When to cut lemon and how to do it? The nuances and difficulties of the procedure

Indoor lemon is a low tree that can develop in a flower pot at home.

Without pruning, it is impossible to get a rich crop of lemons. With its help, you can not only give the tree an attractive appearance.

The procedure will extend the fruiting period and is used to prevent diseases. This article details lemon pruning.

What is the purpose of pruning a lemon tree?

There are several reasons why you need to trim the plant:

1. The procedure rejuvenates an old tree.
2. Thanks to the procedure, you can get a smooth, neat crown.
3. In this way, the gardener can increase the duration of fruiting.
4. Removing old branches reduces the risk of disease.

What period can the procedure be carried out?

Is it possible to prune a lemon in the summer? The optimal time for the operation is the period from the beginning of spring until the formation of new shoots. To increase productivity, you can trim the tree at the end of autumn.

The ability of a tree to bear fruit depends on the correctness of crown formation at the initial stage. Side eyelids appear on the 2nd year of plant life. For this reason, it is recommended to leave 3-4 kidneys during the very first pruning. At the fruiting stage, branches of the 4th order appear in the tree. The gardener can use 2 methods of cutting.

The owner can partially tame the branches by 25 cm. If dead or old branches are identified, it is recommended to remove them in order to avoid diseases. Often shoots interfere with each other's development. In this case, you need to leave the strongest branches.

When is it undesirable to shorten and delete branches?

It is better to abandon the pruning procedure during flowering or fruiting. The tree reacts to external stimuli. Pruning can lead to premature discharge of flowers and fruits.

In winter, there is a slowdown in vital processes. A cut branch may dry out.

How to do the first pruning?

Experienced gardeners recommend first pruning in February. To form a crown, you need to remove branches that grow vertically. The trunk can be cut to a height of about 20 cm. It is recommended to leave only 3-4 of the most developed shoots. To remove excess shoots, you can use a secateurs. Do not forget to treat damaged areas with garden varieties.

Follow-up: step-by-step instructions for beginners

At 1 year, only the trunk needs to be trimmed to stimulate the formation of lateral shoots. If you do not carry out the procedure, the lemon will grow up. The optimal height of the plant should be about 25-30 cm. Within 2 years, you can begin to shorten the side branches. In the future, you can start pruning branches of 3 orders. The crown formation process is completed by trimming branches of the 5th order. After this, the fruiting period begins.

Fruits on a lemon tree appear only after the appearance of shoots of level 4. To increase productivity, you must first get rid of non-fruiting shoots. A gardener can remove or reproach them by 25 cm. At the age of 15, a lemon needs rejuvenation. To obtain this effect, it is necessary to take into account the features of tree branching. To form a crown, it is necessary to perform a pinching of a lemon. The procedure concerns shoots that are 30 cm long.

How to get rid of excess flowers?

Removing flowers allows you to control the process of ovary formation. The number of buds depends on the age of the lemon tree.

• If the lemon is 3 years old, then half the buds are removed.
• For 4-5 years, you can increase the number of fruits to 7.
• The optimal number of ovaries aged 6-7 years is 10 pieces.

The weakest flowers are subject to removal. Getting rid of empty flowers can increase productivity.

Photo

Next, you can see the photo of lemon:

How to rejuvenate a plant?

To rejuvenate the tree, you can use pruning. In this way, you can not only improve the appearance, but also increase productivity. The procedure is carried out in the spring, when it is necessary to stimulate the growth of sleeping kidneys. To get young shoots, it is advisable to cut all branches to 4 orders.

What difficulties arise during leaving?

In the process of pruning a plant in a pot, gardeners have the following difficulties:

1. Only 1 shoot begins to form on the treated area. In this case, you have to completely break out the base. If necessary, the procedure is repeated several times.
2. Spinning tops are another problem that leads to inability to bear fruit. So called vertically growing branches, which take away the juices and slow down the process of formation of aromatic fruits. To direct the strength of the plant in the right direction, you need to trim the branches by 25 cm. In some cases, you have to completely remove the extra shoots.

What if the plant begins to disappear?

First you need to make nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers in the ground. It is forbidden to carry out repeated cutting. Such measures will help revitalize the tree.

Recommendations

When conducting an operation, it is necessary to adhere to the following rules:

1. The procedure can be carried out only during the period when the tree is at rest (from October to April).
2. If the plant has already begun to bear fruit, then before the procedure it is necessary to remove the fruit.
3. Errors made during the procedure can lead to unpleasant consequences. Most often, beginners remove too many branches.

Cuttings must be processed no earlier than a year after planting. If the lemon has grown from a seed, then you must wait for 2 years. Thanks to pruning, the host can regulate the growth of the tree. When growing indoors, it is recommended to trim the top of the tree. In this way, the lateral kidneys are activated.

The crown begins to form in the sides, and not up. After the operation, it is necessary to process the slices using a garden var. An antiseptic prevents infection of damaged areas by pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Neglect of these rules can lead to the death of the plant.

Pruning is a procedure that can be used to increase productivity. Removing old branches protects the tree from various diseases.

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