Citrus Crops At Home: A Few Tips

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Interestingly, any citrus crops can be grown at home. There are almost no exceptions here, because lime, lemon, grapefruit and tangerines will develop and feel comfortable indoors

Citrus fruits have been known all over the world for a long time. In the case when they are grown from a seed, then during the development process it is necessary to carry out formation for flowering. However, there is no need for plant grafting.

Also, citrus crops can grow along with the micro-fungi that live in the root system of such plants. Microfungi are needed by citrus for normal development and life. For this reason, it is impossible to use poisonous chemicals and bright pink manganese solutions when growing citrus fruits, which in other situations effectively fight pests. During fertilization, fresh manure or large amounts of mineral components for such plants should not be used.

You can prepare high-quality planting material for citrus crops yourself. For this, the seeds are removed from the fruit and heated in warm water. This method helps germination to come faster. Further, the seeds must be planted in the ground to a depth of two or three diameters of the seed itself. Surprisingly, several plant specimens can often grow from one seed. However, only one plant will have to be left.

It is worth noting the excellent germination rates of citrus crops. The flowering phase and fruiting of the plant occurs only in the tenth year of its life. True, the quality of the fruit at this moment is still not good. Therefore, it is more advisable to acquire such a wonderful result by growing a grapefruit seedling and grafting to it at the initial stage of development of any other citrus.

The procedure is performed only when the trunk of the seedling is as thick as a match. After grafting, the plants begin to develop faster and better. Pomelo and grapefruit, unlike other citrus crops, have a stronger and more developed root system. Therefore, they begin to bear fruit earlier. From a grafted cuttings, flowering and fruit formation can be observed after a couple of years of cultivation at home.

It is more expedient to vaccinate with the help of budding (by means of a peephole). For such purposes, it is required to select an adult plant specimen (5-6 years of development). Also, the event should be carried out only when the bark of the plant can be qualitatively and effortlessly separated from the wood (August or April).

After the plant begins to bear fruit, it is necessary to cut off a well-ripened branch of one or two years old from it. At the culture, it is necessary to prune the leaves, leaving the stalk. It is placed in a container of water. On the trunk of a plant that was grown from seed, you need to choose a place for grafting at a height of five to six centimeters. It is thoroughly cleaned from contamination. Some gardeners wipe it with ordinary vodka. Sterility is a key ingredient in vaccination success.

Next, using a sharp knife, you need to cut the root in the shape of the letter T. The knife itself at this time should be perpendicular to the trunk of the plant. The incision is approximately two centimeters long. At the same time, the width is no more than half a centimeter. On the cuttings, ready for the grafting procedure, it is necessary to make two cuts above and below the peephole by one centimeter. Only then the kidney is cut off very carefully, grabbing the bark and cambium during the action. In fact, the vaccination process is very complex, due to which only experienced gardeners can cope with it.

Further, pushing apart the upper edges of the incision on the seedling, you need to insert the removed kidney and deepen it inward. Then, with your fingers, the incision will need to be smoothed out by pressing the kidney against the cambium. Now you need to tie the trunk up and down. The best material for this purpose is a material such as a polymer film, previously wiped with vodka. The kidney will be fully grafted after two dozen days. Then it will start to grow. When the stalk that has grown from the bud reaches the size of five to ten centimeters, the seedling will need to be cut obliquely, just above the base of the new shoot - by two or three millimeters.