the lemon , lemon citrus native to India and Indochina, is a perennial plant like the others citrus of the family Rutaceae, and has some ornamental value.
According to some, it is not a real and proper species, but a hybrid between cedar ( medical citrus ) and the lime and ( Citrus aurantifolia ), and this hypothesis is quite plausible given the great ability of citrus fruits to hybridize and mutate. This attitude has contributed to their spread throughout the world, diversifying them and making them adaptable to different conditions.
Unlike other fruit trees, this species blooms and produces several times a year , thus giving more harvests. We all know the fruit of the lemon: botanically it is a citrus fruit, it has an elliptical shape, it is yellow and it has a tip called “umbone”. The skin is thick and rich in glands which contain very fragrant essential oils . The lemon tree can reach a maximum height of 6 meters, has branches with a slightly irregular and thorny growth and even with certain climatic limitations, can be grown with relative ease also organically.
Contents [Ocultar]
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Climate and soil indicated
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plant the tree
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The harvest in detail
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Irrigation
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Padded
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Play stacked lemons
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how to cut lemons
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lemon diseases
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dry bad
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Bacterial
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Sadness
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harmful insects
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mealybugs
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aphids
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serpentine miner
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cannabis cultivation
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Harvest and variety of lemons
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variety of lemon
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The “pseudo lemons”
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how to eat lemons
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Contents
Climate and relief indicated
Climate necessary for cultivation . lemon is very sensitive to low temperatures , even more so than other citrus fruits such as orange. At -4°C it defoliates, and with even lower and prolonged temperatures damage to the wood is created until the plant dies. Therefore, it can only be grown outdoors in temperate climatic zones, where the winters are not too harsh. In fact, it is at its best in southern and island regions, where it grows profusely and produces an abundance of juicy fruit. Also the particular microclimates of the great northern lakes are favorable to citrus crops, while in the center its cultivation also depends a lot on the exposure. , which must be sunny and sheltered. if you really want also grows in the north we must think cover the plant in winter with non-woven fabrics and keep it in sheltered positions Therefore, the best solution in these cases is to grow in a pot, which also allows it to be moved.
the perfect ground . Regarding the nature of the soil, the lemon is rather adaptable but prefers soils with slightly acidic pH and rich in organic matter. Very clayey soils are to be avoided, as well as those too limestone Where saline .
plant the tree
rootstock . Lemon trees are already grafted and it is useful know in which rootstocks , to understand the future aptitudes of the plant. In fact, the rootstock is the lower part of the tree and rooting, vigor and adaptation to different types of soil depend on it.
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Pollination . For lemon fruiting no more need for specimens as pollinators and even a single factory can produce independently.
How to plant lemon
At the time of the transplant, it is necessary to have some good compost or mature manure to mix it with the earth excavated from the hole. The hole should be Deep to ensure the roots of the plant a certain volume of loose and soft soil, so the dimensions of about 70x70x70cm they are optimal. The hole is usually made manually with pickaxes and a shovel, but if the soil is too tough and several lemon trees are planted, it is useful to use a motorized drill. . The best time to plant is spring when the plants can root well.
plant sets . In professional lemon cultivation, the plants are kept at about 5 x 5 meters or even less, but suitable planting spaces allow for good sunlight , so it is better not to thicken the plants. Ideally the best solution is to plant the middle rows but this practice finds a strong limit to the drought in the lemon-growing areas.
Culture in detail
Disk
For information, lemon water needs are high , about 20-60 cubic meters per plant during the season. Since lemons are mainly grown in hot and dry areas, they are always accompanied by irrigation, a practice that must therefore be applied even for the cultivation of a single plant or a few, especially if it is in pots. The most delicate phase where water should not be lacking, is between flowering and fruit set and since the lemon blooms several times a year, you have to be careful often .
Varnese
mulch as with any other species, is very useful especially during the first years of life of the plant, as it prevents the growth of wild grass which can compete with the lemon for water and nutrients. For this species, moreover, mulch is particularly useful for protect the root system from winter cold , especially if grown in adjacent climatic zones. It is therefore possible to distribute a nice layer of straw or bark under which to put handfuls of natural fertilizer.
Replace lemons with layers
A simple and particularly effective technique for the reproduction of lemon trees of the mother plant is the » stratification », technique which consists in choosing a branch of one or two years and to carry out an engraving in the shape of a ring. Under the cut, a polythene bag is tied, filled with soil and also tied at the upper end: the branch is thus wrapped by a sleeve of soil around the cut and slowly at this time the roots are born, which a well-formed times will allow cutting the branch from the parent plant. The most suitable period for this operation is spring . We can cover this in more detail in the article on how to make lemon layers.
how to cut lemons
plant shape . Lemons are mainly grown like a ball a form with which the plant is free to develop naturally, making fruitful branches even in the lower part.
Pruning works. The lemon does not require systematic pruning work so that the cuts are usually linked to particular needs, such as the elimination of the parts affected by the disease and the aeration of a particularly dense foliage.