Grow citrus fruits at home. Growing citrus fruits at home. Yellowing and falling leaves

Citrus houseplants are not only a wonderful home decoration, but also useful plants, the fruits of which are rich in vitamins and excellent taste. However, growing these southern delicacies at home requires special conditions that differ for each variety of fruit. In this article, we will look at how to grow citrus fruits in a pot in a city apartment.

Growing citrus fruits at home involves following the basic rules for caring for southern crops.

First of all, indoor citrus fruits need the right soil. For the base, you can take the "flower" or "lemon" soil, diluting it in one part with foliage, sand and humus and three parts of the turf. By structure, this will be low-acid, lumpy and loose, which will provide free access of oxygen and moisture to the root system of the plant.

It is better to plant a plant in clay pots, which, due to their properties, are excellent conductors of heat. In addition, such pots "breathe", which will allow excess moisture to evaporate without lingering in the soil.

Citrus fruits in pots need to maintain an optimal level of humidity - at least 65%. The fruits grown in moist air will turn out juicy and tasty, but with an excess of moisture they are threatened with decay and falling off. Citrus houses need to be watered as the soil dries up: in winter this happens once a month, in summer - once every 1-2 weeks. On hot days and during the heating season, the plant needs regular spraying.

In an apartment, most often citrus fruits stand on the windowsill, since it is there that the plant will be provided with sufficient access to light and heat. If there is not enough lighting (for example, on the north or north-west side of the apartment), then it is necessary to provide additional lighting to citrus fruits using ordinary lamps with good heat dissipation. The temperature during the entire period of development should not fall below +8 degrees. In winter, the temperature regime should be maintained in the region of +12-15 degrees, and with the onset of spring - not lower than +18. Thanks to warm temperatures and high-quality lighting, the plant will begin to produce buds, the flowering of which will mark the proximity of fruiting.

Reproduction of citrus fruits is carried out at the end of summer by separating the growing shoot from the main cutting. Such a shoot is carefully cut off and cleaned from the bottom of the bark, after which it is lowered into a pre-prepared pot with nutrient soil, which is fertilized with moss, manure and a small amount of peat. The pot must have holes in the bottom, which are necessary for the outflow of excess water.

You can propagate by seeds and grafting, but for this it is better to familiarize yourself with the varietal characteristics of the plant, since even fertile trees can become inedible during reproduction.

Pruning citrus fruits is necessary not only to maintain the health of the plant, but also to form a beautiful rounded shape that can be created after the second year of the plant's life. If the aesthetic side requires pruning of too long shoots, then the vegetative side requires too thick ones. Shoots that grow inside the crown and prevent the free development of buds due to their large number should also be removed. Pruning is done in the spring, all cuts are made at an angle.

If you are interested in how to grow a citrus tree on your own, then there are two options - cuttings or from a stone at home. The apartment is ideal for this, because it is possible to create conditions in it that are as close as possible to greenhouses. Growing from cuttings is recognized as the best way, since this method will provide you with fruits in the coming years, while plants obtained from seeds begin to bear fruit at best no earlier than 10 years later.

Lemon care is simple: regular watering, bait, crown pruning. The only thing that can be difficult is the need to transplant a lemon tree into a larger pot every year.

Indoor tangerines

Mandarin, like lemon, requires a regular spring transplant. In addition, he is more thermophilic and picky about the level of humidity. It is better not to keep homemade tangerine at temperatures below +20 degrees, otherwise the plant will quickly die. However, a clear advantage of the species is its faster fruiting time - after 5–6 years, fruit development is possible.

Mandarin, in addition to the requirements for lighting and moisture, also needs regular feeding and pest control. Unfortunately, these plants are very susceptible to aphids, spider mites and mealybugs. Also, the problem of mandarin is the complexity of the flowering process, which often needs stimulation.

Orange

It is better to grow calamondin from cuttings or ready-made annual plants bought in a store. Such a tree will begin to bear fruit already for 2-3 years.

Despite the resistance to cold weather, the optimal growing temperature in summer is 21–25 degrees with a humidity of 70%, and in winter - 10–16 degrees with a humidity of 50%. This mode will provide the plant with healthy and abundant fruiting.

Grapefruit

Homemade grapefruit can be obtained from Duncan and Marsh varieties. This variety of citrus fruits, according to the conditions of detention, resembles a lemon. However, grapefruit needs more abundant and frequent watering and the maximum amount of sunlight.

Citron

Citron is a plant with very large yellow fruits (from 15 cm in length) and thick skin. For home cultivation, varieties Pavlovsky, Buddha's Hand and Mir are suitable. It should be remembered that the size of the fruit needs a tall tree (1.5 m), which should provide an abundance of sunlight and warm temperatures throughout the year.

Video "Growing citrus fruits at home"

From this video you will learn how to grow and care for lemon, tangerine, lime at home.

Almost everyone knows that citrus fruits are an exceptional source of vitamin C, but not many people manage to get these fruits in their room. Analyzing the range of problems that amateurs face, we can conclude that most errors arise due to ignorance of the biology of these plants.

After all, the basic needs of citrus fruits are predetermined by the natural conditions of their homeland - the subtropics. They need a period of relative rest during the subtropical winter. In the room during this period (October-February), it is necessary to maintain a temperature of no more than 12 ° C. But these months fall on the heating season, and the high temperature leads to untimely growth and depletion of the plant, which will further affect fruiting.

The critical period is also early spring, when the heating stops, and warm days give way to a sharp cold snap. Moreover, the growth that began in the warm period slows down sharply during cooling, the leaves are deformed, and the buds and ovaries crumble. To avoid this phenomenon, it is recommended to maintain a temperature of 14-16°C at this time.

Some do not know that the growth of citrus fruits is cyclical: there are breaks between the spring-summer growth waves, with which it is necessary to link changes in care (watering, fertilizer).

The question often arises: is it really necessary to take plants out into the air in summer? It is not recommended to do this, since citruses are very sensitive to the change of regimes and very slowly adapt to new conditions. Only by adapting will they be able to resume their growth again. But, as a rule, by this time it is already time to bring them back into the room.

A common mistake is overdrying and excessive moistening of the earthy coma. When overdrying, active roots die off, leaves curl and fall off along with flowers and fruits.

Excessive watering leads to rotting of the roots and yellowing of the leaves. Potted specimens are recommended to be watered from below. In this case, moisture evenly permeates the substrate and no leaching of nutrients occurs. The most moisture-loving among citrus fruits is lemon, the most drought-resistant is orange.

Many amateurs, trying to please the plant, water it with very warm water (40 ° C), which causes the roots to die and the plant to die. On the contrary, when watering with cold water, the roots rot and the plant also dies. Optimum for irrigation: water with a temperature of 2-3 ° C above room temperature, and during fruiting - 10 ° C.

It must be remembered that the roots of these plants are located in the upper soil layer, so loosening should be careful, and watering should be frequent, but in small doses.

A factor in successful cultivation is the light regime. Strong shading leads to the formation of large dark green shadow leaves and to the exhaustion of the plant. Direct sunlight causes a pale color of the leaves, burns of fruits and ovaries and their abscission. The most shade-tolerant lemon, photophilous and heat-resistant - orange. The best lighting for citrus crops is diffused sunlight on the southeast, southwest side. The best place is the windowsill. As a general rule, the higher the temperature in the room, the more intense the lighting should be.

Dry room air causes great suffering to citrus crops. This is manifested in the drying of the ends of the leaf, the fall of buds, ovaries and fruits. In this case, regular washing and spraying of plants is necessary. If the pot is near the heater, then a container of water is placed on it, which, as it evaporates, will saturate the air with moisture.

Citrus fruits, especially lemons, are very demanding in terms of nutrition. It is no coincidence that they are called gluttons in the plant kingdom. They are fed all year round, except for the period from October to February, when they should be given a weak solution of potassium permanganate to partially disinfect the soil. The rest of the time, top dressing is carried out by alternating organic fertilizers with mineral fertilizers, once every 7-10 days. This increases the sugar content of the hearths and reduces their bitterness. Recommended fertilizer mixtures: Foskamide, Darina, Ideal, Agrovit-cor.

Citruses are highly adaptable to soil conditions. They just cannot stand very acidic soils and the presence of peat. The following soil mixture is widely used: soddy land, leafy, humus, sand (2:1:1:1).

Citrus fruits should not be placed in the same room with strong-smelling plants and with smokers, as they do not like other people's smells, and in the latter case, they can drop their leaves altogether.

Responsibility is the transplant. Typical mistakes: transplanting plants with flowers and fruits, which will cause them to shed, as well as the destruction of an earthy coma with strong pruning of the roots. In this case, mycorrhiza is destroyed, due to which citrus fruits extract nutrients from the soil. Pay great attention to the level of the root collar: it should be slightly above the soil level. Both deep and shallow planting can be the reason for the lack of fruit.

But most of all, citrus fruits cause problems to their owners in winter, reacting to unfavorable conditions by dropping leaves. There can be many reasons for this. Here is the most common of them: light starvation, a combination of insufficient illumination with high temperature and low air humidity; the difference in the temperature of the aerial part and the root system of plants, when the pot is blown with cold air from the window, and the crown is in favorable room conditions; lack or excess of nutrition.

And the problems don't end there. Some novice citrus growers have no idea about the correct formation of the crown. And this is the main reason for the lack of fruiting and low decorativeness of the plant. It must be remembered that without human intervention, the plant will not be able to form its crown in a short time. Pruning is used to accelerate the development of shoots of the 4th and 5th branching orders, on which fruits are formed.

When crowning, the characteristics of citrus fruits are taken into account: in tangerines, the crown is prone to thickening, so frequent thinning is necessary; in an orange - a tendency to grow in height, therefore, it is necessary to limit the growth of the tree; the lemon has very little branching and is subjected to the most pruning to make the plants flower and bear fruit.

One adult tree in our apartment is capable of producing up to 30 fruits annually. Artificial pollination of flowers increases fruit set and quality. Pollination is carried out once, applying pollen with a soft brush. It is better to use a mixture of pollen from different varieties, while orange and tangerine increase sugar content and lemon acidity, which are indicators of their quality.

In the rooms there is a large shedding of ovaries. To avoid this, during the fruiting period, it is necessary to increase watering and spraying with warm water. Be sure to carry out the rationing of fruits. The first flowers on young plants are removed, as they still will not form into full-fledged fruits, and the plant will be severely depleted.

On a three-year-old plant, only 2-3 fruits are left. In subsequent years, they proceed from this ratio: one fruit should be fed from 10-15 leaves, and, of course, they take into account the well-being of the plant itself so that its first harvest is not the last for it.

If the fruiting of a young and healthy tree is weak, then some tricks can be applied to strengthen it. Here are some of them: constriction with a tourniquet of the main branches (this causes the accumulation of plastic substances and the laying of flower buds); you can grow a seedling and graft it into the crown of a fruit-bearing tree; graft an eye from the top of the tree to its bottom; add superphosphate regularly.

After 20 years of age, fruiting fades, but the plant can be rejuvenated. To do this, all large branches are cut into 3-4 eyes, and their branching is cut into a ring. Rejuvenated plants are transplanted into nutrient soil, shortening the roots by 1/3.

A few words about reproduction. The seed method is acceptable for all citrus fruits, but we must remember that in the future, at 2-3 years of age, the seedlings will need to be grafted, otherwise their fruiting will be delayed for 8-12 years or more. Sowing is carried out only with fresh seeds. Also, all citrus fruits can be propagated by layering (air and earth) and grafting. In this case, the fruits appear on the plant in the 2-3rd year after separation from the mother plant or after grafting.

The most accessible methods are butt grafting, budding. They are also grafted with a cutting for the bark, in a split. Budding is carried out with a dormant eye (July-August) or growing (May-April) in a T- or L-shaped incision. In order for the bark to be well separated during grafting, rootstock seedlings are watered abundantly 1-2 days before this operation.

Only lemon successfully reproduces by cuttings, while entering into fruiting in the 3-4th year after rooting. Cuttings are cut from well-ripened shoots of autumn growth with spring cuttings (or spring with autumn cuttings). For rooting, it is better to use clean sand or lay drainage in a pot, on top of which place humus, and then another layer of sand. In this case, the roots will quickly appear in the sand layer, and then they will grow intensively into humus.

T. Zavyalova, candidate of agricultural sciences

Citrus crops originated from Southeast Asia: in the tropical zone it is warm almost all year round, only in winter there is a slight decrease in temperature, in addition, the plants are constantly in conditions of good light and high humidity. It is quite difficult to create ideal conditions for indoor citrus plants at home, but it is possible: with the right one, they will become a real decoration of the windowsill and will even bear fruit several times a year. What are the features of citrus content, and what are the most common crops?

Many indoor citrus crops are able to bloom several times a year.

However, in winter, it is advisable to lower the temperature in the room a little: as the duration of the sunny day decreases, the plant suffers from a lack of sunlight. Due to the large energy loss, it will look exhausted, leaf fall is often observed. In order to avoid unnecessary energy consumption, it is necessary either to provide additional artificial illumination of the desired spectrum, or to lower the temperature in the room.

Citrus indoor crops have several more growing features:

All of them are very fond of sunlight - it is recommended to place them on the southern and eastern windows. If you want to plant citrus fruits, they should be well lit, you can plant them in the partial shade of other plants. Lack of light quickly depletes the plant, and it may die.
The optimum content temperature is +18 degrees with air humidity up to 70%. It is difficult to provide such conditions in the room, so the plant is preferably regularly warm water. Without a seasonal drop in temperature and a dormant period, citrus fruits live no more than 3-4 years, so you need to remove them for the winter from November to February.
Citrus fruits love water: should be regular and plentiful. However, in order to prevent rotting of the roots, it is necessary to let the soil dry out between waterings, and during the dormant period the plant is watered no more than once a week.

These are just the basic rules for growing citrus fruits, each culture has its own special requirements for content. Let's take a closer look at the most common citrus houseplants.

Indoor mandarin can be a dwarf or regular variety: this plant has long been used for growing in a greenhouse and on a windowsill. Mandarin can be grown as a bonsai - this is a special technology for the formation of a dwarf bush, which allows you to get a miniature tree that will bloom and bear fruit.

Mandarin is popular for its beautiful green leaves, white flowers with a pleasant smell and fragrant fruits that can hang on the branches for several months.

The fruits of indoor mandarin have only a decorative value: they should not be eaten because of their too sour taste. To improve the taste of mono fruits through breeding work with several plants, however, the development of a new variety will take a very long time. Caring for indoor tangerine is not too difficult, you need to follow a few basic requirements:

Regular, but not excessive watering. The more leaves a plant has, the more actively they evaporate moisture, the required amount of water depends on this. In an apartment, tangerine is desirable regularly, as the plant suffers from constantly dry air.
Regular top dressing with mineral soluble. Mandarin especially needs a lot of nutrients in the spring, before the start - at this time it is carried out with a solution of fertilizers 1-2 times a week. Do not exceed the dosage: the plant is not able to absorb large doses of fertilizers, and they can destroy.
. If you purchased not a room, but an ordinary variety. Several large branches should not be allowed to grow: their tips are regularly pinched to achieve the appearance of lateral processes.
On young plants, flowers and ovaries need to be controlled: the fewer fruits the plant has, the larger they will be, so extra ovaries must be removed in time. At first, only one ovary is left, the next year the number of fruits can be increased.

Constant care will make the mandarin strong and beautiful: it will decorate your home with dense foliage and magnificent orange fruits with a pleasant smell. Growing a tangerine on a windowsill does not require much hassle: following the basic principles of care will already allow you to quickly achieve good growth.

Growing oranges

Orange at home can be grown from a seed obtained from the most common purchased fruit. In nature, this plant is a medium-sized tree up to 7 meters high, indoor orange can reach 3 meters in height. You can grow it not only with seeds, but also if any of your friends already have an adult plant at home.

When planted with seeds, an orange begins to bloom and bear fruit no earlier than after 7-10 years, growing a plant from a cutting is much faster.

The conditions for growing a homemade orange are approximately the same as for other citrus crops: the plant needs a lot of light, regular watering, and, however, it is undesirable to loosen it often - this can seriously damage the roots.

In growing an orange from a seed, you must follow the correct sequence of actions:

This will require a mixture of peat with fertile soil, it is placed in small pots. For planting, it is advisable to take seeds from several fully ripened fruits, the seeds must have the correct shape.
They are planted in the soil at a distance of 5 cm from each other, the seed planting depth is about 1 cm. In about two weeks, sprouts will appear.
Of all the sprouts, only the strongest should be left. A mi-greenhouse is equipped for them: the plants are covered with a glass jar to ensure sufficient temperature and humidity under it. To ensure ventilation, the jar needs to be removed for half an hour every day.
As soon as the sprouts have a few true leaves, they are transplanted into separate pots and placed on a well-lit windowsill. A second one will be required when the plant height reaches 20 cm, from about this time it will already be necessary to form a crown.

Like the homemade tangerine, the fruits of the indoor orange have a predominantly decorative value. When propagated by seeds, due to cross-pollination, the fruit will not be the same as that of the parent plant. When growing oranges in greenhouses, breeders choose seeds from the sweetest and tastiest fruits in order to pass these qualities on to the next plant by inheritance, but this is a long, many years of work.

It is better not to move a homemade orange from place to place; it can react to changing conditions by dropping leaves. For him, a spacious, well-lit window sill is immediately selected and conditions are provided for consistently good growth.

Calamondin is a dwarf citrus tree, most resembling a small tangerine with bright small fruits. Its advantage is in its small size: it is easy for such a plant to find a place on the windowsill, and at the same time you do not have to worry about regular pruning of the crown. Calamondin requires approximately the same conditions as other citrus fruits, but still there are several important nuances in its cultivation.

Calamondin is a light-loving indoor plant, but it loves not direct, but diffused sunlight.

In summer, it feels comfortable on the south and east side, in winter it can be moved to the windowsill on the north side of the house. If there is not enough light for calamondin, it will grow very slowly without flowering and fruiting. In the summer months, it can be taken out into the fresh air, it can be placed in partial shade for a while.

The plant requires regular abundant watering during the summer months, and in winter it is enough to water it once a week. It is advisable to move it to a cool room for wintering - the dormant period helps the plant regain strength and prepare for new flowering and fruiting.

Calamondin reproduces in two main ways - and. Seed propagation is too long a way, fruiting will have to wait several years. Much faster you can propagate the plant using cuttings, this work is carried out as follows:

The cuttings are young shoots, on which at least 2-3 buds should be present. They are cut from an adult plant and placed for some time in a nutrient solution.
When the cuttings form their own young roots, they are transplanted into the ground. The optimal soil mixture consists of peat and flower soil, they must be mixed well in a 1: 1 ratio.
The stalk is covered with a glass jar to create with high temperature and humidity. To change the air in a mini-greenhouse, the jar needs to be cleaned once a day for half an hour.
As soon as the first leaves of the cutting appear, the jar can be removed, after which calamondin is grown as an ordinary indoor citrus plant.

With proper care, the plant will bear fruit every year, bright fruits look beautiful among the thick dark green leaves. You should not eat pods, they will turn out to be too sour or even bitter.

Growing grapefruit at home is not as difficult as it might seem. With the correct formation of the crown, the height of the plant in room conditions does not exceed 1.5-2 meters, it will look very beautiful thanks to the dark leaves on especially curved petioles. Indoor varieties of grapefruits are able to produce juicy and quite tasty fruits, and their weight can reach 400 grams.

Grapefruit is a photophilous plant, it needs a sufficient amount of sunlight and free space.

It is suitable for growing not only in an apartment, but also in an office, in a greenhouse or on an insulated loggia. Grapefruit does not like cold weather, even short-term frosts can cause serious harm to it, so you can only keep it outdoors during the summer months.

Watering the plant:

Grapefruit requires regular watering in the warm season, while the water should not stagnate in a pot - equip a drainage layer of expanded clay at the bottom.
To ensure normal air humidity, the plant must be constantly sprayed from a spray bottle.
In winter, the plant is removed to a room with a lower temperature and less illumination; during the dormant period, it is enough to water it only 2 times a month.

Young plants are transplanted annually, for adult grapefruits with the replacement of the soil substrate should be carried out at least once every 5-6 years. During the period of active and fruiting, the plant is fed with a complex one, for example, "Rainbow".

Grapefruit is the best option for home growing from seed. Ordinary seeds from mature fruits germinate quickly and take root well, the plant can begin to bear fruit as early as the fourth year when comfortable conditions are created for it. It is important to provide him with a sufficient amount of sunlight: if the illumination is not enough, growth slows down and a curvature of the trunk is observed. If it is not possible to put the plant on the southern or eastern windowsill, you need to purchase a special fluorescent lamp for indoor flowers. The result of care and care will be regular fruiting and beautiful abundant flowering.

Cultivation of citron

Citron is a rarer citrus plant, it is grown indoors only for its decorative qualities. Citron has large yellow fruits, they look beautiful against the background of dark green leaves. In room conditions, the plant reaches a height of 1.5 meters.

The most interesting decorative variety is the finger citron - it is also called the "Buddha's Hand".

It is interesting for the unusual shape of the fruit - outwardly, they most of all resemble a bunch of bananas. Such a citron begins to bear fruit already in the third year after planting. This plant is among the photophilous, even during the dormant period, it should be in a well-lit room. In summer, the citron needs a plentiful regular one; when the indoor air is dry, it is placed in a pan with water or regularly sprayed with a spray bottle.

Citron can also be planted with seedlings: the first option is longer, the fruits will have to wait more than 5 years. During reproduction, it is possible to obtain a plant that completely copies the parental traits; you can plant a citron with the largest and most fragrant fruits at home. Growing citrus fruits at home is not difficult, and they will quickly turn into one of the main window sill decorations. With good conditions, any citrus plant will quickly begin to bloom and bear fruit.

More information can be found in the video.

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Svetlana Mitrofanova March 12, 2014 | 18115

Citrus fruits are the most popular and available crop for seed growing experiments. In addition, these plants purify the air well, so their maintenance at home is fully justified.

citrus pits for sowing, you need to take from ripe fruits harvested on time, i.e. when in the middle lane the middle of winter. It is undesirable to use old, stale and rotten citruses - seedlings will be weak and sick.

The bones are washed before planting, clearing the pulp to prevent the shell from molding in the ground. Before planting, it is recommended to soak the bones 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 already on the 3-5th day. The longest time is to wait for the germination of grapefruits, suites, limequats, kumquats and other exotics.

For sprouting It is best to use vermiculite for seeds, as it retains moisture well and does not contain restrictive particles that can rot and infect 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 need lighting and a temperature of at least 25ºС, they do not tolerate drafts. Requirements to soil citrus fruits are as follows: the earth in a pot should be loose and breathable (for this you can add the same vermiculite in proportions of 1: 4). To avoid stagnant water, be sure to do in a pot drainage.

Lemon and tangerine less capricious and better adapted to the conditions of the apartment than other citruses. it is also easiest to form by pinching the tops of branches for further branching. And here lemon And grapefruit often get sick after this procedure, and new branches at the pinching site do not appear immediately. Seedlings also respond well to pruning, picking and transplanting. miniols, which is a hybrid of grapefruit and tangerine. Orange does not like drafts and abundant watering, preferring spraying.

crown formation usually begins at the age of about six months, when the citrus has a stem (trunk) of sufficient height. It consists in pinching branches that grow in the right direction in time for their further branching, and do not forget to cut those branches that grow in the wrong direction or inside the crown. Pinch branches, as a rule, over every 5th leaf.

A plant grown from a seed blooms in 3-5 years (not earlier). The longest time is to wait for the flowering of hybrids and grapefruit. It often happens that they do not bloom even once in their entire lives on the windowsill. And the easiest and fastest to bloom and bear fruit are lemon and kumquat. The general unpretentiousness of mandarin does not apply to flowering.

flower buds in citrus fruits, they are already laid on branches of the 5th order, the stem itself is considered as a 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 dying with fruits that have set from a lack of strength. To prevent this from happening, extra flowers need to be plucked at the bud stage. The calculation is simple - for each flower there should be 10 healthy adult leaves.

Growing citrus indoor plants at home is an interesting activity, but far from easy. Therefore, those who believe that it will be enough to plant a bone in the ground, and that’s all, you can no longer buy lemons for tea, are greatly mistaken. Without special knowledge, the first harvest of citrus indoor plants, if they are given, is not earlier than in twenty years.

But if you know some of the nuances and grow it correctly, observing all the rules, then you can enjoy the fruits much faster. But even here it is important not to make a mistake in choosing a variety. For growing on a windowsill, only those citrus houseplants that have been grafted on seedlings of orange, lemon, grapefruit or kumquat are suitable. Those crops that were grown from cuttings cut from fruit-bearing trees also proved themselves well.

Difficulties in Growing Homemade Citrus Plants

It would seem that it’s easier: you need to go to a flower shop and buy a pot in which some kind of citrus grows or is already bearing fruit - “golden orange”, Meyer lemon, which is not very difficult to care for at home, or tangerine. The tree just needs to be brought home, placed on the windowsill in the right place, and watered. But this is not at all the case, since growing a lemon or tangerine at home is really difficult, moreover, this process is somewhat different from caring for ordinary specimens.

Those plants that are sold in flower shops today most often end up on the shelves from abroad, mainly from Holland. There, from the first day, they are kept in ideal conditions: the optimum temperature for growth is maintained, high humidity, additional lighting is supplied, and fertilizers for citrus houseplants are constantly applied to the soil. When buying on dwarf trees, by the time they are sold, there may be a dozen or more fruits.

But after hitting the windowsills, beautiful citrus houseplants immediately begin to face stressful conditions. In our homes, the illumination is much lower - several times, and the air (especially in winter) is incredibly dry compared to the greenhouse, and growth stimulants stop helping after a while.

Therefore, in conditions of a shortage of their internal resources, citrus indoor plants begin to throw all their strength into preserving the fruits with which they were so abundantly strewn in the store. And as a result, the vast majority of purchased "pets" die.

Species suitable for growing at home

Man has long known citrus crops. Their people have been actively cultivating for so long that it has become difficult to find their wild ancestors in nature. Most often, citrus fruits are cultivated in open ground in countries where a tropical or subtropical climate reigns. And it is from there that their fruits are delivered to store shelves in all corners of the planet.

A novice grower who cannot pay too much attention and time to a pet growing on his windowsill needs to choose varieties of indoor citrus plants that are easier to care for. If we talk about subspecies for a small apartment, then it is preferable for beginners to grow lemon, tangerine and trifoliate, since their growth is easier to restrain. In turn, oranges, grapefruits or pomelo, characterized by large sizes, after a couple of decades turn into a rather bulky tree.

As for exotic varieties, today a close relative of mandarin is quite common - citrus kumquat nagami, as well as calamondin. Speaking of amazing varieties, it is necessary to mention the Hand of the Buddha.

cuttings

The most convenient option for those who decide to grow citrus crops on their own will, of course, be a young plant, which is purchased in a specialized store. But not always a purchased tree takes root in the house for many reasons. However, if, nevertheless, the culture has migrated from the store to the apartment, you need to contact the seller and get a recommendation from him for adapting citrus to the new conditions.

First, the plant must be inspected. If there are fruits on it, then they will have to be cut off. Seven to ten days, citrus should be left in a store pot, and only after that it should be transplanted into a new one.

Best of all, citrus trees grown from material obtained by cuttings take root at home. Of course, for beginners who have little idea of how to grow a tangerine, lemon, etc., it will be difficult to propagate the plant correctly, but for those who have been growing citrus at home for more than one year, this is quite easy to do.

The shoot for the cutting should be cut from a well-developed and healthy citrus tree. The length of the planting material should be from ten to twelve centimeters. It must have at least three kidneys. It is not recommended to use both too young and fairly old shoots with dense wood.

April is considered the best time for harvesting cuttings. Rooting of planting material can be carried out in a glass of water or in soil consisting of earth and sand. In the latter case, the cutting should be covered, for example, with a plastic bottle. Roots will appear in about twenty days. After that, the rooted cutting can already be planted in a permanent pot.

Planting material - seeds

You can often hear that a stone planted in the ground eventually turns into a luxurious citrus tree. But, even though growing mandarin or lemon from seeds is the most accessible way for lovers to propagate this type of plant, the result is often unpredictable.

As a result, you can get a culture whose fruits will be much smaller than the parent form, or you can grow a new excellent pet. Judging by the reviews, the use of seeds pulled from fruits as planting material often leads to a lack of flowering in such seedlings.

The seedling begins to sprout in about a month and a half, and it should be transplanted at the stage of the appearance of five leaves.

How to grow a tangerine

After the juicy fruits of this citrus bought in the store are eaten, the remaining seeds can be used as planting material. For the highest probability of success of the event, it is better that there are more seeds, since not all will definitely germinate. Therefore, to obtain seedlings, you need to take a dozen seeds.

Planting material is placed in gauze for several days and slightly wetted. This is necessary so that the bones, having swollen, “hatch”.

Mandarin at home can be grown in special land for citrus fruits purchased at a flower shop. Although, in principle, almost any light soil is suitable for this culture. For example, in equal proportions of soddy and leafy soil mixed in equal proportions, to which compost and rotted manure humus will be added, the tangerine will be very comfortable. Do not make soil based on peat. We must not forget about the need for drainage. Before the appearance of the first shoots should take quite a long time. Sprouts become noticeable only after two or three weeks, and sometimes after a month.

Mandarin is a tree that grows quite slowly at home, and sometimes it stops growing. Therefore, do not lose hope and enthusiasm, because when this citrus is provided with all the necessary conditions, it grows into a very beautiful tree.

Mandarin Care

According to agronomists, mandarin is a very unpretentious tree in maintenance, and not only among citrus fruits, but also among many other plants, however, it still requires compliance with certain rules when leaving. The most important condition for him is an abundance of sunlight. Mandarin requires intense lighting up to twelve hours a day year-round.

Watering and transplanting

No less reverent tangerine refers to humidity. In the summer months, it should be watered abundantly without flooding, while in winter the water supply should be reduced, periodically making sure that the soil does not dry out. In addition, it is necessary to spray the leaves daily, using filtered or boiled clean water for this purpose. You can compensate for the dryness of the air by placing a small decorative indoor fountain next to the tangerine. As the tree grows, it is periodically necessary to transplant into larger pots. It is best to move in early spring. In this case, the new pot should have a diameter of three to five centimeters larger than the previous one.

Transplantation of a tangerine tree is done by the method of transshipment, while it is necessary to preserve the old earthen ball as much as possible so as not to accidentally harm the root system of the plant. For the first time flowering plants need to adjust the number of ovaries. In the first year, two or three fruits are left, in the second - seven or eight, and then - about ten.

How to grow an orange tree

Home care for this type of citrus crop is not very different from the conditions for growing mandarin. Both a newly acquired tree and one that has been growing in the house for many years must be replanted every year. The best time for this is spring, when the plant is just getting ready to expend energy on growth. For young crops, regular watering and spraying are a prerequisite for a normal existence.

Bloom

An orange tree, which is easy to care for at home, will give ovaries if the crown is properly formed. This plant blooms and bears fruit on twigs not lower than the fifth orders, so you should not expect fruits to appear earlier than in five years. The crown is formed quite simply. When the branches reach a length of ten to fifteen centimeters, they are pinched. Soon, new shoots begin to awaken from the lateral buds, which should also be shortened. As a result, only after five years can you get an orange tree with many short shoots.

At the same time, the room should be cool: 17-20 degrees. At higher temperatures, the fruits do not set, and the plant itself is sick or affected by pests.

Indoor lemons

Of all the varieties, Pavlovsky is considered the most unpretentious. This type of lemon feels good even on the northeast or northwest window sills, it is comfortable in relatively dry air and with occasional top dressing.

The Panderose variety is almost as unpretentious, but it needs more light. True, this type of lemon has a special “syndrome” that is found only in him: he gives out too many flowers to the detriment of building green mass. Therefore, extra buds must be constantly cut off.

A little less common is the Meyer lemon, home care for which involves following certain rules: if they are not followed, it grows very slowly. However, flower growers, even with little experience, can simply place the pot on a bright windowsill, feed the plant from time to time, and spray it if necessary.

Exotic lovers

Citrus fruits in our understanding are lemon, orange, tangerine. But there are such representatives of this type of plant, which many of us have not even heard of. Of the tangerines, the Unshiu variety is interesting, which, compared with other representatives of the species, is relatively tolerant of poor lighting and unpretentious, just like the Pavlovsky lemon.

Other close relatives of citrus fruits are Kumquat and Calamondin. Fans of original houseplants should definitely acquire these species.

Speaking of exotics, it is necessary to mention the Buddha Hand variety. This citrus is distinguished by the unusual appearance of its fruit: it resembles a lemon in color, and outwardly - a fleshy brush on the hand. However, there is no edible pulp inside. Nevertheless, the fruit is so exotic that it should definitely be grown at home.

Features of growing citrus fruits

Growing citrus fruits at home involves following the basic rules for caring for southern crops.

First of all, indoor citrus fruits need the right soil. For the base, you can take the "flower" or "lemon" soil, diluting it in one part with foliage, sand and humus and three parts of the turf. In terms of structure, such soil will be low-acid, lumpy and loose, which will provide free access of oxygen and moisture to the root system of the plant.

Consider the varieties of citrus trees for the apartment in more detail.

Lemon Tree

The lemon tree is an unpretentious and resistant citrus species that shows good fruiting and frost resistance results. In addition, the lemon gets along well in low light and moisture conditions. However, it should be remembered that the lemon tree needs regular pruning and fertilization, as a well-groomed tree will provide you with tasty and fragrant fruits.

Planting a lemon is made from seeds or cuttings. As already mentioned, plants from seeds will begin to bear fruit only after 10-15 years. For development, planting material of the varieties Pavlovsky, Maikopsky, Novogruzinsky is used - these are varieties specially created for home conditions.

Lemon care is simple: regular watering, bait, crown pruning. The only thing that can be difficult is the need to transplant a lemon tree into a larger pot every year.

Indoor tangerines

Orange

The orange tree in the apartment is not only a supplier of sweet fruits throughout the year, but also a source of wonderful aroma. However, the problem with the orange is its poor tolerance to low temperatures, which will require constant maintenance of the temperature at 18-24 degrees. In addition, an orange requires direct sunlight for at least 2 hours a day, but no more than 3, which is difficult when choosing a growing location, since with all this the tree does not like anxiety and permutations.

This type of citrus needs regular watering and spraying, which should be carried out at least 2 times a week. The best varieties of domestic oranges are Gamlin, Pear-shaped Kinglet, Washington Navel and Adjarian.

Calamondin

Calamondin is a citrus plant that resembles a mandarin in appearance. However, unlike the latter, calamondin is less whimsical to light and moisture, and besides, it is very frost-resistant as for a tropical plant. The tree reaches a height of 90 cm, and bears fruit all year round.

It is better to grow calamondin from cuttings or ready-made annual plants bought in a store. Such a tree will begin to bear fruit already for 2-3 years.

Grapefruit

Citron

Video "Growing citrus fruits at home"

From this video you will learn how to grow and care for lemon, tangerine, lime at home.

Many representatives of citrus fruits, when creating favorable conditions, develop and grow perfectly in various residential and administrative premises. The most popular of them is lemon, it can be found in apartments and offices, school classes and preschool institutions, clinics and shops. Growing this popular pet is not easy, you have to spend a lot of time and effort on its cultivation and care. Mandarin, orange, lime, pomelo, grapefruit require the same attention. All of them have numerous useful qualities, one of which is the presence of biologically active substances in the leaves that can destroy pathogenic bacteria. Every lover of indoor plants can create all the necessary conditions for citrus fruits in a house or apartment.

Caring for citrus plants in the apartment

Location and lighting

The place for growing citrus indoor plants should not be located on the windowsill from the northern part of the house, near a microwave oven, in drafts and near central heating radiators or other heating devices. Citrus fruits are shade-tolerant crops, so it is more favorable to place them on the east or west window, but it can also be at a short distance from the south window sill.

Temperature

For plants, places where warm and cold air meet, and there is also an elevated air temperature are dangerous. In the presence of at least one of these unfavorable moments, the leaves on citrus fruits begin to fall off.

In the period from November to February, when the crops are in a dormant period, a special maintenance regime is introduced - low air temperature in the room, the absence of any water procedures (spraying and watering) and top dressing.

Air humidity

The humidity level must be high. You can maintain it with daily spraying, the water temperature should not be below 25 degrees. Citrus plants endure dry indoor air painfully.

Watering

It is not recommended to use tap water for irrigation, the presence of chlorine in it will negatively affect pets. Irrigation water (with a temperature of 20-22 degrees) should be settled and slightly acidified. To do this, add a few drops of vinegar to it.

Pot selection

The ideal pot material is unglazed fired clay or wood. Be sure to have drainage holes and a good drainage layer at the bottom of the flower container.

Soil composition requirements

Indoor citrus fruits will fully develop only in a special substrate for this type of plant. It is recommended to purchase a high-quality soil mixture only in specialized stores for flower growers so that its quality is not in doubt.

Top dressings and fertilizers

Exotic citrus plants need to be fed regularly from February to November. You can use organic fertilizers or mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

Propagation of indoor citrus fruits

Lemons, tangerines, oranges and other exotics can be propagated by seeds, cuttings and grafting. Every grower dreams of growing an exotic citrus plant from an ordinary seed, which will not only germinate and sprout, but will eventually turn into a small tree and give many fruits.

Growing citrus fruits from a seed, from the very beginning of its life path, the plant's immunity is strengthened and resistance to life increases. After all, a tender young culture has to adapt to unusual conditions of existence for it from the very first days. Usually, there are no big problems with seed germination, but flowering and fruiting will have to be expected from 7 to 15 years. The taste of the fruit also leaves much to be desired. In order for the culture to bloom much earlier, you will need to be vaccinated. Usually, experienced flower growers and gardeners recommend using cuttings of citrus fruits that are already bearing fruit as a scion.

When growing exotic crops indoors, keep in mind that plants can reach great heights. It is better to immediately purchase seeds of dwarf species and varieties for planting.

Reproduction by seeds

It is recommended to plant freshly harvested seeds taken directly from the fruit. Planting depth - no more than 3 cm. The planting container should hold a volume of about 2 liters with obligatory drainage holes at the bottom. Drainage is poured at the bottom, and then a special substrate for citrus fruits. After planting, the pot must be covered with a glass jar or film to create greenhouse conditions in which seedlings will appear much earlier. Depending on the variety and type of crop, seedlings will appear in the range from 7 days to 2 months. If several sprouts appeared from one seed, then over time it is necessary to leave only one stronger and stronger plant.

Reproduction by cuttings

For rooting, you need to take the apical cuttings and plant them in wet river sand at a slight slope, covering the top with a cut plastic bottle made of transparent material. Favorable temperature for root formation is 20-25 degrees. The place should be well lit, but protected from direct sunlight. The first roots may appear in about a month, after which the plant is transplanted into a special soil mixture. When transplanting, it is necessary to take care of the root part, as it can be easily damaged.

This method is considered the most common, because it allows you to save all the best quality characteristics of the mother plant. Flowering and fruiting occurs much earlier than with seed propagation.

Graft

Grafting can be done by budding or copulation. Scion and rootstock can be from different types of citrus. It is recommended to use lemon, orange or grapefruit for rootstock.

Diseases and pests

Possible pests of citrus fruits as indoor crops are aphids, spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs, possible diseases are anthracnose, warty and gummosis. Emerging diseases are difficult to treat, so you need to try to prevent them. At the first signs of the disease, it is recommended to "help" the plants. This help consists in the urgent removal of the affected leaves, buds and fruits, then the plant will direct all its forces to recovery and the preservation of healthy parts.

The main and most common cause of diseases and pests is a violation of the conditions of detention and care rules. With increased attention to pets and strict observance of their requirements and preferences, such a danger does not threaten.

Conditions for growing citrus fruits (video)

Planting and caring for citrus plants(recommendations from an employee of the Institute of Mountain Horticulture and Floriculture, Doctor of Biological Sciences VV Vorontsov). The soil is crucial in growing citrus fruits indoors. It is necessary that it be rich in organic matter, have a lumpy structure and good water and air permeability. It is necessary to take into account the fact that all subtropical crops offered for growing in a room under normal conditions are large trees or shrubs that develop in a significant amount of soil. Therefore, in smaller volumes, in a pot culture, the soil is taken more concentrated in terms of fertile properties, with the presence of a large amount of nutrients in it. With rare exceptions (for example, for Pavlovian lemons), the soil mixture is best made up of 1 part of leafy, 3 - soddy soil, 1 - thoroughly washed river or sea sand, 1 - humus or rotted manure. Most subtropical plants (with the exception of tea, which requires acidic soil) are suitable for regular flower mixes sold in stores. After compiling the mixture, it is sieved and various impurities are removed from it.
The best utensils for growing citrus(and other subtropical plants) - clay pots. Clay is a kind of moisture regulator. With the advent of excess moisture, it absorbs it, and when the earthen coma dries out, on the contrary, it gives it away gradually. Some amateurs use plastic containers, however, for all their convenience, the water regime of plants is more easily disturbed in them. Citrus fruits at the age of 1 are planted in pots with 0 10–15 cm (no more) in the upper part. As the plants grow and develop, they are transplanted into pots with a larger diameter.

Propagation of citrus and other woody plants. At the end of summer, on a growing shoot (or in the spring on a lignified one), 15–20 cm from the top, remove the leaves and remove the rings of the bark and place them in a tub. Regardless of what dish the plant will be planted in, drainage must be done in it, which ensures the free flow of excess irrigation water. Therefore, it is best to close the outlet at the bottom of the dish with a convex crock, on top of which a layer of small pebbles mixed with charcoal is poured with a depth of 3-3 cm. Plants thrive best when there is a small (1–2 cm) layer of moss, high-moor peat, or dried manure on top of the drainage. Citrus fruits are planted in pots in the same way as any other plants.

The content of citrus plants in the apartment. With the onset of warm spring days, with an increase in air temperature to 7–9 degrees. all indoor subtropical plants must be taken out into the yard or onto an open balcony. It is best to dig them together with the dishes into the soil, so that the level of the earth in the pot coincides with the surface of the garden. In summer, in order to avoid too much moisture loss, the soil in pots is covered with moss, peat or dry plant residues with a layer of 2–3 cm. The removal is carried out gradually. In the early days, the plants are placed in a shaded place and only after a week they are finally transferred to the open air. Watering - as the coma dries. Better - in the evening hours; In rainy weather, plants do not need watering. In dry, hot, they are moistened daily, stopping watering with the appearance of water in the pan. Excess moisture should not be allowed, causing acidification of the soil and further disease of plants. Signs of souring - the appearance of a greenish coating on the soil with an unpleasant odor. Plants stop growing, brown spots appear on the leaves, their fall begins. This is observed when the dishes are excessively large, watering is excessive, or the drainage is faulty. If acidification of the soil occurs, the plant is transplanted with its complete replacement. Watered with water at room temperature, be sure to loosen the soil after 5 - b watering. And best of all - rainwater. Should not be boiled. In cities, they humidify with tap water, which contains bleach, which adversely affects the vital activity of plants. In order for chlorine to evaporate from such water, it is defended for 24–28 hours. Chlorinated water is quickly neutralized by adding 1/2 teaspoon of water to 1 liter of water.

Citrus fruits, exposed to the yard in the spring, are brought into the room before the onset of a cold snap. In most regions of our country, it is difficult for them to grow and develop normally, especially in apartments where there is not enough light, but at the same time there is a lot of heat. Therefore, they often have a sharp reduction in the process of photosynthesis at this time, we intensify in breathing, which leads to their weakening, dropping their leaves, and often to death from themselves. In this regard, from November to February inclusive, citrus fruits are kept, if possible, in dry rooms with a low temperature (not higher than 8 - 10 degrees). The vital processes of subtropical plants at this time slow down significantly, they pass into the stage of winter dormancy, however, completely preserving the leaves. And in March, due to the spring increase in illumination, there is a noticeable increase - the guarantee of the harvest. In order not to provoke growth earlier and not to force the plant, no fertilizers should be applied in winter, watering should be extremely rare. In the case when there are no cold rooms, plants during this period are placed in rooms with a normal temperature, i.e. 18 degrees. For normal development, they are only sprayed with water at room temperature, this is especially necessary in apartments with central heating, where the air is very dry . They increase the humidity of the air by placing pots with plants in trays, where water is regularly added. Citrus fruits themselves are placed away from heating systems and at least 2 times a day they are sprayed with water at room temperature.

Rice. 6.
Reproduction of citrus fruits and others (according to F. Zorin): a - budding (otherwise - eye binding), b - according to the lateral method with splitting

Formation of the crown of citrus plants. This is a very important point, which determines the period of entry of plants into the fruiting season, its further development and productivity, in addition to the fact that it is also beauty, decorativeness, achieved by filling the crown with small, abundantly leafy twigs. Crown formation begins from the 1st year of citrus life, when, with the help of pinching and pruning, low houseplants are created with 3-4 correctly located skeletal branches in the crown. All citrus fruits in the 1st year of life form 1 vertical (zero) shoot 25–30 cm high. In the 2nd year, before the start of growth at a height of 15–20 cm, the plant is pruned. As soon as the lateral buds germinate, they are removed, with the exception of only 3-4 future lateral shoots located on different sides of the table. The zero shoot, if it has a powerful development, is pinched (pinched) at a height of 15–20 cm, growing skeletal crowns in the 1st year. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that very often only 1 upper bud sprouts after tweezing, forming a continuation shoot. Therefore, when it becomes noticeable that only the upper kidney gives growth, it, and preferably together with the 2nd, lower, kidney, must be cut with a pruner. This operation creates favorable conditions for the growth of the lower kidneys. In the spring of the same year, the newly formed side shoots are removed, except for 2 - 3 eyes. At the end of summer, when the side shoots reach 10 - 15 cm long, they are shortened. This helps to obtain first shoots of the 3rd order, and then the 4th. Forming a crown, with further pruning of citrus fruits, the following rule is followed: remove all strongly growing straight shoots located inside it. Pruned in the spring, before the plant begins to grow. The formation by pinching is carried out in the summer, during its growth. With careful care, 2 orders of branching can be grown in 1 year. The main formation of the crown skeleton is usually completed with branches of the 4th or 5th order.

Fruiting should not be allowed until the formation of the crown is completed - it slows down vegetative growth, which is the material for its proper "sculpting". To enhance the growth of individual shoots and branches, first of all, all buds, flowers and ovaries are removed from them. Sometimes short pruning of such branches is used for replacement, i.e. above the 2nd or 3rd bud at its base / The current pruning of citrus fruits involves the removal of shoots that thicken the crown, cutting out broken and diseased twigs, shortening strongly growing branches that violate the shape of the crown . Lemons often (rarely in oranges) develop large, fatty barren shoots that are noticeable almost from the moment they appear. To turn them into fruit-bearing ones, pinch the fatty shoots at the level of the 5th - 6th kidney. The technique of cutting shoots during the formation and pruning of citrus crops is no different from the corresponding operation on continental fruit crops. The cut is carried out above the kidney, facing the outer part of the crown.

And one more important detail. Keeping citrus fruits in apartments (especially if it is a lemon), you need to remove part of the ovary, thereby normalizing the harvest. From this, the fruits increase in size as a whole, the yield increases. The need for rationing is due to the fact that almost all citrus fruits bloom profusely and form a large number of ovaries, which greatly deplete indoor plants. Harvest is normalized 10-15 days after the end of flowering. The ovaries are removed first of all on the weak "as well as shoots that are closely spaced one to the other.

Citrus transplant. The root system of potted plants gradually, with age, grows so much that often the roots break through the bottom hole. The plant begins to ache and drop leaves due to a lack of nutrients. The way out is to transplant (transship) them once every 2 to 3 years (in early spring, at the end of growth dormancy; while the diameter of the new dishes is taken a few centimeters larger than that of the previous one), Before transplanting, they examine the root system of the plant, removing from a pot or tub a layer of soil of 2 - 3 cm. And if there are not a lot of roots along the edges of the tub, transshipment can be postponed until next year. They accurately determine the need for a transplant by pulling the plant out of the pot: if an earthen ball is entwined with roots, then it is mandatory, then.

Water the plant thoroughly before transplanting.. Following this, turning the dishes and lightly tapping the walls of the pot with the palm of your hand, they take out the plant along with a clod of earth. Roots affected by diseases and damaged are carefully cut with a sharp knife. After that, the drainage layer is cleaned with a coma with a wooden stick and, if possible, the outer depleted earth is removed. The plant prepared for transplantation is placed in the center of a new dish, in which drainage is first poured to the bottom. The dishes are filled with earth so that there are no voids in it and the earthen ball with the plant does not reach 3-4 cm to the edge. An earth lump cannot be destroyed, because a large number of roots die, the plant sheds its leaves and takes root with difficulty again. If the dishes are not new, they are disinfected with formalin, bleach or calcined for several minutes on fire before planting. During transplantation, the earth at the edges is pressed tightly so that the pouring water flows to the center of the coma. After transplanting the plant, it is plentifully watered with warm water and sprayed. For 1 - 2 weeks set in a cool room. Frequent transplants should be avoided: the volume of dishes increases rapidly, and fruiting can completely stop for 1 - 2 years. It is better to transplant into small vessels, slightly more spacious than the previous ones. It should be transplanted as soon as possible so that the exposed roots do not dry out.

Fertilizers. Due to the small volume of dishes, the supply of nutrients is naturally small; they need to be constantly replenished. Every year, houseplants are fed with organic mineral fertilizers. From organic, settled slurry is best suited, which does not emit an unpleasant odor. Before watering, it is diluted 7-10 times with water, in which chlorine compounds have settled and removed. Make slurry no more than 2 times a season. Preferably - early spring and mid-summer. Of course, this cannot be done in a multi-storey building, and therefore only mineral fertilizers are applied there (already from the 2nd year of plant life). Based on many years of experience, the Research Institute of Mountain Horticulture and Floriculture offers the following fertilizer system. Minerals - potassium and ammonium nitrate, superphosphate. A solution of potassium nitrate for irrigation is prepared in advance in a concentrated form. For 1 liter of water - 50 g of saltpeter. Before making the prepared saltpeter solution is diluted with water 10 times to bring its strength to 0.05%. When ammonium nitrate is available, another 20 g of potassium salt should be added to 30 g of it per 1 liter of water and also diluted with water 1: 10 before application. When preparing phosphorus fertilizer, superphosphate is taken at the rate of 50 g per 1 liter of water and boiled for 30 minutes . Liquids are allowed to settle. Then it is drained - so that there is no sediment. And immediately before application, it is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 10. The timing of fertilization depends on the size of the dishes, the condition of the plants and the season, of course. The bush fattens - nitrogen fertilizer is given less often. In winter, during the dormant period - at least 1 time in 1.5 - 2 months. From March to September, nitrogen-potassium nutrition is desirable once every 15 days, and phosphorus, together with slurry, once every 1 month.

Cultivation of citrus planting material. Citrus fruits are propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering and grafting. New plants perfectly adapt to the conditions of keeping in apartments, rarely get sick and, entering into fruiting, form beautiful bright orange and golden fruits during seed propagation. However, it has negative points. Plants from seeds are distinguished by a great diversity of economic characteristics, often the fruits acquire the properties of distant "ancestors and are characterized by low taste qualities or may be generally unsuitable for consumption. Inedible, despite their attractive appearance, for example, Pavlovian tangerines, Maikop oranges obtained from seeds. In addition, all citrus fruits bloom from seeds and give the 1st harvest only 10-15, or even 20-25 years after sowing. Therefore, durable houseplants, resistant to adverse environmental conditions of apartments, are obtained by grafting on citrus seedlings from fruit-bearing ones. To successfully grow citrus seedlings, it is important to sow fresh seeds. Their storage (even 15 - 20 days) significantly reduces germination. So before sowing, it is better not to remove them from the fruits.

Seeds are sown in indoor greenhouses and boxes covered with glass, or flower pots to a depth of 2–3 cm. The temperature in the greenhouse after sowing the seeds must be maintained within 18–22 degrees. They usually germinate for 10–18 days. Before germination, the soil with the seeds sown in it is kept in a moderately moist state: excessive moisture contributes to their rapid decay. Seedlings are very tender. The first weeks they are afraid of direct sunlight, but they must be kept close to the light all the time. Water them once every 1 month. 1% solution of saltpeter or urea. Small seedlings are very desirable to feed 1 - 2 times a season with a solution of slurry. With the appearance of 4 - b leaves, the seedlings dive into small (08 - 10 cm) flower pots, in which they will grow and develop until they bud, when the stem reaches 8-10 mm thick. Seeds are best collected from fruit-bearing plants grown in apartments. If they are not available, then they are harvested from fruits purchased in stores, on the market.

Due to the fact that citrus seedlings begin to bear fruit very late, various methods should be used to speed up this process. Earlier entry of citrus fruits into fruiting is achieved primarily by observing the rules for the formation of young plants, regulating the length of daylight hours. This is facilitated by grafting buds from fruit-bearing trees into the crown of a citrus plant. In the same way as budding. Other lovers of the main trunk and skeletal branches strongly bend down, the growth is often tweezed, mechanical damage is done on the bark, etc. Others recommend, for example, plants grown from seeds, keep 3 months for 2-3 winters. at a low temperature (2 - 5 degrees) - then they can bear fruit at about the 8th year of life, they say. Well, check these assumptions for correctness. The most reliable way so far to speed up the fruiting of seedlings is to regraft them with an eye or a cutting taken from a fruiting plant.

The most suitable of the vegetative propagation methods for all citrus crops is budding, which should be done at the end of July - in August with a sleeping eye. Since rootstocks are grown indoors, budding can be done throughout the growing season, from March to October, during the period when they have active sap flow. Own-rooted plants are considered the best rootstock of citrus fruits cultivated in closed ground. For a lemon - a seedling of a lemon. Orange - respectively. Kinkan - seedling of Kinkan. And so on. In the open ground of the subtropics of the CIS, a 3-leaf wild lemon - poncirus - trifoliata, a deciduous plant that can withstand low temperatures up to 20 degrees, is used as a stock. frost. However, many experts believe that it is not suitable for room culture. Trifoliata is a small shrub with thorny branches. The leaves are trifoliate. Blooms in early spring before the leaves open. The fruits are yellow, spherical, inedible. The latter is very valuable for the rootstock. To get 1 kg of seeds, you need only 6 - 7 fruits of trifoliate, while in a cultivated apple tree they need to be cleaned about 200. kg. In winter, like all deciduous plants, it enters a state of deep growth and physiological dormancy. Trifoliate roots begin to grow only in May, but in winter they do not grow. Lemon, orange and other citrus fruits, being evergreen, need nutrition and moisture throughout the year. When citrus trees grafted on trifoliate are grown in open ground, this rootstock helps to reduce active physiological processes in grafted plants for the winter or develop relative dormancy in them, which increases their frost resistance. Citrus plants in room conditions do not actually have growth dormancy, so if they are grafted on triphodiag, it cannot provide them with nutrition and moisture in winter.

As a result, indoor plants on the stock of trifoliate are depleted during the winter period, partial leaf fall begins, and in spring - mass shedding. And the plants don't bear fruit. The experiments of researchers show that a lemon grafted on trifoliate can develop well and preserve the fruit crop only if it is kept in a room or in other rooms with a temperature that significantly reduces its growth processes in winter. Some varieties of lemons are noticeably different from each other but the influence of different temperatures on them. Compared to the varieties Kuzner, Lunario, Commune, Genoa showed itself better: it is more plastic and adapts more easily to adverse apartment conditions.

Not every amateur will be able to create everything necessary for the wintering of plants grafted on trifoliate. In addition, everyone wants to have an evergreen in the room, especially in winter. Therefore, at room culture, it is better to refuse citrus seedlings on a trifoliate rootstock. In warm living rooms and other premises where in winter the air temperature does not fall below 16 - 18 degrees, lemon and other citrus fruits should be grown on their roots or grafted on seedlings of citrus fruits - lemon, orange, grapefruit, bigaradia, kinkan. It should also be borne in mind that lemons grown from cuttings and layering enter the fruiting season earlier, at the same time they are characterized by weaker growth than those grafted on citrus seedlings and are more likely to suffer from gammosis (gum disease). If, nevertheless, a citrus plant grafted onto a trifoliate rootstock turned out to be in the apartment, they keep it in a cold room, a bright corridor or on an insulated veranda at a temperature of 4–6 in winter. At the same time, both the crown of the grafted plant and the root system of the trifoliate rootstock will not be physiologically active, and consequently, there will be no shedding of leaves. The best time for grafting citrus fruits is very good to propagate by budding.

All citrus fruits, except for the usual budding, reproduce well by budding with a shield, lateral grafting into a split, grafting with a grafted stalk, double budding, etc. The methods and techniques of budding and grafting are the same as in ordinary gardening. Seedlings grown by budding or grafting begin to bear fruit in the 3rd to 4th year.

It is preferable to obtain planting material for lemons by cuttings: it is most accessible to amateurs, fruiting is accelerated, the plant becomes more dwarfed, which is especially important in indoor gardening. Acceleration of cuttings can be carried out at any time of the year. It is best to cut lemons in boxes or flower pots filled with loose, nutritious substrate, sand or perlite. The optimal soil composition for rooting lemon cuttings: a layer (10 - 12 cm) of soil, consisting of 4 equal parts of forest humus, coarse sand, soddy soil, rotted manure. Washed sand is covered with a layer of 5-6 cm on this substrate. Take cuttings only from fruit-bearing indoor plants (September-October). In autumn, shoots of spring growth are used, and in spring (April) - autumn shoots, which take root especially well.