How to properly replant a lemon at home

Lemon takes root well and develops quickly even at home. In order for it to bear fruit and not just be a beautiful tree, it is important to follow the rules of agricultural technology. Lemon care is not only about fertilizing, watering, forming and creating optimal indoor conditions, but also regular replanting. It is the size of the pot that determines how well the plant develops.

Lemons are replanted regularly, regardless of its condition. In some cases, unscheduled replacement of the pot and soil is carried out. In what cases is this necessary and how to transplant a lemon correctly, read on.

When to replant a lemon

Lemon Tree, grown at home, requires regular replanting. Citrus cannot be planted immediately in a large pot, otherwise its root system will not be able to absorb a sufficient amount of microelements and will develop incorrectly. This will result in a lack of flowers and fruits.

Another reason for the need for regular replanting concerns the soil. Over time, insoluble compounds are formed in the old soil, left over from applied fertilizers. The composition of the soil is changing for the worse. The plant can no longer absorb nutrients. This causes leaves to fall and die.

In some cases, unscheduled transplants are used. They are necessary if the tree affected by diseases and pests. Sometimes the procedure is carried out after a long violation of the rules of care and the falling of leaves.

Planned transplant

A planned transplant is carried out regardless of the condition of the lemon. The period between procedures for plants of different ages is not the same:

1. 1 year. In the first year, the young plant is moved to a new pot 2-3 times. The first time this is done after the seedlings have rooted or two true leaves have appeared on the seedlings. The rest of the transplants are done after the roots fill the pot.
2. 2-5 years. Before flowering, lemons are replanted annually.
3. Plants that bloom and bear fruit. A pot of an adult lemon that has bloomed and produced fruits is renewed once every 2-3 years.

Unscheduled transplant

An unscheduled transplant is done regardless of whether the roots have filled the pot. This is done in the following cases:

1. Root rot. This disease affects the roots of the plant, leading to their rotting. External signs are detected when the disease is already advanced and the lemon has begun to shed its leaves. It can only be treated by transplanting into new soil with preliminary removal of the affected roots.
2. Excessive watering of the soil. At the same time, the composition of the soil changes, and the lemon roots begin to rot. To save the plant, it is transplanted into new soil. A similar problem is indicated by waterlogged, swampy soil and yellowed leaves.
3. The plant has dropped its leaves. If no signs of diseases and pests, as well as errors in care, are found, the tree is removed from the pot. Perhaps it's in the root system. Even if this is not the case, the tree often feels better after replanting.
4. Water quickly flows into the pan or stagnates. This indicates an incorrect soil composition. You will have to replant the plant and replace the soil.
5. Increased soil acidity. Lemon loves slightly acidic soils.If the indicators are elevated, the problem is solved by replanting the plant in soil with the addition of lime or ash.

Unscheduled transplantation is possible at any time of the year. You cannot wait for the right moment, otherwise you will not be able to save the plant.

Note! In the cases described, it is possible to transplant even a flowering and fruiting lemon to a new place. Since there is a need to cleanse the roots from the soil, inflorescences and fruits are torn from the tree before the procedure.

Replacing soil and pot immediately after purchase

There is an opinion that a lemon must be replanted immediately after purchase. This makes sense, since soil from the store may be contaminated. In addition, often the pots in which lemons are sold are of poor quality or too small.

How to understand that replanting a purchased lemon is necessary:

1. Inspect the root system. If roots fall out of the drainage holes or the root system is visible through the holes, then the pot needs to be replaced with a larger one.
2. Stick a skewer into the moistened soil. If it penetrates tightly into the ground and clings to the roots, replanting is necessary.
3. Checking acidity. In stores for planting lemons Mixtures with high-moor peat are often used. This soil has high acidity, which is unacceptable for lemon. The soil is checked using litmus paper. If the indicators are increased, the soil is replaced with new one.

If after such checks there are still doubts about the need to replant the lemon, the tree is removed from the container along with a lump of earth, the root system and soil are examined.

If the earthen ball is completely covered with roots and there are dry, darkened and slimy areas in the root system, it is worth replanting the plant.If the roots are not visible in the coma and it falls apart, you need to take a larger container.

It is strictly forbidden to replant if the plant is a trunk with several leaves. This is a rooted cutting. It is replanted when the roots fill the entire space of the pot.

Note! To prevent lemon brought from the store from infecting other indoor plants, during the first week it is quarantined in a separate room and treated with fungicides and insecticides.

Timing for lemon transplantation

It is best to replant lemons before the active growing season. This is done at the end of February or beginning of spring. In the fall, this procedure is carried out only if absolutely necessary. Experienced citrus growers advise paying attention to the indicators of the lunar calendar.

When to replant lemons at home in 2020:

• January – 1, 5, 6-8, 25, 27-29;
• February – 1-3, 6-7, 9, 20, 23-25, 28-29;
• March – 1, 4-6, 9, 17-18, 24, 27-28.

Preparatory work

For the transplant to be successful, it is important to properly prepare for the procedure. Attention is paid to the soil, the pot and the plant itself.

Choosing a pot

The right container allows air to enter the soil and looks aesthetically pleasing.

What kind of pot is needed for lemon:

1. Plastic transparent cups. They are convenient to use in the initial stages of lemon cultivation, when it needs to be replanted several times a year. The plant is replanted as soon as the roots fill the container. The degree of growth of the root system is visible through transparent plastic. The glass must be wrapped in a dark cloth, and drainage holes are made in the bottom. In the second year they use real pots.
2. Clay pots. This is the best option for growing lemon.When the soil is wet, the clay absorbs some of the water, and when the soil dries, it releases the liquid back. It is believed that air enters the soil through the smallest pores in the clay container. Such containers are soaked in warm water for several hours before planting. Then it will not contribute to premature drying of the earth.
3. Plastic pots. The cheapest option that looks aesthetically pleasing. They are convenient to use for young trees that are transplanted into a new container every year. It is worth considering that plastic does not absorb moisture, and such a pot will have to be filled with a thicker layer of drainage.
4. Wooden tubs with a narrow bottom are used for mature, mature plants. In them, the root system feels as comfortable as possible for a long time. Before use, the inner surface of the tub is burned with a blowtorch to reduce the likelihood of wood rotting and to disinfect it. The most durable are pots made of pine and oak.

As for the size of the container, the first pot is chosen with a volume of 0.3-0.5 liters. Next, the diameter of the container is increased by 3-5 cm each time.

Before use, the pots are disinfected - soaked in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water.

Important! The lemon pot must have drainage holes.

Soil preparation

Loose, nutritious soil is suitable for lemon. It is important that the acidity is neutral or slightly acidic. Check the indicators using litmus paper.

Some gardeners prepare the soil mixture themselves.

Ingredients for one of the options:

• garden soil - 2 parts;
• river sand – 1 part;
• turf (forest or meadow) land – 1 part;
• humus - 1 part.

Add 1 tbsp to the resulting soil mixture. ash.It is disinfected by pouring a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate or a product prepared from 5 liters of water and 1 tsp. copper sulfate. Another option is to calcine the soil mixture in the oven.

It is not recommended to use peat for soil. It increases acidity. This is especially true for high brown peat.

Note! White or gray sand is suitable for preparing the soil mixture. It is better not to take yellow and orange, as their iron content is too high.

Drainage will also be required. Typically, small expanded clay or crushed stone, small ceramics, and shell rock are used. The drainage is also disinfected.

Preparing the tree

Not only the soil and containers need preparation, but also the plant itself. Before moving the tree into a pot, water it and feed.

Fertilizing is applied 5 days before transplantation. If you use the transshipment method, water the lemon 2 days before the procedure. To successfully transplant the plant, the soil is moistened 1 day before the procedure.

Step-by-step instructions for transplantation

Transplantation methods vary. Different technologies are used for lemons of different ages.

If the tree is already blooms and bears fruit, act as follows:

1. The day before moving it to a new pot, water the lemon generously. This makes it easier to clear the root system of soil. The plant is removed from the pot. Remove at least 60% of the old soil.
2. Inspect the root system. Dry, rotting, brown and damp roots are removed. The cut areas are treated with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate.
3. A layer of soil and drainage are poured into the new container. Lemon is planted without deepening the root collar.
4. The soil is watered with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate and a solution of a root formation stimulator.

The transplanted lemon is placed in a warm, bright place where the risk of exposure to direct sunlight is minimal. For the first 4-5 days it is not watered, but generously sprayed with a spray bottle. Then daily soil moisture is resumed.

After such a transplant, the tree experiences stress. To ensure that it recovers quickly and does not get sick, any negative effects are excluded.

Transshipment

Transshipment is used for planned transplantation of healthy lemons aged from 1 to 5 years. After the procedure, the plant does not experience stress, since its root system is not damaged.

Step-by-step instructions for transplantation:

1. The lemon is removed from the pot along with a lump of earth. It is important that the soil is not too wet or too dry.
2. The earthen ball is cleared of drainage and the top layer 2-3 cm thick.
3. The tree is moved to a new pot filled with disinfected drainage. The free space is filled with soil.
4. Water the lemon with warm, settled water.

In this case, the plant does not need special care. It is enough to carry out normal regular procedures.

Working with old plants

Old trees that have reached their optimal size are not replanted. To get rid of insoluble salts, the top layer of soil is replaced annually.

To do this, remove a quarter of the soil from above, being careful not to damage the root system and trunk. The remaining soil is washed until clean, clear water flows from the pot.

New soil is poured into the pot. The lemon is watered with a solution of superphosphate and potassium salts.

Lemon propagation at home

Growing lemons at home is not difficult. Both generative and vegetative methods of propagation are used. Both options have advantages and disadvantages.

Seeds

Seed propagation of lemon in most cases only produces a wild plant. However, such a tree is characterized by increased endurance and unpretentiousness. Later it blooms and produces less tasty small fruits than cultivated plants, but it becomes a good rootstock for various varieties and hybrids.

To grow lemon from seed, it is important to choose suitable planting material. To obtain it, the fruit must be ripe and have a uniform color. It should be free of rot, stains and other signs of infection by infections and pests.

Good bones are light, convex on both sides and elastic. They are distinguished by uniform color and absence of spots.

Note! It is recommended to take more seeds than the plants require. Not all of them will germinate, and some will die during the grafting process.

Seeds are sown to a depth of 1-1.5 cm in a common container. After planting, the soil is watered with water, covered with film and put in a warm place.

After the emergence of seedlings, the plants begin to ventilate, gradually increasing the duration of the procedure. They are planted in individual containers after the appearance of 2 true leaves. The next time the transplant is carried out when the roots fill the pot.

Cuttings

Cuttings allows you to obtain a varietal lemon with the characteristics of the mother plant. The tree begins to bear fruit already in 3-4 years. However, plants obtained from cuttings have less endurance than those grown generatively.

Cuttings for growing lemon are purchased from nurseries or cut independently from a fruit-bearing tree. The mother plant should not show signs of pest or infection. The branches from which planting material is obtained must also be healthy.

Leave such a distance from the edge of the branch so that there are 2-3 live buds on the pruning. The cuttings are soaked in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate and a root formation stimulator.

Then the cutting is dug into the ground so that it stands without support. The ground is watered, the branch is sprayed with warm water and covered with a bag. Ventilate and spray daily.

Rooting is indicated by awakened buds. If the seedlings are in a common container, they are picked at this stage. When planting directly into individual pots, transplantation is carried out when the root system fills the entire container.

Vaccination

Vaccination used to obtain poorly rooted varieties or to cultivate wild game grown from seed. It is more convenient to graft the rootstock onto the young scion. In this case, the plants are cut so that only the trunk remains.

A cut 1.5-2 cm deep is made in the center of the trunk. The branch from the cut side is ground so as to form a wedge. The scion wedge is inserted into the rootstock cut. The junction is wrapped with garden tape or electrical tape.

The grafted lemon is placed under a bag or cut bottle, ventilated and watered regularly. The formation of leaves and shoots indicates that the scion has taken root.

Conclusion

Transplanting a lemon is a mandatory procedure that is carried out regularly regardless of the condition of the plant. This is necessary to renew the soil, which changes its composition with prolonged use, and to increase the pot filled with roots. Unscheduled transplants are carried out if the plant is sick.

If the procedure is carried out correctly, the plant will not be harmed. It is important to follow the step-by-step instructions and take into account the main nuances.