Whether terrace, balcony or conservatory: the lemon tree is indisputably one of the most popular plants for these areas. In the following article we would like to introduce the citrus plant to you in more detail and provide valuable planting and care tips.
With good care, lemon trees also bear fruit in pots
Plant profile:
systematics
- Botanical name: Citrus limon
- Order: Soapberry Trees (Sapindales)
- Family: Rutaceae
- Genus: Citrus plants (Citrus)
Botanical:
- Habit: Upright, bushy small tree
- Height of growth: 4 to 5 metres, correspondingly smaller in pots
- Main flowering period: May to August
- Blossom: Intensely scented single blossoms
- Flower color: white
- Leaves: Serrate, elongated, pointedly oval, juicy green
- Fruits: Edible, yellow berries
Special properties:
Lemons are considered valuable natural remedies because of their high vitamin content. Its essential oils also have a soothing effect on insect bites.
origin
The lemon tree originally comes from Asia, where the plant has been cultivated for over a thousand years. It is believed that the lemon tree originated from a cross between the citron and the bitter orange tree.
location and substrate
Give the warmth-loving plant a light, sunny and sheltered place. A south-facing terrace or a temperate conservatory is ideal. If you would like to integrate the lemon tree as a highlight in a bed, you should bury the plant together with the tub after the ice saints and bring it back inside in the fall.
In terms of substrate, the lemon tree is a little special. It is therefore preferable to place it in citrus soil or high-quality potting soil without the addition of peat.
watering and fertilizing
Water the lemon tree infrequently, but then heavily. Do a thumb test before watering: when the top three centimeters of soil feel dry, it's time to water. Citrus trees have a high calcium requirement. For this reason, use rather hard water. Since waterlogging causes the leaves to drop, you should throw away any liquid that collects in the saucer after a few minutes.
From spring to budding everything is fertilized for two weeks. A special fertilizer for citrus plants that contains a lot of nitrogen and little phosphate is ideal.
repot
If the planter has become too small, give the citrus tree a new pot, preferably in spring. It is important that a dense root ball can form. Therefore, choose a vessel that is no more than five centimeters larger than the previous one.
Older specimens are no longer placed in a new bucket, only the substrate is exchanged. To do this, carefully remove the soil with a small garden shovel until you come across the first, thick roots. Then fill the pot with fresh citrus soil.
diseases and pests
Unfortunately, lemon trees are a bit sensitive. They are often used by
- aphids,
- spider mites,
- scale insects
haunted. You can successfully combat these with commercially available means.
If the leaves turn yellow, the plant is suffering from chlorosis. Over-fertilization can also be the cause of unsightly leaf coloration. In this case, check the fertilizer doses and preferably supply the lemon tree with special fertilizer in the dosage indicated on the packaging.
tips
Lemon trees do not form a beautiful crown on their own. That is why they need to be trimmed regularly. If the tree has a pretty shape, only the shoots that have become too long or disturbing should be cut out in spring.