Reproduction of lemon cuttings at home: how to grow and root

Today, many plant lovers are trying to grow citrus fruits at home. The lemon tree is one of the most sought-after crops, due to the unpretentiousness of the plant, combined with the possibility of obtaining delicious fruits. If you want to increase the number of bushes, you should learn about the features of lemon propagation by cuttings at home.

Advantages of the method

Growing lemon from cuttings is considered the fastest and easiest. When planting a seed, it is not always possible to get a sprout, and fruiting begins only after 10 years.Buying a ready-made bush for further cultivation is always associated with significant financial costs, and with the help of cuttings, you can get a large number of seedlings.

Types of cuttings

Today the lemon reproduces in several ways. Some of them are quite simple and accessible even to beginners, others require certain skills in working with fruit trees.

Inoculation

For propagation in this way, shoots obtained from seeds are taken as a stock. The scion is a cultivar of lemon, adapted for growing at home. It is permissible to use other types of citrus fruits for these purposes, with the exception of mandarin.

Vaccination is done when the plant has an active movement of juice, that is, in spring or summer. It can be made in a split or in the butt. When performing work, it is required to use carefully disinfected tools, otherwise it is easy to infect the plant and it may die.

Budding

The method of budding is that a bud from a fruiting tree is inserted into a T-shaped incision made in the rootstock bark. It is recommended to use 2-3 seedlings for these purposes, the thickness of which has reached the size of a pencil. The place for vaccination is chosen at a distance of 5-10 cm from the ground level.

After budding, the place is carefully bandaged. If after 2-3 weeks the petioles fall off, then the procedure is considered successfully completed. If their drying is observed, then the vaccination was unsuccessful. After 30 days, the upper part of the rootstock is cut off, leaving 10 cm above the grafting site. After sprouting, the eye is cut directly above it.

Rooting

When rooted by cuttings, an exact copy of the parent plant is obtained.On average, the flowering period of the bush can be expected in the 3-4th year. Modern growth stimulants greatly increase the chances of cuttings taking root, so this method of lemon propagation remains one of the most popular.

Air layering

The advantage of propagation by layering is to obtain almost 100% results. The disadvantage is the bulkiness of the method and the need for time to carry out the work. For reproduction, a flowerpot with nutrient soil is installed nearby. Several cuts are formed in the branch of the parent tree, tilted and pinned, after which they are covered with earth. In places of damage, root segments will begin to form, after 2 months you can cut off the clone.

Aerial Chinese layering involves the formation of a cut on a branch in the spring, followed by wrapping the place of damage with moss, wrapping it with a film, periodically moistening the sphagnum.It provides the plant with moisture and a bactericidal effect, as a result of which roots form at the cut site. With sufficient formation, the layers are separated from the parent tree and planted in a separate container.

Optimal time for cuttings

The most optimal time for propagating homemade lemon cuttings is spring. It is at this time that the plant wakes up from hibernation, and it is activated. The plant begins to intensively form new shoots that can become planting material. It is acceptable to form cuttings during the summer season, some gardeners prefer to choose for this time when the heat begins to subside, and the sprouts have a higher survival rate.

How to choose the best branch for rooting

For cuttings, branches with a diameter of 5-6 mm and a length of 8-10 cm are selected. Each of them should have 3-4 he althy buds and 2-4 leaves.

Preparing the cutting

The bottom cut should be 45^{. The upper one is made 1 cm above the kidney in a perpendicular direction with respect to the trunk. At the bottom of the shoot, foliage is removed to improve the movement of juice. The rest of the sheet plates can be cut to 1/3.}

It is not recommended to germinate cuttings in water, as they do not form roots, but gradually rot and dry out. Immediately before planting, the lower cut of the process is sprinkled with ash or the growth stimulator "Heteroauxin".

Fitting technology

For planting, a small volume container is prepared, and the cutting is deepened by 2-3 cm. After rooting, the plant should not be transplanted, as the lemon does not like frequent manipulations and changing places. In this case, the earth will be different, which will negatively affect the he alth of the plant. It is enough to increase the thickness of the top nutrient layer and add vermiculite for better moisture retention.

You can plant a plant in a year, such a period will be enough for a lemon to get stronger and grow up. To do this, choose a pot, the size of which is 1-2 cm larger than the previous one.

Necessary conditions for rooting

Multiple rules must be met at the same time to be able to root. It is required to choose the right place and soil, to ensure timely feeding and watering. An error in at least one of the listed points will lead to the death of the process.

Soil composition

For planting, choose the soil intended for citrus fruits. Do-it-yourself soil preparation is acceptable. In this case, sand and sphagnum are taken in equal proportions and thoroughly mixed together. Instead of moss, peat can be used in the manufacture of soil. A drainage layer of expanded clay or porous vermiculite must be laid out at the bottom of the pot.

If several shoots are planted in one container, then the distance between them must be at least 5 cm.

Pot size

Despite the strong growth of an adult tree, a small capacity pot should be taken for planting a cutting. Enough volume of 0.5 liters. A drainage hole is necessarily formed at the bottom of the dishes, which will allow excess water to come out.

Temperature

For good growth, the shoot needs to provide a temperature of 20-25 ^{C. Cuttings of indoor plants need sufficient light, but you should not place them on the south side under direct sunlight. In such a situation, it is necessary to protect the seedlings from light.}

Fertilizer and watering

Immediately after planting, the soil is moistened. After completion of work, additional spraying with warm water is carried out and a greenhouse is formed.For top dressing, organic fertilizers are applied to the soil at intervals of 1 time every 10 days. When using special preparations, only those intended for citrus crops should be purchased.

How long does a sprout take root

After 3-4 weeks, a small outgrowth appears in the region of the lower cut, after which large white roots form a little higher. They are very brittle, so care must be taken when removing the process for further transplantation.

Care for cuttings

For rooting cuttings need sufficient moisture, so periodic spraying is required. Good rooting of the shoot is possible at a humidity of 95%, for which a small greenhouse structure is formed. Spraying 1-2 times a day is considered sufficient.

After the roots appear, the greenhouse cannot be removed immediately, as this will be a strong stress for the plant. First, the structure is removed for 3 minutes, gradually increasing the time the sprout stays without protection.

How to build a greenhouse for lemon seedlings

To form a greenhouse structure for better survival, plants use ordinary transparent plastic bottles with a volume of 2 liters. To do this, the upper part is removed, and several holes are formed in the bottom, after which the rooted shoots are covered with the rest. Some growers use ordinary glass jars to create a greenhouse or cover the sprouts with a plastic bag.

Tips for Better Rooting

For better root formation, cuttings are recommended to be left overnight in the Epin or Heteroauxin nutrient solution before planting. Loose and nutritious soil should be provided, therefore, when laying in a pot, the soil should not be heavily compacted.For good plant growth, the nutrient layer of the earth should occupy at least 2/3 of the container.