Thanks to its vigorous growth, a lemon tree is not that difficult to cultivate. If there is already an adult plant, you can simply propagate it with cuttings - although strictly speaking it is not a lemon tree cuttings at all, but rather a cutting.

Choose a suitable mother plant

However, before you start propagating your lemon tree, you should first select a suitable tree. In principle, you can get cuttings from any lemon, but you will not always enjoy them. Like any breeder, you should select for good and bad traits, i. H. a lemon tree with bad characteristics - no or few flowers and fruits, rather meager growth - is not really suitable for cuttings. As a rule, the cutting will have the same properties as the mother plant, after all, both plants are genetically identical.

The selection of the cutting

Cuttings are best obtained when the annual topiary is due in spring anyway. This kills two birds with one stone, so to speak, because you definitely have to prune the lemon tree. In addition, spring and the associated beginning of the vegetation period are best suited for propagating cuttings - after all, the plants are now preparing to grow and thrive. The cultivation of the small tree should therefore be quite uncomplicated. And this is what perfect lemon tree cuttings should look like:

  • It is a semi-ripe (i.e. semi-lignified) shoot from the previous year.
  • about 10 to 15 centimeters long
  • with several buds and one or two small leaves

Cut the cuttings you want at a slight angle - a sloping cut will make it easier for the little plant to absorb water later - and make sure that no residue or stub is left on the mother plant. Dip the cut of the cutting in rooting powder and simply plant it in a small pot of potting soil. It is best to place the pot on the windowsill in a bright and sheltered (no draught!) place. You can also put a transparent plastic bag over it, which ensures high humidity and thus better rooting.

tips and tricks

You shouldn't put such a young lemon tree outside just yet, because it is still very sensitive and needs a lot of loving care.

Category:

Vegetable garden