What are the cultivation methods for potted lemon?
We all know that lemon is a good thing and is very beneficial to human health. In fact, we can also grow lemons at home, so what are the cultivation methods for potted lemon? Below, the editor of Boqi.com has put together some suggestions given by experts as a reference for everyone.
Potted lemon
The main techniques for potted lemon are as follows: Raising seedlings and potting up. In the south, where cultivation is on a large scale, grafting propagation should be used; in the north, where cultivation is on a small scale, cuttings are mainly used, and grafted seedlings can also be purchased for cultivation. The root system of lemon has relatively high requirements for water, nutrients and soil, so the potting soil should be prepared as a slightly acidic culture soil that is permeable and aerated, retains water and fertilizer. Potting up and repotting can be done after autumn or in early spring, and can be flexibly timed according to the local climate.
Light and temperature
Lemon is a light-loving plant, yet if the sunlight is too intense, its growth and development will be poor. Generally at noon, the plant needs to be moved to a place suitable for growth. The annual average temperature should be above 15°C, the optimal growth temperature is 23°C to 29°C, growth stops above 35°C, and frost damage occurs at -2°C. In summer, lemon generally does not need cooling; move it indoors before Frost's Descent and outdoors after Qingming, and it can overwinter safely.
Watering and fertilizing
Lemon needs more water during growth and development, but too much water easily causes root rot. Generally speaking, spring is the period of sprouting shoots, unfolding leaves, forming flower buds and blooming, so watering should be moderate. In summer, light is strong and temperatures are high, so more water is needed. However, it must be timely and moderate, otherwise it will cause fruit drop. Autumn is the period of autumn shoot growth and rapid fruit enlargement, so there must be sufficient water. Late autumn and winter are the flower bud differentiation period, so the potting soil should be on the drier side. Lemon prefers fertilizer. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer when potting up and repotting, the principle of applying thin fertilizer frequently should be maintained during the growing period. The number and amount of fertilizer applications must be determined according to growth vigor and phenological period. For example, for liquid fertilizer, fully fermented cake fertilizer water is good, with a cake-to-water ratio of 1:200. In the north, the soil tends to be alkaline, so ferrous sulfate can be added to the fertilizer solution to make a slightly acidic nutrient solution.
Pruning
Pruning is generally divided into winter pruning and summer pruning. Winter pruning should follow the principle of "remove the dense and keep the sparse, remove the weak and keep the strong," cutting off dead branches, shortening weak branches, and removing useless leggy branches. Summer pruning on non-fruiting trees mainly involves shortening overly long shoots, while on fruiting trees it involves removing summer shoots and shortening declining branches on the outer middle and upper parts of the canopy.
Promoting flowering and preserving fruit
Lemon is originally a tree species that blooms and fruits in all four seasons, while potted plants in the north mostly bloom and fruit in spring. Therefore, after autumn shoots stop growing, water must be controlled. Wait until both sides of the leaves begin to curl inward, then water moderately to promote flower bud differentiation. Pay attention to fertilizing in the pot and spraying fertilizer on the leaves to cultivate strong fruiting mother branches.
The main measures for preserving fruit are, first, strengthening the supply of fertilizer and water to accumulate nutrients; second, carrying out artificial pollination; third, thinning flowers and fruits. Lemon fruits are large and require many nutrients, with a normal leaf-to-fruit ratio of 30 to 40:1. According to the principle of removing the weak and keeping the strong and even distribution, first thin out excessive and overly dense flower buds; then when the young fruits are 1 cm in size, thin out some fruits; finally, after physiological fruit drop, set the fruit according to the leaf-to-fruit ratio. Weak branches can also be left without fruit, and strong branches can keep only 1 fruit.
Cultivation methods for potted lemon
Lemon is an evergreen small tree of the genus Citrus in the family Rutaceae. The leaves are relatively small, long elliptical, with fine serrations along the leaf margin. The flowers are solitary, opening throughout the year, with a rich fragrance. The fruit is long elliptical or ovate, ripening in autumn and winter. The peel is yellow, the flesh is extremely sour and strongly fragrant, the juice is citric acid, and the peel can be used to extract lemon oil.The main techniques for potted lemon are as follows: Raising seedlings and potting up. In the south, where cultivation is on a large scale, grafting propagation should be used; in the north, where cultivation is on a small scale, cuttings are mainly used, and grafted seedlings can also be purchased for cultivation. The root system of lemon has relatively high requirements for water, nutrients and soil, so the potting soil should be prepared as a slightly acidic culture soil that is permeable and aerated, retains water and fertilizer. Potting up and repotting can be done after autumn or in early spring, and can be flexibly timed according to the local climate.
Light and temperatureLemon is a light-loving plant, yet if the sunlight is too intense, its growth and development will be poor. Generally at noon, the plant needs to be moved to a place suitable for growth. The annual average temperature should be above 15°C, the optimal growth temperature is 23°C to 29°C, growth stops above 35°C, and frost damage occurs at -2°C. In summer, lemon generally does not need cooling; move it indoors before Frost's Descent and outdoors after Qingming, and it can overwinter safely.
Watering and fertilizingLemon needs more water during growth and development, but too much water easily causes root rot. Generally speaking, spring is the period of sprouting shoots, unfolding leaves, forming flower buds and blooming, so watering should be moderate. In summer, light is strong and temperatures are high, so more water is needed. However, it must be timely and moderate, otherwise it will cause fruit drop. Autumn is the period of autumn shoot growth and rapid fruit enlargement, so there must be sufficient water. Late autumn and winter are the flower bud differentiation period, so the potting soil should be on the drier side. Lemon prefers fertilizer. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer when potting up and repotting, the principle of applying thin fertilizer frequently should be maintained during the growing period. The number and amount of fertilizer applications must be determined according to growth vigor and phenological period. For example, for liquid fertilizer, fully fermented cake fertilizer water is good, with a cake-to-water ratio of 1:200. In the north, the soil tends to be alkaline, so ferrous sulfate can be added to the fertilizer solution to make a slightly acidic nutrient solution.
PruningPruning is generally divided into winter pruning and summer pruning. Winter pruning should follow the principle of "remove the dense and keep the sparse, remove the weak and keep the strong," cutting off dead branches, shortening weak branches, and removing useless leggy branches. Summer pruning on non-fruiting trees mainly involves shortening overly long shoots, while on fruiting trees it involves removing summer shoots and shortening declining branches on the outer middle and upper parts of the canopy. Promoting flowering and preserving fruit. Lemon is originally a tree species that blooms and fruits in all four seasons, while potted plants in the north mostly bloom and fruit in spring. Therefore, after autumn shoots stop growing, water must be controlled. Wait until both sides of the leaves begin to curl inward, then water moderately to promote flower bud differentiation. Pay attention to fertilizing in the pot and spraying fertilizer on the leaves to cultivate strong fruiting mother branches.
The main measures for preserving fruit are, first, strengthening the supply of fertilizer and water to accumulate nutrients; second, carrying out artificial pollination; third, thinning flowers and fruits. Lemon fruits are large and require many nutrients, with a normal leaf-to-fruit ratio of 30 to 40:1. According to the principle of removing the weak and keeping the strong and even distribution, first thin out excessive and overly dense flower buds; then when the young fruits are 1 cm in size, thin out some fruits; finally, after physiological fruit drop, set the fruit according to the leaf-to-fruit ratio. Weak branches can also be left without fruit, and strong branches can keep only 1 fruit.
To make potted lemon bear good fruit, to make potted lemon bear more fruit, pay attention to grasping nine key points:
1. Repotting and changing soil: Potted lemon must be repotted and have its soil changed in spring from March to April. If the flowerpot is too small, replace it with a suitable flowerpot; if the flowerpot is still suitable, use the original pot and replace it with new soil. Base fertilizer should be applied when repotting and changing soil.
2. Spring pruning: Carry out spring pruning in spring together with repotting, cutting off inner branches, dead branches and withered leaves, diseased and pest-infested roots and leaves, and leggy branches, so as to help the plant bear fruit.
3. Reasonable fertilizing: Before the lemon plant blooms and after it sets fruit, topdress multiple times, applying multi-element flower fertilizer once a month and spraying flower nutrient solution once every half month, to ensure the fruit does not easily drop and is large and bright in color.
4. Preventing leaf drop: Leaf drop affects lemon fruiting. To avoid leaf drop, in daily management, avoid watering that is sometimes too much and sometimes too little.
5. Shading at noon: After the lemon plant blooms and before it sets fruit, when the noon temperature exceeds 30°C, it should be shaded for about 3 hours; otherwise it will affect normal flower formation and also hinder the plant from setting fruit.
6. Artificial pollination: Artificial pollination is an important measure for bearing more fruit. Pollination is best done promptly after the petals have opened, and carrying out this work around 9 o'clock every morning gives better results.
7. Preventing and controlling pests and diseases: Summer and autumn are seasons with frequent pests and diseases, so prevention and control should be carried out. In preventing and controlling pests and diseases, prevention should be more important than treatment. Spray flower medicine once every half month, with spraying times around 9 a.m. and around 4 p.m. Do not spray under the scorching sun at noon, to prevent phytotoxicity.
How to grow potted lemon trees? Cultivation methods for potted lemon trees
Nowadays, more and more people like to grow fruit trees in pots at home. While admiring the verdant leaves, they can also harvest fruit, achieving multiple benefits at once. As one of everyone's favorite fruits, lemon is naturally also the first choice for indoor potted fruit trees, and compared with tall lemon trees, it is more ornamental. So, how to grow potted lemon trees? The cultivation methods for potted lemon trees are introduced as follows.
Image: Potted lemon tree
1. Light and temperature
Lemon is a light-loving plant, yet if the sunlight is too intense, its growth and development will be poor. Generally at noon, the plant needs to be moved to a place suitable for growth. The annual average temperature should be above 15°C, the optimal growth temperature is 23°C to 29°C, growth stops above 35°C, and frost damage occurs at -2°C. In summer, lemon generally does not need cooling; move it indoors before Frost's Descent and outdoors after Qingming, and it can overwinter safely.
2. Reasonable pruning
There are two reasons for pruning potted lemon. First, the pot is small and there is little soil, so the nutrients provided are limited and cannot meet the needs of lemon growth, making pruning necessary; second, through shaping and pruning, the rational distribution of nutrients within the tree is regulated, so that the limited nutrients are concentrated in supplying buds and leaves, forming more fruiting branches, thereby achieving branches full of flowers and fruit. Before spring shoots sprout, potted lemon must undergo severe pruning. First remove dead branches, diseased branches, leggy branches, inward-growing branches, crossing branches, and adventitious branches. For strong branches, prune lightly, leaving 4 or 5 plump buds; for weak branches, prune severely, leaving 2 or 3 buds, to encourage each branch to produce more robust spring shoots. After the spring shoots have grown in fully, to control their legginess, light pruning can be carried out, cutting off 3 or 4 nodes of the shoots. When the new shoots that grow later have 6 to 8 nodes, pinch off the tips, with the aim of inducing more summer shoots.
Image: Potted lemon tree
3. "Water withholding" before flowering
To prevent summer shoots from growing too vigorously and, at the same time, to allow the tree to accumulate nutrients and promote the formation of flower buds, carry out "water withholding" on potted lemon before End of Heat. The specific method is: more than ten days before End of Heat, gradually reduce the water supply to the potted lemon; 5 days before, stop supplying water. As the potting soil is exposed to the sun, a large amount of water evaporates and the potting soil becomes dry; because of the lack of water, the root system causes the branches and leaves to lose water, and the leaves become shriveled and curled. To prevent leaf dehydration, spray water on the leaves in the morning and evening, and also spray a small amount of water on the potting soil, so that the lemon is in a condition that is both dry and not so dry as to die. Its axillary buds instead swell day by day, and the bud color changes from green to white. When most axillary buds change from green to white, the "water withholding" for promoting flowering has succeeded. At this time, promptly resume supplying water to the potted lemon.
4. Reasonable fertilizing
Lemon likes fertilizer, so normally more thin fertilizer should be applied. Apply decomposed liquid fertilizer once before the plant sprouts, then apply liquid fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer once every 7 to 10 days, to encourage more branches and leaves and more spring shoots. After each pinching, fertilize promptly to encourage the branches to mature earlier. During the lemon growing period, some cake fertilizer can be scattered on the surface of the pot, so that each watering allows some fertilizer to seep into the soil and enhance fertility. After autumn begins, reduce fertilizing to avoid excessive plant nutrition, which would promote autumn shoots, compete with the fruit for nutrients, and cause fruit drop.
Image: Potted lemon tree
5. Repotting
Because potted lemon has little potting soil, the nutrient supply is very limited. After many years, the soil fertility becomes deficient, and the lemon will weaken year by year, blooming little and bearing few fruits. To keep the lemon blooming and fruiting year after year, it must be repotted. The most suitable time for repotting is half a month before the lemon sprouts. Before repotting, first prepare a pot one size larger than the original pot, take the lemon out of the pot without breaking the soil ball, shave off 1 to 2 cm of the surface old soil along the soil ball, cut off dead roots and rotten roots, and shave off 1 cm of soil from the bottom of the soil ball, and take out the tile fragments from the original pot bottom that have become embedded in the soil. Place tile fragments over the drainage hole of the new pot, first spread a 2 to 3 cm thick drainage layer, then spread a 4 to 5 cm thick nutrient-rich culture soil, mixed with a small amount of superphosphate. Then place the lemon soil ball into the pot, fill culture soil around it up to the pot rim, press the potting soil slightly firm, water thoroughly to settle the roots, place it in a ventilated, semi-shaded place, and after one week put it back in its original place for routine management.
6. Repotting and changing soil
Potted lemon must be repotted and have its soil changed in spring from March to April. If the flowerpot is too small, replace it with a suitable flowerpot; if the flowerpot is still suitable, use the original pot and replace it with new soil. Base fertilizer should be applied when repotting and changing soil.
[Editor's conclusion]Pruning, fertilizing, repotting, and so on are all indispensable steps in the process of growing potted lemon trees, directly affecting the growth vigor and ornamental value of the lemon tree. The above has introduced the cultivation methods for potted lemon trees for everyone, and I hope it can be helpful to you!