Citrus care. Secrets of growing different citrus fruits at home

Landscaping and layout 14.06.2019

Landscaping and layout

Citrus fruits are also grown on an industrial scale, in greenhouses and in private households. Everything citrus, in particular lemon, lime, tangerine and even orange or grapefruit, you can grow up in an apartment... Citrus fruits are cultivars, as they have been growing in culture for a long time. Seed-grown, they do not require grafting, but formation is necessary for them, otherwise citrus fruits will not bloom.

Features of growing Citrus

In addition, they are important for the presence of mycorrhiza in citrus fruits, which is found in the mother soil in the roots of each citrus plant, since they grow in community with micro-fungi that live on their roots. If micro-mushrooms die, the plant itself will die. Therefore, it is impossible to use pesticides or too bright a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) for watering the soil in the fight against pests. For the same reason, it is forbidden to use fresh manure when feeding or to apply large doses of mineral fertilizers.

Seeds taken out of a ripe fruit should be warmed up in warm water, this will accelerate germination. The seeds are buried in the soil 2-3 times the diameter of the seed, that is, a little deeper than the nail. Sometimes several plants grow from one seed at once, since polyembryony is characteristic of citrus. Only one plant should be left, cutting off the rest with scissors. Citrus seeds germinate well. Seed-grown plants usually flower and bear fruit in the 10th year, while the quality of the fruit may be low.

You will get a much better result if you first grow a seedling from the seed of a grapefruit or pomelo, and then graft any other citrus plant on it at an early stage, when the seedling has a stem as thick as a match (2-3 years after germination). The grafted plant develops faster, since the root system of the pomelo and grapefruit is more powerful than that of other citrus fruits. This significantly accelerates the entry of the plant into fruiting. In this case, you will need a cutting of a fruiting plant (you can contact a greenhouse, nursery or friends). From the grafted cuttings, the plant blooms and begins to bear fruit already in the 2-3rd year.

Citrus grafting

Vaccination the easiest way to do it is by budding, that is, with an eye. It will take more than adult plant(ie 5-6 years old). Budding begins when the bark is well separated from the wood (in April or August). A well-ripened 1-2-year-old branch is cut off from a fruiting citrus plant. Cut off the leaves, leaving only the stalk, and put it in a glass of water. On the stem of a plant grown from seeds, at a height of 5–6 cm, the site chosen for grafting is thoroughly cleaned; there should be no dirt on it. You can wipe this place with vodka, as well as your hands and the blade of a knife. The operation must be sterile - this is the key to success.
With a sharp knife (it is placed perpendicular to the stem of the seedling), you need to make a T-shaped incision in the bark, without touching the thin green layer of cambium between the bark and the wood. The length of the incision is about 2 cm, the width is about 1/2 cm. On the prepared grafting cuttings, two transverse cuts in the bark are made 1 cm below and above the eye. Then they carefully cut off the bud, grabbing the bark along with the cambium (this is literally a piece of jewelry, so first practice on the branches of any plants brought from the street). While spreading the top edges of the T-notch on the seedling, insert the bud (note where the top is) and push it into the notch. Smooth the incision well with your fingers, pressing the kidney firmly against the cambium. Tie the top and bottom so that the kidney remains outside. The easiest way is to use a narrow strip of ordinary plastic film for strapping, which must be wiped off with vodka.
After about 20 days, the kidney should be grafted, that is, start growing. When the stalk from the bud grows 5-10 cm, the seedling on which the bud was grafted should be cut obliquely, 2-3 mm above the base of the new shoot from the graft. After that, you need to immediately cover the cut with liquid garden varnish, or black varnish for metal - bitumen, or natural oil paint(it is now only sold in art stores and is expensive). The shoot that has developed from the grafted bud is tied to a peg stuck into the soil.

The stalk can not only be grafted, but also rooted. Rooting is slow, it takes 1.5–2 months for a lemon and up to 6 months for an orange and a tangerine! The grafted plant will enter fruiting in the 3rd year. In any case, cuttings should be taken from the ends of the shoots of a healthy fruiting tree, which have just finished growing this season, have managed to slightly woody, but still retain their flexibility. The bark on them should still be green. The length of the cutting is 8–10 cm; it should have 3-4 leaves. Cut the cuttings with a very sharp and thin knife or scalpel. The lower cut is made oblique (directly under the leaf or bud), and the upper cut is straight (1–1.5 cm above the bud). Cut citrus fruits into indoor conditions it is possible throughout the year, but it is better to do this in April - May, then they will have time to build up a good root system by winter.

Substrate for planting cuttings when grafting citrus fruits

Best substrate for planting cuttings Is a mixture of sphagnum moss and steamed sand in equal volume. Cuttings are planted immediately in pots, on the bottom of which shards or coarse sand (2-3 cm) are placed. Then a layer of nutrient soil is poured (5-6 cm), and on top - a substrate of moss and sand (3-4 cm).

After planting the cuttings sprayed and put in a plastic bag, in which you need to make several exhalations (to increase the concentration of carbon dioxide), and then tie the bag. The pots are placed in a bright but not sunny place. Every day in the morning and in the evening, the bags are untied, the cuttings are sprayed with warm (about 25 ° C) water, the air is exhaled into them and tied again. You can simplify the procedure by covering the cuttings with jars and breathing air into them, or using small pieces of dry ice as a source of carbon dioxide. The air temperature should be within 20-25 ° С. After rooting, the upper bud will begin to grow, then the jar or bag can be removed, but daily spraying must be continued throughout the life of the plant.

Soil at growing citrus

Citrus soil should be rough, but at the same time fertile, with a neutral reaction and always containing a large set of trace elements. The introduction of fresh organic matter or a large amount of mineral fertilizers can destroy citrus cohabitants (micro-mushrooms) and thereby harm the plants. Be sure to put broken shards at the bottom of the pot for excess water drain. And of course, you need to put the pots on pallets. A coarse or heavy mixture consists of turf land, coarse river sand and leaf humus, taken in a ratio of 1: 1: 1 by volume. Now in shops for gardeners or in the corresponding departments of large supermarkets ready-made mixtures are sold for the most different plants, including for citrus fruits X.

Citrus fruits do not like displacement. Plants can shed their leaves even when the pot is turned. Therefore, before starting citrus fruits, determine a place for them in the apartment. It should be light, but do not place the plants on the windowsill (unless there are double-glazed windows). The fact is that citrus fruits come from the subtropics, that is, they love warmth and moisture, therefore, on the windowsill near the glass in winter time they are chilly. In hot summertime, without turning the pot, they must be moved away from the window into the back of the room to avoid direct hit sun rays which can cause sunburn. In case of burns or freezing, the plants need to be helped by spraying them with a solution of Ekoberin or Epin-extra.

Air temperature when growing citrus fruits

Citrus fruits love warmth, so room temperature should not fall below 24-25 ° С. In addition, all citrus fruits need humid air, for this reason they should not be placed close to heating radiators. In addition, in winter, when the apartments are too dry, constant spraying of the leaves with water is required. Water obtained from melted snow or ice and heated to 22–25 ° C is best suited for this. You cannot use water directly from the tap, it must be passed through a filter, or at least let it stand for a couple of days and be sure to warm it up before spraying.

Watering citrus

For glaze, which must be combined with dressings, you should also use filtered or settled, always warm (temperature not lower than 20-22 ° C) water. How much water should be poured, what fertilizing should be added to it and how much is needed? All these questions will surely arise for you. Despite the love of humid air, citrus fruits die from over-watering. Water them in moderation, especially in winter. Their leathery leaves evaporate little moisture, and therefore excess water leads to root rot. You better loosen more often upper layer soil. At rare watering the water should moisten the whole clod of earth. An indicator of sufficient watering is the appearance of water in the sump. I advise you to combine watering with weak mineral dressings (1 teaspoon per 5 liters of water).

Top dressing for growing citrus fruits

Top dressing should contain all the necessary composition of macro- and microelements. Uniflorum-bud... It contains all the macro- and microelements necessary for plants, including extremely useful citrus substances - magnesium, selenium, cobalt and molybdenum. In addition, all minerals are enclosed in an organic shell, that is, they are in a chelated form, and therefore are assimilated by plants immediately. The fertilizer itself is liquid and easy to dose. Poured the cap into 5 liters of water, stir - and let it settle. Ready solution can be stored for as long as you like.

Powder fraction can also be used fertilizers AVA. It is necessary to pour 1 teaspoon of powder in 3 liters of water and let it brew for at least 3 days. Then you need to stir, let the sediment settle and water the plants. This fertilizer does not dissolve in water (so you can not boil it for the sake of experiment), but due to the Brownian motion, ions of mineral elements contained in the fertilizer gradually penetrate into the water, and in very small doses. You will add water to the sediment for most of the year and continue to use it. This is a very profitable fertilizer, despite its seeming high cost. It contains all the necessary nutrients, but at the same time it does not contain any harmful impurities that are necessarily present in other mineral fertilizers, although they do not write about this anywhere. All plants, especially citrus fruits, need organic silicon. It is contained in the preparations Energen and Siliplant. It is necessary to add only 1-2 drops per 1 liter of watering and feeding solution.

When citrus fruits bloom, especially lemons, the apartment has a fabulous aroma! They bloom for a long time, usually with inflorescences collected in a brush. The flowers are pink or white and appear on the current growth of 3-year-old lateral horizontal shoots. During flowering, you can pollinate plants manually by applying a soft (squirrel) brush with pollen from the stamens to the pistil.

Citrus leaves emit phytoncides, so the smell of these plants is constantly poured in the apartment. It is very gentle and, moreover, has a detrimental effect on pathogenic microbes in the room. At a temperature of 18–20 ° C, the fruits do not ripen. For the ripening of one fruit, 15 leaves are needed, if they are not enough, then the lemon will drop the extra fruits. Therefore, keep the leaves, each of them is very valuable for the plant. Leaf shedding can occur as a result of increased dryness or air temperature (more than 24-25 ° C). If the plant does not bloom for too long, it can be "hurried" by reducing watering and slightly tightening the horizontal 3-year-old branch with a tight constriction.
Citrus leaves are glossy, shiny, leathery, well adapted to retain moisture. Although these plants are called evergreens, each leaf only lives for 3 years. Dead leaves turn yellow and fall off, so do not be alarmed when this happens.

Citrus transplant

The transplant is done every 3-5 years, along with all the clod of earth. Plants should not be transplanted or planted in pots that are too large. If you give the plants the opportunity to grow freely, then they either stretch upward with one trunk without side branches, which means that there will be no fruiting, or they take the form of a very dense bush.
It is imperative to do citrus crown formation... In a young tree that has reached 15–20 cm in height, in February, before the next growth, the top is cut off, leaving below 5–6 well-developed buds. These buds will soon sprout and give rise to 1st order lateral branches. Of these, 3-4 shoots are left growing in different directions.
As soon as these branches finish growing, the ends are cut off, leaving 3-4 buds on each. Of these, shoots of the 2nd order will appear, the ends of which are also cut off after the end of their growth, again leaving 3-4 buds. Fruit twigs of the 3rd order begin to grow from them. They do the same with them.
From the moment the branches of the 4th order appear, the formation of the crown ends and the fruiting period begins. Until the formation of skeletal branches of the 4th order is completed, fruiting should not be allowed, since the premature appearance of buds on the branches of the 3rd order will stop the further growth of the tree, therefore, before the end of the growth of branches of the 4th order, the first buds on the branches of the 3rd order should be removed ...

WITH fruiting tree in late February - early March, you need to cut off strong branches by 10-15 cm, cut out vegetative branches. In addition, it is necessary to cut the fattening spinning tops, remove the dry branches that have borne fruit (they are usually without foliage). Branches that grow too strongly upward are bent down to a horizontal position (while they grow up, they will not bear fruit). In addition, branches that grow inside the crown, which are not capable of fruiting, are cut out.

All citrus fruits are very sensitive to frost during which the roots may dry out. In winter, plants are best kept in a bright room with a temperature of 7–8 ° C. For this, a glazed loggia or balcony is suitable. At the same time, it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature so as not to overcool the trees, otherwise they will die (citrus crops cannot tolerate temperatures below 5 ° C). Watering at this time is very moderate.
In case of frost, the plants should be brought into the room, maintaining their orientation to the sun (that is, without turning), and kept near the balcony door. If you do not have loggias and balconies, keep citrus fruits on the windowsills by the glass itself, but in severe frosts move them deeper into the room. Transfer lemons carefully without turning the plants. In a dark room, citrus fruits, especially lemons, can shed their leaves, so backlighting is needed in winter.

Citrus pests

Citrus pests, like any other plants in the apartment, - whitefly, aphids, scale insects, less often thrips. The only enemy of citrus fruits is the worm.
Against aphids, spraying with an absolutely safe and, moreover, useful both for people and for plants, the Healthy Garden preparation (4 grains per 1 liter of water) helps. The scabbard will have to be scraped onto the litter and destroyed. Whitefly and thrips are sucking insects. To combat them, it is necessary to use an absorbable biological product Fitoverm, which is allowed to be used in an apartment (1 ml per 3 liters of water). It is especially effective when combined with the Healthy Garden.
Whitefly- This is a disgusting insect, similar to a very small moth, which sits on the underside of the leaf, and therefore is hardly noticeable. It multiplies as quickly as aphids, but at the same time a sooty fungus (black smear) immediately settles on its sweetish secretions. Whitefly should be definitely destroyed, wash off the plaque from the leaves with soapy water, and then spray the leaves with Zircon (4 drops per glass of water).
Against worm it is necessary to use a pink solution of manganese with the next watering of the plants. For preventive purposes, this is done with each watering-feeding, since potassium permanganate contains not only manganese, which has a detrimental effect on the worm, but also potassium, and all citrus fruits love potassium. Do not forget that too strong (dark pink) solution of potassium permanganate can destroy the micro-fungi that live on the roots.

Recommendations:
Growing citrus fruits in the house, very promising kind of home business, ornamental plants always enjoy increased demand... Plants can be sold on the market through flower shops.

Profitability:

Initial costs: from 500 rubles
Monthly income: from several thousand rubles

The countries of Southeast Asia are considered, where a warm subtropical and tropical climate prevails. There all year round warm, with a slight drop in temperature in winter, plenty of light and fairly humid. Therefore, citrus plants both in summer and in winter require a well-lit place. Daylight hours all year round are about 12 hours; in our climate, spring and autumn are the most suitable for the length of the day. Most species do not tolerate even short-term and short-term frosts at all.

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

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

The optimal conditions for the development of flowers will be a temperature of about +18 o C and an air humidity of about 70%. The flowers are bisexual and in many varieties are self-pollinating, but for the reliability of fruit setting, it is better to resort to artificial pollination with 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. Fruits ripen, depending on the specific species 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. The orange color also does not indicate the maturity of the fruit. If it is not picked in time, the peel can turn green again and then color again.

Winter content. Species originating from the subtropics require a mandatory decrease in temperature in winter, this is their physiological need. Illumination and temperature of the content affect the degree of plant metabolism: the higher they are, the more active the vital processes are. The hardest time for citrus crops at home comes from the end of autumn, when the amount of light drops sharply. It is through light that the plant receives energy in the process of photosynthesis. If little energy is produced (in conditions of a lack of light), but a lot is spent (in a warm room), the plant gradually depletes, sometimes "eats" itself and dies. In our winter conditions, even the lightest window sill does not provide the insolation that the plant receives in its homeland, therefore, citrus fruits in winter, with any backlighting, will always suffer from a lack of light. To help them survive the winter successfully, it is necessary to lower the temperature of the content and increase the illumination.

An insulated loggia or a greenhouse with a temperature of about +14 o C and additional lighting is suitable for wintering (in cloudy weather - during the whole day, in clear weather only - in the evenings, so that the total daylight hours are 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 is established inside.

In the absence of cool wintering, citrus plants usually do not live longer than 3-4 years, gradually depleting and dying. Rest lasts from November to February. In early to mid-February, when the day is noticeably increasing, most citrus crops "wake up".

Content temperature. Temperatures that are too low or too high inhibit the normal development of citrus plants. In summer, it is desirable that the temperature be kept within + 18 + 26 o C, in winter, cool is needed, + 12 + 16 o 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 zone of the root system is lower than in the zone of the crown, the roots do not have time to absorb the required amount of water. Otherwise, the roots absorb too much of it. These differences are stressful and can cause the plant to fall out of leaves. At the floor, the temperature is always several degrees lower than at the crown level, so it is better to put the plant on a small stand. If the room has warm floors, there is a danger of overheating for the root system.

In spring and summer, it is useful to put 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, the temperature balance of the roots and foliage is disturbed.

When the plant returns to the room in the fall, abundant 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 humidity. You should also take care that the illumination does not drop too much.

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

A sign of a lack of light is the appearance of too large and too green leaves, and with a strong deficiency, yellowing and foliage falling off. The result of too bright illumination 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 "weaned" from the sun's rays.

Watering should be regular and moderate. Citrus fruits are not drought-resistant, but it is extremely important not to allow systematic waterlogging of the substrate. In summer and winter, always keep the soil moist, but between waterings, the top layer should dry out. When watering, make sure that the water has reached 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, the size of the plant).

During the winter months, when the temperature is kept cool, the frequency and amount of watering is reduced. Keep the soil slightly damp, do not let it dry out, watering frequency approximately once every 7-10 days.

Irrigation water should be soft and free of chlorine. Hard water is softened by boiling, sometimes acidified with lemon juice (1 - 3 drops per 1 liter). The temperature of the irrigation water must not be lower than the room temperature or 3-4 degrees higher. During winter holiday do not water it 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 with water over the foliage or use a household humidifier.

Transfer.Root system citrus plants have a peculiarity - it does not have root hairs, through which the absorption of water and minerals dissolved in it usually occurs. Their role is played by a symbiotic fungus that forms root mycorrhiza. 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 the roots are exposed or damaged. Sometimes you can see outwardly normal roots in a dead plant - this is exactly what is explained by the death of mycorrhiza. That is why citrus fruits do not tolerate a transplant and can hurt for a long time after it. It is worth replanting citrus fruits only with the most accurate transshipment, in no case changing the soil or washing the roots (except for severe damage to the roots, when there is no other way out).

Citrus growing substrates... There are several recipes land mixtures for citrus fruits - they include peat, turf and leaf land, sand, manure humus. It is important that the mixture is slightly acidic or neutral (pH 5.5 to 7.0). If your water is hard, then it is better to take a slightly acidic soil. However, mixing all these components separately and adjusting the acidity is difficult. It is easier to take a ready-made citrus primer (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 transplanted shortly after purchase, as the peat soil dries out easily and the roots that are tightly braided are easily overheated and dry out. Then they are transplanted every year in the spring (if necessary). Older plants in the first year can not be touched, then transplanted every 3-4 years. Large-sized trees are not transplanted, but annually replace the top layer of the soil.

If you have purchased a small plant, which is usually planted in a peat substrate, it should not be changed in any way, nor should a denser soil be added - roots cannot grow into it. It is better to use a ready-made peat substrate for the first transplant, adding sand and a little sod land to it. With further transplants, the amount of sod land in the mixture can be gradually increased.

Large specimens are usually already planted in the ground with the addition of sod land, so sand and more sod or leafy soil can be added to the finished mixture. It is better not to use manure humus in mixtures, but to replace it with a hood, which is added to the irrigation water.

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

Reproduction... Citrus crops are easily re-pollinated, giving rise to new hybrids with properties different from the parent plant. Therefore, in order to maintain the desired properties and accelerate fruiting, methods of vegetative propagation are used: grafting, cuttings, air layers. For industrial purposes, grafting is preferred, it makes it possible to pick up a stock the right quality(frost resistance, drought resistance, etc.) Some varieties have a poorly developed root system, and grafting on a powerful rootstock provides the plant with good roots. In home citrus growing, vaccinations are 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 well from rooted cuttings, while fully preserving their maternal qualities and blooming quickly (often even at the rooting stage).

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

Ripe young shoots are taken on cuttings, on this moment dormant, this is important. If you take a shoot that is in the growing stage, then the probability of its rooting is very small. Optimally, the shoot is 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 upper cut is made straight. The lower leaf is removed, an oblique cut is made directly under this bud, the bark is slightly scratched with a clean thin needle, dipped in the powder of the root formation stimulator Kornevin and immersed in the soil until next sheet... If the greenhouse holds moisture well, then it is better to leave all the leaves intact, without cutting off the leaf blades. They will serve as a source of the cutting nutrients... If the tightness of the greenhouse is poor, then so that the cuttings do not lose too much moisture, the two lower leaves will have to be cut in half. It is necessary to maintain in the greenhouse high humidity air. Rooting lasts from 2 weeks to 1 - 2 months, sometimes longer.

Freshly harvested citrus seeds germinate very well, usually within a month. Seedlings are actively developing and rather unpretentious. Beautiful trees can be formed from them by pruning, which will also enrich the atmosphere of the house with useful phytoncidal substances. But for fruiting, 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 her is at the end of the winter rest period, in early February. In summer, too long and fattening shoots should also be shortened. Different types and varieties of citrus fruits have their own way of growing. So, a lemon is not very willing to branch, and it is quite difficult to form a compact, beautiful tree from it. The orange grows vigorously upward, requiring regular pruning. In a tangerine, the crown thickens quickly, you have to cut out part of the shoots growing inward. Kumquat grows quite compactly, requiring little or no pruning. Calamondin doesn't have to be cut too much.

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

Top dressing. Citrus fruits should be fertilized only in the months of active growth, from mid-February to mid-September, and in no case should they be fed during the winter holidays. When preparing for the rest period and when leaving it, reduce the fertilizer concentration by 2 times. Carry out top dressing only on a pre-moistened earth coma. For a good assimilation of mineral fertilizers from the soil, it is important to control the acidity of the soil. For assimilation organic fertilizers be sure to support the beneficial microflora of the substrate by systematic introduction of microbiological preparations (Vostok - EM1, Baikal, Renaissance). Plants respond well to foliar feeding.

You can not feed a heavily crumbling plant - the reasons for leaf fall are often not a lack of nutrition, and feeding, done at the wrong time, will only bring harm. After buying or transplanting a plant, do not feed it for 1-2 months.

And you should always remember the rule that it is better to underfeed the plant than overfeed. Lack of nutrition is easily eliminated by timely feeding, and an excess of fertilizer leads to root burns, improper development and often ends with the death of the plant. One of the signs of an excess of fertilizers 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 in another, and it is rather difficult to diagnose this imbalance and pinpoint the cause. But in order to avoid it, you should take only special fertilizers for citrus fruits for dressing, which must include trace elements. The rates of their application are calculated for the period of maximum growth. If the plants have insufficient light or other conditions are not met, the dose of fertilizers must be reduced.

If a negative reaction to a new fertilizer is found, cancel fertilizing, flush the soil large quantity water (having passed it through the soil, but without removing the plants from the pot), at first use only the foliar fertilization method (a highly diluted complex fertilizer with microelements is sprayed over the leaves once a week). Then switch to a different brand of citrus fertilizer.

Physiological disorders associated with a lack or excess of nutrients

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 to resist disease. Excess phosphorus inhibits vegetative growth.

The leaves show grooves and folds along the veins., later they brighten, turn brown at the edges. Growth is delayed, some of the adult branches die off. During flowering, a strong leaf fall can be observed - with a lack of potassium.
Plants use potassium to make sugar, starch, protein, and enzymes needed for growth and development. Potassium helps plants regulate water intake and better resist cold. An excess of potassium leads to the appearance of brown necrotic burns along the edge of the leaf.

Lack of iron, magnesium and zinc is manifested in chlorosis- on the background yellow leaves a green mesh of veins is clearly visible, growth stops, young shoots often die off. The lack of iron usually extends to the entire leaf; with a lack of magnesium and zinc, changes can be local in nature. 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 hammering rusty nails into the ground will not help the plant.
Magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) are essential for the production of chlorophyll. Sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) are "catalysts" that aid 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) are essential for proper water absorption, and both are essential for correct formation cells.

Pests and diseases

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

White lumps in the sinuses, on branches and trunks - a mealybug lesion.

Plaques that look like droplets of wax on the leaves, branches and trunks, sweet discharge on the leaves - a lesion with a scutellum or false scutellum.

Irregular small yellow dots on the leaves, below the leaf there is a mealy bloom, sometimes a cobweb is a spider mite.

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

Small mobile light insects in the ground, jumping when watering - podura, or springtails. Plant when waterlogged, do not harm the plant. It is enough to reduce watering and spill with Aktara (1 g / 10 l).

Small black flies flying over the ground are mushroom mosquitoes. They also start from waterlogging. The larvae live in the ground, but do not harm healthy roots. It is enough to adjust the watering, you can spill Aktara (1 g / 10 l).

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

Fungal diseases often affect citrus fruits on plantations or in greenhouses. Drying and blackening of branches - malseko are of a fungal nature; gum flow - gommosis, when a wound forms on the trunk, from which a liquid resembling resin oozes; leaf spot and anthractosis, when weeping spots spread along the leaf and then merge; powdery mildew when a powdery white bloom forms on the leaves. The fight against fungal diseases is reduced to the establishment of care, to the removal and destruction of the affected parts of the plant, to treatment with systemic and contact fungicides.

Sometimes a black bloom forms on the leaves of citrus fruits, which can be easily removed with a damp swab - this is a sooty mushroom. It does not harm the plant, usually settles on the sugary secretions of pests. It is necessary to eliminate the cause of the sugary discharge, remove the sooty plaque with a swab soaked in soapy water, wash well under a warm shower.

Diseases caused by viruses appear as a marbled color and cannot be treated.

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

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

Cause of falling leaves in citrus fruits any severe stress can serve: sharp temperature fluctuations, hypothermia, overheating, overmoistening of the substrate, overdrying of the substrate, improper transplantation, too much dosage of fertilizers, 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.

Growing citrus fruits at home is often of interest to indoor gardening lovers. Citrus indoor plants, when grown in an apartment or office, do not always give delicious fruits, but they decorate the interior, refresh the air, contribute to the creation of a unique atmosphere in the room with their appearance and aroma.

Many people think about how to grow indoor citrus crops in the house, but, not knowing the basic rules of care, they consider this venture futile. But citrus fruits in pots on the windowsill can please not only with their decorativeness, if you choose the right varieties, find out in advance how to grow them indoors, you can get fruits. Most often, the orange or tangerine tree bears very sour fruits.

It is not difficult to grow a tree from a stone at home - if you take it from a ripe fruit bought at the bazaar, plant it immediately in nutrient substrate, then after a month it will most likely sprout. Having created the necessary conditions, providing the plant with proper care, you can get fruits in 8-10, and sometimes in 20 years. Moreover, only grapefruits and lemons will be acceptable in taste, and oranges and tangerines are usually too sour. It is better to use such a tree as a rootstock, to graft on it one of the varieties specially created for growing indoors.

Among lemons, the following varieties are popular among amateurs: Pavlovsky, Novogruzinsky, Maikop, Genoa. All of them form compact trees from 1 to 2 meters in height, at the age of 3-5 years they begin to bear fruit, give numerous, like Maikop or large, like Novogruzinsky, fruits.

You can buy oranges for growing in a pot of the following varieties: Pavlovsky (the most popular), Gamplin (the most productive), Ajarian seedless (its slightly flattened fruits, however, do not contain seeds), Pear-shaped beetle (with sweet pear-shaped fruits).

Mandarins take root most easily at home, the Kovano-Vasya variety begins to bloom in the second year, Sochi 23 gives large fruits (80 g), and Clementine (obtained by crossing with the Korolek orange) is known for the sweetness of its fruits.

Kumquat (or fortunella) is also often referred to as citrus. At home they grow it or hybrids obtained by crossing this plant with orange (orange), tangerine (calomondin), lime (limequat).

Where to put the tree

Since citrus crops naturally prefer the tropics and subtropics, they need to create similar conditions at home - warm, humid air, daylight hours no shorter than 12 hours. If we want to get fruit, then it is important to arrange for the plants winter period rest for several months. So the growing season will last from February to October, this is the time when you need to provide the trees with air temperature from +19 to +27 degrees, humidity at 60-70 percent, bright sunlight for 10-12 hours. And the period of rest will begin in November, will capture all the darkest time in our latitudes, and will last until February. At this time, the air temperature should be reduced to +12 - + 14 degrees, the humidity should be kept at least 55-60 percent.

The best place for citrus fruits is on the windowsill on the south, southwest, southeast or east side. Sunlight there should be a lot, but its direct and very active rays in summer can be harmful, light shading should be provided.

A pot with a tree for the summer can be transferred to the garden or to the balcony - fresh air will benefit him, only you need to shade from the too active sun and monitor the humidity of the air. Home pots are brought in when the air temperature drops to +14 degrees.

Only now, a change in place and the entire atmosphere can cause stress, so it is not recommended to turn the pots sharply relative to the sun, it is allowed to turn no more than 10 degrees after 10-15 days. But in winter, it is problematic to reduce the air temperature to the desired levels when the battery is located close to the windowsill, so many gardeners have to move the tree to another room again.

Care features

Care rules are based on the fact that tropical crops love warmth, moisture and light. Since the plant can receive nutrition only from a small earthen coma, it needs regular feeding from February to October. Like any houseplant, the citrus tree will need to be replanted from time to time. If you follow the rules of watering, fertilizing, changing dishes and soil, then even in our apartments and offices, these newcomers from tropical and subtropical latitudes will feel quite comfortable. A correct pruning will help not only form a beautiful tree, but will contribute to long-term and abundant fruiting.

Watering

These plants are very much in need of moisture, but stagnation of water in a pot threatens to rot the roots, therefore, when planting, it is necessary to organize a drainage layer, check the water permeability of the soil. Watering is carried out only with settled water at room temperature (that is, the water should be approximately the same temperature as the air).

Watering frequency depends on the season, condition and air temperature. In summer, watering is possible every other day, sometimes even daily, and in winter, watering is limited to every 3-4 weeks, it is important not to allow the land to dry out. But in the summer it is worth watering when the soil in the pot dries out by one third of the total volume. It is good to grow citrus fruits in clay pots - they not only allow air to pass through, but also regulate humidity: they absorb excess water and, if necessary, give it back.

Citrus fruits respond well to spraying, thanks to which the leaves receive the necessary moisture from the air, and do not evaporate it. In summer, in hot weather, spraying with clean, settled water at room temperature is carried out daily. And you can put a wet towel on the hot central heating battery to increase the air humidity.

Pruning

It is necessary to form the crown of a tree when it grows 25 - 30 cm, usually during the first year of life. The upper bud is pinched to stimulate the growth of the lateral ones, thereby limiting the length of the main shoot, which will become the trunk. Then several main skeletal branches are selected, and the remaining lateral branches are removed. Skeletal branches are shortened by a third so that they are overgrown with new branches. In the future, branches with fruits are annually shortened after harvest.

The main pruning of citrus fruits occurs in February, when the tree has not yet left the dormant period and has not begun active growth, but in the summer you can pinch the shoots, stimulating the development of small branches. Cut off the branches, as usual for everyone fruit trees and bushes, above the bud, growing away from the middle of the crown. You need to use a clean, sharp pruning shears, trying to cause the least damage to the plant.

Experts recommend not to allow fruiting until the crown is fully formed. After that, an adult plant needs to regularly remove broken or diseased branches, those shoots that grow inside the crown or simply thicken it too much, shorten the shoots, which, growing, violate the shape of the crown.

Top dressing

A tree grown in a pot on a window is larger garden plants needs regular feeding. They are carried out only during the active growing season, the first feeding can be done at the end of February or early March, the subsequent ones are carried out every 2-3 weeks, the frequency will tell the state of the plant and its growth rate. The first few times, nitrogen fertilizers are applied, which are necessary for the active growth of greenery, then the tree needs more phosphorus, potassium and other elements.

The basic rule of fertilization is to underfeed rather than overfeed. It is much easier to fix a lack of nutrients than an overabundance, which can lead to root burns. The appearance of the plant will indicate the lack of this or that element. The lack of nitrogen is evidenced by the lack of a saturated green color of the leaves, a lack of potassium will affect the curved shape of the fruits and their premature fall, the lack of phosphorus does not allow fruits and young wood of shoots to ripen. Iron, magnesium, manganese, calcium - all these elements are needed by plants, their lack can cause discoloration or curling of leaves. By the way, when watering with hard water, separate fertilizing with calcium and iron is not needed.

Top dressing is carried out by spraying (foliar) and irrigation (root) with special solutions. Only wet soil can be watered with a fertilizer solution, after the main watering.

Of organic fertilizers, an infusion of slurry, infused for several days, drained without sediment and diluted tenfold, is best suited. A more saturated solution can burn the roots. From mineral fertilizers, superphosphate, potassium and ammonium nitrate are used. Usually people who do not have a summer residence or household plots use only mineral fertilizers bought in a store. They need to be prepared as described in the instructions, and then diluted with water several times before use.

Transfer

In the spring, when the dormant period is already ending, the plants are transplanted into a new pot, which is several centimeters wider and deeper than the previous one. The transplant is carried out by transshipment after 2-3 years for an adult plant and a year later for a young one, but only if the entire earthen lump is entangled in roots. It is not necessary to free them from the ground, after abundant watering, the plant is taken out of the pot, carefully cleaned of the drainage layer (if it has attached to the roots), only the soil that falls off itself painlessly is removed, and then placed in a new pot, where a new fertile one is poured priming.

How to propagate citrus fruits

Reproduction of citrus fruits is carried out by cuttings, layering, seeds. Strong plants can grow from seeds, but they will not retain the characteristics of the variety, they will not begin to bear fruit soon, but may not bear fruit at all. They are usually grafted with the desired variety. Cuttings are cut 10-15 cm long with 3-4 buds in autumn or spring, rooted in water or soil. If the branch is long enough, it is buried in the ground, after making a ring-shaped incision in the bark. If this is not possible, then air layers are made - the soil is simply attached to the branch with adhesive tape and a sawn flower pot.

Video "Growing citrus fruits at home"

This video will show you how to grow citrus fruits at home.

Let's analyze the letter of the grower:
"I bought a delicious lemon, and in a month he dropped all the fruits and leaves. There is one branchy driftwood in the pot. In general, the driftwood is very decorative, I do not tea in it, I water and spray, I hung a light over it, it burns around the clock It is hot at home, 28 degrees in winter, so the driftwood reminds me of African saxauls. A very soulful plant. I'll teach you how to be polite! ”he pulled out a snag from the pot to the entu, didn't even shake off the peat from the roots, and transplanted it into a large bucket, made holes in it, poured half a pack of expanded clay on the bottom, and piled a special lemon soil around. And what do you think? the dastardly plant of my concern did not appreciate, there were no leaves, and no, even though I add top dressing to him every month and apply special fertilizer, "Lemon" is called. Every day I spray with water in the evening and water in the morning. I came to the conclusion that this is completely shameless creation of nature s, and that in an amicable way with him is impossible. Starting tomorrow, I will begin to apply repression to this snag: I will turn off the lamp and make an impression on her: if in a month not a single leaf is disfigured, I will pull it out of the pot and throw it out. This is not a plant, but just an ungrateful bastard! "

Dear fellow gardeners, in no case make such mistakes!
I want to describe in detail the scheme for caring for citrus fruits so that you do not have problems with them. And I will tell you about this using the example of the given letter.

** Consider the causes of citrus leaf loss:
1. If you put the plant on the window, then you do not need to periodically move it to another place; citrus fruits are "one window" plants.
2. The most common mistake is that the pot of citrus fruits does not need to be "twisted" much 180 or 90 degrees. In this case, the leaves turn yellow and fall off - the tree dies. Every 10 days, you need to turn the pot 10 degrees (no more), and it is better - counterclockwise.
3. When you get into an unfamiliar climate, i.e. when moving from a store or greenhouse to an apartment, citrus fruits can also shed their leaves.
4. If there are drafts in the apartment, citrus leaves will surely fall off.
5. If the soil is excessively moistened in winter, it turns sour and, as a result, the citrus leaves turn yellow and fall off.
6. If you plant a small plant immediately in a bucket, and even more so in a tub, then in a week the leaves of the tree will turn yellow, and after another 1.5 weeks it will have a "leaf fall";
7. Many do not know this, but, based on my many years of experience, I want to warn you: in no case should you put citrus fruits next to microwave oven... Otherwise, the leaves will not just fall off - the tree will die.
8. Citrus fruits lose leaves and fruits due to improper feeding and transplants.

If in winter the leaves of citrus fruits begin to curl, turn yellow, fall off, the shoots dry out, then the tree drops unripe fruits. If a plant with fruits was bought in winter, then it will certainly drop the fruits (especially if the tree is imported), and then part of the leaves (or all the leaves). When buying citrus trees in winter, I recommend removing from them most fruits (or better all), remove the emerging flowers and cut off the sprouted shoots by 1/3.
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**Transfer

The root system of citrus plants has a peculiarity - it does not have root hairs, through which water and mineral substances dissolved in it are usually absorbed. Their role is played by a symbiotic fungus that forms root mycorrhiza. 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 the roots are exposed or damaged. Sometimes you can see outwardly normal roots in a dead plant - this is exactly what is explained by the death of mycorrhiza. That is why citrus fruits do not tolerate a transplant and can hurt for a long time after it. It is worth replanting citrus fruits only with the most accurate transshipment, in no case changing the soil or washing the roots (except for severe damage to the roots, when there is no other way out).
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** Substrates for growing citrus fruits.
There are several recipes for land mixtures for citrus fruits - they include peat, sod and leafy soil, sand, dung humus. It is important that the mixture is slightly acidic or neutral (pH 5.5 to 7.0). If your water is hard, then it is better to take a slightly acidic soil. However, mixing all these components separately and adjusting the acidity is difficult. It is easier to take a ready-made citrus primer (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).

Large specimens are usually already planted in the ground with the addition of sod land, so sand and more sod or leafy soil can be added to the finished mixture.
It is better not to use manure humus in mixtures, but to replace it with a hood, which is added to the irrigation water.

And do not overuse loosening the soil, which can easily damage the roots.
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**Watering
For watering citrus fruits, water just taken from the tap of the water supply is completely unsuitable (it contains a large amount of chlorine, which they do not like). It is better to water citrus fruits with settled water to which vinegar is added (a few drops per liter of water); they respect it very much.

Citrus fruits need regular feeding. They need:
- nitrogen (provides fast growth). Thanks to nitrogen, citrus leaves acquire a rich green color;
- phosphorus (thanks to phosphorus, the seedling begins to bear fruit faster). Phosphorus is also needed for the ripening of fruits and young wood;
- potassium (the normal and timely ripening of young leaves, shoots, and also fruits depends on potassium). With a lack of potassium, citrus fruits acquire an ugly shape and often fall off before ripening. In addition, potassium supplements increase resistance to various diseases.

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** Reproduction from seeds
Freshly harvested citrus seeds germinate very well, usually within a month. Seedlings are actively developing and rather unpretentious. Beautiful trees can be formed from them by pruning, which will also enrich the atmosphere of the house with useful phytoncidal substances. But for fruiting, such seedlings must be grafted with cuttings of varietal plants.
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** Crown formation

Shaping is needed to give a beautiful and compact look to the crown. The best time for her is at the end of the winter rest period, in early February. In summer, too long and fattening shoots should also be shortened. Different types and varieties of citrus fruits have their own way of growing. So, a lemon is not very willing to branch, and it is quite difficult to form a compact, beautiful tree from it. The orange grows vigorously upward, requiring regular pruning. In a tangerine, the crown thickens quickly, you have to cut out part of the shoots growing inward. Kumquat grows quite compactly, requiring little or no pruning. Calamondin doesn't have to be cut too much.

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

Citrus fruits should be fertilized only in the months of active growth, from mid-February to mid-September, and in no case should they be fed during the winter holidays. When preparing for the rest period and when leaving it, reduce the fertilizer concentration by 2 times. Carry out top dressing only on a pre-moistened earth coma. For a good assimilation of mineral fertilizers from the soil, it is important to control the acidity of the soil. To assimilate organic fertilizers, be sure to support the beneficial microflora of the substrate by systematic introduction of microbiological preparations (Vostok-EM1, Baikal, Vozrozhdenie). Plants respond well to foliar feeding.

The most common pests of cirrus crops are mealybugs, scale insects, and false scales. Citrus fruits are also affected by aphids and spider mites.
White lumps in the sinuses, on branches and trunks - a mealybug lesion.
Plaques that look like droplets of wax on the leaves, branches and trunks, sweet discharge on the leaves - a lesion with a scutellum or false scutellum.
Irregular small yellow dots on the leaves, below the leaf there is a mealy bloom, sometimes a cobweb is a spider mite.
Accumulation of small green or black insects on young shoots, sweet secretions - aphids.
Small mobile light insects in the ground, jumping when watering - podura, or springtails. Plant when waterlogged, do not harm the plant. It is enough to reduce watering and spill with Aktara (1 g / 10 l).
Small black flies flying over the ground are mushroom mosquitoes. They also start from waterlogging. The larvae live in the ground, but do not harm healthy roots. It is enough to adjust the watering, you can spill Aktara (1 g / 10 l).
Details - in the article Pests of indoor plants and measures to combat them.

Chinese sweet orange
Diseases of citrus fruits arise from improper care and damage by various pathogens (which is also often due to errors in the content).

Fungal diseases often affect citrus fruits on plantations or in greenhouses. Drying and blackening of branches - malseko are of a fungal nature; gum flow - gommosis, when a wound forms on the trunk, from which a liquid resembling resin oozes; leaf spot and anthractosis, when weeping spots spread along the leaf and then merge; powdery mildew, when a white powdery coating forms on the leaves. The fight against fungal diseases is reduced to the establishment of care, to the removal and destruction of the affected parts of the plant, to treatment with systemic and contact fungicides.

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

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

Any strong stress can be the cause of leaf fall in citrus fruits: sudden temperature fluctuations, hypothermia, overheating, overmoistening of the substrate, overdrying of the substrate, improper transplantation, too much dosage of fertilizers, 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.
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** Physiological disorders associated with a lack or excess of nutrients

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** Flowering and fruits

Fruiting lemons, tangerines and other citrus fruits bloom profusely, which weakens the tree. Therefore, flowers located nearby should be thinned out, leaving larger ones - those on which the ovary is better developed. Preference should be given to fruits sitting on short branches - pods. Fruits grow more slowly on long branches.

It takes several months for the fruit to ripen. There are so many ovaries that there is an active discharge of young ovaries and fruits that have not yet been filled with juice. Fruit fall is so strong that the soil under the trees is completely covered with small fruits. So
it is recommended to regulate fruiting. Pick off some young ovaries immediately after flowering. I do not recommend buying trees with fruits in the store. It is better if you buy only a flowering tree. But if, nevertheless, a tree with fruits comes home to you, then proceed as follows:
1. try to find out how old the tree is;
2. Tear off all the fruits (do not spare them);
3. Cut the branches on which there were fruits in half;
4. Spray the plant more often;
5. The soil must always be moist.

And now - advice for everyone: do not expect the impossible from a citrus tree! In winter, citrus fruits most often do not bloom at home. Be patient and follow the instructions. If you do everything right, your citrus pets will delight. appearance and harvests. Good luck!

The fruits of indoor citrus fruits (Citrus), unlike home pineapples, are quite suitable for consumption. Moreover, they have a milder taste than the fruits of wild trees, and therefore are more preferable for allergy sufferers. Citruses are bred at home because of their unique aroma, which fills the room with freshness. If you don't have citrus at home yet, we recommend paying attention to this plant. Home care for citrus fruits is not difficult, and the result will exceed all your expectations. Well, oh useful properties citrus fruits and needless to say - this is an excellent plant for the prevention of colds.

Family: Rootaceous, light-loving, moderate moisture.

Many representatives of the genus Citrus are grown in room culture.

They grow quickly, bloom beautifully, and the fruits in most cases are tasty and healthy. These are mainly low-growing evergreen trees with a spreading crown and large emerald leaves with a glossy surface. When examining them into the light, a large number of small glands, rich in essential oil... Each leaf lives for about 3 years and the growth and development of the whole plant, and the ripening of fruits, directly depend on their condition.

Fortunella has very elegant leaves, or nagami kumquat(Fortunella margarita) variety "Variegata" - green-white or green-yellow. Citrus flowers are medium-sized, white or creamy, arranged singly, in pairs or in small clusters. They may not be visible behind the abundant foliage, but the characteristic delicate and intense enough aroma will draw your attention to the plant. Fruit y different types citrus fruits are different. Everyone is familiar with ordinary bright yellow lemons with bumpy skin.

The largest and most delicious lemons in the indoor citrus plant "Ponderoza"(Citrus Limon Ponderosa), and the most productive - lemons Meyer(Citrus Limon Mejer).

The citron "Buddha's Hand" has very original fruits.

The earliest and most prolific indoor citrus is mandarin, or Citrus reticulate. The fruits of this indoor citrus tree small, orange-red with easily peeling skin, juicy sweetish pulp and no seeds at all.

And the spherical yellow or red fruits of the indoor orange (Citrus sinensis) with a dense peel and sweet and sour pulp ripen the longest (up to 9 months).

Citrus care at home

In winter, citrus fruits are kept in a bright, well-ventilated room at a temperature of + 4. + 8 ° C. Oranges are the most thermophilic of citrus fruits; they need a higher temperature, within the range of + 13 ... + 18 ° С. In summer, it is better to take the plants outside and place them in the sun, in a place protected from drafts. When caring for citrus fruits, watering should be moderate, but regular; drying the earthen coma is not allowed. At the same time, good drainage is necessary so that there is no stagnation of water at the roots. During the heating period and on hot days, all these plants should be sprayed regularly. The formation of a beautiful crown is not so much an aesthetic requirement as a necessity to accelerate fruiting. Formative pruning and pinching is performed throughout the year - after the appearance of 3-4 leaves, pinch the growing point.

Caring for indoor citrus fruits during the period of active growth involves feeding once every two weeks, if possible alternating mineral fertilizers with organic ones. Transplanting is carried out by the method of transshipment in the spring: young plants are transplanted annually, at the age of 4-5 years - in a year, over five years - once every three years. A potting mix of turf, compost and sand (1: 1: 1) is best for planting citrus fruits. The described plants reproduce well by seeds, which are sown immediately after they are removed from the fruit. The prevailing opinion that “wild animals” grow from seeds has not been confirmed. Just plants propagated by seed method, begin to bear fruit after about 8 years. Citrus fruits obtained from cuttings enter the fruiting stage somewhat earlier. Cuttings are cut in March-April or at the end of June-in the first half of July, rooted in a mixture of peat and sand (1: 1) for three weeks at a temperature of + 25 ° C.

Useful properties of indoor citrus trees

Citrus essential oils have a beneficial effect on the nervous system: they relieve neuropsychic stress, eliminate feelings of anxiety, help fight fatigue and depressed mood, promote concentration and improve memory. They relieve spastic pains, restore impaired blood circulation. It is also known their bactericidal effect in various inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system. Citrus fruits and juice are rich in vitamins. And the plants themselves, especially at the time of flowering and fruiting, look very elegant and raise the mood.