Citrus fruit care. Citrus fruits at home - advice from experienced gardeners Caring for home citrus plants

Citrus houseplants are not only a wonderful decoration of the home, but also useful plants, the fruits of which are rich in vitamins and have excellent taste. However, growing these Southern delicacies indoors requires special conditions, which 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 requires following the basic rules of caring for southern crops.

First of all, indoor citrus fruits need properly selected soil. For the base, you can take “floral” or “lemon” soil, diluting it with one part of foliage, sand and humus and three parts of turf. The structure will be low-acid, lumpy and loose, which will ensure free access of oxygen and moisture to the root system of the plant.

It is better to plant the plant in clay pots, which, due to their properties, are excellent heat conductors. 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 humidity level - at least 65%. Fruits grown in humid air will turn out juicy and tasty, but if there is excess humidity they are at risk of rotting and falling off. Citrus trees at home need to be watered as the soil dries out: in winter this happens once a month, in summer - once every 1-2 weeks. On hot days and during heating season the plant needs regular spraying.

In an apartment, citrus fruits are most often placed on the windowsill, since this is where 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 the citrus trees with additional lighting using ordinary lamps with good heat dissipation. The temperature during the entire development period should not fall below +8 degrees. In winter, the temperature should be maintained around +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.

Citrus fruits are propagated in late summer by separating the growing shoot from the main cutting. Such a shoot is carefully trimmed and stripped of the bark at the bottom, after which it is lowered into a previously prepared pot with nutritious soil, which is fertilized with moss, manure and a small amount of peat. The pot must have holes at the bottom, which are necessary for the drainage 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 when propagated.

Citrus pruning is necessary not only to maintain the health of the plant, but also to form a beautiful round shape, which can be created after the second year of the plant’s life. If the aesthetic side requires pruning shoots that are too long, then the vegetative side requires cutting shoots that are too thick. Shoots that grow inside the crown and interfere with 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 your own citrus tree, then there are two options - from cuttings or from seeds at home. An apartment is ideal for this, since it can create conditions as close as possible to greenhouse conditions. In the best way Growing from cuttings is recognized, 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, feeding, trimming the crown. The only thing that may be difficult is the need to replant the lemon tree annually into a larger pot.

Potted tangerines

Mandarin, like lemon, requires regular spring replanting. In addition, it is more heat-loving and picky about humidity levels. 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 period of entry into fruiting - fruit development is possible after 5–6 years.

Mandarin, in addition to the requirements for lighting and moisture, also needs regular feeding and treatment for pests. Unfortunately, these plants are very susceptible to aphids, spider mites and mealybugs. Another problem with tangerine 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 purchased in the store. Such a tree will begin to bear fruit within 2–3 years.

Despite the resistance to cold, 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 regime will ensure healthy and abundant fruiting for the plant.

Grapefruit

Homegrown grapefruit can be obtained from the Duncan and Marsh varieties. This type of citrus fruit resembles a lemon in terms of its maintenance conditions. However, grapefruit needs more abundant and frequent watering and maximum quantity sunlight.

Citron

Citron is a plant with very large yellow fruits (from 15 cm in length) and thick skin. For home grown Pavlovsky, Ruka Buddha and Mir varieties are suitable. It should be remembered that the size of the fruit needs high tree(1.5 m), which should be provided with plenty of sunlight and warm temperatures during the whole year.

Video “Growing citrus fruits at home”

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

The countries of Southeast Asia are considered to have a warm subtropical and tropical climate. It is warm there all year round, with a slight drop in temperature in winter, there is a lot of light and quite humid. Therefore, citrus plants require a well-lit place both in summer and winter. Daylight hours all year round are approximately 12 hours; in our climate, the most suitable day lengths are spring and autumn. Most species are completely intolerant of even short-term and short-term frosts.

One of the characteristics of citrus plants is uneven growth. After a period of active growth, a period of dormancy begins, when young shoots and leaves stop growing, and the wood begins to mature. Only after this does a new wave of shoot growth begin.

Many indoor citrus fruits are characterized by their ability to bloom and set fruit several times a year. Flowering of grafted plants or those grown from rooted cuttings occurs almost immediately. Flowering of seedlings in nature usually occurs in some species at 4-5 years, in others only at 12-15 years, but it is almost never possible to wait for citrus seedlings to flower at home.

The optimal conditions for the development of flowers will be a temperature of about +18 o C and air humidity of about 70%. The flowers are bisexual and in many varieties are self-pollinating, but to ensure reliable fruit set, it is better to resort to artificial pollination using a soft brush. After flowering, not all ovaries remain on the branches; many soon fall off. The ovary can be considered complete if it has reached at least 2 cm. The fruits ripen, depending on the specific type or variety, from 5-9 months, and can hang on the tree until the next harvest. By the way, the color of the peel is not a sign of ripening. So, in the tropics, where there is no cool winter, the color of ripe fruits remains green. Orange color also does not indicate the ripeness of the fruit. If it is not picked in time, the peel may turn green again and then re-color.

Winter content. Species originating from the subtropics require a mandatory decrease in temperature in winter; this is their physiological need. Illumination and temperature affect the degree of plant metabolism: the higher they are, the more active the vital processes occur. The most difficult time for citrus crops at home comes in late autumn, when the amount of light drops sharply. It is through light that the plant receives energy through the process of photosynthesis. If little energy is produced (in conditions of lack of light), but a lot is spent (in conditions of a warm room), the plant is gradually depleted, sometimes “eats” itself and dies. In our winter conditions, even the lightest windowsill does not provide the insolation that the plant receives in its homeland, so in winter citrus fruits will always, no matter the lighting, suffer from a lack of light. To help them successfully overwinter, it is necessary to lower the temperature and increase the light.

For wintering, an insulated loggia or greenhouse with a temperature of about +14 o C and additional lighting is suitable (in cloudy weather - during the whole day, in clear weather - only in the evenings, so that the total daylight hours is 12 hours). Citrus fruits winter well in cool apartments or private houses. In a warm apartment, you can fence off the window sill from the room with a third frame or film so that more space can be installed inside. low temperature.

In the absence of a cool winter, citrus plants usually do not live longer than 3-4 years, gradually become depleted and die. The holiday lasts from November to February. In early to mid-February, when daylight noticeably increases, most citrus crops “wake up.”

Content temperature. Both too low and too high temperatures inhibit the normal development of citrus plants. In summer, it is desirable that the temperature be kept within +18+26 o C, in winter it needs coolness, +12+16 o C. Never expose the plant to negative temperatures.

Different parts of the plant (roots and crown) should be in the same temperature conditions. If the temperature in the root system zone is lower than in the crown zone, the roots do not have time to absorb the required amount of water. Otherwise, the roots absorb too much of it. Such differences lead to stress and can cause the plant to lose its leaves. The temperature at the floor is always several degrees lower than at the crown level, so it is better to place the plant on a small stand. If the room has heated floors, there is a danger of overheating for the root system.

In spring and summer, it is useful to place citrus fruits on the balcony or take them out into the garden, where they grow and bloom beautifully. However, the pots need to be shaded from the sun. Through the heated walls of the pots, the roots get burned, and the temperature balance of the roots and foliage is disrupted.

When the plant is returned indoors in the fall, heavy leaf fall is often observed due to a sharp change in conditions. To avoid it, you should not wait for a strong cold snap and turn on the heating systems, but bring the plant in early. Then there will not be a large difference in temperature and air humidity. You should also be careful that the illumination does not drop significantly.

Illumination. Citrus plants are very light-loving; they should be protected only from the midday summer sun. Optimal location in the south - eastern or south - western windows, and in the summer in the garden - under the light shade of trees. In winter, it is advisable to provide additional intense lighting, with a day length of 12 hours. Without sufficient light, the plant will not be able to fully develop. Too much daylight in middle lane, and especially in northern regions, negatively affects the normal development of the plant.

A sign of a lack of light is the appearance of leaves that are too large and too green, and with a severe deficiency - yellowing and falling leaves. The result of too bright lighting will be the formation of discolored, too light leaves, on which, with a sharp increase in light without preliminary adaptation, burns, white or black spots may appear. There is a high probability of such burns in February-March, when during the winter the plant “weans” from sunlight.

Watering should be regular and moderate. Citrus fruits are not drought-resistant, but it is extremely important to avoid systematic overmoistening of the substrate. In summer and winter, always keep the soil moist, but between waterings upper layer must dry out. When watering, make sure that the water reaches all the roots (it should go out a little into the pan, from which the excess must be drained). In summer, more frequent watering will be required, perhaps even daily (depending on the weather, the volume and composition of the soil, and the size of the plant).

In the winter months, when the temperature is cool, the frequency and abundance of watering is reduced. Keep the soil slightly moist, do not allow it to dry out, watering frequency approximately once every 7-10 days.

Water for irrigation should be soft and free of chlorine. Hard water is softened by boiling, sometimes acidified with lemon juice (1 - 3 drops per 1 l). The temperature of the irrigation water should be no lower than the room temperature or 3-4 degrees higher. During winter holiday Do not water with too warm water, so as not to “wake up” the plant ahead of time.

Air humidity. Citrus fruits grow in regions with high air humidity; this must be taken into account when keeping them at home; spray the foliage with water or use a household humidifier.

Transfer. The root system of citrus plants has a peculiarity - it does not have root hairs, through which water and minerals dissolved in it are usually absorbed. Their role is played by a symbiotic fungus that forms mycorrhiza in the roots. The death of mycorrhiza leads to the extinction of the plant itself. It is very sensitive to conditions, suffers from prolonged absence of moisture, lack of air in heavy and dense soil, low and high temperatures, and especially when roots are exposed or damaged. Sometimes you can see apparently normal roots in a dead plant - this is precisely explained by the death of mycorrhiza. This is why citrus fruits do not tolerate transplantation well and can be sick for a long time after it. Citrus fruits should only be replanted by the most careful handling, without changing the soil or washing the roots under any circumstances (except for severe damage to the roots, when there is no other option).

Substrates for growing citrus fruits. There are several recipes for soil mixtures for citrus fruits - they include peat, turf and leaf soil, sand, and manure humus. It is important that the mixture is slightly acidic or neutral (pH from 5.5 to 7.0). If your water is hard, it is better to use slightly acidic soil. However, preparing a mixture of all these components separately and adjusting the acidity is quite difficult. It’s easier to take ready-made soil for citrus fruits (usually called “Lemon”) and bring it to the desired condition. Before use, the substrate must be heat treated in a water bath (to destroy larvae, eggs and adult pests, pathogenic fungi and bacteria).

Small plants should be replanted soon after purchase, since peat soil dries out easily, and tightly entwined roots are easily subject to overheating and drying out. Then they are replanted every year in the spring (if necessary). Older plants can be left untouched in the first year and then replanted every 3-4 years. Large trees are not replanted, but the top layer of soil is replaced annually.

If you have purchased a small plant, which is usually planted in a peat substrate, under no circumstances should you change it or add denser soil - roots will not be able to grow into it. It is better to use a ready-made peat substrate for the first transplant, adding sand and a little turf soil to it. With further transplants, the amount of turf soil in the mixture can be gradually increased.

Large specimens are usually already planted in the ground with the addition of turf soil, so sand and more turf or leaf soil can be added to the finished mixture. It is better not to use manure humus in mixtures, but to replace it with an extract that is added to irrigation water.

And do not overuse loosening the soil, which can easily damage the roots.

Reproduction. Citrus crops easily cross-pollinate, giving rise to new hybrids with properties different from the mother plant. Therefore, in order to preserve the desired properties and speed up fruiting, vegetative propagation methods are used: grafting, cuttings, air layering. For industrial purposes, preference is given to grafting; it makes it possible to select a rootstock of the desired quality (for frost resistance, drought resistance, etc.). Some varieties have poorly developed root system, and grafting onto a powerful rootstock provides the plant good roots. In home citrus growing, grafting is often used to breed especially capricious variegated varieties, but their implementation requires special knowledge and skills. Many popular varieties do not require them; they develop beautifully from rooted cuttings, while fully retaining their maternal qualities and flowering quickly (often still at the rooting stage).

For rooting, use sterile soil (peat + sand). Rooting temperature is about +25 o C, always in a greenhouse, preferably with bottom heating. The light is bright, diffused, at least from a fluorescent lamp.

Ripened young shoots are taken for cuttings, this moment being at a resting stage, this is important. If you take a shoot that is at the growth stage, then the likelihood of it taking root is very low. It is optimal for the shoot to be about 6 months old, and it has already turned from angular to round. Cuttings are taken only from healthy plants. The shoot is cut into segments of 3-4 internodes. The top cut is made straight. The bottom leaf is removed, an oblique cut is made directly under this bud, the bark is lightly scratched with a clean thin needle, dipped in Kornevin root formation stimulator powder and immersed in the soil until the next leaf. If the greenhouse holds moisture well, then it is better to leave all the leaves entirely without cutting off the leaf blades. They will serve as a source for the cuttings nutrients. If the tightness of the greenhouse is poor, then so that the cuttings do not lose too much moisture, two bottom sheets you will have to cut it in half. In the greenhouse it is necessary to maintain high air humidity. Rooting lasts from 2 weeks to 1 - 2 months, sometimes longer.

Citrus seeds, freshly removed from the fruit, germinate very well, usually within a month. Seedlings are actively developing and are quite unpretentious. Using pruning, they can be formed into beautiful trees, which will also enrich the atmosphere of the house with useful phytoncidal substances. But in order to bear fruit, such seedlings must be grafted with cuttings of varietal plants.

Formation needed to give a beautiful and compact look to the crown. The best time for it comes at the end of the winter rest period, in early February. In summer, shoots that are too long and fattening should also be shortened. Different types and varieties of citrus fruits have their own growth patterns. Thus, lemon does not branch very readily, and it is quite difficult to form a compact, beautiful tree from it. The orange grows powerfully upward, requiring regular pruning. The tangerine's crown thickens quickly, and it is necessary to cut out some of the shoots growing inward. Kumquat grows quite compactly, requiring virtually no pruning. You don't have to trim the calamondin too much.

Young plants grown from rooted cuttings begin to form almost immediately, giving the tree a beautiful appearance. Seedlings should begin to form at one year of age. If by this time they have reached at least 30 cm, the crown is cropped. However, even the correct formation of seedlings does not lead to the long-awaited fruiting at home.

Feeding. Citrus fruits should be fertilized only during the months of active growth, from mid-February to mid-September, and should never be fed during winter rest. When preparing for the rest period and when leaving it, reduce the concentration of fertilizers by 2 times. Fertilize only on a previously moistened clod of soil. For good absorption of mineral fertilizers from the soil, it is important to control the acidity of the soil. For assimilation organic fertilizers be sure to maintain the beneficial microflora of the substrate by systematically introducing microbiological preparations (East - EM1, Baikal, Vozrozhdenie). Plants respond well to foliar feeding.

You cannot feed a plant that is heavily crumbling - the reasons for leaf fall are often not due to lack of nutrition, and feeding done at the wrong time will only cause harm. After purchasing or replanting a plant, do not feed it for 1-2 months.

And you should always remember the rule that it is better to underfeed a plant than to overfeed it. Nutritional deficiencies are easily corrected timely feeding, and excess fertilizer leads to root burns, improper development and often ends in the death of the plant. One of the signs of excess fertilizer is a dry border along the edge of the leaf and the beginning of leaf fall. An excess of one element often causes a deficiency of another; diagnosing this imbalance and accurately establishing the cause is quite difficult. But in order to avoid it, you should only use special fertilizers for citrus fruits, which must also include microelements. Their application rates are designed for the period of maximum growth. If the plants receive insufficient light or other maintenance conditions are not met, the dose of fertilizer must be reduced.

If you find a negative reaction to a new fertilizer, cancel fertilizing, wash the soil with plenty of water (passing it through the soil, but without removing the plants from the pot), at first use only the foliar method of fertilizing (a highly diluted complex fertilizer with microelements is sprayed on the leaves once a week ). Then switch to a different brand of special citrus fertilizer.

Physiological disorders associated with a lack or excess of nutrients

The leaves lose their gloss, acquire a yellow tint, young leaves are narrow and small, flowering is weak- with a lack of phosphorus.
Plants need phosphorus for flowering and fruiting, it helps resist disease. Excess phosphorus inhibits vegetative growth.

The leaves have grooves and folds along the veins, later they lighten and turn brown at the edges. Growth is delayed, some adult branches die off. During flowering there may be strong leaf fall– with a lack of potassium.
Plants use potassium to produce sugar, starch, protein and enzymes needed for growth and development. Potassium helps plants regulate water consumption and better withstand cold. Excess potassium leads to the appearance of brown necrotic burns along the edge of the leaf.

A deficiency of iron, magnesium and zinc manifests itself in chlorosis- against the background of yellow leaves, a green network of veins is clearly visible, growth stops, young shoots often die. Iron deficiency usually extends to the entire leaf; with a deficiency of magnesium and zinc, changes can be local. Chlorosis is also caused by a deficiency of sulfur, manganese and zinc, as well as an excess of calcium. Citrus fruits with chlorosis require additional feeding with iron-containing preparations (iron chelate, Ferovit), and driving rusty nails into the soil will not help the plant.
Magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) are important for the production of chlorophyll. Sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) are "catalysts" that help in the absorption of other nutrients such as nitrogen.

Death of growth points, loss of natural color by young leaves, growth of defective leaves– observed with a lack of calcium and boron. Lack of calcium with hard irrigation water is excluded. Calcium (Ca) and boron (B) have important for proper water absorption, and both are important for proper cell formation.

Pests and diseases

The most common pests Cyrus crops are mealybug, scale insect, and false scale insect. Citrus fruits are also affected by aphids and spider mites.

White lumps in the axils, on branches and trunks - infestation with mealybug.

Plaques that look like droplets of wax on the leaves, branches and trunks, sweet discharge on the leaves - infestation with scale insects or false scale insects.

Uneven small yellow dots on the leaves, powdery coating on the bottom of the leaf, sometimes cobwebs - spider mites.

Accumulation of small green or black insects on young shoots, sweet secretions - aphids.

Small mobile light insects in the soil, jumping when watering - Podura, or springtails. They start when overwatered and do not harm the plant. It is enough to reduce watering and water with Aktara (1 g/10 l).

Small black flies flying above the ground are fungus gnats. They also start from waterlogging. The larvae live in the soil, but they do no harm healthy roots do not cause. It is enough to adjust the watering; you can shed it with Aktara (1 g/10 l).

Diseases citrus fruits arise due to improper care and damage by various pathogens (which is also often caused by errors in maintenance).

Fungal diseases often affect citrus fruits on plantations or in greenhouses. Drying and blackening of branches - malseco - are of a fungal nature; gum therapy - gommosis, when a wound forms on the trunk from which a resin-like liquid oozes; leaf spotting and anthractic blight, when weeping spots spread across the leaf and subsequently merge; powdery mildew when it forms on the leaves white powdery coating. The fight against fungal diseases comes down to establishing care, removing and destroying the affected parts of the plant, and treating with systemic and contact fungicides.

Sometimes a black coating forms on the leaves of citrus fruits, which can be easily removed with a damp swab - this is a sooty fungus. It does not harm the plant; it usually settles on the sugary secretions of pests. The cause of the sugary discharge should be eliminated, the soot deposits should be removed with a swab soaked in soapy water, and washed well under a warm shower.

Diseases caused by viruses appear as marbling and cannot be treated.

Causes of yellowing leaves: chlorosis caused by a lack of iron, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, excess calcium; lack of nitrogen; lack or excess of light; spider mite infestation.

Reasons for appearance brown spots on the leaves: non-compliance with the irrigation regime (drying or waterlogging of the soil); sunburn; burn from a strong dose of fertilizer; imbalance in batteries; fungal and bacterial diseases.

Cause of leaf fall Citrus fruits can be affected by any severe stress: sudden temperature fluctuations, hypothermia, overheating, overmoistening of the substrate, overdrying of the substrate, improper replanting, too much fertilizer dosage, prolonged lack of light.

Why is leaf fall dangerous? Depending on the age, lemon leaves perform different functions; with aging, they turn into a storehouse of nutrients, ensuring the growth and development of young growths. The loss of these leaves leads to the depletion of the plant.

Nice to have on windowsills evergreens, capable of pleasing the eye even in winter. It’s even more pleasant to watch them bloom and even get edible fruits. Why not get some citrus fruits in this case?

Citrus fruits are one of the few subtropical trees that get along well at home. In this article we will look at the different types of these exotic plants, we will give instructions to beginners and advice to those who are already confident in their abilities and want to try something new:

• How to get citrus fruits: where is the best place to buy a tree and how to propagate it yourself?
• What varieties and types can be recommended to a beginner, and which ones need a little more attention?
• Why do purchased citrus trees die so often?
• What to do once you gain confidence in your abilities?
• How to keep a tree from growing so that it doesn’t break through the ceiling in 10 years?
• What are the subtleties in their cultivation and reproduction?

Purchase in store

It would seem that what could be easier than going to a flower shop and buying a lemon or tangerine? But in fact, this path is fraught with many difficulties.

Those plants that are sold in stores come there from abroad, most often from Holland. There they grew up from birth ideal conditions. Optimal temperatures and high humidity were maintained, additional lighting was provided from all sides, and growth stimulants were constantly added to the soil. As a result, up to several dozen fruits can hang on a dwarf tree by the time of sale.

After reaching the windowsill, such citrus fruits immediately encounter stressful conditions. Here, the illumination is tens of times lower, the air is very dry compared to greenhouse air, and growth stimulants stop working after a while.

In conditions of severe resource shortages, all the tree’s strength goes into maintaining the fruits with which it is so abundantly strewn. As a result, in the vast majority of cases, the new occupant of the apartment dies.

In Europe they treat this more simply. There, such trees are purchased as temporary decorations, like cut flowers in Russia.

What can be done to save purchased imported citrus?

1. cut off all the fruits so that the plant has the strength to recover;
2. when leaves fall, cover the entire crown with a bag;
3. use resuscitation drugs and growth stimulants (epin, amulet, etc.) immediately after purchase and again if the condition worsens;
4. if the tree is not in a state of active growth, carefully remove it from the pot, shake off at least part of the soil and plant it back, adding high-quality garden or purchased soil;
5. if the windows face north, northeast or northwest, arrange additional lighting.

Of the listed measures, the first three points give the best effect. As for the soil, either loose, fertile, light soil with summer cottages, or purchased with pH 5-7.

But that is not all! Imported citrus fruits are grafted onto trifoliate or her close relatives. Trifoliata is a deciduous citrus that requires cold wintering. This means that in winter, your plant's roots need temperatures of about 7-12 degrees Celsius to store energy for further growth.

When storing a plant at room temperature year-round, there is a high risk that it will fizzle out every year, shed its leaves in winter, stop growing, or even degrade. In the end, it may simply die in a few years. Therefore, before going to a flower shop, ask yourself whether you can provide your future pet with winter coolness.

But even that's not all! When you emerge from such a sufferer, you will be surprised to find that the fresh growth is characterized by much larger leaves and long internodes (distances between the buds).

What's the matter? This is explained by the fact that in conditions of strong illumination, citrus fruits grow small leaves, and since there is no need to reach for the light, short stems with small internodes. Since there is much less light at home, soon dwarf and very decorative citrus loses its presentation and becomes like trees, originally growing on the windowsill.

Purchasing from citrus growers

This option is preferable because such trees are initially adapted to home conditions, therefore, most likely, having got to new window sill, they will not experience stress. In addition, amateurs propagate citrus fruits by cuttings or grafting onto lemons, oranges, grapefruits, pomelo, and rarely, trifoliate.

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Those of them that do not grow on trifoliata roots are less demanding of cold wintering, but it is still recommended to arrange it for them as well.

A compromise option for those who do not have a glazed balcony is cool window sills without drafts. In winter, temperatures there can drop to +14… +17. Of course, this is higher than recommended (+7... +13), but better than nothing. This would not be enough for trifoliate, but self-rooted citrus fruits and those grafted onto lemons, oranges, etc. can tolerate such a wintering.

Disadvantages of buying from an amateur citrus grower: the possibility of deception with a variety or species, the risk of pests being introduced along with the purchased plant (especially).

Self-cultivation

It should be remembered that a tree grown from a seed, even if conditions as close as possible to the natural growing environment are provided, can bloom only after several decades if it is not grafted. Therefore, it is recommended to grow wild plants only for decorative purposes. They have only one advantage over other options: they are ideally adapted to home conditions.

Citrus cuttings

The simplest option for beginning citrus growers who want to get a varietal seedling is rooting cuttings. But! It is important to know which species take root well and which do not form roots.

• Suitable Lemons, limes, grapefruits, and pomelo are suitable for this method of propagation.
• Very rarely take root tangerines, clementines, kumquats, Australian microcitruses, trifoliata.
• Intermediate position occupied by oranges, which can produce roots, but this requires diligence and a certain amount of luck.

The cutting process is as follows. Fresh growth 7-18 cm long is cut from an adult plant. No more than 3-4 leaves are left on it, and if the leaf blades are large, they are shortened by half. If the upper part of the stem is too thin and flaccid, then it is also removed.

The cutting is placed in damp sand, preferably coarse sand, covered with a plastic bag or cut plastic bottle to create humidity inside, and stored at room temperature. You can even build such a mini-greenhouse from a bottle cut into two parts. About once a week it is advisable to ventilate it by removing the top for a few seconds.

Roots will appear in 3-5 weeks. The rooted branch is transplanted into a pot with loose, fertile soil and covered with a bag with a small hole for ventilation. Over the course of 1-2 weeks, the hole gradually increases in size, and when it becomes quite large, the shelter is completely removed. This is necessary to gradually accustom the young tree to dry room air, since abrupt removal of the bag may cause the leaves to wilt.

Reproduction by grafting

Grafting is a more difficult method, which, however, is often successful for beginners. Those who have ever grafted other trees and shrubs will not experience any difficulties.

In addition, poorly rooted cuttings of tangerines and other citrus fruits listed above are successfully grafted onto young plants grown from seeds. In fact, this is the only way for hobbyists to reproduce such species.

You just have to remember that good rootstocks are lemon, orange, grapefruit, pomelo, trifoliate, and tangerines and its relatives usually reject grafting, even tangerine cuttings and buds.

For beginning citrus growers, if you have a wild one with a fairly thick stem It is recommended to start with vaccinations with budding or bud in the butt, because, firstly, with inexperienced citrus growers the percentage of successful fusions is higher than by other methods, and secondly, if failure occurs, the wound will heal over time, and the rootstock can be used again. With many other types of grafting, it is often necessary to remove the entire crown of the “savage”, leaving only a stump, and if the outcome is unfavorable, there is a risk of losing the tree.

This is interesting! More experienced gardeners can take an adult wild plant and graft several varieties or even species into its crown at once. Such an instance is called tree-garden. Citrus looks especially amazing, on which lemons, tangerines, and possibly other species grow.

Types and varieties of indoor citrus fruits

A novice citrus grower or a housewife who is not ready to devote a lot of time to a tree growing on a windowsill should choose those varieties and species that are easier to care for. If we talk about species, then for beginners a little lemons, tangerines, trifoliate are preferable for one reason: their growth is easier to contain. Oranges, grapefruits and pomelo have great strength growth, so after a couple of decades you can end up with a tree that is too bulky. And the previously mentioned citrus fruits are relatively low-growing.

However, the size of any crop, including grapefruit and pomelo, can be very well contained due to a cramped pot. Really, your pets' roots should always be a little cramped.

Important! Never replant indoor citrus trees into pots that are significantly larger than the previous ones.

Following this principle, even vigorously growing species can be kept within 1.5-2 meters in height even after 20-30 years!

Varieties of indoor lemons

Of all the lemon varieties, the most unpretentious is Pavlovsky.. It grows well even on north-eastern and north-western windows, is able to tolerate relatively dry apartment air, and tolerates infrequent feeding. In fact, in terms of tolerance to home conditions, it is similar to wild lemon.

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Almost as patient is variety Panderosa, but he needs more light. But Panderosa suffers from a special syndrome that is found only in her: she produces too many flowers and stubbornly refuses to grow green mass. Accordingly, excess buds have to be constantly plucked off, and if the tree is still very small, then all of them need to be removed! If you have time for this, then feel free to take it, because in other respects it is undemanding.

Slightly less common Lisbon varieties And Meyer, which grow slowly with insufficient care. However, for flower growers even with little experience, growing them will not pose any problems. All you need to do is place the pots on bright windowsills, feed them from time to time and, if necessary, spray them.

There are other varieties, but most of them are derivatives of the above.

Varieties of tangerines and other citrus fruits

The most popular of tangerines is Unshiu variety, and this is not without reason, since compared to others it is relatively tolerant of low light, like Pavlovsk lemon.

Also close relatives of tangerines are kumquats And calamondins. Fans of not just citrus fruits, but also exotic ones, can be advised to acquire these.

Speaking about exotics, we can mention. It is distinguished by an extremely unusual appearance of the fruit, reminiscent of a fleshy hand. But there is no edible pulp inside. However, the fruit is so exotic that an inexperienced Internet user, seeing a photograph of it, will decide that it is a photo montage.

Citron "Hand of Buddha"

Citrus fruits can be grown at home - right on your windowsill. Although this is a troublesome task, it brings a lot of pleasure!

What citrus fruits can be grown at home?

The most common citrus crop is lemon.

Lemon is found not only in residential premises, but also in offices. administrative buildings. Everything about lemon is beneficial: the fruits, rich in vitamin C, and the leaves, which emit phytoncides, enriching the air.

A little less often you can see oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, citrons, pomelo and even limes, which are quite suitable for growing at home, on window sills, on tables and cabinets. All these exotic plants can produce quite tasty fruits, but only if you take proper care of them.

Choosing a place

Citrus lovers are partly lucky, because these plants are shade-tolerant, but they can grow well in sunny place, so they can be placed near south-facing windows. As for the window that faces north, you should not place plants near it (with the exception of lemon and citron).

It's all in the pot

You need to take a responsible approach to choosing dishes for your exotic food. The best option for placing citrus fruits is a pot made of unglazed baked clay, as well as tightly knit wooden tubs, selected according to the size of the root system. But no matter what the pot is - clay, wood - it must have good drainage and holes for the outflow of excess moisture.

For good fruiting there must be excellent nutrition. For citrus fruits, ordinary soil from the garden will not work; the pot should be filled with a special mixture for citrus fruits. It is better not to make such a mixture yourself, but to buy it in a store; it is inexpensive, but you will be sure that it will benefit the plant and will not cause harm.

Components of success

An important component of successful cultivation of citrus fruits at home is air and soil humidity and the availability of fertilizers. Periodic spraying with warm water is the minimum that will allow the plant to feel comfortable.

As for soil moisture, there are some nuances here. You should not use water for irrigation that has just been taken from the tap. Citrus fruits should be watered with water that has settled for several days, and even with a couple of drops of vinegar added to it. If fruits are definitely included in your plans, then fertilizing should be first on the list of tasks for the citrus plant. All exotics simply love fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, and they also love organic matter. You can fertilize from February until the start of the dormant period.

How to propagate a citrus tree at home?

It is still problematic to purchase seedlings of such crops, and they are not cheap.

The easiest way is to sow seeds. It seems that it could be simpler - we bought a fruit at the market or in a store, took out a seed, placed it in the soil, watered it... And after a week, a sprout will appear on the surface of the soil, which will gain strength every day and will soon become an adult, independent plant. However, in reality everything is more complicated. We will receive a plant, it will delight us only with its green mass, but we will either have to wait a very long time for flowering, and even more so fruits (from 7 to 1 5 years), or not wait at all, because many plants grown from seeds even Being large shrubs, for some reason they stubbornly do not bloom.

Such seedlings are only suitable for a rootstock, and the scion can be any shoot that you, having asked the owner’s permission, cut from a fruit-bearing tree.

Transplanting citrus fruits

Grafting is a complicated matter; it is much easier to root a cutting taken from a fruit-bearing tree. For rooting, apical cuttings 12-15 cm long are taken, placed in river sand, moistened and covered with a glass or plastic bottle. The optimal temperature for rooting is 20-25 degrees. Place the pot with the cutting, covered with a jar, in a well-lit place, but so that Sun rays did not fall directly on him.

The cuttings need to be sprayed periodically, constantly keeping the soil moist. Typically, after 35-54 days, the cutting will have a well-developed root system and can be transplanted into a citrus mixture.

The main thing when replanting is to very carefully remove the root system of the cutting from the sand so as not to damage the roots, because they are very fragile. Subsequently, when the plants gain weight and their roots become cramped in the container, it is necessary to replant them.

Fertilizers for citrus fruits at home

As organic fertilizers, you can use settled slurry that does not emit unpleasant odor. Before watering, it is diluted with water 8-10 times.

You can apply the solution twice per season: the first time in early spring, the second - in mid-summer. As a mineral fertilizer, potassium nitrate is used - 50 g of nitrate per liter of water; before application, this solution is diluted 10 times. Ammonium nitrate also gives good results, its dose is 30 g per 10 liters of water, this solution is diluted 10 times before application. These fertilizers are usually applied once or twice a month, depending on the condition of the plants.

Citrus grafting

Grafting on cuttings

Citrus crops are usually propagated by grafting or rooting cuttings to produce fruit-bearing plants. The first method requires experience and skill. The second does not apply to all plants. Thus, tangerines, kumquats and limes practically do not take root at all. A little Oranges and grapefruits behave better. So, what is better – grafting or cuttings?

Citrus cuttings

If you are doing cuttings, then you should focus on lemons, citrons and pomelo. They can be rooted in different substrates; I use vermiculite for this. I first soak the cuttings for 10-12 hours in a concentrated solution of Heteroauxin - dilute 1 tablet in 500 ml of water. Cuttings rooted from May to September take root best.

Vaccinations take root better and grow together in the same time frame. Here, quality material also plays an important role. The rootstock and scion must be healthy, without obvious signs of pests and diseases. In addition, they must be compatible with each other. My own experience speaks to how important this is. A year and a half ago, I ordered a Lisbon lemon by mail. The seller said that it was grafted onto a lemon seedling. For a long time the plant practically did not develop.

I concluded that the problem was the incompatibility of the scion with the rootstock. And I decided to experiment and regraft the Lisbon lemon onto another variety - Macrophylla. especially since I just had a rootstock required diameter, obtained by cuttings. I was vaccinated using the cleft method in the spring of 2016. The fusion of the rootstock and scion occurred very quickly, within a month. After this, the lemon actively began to grow and quickly overtook the plant from which the scion was taken. This is clearly visible in the photograph.

Rootstock and scion

Both a seedling grown from seeds and an already rooted cutting, taken, for example, after formative pruning of a particular citrus, can be used as a rootstock.

It is believed that a rootstock grown from seeds is the most viable, it has a powerful root system and is already adapted to those conditions. climatic conditions in which he grew up. I agree with this, but only partly. After all, what if we need to get vaccinated soon? It takes a very long time to wait for a seed to grow into a full-fledged seedling of the required diameter. Therefore, in this case, you can use a rootstock from a rooted cutting. And, in my opinion, it is no worse, and maybe even better, than the seedling.

Personally, I like to use Macrophylla variety lemon as a rootstock, which I specially cut into cuttings for subsequent grafting. They take root very quickly and just as quickly grow the root system. Citrus fruits grafted onto Macrophylla grow together very quickly and immediately begin to grow.

Returning to the question posed at the beginning of the story, what is better - grafting or cuttings? – I will say that I was never able to give a definite answer. In some cases, it is more advisable to use grafting, and in others, cuttings. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the plants. But the most important thing is that you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment, and then something will appear. real opportunity receive a fruit-bearing citrus plant as a reward.

New Year with citrus scent

We have New Year always associated with the smell of citrus. But almost any of their types and varieties grow well, bloom and bear fruit in the microclimate of apartments and winter gardens. The quality of the fruit when fully ripe is excellent, and the yield only increases over the years. How to achieve this? Our experts will reveal secrets, share experience, advice, and tips.

The genus Citrus includes a huge number of cultivated plants of the Rutaceae family - evergreen shrubs or trees. They bloom profusely with fragrant flowers and produce edible berry-like fruits. Most famous representatives- orange, tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, pamelo, lime, kincan, calamondin.

HOW TO REPRODUCT

Citrus fruits are propagated by seeds (sown at any time of the year), cuttings and grafting.

And although you can grow a beautiful tree from seeds, the seedling will bloom no earlier than in 8-10 years.

To get fruits, you should purchase grafted plants from specialized nurseries. Some species, for example lemon or lime, are easily rooted by cuttings - in light soil at a temperature of +20-25 degrees. But they need to be taken from a fruit-bearing specimen.

After rooting cuttings or grafting, citrus fruits bloom quickly, sometimes even in the first year. However, in order not to deplete the plants, flowers and ovaries should be removed and fruits should be allowed to form in the 3-4th year of life, when the trees have developed and become stronger.

CONDITIONS ARE THE SAME FOR EVERYONE

For these subtropical crops, a cool dormant period (about +10 degrees) is desirable in winter. However, they do not have leaf fall, like pomegranates or figs. Even when stored for 2-3 months in a dark, cool room, they practically do not lose foliage.

The rest of the time, citrus fruits need good lighting and maximum summer sun.

They prefer abundant watering with warm water, but without overflow and stagnation of moisture in the pan. In dry rooms, spraying and “bath” procedures are required. Air humidity - 75-85%.

During flowering and fruiting, which require high flow rate nutrition, plants are fed with complex humate fertilizers at least 2 times a month. The best option nutritional mixtures - ready for citrus fruits. During winter rest, fertilizers are not applied.

Plants develop well in fertile soil, rich in humus and humus. Both garden soil and special soil substrates are suitable.

Citrus crops are significantly susceptible to attacks by pests: spider mites, thrips, California scale insects, scale insects and others. Attention should be paid to preventive plant protection - treatment with appropriate preparations should be carried out at least once a month.

Sergey RYZHOV, agronomist scientist, collector of exotic plants, director of the Exotic Garden nursery, Sochi.

Transfer

Young citrus plants are replanted by careful handling soon after purchase (then annually in the spring), since the peat soil dries out easily, and there is a threat of drying out the plant, and the roots, tightly entwined in the lump, can get burned by heating the pot in the sun. To a ready-made substrate for citrus fruits, for example, “Lemon,” coarse sand or perlite is added for looseness and a little turf soil, the amount of which in the mixture can be gradually increased during subsequent transplants. Older specimens are replanted once every 3-4 years; for larger ones, instead of replanting, the top layer of soil is replaced annually by adding coarse sand or perlite and turf or leaf soil to the finished mixture.

The soil mixture for citrus fruits should be neutral or slightly acidic (if the water for irrigation is hard) - pH from 5.5 to 7.0. Before use, the substrate is disinfected by heat treatment.

FROM CUTTINGS...

Cut off a mature (about 6 months old) young shoot, which has turned from angular to round. It is important that it is in the dormant stage, otherwise the likelihood of rooting is very low.

The branch is divided into segments with 3-4 leaves, the bottom leaf is removed, and an oblique cut is made under the bud. It is useful to lightly scratch the bark with a thin, clean needle and dip the cuttings in Kornevina powder. They are planted in sterile soil made of peat and sand, deepened to the next leaf. Root at a temperature of about +25 degrees, in a greenhouse, preferably with bottom heating, in bright diffused lighting (fluorescent lighting can be used). If the greenhouse is humid, it is better to leave the leaves without shortening them - they will serve as a source of nutrients. If the shelter is not tightly sealed, the two bottom sheets are cut in half. Rooting lasts from 2 weeks to 1-2 months, sometimes longer.

...AND SEEDS

Citrus seeds germinate quickly, usually within a month. The seedlings grow well, are quite unpretentious, and release useful phytoncides. By pruning you can form beautiful trees.

SECRETS OF FRUIT BEARING

Many indoor citrus fruits are characterized by remontancy - the ability to bloom and set fruit several times a year. Optimal conditions for flower development - temperature + 18 degrees, and air humidity about 70%. The flowers are bisexual and in many varieties are self-pollinating, but to ensure reliable fruit set, it is better to resort to artificial pollination using a soft brush. After flowering, not all ovaries remain on the branches; a large number of them soon fall off. The ovary can be considered complete if it has reached a size of at least 2 cm. The fruits ripen for 5-9 months, depending on the specific variety, and can hang on the tree until the next harvest.

CUTTING AND SHAPING

To give a beautiful and compact appearance to the crown of citrus fruits, I form it. The best time for pruning is at the end of the winter rest period (beginning of February). In summer, branches that are too long and fattening should be shortened.

U various types and varieties have their own way of growing. Thus, lemon does not branch very readily, and it is difficult to form a compact tree from it. The orange grows powerfully upward - regular shortening pruning is required. The tangerine's crown thickens quickly, and it is necessary to cut out some of the shoots growing inward. Kumquat grows compactly, requiring virtually no pruning. It is not often necessary to prune calamondin - young seedlings almost immediately take on a beautiful shape.

Citrus seedlings should be formed from the age of one year; if by this time they have reached at least 30 cm, the top of their head is cropped.

Everyone's favorite "New Year's fruit" - tangerine is not only tasty and rich in vitamins, but also an assistant in solving many health problems.

Fungal diseases of the feet and nails: rub the juice into the affected areas 2 times a day. For nail fungus - long-term.

Colds, ARVI with high fever, cough, bronchitis, bronchial asthma: drink warmed juice and slightly diluted with water, 2/3-1 tbsp. several times a day.

Intestinal upset, loss of appetite: eat 0.5-1 fruit 2-3 times a day half an hour before meals while following a diet.

Mandarin is useful for anemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, overweight, flu, swelling of the legs, joint and skin diseases, tumors of various organs, metabolic disorders, decreased vision, intestinal candidiasis, helminths.

Attention! Tangerines and their juice are contraindicated for stomach ulcers, acute nephritis, exacerbation of colitis, hepatitis, cholecystitis and gastritis with increased acidity gastric juice.

Dina BALYASOVA, Doctor of Chemistry. sciences,

Growing tangerines at home

Did you know that the mandarin, familiar to everyone, came to Europe only in the 19th century? A hundred years ago it was almost unknown to the general public, but now we simply cannot imagine life without its fruits. In an incredibly short period of time, tangerine spread throughout the planet and won universal love and recognition of humanity.

The amazing story of the mandarin

In fact, tangerine has been cultivated for several thousand years. Its culture is almost as ancient as grapes, and perhaps even older than wild tangerines. botanical science unknown. Only its cultural forms have reached us. At the same time, tangerines for many centuries were available to a limited circle of people - they were grown in the gardens of mandarins, wealthy dignitaries of imperial China (hence the well-known name of the culture).

Mandarin is believed to originate in Southeast Asia, an area now part of India. There is no exact data on exactly when it migrated from China to the West. According to one story, its trees were brought with them by Portuguese missionaries returning from the colonies; according to another version, a tangerine plant in a tub was given to Napoleon Bonaparte. But one way or another, he got to Europe and conquered it.

Today, in Asian countries, the first place in growing tangerines is occupied by Japan, followed by China in second place, then India and others. On the European continent man-

Mandarin blooms in January-February

Mandarin yield is impressive

pot culture. By the way, tangerine turned out to be the most unpretentious. compared to other citrus crops, and it is much easier to grow in protected soil than the same lemons and oranges.

Let's raise him!

Mandarins can be purchased at a specialty store or grown yourself.

After purchasing a plant, it must be kept “in quarantine” for several days, separately from other indoor plants, to make sure that harmful insects do not enter the house along with the tree.

This crop is propagated in the spring, by seeds and grafting.

The optimal temperature for growing tangerine is 16-18 °C. In winter, it is best to place the pots on well-lit, south-facing windows, and rotate them from time to time so that the crown is formed evenly (except for the period of flowering and fruiting, when it is better to leave them alone). In summer, it is advisable to shade plants from direct sunlight and also protect them from drafts.

A tangerine tree in protected ground can reach from 0.8 to 1.5 m in height. It blooms in winter, in January-February. At this time, a delicate aroma spreads throughout the room. Fruits thickly. The fruits set during self-pollination and remain on the branches for several months.

Young tangerine trees have a crown formed before fruiting begins. Remove dry shoots that are too long, thicken branches and grow inside the crown. The crown of young and fruit-bearing tangerine trees must be sprayed with water several times a week. If necessary, with complex fertilizer (the consumption rate is indicated on the product packaging). Mandarins are fertilized from the second decade of February to September.

As the trees grow, they need to be transplanted into larger containers. The best time for transplantation is spring, from March to May. Before transplanting, the plants must be watered abundantly with water at room temperature. The tangerine tree is carefully removed from the old pot and placed in a new one filled with drainage and moistened soil. The trunk of the tree should be located in the center of the container, and its root collar should be slightly above the soil surface, but below the top edge of the container. Then they gradually add and compact the soil, but make sure that the root collar remains at the same level; it cannot be covered. After replanting, the trees are carefully watered again, the spout of the watering can is kept closer to the surface of the soil so that the stream of water does not knock the soil out of the pot and expose the root collar and roots of the plant. Subsequent watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries.

This is interesting

The tradition of giving tangerines for the New Year is almost as old as the culture itself; it originated 1000 years BC. The Chinese, when they came to visit, presented their owners with two tangerines as a gift, and when they went home, in turn, they received another two tangerines from them. Word for a pair of tangerines Chinese consonant with the word “gold” and thus people wished each other prosperity, abundance, happiness...

Growing citrus fruits at home - video

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Growing citrus crops in our climate is not easy, but enjoyable. Planting and replanting citrus plants, which will be discussed in this article, is also not without its nuances.

The best utensils for growing citrus fruits in room conditions are clay pots, wooden boxes, wooden barrels. The dish should be well drained so that water does not stagnate in it. The best, of course, are considered to be pottery pots that, in addition to a drainage hole at the bottom, have porous walls. Excess water during excessive watering flows through the drainage hole, and the soil is well ventilated through the pores.

Pouring and plastic pots are considered worse because there are no pores in their walls. Wooden barrels (boxes) have the disadvantage that they can quickly rot, but when grown large plants you can't do without them. Inexperienced citrus growers plant plants in buckets or glass containers, the bottoms of which do not have holes and air does not pass through the walls. In such dishes, very often, especially with excessive soil moisture, the plant suffocates and gets wet.

When growing citrus fruits indoors, they need to be transplanted into other larger containers from time to time. The container should be of such a size that the root system of the plant can be freely accommodated in it. The opinion of inexperienced gardeners about what is planted small plant in a pot big size will begin to bear fruit faster - false, the plant will grow wildly (fatten), and the entry into fruiting will be delayed.

In addition, in a large container, the underdeveloped root system does not develop (permeate) the entire soil, as a result of which irrigation water is not completely used by the plant and stagnates, which leads to acidification of the soil. This is often observed when the soil is heavy and poorly ventilated. Young roots, having penetrated over time to a layer of such soil, become sick, so the plant stops growing, the leaves turn yellow and gradually crumble. Therefore, if the soil is not urgently replaced, the plant may die.

The practical experience of specialists shows that young, vigorous plants should be replanted into larger containers annually, plants that have already begun to bear fruit once every 2-3 years, and perennial fruit-bearing plants - once every 5-6 years.

In order to make it easier and more convenient to replant plants, pots, boxes and even barrels are made in a cone shape (narrower at the bottom than at the top). Annual plants are best grown in pots with a diameter at the top of 20−25 cm, 2−3 year old plants - 25−30 cm, 4 year old plants - 30−35 cm, and 6−10 year old plants are grown in pots with a diameter of 35 cm. −40 cm or in barrels with a diameter of 40−45 cm.

A guideline that indicates that the plant needs to be transplanted from a smaller pot to a larger one is the appearance of root tips in the hole in the bottom of the pot.

The best soil mixtures for citrus fruits

When growing citrus crops indoors, soil is very important. It should contain a sufficient amount of nutrients and be light mechanical composition, water- and breathable, have a neutral or slightly acidic reaction (pH 6.5).

Heavy in mechanical composition clay soil it becomes very compacted, dries out, cracks and breaks the roots of the plant, and due to excessive moisture in such soil, the roots suffocate and become wet. Too heavy soil in pots is the main cause of homosis disease.

Soils that contain a lot of lime are also unsuitable: poisoning of the roots occurs. Plants do not develop well when the soil is very acidic (peaty, podzolic). The roots of citrus plants absolutely cannot withstand peat and saline soils. The soil texture that is too light is also unsuitable. They pass water very quickly and do not retain nutrients, so the plants in them starve.

Under natural conditions, it is impossible to find a soil that would fully meet the requirements of citrus crops when growing them in limited conditions. Therefore, to grow citrus fruits indoors from turf soil, deciduous land, rotted manure and river sand, prepare a soil mixture in a ratio of 2:2:2:1. In such a soil mixture, plants grow well and bear fruit with regular watering and fertilizing. In order to properly prepare the soil mixture, you need to know the characteristics of its constituent components.

• Sod land- this is the most important component nutrient soil mixture (garden soil). It is prepared by placing cut layers of turf into compost for rotting. It is best harvested where perennial legumes or meadow grass, especially where there was grass.

When cutting turf, the thickness of its layer should be no more than 10-15 cm. When making a pile, the layer is laid with the grass facing down. After rotting, such soil will be rich in organic matter and have a neutral reaction. After 6-8 months after repeated shoveling, the soil is re-sown through a sieve and used for its intended purpose.

• Deciduous ground- it is obtained from the rotting of leaves collected in heaps woody plants. To ensure that the leaves are well rotted and completely mineralized, they are kept in piles and shoveled several times, avoiding overdrying. The nutritional properties of deciduous soil depend on what species the leaves are prepared from and how long such soil is stored. The best leaf soil is obtained from the rotting of beech, linden, and maple leaves; the worst comes from horse chestnut leaves.

Often in the forest in early spring, under the crowns of well-developed trees, a layer of soil 6-8 cm deep is removed along with fallen leaves and this entire mass is piled into piles under open air. Over the summer, shovel several times, if necessary, moisten. In the fall, such land will be ready for use. It is re-sown through a sieve and then used. Deciduous soil usually has a neutral reaction. All types of deciduous soil are considered poor in nutrients.

• Humus- this is manure that has rotted well. The best is horse humus. Used in small quantities as an organic fertilizer.
• Sand- an integral part of a large number of soil mixtures. Typically used to create tighter soil mixtures. It is recommended to use river sand, because it consists of fractions of different sizes - sand grains. When preparing soil mixtures, it is better to take a medium and coarse fraction of river sand.

Types of citrus indoor plants

Citron (Citrus medica Citron) is, along with two other ancient species, mandarin and pomelo, the progenitor of modern citrus fruits.

Currently, in indoor culture you can find a very interesting variety, “Buddha’s Hand”. Citron fruits have a lot of zest and very little pulp.

Mandarin, or reticulated citrus, unshiu (Citrus reticulate var. Unshiu) is the earliest ripening species with abundant fruiting. In tub culture it grows up to 1.5 m.

This type of citrus indoor plants has a spherical crown with slightly drooping branches without thorns, dark green oval-elongated leaves; white, very fragrant flowers are arranged in pairs or small groups in the axils of the leaves. The fruits are small, pear-shaped, orange or orange-red, with an easily peelable peel and juicy, sweetish pulp without seeds.

All types of indoor citrus plants are grown in the winter garden or as pot plants. Miniature citrofortunella will feel great on a sunny windowsill.

Fortunella, or kumquat, “golden orange” (Fortunella margarita) - looks like a miniature orange. The fruits are elongated with a sweetish skin. The Variegata variety has striped green-white or green-yellow leaves.

Calamondin, or citrofortunella (Calamondin) is a hybrid of mandarin and fortunella. This type of indoor citrus fruit is more of an ornamental than an edible plant.

It has compact sizes (up to 1 m in height), glossy dark green oval-pointed leaves and numerous small (up to 4 cm in diameter), round, yellow-orange fruits, bitter in taste and with a large number of seeds.

How to replant correctly?

It is very important to properly plant (transplant) a citrus plant. Before planting, prepare the dishes. The drainage hole in the bottom of the dish is covered with a convex shard, side up, so that it does not spill through the hole. drainage material, and excess water flowed freely. Then drainage material is poured into the bottom of the dish in a layer of 2-4 cm. Most often, coarse river sand is used for this, gravel and pebbles can also be used. A layer of soil mixture is poured over the drainage.

The roots of the seedlings are carefully examined before planting; if there are damaged or broken roots, they are removed with sharp pruners or shortened to an undamaged area. It is advisable to trim the tips of the roots a little, this prevents them from rotting and helps accelerate the formation of callus and restoration of growth.

The root system of the plant is placed on a thin layer of soil mixture, which is poured onto the bottom of the dish, evenly spreading the roots in different sides, and gradually fill it with soil mixture, while shaking the plant to fill the air gaps between the roots. The soil is carefully compacted with the fingers of both hands to the roots and walls of the container so that the plant is well established and there are no air gaps left between the roots.

The root collar of the plant should be level with the soil surface. The dishes are not completely filled with soil, but 2-3 cm are left to its upper edge so that watering can be carried out.

The planted plants are watered with plenty of water and placed in a warm place shaded from direct sunlight for 2-3 weeks, watered regularly, and the crown is sprayed with water. Such care of transplanted plants will contribute to their better engraftment and restoration of growth of the above-ground part.

There are transplants and transfers of plants. When transplanting, the plant is transferred from one growing place to another (from one container to another) without soil. This work should be carried out in early spring before sap flow begins. In the case when, during replanting, a plant loses a significant part of its roots and the remaining roots cannot fully provide the above-ground part with moisture and nutrients, to restore the balance between the above-ground part and the root system, it is necessary to trim the plant’s crown. At the same time, branches that thicken the crown are removed, grow into the middle of the crown, and the remaining branches are shortened by a third of their length.

When transferring plants from smaller containers to larger plants taken out of a cramped container and, trying not to disturb the main root layer of soil (lumps), place it in a larger container, add soil mixture and gradually compact it, leaving room for irrigation water. In this case, there is no need to trim the above-ground part, since the root is not damaged and is almost not lost. Transshipment of plants can be done at any time of the year.

Watering and spraying citrus plants

Timely and proper watering citrus plants that are cultivated indoors is important to ensure their normal growth, development and regular fruiting.

Citrus trees need moisture to dissolve soil nutrients and convert them into a form accessible to plants, transporting these substances from the soil through the root system in the above-ground part.

Citrus fruits especially require a lot of moisture for transpiration (evaporation), which occurs when creating the organic mass of plants. It is known that due to the evaporation of moisture, plants not only regulate their nutritional and water regime, but also normalize temperature.

Lack of moisture in the soil leads to the death of tender active roots, this in turn causes yellowing and shedding of the leaves, and if this continues for several days, then the drying out of the entire plant.

It should also be remembered that excess moisture in the soil negatively affects general condition grown plants. Often, inexperienced amateur citrus growers ask why the leaves of the plant wither and the young shoots droop when the soil in the container in which, for example, lemon grows, is quite moist and even waterlogged. They do not take into account the fact that for the normal functioning of the root system, any plant (not just citrus) must be provided with both nutrients and moisture, as well as air for the roots to breathe.

When the soil is waterlogged, an excessive amount of water displaces air from it and disrupts both the normal respiration of roots and the course of microbiological processes in the soil, and this in turn inhibits the mineralization of nutrients and their transformation into a form easily accessible to plants.

Excessive waterlogging of the soil, especially in winter, can lead to souring. In this case, the plant should be moved to a warm place so that water evaporates from the waterlogged soil more quickly. excess moisture. When it happens that the soil in the pot has already turned sour and the leaves have begun to turn yellow, the plant must be urgently replanted and freed from the sour soil. If during transplantation it turns out that there are already dead roots, then their dead part is cut out with a sharp pruner to healthy, non-dead tissue, and the plants are placed in a slightly smaller container and covered with fresh soil mixture.

The above-ground part of such a plant is accordingly reduced by pruning in order to restore the correlative connections between it and the root system, which were disrupted by the loss of part of the roots. The more the roots are pruned, the more the crown branches should be shortened. Plants transplanted in this way are watered moderately and placed in a place shaded from the sun for engraftment.

The need for watering can be determined by the condition of the soil in the container: for sufficient moisture it has dark color and not compacted, and when the soil dries out, it takes on a gray tint and becomes dense.

There is another way to determine the need for watering. You need to take a lump of soil and when it crumbles when pressed lightly, you need to water it, and if the lump does not crumble when you press it, watering is not needed.

The frequency of watering plants depends on the size of the container, the age and size of the plants, the quality of the soil mixture (density), the temperature and humidity in the room, the time of year, and the condition of the plant. In summer, those plants that grow in small containers are watered daily or twice a day, in large boxes - once every 2-3 days, and in tubs - once every 4-5 days. So, the smaller the dish, the faster the soil dries out in it and you need to water more often. During the period of growth and flowering, plants require a lot of moisture and this should also be taken into account when watering.

In winter, lemons are watered less often, and those that grow in small containers or are placed on a windowsill, where the air is warm and dry, are watered daily. As spring approaches, when the ambient temperature rises significantly, so that plants do not suffer from lack of water, they are watered more often.

It is very important to set the watering rate. It should be remembered that the water should wet all the soil in the dish, and not just its top layer. It should be noted: if during planting or replanting the plant the soil mixture is prepared correctly (it is fertile, structural and loose), then watering is not difficult. Irrigation water is poured onto the entire surface of the soil and it is absorbed by it without retention. When the watering rate is sufficient, drops of irrigation water appear in the drainage hole in the bottom of the dish. This means that the soil is sufficiently moistened.

When the soil is not structural, but heavy and dense, then irrigation water is absorbed by the soil very slowly and first flows down the inner walls of the dish. Water may appear in the drainage hole even when the entire root-containing soil layer remains dry. In this case, watering should be carried out in small portions of water and longer, until the water penetrates into the root layer of the soil.

If during watering water is absorbed by the soil very slowly, then watering must be done in a different way. The pot with the plant is placed in a wide vessel into which a certain volume of water is poured. Irrigation water using this method of irrigation penetrates into the roots through a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot by suction. When the irrigation water is completely absorbed by the soil in the pot, but its top layer remains dry, then irrigation water should be added to the container.

In the case when the top layer of soil in the pot is wet, but there is still water in the container, this indicates, however, that the root-inhabited layer of soil is sufficiently moistened. Then the pot with the plant is removed from the dish, and the excess water is drained. When re-watering the same plant, you can already approximately know the watering norm. It should be remembered that excessive watering leads to leaching of dissolved mineral salts and depletion of the soil.

What kind of water is needed to water citrus plants?

It is best to use clean fresh water: rain, snow or river. When using water from water supply network it is necessary to stand or boil it for 24 hours, or simply keep it in a wide container illuminated by sunlight in order to reduce the content of chlorine and other disinfectants harmful to plants.

Tap and well water often contains various mineral salts. With the systematic use of such water for irrigation, after just a few months the soil in the dishes becomes saturated with harmful salts (similar to the scale that appears on the walls of a kettle when water is systematically boiled in it). This makes the soil alkaline.

Salt crystals or a white-yellow coating appear on the surface of the soil and along the edges of the pot. In such cases, plants lose the ability to normally absorb the necessary nutrients from the soil solution and lag behind in growth and begin to get sick, so they should be replanted and the soil mixture in the container replaced. Therefore, tap and well (hard) water must be boiled before using for watering plants.

The temperature of the irrigation water should be 2-3°C higher than the air temperature in the room where the plants are located. For watering citrus fruits, it is not advisable to use either cold water or very warm water, because in both cases the delicate roots die off and the condition of the plants worsens.

To use moisture economically, the soil in the container must be loosened at least once a decade. This reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil and improves its air regime.

Citrus plants come from the subtropical zone, so they are demanding of both soil moisture and air humidity. When growing such plants indoors, the air should not be very dry (humidity not lower than 70-75%), but in most cases it is not only dry, but also hot, so the plants need to be sprayed periodically clean water. This can be done with a hand sprayer, which housewives use when ironing clothes.

It is best to spray citrus plants with water in the evening or in the morning. In clear sunny weather, especially when the plants are in a sunny place, you cannot spray them during the day. This can cause burns, especially on young leaves and shoots. When spraying plants, water settles on the leaves and bark of shoots in the form of drops, especially when the plants are covered with dust, and the sun's rays, passing through the drop, which is a lens, are refracted, resulting in burns, sometimes quite severe, on the bark and leaves.

Winter content

Species originating from the subtropics require a mandatory decrease in temperature in winter; this is their physiological need. Illumination and temperature affect the degree of plant metabolism: the higher they are, the more active the vital processes occur. The most difficult time for citrus crops at home comes in late autumn, when the amount of light drops sharply. It is through light that the plant receives energy through the process of photosynthesis. If little energy is produced (in conditions of lack of light), but a lot is spent (in conditions of a warm room), the plant is gradually depleted, sometimes “eats” itself and dies. In our winter conditions, even the lightest windowsill does not provide the insolation that the plant receives in its homeland, so in winter citrus fruits will always, no matter the lighting, suffer from a lack of light. To help them successfully overwinter, it is necessary to lower the temperature and increase the light.

For wintering, an insulated loggia or greenhouse with a temperature of about +14 ° C and additional lighting is suitable (in cloudy weather - during the whole day, in clear weather - only in the evenings, so that the total daylight hours is 12 hours). Citrus fruits winter well in cool apartments or private houses. In a warm apartment, you can fence off the window sill from the room with a third frame or film so that a lower temperature can be established inside.

In the absence of a cool winter, citrus plants usually do not live longer than 3-4 years, gradually become depleted and die. The holiday lasts from November to February. In early to mid-February, when daylight noticeably increases, most citrus crops “wake up.”

Content temperature

Both too low and too high temperatures inhibit the normal development of citrus plants. In summer, it is desirable that the temperature be kept within +18+26°C; in winter, coolness is needed, +12+16°C. Never expose the plant to negative temperatures.

Different parts of the plant (roots and crown) must be in the same temperature conditions. If the temperature in the root system zone is lower than in the crown zone, the roots do not have time to absorb the required amount of water. Otherwise, the roots absorb too much of it. Such differences lead to stress and can cause the plant to lose its leaves. The temperature at the floor is always several degrees lower than at the crown level, so it is better to place the plant on a small stand. If the room has heated floors, there is a danger of overheating for the root system.

In spring and summer, it is useful to place citrus fruits on the balcony or take them out into the garden, where they grow and bloom beautifully. However, the pots need to be shaded from the sun. Through the heated walls of the pots, the roots get burned, and the temperature balance of the roots and foliage is disrupted.

When the plant is returned indoors in the fall, heavy leaf fall is often observed due to a sharp change in conditions. To avoid it, you should not wait for a strong cold snap and turn on the heating systems, but bring the plant in early. Then there will not be a large difference in temperature and air humidity. You should also be careful that the illumination does not drop significantly.