With shiny dark green leaves and fragrant flowers, the citrus tree is a wonderful decorative addition to any home. Many housewives grow lemon, orange and tangerine trees at home, but not everyone can boast of a good fruit harvest. Meanwhile, growing citrus fruits that bear fruit is not so difficult. Let's look at how to do this correctly.
Lemon
In order for a lemon tree to produce a harvest, you must first choose the right variety. Meyer, Pavlovsky, Genoa, Eureka are best suited for these purposes. These varieties differ in a number of characteristics, but all of them, with proper care, produce a high yield of lemons even under indoor growing conditions.
There are two ways to grow lemons - using seeds and cuttings. The first method allows you to get fruits only 6 years after sowing, but the harvest will be richer. To grow a lemon using seeds, you should choose a juicy fresh fruit, remove 2-3 seeds from it and stick it into the soil to a depth of 2 cm. Keep the pot in a sunny place, watering it periodically. After 2–4 weeks, a sprout will appear. In the future, constant care of the plant will be required, including periodic pruning to form the crown.
Using cuttings you can grow a stronger tree and get a harvest in about 2-3 years.Cuttings should be taken 15–20 cm high, on which several leaves have already formed. They should be planted in pots that are narrowed at the bottom and have drainage holes. It is better to purchase the soil in the store, choosing a special composition for citrus fruits, which contains the microelements necessary for the growth of the lemon tree. For the first 3–4 years, the plant does not need feeding; it is enough to water it and prune it on time.
Mandarin
You can grow tangerines in almost the same way as lemons. For home use, the best varieties are Unshiu broadleaf, Clementine and Vasho. These are hybrid varieties that are distinguished by early seed germination and rapid ripening.
When planning to grow a fruit-bearing tangerine, you should take into account some features of caring for this plant. Since this is a tropical tree, it needs to create similar conditions: high temperature, a lot of light and sufficient moisture - both soil and air. In hot weather, you should not only water the plant, but also spray its leaves. Too much sun can be detrimental to a tangerine tree, so it is better to shade it slightly. It is also worth remembering that tangerine does not tolerate drafts.
Orange
It is recommended to grow oranges from seeds. You should take a fully ripe, juicy round fruit, remove the seeds, wash them and leave them in warm water overnight. In the morning, plant in the ground, making indentations of 1-1.5 cm. The following varieties of oranges are best suited for indoor conditions: Pavlovsky, Washington Neville, Korolek, Citrus aurantium.
The pot in which the orange is planted should be chosen to be small, since this tree has a weak root system, and it should also have drainage holes. After the foliage appears, the container must be placed in a sunny place. The orange tree does not tolerate drafts and excessive air humidity, but it can die from dry air (less than 40% humidity). The plant should be watered in moderation, avoiding chlorinated water, and fed once every 2-3 weeks.
If you do everything correctly, the first flowering will appear very soon. In a few years, the tree will become lush and strong, and will also be able to produce a good harvest of homemade fruits. The main thing is to be patient and not ignore the rules for caring for an orange tree.
As you can see, you can grow citrus trees capable of bearing fruit at home. The result will bring a lot of positive emotions, including pride that such aromatic and tasty tropical fruits were grown by one’s own efforts.
