How to grow a lemon from a seed at home: how to germinate seeds, how to plant a lemon tree in an apartment, on a windowsill

Lemon is an evergreen tree with yellow fruits, the skin of which contains a large number of veins filled with essential oils. This explains the characteristic lemon scent. Lemon belongs to the genus Citrus. India and the Pacific Islands are considered the birthplace of this tree. The shrub is cultivated in countries with a subtropical climate. Growing a lemon from a seed at home is quite difficult. To get not a decorative, but a fruiting tree, you must strictly follow the rules of planting and maintenance.

Is it possible to grow a lemon from a seed at home

For growing indoor lemon at home, one of the methods is suitable: you can buy seedlings in a specialized store or try to grow a lemon on a windowsill from a stone on your own.

Lemon trees are most commonly found in offices, retail spaces or residential buildings as an ornamental shrub. Growing a lemon tree at home so that it bears full fruit is a complex and lengthy process. Ornamental trees are not able to form ovaries and bear fruit. Leaves of decorative lemons, as a rule, are dark green and have only a hint of the usual characteristic aroma. Nevertheless, it becomes possible to plant a lemon at home from a stone and wait for the fruit to appear, subject to the necessary agrotechnical rules for care.

Will seed-grown lemon bear fruit

The fruiting of a tree depends on several conditions, failure to comply with one of them can lead to the fact that the bush will remain decorative.

Conditions required for possible fruiting:

Strict adherence to temperature conditions. This is one of the basic rules for growing a lemon tree. Citrus does not tolerate temperature changes well, and also cannot exist in an environment where the temperature is released below +10 °
Grafting. This method greatly increases the chances of fruiting the lemon tree. Inoculation is carried out by the method of budding or placing the rootstock in the cleft.
Providing daylight hours with a duration of at least 12 hours.
Regular watering.
Carrying out the necessary dressings.

Compliance with all of the above conditions makes it possible to get a harvest of lemons for the 3rd - 5th year of the existence of this evergreen tree in the apartment.

Lemon varieties for growing at home

To grow citrus from a seed, it is necessary to choose the right variety and organize care in order to ensure the plant fruiting when its natural habitat changes.

The most suitable varieties for home growing are recognized:

Anniversary - the leader in growing at home, including on the loggias of apartments;
Pavlovsky - one of the most popular varieties, up to 2 m high;
Genoa - specially bred for growing at home, 1.5 m high with fruits that resemble classic lemons as much as possible;
Meyer - a hybrid of lemon and grapefruit, height 1.5 - 2 m, feature - seasonal rest;
Panderosa - up to 1.5 m with medium-sized lumpy fruits.

How to grow a lemon from a seed at home

After choosing a lemon variety for growing, they start picking fruits. They should be ripe, even, uniform in color with the skin without damage or dents.

The most suitable time period for placing a bone in the ground is considered the end of spring or the beginning of summer. At this time, a natural atmosphere is created that is comfortable for the start of lemon seed germination:

the presence of long daylight hours;
establishment of a stable air temperature;
the inability to dry the air in apartments due to the end of the heating season.

These are favorable conditions for growing a viable lemon tree. During the first stage, the seed should take root and germinate. Then the stage of caring for the appendage begins. If you follow the rules, a lemon tree grows from the seed in a year. Several years pass before fruiting and flowering. This period is important for the seedling as a stage of adaptation and formation. Lemon during this period of time adapts to room conditions, gets used to changes in temperature conditions. In the 4th - 5th year of existence, a tree up to 3 m is formed from a lemon sprout, while dwarf varieties for growing in apartments do not exceed 2 m.

Leaves on shrubs live for about 3 years, as they age, they gradually change. The buds develop for about 5 weeks and then begin to bloom. Citrus flowering is considered protracted, it lasts up to 10 weeks. Under indoor conditions, the time period from the beginning of the formation of the ovary to the ripening of the fetus can take about 230 days.

To harvest lemons, care must be taken to ensure that the tree does not shed its leaves during the growing season. The fact is that there is a close relationship between the number of leaves on the branches and the number of fruits formed. For fruit development, the lemon must have 8 to 10 true active leaves. The main task of the grower, who hopes to get a harvest, is the preservation of the lemon leaves. This culture is characterized by year-round fruiting. Citrus blooms regardless of the season. With proper care, observing the necessary conditions, house trees can live up to 30 - 40 years.

How to plant a lemon from a stone at home

Planting a lemon from a seed at home includes several stages. Each of them is an important stage of cultivation.

Tank and soil preparation

At the first stage of cultivation, when it is necessary to root a lemon seed and grow a shoot, small plastic containers are chosen, the height of which does not exceed 5 - 6 cm.

After the emergence of seedlings, at the stage of active growth, they are transplanted to a permanent place, which will be a home for the lemon until it has to be transplanted again.

The size of the first lemon pot should be several centimeters larger than the container in which the seeds grew. To grow a lemon tree from seed at home, clay pots are often chosen.

The advantages of clay pots:

clay material is well suited for growing citrus fruits due to its ability to absorb moisture, the pores of the walls actively absorb it and save the plant from waterlogging;
the pots are stable due to the weight of the material, which eliminates the possibility of the tree tipping over.

Benefits of plastic lemon pots:

the root system of the plant does not grow into the plastic walls;
ease of care of containers;
protection against overheating and hypothermia of the root system due to the inability of plastic to conduct heat.

Advantages of wooden pots:

suitable for mature trees;
Strong, durable, resistant;
protect lemon from excess moisture.

The size is selected based on the following calculations:

annual citrus seedlings are grown in containers with a diameter of no more than 5 cm;
when changing the pot, an increase in diameter by 3 - 5 cm is taken into account.

Warning! Growing pots are not suitable for lemons. With an overabundance of space, the soil begins to sour, which can cause the development of fungal diseases.

Characteristics of a soil mixture suitable for growing citrus fruits:

loose structure;
acidity level is weak or neutral;
the presence of nutrients with a high content of phosphorus.

Before disembarking, the container is prepared as follows:

A mandatory drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the pot. Expanded clay or vermiculite is suitable for this.
Then a layer of prepared soil is poured, not reaching 2 cm to the edges of the container.
The soil is moistened with a spray bottle.
Prepare dry soil for filling the bone from above with a layer of 1 cm.

Advice! To give the soil looseness, it is sieved through a coarse sieve.

Is it possible to plant a lemon in ordinary soil

Regular soil for indoor citrus trees is not suitable for many reasons. It is impossible to grow lemon in it due to the reduced nutrient content. Irregular particles can also be found in the ground, and the root system of lemons is designed in such a way that it is unable to quickly assimilate nutrients.

How to prepare lemon seeds for planting

Before planting a lemon from seeds, you need to select and prepare them. Whole, even, undamaged seeds are selected from freshly cut lemon. Before planting, they undergo special processing. The seeds are immersed in a growth stimulant and left for 12 hours.

The soaking solution is prepared from 250 ml of water and 1 drop of a biostimulant. For this, such preparations are suitable as: Zircon, Kornevin. This procedure increases germination. Experienced flower growers do not place seeds in solutions with root stimulants before planting, nor do they soak them in water. They release the seeds from the hard outer shell and immediately burrow them into the ground. When removing the hard shell, extra care must be taken not to damage the lemon cotyledons. Such a procedure, according to gardeners, should speed up the germination process, and there are no special recommendations for seed stratification.

How to germinate lemon seeds at home

The seed is placed in the ground to a depth of no more than 2 cm. To create a greenhouse effect that will increase germination, containers with planted seeds are covered with plastic wrap or the upper half of plastic bottles.

The germination temperature should not be lower than +18 ° C. The land in which the seeds are to be grown is not watered in the usual way. For irrigation, a spray bottle is used to gently moisten the topsoil. After the emergence of sprouts, the soil continues to be moistened in the same mode. Plastic or polyethylene is removed after the appearance of the 4th true leaf.

During the germination period, the seedlings need diffused light: direct sunlight is completely excluded. For irrigation, use water that has been kept in the room for several hours.

How to plant lemon seeds at home

To grow a full-fledged tree, seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place of growth after the appearance of the 3rd - 4th leaf. The transplant process can be divided into several stages:

The lemon is watered abundantly, then, holding the shoot near the base, gently turn the pot over, the plant is pulled out of the container along with the ground.
The transshipment is carried out, having previously loosened the earthen lump with a wooden stick to facilitate the adaptation of the root system.
The roots are powdered with a root stimulant (Kornevin or Zircon).
A lemon is placed in a new pot equipped with a drainage system, then soil is poured around the main trunk.
The pot is shaken to settle the soil, then abundantly watered with water at room temperature.
After transplanting, the leaves are sprayed from a spray bottle and removed to a shaded place in order for the lemon to quickly adapt to new conditions.

How to grow a lemon tree

Transplanting a lemon sapling to a permanent place of growth is the beginning of the difficult and long process of growing a full-fledged lemon tree in a pot at home. During the growing season, gardeners recommend adhering to the basic rules, which include agrotechnical techniques designed only for citrus crops.

How many lemon seeds germinate

The time intervals, including germination and transplantation, depend on the temperature regime and the required daylight hours.

Germination time at temperatures from + 25 ° C to + 28 ° C	Germination time at temperatures from + 18 ° C
10 - 15 days	Up to 5 weeks

It takes 1 to 3 weeks for the transplanted seedling to adapt, after which the plant grown from the seed begins to actively develop, gradually turning into a small tree with a developed crown and a weak lemon aroma. With proper care, the flowering period can occur in 3 to 5 years.

Watering schedule

Citrus crops react to an excess of moisture with fungal diseases of the root system, so gardeners recommend watering the plants, focusing on the condition of the soil. Irrigation water must be settled. To improve the quality, 3 ml of nitric acid is added to 10 liters of liquid, this mixture helps to avoid the ingress of chlorine from tap water.

When and what to feed

Lemon fertilizing begins a month after transplanting to a permanent place of growth, then they are applied 2 times a month.

For root fertilization, solutions of organic complexes are used. The root system of lemon requires nitrogen-containing mixtures, as well as phosphorus and potassium during the period of flower-setting and fruit formation.

Pruning

To grow a full-fledged lemon tree, crown formation begins at an early age. Principles of pruning:

The apex is pinched to ensure lateral branching.
Rotate the lemon 10 degrees regularly so that the branches do not develop to one side.
Lemon pruning is done throughout the year as needed.

Creation of suitable conditions

To grow, citrus crops need stability in providing vital conditions.

Lighting. Exclude direct sunlight to prevent burns of sheet plates. When the lighting is insufficient, the lemon is provided with additional illumination with fluorescent lamps.
Humidity. Citruses are intolerant to dry air. For normal development, they need air with humidity indicators of at least 45 - 50%. To increase humidity, humidifiers are placed next to the pots.
Temperature. To grow a lemon, you must observe the temperature regime. For the warm season, maintaining the temperature within the range from 18 ° C to +23 ° C is suitable, in winter the temperature of growing lemon should not fall below +10 °

Warning! A temperature rise of more than +30 ° C leads to the death of the plant.

Features of growing lemon in an apartment in winter

The most difficult period for growers in growing lemon is winter. Plants enter the resting phase. In winter, the irrigation regime is reduced, heated water is used.

At this time, it is necessary to deal with the dryness of the air due to the operation of the heating. Overdrying leads to the fact that the lemon begins to shed its leaves, so gardeners recommend achieving air humidity by any available means. When the lemon is resting, it does not need feeding.He only needs additional lighting if there is not enough light.

List of Potential Problems When Growing Lemon

Shedding of leaves, yellowing of the tips of the plates, wilting, decay of roots - this is not a complete list of signs of a citrus tree's response to errors in care or the appearance of pests.

By the state of the leaves, one can judge the lack of nutrients:

dryness at the ends indicates the need to add phosphorus to the roots;
a lack of potassium or magnesium affects the leaves by the appearance of wrinkles and the falling off of the newly appeared ovary;
yellowness of the leaves appears as a response to waterlogging;
a stunted and sick appearance may indicate rotting of the root system.

With regular inspection of the lemon, you can timely notice the appearance and reproduction of parasitic insects. The dangers that threaten indoor lemon lie in the appearance of several varieties characteristic of distribution on indoor plants:

Mealybugs. These are parasites resulting from excessive dryness of the air; they can be removed by regularly washing the leaves, cleaning them from dust and moisturizing them using available methods.
Shields. Pests multiply on the leaves and stem due to excessive moisture, their appearance can be determined by the formation of shiny sticky drops, at the next stage, the lemon begins to shed the leaves. The scabbard is removed by treating parts of the plant with a solution of laundry soap. The treatment is carried out every 2 days, after which a hygienic shower is arranged for the lemon.
Spider mite. It is an insect that often appears on houseplants. It can be detected by the presence of a thin white spider web on the lemon. The tree is treated with sulfur, the leaf plates are washed with water jets or sprayed with soapy water.

Preventive measures to combat parasites and diseases:

hygienic shower with hot water;
spraying leaves on both sides;
treatment with Fitosporin.

Some tips for growing lemon

Experienced flower growers advise to be patient in the first year of lemon flowering and rid the tree of the buds that have appeared. This will help preserve the strength of the tree to produce full fruit for the next season.
According to gardeners, the eastern side is most suitable for growing lemon in an apartment on a windowsill.
For the formation of 1 flower, at least 10 viable leaves are required, therefore, leaf formation should be monitored from a very early age of the seedling.
In winter, containers filled with water are placed next to the pot. This helps to keep the air humidity at the required level.
Pruning on all branches is carried out after the appearance of the 5th leaf: in this way, the crown of the tree is formed compact and aesthetically attractive.
To increase efficiency, 5 - 8 seeds are buried in the ground, then the strongest shoots are selected.

Conclusion

It is quite possible to grow a lemon from a stone on your own. To do this, you should choose the right variety and take into account that citrus requires constant care. When creating comfortable conditions for the plant, you can not only get a beautiful tree as a spectacular element of the home interior, but also get a full and regular harvest of bright vitamin fruits.

Growing a lemon (lemon tree) from a seed at home