Description of Tashkent lemon variety, growing and care at home
Tashkent orange lemon is a rather rare variety that was developed in the former USSR. The plant has not become widespread, although it has decent characteristics and is suitable for growing at home. The variety adapts to almost any climatic conditions, unpretentious. But even with such a green pet, you need to be able to handle so as not to ruin it and get stable yields even when grown in a room.
Description and characteristics of the Tashkent variety
Tashkent lemon is a representative of the Citrus genus. The maximum height of a tree in natural conditions does not exceed 2.5 m. The leaves are oval with a pointed tip. The fruits are oval, with a thin skin. When ripe, they acquire a rich orange color. Good taste, moderate acidity. The pulp is similar in its characteristics to other varieties. The mass of lemons does not exceed 110 g.
During the flowering period, the tree is covered with white-pink flowers, emitting a delicate pleasant aroma. The ovaries form in the leaf axils, which makes the plant prone to crop overload. Tashkent lemon is popular not only for the quality of the fruit, but also for its decorative effect. Its parent varieties are Mayer and Novogruzinsky.
The main positive and negative aspects of the variety
Tashkent lemon is endowed with certain advantages over competitors, thanks to which flower growers choose it for growing. These include:
- undemanding care;
- suitability for growing indoors;
- high decorative qualities;
- excellent productivity;
- unusual fruit color;
- thin skin of lemons;
- decent taste.
Growers do not distinguish any particular disadvantages in the variety, but they attribute to them the need to ration the amount of harvest. Otherwise, overloading the fruit may cause the tree to break.
Features of growing crops at home
Although Tashkent lemon is an unpretentious plant, it has certain features in cultivation. Without their observance, the plant will not only not please with the harvest, but may even die altogether.
Planting containers
For growing Tashkent lemon at home, clay pots should be preferred. This will avoid waterlogging of the soil.
The volume of the container must be increased annually until it reaches 10 liters.
Preparation of planting material
You can only grow a lemon at home from a fresh seed. Material that has time to dry is not suitable for planting. To make the seeds germinate faster, carefully remove the hard shell with a knife. If this procedure is not performed, then for several hours the seeds are immersed in a growth stimulant solution. After that, they can be planted in prepared soil.
Landing in the soil
Lemons should be grown in low acid soil. You can purchase a ready-made citrus substrate at the store. The soil should not only have good air and moisture permeability, but also have a sufficient supply of nutrients that accelerate the growth and development of Tashkent lemon.
Seeds are planted in soil mixture to a depth of 1 cm and covered with glass or foil until the first shoots appear. When the seedlings reach 20 cm in height, they should be transplanted into separate larger pots.
Plant care recommendations
In order for the Tashkent lemon to retain its decorative qualities and please with rich harvests, it needs to provide proper care and create optimal conditions for growth and development.
Temperature and lighting
During the period of growth of Tashkent lemon, it is required to maintain the temperature at +17 ° C. During budding, this indicator should not exceed +14 - +18 ° С, and when the fruits begin to ripen, the temperature should be raised to +22 ° С or more. During the rest period, this indicator is lowered to +10 - +14 ° С.
Lemon is considered to be a short day plant. It is best to place the plant on an eastern or southern windowsill, shading from the midday sun. In order for the tree to grow symmetrically, it must be rotated around its axis every 10 days. In winter, additional lighting is required for 5-6 hours every day.
Pruning
When grown indoors, Tashkent lemon requires pruning. The procedure is performed in early spring, when the tree is just beginning to emerge from the dormant period. Dried or damaged branches are carefully cut off, and the cut site is treated with garden pitch. If it is not available, then a solution of potassium permanganate will do. It is advisable for a young plant to remove the growing point and shape the crown so that it fits into the dimensions of the room and has a decorative appearance.
Watering and feeding
From May to September, Tashkent lemon needs moderate daily watering, and the rest of the time, the procedure is carried out no more than 2 times a week. They are guided by the state of the upper layer of the earthen coma.
Room lemon is fed with complex mineral preparations. During an active growing season, young trees are fertilized 1 time per month and a half. Adult plants require additional fertilizing once a month. Starting from October, the frequency of fertilization is gradually reduced. When the tree enters a dormant period, such procedures are completely stopped.
Disease and pest control
Due to poor care and the negative impact of pests, Tashkent lemon can be affected by various diseases and lose its decorative effect. In addition, a diseased plant is not able to please the owners with a harvest of beautiful and tasty fruits. When the first signs of disease or pests are detected, the tree should be treated with fungicides or insecticides.
Tashkent lemon is most often affected by such insects:
- whitefly;
- spider mite;
- aphid;
- shield;
- mealybug.
Of the diseases in this variety, there are:
- chlorosis;
- tristeza;
- homoz;
- scab;
- anthracnose;
- mosaic;
- melseco;
- root rot.
Preventive treatments carried out on time can get rid of many problems, help keep the lemon healthy and beautiful.
Mistakes when growing lemon
The main mistake when growing Tashkent lemon is that the grower leaves all the formed ovaries on it. This leads not only to overloading the tree, but also to its rapid exhaustion. In addition, the plant is capable of shedding ovaries due to overloading them. The amount of the crop must be normalized.
During the flowering period, the lemon should not be transplanted and dry leaves should not be removed from it. Also, do not move it to a new location.
Harvesting and storage of crops
Harvesting of Tashkent lemons is carried out approximately 4 months after the end of flowering. You should not do this later than the second half of January, as the harvest of the next season may not be formed. Ripe lemons have not only a characteristic yellow color, but also a glossy shine of the skin. If it has become wrinkled, then the fruits are ripe.
At home, freshly harvested crops can be stored for no more than 2 weeks. After that, they lose moisture or become moldy. For longer storage, the fruits are placed in the fruit refrigerator drawer. In such conditions, they retain their qualities for up to 90 days. Do not store the crop in places with direct sunlight or wrap it in plastic bags.
