Lemon size

The lemon tree has a rather special cycle compared to other fruit trees, because unlike most fruit trees, blooms and bears fruit several times a year and it is also an evergreen plant with remarkable ornamental value .

There are many reasons why we might want to grow at least one specimen of this plant, so common and at the same time with such particular characteristics, but we must take into account its high temperature requirements. , which limits their cultivation area. Lemon finds its place in citrus orchards, and also in amateur cultivation, both in the open air and in large pots, which allows it to be transferred to a greenhouse for the winter.

This article is specifically dedicated to the pruning of lemon trees, a less conditioning aspect than other fruit trees, but which must be taken into account. Unlike many fruit-bearing plants, lemon, like other citrus fruits, does not need to be pruned much. let’s see fifteen What are the important legal interventions? so that this beautiful species produces regularly and grows healthy and harmonious.

Contents [Ocultar]

• When to prune lemon

• Growth and fruiting of branches

• brood size

• production size

When to prune lemon

For the cuts it is necessary to avoid the middle of winter because of the cold, but also the summer months characterized by excessively high temperatures, while for the remaining periods there are no particular contraindications to intervene.

It is generally best to avoid cutting branches while the plant is flowering or when the lemons are still forming. an excellent period for pruning is immediately after winter, usually the month of March taking care to avoid late frosts.

Mass growth and fruiting

Lemon, like other citrus fruits, belongs to the Rutaceae family and its persistent nature does not lead to true winter dormancy but to a stagnation of growth during periods of greatest thermal descent.

To define the cuts, remember that citrus fruits bear fruit on branches formed the previous year and that branch growth occurs at three times of the year: spring, early summer and fall. Throughout the summer, with very high temperatures often associated with drought, growth stops. The same phenomenon occurs during the coldest periods of winter.

farm size

The breeding phase is the one that follows the planting of the seedlings and brings them to the start of full production. So it is an initial size which must fix the shape of the plant . In most cases, when buying a lemon tree seedling, it has already received a balloon address the form of cultivation usually adopted for citrus fruits.

The plants therefore have a single stem, 50-70 cm high from the ground, from which the 3 or 4 main branches start, obtained by choosing the best and most widely spaced shoots. If the stem is still long, it is necessary to take care to see it at 60-70 cm and wait for the development of shoots to form the main branches.

During the rearing phase, the necessary cutting interventions are few and are essentially aimed at eliminating shoots and branches that are too tangled and badly placed. If too severe cuts are made, the start of production will be delayed accordingly. .

The lemon globe

Lemon, like other citrus fruits, has a natural development that follows the shape of the globe , a more irregular variant of the classic vase. Plants bred in the form of a globe have a bushy and at the same time neat habit .

In the flask, in fact, unlike the pot, which is adopted for stone fruits and other fruit trees, there is secondary branches also in the central leaf area which therefore appears raw and also fills inside. In the case of citrus fruits, in fact, although it is important to illuminate the foliage and avoid tiling the branches too much, it is necessary protect the fruit from possible sunburn in the hot season.

production reduction

Once the first years after planting, it is useful to lightly prune pruning every 2-3 years maximum, with the following practices:

• Thinning of back juices , vertical branches which, in citrus fruits, can bear fruit by bending downwards. If the juices are too complex and close together, some of them must be removed.
• medium strength juice so that they branch out and can bear fruit.
• Removal of young twigs which originate in the trunk.
• Removal of dry or diseased branches and also those heavily infested with pests such as scale insects.

size criteria

To prune the plants, it is necessary to carefully observe certain basic rules that apply to all species, and others that apply in particular to lemon or citrus fruits. These are tips that should always be taken into account when cutting, to avoid damaging the plant or losing productivity.

• A light size. You should never prune too much, because in the lemon tree flowering, and therefore fruiting, is also linked to a good presence of leaves; moreover, large cuts promote vegetative shoots to the detriment of fruiting.
• Watch out for overcrowded branches. The branches, under the weight of too much fruit, can break: it is useful to keep the production load balanced.
• balanced hair . The foliage should be quite bright and not complex on all fruit trees, but at the same time on citrus trees it is important to avoid sunburn, so the globe shape, so full inside, is ideal.
• quality tools . The quality of scissors, jigsaws and jigsaws, as cutting tools, is crucial. They should be sturdy, the steel of the blades should be good, and the handle should be comfortable. Tools that are too cheap break easily and force us to make a new purchase, so it is better to avoid them.
• clean the blades . It is recommended that cutting blades be disinfected after use, especially when symptoms of disease have been observed.