Pavlovsk lemon - home care, description of the variety (photo) and history, diseases and pruning of indoor lemon

The history of Pavlovsk lemon

Pavlovsk lemon has been known in Russia and abroad for more than 150 years. The history of the creation of this variety began in the city of Pavlovo-on-Oka in 1860. Here local merchant I.S. Karachistov brought lemon cuttings from Turkey.

His relative E.D. Elagin began growing and breeding these exotic plants. Turkish lemons turned out to be fast-growing, unpretentious and very productive. This culture became popular first among the residents of Pavlovo, and then beyond its borders.

During the years of Soviet power, interest in this variety did not disappear . On the contrary, in 1935 an experimental demonstration citrus farm was created in Pavlov. Here lemons of this variety were grown and measures were taken to improve and distribute it. Today the popularity of this variety is growing rapidly

Reproduction

You can plant fruit seeds in a pot and wait for them to grow, but it will be much faster to take a cutting from someone you know. o a simple twig with 2-3 leaves. They need to be cut, and the cutting itself should be moistened in a root stimulator and planted in a pot with fertile soil. Cover with a jar and place in a warm place. With regular watering, very soon it will produce roots and then buds. After this, the jar can be removed. Now your lemon will enjoy rapid growth and development. It needs to be replanted every 2 years into larger pots. In about four years you will have a large and beautiful Pavlova lemon. Home care, as you can see, is not at all difficult.

If there is an old lemon with poor fruit quality growing on your window, you can use it as a rootstock. To do this, it is enough to cut off the branches and graft a couple of young cuttings of the variety you like onto the remaining stem. In this case, the branches will develop in about a year, because they will have a strong root system. In just 12-15 months, you have the right to see the first fruits come to life, which will be an amazing result in terms of speed. Therefore, if you see an inexpensive lemon tree for sale, then, without hesitation, take it.”>

Description of the lemon variety Pavlovsky

Currently, Pavlovsk lemon is considered one of the best for growing in apartment conditions. It has a compact size, good yield and excellent fruit quality. But this plant is loved not only for its fruiting.

The lemon tree of this variety itself looks very decorative and has a thick and fluffy crown. And the essential oils it secretes prevent the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. See photo of Pavlovsky lemon variety below:

Flowering and fruiting

Pavlovsk lemon is a remontant plant. It produces flowers throughout the year. On it you can see buds, flowers, ovaries and ripe fruits at the same time. This is a self-pollinating variety.

The most abundant flowering is observed in this variety twice a year - in early spring and mid-autumn.

It is capable of blooming from the age of 2, but this can slow down its development. Therefore, at 2 years of age, all buds that appear are removed. But at the age of 3 you can already leave 3-4 flowers.

Lemon flowers have a diameter of 2-3 cm, five-petal. They appear singly or in small inflorescences. Of all the flowers that bloom on a tree, no more than 17% of the ovaries are preserved.

Crown and its characteristics

The plant is small in size. In indoor culture it does not exceed 1.5 m in height, but it can reach up to 1 m in height. It grows as a bush or branched tree, often with 2-3 main trunks. The crown of the tree reaches 1 m in diameter.

The branches hang down. The bark on the branches and trunk has an olive-gray tint with small longitudinal cracks. Young shoots are green. On lemon branches you can often see spines up to 2 cm long, but some forms do not have them.

Lemon shoots are covered with leaf blades on short petioles. The leaves are up to 15 cm long and have a green and dark green hue. The surface of the leaf blades is glossy. Each leaf blade lives 2-3 years, then dies. For each fruit, there are at least 10 leaf blades in the tree crown.

Lemon tree fruit

Pavlovsk lemon can bear fruit already in 3-4 years of life. Large overgrown trees in tub culture produce high yields. After the formation of the ovary, the fruit grows for 8-9 months and then ripens within 30-35 days.

With a lack of lighting, growth and maturation are delayed up to 1 year.

Pavlova lemon has an oval-shaped fruit with a pointed tip and thin skin. They have a lemon taste and intense aroma. The fruits of Pavlovsk lemon are distinguished by a small number of seeds. Usually there are 5-10 of them for each fruit.

Sometimes there are specimens that produce seedless fruits. The lemon harvest must be harvested on time. Overripe fruits take on a green tint, and their flesh becomes hard and tasteless.

Harvesting and application

The harvest is harvested when the lemons become large and turn yellow (see photo). The fruits are cut together with the stalk.

It is important to harvest in a timely manner. If you keep the fruits on the bush, their taste will become less intense and the pulp will become coarse.

Caring for Pavlova lemon at home

In order for a lemon to be beautiful and produce tasty fruits, it requires careful care. Pavlovsk lemon is very unpretentious. But this does not mean that he forgives mistakes in caring for him. Very often, inexperienced gardeners can see lemon trees with almost no leaves that have never bloomed or bear fruit. Therefore, before starting such an exotic plant, you need to familiarize yourself with caring for it in order to create comfortable conditions for its development.

Watering and spraying

Lemon is a plant of the humid tropics and subtropics. He loves warmth, high humidity and abundant watering. Water the lemon so that the soil in the pot never dries out. It should always be slightly damp.

Lemons are watered 2-3 times a week in summer, and weekly in winter. When watering, excess water should go into the pan, from where it is drained.

Water the Pavlovsk lemon with settled tap water. It should not be cold, otherwise the plant may shed its leaves. It is advisable to water the plant all year round with water at a temperature of 25ºC.

You can achieve high air humidity by regular spraying:

In summer , lemon can be sprayed daily. For this purpose, water is used for irrigation;
In winter , it is not recommended to spray Pavlovsk lemon, especially if the air temperature is low, it is better to wipe the leaves of the tree with a damp cloth.

Location and lighting

Pavlovsk lemon is small in size. A young lemon can be kept on the windowsill for a long time. And only very large trees, which are at least 15 years old, are placed on the floor or on stands in large pots or tubs. At this age, lemon can become a bright accent of the interior, its main decorative element.

Indoor lemon requires bright lighting.

But direct sunlight at noon is harmful to it. It is recommended to grow it on windowsills with a south-east orientation, since there is direct sun only in the morning. Large specimens should be placed near windows, but at such a distance that the sun's rays do not burn the leaves.

Requirements for soil and pot

Lemon is planted in citrus soil mixture. Such specialized soils can be purchased at flower shops or garden centers. You can make the soil yourself. To do this, take the following components:

Sod land - 4 parts;
Humus – part 2;
Peat – part 2;
Leaf soil – part 2;
Coarse sand or other baking powder - 1 part.

The pot for young lemon should be made of clay. This porous material evaporates water, so the likelihood of root rot due to stagnant water is reduced. The size of the pot is chosen according to the size of the root system.

There should be a distance of no more than 1 cm from the roots to the walls of the pot.

Large specimens of lemon trees are transplanted into wooden tubs. These are beautiful and functional containers in which citrus trees grow and develop well.

Feeding and fertilizer

After transplanting into new soil, indoor Pavlovsky lemon can not be fed for 3-4 months. It then needs additional nutrition as the soil in the pot becomes depleted. Lemon feeding is carried out year-round:

In spring and autumn, fertilizers are applied to the soil every 2 weeks;
In summer, feed the tree every 10 days;
In winter, fertilizing is reduced to once a month.

At home, it is best to feed the lemon tree with complex special fertilizers for citrus fruits.

They are usually sold in liquid form. They are diluted with water according to the attached instructions and the tree is watered after the main watering. In the summer, it is recommended to feed the lemon 1-2 times with nitrogen fertilizers for the growth of shoots and leaves. Use ammonium nitrate (2-3 g per 1 liter of water).

Replanting and pruning

Lemon trees of the Pavlovsky variety require replanting into new soil every 2 years. Usually during this time the root system grows so much that it becomes cramped in the pot. Transplantation is carried out in early spring

During transplantation, the plant is carefully removed from the pot with a lump of earth. Healthy roots should completely entwine the earthen ball. In this case, the tree is transplanted into a larger container.

The new pot should be 2 cm wider than the previous one.

If rotten or dark roots are visible, you need to remove the old soil and trim off all diseased areas. Then the sections are treated with crushed activated carbon, and the tree is planted in new soil.

There are sanitary pruning of Pavlovsk lemon and crown formation:

During sanitary pruning, all damaged, diseased, dry and weak branches are removed. Thinning is also done by removing shoots growing inside the crown;
Crown formation is carried out as necessary. Branches that are out of shape of the crown are shortened.

Harvest and storage

The Pavlovsky variety lemon tree can produce up to several dozen fruits per year. Lemons do not ripen on the tree at the same time, which allows you not to worry about storing the fruits, but to eat them as they ripen. Ripe fruits acquire an intense yellow color.

It is not recommended to leave ripe fruits on the tree.

They gradually lose their taste and become tough. Therefore, if several lemons are ripe on a tree at once, they need to be collected, processed and stored. The collected lemons must be dried at room temperature for 3-4 days. They are laid out on white paper away from heating devices and cold drafts.

The shelf life of ripe lemons is 3-5 weeks.

They are wrapped in soft paper and stored at room temperature. They are eaten as needed. Fruits with damaged skins are eaten first.

Diseases and parasites affecting lemon trees

There are many fungal, bacterial and viral diseases of lemon trees. The most common diseases of Pavlovsk lemons are:

Gommosis or gum bleeding is the release of resinous substances due to various damage to wood tissue. The cause of its occurrence may be pests, mechanical damage, infection by fungi or bacteria. They treat gommosis by getting rid of pests and removing damaged areas;
Anthracnose appears as dark spots on the ends of leaf blades. Powdery mildew is a whitish mold growth on twigs and leaves. These diseases are fungal infections. Fungicidal drugs are used for treatment. Affected areas are removed and destroyed;
Root rot is a fungal infection of the root system. Develops with excessive watering. At the onset of the disease, good results are obtained by replanting into new soil, revising the roots, removing diseased areas, and watering with a fungicide solution under the roots.

The main pests of lemons are scale insects, spider mites and thrips. If insects are detected, it is recommended to treat the lemon tree with insecticidal preparations. Acaricides are used to kill ticks.

Growing technology

Pavlova lemon requires care

When growing it, it is important to maintain an optimal temperature in the room, ensure proper watering and apply fertilizing in a timely manner. Otherwise, the plant will not bloom and bear fruit, and in the worst case, it will simply die

Optimal conditions

For lemon to feel good at home, it is important that the room meets the basic requirements:

Temperature. In summer, spring and autumn, the optimal daytime temperature varies between +19…+26°C. In winter, temperatures should not exceed +21°C. To put the lemon into a state of rest, the temperature in winter is reduced to +10...+15°C. The plant does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature, so before bringing it into a colder or warmer room, the pot is taken out to new conditions every day, gradually increasing the time it stays there. A draft is also detrimental to culture.
Humidity is maintained within 70-75%. During the hot season, the bush is sprayed with a spray bottle in the morning and evening; in the warm season, one spray per day is enough. In winter, if the lemon is in a heated room, place a humidifier or containers of water near it.
Lighting. For normal fruiting and flowering, citrus trees must receive a sufficient amount of light, but direct sunlight is also harmful to them. In spring, summer and autumn, the plant is placed on the eastern, southern or western windowsill, covering the window with a translucent curtain during maximum solar activity. If the lemon bush is dormant in winter, it does not require additional lighting. If the plant overwinters in a warm room, phytolamps are installed at a distance of 20 cm from it.

Basic rules of care

Pavlovsk lemon must be regularly and properly cared for:

Watering. In the warm season, lemon is watered daily, and in winter - 1-2 times a week. For irrigation, use warm, settled water (chlorine is harmful to the plant). After each watering, the soil is loosened. Water the lemon in the morning or evening when the sun is not active.
Cleaning. Every week, wipe the lemon leaves with a damp cloth. Once a month, wash the plant in the shower, covering the soil with film.
Transplants. For the first 3 years, the lemon is annually transferred (rearranged into a new pot along with a lump of earth, adding the missing soil) into a larger container. After the first fruiting, the plant is replanted once every 2-3 years, removing most of the soil and cutting off dead roots. When the bush reaches the desired size, replanting is stopped, annually replacing the top layer of soil with new soil.
Feeding. They are applied weekly from early spring to late autumn. Alternate mineral and organic fertilizers.
Formation. The growth point is cut off after the main trunk reaches 15-25 cm. The branches of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth order are shortened to 10-20 cm. 3-4 branches of each order are left on the tree.
Bloom. Pavlovsk lemon can bloom 1-2 years after planting. Such flowering is called false - it does not produce fruit, but takes away the strength of the plant. Therefore, all inflorescences are removed. In the 3rd year, half of the inflorescences are removed. Further, do not interfere with the flowering of the lemon. To increase yield, it is recommended to carry out artificial pollination with a soft brush.
Fruiting. During the first fruiting, no more than 3 ovaries are left on the plant. Further, the fruits are not picked. To speed up the ripening of lemons, water them with warm water near the stalk.
Sanitary pruning. It is carried out in autumn or spring. In the process, all diseased, weak and dry shoots are cut off.

Possible problems

At home, pests rarely attack lemons. To prevent damage by aphids, spider mites and scale insects, the plant is regularly inspected and washed in the shower. If necessary, treat with soap solution, decoction of bitter herbs or insecticides.

The risk of a lemon bush becoming infected at home is also low. Most often it is attacked by sooty fungus, root rot and gommosis.

For prevention, it is important to follow the rules of care. Infected plants are treated with fungicides, preparations containing copper, or folk remedies with an antifungal effect, for example, iodine with milk

How to propagate Pavlovsk lemon

To propagate lemon trees of the Pavlovsky variety, the following methods are used:

Sowing seeds. Lemon seeds from ripe fruits germinate very easily. But this is a long-term way to obtain a harvest. The seedling blooms no earlier than 10-12 years after planting. Therefore, in order to speed up the process of laying buds, a cutting or bud from an already fruiting specimen is grafted onto the seedling;
Cuttings are the most common method of propagating this variety. Cuttings must be taken from an adult plant that has already produced fruit. Then they are rooted. After obtaining roots at least 5 cm long, the cuttings are planted in separate pots. Rooted lemon cuttings bloom without grafting already 3 years after rooting, or even earlier.

Landing rules

To plant rooted cuttings, use small pots with several drainage holes. Landing is carried out as follows:

Drainage made of small pebbles or expanded clay is placed at the bottom of the pot The thickness of the drainage layer should be 2-4 cm;
The pot is half filled with steamed soil for lemons. The soil is steamed for 30 minutes at a temperature of 85ºC to destroy fungi and pests;
The rooted cutting is placed in the middle of the pot on the ground and the roots are straightened. Then carefully cover the roots with fresh substrate. The soil is slightly compacted so that there is a distance of 1 cm from its surface to the edge of the pot. This is necessary for the convenience of watering the lemon;
After planting, the cuttings are well watered and placed in partial shade. Lighting can be gradually increased as the cutting grows.

Rooting cuttings

Lemon cuttings are cut in spring in March or April. They should be green, but already dense and quite tough. The cuttings should have several buds and about 3 leaves. The lower cut is made with a sharp knife at an angle to the lower bud.

Root the cuttings in water or in a soil substrate. They take root well and do not require treatment with root growth stimulants:

When rooting cuttings in water, you need to take an opaque container and fill it with boiled water at a temperature of 23-25ºC. This temperature must be maintained constantly. The lower end of the cutting is placed in water so that it is immersed 1.5-2 cm. The container is covered with plastic bags on top. Root the cuttings in low light. It needs to be placed in deep shade. The water in the container must be changed regularly, since the cuttings do not take root at the same time. They can take root in 2 weeks, or can stand in water for more than a month;
When rooting in the substrate, take a mixture of coarse sand and sphagnum moss. The cuttings are dropped into a container with a moistened substrate and covered with film. They are rooted in warmth (23-25ºС) and shade. After rooting, they are transplanted into soil mixture for lemons.

Crown formation rules

The best place to grow the variety is considered to be windows facing the southeast side. However, the crown of the tree develops well even in dry air and low light conditions.

Main characteristics:

Small, compact, round.
The branches are strewn with green spines, which turn brown over time.
The bark of shoots is green, while that of adult plants is greyish-yellow.
Shiny, light green, large, narrow leaves, 5-7 cm wide.

The shape of the leaves can be different: elongated, round, ovoid or lanceolate. Petioles are short, almost without lionfish. Some plants may have serrations on the tips of their leaves, which are pronounced.

Lemon pruning stimulates crown development

Pruning and shaping the lemon crown accelerates the development of the plant. When a seedling has three branches, it is necessary to pinch the top. This will provoke the formation of additional branches, the crown will become thicker.

For the first two years, it is recommended not to allow fruit to set by picking off the flowers. The fact is that the root system of the tree has not yet had time to form. During this period, fruit ripening is detrimental to development.

In the third year, you can leave a few flowers on the lower branches. Their number should be increased gradually every year. By pruning a tree, a gardener can give the crown any shape. New shoots are pinched five centimeters from the edge. It is recommended to perform pruning in early spring.

Why leaves fly off the annual Pavlovsk lemon

Sometimes lemon leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. If several of the lower leaves have fallen, there is no need to worry. On average, a leaf lives for 2-3 years, but sometimes they fall off earlier. But if there is massive leaf fall on an annual lemon tree, this is not normal. It is urgent to determine the cause of leaf fall and eliminate it.

The most common causes of leaf falling are:

Direct sunlight - the leaves of the plant become burnt, dry out and fall off; the tree should be moved to a less lit place;
Lack of nutrition - the tree sheds its leaves and becomes very bare. It is necessary to feed the plant and replant it in new soil in the spring;
Infection with spider mites - young leaves fall off, cobwebs are visible on young shoots, destruction of the mites will allow the plant to grow new leaves and restore the crown.

Pests

Common insects that harm the plant include:

Shield. This insect is dark brown in color. It sticks to leaves and shoots.
Aphids. These are greenish-yellow or black, sedentary pests measuring 1-5 mm in size. They settle on leaves, flowers, buds, and suck the juice from them. Aphids cling to leaves in entire colonies and multiply quickly.
Spider mite. It starts in a dry room at high air temperatures. It appears on the underside of the leaf, entwining it with a thin web and sucking out the juice. Damaged leaves turn pale and fall off.
Whitefly. It is 2-3 mm in size and settles on the underside of leaves. White moth with powdery pollen. The plant is harmed by greenish whitefly larvae. They feed on sap, secreting a sweet substance that causes disease in the crop.
Earthworms. They do not harm the roots, but due to the quantity they make it difficult for excess water to drain. The soil turns sour and the lemon dies.
Thripsov. They are identified by silvery streaks on the leaves, which become discolored and fall off.
Spider mite. This is a small black insect. Cobwebs appear on the leaves.

Due to pests, leaves curl or bend, become discolored and become thin. Flowers become deformed and buds fall off.