If there is one fruit you should always have in your house, it is lemons. Not only are they delicious and used in many different recipes, they are incredibly healthy for you as well. I always keep some in my fridge and now, I have a constant source of them available.
You may not know this, but it is possible to grow a lemon tree in your home easily from seed. As long as you follow the instructions in the video, you can be eating fresh picked lemons in no time.
The following instructions can be used to grow citrus fruit in your home or in your backyard
1. Lemons
You can start them from seed or but a young tree if you want to speed along the process. Choose some clay or plastic pots with a lot of holes in the bottom.
Choose a pot that is larger than the root ball. Doing so will allow the tree to grow and limit how many times you need to transfer it. Add a few stones in the bottom to alow air and water flow.
Use good quality soil when filling the pot. Some types of soil are specific for this type of plant. Be sure to water the tree regularly and put it in an area where it will get 7-10 hours of daylight daily. Do not water the new tree too frequently.
The fruit will take 7 to 9 hours to ripen. Once they are full color, they are ready to use.
You can also grow the tree form one seed. In order to do so, you will need the following things:
One organic lemon because non-organic lemons are often
containing non-germinating seeds
The soil you will use needs to be fertile potting. It is
recommendable for the soil to contain natural fertilizers, peat,
vermiculite and perlite.
A planting pot (6 inches in width and 6 inches in dept)
A seedling pot (24 inches in width and 12 inches in dept)
Location that is indoors but sunny and a grow lamp
Follow the following steps if you want to properly grow the lemon tree:
1. Moisten your potting soil, making it damp. Do not soak it all
the way.
2. Fill a smaller pot with some soil. Leave just one inch below the
pot’s rim.
3. Remove one seed from a lemon. Clean the seed you are about to
use. A simple and good way to do so is to suck the seed until it
becomes completely clean.
4. Do not delay the process of planting. The seed must be moisten
when you are about to bury it in the soil. Plant your seed ½ an
inch in dept, somewhere in the middle of your pot.
5. Next, gently spray the soil above the planted seed. Do this with
a spray bottle.
6. Cover the pot using a clear plastic wrap, and then seal the
edges of the pot with a rubber band. Do not forget to poke many
small holes.You can use pencil in order to do this.
7. Place the pot in a location that is both sunny and warm.
8. Spray some more water if you do not want your soil to completely
become dry. Do not spray too much water, just a little bit so you
will keep the soil moist.
9. After 2 weeks, after the sprouting emerges, put away the pot’s
plastic covering. Use a grow light if your plant needs more
light.
10. Take care of your plant by keeping the soil damp. In order to
do this, make sure your plant gets eight hours of good light every
day. Also, give your tree organic fertilizer but in moderate
doses.
11. Make sure your tree is not attacked or damaged by some diseases
or any kind of bugs. Use some pesticides if you feel like your
plant needs. Also, throw away dead and brown leaves. Protect the
young tree!
12. When your young plant does not fit in your small pot, you will
need to transfer it in the other pot that we mentioned earlier in
this article. You will most likely go through the same almost same
procedure during the re-planting. Young plants like these need more
water than older plants. However, both of them need enough water.
You must never starve the plant
2. Mandarins
If you are growing mandarins indoors, start with a very young tree. They tend to do better than those started at home from a tree. Start with a plastic or clay pot and use the same method you did for the lemon tree.
Mandarin trees don’t typically grow taller than 6 feet high so they can be easily grown indoors. Make sure to water the new tree daily but don’t overdo it. When a root comes out of a drainage hole, it’s time to transplant into a larger pot.
Pick the fruit right away when they turn orange or you risk losing some of the flavor.
Via: Healthy Food House
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