For many years I grow in my apartment room lemons. The oldest
Plants - Meyer lemon over 25 years. I had to grow from a small twigs, which is ingrained into a bush, then in the village.
In the third year it bloomed and gave the first harvest - a dozen of the fragrant and delicious fruit.
Since then, it took more than twenty years, but the lemon is still pleases me with its stable fruiting, and he did not lose decorative. Especially attractive is the plant in the spring, during flowering and late autumn, in November and December, when ripe lemons in the thick dark green crown look like toys on the Christmas tree - very elegant! Relatives and friends, seeing this beauty, admire and envy, are asked to share saplings of lemon. Yes, and very pleased to present a flourishing lemon.
Propagated by their lemons in two ways: by cuttings and grafting. Cuttings harvested in early spring, cutting plants. For rooting took away neodrevesnevshie twigs with green leaves have formed.
Cuttings shortened to 6-10 cm, leaving the top one or two leaves and drop them into plastic cups with soil (capacity 0, 5 l). Then the cups with cuttings put in mikroparnik lightly pritenyat. After rooting, when the kidneys are touched in growth, seedlings exhibited a bright place, gradually accustoming them to the open air.
Further care is regular watering and timely transplant. For the first time transplanted about a year, when the plant leaves 20-30. Pot size should be 1-1, 5 l
It lemon will grow until flowering, after which it can be transplanted to new dishes.
Flowering lemon Meyer comes two years after the establishment. Plants by this time have the form of a small bush height of 30-50 cm, with 40-60 leaves.
Despite the "young" and rooted graft and lemons are ready to fruit after the first flowering. Leaving 3-4 ovaries on the plant, using the rules of th: one ripening fruit must be at least 15 leaves. Leaves more ovaries should not be, the young plant will be weakened and delayed growth. Needless to pick off all the ovary - it is re-bloom, and also slows down the growth. I normalize the results only the first 2-3 years. And then "trust" the plant itself: it is to lose those extra ovary, if they are many, and add after the re-flowering, if the ovaries are not enough.
Yield indoor lemon depends on the age and conditions (primarily on the light), and can reach several tens of fruits per plant.
For example, my lemon in 4-6-year-old gave a year of about 100-120 fruits - just count them was impossible, and the weight of the crop -8-10 kg. Over the years, the yield has fallen and is now kept at the level of 30-40 fruit. Of course, the rule of thumb: 1 fruit - 15 sheets are no longer valid - there are many shaded leaves that do not participate in the formation of fruit.
Greater efficiency can be achieved by keeping a lemon in the summer on the balcony, loggia or in the open air. Of course, for such movements are only suitable young plants aged 2-4 years, more adults are too heavy and cumbersome. Lemon is very well tolerated change habitats. But some time to adapt it to the new conditions it is still necessary. And at the end of the summer you can expect a great harvest. In addition, your lemon will be healthy, with a compact crown, dark green leaves. Such a plant is easier to transfer the most difficult winter, the leaves lose less and be better prepared for the next flowering.
Of the volume of the soil and its composition also depends on the yield. Young lemon in the early years of growing rapidly, trying to fill all of the allotted space illuminated. During this period, which lasts about 4-5 years, the plant has doubled annually root and leaf mass and, in my opinion, needs to double the annual transplant size container.
After the first transplant of flowering lemon into a container volume of 2-3 liters in a year - 4-6 - liter capacity, for the third year - is 8-10 liters, in the fourth - 16-20 liters.
At this time, a plant reaches its maximum size, covering most of the space allocated to it, and further self limits itself to growth, therefore no longer needs transplants, and 20 L is sufficient for adult content lemon many years.
Annually pour fresh soil to retain its volume.
Lemon is grown commonly in humus, compost made from plant extracts 2-3 years. A bucket of humus add a handful of wood ash, and nothing else. This soil mix contains all the necessary nutrients for the plant, it is light and loose, not compacted with time, which is very important for root respiration.
Dressings do not give. Fertilizers - out of caution so as not to harm the plants. No soil analysis application of mineral fertilizers can be harmful or even deadly to plants, contained in a limited volume of soil.
Fertilizing manure is not considered necessary for reasons of hygiene lemon and avoid unwanted odors. Using crop residues their lemons - fallen flowers, and ovaries. Their pour evenly across the surface of the soil and the leaves are dry compacted by the perimeter of the pot, filling the air gaps. After some time, this mass is converted into a substrate of dark brown color, an excellent mulching material and long-term feeding.
This technology allows me to constantly obtain high yields - 4-5 kg of fruits per plant - with minimum maintenance.
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