Caring for a lemon tree at home in a pot for beginners

Lemon is a citrus tree in the Rutaceae family. In the wild, lemon trees thrive in subtropical climates. Growing the plant indoors is easy—just water, feed, and prune regularly. The fruits of indoor lemons are no different from those harvested from trees grown outdoors.

The best varieties for home use: which one to choose?

When choosing a lemon for home growing, consider the plant's size, fruiting time, and yield. For cultivation, choose hybrid varieties. If high yields are the goal, choose everbearing varieties that bear fruit year-round. Mezensky, Vulcan, and Buddha's Hand lemons are suitable for ornamental purposes.

Meyer

This variety arose as a result of spontaneous hybridization between lemons and oranges. It bears fruit 4-5 years after planting. The tree is low-growing, growing up to 1 m in length. The crown is rounded and symmetrical. The leaves are oval, dark green, and stiff. This is a remontant variety, bearing fruit year-round. Ripe fruits have a sweet taste, and the flesh separates easily from the peel.

New Year

A compact plant with a well-foliated crown that requires no shaping. The branches have medium-length thorns. The leaf blades are small, light green, and slightly rough to the touch. It bears fruit three years after planting. It is a remontant variety, bearing fruit several times a year. The fruit is unusually shaped—round, tapering toward the top, with a small proboscis. The flesh is tender and juicy, with a hint of tartness.

Eureka

This variety is suitable for both greenhouse and indoor cultivation. The tree has a spreading crown, reaching 1.5 m in height. The branches are thornless. Fruits form along the edges of the branches, giving the plant a decorative appearance. It is a heat-loving plant and resistant to temperature fluctuations. This everbearing variety is noted for its high yield. The average fruit weight is 200 g. The flesh is greenish-yellow, juicy, and tart.

Pavlovsky

The plant grows to a height of 1.5 m. The crown is rounded and requires no shaping. The lemon tree is self-pollinating. The fruits are large, weighing up to 150 g. The fruit is slightly tart, juicy, and transports well. This variety is suitable for indoor cultivation—the tree tolerates low sunlight and dry indoor air.

Buddha's Hand

An ornamental variety suitable for indoor growing. The fruits are oblong, reminiscent of a bunch of bananas. The peel can be used for culinary purposes. It bears fruit three years after planting.

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How to care for a lemon tree at home in a pot for beginners

Immediately after purchase, quarantine the tree for 10 days. If no pests or signs of fungal infections are detected during this time, the plant can be grown indoors. Place the container on a windowsill on the east or west side of the house. Exposing the tree to strong sunlight for extended periods can cause leaf burn.

In summer

It's best to move a plant with growing fruit outdoors. If this isn't possible, maintain a temperature of 18 to 20ºC. To ensure fruit production, follow these care tips:

1. Mist the leaves with a spray bottle. If the air in your home is dry, sprinkle gravel on the pot tray and water the plant thoroughly.
2. Water with settled water as the soil dries out.
3. Feed with organic and mineral fertilizers. Organic fertilizers are recommended: an ash solution (100 g of ash per 5 liters of water) or an infusion of quinoa or birch leaves (300 g of raw material per 3 liters of liquid). To promote fruit production, add superphosphate: 5 g of fertilizer per 1 liter of water.

In winter

In late autumn, the plant enters a dormant period. Reduce the temperature to 15°C and stop fertilizing. Water the tree no more than once every 15 days. If the air is dry, mist the tree with a spray bottle. Provide the plant with 8 hours of daylight. If light is insufficient, use a grow light. Periodically change the location of the tree's container and keep it away from heating devices.

In the spring

By March, the lemon tree emerges from dormancy. Temperature and watering frequency are the same as in summer. Caring for a lemon tree at home in a pot:

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1. Lemon trees require pruning. Remove old and damaged branches. Pinching is typically used to shape the crown. When the first shoot reaches 25 cm, pinch it back to 20 cm. The next pinch should be 15–20 cm above the previous shoot. Each subsequent shoot should be 5 cm shorter than the previous one.
2. Repotting into a new container. Young trees are repotted annually, while mature trees are repotted every three years. The plant should be watered, removed along with the root ball, and placed in a container 5–7 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. Add drainage to the bottom of the pot using charcoal, expanded clay, or pebbles. A mixture of sand, deciduous forest soil, compost, and wood ash (1:2:1:1) is used as a substrate.
3. Feed the plant with ammonium nitrate. 5 g of fertilizer per 2 liters of water is required. Instead of mineral fertilizer, you can use rotted cow manure diluted with water at a ratio of 1:10.

Spring is the time to plant lemons grown from seeds. Collect the seedlings in cheesecloth and soak them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect them. Fill the container with a substrate—a mixture of equal parts potting soil and peat. Place the seeds in the groove and compact the soil. When the plant forms 2-3 true leaves, it needs to be pricked out. After transplanting into a separate container, care for the seedlings is the same as for mature trees.

Lemon diseases: how to treat the plant

Diseases arise from poor care—overwatering, using contaminated soil when repotting, insufficient lighting, and lack of fertilizing. Indoor plants are susceptible to the following diseases:

1. Gomoz is the appearance of brown spots on the trunk. The bark changes color and cracks. This condition is caused by high humidity or excess nitrogen fertilizer. To treat the spots, remove them from the bark with a sharp knife and treat the trunk with a 3% Bordeaux mixture solution. Cover the damaged areas with garden pitch.
2. Anthracnose is a disease characterized by yellowing and leaf drop. To eliminate the fungal infection, damaged plant parts should be removed. The crown should be sprayed with a 1% Bordeaux mixture solution.
3. Scab is accompanied by the appearance of gray growths on the leaves. If left untreated, all shoots will die. Spray the crown with solutions of Skor and Ordan.
4. Root rot—the stem darkens, the leaves turn yellow, and fall off. To save the plant, repot it. Trim off the damaged root sections and treat with Bordeaux mixture. Use new soil and restore proper care.

Viral diseases cannot be saved. Leaf mosaic causes the leaves to lose shape, curl, and become streaked and spotted. Signs of citrus canker include brown spots on leaves and fruit. Tristeza causes leaf drop, bark, and shoots to die. It is advisable to burn the tree away from the garden plot.

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A lemon tree has a striking and unique appearance. It eliminates toxins and pathogens. It can be placed in a room where a child with a weakened immune system lives. Lemon tree leaves are hypoallergenic and neutralize unpleasant odors.