Growing citrus plants indoors is a labor-intensive and energy-consuming process. Their varieties, as a rule, are poorly adapted to growth and development in residential conditions. Growing citrus fruits involves observing regular care rules, selecting soil and adjusting optimal temperature and humidity values.
Soil quality criteria for citrus fruits
To choose soil for citrus fruits, you need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of these plants.Indoor varieties differ significantly from those species that grow in natural conditions:
- indoor species bloom twice throughout the year;
- fruits of indoor species have a less pronounced citrus taste;
- The sizes of indoor varieties are different from wild ones.
With the correct choice of soil for planting a citrus plant variety and compliance with the care conditions, the harvest is harvested in the third year of the plant’s life. The soil mixture is selected according to several parameters:
- the soil structure should be loose (the root system of citrus fruits has its own characteristics; in order to obtain nutrients from the ground, it needs to have easy access to useful elements);
- acidity levels should not exceed the limits of 5.2 and 7 pH;
- the soil must have a uniform structure (the presence of lumps interferes with the root system and reduces the speed of the process of obtaining nutrients).
Types of indoor citrus fruits have distinctive features that are taken into account when selecting soil:
- Chernozem is not suitable for any varieties of lemon. It provokes root rot due to the creation of a greenhouse effect.
- Tangerine roots are distinguished by their ability to quickly absorb minerals from the soil, so experts recommend supplementing them with mineral fertilizers more often.
Buy or make it yourself
Compositions for planting and growing citrus fruits are sold in specialized departments of theme stores; the second way to obtain the necessary mixture is to prepare it yourself.
Citrus growers note that commercial soils are often not suitable for lemon varieties. This is explained by the peculiarity of the packaging: sealed bags contribute to the creation of a greenhouse effect, which provokes the decomposition of the fibers contained in the mixture.Such mechanisms are harmful to lemon varieties of any type; it is difficult for plants to gain growth and develop properly.
Ideal soil mixture for citrus fruits at home
An important condition for the proper growth and development of citrus varieties at home is adjusting the acidity level of the soil. Plants do not tolerate low acidity well and die in an environment with high acidity.
For experienced gardeners, checking the acidity level of the soil is not difficult. To do this, you need to evaluate the result that appears on litmus paper after immersion in the liquid that remains on the soil surface:
- red color – evidence of level 5 RN;
- orange indicator – average acidity;
- yellow indicator – the level is increased;
- green color is an indicator of an alkaline environment.
Information! A common cause of changes in acidity levels is watering with hard water.
Several components are used to create the required soil mixture.
garden soil
Peculiarities:
- lightness of structure;
- the acidity indicator is neutral.
It is recommended to collect garden soil near fruit crops in the summer. The top layer is collected, which is then sifted and separated from debris.
Leaf ground
The peculiarity of this mixture is its natural level of acidity. This type of soil is formed after leaves that fall from trees rot. Natural mechanisms make the soil useful for growing all types of crops.
Sod land
Peculiarities:
- porous structure;
- increased nutrient content.
The preparation of turf has specific steps. The layer should not exceed 15 centimeters in thickness and 35 centimeters in width. Layers of turf are layered on top of each other until they reach 1 meter in height.The middle of the upper part of the structure is pierced, creating a recess so that moisture is retained there. In summer, such a structure is turned over, spilled, and compacted with manure.
Sod land is prepared within 2 years. Before using turf for indoor plants, the layers are sifted.
Sand
Peculiarities:
- lightness of structure;
- looseness;
- the structure helps prevent the development of fungus.
Sands do not contain nutrients and are added to the mixture to add lightness.
Experts recommend collecting sand in warm, clear weather. It is washed before adding.
Peat land
Peat has a number of useful characteristics:
- contains nutrients;
- regulates soil acidity level;
- gives the necessary structure.
Peat is added to the mixture for indoor citrus plants in minimal volumes so as not to oversaturate the soil and not provoke decomposition of the fibers.
Compost
Compost is an organic type of fertilizer that is formed as a result of the decomposition of plant and animal waste.
Compost is produced by composting. To do this, create a hole in the ground where waste of plant or animal origin is placed. The optimal time for compost to be ready is 2 years after the first laying.
When adding compost to the soil mixture, you should make sure that it is completely ready, since an immature structure can adversely affect the growth of a citrus plant.
Fertilizers for seedlings
Citrus plants need proper feeding. To grow, you must adhere to special schemes developed by specialists.
Information! For feeding, the simultaneous use of mineral and organic fertilizers is not practiced.This approach promotes burning of the root system, so the types of complexes alternate.
Plants need different types of fertilizers, it depends on the period of development:
- From January to August, nitrogen-containing complexes are needed. For lemons and tangerines, they recommend an infusion of horse manure with a concentration of manure and water in the proportion of 100 grams to 1 liter of water. This mixture is infused for 2 weeks.
- A large amount of nitrogen is contained in urea; it is dissolved according to the formula: 1.5 grams per 1 liter of water.
- To feed citrus fruits during flowering or color development, use fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium. They are added until lemons and tangerines form fruits with a minimum diameter of up to 15 millimeters.
- Preparation for the sleep phase, which occurs in plants in August or September, requires feeding with potassium sulfates. For this purpose, granular inorganic fertilizers are used.
Advice! It is recommended to alternate root and non-root feeding.
Need for transplant
Citrus plants need regular replanting:
- to replenish nutrients;
- to change soil acidity;
- to expand the pot space due to the fact that the root system has grown.
Signs that a citrus plant needs replanting:
- the plant stops growing;
- develops slowly;
- some branches remain underdeveloped;
- the tips of the roots are visible from the drainage hole, which indicates a strong entanglement of the earthen coma with the root system.
For replanting, periods of budding, flowering or fruiting are excluded. It is recommended to approach the process very carefully. Before transplanting, the plants are thoroughly watered for several days. Take the crop out of the pot with a lump of earth, trying not to disturb the roots.
After inspecting the root system, dried or rotten parts are carefully removed. The lump that is taken out of the pot is under no circumstances destroyed. The plants are transplanted into a new container along with it. This explains the second name of the method for transplanting citrus fruits - transshipment.
When replanting regularly, you should take into account the rule for increasing the size of the pot: each time it is increased by 2-4 centimeters.
Regular handling contributes to the formation of a strong tree, so frequent procedures are recommended for indoor citrus plants (2-3 times annually).
After transshipment, pots with citrus fruits are watered abundantly and covered from direct sunlight, and not placed in a draft or near heating devices. The quarantine period involves being at rest for 1-2 weeks so that the plants adapt to the new container and new growth conditions.
