How to grow lemon trees from seeds indoors
Growing Lemon Trees from Seed
Growing lemon trees from seed is simple, and they thrive with minimal care indoors (or outside in warm locations).
Lemons are a great way to add flavor and bright acidity to home-cooked meals. Beyond our everyday cooking, I use them by the dozen making homemade limoncello. I also usually add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to homemade jam recipes, to both balance the sugar and add pectin to help the jam set.
All of that adds up to a lot of lemons in a year, which in turn means a lot of lemon seeds.
I always felt bad just composting them. Why not plant lemon seeds instead?
It turns out, lemon trees are incredibly easy to grow from seed. The seeds germinate so easily that some people plant them by the cup full and grow them as a potpourri (since the young leaves are so fragrant).
Lemon leaf potpourri might be a nice novelty, but I’m more interested in growing lemon trees from seed. About a decade ago I started planting lemon seeds and raising lemon trees at home so I could harvest our own homegrown lemons.
The trees aren’t exactly hardy here in Vermont, but growing lemon trees in pots allows you to bring them indoors during the winter months.
These fast-growing trees go from seedling to producing full-sized lemons in about 3 years, so it’s well worth the effort.
A young lemon tree seedling on our windowsill. This one’s just a few months old, but it’s already about 6-8” tall.
Growing Lemon Trees from Seed
Growing a lemon tree from seed, whether it eventually produces fruit or not, is a worthwhile endeavor if you’re curious about propagating seeds or learning how citrus trees grow. They’re fun houseplants that are not only beautiful but the leaves and foliage smell wonderful.
The actual fruit is just the icing on the cake, but it doesn’t take much to get them to produce.
Grown indoors, lemon trees will typically produce fruit after 2 to 3 years. Sometimes you’ll get a tree that doesn’t end up growing lemons, but that doesn’t mean the tree itself is a lemon, so to speak, as tending to a fruit-less lemon plant is still a pleasant and rewarding experience.
All you need to get started is a healthy-looking, juicy lemon (more specifically, its seeds). If possible, choose an organic lemon, or one that hasn’t been treated with pesticides.
Remove the seeds from a cut lemon carefully, they need to be intact (read: no cuts) when planted. I use my fingers to remove them from the fruit and then rinse them off using cool water, you want to get rid of any remaining pulp as the residual sugar causes fungus to grow, which in turn leads to seed rot.
Lemon seeds pulled out of a fresh organic lemon.
Lemon Tree Seed Germination
Unlike some seeds that require a germination period in paper towel or water, lemon seeds should be planted as soon as they’ve been rinsed.
Try not to let them dry out, they should still be wet when planted.
Plant the wet lemon seeds in a small pot with drainage holes, using pasteurized soil mix (the pasteurization part is important, as it improves the likelihood your lemon seeds will grow without issue).
At this point in the process, you can plant several seeds in a single pot. The seeds only need to be planted a 1/2-inch deep to successfully propagate, the soil should be gently moistened with water and the container covered with plastic wrap to keep the growing environment damp but not wet.
The growing lemon seeds need to be kept in warm environment, about 70° F, during the initial germination period. If your house runs cold, the top of the refrigerator is a good place to keep the pots.
Depending on the seeds and growing conditions, you should see growth in 1 to 3 weeks.
As soon as you notice the seedlings poking through the soil, remove the plastic wrap and place the pot in a warm, bright location. When the seedlings have grown several leaves, it’s time to transplant them to larger potting containers.
Using the same pasteurized soil mix as before, carefully move the seedings into containers that are 4 to 6 inches in diameter.
As the tree grows, replant it in a larger container to match its size and give the plant a good pruning in the spring.
Lemon Tree Care
The planted, germinated seedlings should be placed in a location where they’ll receive at least 6 hours of sunlight during the day, at a temperature between 60° and 70° F.
Keep the soil moist by watering when the top 2 to 3 inches feels dry, you can test this by sticking your finger directly into the soil and feeling for wetness. Like other plants, when lemon trees need water the leaves will begin to droop.
Unless you live in a truly cold climate, bring your lemon trees outside when the warm weather hits. Even if this is only for a few months, the steady, direct sun will make it so your trees are more likely to eventually produce fruit.
I’m fortunate, also, that we have a small greenhouse built off of the side of the house, which is where we keep our potted lemon trees throughout the spring and autumn months. The greenhouse extends their “outdoor” time, but we still have to bring them indoors for the coldest part of winter.
Lemon trees growing in our attached greenhouse in spring, next to our annual garden starts. They’re about ready to go outdoors for the summer season, once the risk of frost is past.
Lemon Tree Hardiness
Lemon trees are usually hardy to zone 9, meaning they can handle a very occasional light frost. They’ll take damage if the temps go below 32 F (or 0 C), but most can survive to 28 F (or -2 C). Some trees are a bit tougher and can make it as low as 22 F (or -5 C), but it’s best not to risk it.
When you see a frost warning in your area, it’s time to bring your lemon trees indoors for the season.
Best Fertilizer for Indoor Lemon Trees
You can keep your lemon trees happy during the warmer months by feeding them a water-soluble nitrogen- and potassium-rich fertilizer every two to four weeks, making sure the surrounding soil stays nice and moist (but not overwatered or soggy).
A common mistake is to apply fertilizer to lemon trees in winter when they’re indoors. People see the trees dropping leaves and panic. They start watering more and add fertilizer, which is just the opposite of what the trees need.
If the trees start to drop leaves indoors in the winter, reduce watering, stop fertilizing and allow the trees to go dormant. They’ll perk right back up in the spring once they’re in bright light again.
Winter Lemon Tree Care
The type of lemon tree winter care your plants need is entirely dependent on where you live, ambient temperature, and light exposure. So, for example, if you’re from a warm locale such as California or Florida, you can keep lemon tree plants outside in their pots all year long.
On the other hand, if you’re living in a cooler climate where the days get very short during the winter, it’s vital that the plants are brought indoors during that time. Keep the trees in a warm, draft-free location inside.
Reduce the watering schedule and cease fertilizer applications, waiting to resume until the following spring.
Here in Vermont, we keep our lemon trees indoors for the winter for about 4 months of the year.
As you can see in the photos, the greenhouse is an ideal place to grow citrus trees indoors during the shoulder seasons. The main idea is to avoid frost, so bring in the lemon trees before the first frost and after the (hopefully) last frost of the winter.
It’s normal, and in fact healthy, for plants to undergo a state of dormancy during this time. You might find the lemon tree stops growing or it loses some of its leaves; this is your plant’s way of conserving its energy and isn’t something to be worried about.
Once the weather warms up and the sunlight increases your lemon tree will begin to grow with gusto once more.
This 18-month-old lemon tree seedling is just going out to our attached greenhouse in the late winter. You can still see snow on the ground outside, but the greenhouse will allow the lemon tree to get a jump start on the growing season before it moves outdoors in the summer.
Harvesting and Using Lemons
After a period of 1 to 3 years, your lemon tree might begin to produce fruit. Lemons can take up to 6 month to ripen, depending on the variety, and are ready to be picked when they have firm, glossy skin and are 2 to 3 inches in size.
If you’re growing lemons from seed in a colder climate, your lemon crop will be small.
If, however, you lived in warmer part of the United States (or any other warm climate), you’ll be able to harvest lemons by the bucketload.
In either case, preserving lemons by one means or another is a fantastic way to hang on to that “fresh from the tree” flavor. My favorite and most hands-off way of preserving lemons is to make limoncello, a traditional sweet-tart Italian digestif that can be sipped on its own after a meal or mixed into a cocktail (like this effervescent drink made with limoncello, prosecco, and sparkling lemon soda).
Looking for more ways to preserve the fruits of your labor? Check out these options:
- Homemade Lemon Wine
- Finnish Fermented Lemonade (Sima)
- Canning Lemons (Three Ways)
- Preserved Lemons (Lemon Confit)
- Canning Lemon Curd
- 20+ Ways to Preserve Lemons
Seedling Growing Guides
Try growing other perennial plants and trees from seed!
- Growing Strawberries from Seed
- Growing Rhubarb From Seed
- Growing Asparagus from Seed
- Growing Apple Trees from Seed
How to Grow Lemon Trees from Seed (& Other Citrus Fruits)
This easy method shows how to save seeds from citrus fruit including oranges, lemons, tangerines, kumquat, and more, and grow them into houseplants. The steps shown will ensure an excellent germination rate.
I also have an easy method for growing avocado pits and starting mango plants from seed.
Grow Citrus Plants from Seed
Can you save seeds from citrus fruit and grow them into plants? Yes. And it really is easy.
Whether the fruit came from a grocery store or farmer’s market, if it has seeds, you can grow them.
Orange, lemons including Meyer lemon, tangerine, clementine, mandarin, lime, kumquat, and grapefruit with seeds are all candidates.
The steps (below) show you how to prepare the seeds, germinate them, and plant them pots.
While citrus is a tropical plant, it can be grown in colder climates as a potted houseplant, spending summers outdoors and winters indoors.
Contents
- What to Expect
- How to Sprout Citrus Seeds
- Supplies
- Steps
- Basic Citrus Tree Care Tips – Container Growing
- Get the Ebook
What to Expect
Will they grow fruit?
Yes, it is possible. But only if the plant has just what it needs—and that’s a big IF.
Citrus plants are slow-growing which means it will take several years with good growing conditions to flower and then fruit. Some may never flower.
Most of the citrus fruits we enjoy are hybrids. Grapefruit is a good example. It was an accidental hybrid created from sweet orange (C. sinensis) and pomelo (C. maxima) cross-pollinating.
And that means, while any viable citrus seeds you sow can become beautiful, productive plants, hybrid plants—if they produce fruit—the fruit will not be the same in taste or appearance as the one it came from. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just different.
Satsuma tangerines are one of the few citrus plants that bears fruit similar to the parent when grown from seed.
To me, growing a plant from seed all the way to the fruiting stage is a big, fun accomplishment regardless of the taste.
How do commercial growers do it? How do they get the same fruit over and over again?
They use grafted plants. Cuttings are taken from the desired plant (scion) and attached to a rootstock from another citrus variety. This is cloning and it’s essentially the same plant making more fruit.
If you want to be sure your citrus tree grows fruit true to the parent, start with a grafted tree, or use species seeds (not hybrids).
TIP: Winter is a good time to germinate citrus seeds so you have the warmth and light of spring and summer to get the plants established.
Can’t I just toss seeds in some soil and get a plant that way?
Yes, absolutely! But, if you want a 100% success rate—and know ahead of time that the seeds will germinate and do so quickly—instead of waiting many weeks to discover it’s not going to work—do the extra steps listed (below).
How big will a potted citrus tree grow?
It’s up to you. Citrus trees in-ground get quite large but, by growing in containers, growth is somewhat inhibited.
As your plant grows, you can repot it into the next size container until it’s as large as you want it.
Often the weight of the container determines the stopping point because it gets too heavy to lug around.
Once the plant is as large as you want (years from now), you can root prune it to keep it healthy. This is just how it sounds: you remove the plant from the container, trim back the roots, replenish the potting mix, and repot it.
There are more tips on citrus plant care below.
The instructions are also included in my book, Kitchen Propagation Handbook which includes tutorials on growing avocado, mango, citrus fruits, pineapple, ginger, tomato, and bulbing onions.
How to Sprout Citrus Seeds
Supplies
- Citrus fruit (choose varieties that have seeds)
- Plant tags and binder clips
- Sieve (for rinsing seeds – optional)
- Paper towel
- Nail clippers
- Food storage container or food bags
- Small cups or plant pots with drainage holes
- Potting mix (see options, below)
- Fertilizer for citrus plants
For Clay and Other Non-Plastic Pots
For Plastic Pots
Organic Potting Mix | Amazon
Organic Cacti Potting Mix | Amazon
Citrus Fertilizer | Amazon
Steps
1Get Citrus Fruit
Depending on the time of year and your location, you may have quite a variety of fruit to choose from at the store.
When I first tested this out, I bought one of everything because I had never really paid attention to the seeds before.
Be sure to get the ID stickers that come with the fruit in many stores (they have the SKU barcode on them). You want to know exactly what the name of the fruit is, where it’s from, and have this info to further research it (if desired).
Some citrus fruit has nice, plump seeds—that we may not like for eating but work great for germinating.
Others have odd, flat seed-like shells, seemingly devoid of any real growing power. Those are not likely to germinate.
Either way, the next steps will get this sorted out.
Related: How to Grow an Apple Tree From Seed
2Make Plant Tags
Kiwi? No, it’s not citrus but you can sprout those seeds too!
It’s always helpful to know what you’re growing and keep that info with the seed/ plant for future reference.
I had some old nametag cardstock (Avery nametags 5390) for my printer so I made labels. You can email me to request a copy of my Word template if you want to use mine.
If possible, make the tags water-resistant (so the ink doesn’t run) and get some binder clips to attach them to your seed / plant containers.
I put the SKU stickers on the tags for future reference.
3Gather Seeds
Cut the fruit in half, top to bottom (if top navel is visible). This avoids damaging too many seeds with the knife, as many seeds tend to form around the middle horizontally.
Gently remove all seeds and set fruit aside.
Discard any seeds that look strange—small, flat, empty shells, etc.
Some fruit has a lot of seeds, others may have few. The grapefruit (photo, above) had just one seed total but it was a good one and grew into a tree.
4Test for Empty Seed Shells
There’s a test called the Float Test intended to check if seeds are viable.
While it’s unreliable for many types of seeds, I do use it to check larger citrus seeds sometimes.
Here’s why.
Sometimes a seed coat is empty because the seed has not formed.
If you can’t tell by sight or feel, a float test at least indicates if there is some mass inside.
When you put the seed in water, if there is mass, it should sink.
If the seed is empty and filled with air, it should float.
It’s not fool-proof but can at least help narrow down which seeds are worth (trying to) germinate.
If seeds have jelly-like coating, rinse in a strainer and gently push it off with soft towel.
5Remove Seed Coat
This step can significantly speed up the germination time.
Seeds naturally come with outer protection that prevents unwanted germination. It’s super smart.
For citrus, the seeds have both a hard seed coat (made of two half shells sealed together), protecting the tender seed inside, and there may also be gel around the seed, to provide an additional barrier.
That’s why the seeds don’t sprout in the fruit—the moisture can’t reach them—it’s very cool!
To make germination go faster, we can remove both that gel coat (Step 3) and the hard shell.
Look for the hard, flat pointed end of the seed shell and snip it off with nail clippers, careful not to damage the actual seed inside.
Gently slide your fingernail between the two shell pieces to pry them open/apart and remove them (break them apart).
There are also skin-like layers inside which I leave alone (the seed will grow fine with the skin there). Don’t worry if some skin falls off.
Now you’ve got the soft seed. Be gentle with it!
6Germinate the Seeds
Moisten a few sheets of paper towel and place the seeds on it, at least an inch apart in all directions to leave room for root growth.
Cover with another layer of moist paper towel and place in a food storage tub with lid or food storage bag.
You want the seeds in contact with warm moisture ongoing. Not too damp. And don’t let them dry out.
Attach your plant tag with a binder clip and place everything in a warm, dark location. I put them in a kitchen cupboard.
I put reminders in my phone to check on them every 2-3 days. Occasionally I forget and weeks later find this crazy-good thing growing in my cupboard!
7Check on the Seeds
Check the seeds every few days.
If needed, spritz the towel to keep it moist. You want it moist, not dry or soaking wet.
Some will sprout really fast! Others may take weeks. Some will be duds.
Wrap it back up and put it back in the cupboard. We want roots at least an inch long before planting.
8Plant Seedlings
When there is at least an inch of roots, you can sow the seedlings in potting mix.
The roots often look thick and off-white, like bean sprouts.
In some cases, the plant stem may also start growing.
Plant the sprouted seed in a small cup, pot, or other container with drainage holes.
A regular organic potting mix is good for clay and other non-plastic pots. You could also use a cacti potting mix with plastic pots because they retain more moisture.
I prefer to use separate little pots but sometimes I have limited room for lighting so I will put them all in one container for the first few months.
Citrus seedlingsPosition the roots just below the soil surface. Any other growth can be above soil level. Gently press the potting mix around the plant so it’s snugly in place.
Water thoroughly, top up potting mix if needed, and gradually transition plant to a warm, sunny location over a few weeks.
This next photo shows two lemon trees I started from seed a year and a half ago . One I moved to a larger flower pot and the other I kept in the red cup. You can see how much bigger the up-potted one has grown: clearly they like room for their roots.
9Grow a Citrus Tree
How long will it take to grow my citrus plant?
Citrus trees are slow-growers and heavy feeders, doing best with 8-12 hours of sunlight per day.
The less light, the slower the growth.
I started several different hybrids from seed and after 5 months (from the day I removed the seed from the fruit) they range in size from 4 to 7 inches tall.
Keep in mind that reduced light and warmth in winter (indoors) will slow or stall growth.
It may be 3-5 years before flowers form, then pollination can occur (you can help it), and fruit forms.
Small fruit may ripen over several months, larger fruit can take much longer.
You can help the plant grow faster by using supplemental grow lights.
Use fertilizer specifically for citrus plants and follow the application instructions on the label.
Basic Citrus Tree Care Tips – Container Growing
1. Provide 8-12 hours of sunlight each day. Avoid direct, burning sun.
2. Ensure pot has good drainage.
3. Use a slow-release fertilizer for citrus plants as directed.
4. Keep outdoors until temperatures reach 40°F (4°C), then bring inside for winter.
5. Transition the plant (over days or weeks) gradually to avoid shock.
6. Do not allow soil to dry out. Moderate, even moisture is best. Use a moisture meter to be sure.
7. Most citrus plants are self-pollinating; some benefit from pollination assistance (you or insects).
8. Treat spider mites with neem oil spray.
9. Remove mealy bugs with rubbing alcohol.
Get the Ebook
Kitchen Propagation Handbook
7 Fruits & Vegetables To Regrow As Houseplants
by Melissa J. Will
Learn how to grow houseplants from avocado, oranges, lemons, ginger, and more using leftover pits, seeds, and roots.
About This Ebook | Visit Ebook Shop
This ebook is a digital file (PDF format) you save to your device. It is not a physical product.
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~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
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How to Grow Citrus Trees from Seed
Step-by-step instructions for taking seeds from citrus fruits including oranges and lemons and growing them into houseplants.
Total Time1 hr
Author: Melissa J. Will
Cost: $10
- ▢
Potting mix
- ▢
Flower pot
- ▢
Sieve
- ▢
Paper towels
- ▢
Nail clippers
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Fertilizer for Citrus Plants
- ▢ 1 Citrus fruit (any type with seeds) ripe
- ▢ 1 Plant tag or fruit sticker with name
- ▢ 1 Food storage bag or container with lid
Remove seeds from ripe citrus fruit. Do not cut seeds.
Test seeds for viability by placing in cup of water. Keep seeds that sink to bottom.
Remove seed coat by clipping off pointy end with nail clippers and peeling away shell.
Place seeds one inch apart on moist (not dripping wet) paper towels.
Carefully fold towel and place in plastic food bag. Add tag/fruit label for tracking. Stash in warm, dark cabinet.
Put reminder in phone to check seeds every 3 days.
When roots are at least one-inch long, plant one inch deep in potting mix.
Water regularly. Do not allow to dry out or overwater. Grow in indirect, warm sun.
For feeding, follow instructions on citrus fertilizer label.
Practical tips for growing a lemon tree in a pot
Tips
- Photo
- Getty Images
Next time you eat a lemon, save a few seeds to grow your own tree. Even in the cold season, a productive lemon tree can grow in your home. Lemon, an evergreen citrus plant with a pleasant fresh aroma and large snow-white flowers, is not only a beautiful decorative element, but also a source of delicious, natural fruits that will give you and your loved ones a vitamin boost at any time of the year.
- Photo
- Getty Images
BEFORE PLANTING
Carefully cut the lemon and remove the seeds. Select 12-15 large seeds with a smooth surface without deformation, otherwise they will either not germinate at all, or will not give healthy shoots. The bones must be washed to get rid of the mucous membrane: it can cause rotting of the seeds. It is best to leave the seeds in a glass of warm water overnight, this will not only clean them, but also help them germinate faster.
- Photo
- Getty Images
GETTING READY FOR LANDING
The main criterion in choosing a pot for a lemon tree is the presence of drainage holes. Excess water should not accumulate in the pot, as this will lead to the death of the plant. Place a large tray under the pot and pour water into it: this will help maintain the necessary humidity. The depth of the pot should be chosen based on the estimated height of the lemon tree. For seed germination, a container with a volume of 0. 5 liters or more is considered the best option, and already germinated seedlings are recommended to be placed in a larger pot. Choose a low-acid potting mix to fill the pot: Lemons grow well in peat moss soil and in soil designed for growing cacti.
- Photo
- Getty Images
Find a well-lit, warm place to plant your tree. A place that receives direct sunlight for 8-12 hours a day is suitable. If there is no such place in the house, you can use special phyto-lamps for plants. At a temperature of + 25-28 ° C, the first shoots will appear in two weeks. Since lemon trees grow in humid climates, it's a good idea to install a humidifier in the room.
- Photo
- Getty Images
PLANTING
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Fill the pot with soil 2 cm from the edge.
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Gently spray the soil with warm water from a spray bottle.
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Cover the pot with plastic wrap or a plastic bag, secure the edges and make small holes. Do not forget to monitor soil moisture: periodically remove the film and moisten the soil.
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After two weeks, when the first sprouts appear, remove the film. When the tree has grown significantly, choose a suitable size pot for it.
- Photo
- https://flo.discus-club.ru
MAINTENANCE
Water the lemon tree once a week. It is important to monitor the level of humidity: the soil should not be wet, because of this, brown rot may develop, but if it is too dry, natural salts that the tree itself secretes will accumulate, which will lead to its death. Remember to ventilate the room in which you grow lemons. If it's too cold outside, put a fan near the plant - this will mimic its natural habitat. It is useful to periodically fertilize the soil with compounds rich in nitrogen. Fertilize the tree every three weeks in warm weather and once every six weeks in the fall and winter.
- Photo
- Getty Images
When fragrant white flowers bloom on the tree, pollinate them with a brush. Run the brush over the stamens and transfer the pollen to the center of the flower on the pistil. Repeat artificial pollination every day. A lemon tree can bear fruit without it, but by carrying out such manipulations, you increase the likelihood of large, juicy fruits.
- Photo
- Getty Images
HARVESTING THE FRUIT
The lemon tree usually bears fruit about three years after planting. When clusters with fruits appear on the plant, remove about 2/3 of them. This will make room for the others and the lemons will grow bigger. In addition, a large number of fruits can overload the tree, leading to its exhaustion. To understand that the fruit is ripe, pay attention to its color: it should be bright yellow. You can also touch the fruit: a ripe lemon is soft to the touch. Once harvested, fruits can be stored for 1-2 months in a cupboard or refrigerator.
- photo 9000 However, a plant can be not only beautiful, but also useful - for example, fruit-bearing, like a lemon. Have you tried to plant a bone before, and it didn’t work out for you? To grow lemons at home, you need to know some tricks. Then in a few years you will enjoy fragrant tea with your own lemons.
What kind of plant?
Lemon is considered an evergreen shrub, belongs to the rue family. Leaves and twigs of lemon in large quantities have glandular cells with pores, which secrete phytoncides and essential oils - from this the house is filled with a wonderful aroma and health is strengthened.
Lemon looks interesting - this is a small tree, although it all depends on the variety - there are trees and three meters. The lemon has fleshy, glossy, dark green leaves, and there are small spines on the trunk. Lemon blooms beautifully - these are red-pink outside and white inside flowers. Previously, lemons were exotic, but today they are not so rare even in our apartments with a far from tropical climate.
Seedling or stone?
It is easier to grow a lemon from a seedling (sprouted small tree), although it is possible to grow it from a lemon seed. Many people think that a bad lemon will turn out from a stone, and there will be no fruits on it, although this is not true. In about five years, it is quite possible to grow a fruit-bearing bush, thus lemons are bred in Italy, Spain and South Asia. It is more difficult to grow lemons here because of the climate, but at home the climate can always be created according to the requirements of the plants.
If you intend to buy a lemon seedling from specialized shops or a botanical garden, then you will be asked which variety you would like. And you need to know that only six main varieties can be grown at home - these are Genoa, Maykop, Meyer, Eureka and Novogruzinsky lemons . Of these, Maikopsky will be especially fruitful, and low ones - Eureka and Genoa, they can even be placed on a warm windowsill.
If you want a lemon from Escape
This is an easier way and is recommended for inexperienced botanists to start with. Escape is usually acquired in specialized amateur societies or botanical shops and gardens. When buying, ask for a one-year-old shoot so that it has at least three to four leaves. It is necessary to buy and plant a lemon at the end of February or March - these are the most natural growing conditions for a lemon in nature. At other times, the escape simply does not want to take root.
Special soil is important - it should be loose soil and a mixture of humus, turf and leafy soil, they must be taken in equal parts, sand from large particles must be added to this earth mixture in a 1: 1 ratio.
Lemons grow only in clay pots of very wide diameter and depth. Soak the pot in water a few hours before transplanting lemon into the ground. At the bottom of the pot in the place of the hole, put a clay shard so that it looks up with a bulge and closes the hole. A layer of fiberglass, a drainage layer of sand, small pebbles or expanded clay are placed on it (they can be perfectly replaced by charcoal). On top of this, a layer of dry manure (no more than 1 cm) is laid and the stalk is planted in the ground. Make sure that the root neck of the seedling is at the level of the edge of the pot or below it.
Pour the stalk with warm settled water and close it with a jar (700-gram or liter), this will protect the seedling from moisture loss. The jar can be removed only when the seedling takes root.
Seed lemon
To germinate a lemon so that it also bears fruit, you need to know the intricacies of its cultivation. Select the largest and most intact seeds from the fruits, place them in small containers like cups from curds with 3-4 drainage holes made.
For best results, treat the seeds with a natural germination stimulant, usually a sodium gummate solution (found in flower shops). In a diluted solution, the seeds should lie for a day. This will give a good development to the root system of the tree in the future, and seedlings - strength for growth.
After soaking in this solution, many recommend treating seeds and seedlings with extra-epin and zircon to accelerate the growth of seedlings and form resistance to dry air and low light in apartments.
From 10-15 seeds, select the most germinating ones and plant them in loose soil - it should be loose soil and a mixture of humus, sod and leafy soil, you need to take them in equal parts, to this earth mixture you need to add sand from large particles in the ratio 1:1. Planting depth - no more than 2 cm. Wait for shoots to germinate from three to five months, then select the best shoots. Further, everything is practiced as described above.
A tree at home requires special care - in order to wait for flowering and fruit, you must follow a few rules for growing lemons in the house.