Lemon - short, 3-4 meters in height, evergreen tree, with short lumps on the branches. It belongs to remontant plants; under favorable conditions, fruits can ripen on it, buds bloom and an ovary develop at the same time.
Leaves of the lemon tree change gradually, as they age, one leaf lives for about two years. In a developed plant, flowers are large, with five cream or pure white petals. All varieties on one tree form two types of flowers: male and bisexual. Lemons are capable of cross-pollination, as indicated by the presence of male flowers, but homemade lemon must be artificially pollinated.
At the age of 5-7 years, the tree can bestow 15-20 fruits. Varieties are grown at home:
- Meyer (Chinese lemon) - a low-growing tree with a neat, well-leafy crown, the variety is suitable for small apartments.
- Irkutsk is a medium-sized variety with a spreading crown, there are thorns on short thick shoots, it blooms profusely.
- Pavlovsky - a small, thornless plant, ideally suited for growing at home, tolerates even a small amount of sunlight.
In the summer, caring for lemon at home consists of feeding, watering and pinching the shoots. Much attention should be paid to watering. Water it often, do it in small portions, in 3-4 doses, so that the water passes through the clod of earth. Watering is stopped when water begins to flow from the holes in the bottom of the pot. They are fed every 15-20 days, using complex preparations based on humus.
The optimum temperature for bud development is 14-15 ° C. At elevated temperatures, the buds develop faster, but the percentage of useful ovary decreases. Under unfavorable conditions - lack of nutrition, high temperature - non-viable flowers with underdeveloped pistils are formed. For the wintering of an indoor tree, a temperature of 15-18 ° C is needed with moderate air humidity, in such conditions the lemon feels good. Watering in winter is reduced.
Once every two years, the plant needs a transplant, the soil is made up of garden soil, peat, sphagnum moss, sand, charcoal, and, of course, good drainage is needed. Varietal plants are propagated by grafting with a cuttings or buds on lemon seedlings, as well as by rooting of green cuttings.
