed south- or southwest-facing windows. You can also add artificial light if needed.
Temperature: Indoor lemon trees grow best with nightly temperatures near 65 degrees Fahrenheit, which suits most homes fine. Lemon trees won't tolerate hot or cold drafts, so place them away from all air conditioning and heating ducts.

During warm summer months, consider giving your indoor lemon tree an outdoor vacation. Once all danger of spring frost passes, gradually acclimate it to the outdoors. The extra sunlight will do it good — and reward you with fruit. Before fall frost comes, move it back inside. Always move lemon trees gradually. Abrupt changes in light and temperature can make fruit drop.

To keep your lemon tree healthy, allow the soil to dry out about 3 inches deep before you water. Then water thoroughly until it runs through the pot's drainage holes. Keep the soil moist, not overly wet, but never let it dry out completely. Test soil with a moisture meter (available online and in garden centers) or use your index finger instead.

During active growth, especially if they're outdoors during summer, container lemon trees may need daily watering. During winter, water only as needed to keep soil moist. Timing varies depending on your indoor temperatures, your container and your tree size. Watch for warning signs such as yellow leaves, which signal soggy roots or nutrient problems.

To grow tasty fruit and beautiful foliage, your indoor lemon tree needs proper food. Like other citrus trees, lemon trees require plentiful nitrogen as well as other essential nutrients, including magnesium and iron.1 This is especially important for indoor lemon trees, which are restricted to containers.

A premium citrus fertilizer such as Pennington UltraGreen Citrus and Avocado Plant Food 10-5-5 provides indoor lemon trees with an ideal blend of primary nutrients and micronutrients at planting time, then it keeps feeding for up to four months.

As your tree grows older its needs will change, so follow label instructions for your indoor lemon tree's age and pot size. Feed container lemon trees every three to four months. Avoid disturbing shallow roots when you feed.

Indoor lemon trees look as good as their fruit tastes.

Unlike some fruit trees, lemons are self-pollinating. That means they don't need pollen from another lemon tree in order to bear fruit. But in nature, lemon trees rely on insects to pollinate their blossoms. Better pollination translates to more and better fruit.

With popular indoor varieties your tree should bear fruit on its own, but you can also help it along. When flowers are blooming and you stop to inhale the intoxicating fragrance, gently shake the branches to help spread pollen within the blossoms.

Indoor lemon trees typically need little to no pruning. Most indoor varieties are thornless, but some lemon trees have thorns. Wear long sleeves and gloves to prune away thorns and all shoots or roots near soil level. Most lemon trees fruit on outer branches, so wait until after fruit sets to avoid pruning away your prize.

By learning how to grow and care for a lemon tree indoors, you can enjoy a year-round parade of beautiful foliage, fragrant blossoms and shareable lemony treats. At Pennington, we're committed to bringing you premium plant fertilizers and expert advice to help you grow the indoor lemon tree of your dreams.

Always read product labels thoroughly and follow the instructions carefully.

UltraGreen is a registered trademark of Central Garden & Pet Company.

Pennington is a registered trademark of Pennington Seed, Inc.

Resources:

1. J.H. Crane, "Lemon Growing in the Florida Home Landscape," University of Florida IFAS Extension.

Types and How to Care for Them – FastGrowingTrees.com

Nothing embodies the warm, carefree vibe of spring and summer quite like citrus fruit. And lemon trees are arguably one of the best to choose for your own at-home orchard. Why? Well, for starters, they're super easy to grow and generally fruit quickly, even in less-than-stellar and cooler climates.

Plus, having a lemon tree is like having a little slice of the tropics right in your backyard. There's nothing like their fresh flavor and versatility.

Choosing Your Tree

Though it's a symbol of exotic, island-inspired growth, there are many places you can grow a lemon tree. Even if you live in an area where it gets cold outside, you can plant your lemon tree in a pot and bring it indoors during the winter. But if you're not sure what to choose, we've highlighted a few of our favorites below to get you started on your citrus journey!

1. Meyer Lemon

The famous favorite. The Meyer Lemon Tree is probably what comes to mind when you think of versatile indoor or outdoor growth and amazing, easy-to-grow flavor. It's especially known for offering both sweet and savory flavors from each squeeze, making it even better than store-bought.

In fact, Meyer Lemons aren't available in grocery stores because its thin skin is subject to easy bruising. However, this delicious skin also allows the citrus juices to develop fully, making it the perfect raw fruit for juices, desserts and flavoring.

While some lemon varieties can grow as tall as 20 feet, a Meyer Lemon tree will naturally reach between 10 and 15 feet tall.

2. Eureka Lemon

The top choice for growing juicy lemons on your patio is the Eureka Lemon Tree. Dwarf-sized for easy harvests, the Eureka Lemon offers effortless home-grown fruit and the benefit of drought tolerance.

It's no wonder the Eureka Lemon Tree is the most popular selection amongst homeowners who grow their own citrus fruit. You'll easily grow bushels of lemons that are great for lemonade or for adding a sweet flavor to your meals.

The Eureka is also adaptable to most soils and conditions, and you don't need to spray harsh chemicals because it isn't prone to pests or diseases.

3. Limequat Citrus

The Limequat Citrus Tree is technically not a lemon tree, but as a member of the citrus family, it's a must-have.

The Limequat is exactly how it sounds: a natural cross between a Key Lime Tree and a Kumquat Tree. This variety offers small, yellow-green, oblong fruit about the size of kumquats, which are perfect for snacking without peeling.

Limequats have the sweet flavor of limes and oranges with a tart aftertaste. Their unique flavor is perfect for cooking with, as well as adding to drinks, to give your favorite recipes some extra zest.

How to Plant Lemon Trees Indoors

Lemon Trees are a great low-maintenance plant and can grow perfectly even within your house!

As a citrus variety, lemon trees require full sun, which means about 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. For indoor growth, simply place them in front of a south-facing or sunny window.

Once you've scouted your chosen area and selected your favorite lemon tree, it's easy to plant. Select a container that's about one and a half or two times the width of your tree's shipped container. When selecting a container, make sure there are adequate drainage holes as any citrus will be unhappy with overly wet roots.

How to Plant Lemon Trees Outdoors

To plant outdoors, place your lemon tree in a south-facing area that gets plenty of sun and drains well. If you soil is clay or poor drainaing try mixing in some organic matter or compost to boost fertility and drainage of the area. Other than that, lemon trees just need a regular watering schedule and a plan for fertilizing.

The best time to plant your lemon tree is during the spring, to avoid any harsh winter or summer temperatures. This also depends on what growing zone you're located in so check and make sure that the ground isnt frozen and you are past the risk of frost.

Dig your hole just as deep and approximately twice as wide as the tree's root ball. After you've got everything ready, place your tree and loosen its roots just a bit. Then, backfill your hole with soil and 2 inches of compost and water well.

When the planting process is complete, you can also spread a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch over the tree's root area to preserve moisture. Just ensure you keep the mulch away from the tree's bark.

Lemon Tree Care

So, how should you care for your lemon? Caring for your lemon tree can be broken down into these five steps: watering, fertilizing, pruning, pest & disease solutions and harvesting.

1. Watering

Generally, a lemon tree should be watered once weekly or bi-weekly, depending on rainfall in your area or your humidity indoors. A watering schedule is important to keeping your lemon trees healthy and happy. But if you're not sure when to water your lemon trees, just check the top 2 inches of soil. When this area is dry, it's time to water.

FGT Tip: Citrus leaves love humidity. Indoor lemon trees will do best if misted daily, especially when you're running your heat during cooler months. You can also use a humidifier or fill your pot's saucer with rocks and add water; place your plant on the rocks, ensuring the bottom of the pot is above the water line, for best results.

2.

Fertilizing

We recommend fertilizing your lemon trees (especially Meyers) every four to six weeks, from February to August, to ensure a healthy cycle. Citrus trees benefit from fertilizers that are generally balanced with a slightly nitrogen-rich blend.

3. Pruning Your Lemon Tree

Prune as needed to maintain your lemon trees' shape. Clip any branches that are too long, and remove branches growing toward the trunk of the tree instead of away from it. This process maintains airflow between the branches and allows light to penetrate the center of the tree.

FGT Tip: Sterilize your pruning tools with rubbing alcohol. This ensures a clean cut to keep your lemon trees healthy.

4. Pest and Disease Solutions

Citrus canker, root rot and mites are the most common pests and diseases affecting lemon trees, but luckily, they're easy to treat, especially with organic, natural solutions. And if you keep your lemon trees indoors, you simply need to monitor and clean the leaves.

If you're treating, ensure that you always use an approved fungicide, or just remove any dead or diseased areas. Fully remove infected material from the tree. Don’t use any of this material for compost.

5. Harvesting

Now it's time for the best part: harvesting! Lemons are ready to pick when they're yellow or yellow-green on the outside. And most of our lemon trees are primed for harvest after only a couple of years, or sooner.

How Long Does it Take a Lemon Tree to Bear Fruit?

Lemons ripen anywhere between 4 and 12 months after flowering, with blooms appearing in spring to signal a later transition to fresh fruit in the summer. The exact time it takes for the fruit to develop will depend on the specific variety and growing conditions, but many of our lemon varieties will typically fruit within the first 1-2 years.

So, no matter the variety you choose, ease and home-grown flavor await - select your favorite from our delicious and juicy lemon trees today, and get growing!

And check out our Meyer Lemon Tips and Tricks for more helpful info!

Blair Brown

Blair is the Content Marketing Manager at FastGrowingTrees. com, and though she's not your traditional gardener, the planting world is definitely growing on her (pun intended!). She's enjoyed digging into plant care and maintenance and growing her plant collection, especially with exotic indoor varieties.

Care of a lemon tree in a pot at home

Care of a lemon tree at home is simple, but it is important to know some features of keeping citrus fruits in pots. Only then will it grow into a strong, beautiful and fruitful tree. The lemon tree in a pot is a spectacular, unpretentious and useful citrus crop in everyday life. It is represented by many varieties, but all of them do not create difficulties in maintenance. But there are a few nuances that should be considered when growing a lemon:

Contents:

0.1.Lemon tree care summary

1.How to water a lemon?

2. Rules for feeding lemons

3. Rules for pruning lemons

4. Rules for transplanting lemons

5. Diseases and pests

Lemon is sensitive to the amount of moisture. He loves water and hardly tolerates even short-term droughts. Make it a rule to constantly water the tree, preventing the soil from drying out. Regular spraying will also be useful.
The plant needs an excess of sunlight. That is why it is difficult to grow it in apartments where there is a lack of daylight. These can be ground floors or rooms with north windows. Under such conditions, the lemon begins to shed its leaves and wither.
Lemon needs regular feeding. The fact is that he needs a lot of strength for flowering and fruiting, and the land with pots quickly loses nutrients. Every year the plant needs to be fertilized and only then the plant will be lush and begin to bear fruit.
Nutritious earth mix. Acidified or neutral soil with a loose structure is suitable for growing lemons. This can be ready-made soil for citrus plants or a homemade mixture. To do this, sand, peat, humus and hardwood are mixed in equal proportions, after which a large amount of soddy land is added.
Temperature conditions. In the summer season, the optimum temperature is 26 °C. With her, the tree feels comfortable, actively grows and develops correctly. In spring and autumn, it is better to lower the temperature in the room to 14 - 16 ° C. With the onset of winter, it is better to provide the lemon with a temperature regime of 7 to 12 ° C. But remember that the transition from heat to coolness should be smooth, the tree does not like sudden changes. In the summer season, lemon should be sprayed. It is best to do this in the evenings or on cloudy days. The main rule is that the sun's rays should not fall on the leaves during spraying, because. it may cause burns.

Lemon Tree Care Summary

Winter

How to water limon?

Lemon is a moisture-loving tree, which is important to water frequently in spring and summer. For this, warm water is used, which will not damage sensitive roots. Excessive watering is also harmful - the earth in the pot becomes waterlogged, and the tree itself rots. Do not forget about the need to lay drainage at the bottom of the pot.

Rules for feeding lemons

Due to active growth and fruiting, lemon actively consumes nutrients from the soil. To compensate for the scarcity of the soil, the plant must be fed with complex mineral fertilizers. Fertilizing frequency:

from March to October, during the period of active growth and development of the tree, fertilizers are applied to the soil in small doses every 2 weeks;
in the winter, top dressing is carried out no more than 1 time per month.

In the spring season, when caring for a lemon tree at home, it is necessary to introduce nitrogen compounds into the soil, while in summer it is important to fertilize it with phosphorus and potassium. If desired, top dressing with organic matter is possible - bird droppings diluted in water, or humus.

Lemon pruning rules

With proper care, the lemon actively grows and develops. To give its crown a decorative shape, it can be trimmed. This will positively affect not only the beauty of the plant, but also its fruiting.

Basic rules for pruning lemon:

Young trees are not pruned. It is important to gradually turn the pot so that all the shoots develop evenly and the crown is evenly dense.
When the lemon reaches a height of about 25-30 cm, you can start cutting it with a secateurs. Leave about 20 cm before branching to get a standard plant on a small main trunk.
Regular pruning promotes vigorous side shoot growth. The following year, you need to cut them too in order to start the active growth of additional branches.

Potted lemons can grow poorly in shoots that form ovaries. They usually dry out completely. That is why it is important after each fruiting to cut them off by about 2-3 leaves.

Rules for transplanting lemon

With proper care, the plant quickly grows the root system. That is why it is important to replant a lemon every year - otherwise it will become cramped in a pot and growth may stop.

For transplanting, it is better to wait until spring, before the flowering period, or postpone it until autumn, when fruiting has already ended. In this case, the new pot should be only a couple of centimeters larger than the old one, because. an overly spacious container will cause moisture to stagnate, which means that the roots of the lemon can rot.

The tree is transplanted using the transshipment method. It is important to keep the earthen ball on the roots. Mature trees are transplanted once every couple of years. But in this case, it is important to change the top layer of the earth every year.

Diseases and pests

Indoor lemon is resistant to diseases and pests. But, despite this, some ailments can make the plant suffer. One of the most common problems is the formation of soot fungus or scab. The signal that they have appeared are dark spots on the leaves. The sooty fungus provokes the drying of leaves and shoots, while when damaged by scab, the leaves begin to rot and become soft.

Fungicides are used to treat the plant. Trees can be treated with Bordeaux mixture or blue vitriol. Remember that a healthy plant is important for the prevention of disease. As a rule, lemons get sick from care errors - excessive or insufficient watering, stagnant water in the soil, etc.

If the leaves on the plant began to turn yellow and fall, but we can safely talk about a lack of lighting or incorrect temperature conditions. Avoid placing tubs of lemon in a draft and in dark rooms without access to natural light.

Season	Temperature range
Summer	26 ° C
Spring, autumn	to 14 - 16 ° C
from 7 to 12 ° C

900 2 Creating optimal conditions

3 How to prune a lemon

4 How to feed a lemon

5 How to care for indoor lemons in some cases

5.1 How to take care of a lemon after buying it in a store
5.2 How to take care of a lemon in a pot in winter
5. 3 How to take care of a homemade lemon during flowering
5.4 How to take care of a lemon at home during the fruiting period
5.5 How caring for a lemon tree in a pot after fruiting
5.6 How to care for an ornamental lemon

6 How to care for a lemon tree in an emergency

7 Conclusion

Care must be taken when caring for a lemon or an ornamental tree. Citrus indoor trees are demanding on the microclimate, soil and environment. Back in the 12th century, the inhabitants of India began to grow lemons at home and use them in medicine, at home, and eat them. Bright yellow fruits with a delicate aroma make the house more cozy and comfortable.

How to Care for a Lemon Tree

Growing citrus trees is quite a hassle, but citrus is particularly unpretentious. A young plant is purchased in gardening stores or they try to grow a tree from a seed, a rooted cutting. If a seed was planted, then the first fruits will appear in 7-8 years, and a purchased tree will begin to bear fruit in 3-4 years. Initially grown lemon at home will rarely get sick, bear fruit abundantly for a long time. Over the entire period of life, the plant can grow up to 1-1.5 m.

Important! With good care, indoor lemon tree lives up to 20-30 years. Otherwise, the lemon will crumble.

In the early stages of growth, it is necessary to form a crown, cut off the upper branches, which contributes to the formation of new foliage. The plant will thrive in a well-lit area with natural light. It is not recommended to move a tree, sharply lift, put or carry it. This entails rapid shedding of foliage or buds. With abundant flowering, you need to remove empty flowers that do not have stamens. Also, too many fruits will deplete the tree. On a fruiting branch, from 10 to 15 adult leaves are allowed, which nourish the fruit until ripening.

Potted ornamental lemon tree is not placed on the floor because the plant's roots are sensitive to temperature. The pot is placed at the level of the windowsill or so that at least 2 m remains to the ceiling. Caring for tinted citrus differs from fruit-bearing in that pruning can be omitted. The tree reaches 60-70 cm and stops growing, then begins to bear fruit like an ordinary lemon. Fruits differ in size, taste and skin thickness. They can be overexposed on the branches, and the peel will not become thick. After full ripening, the fruits either fall off on their own, or they are cut off. Caring for an ordinary fruit-bearing citrus tree is more scrupulous.

Important! The plant can not be moved, touch the fruits. In some cases, it is not even recommended to often smell the aroma of the same flower - they can fade, not give an ovary.

Optimal Conditions

Comfortable conditions and proper care of lemons ensure tasty, juicy fruit and a healthy plant. The tree loves heat and light very much, so the lemon is grown on stands in a room with a lot of light or on window sills on the south side of the apartment. In diffused light, the tree will develop rapidly, but in the summer the sun's rays are dangerous for the plant, so you need to limit the time the citrus stays in the light to 3-4 hours. In winter, the plant needs more light, so the room should have regular lighting up to 10-12 hours.

When growing and caring for lemon at home, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime, maintaining a constant microclimate in the room from + 15 °С to + 25 °С. When the plant begins to bloom, the room is ventilated, the temperature can drop to + 10 ° C. A sharp change in climate should not be allowed, otherwise the foliage will crumble. After winter or summer airing, the tree is left for 20-30 minutes in a cool place so that the lemon acclimatizes. In winter, the kolirovanny tree is grown in the coolest and brightest room, providing maximum non-interference in the flowering process.

Important! There should be no sharp drafts in the room, otherwise the plant will shed its leaves, which will lead to diseases or a poor-quality crop.

At temperatures from + 7 °C and below, the plant hibernates and can stop the vegetation process on its own. With the onset of spring, the tree is taken out into the street at temperatures from + 12 ° C to + 15 ° C, when the earth begins to warm up completely, evaporation is released. At this time, the lemon can be watered only once a day. The tree is placed in the shade or partial shade so that the process of getting used to the sunlight goes favorably. Citrus is brought into the room with the first signs of a drop in temperature. With the onset of autumn, an ornamental tree is grown on the veranda until the first cold weather, then transferred to a cool room.

The air in the room should be regularly humidified 1-2 times a day with a spray bottle. Optimum humidity up to 60-70%. In addition to air, you need to spray the leaves of the tree with water, wiping all the foliage with plain water is allowed. In case of any stains or pests, wipe each sheet with a damp soapy cloth. The solution must be very weak so as not to harm the plant, but only to disinfect it.

How to prune a lemon

Gardeners and gardeners disagree on when to prune or shape a citrus tree. Caring for a lemon tree at home through pruning guarantees rapid crown development and an accelerated fruiting process. Tree pruning is done in spring before buds appear, in autumn before the first rains and in winter during hibernation, so that the tree bears fruit well for the next season. The first formation of the purchased plant is done in the first year of life with home care, when the main stem grows by 25-30 cm. The top of the stem is pinched or cut so that the plant begins to branch.

Before the beginning of spring in the second year of development, the lemon is re-cut to 10-15 cm so that 5-6 shoots remain on the trunk, which will branch in different directions. There are cases when one or more buds grow from the main shoot, in the first case, 1 bud is cut off, in the second, the strongest shoot is left, removing the rest. All old annual shoots are removed under the base. The crown formation of an ornamental lemon is accelerated by pruning young growing branches. A young plant can be placed on a windowsill. You can take care of a lemon before the first flowering by organizing regular watering, timely feeding and pruning.

The main formative pruning is carried out in the spring in March or April. Shoots that thicken the crown must be removed or pinched off the top of the shoot by 15-20 cm, then the branch will bear fruit. Sanitary pruning is carried out every season. Such care will not let the lemon get sick or wither. Dry, diseased, weak branches are cut to healthy shoot tissue. Anti-aging care and tree shaping is done after 5-10 years of lemon growth. As soon as the positive temperature does not change much, all the lower branches are cut from the lemon, the top is cut to fit the chosen shape. Before cutting, the tools are disinfected with alcohol, boiling water or a diluted solution of manganese.

Lemon care and fruiting at home can be controlled even before flowering by pruning shoots and flower stalks. In winter, up to 10-12 strong flowers are left on the tree. On a young tree, it is better to leave up to 7 peduncles, then every year increase the number of ovaries left.

Important! Flowering in large numbers indicates uncomfortable conditions for caring for the plant.

How to feed a lemon

During the care of citrus, it is useful to feed with saltpeter at any time of the year. It relieves a tinted or regular lemon from nitrogen starvation. For 10 liters of water there are 40-50 g of saltpeter, sometimes potash fertilizer is added. Mineral top dressing is done with the onset of the first cold weather and in the middle of flowering. Superphosphates replace the lack of phosphorus in the soil and dissolve for a long time, so they are applied to the soil 2 times a year. In order for phosphates to act quickly, the raw materials are boiled until completely dissolved, then diluted in 10 liters of water. The solution must cool down. Next, the lemon is watered 2 times a day.

Mullein and chicken manure are used as organic fertilizers for lemon. Wood ash can replace mineral fertilizers. 500 g of dry raw materials are poured into 10 liters of water, left for 2 weeks for fermentation. Before each watering, 500 ml of the mixture is diluted with water and watered with citrus. Top dressing is applied during watering or sprayed with a solution from a spray bottle.

Important! It is not recommended to mix mineral fertilizers with organic fertilizers. The effect of fertilizers is enhanced, and the plant gets burned, the lemon can get sick or bloom profusely with barren flowers.

Lemon care and feeding:

During the initial growth period. Every 2 weeks, the plant is fed with nitrogen fertilizer or a small amount of saltpeter.
At the time of flowering. Potassium, phosphorus or organic additives are added to the soil.
During fruiting. Citrus is fed with organic matter and minerals alternately.
During hibernation. The plant is fed with mineral supplements 1 time during the winter season, the dosage is reduced by 2 times.

The ground must always be moist. Overdried soil during feeding with liquid solutions will stop the development of the plant, and it will die. In autumn, before hibernation, lemon is often watered with strong tea without additives.

Indoor lemon care in some cases

Indoor, decorative and purchased tree requires different kinds of care. If a homemade lemon cannot be severely injured, and a decorative one needs to be cut often, then the purchased one is unpretentious in all phases of growth.

How to take care of a lemon after buying it in a store

In gardening shops, it is recommended to buy citrus in the spring or summer season, when the temperature is always above zero, then the lemon tree quickly acclimatizes at home. Care at home consists in careful control of soil moisture and microclimate. Do not allow the soil to dry out, watering is carried out 1-2 times a day. Pruning is carried out with the beginning of autumn and in the middle of spring. Top dressing is done every month, alternating mineral and organic supplements.

How to care for a lemon in a pot in winter

Winter care of indoor lemon in a pot affects the subsequent fruiting of the plant. The temperature in the room should not rise above + 7-10 °C. Water the plant once a day with water at room temperature. Once a week, mineral supplements are combined with watering. During the winter care period, there should not be an active manifestation of growth, otherwise pruning is carried out. It is necessary to provide constant illumination or expose citrus in the sun from dawn to sunset.

How to care for homemade lemons during flowering

During the flowering period, care should be taken to prevent the plant from shedding flowers or foliage due to disturbance. On a branch with a lot of flowers, 2-3 pieces are left. Young trees should not be allowed to bloom, only after the crown is fully developed, a small number of flowers are left. From improper care during the flowering period, the leaves can become rusty. Watering is carried out daily. The length of daylight hours for a lemon should last from 8 to 10 hours. Top dressing is done with bird droppings or a diluted solution of manure and water.

How to care for a lemon at home during the fruiting period

During the fruiting period, it is better not to touch the lemon at all and take care of it carefully. With a careless rearrangement, the plant can discard the fruits. During care, you need to maintain a constant microclimate or ensure a regular temperature in the room. The optimal environment for good fruit development: + 20 °C. Every month during the fruiting period, the soil is fertilized with organic additives. If the plant is young, then top dressing of the lemon is done every 3 months until the first flowering. To obtain a large and juicy crop, ordinary water is replaced with eggshell infusion, which is watered over the plant once a week.

How to care for a lemon tree in a pot after fruiting

The fruit is cut as it ripens along with the stalk. The egg solution is again replaced with plain water. Water the plant in the morning once a day. The light regime must be extended to 10 hours, the plant should be taken out into the light. Some gardeners immediately prune and switch to winter care. After fruiting, the plant rests, so the roots are fed once a week with an organic or mineral complex of additives.

Peculiarities of ornamental lemon care

Due to the hybridity of varieties, ornamental lemons develop rapidly in growth, so there are some peculiarities in caring for the plant. Already after 3-4 months of cultivation, the first pruning is carried out, then it is carried out every season. Such care will ensure a quality crop, citrus will rarely get sick.

Watering is carried out every day, the light regime should not last more than 10 hours. The temperature in the room should not exceed + 18 ° C, otherwise the soil will dry out quickly. Regular care of a lemon when it blooms is suspended, during this period the plant should be at rest. Decorative citrus is sprayed daily from a spray bottle. The tree tolerates moving and transplanting well. For the entire period of life, the lemon is transplanted 2-3 times and anti-aging pruning is carried out every spring.

How to care for a lemon tree in an emergency

An emergency refers to dry soil, diseases or sudden reactions of the plant to the environment.