Countries in Southeast Asia are considered to have a warm subtropical and tropical climate. There all year round warm, with a slight drop in temperature in winter, plenty of light and quite humid. Therefore, citrus plants require a well-lit place both in summer and winter. Daylight hours all year round are approximately 12 hours; in our climate, the most suitable day lengths are spring and autumn. Most species are completely intolerant of even short-term and short-term frosts.
One of the features citrus plants- uneven growth. After a period of active growth, a period of dormancy begins, when young shoots and leaves stop growing, and the wood begins to mature. Only after this does a new wave of shoot growth begin.
Many indoor citrus fruits are characterized by their ability to bloom and set fruit several times a year. Flowering of grafted plants or those grown from rooted cuttings occurs almost immediately. Flowering of seedlings in nature usually occurs in some species at 4-5 years, in others only at 12-15 years, but it is almost never possible to wait for citrus seedlings to flower at home.
The optimal conditions for the development of flowers will be a temperature of about +18 o C and air humidity of about 70%. The flowers are bisexual and in many varieties are self-pollinating, but to ensure reliable fruit set, it is better to resort to artificial pollination using a soft brush. After flowering, not all ovaries remain on the branches; many soon fall off. The ovary can be considered complete if it has reached at least 2 cm. The fruits ripen, depending on the specific type or variety, from 5-9 months, and can hang on the tree for up to next harvest. By the way, the color of the peel is not a sign of ripening. So, in the tropics, where there is no cool winter, the color of ripe fruits remains green. Orange color also does not indicate the ripeness of the fruit. If it is not picked in time, the peel may turn green again and then re-color.
Winter content. Species originating from the subtropics require a mandatory decrease in temperature in winter; this is their physiological need. Illumination and temperature affect the degree of plant metabolism: the higher they are, the more active the vital processes occur. The most hard times for citrus fruits at home begins in late autumn, when the amount of light drops sharply. It is through light that the plant receives energy through the process of photosynthesis. If little energy is produced (in conditions of lack of light), but a lot is spent (in conditions warm room), the plant gradually becomes depleted, sometimes “eats” itself and dies. In our winter conditions, even the lightest windowsill does not provide the insolation that the plant receives in its homeland, so in winter citrus fruits will always, no matter the lighting, suffer from a lack of light. To help them successfully overwinter, it is necessary to lower the temperature and increase the light.
For wintering, an insulated loggia or greenhouse with a temperature of about +14 o C and additional lighting is suitable (in cloudy weather - during the whole day, in clear weather - only in the evenings, so that the total daylight hours is 12 hours). Citrus fruits winter well in cool apartments or private houses. IN warm apartment you can fence off the window sill from the room with a third frame or film so that more space can be installed inside low temperature.
In the absence of a cool winter, citrus plants usually do not live longer than 3-4 years, gradually become depleted and die. The holiday lasts from November to February. In early to mid-February, when daylight noticeably increases, most citrus crops “wake up.”
Content temperature. Both too low and too high temperatures inhibit the normal development of citrus plants. In summer, it is desirable that the temperature be kept within +18+26 o C, in winter it needs coolness, +12+16 o C. Never expose the plant to negative temperatures.
Different parts of the plant (roots and crown) should be in the same temperature conditions. If the temperature in the root system zone is lower than in the crown zone, the roots do not have time to absorb required quantity water. Otherwise, the roots absorb too much of it. Such differences lead to stress and can cause the plant to lose its leaves. The temperature at the floor is always several degrees lower than at the crown level, so it is better to place the plant on a small stand. If the room has heated floors, there is a danger of overheating for the root system.
In spring and summer, it is useful to place citrus fruits on the balcony or take them out into the garden, where they grow and bloom beautifully. However, the pots need to be shaded from the sun. Through the heated walls of the pots, the roots get burned, and the temperature balance of the roots and foliage is disrupted.
When the plant is returned indoors in the fall, heavy leaf fall is often observed due to a sharp change in conditions. To avoid it, you should not wait for a strong cold snap and turn on the heating systems, but bring the plant in early. Then there will not be a large difference in temperature and air humidity. You should also be careful that the illumination does not drop significantly.
Illumination. Citrus plants are very light-loving; they should only be protected from midday summer sun. Optimal location in the south - eastern or south - western windows, and in the summer in the garden - under the light shade of trees. IN winter time It is advisable to provide additional intense lighting, with a day length of 12 hours. Without sufficient light, the plant will not be able to fully develop. Too much daylight in middle lane, and especially in the northern regions, has a negative impact on normal development plants.
A sign of a lack of light is the appearance of leaves that are too large and too green, and with a severe deficiency - yellowing and falling leaves. The result of too bright lighting will be the formation of discolored, too light leaves, on which, with a sharp increase in light without prior adaptation, burns, white or black spots may appear. There is a high probability of such burns in February-March, when during the winter the plant “weans” from the sun’s rays.
Watering should be regular and moderate. Citrus fruits are not drought-resistant, but it is extremely important to avoid systematic overmoistening of the substrate. In summer and winter, always keep the soil moist, but between waterings upper layer must dry out. When watering, make sure that the water reaches all the roots (it should go out a little into the pan, from which the excess must be drained). In summer you will need more frequent watering, perhaps even daily (depending on the weather, the volume and composition of the soil, and the size of the plant).
During the winter months, when it is maintained cool temperature, the frequency and abundance of watering is reduced. Keep the soil slightly moist, do not allow it to dry out, watering frequency approximately once every 7-10 days.
Water for irrigation should be soft and free of chlorine. Hard water is softened by boiling, sometimes acidified lemon juice (1- 3 drops per 1 l). The temperature of the irrigation water should be no lower than the room temperature or 3-4 degrees higher. During winter holiday Do not water with too warm water, so as not to “awaken” the plant ahead of time.
Air humidity. Citrus fruits grow in regions with high air humidity, this must be taken into account when home care, spray water on the foliage or use a household humidifier.
Transfer. The root system of citrus plants has a peculiarity - it does not have root hairs, through which water and minerals dissolved in it are usually absorbed. Their role is played by a symbiotic fungus that forms mycorrhiza in the roots. The death of mycorrhiza leads to the extinction of the plant itself. It is very sensitive to conditions, suffers from prolonged absence of moisture, lack of air in heavy and dense soil, low and high temperatures, and especially when roots are exposed or damaged. Sometimes you can see apparently normal roots in a dead plant - this is precisely explained by the death of mycorrhiza. This is why citrus fruits do not tolerate transplantation well and can be sick for a long time after it. Citrus fruits should only be replanted by the most careful handling, without changing the soil or washing the roots under any circumstances (except for severe damage to the roots, when there is no other choice).
Substrates for growing citrus fruits. There are several recipes for soil mixtures for citrus fruits - they include peat, turf and leaf soil, sand, and manure humus. It is important that the mixture is slightly acidic or neutral (pH from 5.5 to 7.0). If your water is hard, it is better to use slightly acidic soil. However, preparing a mixture of all these components separately and adjusting the acidity is quite difficult. It's easier to take ready soil for citrus fruits (usually called “Lemon”), and bring it to the desired condition. Before use, the substrate must be heat treated in a water bath (to destroy larvae, eggs and adult pests, pathogenic fungi and bacteria).
Small plants should be replanted soon after purchase, since peat soil dries out easily, and tightly entwined roots are easily subject to overheating and drying out. Then they are replanted every year in the spring (if necessary). Older plants can be left untouched in the first year and then replanted every 3-4 years. Large trees are not replanted, but the top layer of soil is replaced annually.
If you have purchased a small plant, which is usually planted in a peat substrate, under no circumstances should you change it or add denser soil - roots will not be able to grow into it. It is better to use a ready-made peat substrate for the first transplant, adding sand and a little turf soil to it. At further transfers the amount of turf soil in the mixture can be gradually increased.
Large specimens are usually already planted in the ground with the addition of turf soil, so ready mixture You can add sand and more turf or leaf soil. It is better not to use manure humus in mixtures, but to replace it with an extract that is added to irrigation water.
And do not overuse loosening the soil, which can easily damage the roots.
Reproduction. Citrus crops easily cross-pollinate, giving rise to new hybrids with properties different from the mother plant. Therefore, in order to preserve the desired properties and speed up fruiting, they use methods vegetative propagation: grafting, cuttings, air layering. For industrial purposes, preference is given to grafting; it makes it possible to select a rootstock required quality(for frost resistance, drought resistance, etc.) Some varieties have poorly developed root system, and grafting onto a powerful rootstock provides the plant good roots. In home citrus growing, grafting is often used to breed especially capricious variegated varieties, but their implementation requires special knowledge and skills. Many popular varieties they are not required, they develop perfectly from rooted cuttings, while fully retaining their maternal qualities and flowering quickly (often still at the rooting stage).
For rooting, use sterile soil (peat + sand). Rooting temperature is about +25 o C, always in a greenhouse, preferably with bottom heating. The light is bright, diffused, at least from a fluorescent lamp.
Ripened young shoots are taken for cuttings, this moment being at a resting stage, this is important. If you take a shoot that is at the growth stage, then the likelihood of it taking root is very low. It is optimal for the shoot to be about 6 months old, and it has already turned from angular to round. Cuttings are taken only from healthy plants. The shoot is cut into segments of 3-4 internodes. The top cut is made straight. The bottom leaf is removed, an oblique cut is made directly under this bud, the bark is lightly scratched with a clean thin needle, dipped in root formation stimulator powder Kornevin and immersed in the soil until next sheet. If the greenhouse holds moisture well, then it is better to leave all the leaves whole without cutting them leaf blades. They will serve as a source for the cuttings nutrients. If the tightness of the greenhouse is poor, then so that the cuttings do not lose too much moisture, two bottom sheets you will have to cut it in half. In the greenhouse it is necessary to maintain high air humidity. Rooting lasts from 2 weeks to 1 - 2 months, sometimes longer.
Citrus seeds, freshly removed from the fruit, germinate very well, usually within a month. The seedlings are actively developing and are quite unpretentious. Using pruning, they can be formed into beautiful trees, which will also enrich the atmosphere of the house with useful phytoncidal substances. But in order to bear fruit, such seedlings must be grafted with cuttings of varietal plants.
Formation needed to give a beautiful and compact look to the crown. Best time for her it comes at the end of the winter rest period, at the beginning of February. In summer, shoots that are too long and fattening should also be shortened. Different kinds and varieties of citrus fruits have their own growth pattern. Thus, lemon does not branch very readily, and it is quite difficult to form a compact, beautiful tree from it. The orange grows powerfully upward, requiring regular pruning. The tangerine's crown thickens quickly, and it is necessary to cut out some of the shoots growing inward. Kumquat grows quite compactly, requiring virtually no pruning. You don't have to trim the calamondin too much.
Young plants grown from rooted cuttings begin to form almost immediately, giving the tree beautiful view. Seedlings should begin to form at one year of age. If by this time they have reached at least 30 cm, the crown is cropped. However, even correct formation seedlings do not lead to the long-awaited fruiting at home.
Feeding. Citrus fruits should be fertilized only during the months of active growth, from mid-February to mid-September, and should never be fed during winter rest. When preparing for the rest period and when leaving it, reduce the concentration of fertilizers by 2 times. Fertilize only on a previously moistened clod of soil. For good absorption of mineral fertilizers from the soil, it is important to control the acidity of the soil. To assimilate organic fertilizers, be sure to maintain the beneficial microflora of the substrate by systematically introducing microbiological preparations (Vostok - EM1, Baikal, Vozrozhdenie). Plants respond well to foliar feeding.
You should not feed a plant that is heavily crumbling - the reasons for leaf fall are often not due to lack of nutrition, and feeding done at the wrong time will only cause harm. After purchasing or replanting a plant, do not feed it for 1-2 months.
And you should always remember the rule that it is better to underfeed a plant than to overfeed it. Lack of nutrition is easily eliminated by timely feeding, and excess fertilizer leads to burns of the roots, improper development and often ends in the death of the plant. One of the signs of excess fertilizer is a dry border along the edge of the leaf and the beginning of leaf fall. An excess of one element often causes a deficiency of another; diagnosing this imbalance and accurately establishing the cause is quite difficult. But in order to avoid it, you should only use special fertilizers for citrus fruits, which must also include microelements. Their application rates are designed for the period of maximum growth. If the plants receive insufficient light or other maintenance conditions are not met, the dose of fertilizer must be reduced.
If a negative reaction to a new fertilizer is detected, cancel fertilizing and rinse the soil big amount water (passing it through the soil, but without removing the plant from the pot), at first use only the foliar method of applying fertilizer (heavily diluted complex fertilizer with trace elements sprayed on the leaves once a week). Then switch to a different brand of special citrus fertilizer.
Physiological disorders associated with a lack or excess of nutrients
The leaves lose their gloss, acquire a yellow tint, young leaves are narrow and small, flowering is weak- with a lack of phosphorus.
Plants need phosphorus for flowering and fruiting, it helps resist disease. Excess phosphorus inhibits vegetative growth.
The leaves have grooves and folds along the veins, later they lighten and turn brown at the edges. Growth is delayed, some adult branches die off. During flowering there may be strong leaf fall– with a lack of potassium.
Plants use potassium to produce sugar, starch, protein and enzymes needed for growth and development. Potassium helps plants regulate water consumption and better withstand cold. Excess potassium leads to the appearance of brown necrotic burns along the edge of the leaf.
A deficiency of iron, magnesium and zinc manifests itself in chlorosis- on the background yellow leaves a green network of veins is clearly visible, growth stops, young shoots often die. Iron deficiency usually extends to the entire leaf; with a deficiency of magnesium and zinc, changes may occur local character. Chlorosis is also caused by a deficiency of sulfur, manganese and zinc, as well as an excess of calcium. Citrus fruits with chlorosis require additional feeding iron-containing preparations (iron chelate, Ferovit), and driving rusty nails into the soil will not help the plant.
Magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) are important for the production of chlorophyll. Sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) are "catalysts" that help in the absorption of other nutrients such as nitrogen.
Death of growth points, loss of natural color by young leaves, growth of defective leaves– observed with a lack of calcium and boron. Lack of calcium with hard irrigation water is excluded. Calcium (Ca) and boron (B) are essential for proper water absorption, and both are important for correct formation cells.
Pests and diseases
The most common pests cirus crops are mealybug, scale insect, false scale insect. Citrus fruits are also affected by aphids and spider mites.
White lumps in the axils, on branches and trunks - infestation with mealybug.
Plaques that look like droplets of wax on the leaves, branches and trunks, sweet discharge on the leaves - infestation with scale insects or false scale insects.
Irregular small yellow dots on leaves, bottom of leaf powdery plaque, sometimes the cobweb is a spider mite.
Accumulation of small green or black insects on young shoots, sweet secretions - aphids.
Small mobile light insects in the soil, jumping when watering - Podura, or springtails. They start when over-watered and do not harm the plant. It is enough to reduce watering and water with Aktara (1 g/10 l).
Small black flies flying above the ground are fungus gnats. They also start from waterlogging. The larvae live in the soil, but do not cause harm to healthy roots. It is enough to adjust the watering; you can shed it with Aktara (1 g/10 l).
Diseases citrus fruits arise from improper care and damage by various pathogens (which is also often caused by errors in maintenance).
Fungal diseases often affect citrus fruits on plantations or in greenhouses. Drying and blackening of branches - malseco - are of a fungal nature; gum therapy - gommosis, when a wound forms on the trunk from which a resin-like liquid oozes; leaf spotting and anthractic blight, when weeping spots spread across the leaf and subsequently merge; powdery mildew when a white powdery coating forms on the leaves. The fight against fungal diseases comes down to establishing care, removing and destroying the affected parts of the plant, and treating with systemic and contact fungicides.
Sometimes a black coating forms on the leaves of citrus fruits, which can be easily removed with a damp swab - this is a sooty fungus. It does not harm the plant; it usually settles on the sugary secretions of pests. The cause of sugary discharge should be eliminated, sooty deposits should be removed by soaking in soapy solution swab, wash well under a warm shower.
Diseases caused by viruses appear as marbling and cannot be treated.
Causes of yellowing leaves: chlorosis caused by a lack of iron, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, excess calcium; lack of nitrogen; lack or excess of light; spider mite infestation.
Reasons for appearance brown spots on the leaves: non-compliance with the irrigation regime (drying or waterlogging of the soil); sunburn; burn from a strong dose of fertilizer; imbalance in batteries; fungal and bacterial diseases.
Cause of leaf fall Any citrus fruit can serve severe stress: sudden temperature fluctuations, hypothermia, overheating, over-wetting the substrate, over-drying the substrate, improper replanting, too much fertilizer dosage, prolonged lack of light.
Why is leaf fall dangerous? Depending on the age, lemon leaves perform different functions, with aging they turn into a storehouse of nutrients, ensuring the growth and development of young growths. The loss of these leaves leads to the depletion of the plant.
TO How to care for indoor citrus plants?
Citrus plants such as lemon, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, kinkak are often grown in room conditions. Citrus trees will bear fruit only if they are grafted, although most often they are not grown for their fruit. Some people are simply wondering whether they will be able to grow a Mediterranean tree from a seed, while others are delighted by the subtle aroma that the leaves emit.
In any case, in order for a citrus plant to look good, you need to know and follow certain conditions for its maintenance, given that caring for citrus indoor plants varies depending on the time of year.
Lighting and air temperature
Citrus fruits come from Southeast Asia, where they are quite humid and warm. weather and more sunlight. Therefore, when growing citrus plants indoors, you need to select well-lit places for them. The exception is lemon, which feels great in a shaded room.
If the citrus plant is kept at very low or very high temperature environment, then it cannot develop normally. IN summer period The optimal temperature will be from +18 to +27 °C; in winter it should be cooler - no higher than +12 °C. Compliance temperature regime serves as a prerequisite for obtaining fruits.
In the spring, when frosts stop, potted plants are placed outside, but not planted in the ground, to prevent the roots from overcooling.
During growth, citrus fruits need to be sprayed every day. warm water.
How to water citrus fruits?
The trees are watered 1-2 times a week with warm water; in summer watering should be plentiful and in winter moderate.
Since the growth cycle slows down in winter, the plant needs less water. To prevent the tree from dying from excess moisture, watering is reduced from October. But also dryness earthen coma should not be allowed to prevent the leaves and fruits from falling off.
There is one more important point, which you need to pay attention to in the winter months: the ground temperature should be at least +18°C. To prevent a drop in temperature, watering must be carried out only with warm water.
Replanting citrus fruits
Young trees need to be replanted only by transshipment. Moreover, replanting must be carried out in a timely manner, because due to a lack of nutrients the plant will not be able to develop normally.
If the roots of the tree have not yet covered the entire earthen ball, there is no need to transship it; it will be enough to replace the drainage and top layer of soil.
Before transshipment, be sure to treat the pot with a solution of potassium permanganate or scald it with boiling water.
Trees that are already bearing fruit are replanted every 2-3 years, and only before growth begins. After the growth period, it is better not to touch the plant. There is also no need to replant a plant with flowers or fruits, as this will lead to their falling off.
For young citrus plants, the mixture is made light: one part each of leaf soil, sand and humus from cow manure and two parts of turf soil. For adult plants, a heavier mixture is needed: one part each of leaf soil, sand and humus, three parts turf soil and a little low-fat clay.
How to fertilize citrus fruits?
Thanks to fertilizers, the sugar content of fruits increases and their bitter taste decreases.
You can fertilize citrus fruits only when they are actively growing: from February to September. During preparation for the rest period and during exit from it, the concentration of fertilizers should be halved. Best to use organic fertilizers(bird droppings, cow dung slurry), combined mineral fertilizers, or fertilizers designed specifically for citrus crops.
It is very important to know that it is better to underfeed a plant than to overfeed it. If there is a lack of nutrition, timely fertilizing can be done, while an excess of fertilizers leads to burns of the roots and even death of the plant. The most important sign of an excess of fertilizers is the appearance of a dry border along the edges of the leaves and their falling off.
If the foliage is falling off a lot, then you cannot feed the tree, since untimely feeding can cause a lot of harm to it.
Instructions
Orchard the apartment looks attractive. Citrus fruits bloom with beautiful, exotic, fragrant flowers. Their fruits are quite bright, and the foliage itself serves as an interior decoration. You shouldn't count on a huge harvest. But enjoy exotic fruits, grown on a windowsill, is quite possible.
Buy ready seedling You can do it in the store, but more often citrus fruits are grown from seeds or cuttings. With seeds - longer, but more interesting. You can observe its development from a tiny sprout to the moment of flowering and fruiting.
Citrus fruits are grown in large containers. Plastic containers are best - they are light and convenient. Required condition is the presence drainage holes. Drainage is poured into the bottom of the container - expanded clay, polystyrene foam, pebbles. Then - soil mixture for citrus fruits. And they plant pre-sprouted seeds or replant trees bought in the store.
All citrus fruits need bright, but diffused light. It is best to grow them on southern and eastern windowsills, and shade them in the summer when it’s hot. Citrus fruits are not as picky about temperature and humidity as many people think. A normal room temperature of +20...22°C and periodic spraying of the leaves are enough for them.
The frequency of watering citrus fruits depends on the time of year. In winter it is less intense. The more leaves a plant has, the more moisture it needs. During the period of flowering and fruit set, the watering rate also increases. For indoor citrus fruits, it is necessary to loosen the soil frequently. They need constant root aeration.
Indoor citrus fruits need more fertilizer than their “brothers” in open ground hot countries. The substrate purchased in the store contains enough nutrients for two months. Therefore, regular feeding is necessary, especially in spring and summer. Nitrogen fertilizers You shouldn’t get carried away - they will cause abundant leaf mass to the detriment of fruiting. A complete balanced complex of microelements is suitable for citrus fruits.
It often happens that the citrus plant you bought, when you brought it home from the nursery, drops not only its fruits and ovaries, but even its leaves. When moving from a store or greenhouse to an apartment, citrus fruits may shed their leaves because the usual climate changes. But as the plant gets used to its home, it should start growing new leaves. If you don’t see new leaves, you may be making one of the common mistakes.
Let's see what the tricks are for caring for citrus indoor plants.
Citrus fruits do not like rearrangements: there is no need to move the plant from place to place. The pot of citrus fruits does not need to be turned 180 or 90 degrees immediately. In this case, the leaves turn yellow and fall off, and the plant may die. Every 10 days you need to turn the pot 10 degrees (no more). 
Citrus fruits do not tolerate drafts.
The pot must be the right size! Plants are not planted to “grow,” and this applies not only to citrus fruits. If you plant a small plant immediately in a large tub, its leaves will turn yellow and fall off. Moreover, big pot increases the likelihood of flooding (which citrus fruits really don’t like).
Do not place citrus fruits near a microwave oven.
Plants may suffer from improper feeding and replanting. Citrus fruits prefer not to transplant, but to transship!
In summer, plants feel great on the balcony or in the garden. 
Fruiting lemons, tangerines and other citrus fruits usually also bloom profusely at the same time, which leads to a weakening of the tree. Flowers need to be thinned out, leaving larger ones, on which the ovary is better developed. Of the ovaries, it is better to leave those located on short (rather than long) branches. Long fruits grow more slowly.
It takes several months for the fruits to ripen. There can be a lot of ovaries, the plant will shed the extra ones. This is normal.
If you bought citrus in winter
If you bought a plant with fruits in winter, it will certainly drop all the fruits, and then some of the leaves (or even all the leaves). At the time of buying citrus fruits in winter It is better to immediately remove all the fruits and remove any emerging flowers. 
If you over-moisten the soil in winter, it will turn sour, and citrus leaves will turn yellow and fall off.
It is not recommended to buy citrus trees with fruits; it is better to choose a flowering tree. If you still bought a tree with fruits:
- pick all the fruits
- cut the branches that had fruits in half
- spray more often
- the soil should always be moist (but not flooded)
When is it time to replant?
It’s better not to rush into a transplant! 
If the roots have come out of the drainage, this is not necessarily a reason to replant the plant. You need to move away the top layer of soil: if the earthen lump is entwined with many roots on top, grab the stem, tilt the pot a little and try to pull out the earthen lump by lightly tapping on the bottom of the pot. If the lump comes out of the pot easily, the plant needs replanting. It is best to carry it out in the spring, not earlier than mid-February. In autumn and winter, it is better not to touch the plant.
If the earthen ball is not strongly entwined with roots, replanting will be needed no earlier than next spring.
For drainage, use expanded clay 1.5-2 cm thick, pour it onto the bottom of the pot.
If the citrus does not feel well in winter, it is better not to replant it, but to do it differently: remove a couple of centimeters of the top soil, pour in the prepared soil from under the oak tree (it must be prepared in the summer, taken from the forest or grove). Citrus fruits begin to look much better after this procedure. In general, citrus fruits are very fond of oak soil; they can be transplanted into it. Or buy citrus soil at the store. In fresh nutritious soil Citrus fruits develop a good root system, which is what is required after replanting the plant.
Watering
Citrus fruits do not like chlorine, so water for irrigation must be left standing. It is important not to over-moisten the soil when watering.
Citrus fruits love to be watered with settled water to which vinegar has been added (a few drops per liter).
Citrus fruits love spraying. Sometimes you can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate for spraying, the plants will be healthier.
What to do if citrus is poured. How to save a plant?
It is very undesirable to overwater citrus fruits. But if this does happen and the roots begin to rot, the plant can be helped. 
- remove the plant from the pot, soak in water until the earthen lump is soaked, wash off the soil
- cut off all rotten roots to a healthy part, soak the root system in a heteroauxin solution for 5-6 hours
- Now the plant can be planted in soil with a high content of baking powder (add perlite, sand, vermiculite to the soil), heavy soil is not suitable, drainage of 2-3 cm is required
the root collar should be 2-3 cm below the edge of the pot
- pour a solution of heteroauxin, put it on the crown plastic bag, ventilate once a day, after a week, spray the crown with zircon solution, and water the ground with it
- water carefully, waiting for the earthen clod to dry to a depth of 3-4 cm
Citrus (like most other plants) is better to underwater than to overwater; the surface layer of soil should dry out.
Feeding
Citrus fruits, like other plants, need regular feeding. In stores you can find fertilizers for these types of plants, or take universal ones. 
Nitrogen provides fast growth, the leaves acquire a rich green color.
Phosphorus helps to start bearing fruit faster; it is needed for the ripening of fruits and the growth of young wood.
The growth of young leaves, shoots, and fruits depends on potassium. With a lack of potassium, citrus fruits take on an unattractive shape and often fall off before they have time to ripen. Potassium supplements help increase resistance to various diseases.
To fertilize citrus fruits you can use:
- manure (100 g of manure per liter of water; use a two-week infusion)
- egg shell (infusion in water for two weeks)
- ash (the best is from potato, sunflower or straw tops), 1 tablespoon per liter of water
- silt (150-200 g per liter of water)
Variegated citrus
Variegated citrus fruits are more capricious and require more careful care than green-leaved ones. But they - very rare(you will be very lucky if you find such a plant on sale), they are preferred by those who love exotic indoor plants.
They need more light, but can suffer from sunburn in direct sun.
Choose fertilizers for variegated leaves with reduced nitrogen content.
Variegation is more noticeable if the plant is grown in cool conditions.
Required high humidity(spraying required).
Sometimes on variegated plants can just grow green shoots(and even white ones), they need to be removed so that they do not drown out the variegated ones.
At home, although an interesting activity, it is far from simple. Therefore, those who believe that it will be enough to plant a seed in the ground and that’s it – you don’t have to buy lemons for tea anymore – are greatly mistaken. Without special knowledge, if indoor citrus plants produce their first harvest, it will not be earlier than in twenty years.
But if you know some of the nuances and grow it correctly, following all the rules, you will be able to enjoy the fruits much faster. But even here it is important not to make a mistake in choosing a variety. Only those citrus indoor plants that have been grafted onto seedlings of orange, lemon, grapefruit or kumquat are suitable for growing on a windowsill. Those crops that were grown from cuttings cut from fruit-bearing trees also performed well.
Difficulties in growing domestic citrus plants
It would seem that it would be simpler: you need to go to a flower shop and buy a pot in which a flowering or already bearing fruit grows - a “golden orange”, a Meyer lemon, which is not very difficult to care for at home, or a tangerine. The tree just needs to be brought home, placed on the windowsill in right place and start watering. But this is not at all true, since growing a lemon or tangerine at home is really difficult, moreover, this process is somewhat different from caring for ordinary specimens.
Those plants that are sold in flower shops today most often end up on the shelves from abroad, mainly from Holland. There they are kept in prison from the first day. ideal conditions: supported optimal temperature for growth, high humidity, additional lighting is supplied, and fertilizers for citrus fruits are constantly applied to the soil indoor plants. When purchasing dwarf trees, there may be a dozen or more fruits by the time they are sold.
But once beautiful citrus indoor plants hit the windowsill, they immediately begin to face stressful conditions. In our houses, the illumination is much lower - several times, and the air (especially in winter) is incredibly dry compared to greenhouse air, and growth stimulants stop helping after a while.
Therefore, in conditions of shortage of their own internal resources citrus indoor plants begin to devote all their strength to preserving the fruits with which they were so abundantly strewn in the store. And as a result, the vast majority of purchased “pets” die.
Species suitable for growing at home
Man has long known citrus fruits. People have been actively cultivating them for so long that it has become difficult to detect their wild ancestors in nature. Most often, citrus fruits are cultivated in open ground in countries with a tropical or subtropical climate. And it is from there that their fruits are supplied to store shelves in all corners of the planet.
A novice plant grower who cannot devote too much attention and time to a pet growing on his windowsill needs to choose varieties of indoor citrus plants that are easier to care for. If we talk about subspecies for small apartment, then it is preferable for beginners to grow lemon, tangerine and trifoliate, since their growth is easier to control. In turn, oranges, grapefruits or pomelo, characterized large sizes, after a couple of decades they turn into a rather bulky tree.
As for exotic varieties, today it is quite common close relative tangerine - citrus kumquat nagami, as well as calamondin. Speaking about amazing varieties, we must definitely mention Buddha’s Hand.
Cuttings
The most convenient option For those who decide to grow a citrus crop on their own, there will, of course, be a young plant purchased in a specialized store. But a purchased tree does not always take root in the house for many reasons. However, if, after all, the crop has migrated from the store to the apartment, you need to contact the seller and get a recommendation from him for adapting the citrus to the new conditions.
First, the plant needs to be inspected. If there are fruits on it, you will have to pick them off. The citrus should be left in a store pot for seven to ten days, and only then transplanted into a new one.
Citrus trees grown from material obtained by cuttings take root best at home. Of course, for beginners who have little idea how to grow a tangerine, lemon, etc., it will be difficult to propagate the plant correctly, but for those who have had citrus growing at home for many years, it is quite easy to do this.
The shoot for the cutting should be cut from a well-developed and healthy citrus tree. Length planting material should be between ten and twelve centimeters. It must have at least three buds. It is not recommended to use both too young and quite old shoots with dense wood.
The best time to take cuttings is April. Rooting of planting material can be done in a glass of water or in soil consisting of earth and sand. In the latter case, the cutting should be covered, for example, plastic bottle. The roots will appear in about twenty days. After this, the rooted cuttings can be planted in a permanent pot.
- seeds
You can often hear that a seed planted in the ground eventually turns into a luxurious citrus tree. But, even though growing a tangerine or lemon from seeds is the most accessible way for hobbyists to propagate this type of plant, the result is often unpredictable.
As a result, you can get a crop whose fruits will be much smaller than the parent form, or you can grow a new excellent pet. Judging by reviews, the use of seeds taken from fruits as planting material often leads to a lack of flowering in such seedlings.
The seedling begins to sprout in about a month and a half, and it should be replanted at the stage of appearance of five leaves.
Once purchased in a store juicy fruits If this citrus fruit is eaten, you can use the remaining seeds as planting material. For the greatest likelihood of success of the event, it is better to have more seeds, since definitely not all will germinate. Therefore, to obtain seedlings you need to take a dozen seeds.
The planting material is placed in gauze for several days and slightly moistened. This is necessary so that the seeds, when swollen, “hatch.”
Mandarins can be grown at home using purchased flower shop special soil for citrus fruits. Although, in principle, almost any light soil is suitable for this crop. For example, in turf and leaf soil mixed in equal proportions, to which compost and rotted manure humus will be added, the tangerine will be very comfortable. Do not make soil based on peat. We must not forget about the need for drainage. Quite a long time must pass before the first shoots appear. The sprouts become noticeable only after two to three weeks, and sometimes even after a month.
Mandarin is a tree that grows quite slowly at home, and it sometimes stops its growth. Therefore, you should not lose hope and enthusiasm, because by providing this citrus with all necessary conditions it grows into a very beautiful tree.
Tangerine care
According to agronomists, tangerine is a very unpretentious tree to maintain, not only among citrus fruits, but also many other plants, however, compliance certain rules when leaving, he still demands. The most an important condition for him there is an abundance of sunlight. Mandarin requires intense lighting up to twelve hours a day all year round.
Watering and replanting
Mandarin is no less sensitive to humidity. IN summer months it should be watered abundantly without flooding, while in winter the water supply should be reduced, periodically making sure that the soil does not dry out. In addition, you need to spray the leaves daily, using filtered or boiled water for this purpose. clean water. You can compensate for dry air by placing a small decorative indoor fountain next to the tangerine. As the tree grows, it periodically needs to be replanted into larger pots. It is best to move in early spring. Wherein new pot should have a diameter three to five centimeters larger than the previous one.
Other close relatives of citrus fruits are Kumquat and Calamondin. Fans of original indoor plants should definitely acquire these species.
Speaking about exotics, it is necessary to mention the Buddha’s Hand variety. This citrus is different unusual appearance of its fruit: it resembles a lemon in color, and in appearance it resembles a fleshy hand on the hand. However, there is no edible pulp inside. Nevertheless, the fruit is so exotic that it is definitely worth growing at home.