Problems when growing indoor lemon. Why lemon leaves fall off - possible causes and solutions to the problem Why lemon leaves dry out and curl

Growing indoor lemon doesn't always happen as expected.

Sometimes, due to improper care and keeping the plant in an unfavorable environment, problems arise: the leaves turn yellow and fall off, the tree gets sick and does not bear fruit.

Why do lemon leaves turn yellow, crumble, and curl?

90% of gardeners are aware of the problem of yellowing leaves of lemons. There are several reasons why lemon leaves fall off:

  • due to lack of light;
  • low level nutrients;
  • uncomfortable growing conditions;
  • unsuitable microclimate.

Nutrition and balanced indoor microclimate - two the most important factors, determining the state of the plant. Full development, growth and setting of lemon fruits is possible only with a sufficient amount of vitamins and microelements, including:

  • nitrogen;
  • phosphorus;
  • iron;
  • potassium;
  • magnesium;
  • sulfur;
  • calcium.

The role of vitamins, micro- and macroelements in the life of citrus fruits

With timely application of fertilizers containing a complex of the above elements, you will be able to figure out why the lemon was suffering before and understand why the leaves of the lemon are falling off.

Nitrogen allows you to maintain the color of plant leaves in their usual green state, which means that the plant is healthy. Calcium promotes normal development of the root system and the absence of pathological processes.

Without the presence of phosphorus, the construction of plant cells would be impossible, the fruits would not be of different quality, would not be so sweet, fortified, and would not contain the full range of useful microelements.

Thanks to potassium, nitrogen is absorbed faster, thereby accelerating the ripening of shoots covered with a lignified crust, and helps to increase the plant's immunity to citrus diseases.

This is important! The taste qualities of citrus fruits increase significantly with complex systematic fertilization.

The secret is in the lighting

Why do lemon leaves fall off? Another reason could be insufficient lighting. Like other citrus fruits that grow in the tropics, lemon, even one grown in a pot in a window, requires sufficient light. Normally, this is a 12-hour daylight period for a plant growing in tropical latitudes. Therefore, the plant feels best on a south, south-west, south-east window. There is also additional artificial lighting.

This is important! Remember that excess light also harms lemon. This may be another reason for the plant's painful condition.

Lack of light depletes the tree, and it begins to lose its leaves. Gradually, the crown thins out, and the plant left without greenery dries out completely. Additional lighting in winter time- a common practice when growing lemons at home.

Direct sunlight or prolonged exposure of lemon to the sun has a detrimental effect on the tree. Forms on the leaves yellow spots– burns that quickly regenerate if the lemon is immediately removed from the sun and placed in a shaded place. If you miss this moment, the tree may lose its leaves completely and die as a result.

Features of the indoor microclimate

Insufficient moisture is not the only reason why lemon leaves fall off. This is a moisture-loving crop that requires regular, abundant watering and high air humidity, up to 90%.

If the microclimate is arid and the air is dry, then the leaf blades of the plant begin to turn yellow at the edges. Wet shower - best solution this problem. You can use a regular spray bottle or a humidifier. Most budget option– placement next to winter garden container or reservoir filled with water.

Yellowness of the leaves also appears when temperature regime in an apartment or house not regulated. Due to sudden changes in temperature, the leaves begin to curl. A tree reacts to a draft in much the same way, so a place near a door or an open window is not recommended for placing a lemon.

Other possible reasons for lemon dropping leaves

Citrus trees shed their leaves several times throughout the year. But most often this phenomenon is observed in cold season. The reason why lemon leaves fall off is in 95% of cases due to unfavorable conditions for maintaining the plant.

A number of reasons that cause lemon leaves to fall off include:

  • dry indoor air;
  • nutritional imbalance;
  • irregular watering;
  • cramped pot;
  • hypothermia of the root system;
  • soil acidification;
  • frequent change of place;
  • prematurely caused flowering.

Homemade lemons grown from seeds rarely bloom and form fruit. Why the leaves fall, turn yellow and curl, the shoots dry out, and there is no fruiting - a little observation of the plant will help you understand. Analyze how the lemon reacts to certain conditions and try to change their character by monitoring the condition of the plant.

To get rid of the problem, just keep an eye on the green friends that grow on your window:

  1. Replant your lemon in a timely manner.
  2. Water the plant with water at room temperature.
  3. Do not keep the tree on a cold windowsill or floor. This is another reason why lemon leaves fall in winter.
  4. Monitor the condition of the soil and its moisture. In too wet warm soil, pathogenic flora actively develops, which can destroy citrus.
  5. Do not over-moisten the soil in the pot, otherwise the roots will begin to rot.

How to avoid soil acidification when replanting

This happens when a plant is transplanted into too big pot. To avoid a common problem, select a new container based on the volume of the lemon’s root system. You should not buy a planting pot that is 3-4 cm larger than the previous one.

The tree quickly gets used to its usual habitat, so a sudden change in atmosphere can lead to the shedding of citrus leaves.

Pathogenic organisms also have an effect on the plant. By identifying pests in a timely manner - scale insects, spider mites - you can avoid the death of the plant and quickly return it to a healthy state thanks to prevention.

How to find out the reason why lemon leaves fall and how to deal with it? Sometimes none of the above factors take part in this process, and the tree recovers on its own, renewing the crown. In this case, exclude everything possible reasons:

  • prevent the occurrence of drafts;
  • provide timely, systematic watering;
  • control indoor air humidity;
  • Fertilize only a healthy, strong plant;
  • watch how the lemon reacts to a change of location - this may be one of the factors that answers the question of why the leaves fall off homemade lemon in winter.

Why doesn't homemade lemon bloom?

People often ask on forums why indoor lemon leaves fall off and fruits do not form. There are cases when homemade lemon does not enter the flowering phase for a long time. The plant can be encouraged to do this artificially, through cultural grafting with cuttings. This promotes the appearance of buds after 2-3 years.

The main, but not the only reason why lemon leaves fall off in winter and ovaries do not form is the lack of a cool winter (up to +15 ° C), a favorable period for the formation of flower buds.

Flowering can be achieved after 3-4 years by grafting a branch of an already fruit-bearing plant.

This is important! Remember that not all lemon varieties bloom the same. Some annually, others once every 4-5 years, some do not bloom at all.

Why doesn't lemon set fruit?

Sometimes flowering may be present, but, contrary to this, the lemon harvest cannot be expected, and so on from year to year. Why do the leaves of indoor lemons fall off, and the process is often accompanied by the dropping of flowers? There are several options. The most common reasons:

  • lack of nutrients;
  • reduced level of air humidity in the room;
  • lack of light.

In the case of insufficient feeding, fruits develop that do not exceed in volume walnut, which subsequently crumble. Only 10% of the formed lemon trees ripen, but do not develop in volume.

Another reason is poor pollination. In this case, the citrus is re-dusted, transferring pollen from one flower to another using a cotton swab.

You can get a rich harvest from homemade lemon if you provide citrus favorable conditions life activity and the right system care For example, when a plant is deprived of a state of dormancy, the development of lemon is disrupted, which directly affects the fruiting process.

Possible reasons for the falling of ovaries and lemon fruits

It is not surprising if you have encountered a problem when your favorite citrus plant finally bloomed, but immediately dropped its formed ovaries. Why did this happen? The process could be facilitated by:

  • low indoor air humidity;
  • the presence of a draft;
  • excess moisture;
  • insufficient plant nutrition;
  • influence of pests.

Even the slightest flaw in the process of caring for lemons on the part of the owner can cause the plant to shed its fruits as a result of a painful reaction. Now that you know why lemon leaves turn yellow and flowers fall off, you can effectively solve the problem.

This is important! Productivity is significantly reduced when the amount of useful nutrients in the soil is poor.

How to increase yield

To stimulate fruiting and productivity of your home citrus plant, prepare the following fertilizer:

  • water – 1 l;
  • wood ash - 2-3 tbsp. l.

The solution is used for irrigation. It is appropriate to fertilize with potassium-containing fertilizers.

This is important! Scientists have noticed the fact that young trees that are not yet ready to bear fruit drop their fruits. This is explained by the fact that there should be 10 leaf plates per lemon. Therefore, artificial thinning of the lemon is appropriate, when the excess ovary is removed in order to stimulate fruiting.

No less attention is paid to the load of future fruits. Excess flowers are plucked off, leaving only 1-2 flowers on the side shoots.

Now you know why the green leaves of lemons fall off, and if you follow all the rules of care and recommendations, such a question will not arise even in your subconscious.

Why do lemon leaves turn yellow and curl? Why does the plant shed its leaves? Why do lemon leaves become covered with black spots? The reason may be improper care, lack of microelements or flower diseases. If the leaves fall off, it means that the homemade lemon may lack light; it has been overwatered. Lemon leaves fall off if the air in the room where it is located is dry or the horse system is disturbed.

Most often, lemon leaves fall in the autumn-winter period, but leaf fall can occur at any other time of the year. Main reason: unfavorable conditions. For example, a recently purchased plant may lose its leaves. The explanation is simple: in the greenhouses where it is grown, the conditions are different from the microclimate in the apartment. Leaf fall is a reaction to a change in the growing microclimate. After purchasing, the lemon must acclimatize to the new conditions; it is not advisable to replant it; it is provided with proper care. At this time, it is important not to overwater the flower, since without leaves the process of moisture evaporation is disrupted. Experts recommend spraying more than watering; you can add epin to the solution.

Why does a lemon shed its leaves if its growing location has not changed? Reason: lack of light. This plant belongs to the category of light-loving, that is, it needs a 12-hour day of light. In the autumn-winter period, when the length of daylight hours decreases, the plant must be illuminated with a fluorescent lamp. It is better to place the pot on the western or eastern side of the house, or on the southern side, but with obligatory shading.

The lemon has dropped its leaves if it was replanted with full or partial replacement soil. In this case, the root system is disrupted, which necessarily affects the crown. She crumbles. What to do? We need to help the flower restore root system. To do this, watering is reduced, the flower is placed under a greenhouse ( polyethylene film), which should not touch the leaves and branches of the flower. Spraying is carried out to maintain high level humidity in the greenhouse. Every day the greenhouse is ventilated for 15 minutes to prevent the formation of condensation. Epin is added to the spraying solution once a week, and root can be added to the watering solution. There is no need to suddenly remove the greenhouse. To adapt the flower, increase the ventilation time every day. The greenhouse is completely removed when new leaves appear on the lemon.

Lemon drops leaves when it is attacked by cancer, viral mosaic. All these diseases are viral in nature. In most cases in indoor growing diseases cannot be treated, and the plant is completely thrown away in order to prevent infection of other flowers.

Cancer on lemon leaves looks like brown spots irregular shape which dry out and crumble inside. With prolonged disease, young lemon leaves develop deformed and small. The disease cannot be treated; it can be prevented by spraying the flower with fungicides in the spring.

Leaves fall if homemade lemon is affected by leaf mosaic. On the leaves it looks like light spots of irregular shape, sometimes spreading across the plate in the form of streaks. Mosaic cannot be treated; in most cases, the plant is removed.

Lemon leaves curl if the watering schedule is disrupted. This is drying or waterlogging of the soil. In the first case, you need to water the flower with small portions of water, but do not allow the soil in the pot to become waterlogged. In both cases, the plant is placed under a greenhouse, where it is regularly sprayed. Overmoistening the soil in a pot leads to rotting of the roots. Damaged roots can no longer “drink” water, and therefore the plant suffers from moisture deficiency even in waterlogged soil. In this case, watering is stopped. The lemon is taken out of the pot, but the integrity of the earthen ball must not be damaged, and it is wrapped in paper. The latter will draw out excess moisture from the soil. Drying in this way is carried out for 3 days, the plant needs to be shaded. Then the flower is returned to the pot and a greenhouse is organized for it. Watering is not carried out, much attention is paid to spraying.

Lemon leaves dry out around the edges if indoors high temperature and low air humidity. The optimal temperature for lemon is +20...+23 degrees, humidity - not lower than 70%. Otherwise, the plant gets sick. Very often the leaves of indoor lemons turn yellow if they are placed close to heating appliances in winter. The plant does not like dry air, and even in winter it may suffer from lack of light. It is illuminated with a fluorescent lamp.

The leaves turn yellow and fall off if the lemon is infested with spider mites.. In this case, on the back side of the sheet plate there will be white coating, and on the branches there is a light, whitish cobweb. The leaves are covered with small spots. How to treat? It is necessary to wash the plant in the shower warm water, then treat with one of the preparations Fitoverm, Vertimer (three times with an interval of 10 days) or Akarin, Neoron (4 times with an interval of 7-10 days). It is better when the affected flower is isolated from the rest of the collection.

Growing lemon on the windowsill is a great idea! Unlike flowers, which many people prefer to grow at home, it brings tangible benefits - fruits. In order for the plant to begin to bear fruit, it requires appropriate care.

Leaf deformation in lemons is a common problem that needs to be dealt with immediately.

One of the problems that everyone who wants to grow lemons at home faces is deformation of the leaves. Why do lemon leaves curl, and how to deal with this problem?

Causes of lemon leaves curling

Almost everyone who wanted to grow a lemon encountered a problem - the leaves of the tree curled up. To make indoor plants pleasing to the eye, they first need proper care:

  1. First of all, you should know that this plant is very afraid of drafts and excessive dryness. Some indoor plant lovers arm themselves with phytolamps that emit ultraviolet light and air humidifiers. This helps create ideal conditions For rapid growth plants.
  2. It is enough to water it a couple of times a week; in summer it is recommended to spray the leaves with water at least once a day. There is one caveat: it is better to water all citrus plants with settled water with the addition of a few drops of vinegar or a small pinch of citric acid.

Why do leaves curl? They begin to curl, turn yellow and fall off due to the wrong choice of soil type. Alkaline and acidic soils have a particularly negative effect.

If you are not particularly knowledgeable about this issue, but want the lemon to be healthy and begin to bear fruit, contact a specialized store, where they will not only help you choose soil and a pot, but will also recommend fertilizers, without which not a single flowering plant can survive.

If at least one leaf turns yellow, then this is a signal: your plant does not have enough light. The fix for this is very simple: you need to change the position of the lemon in the house and move the pot to the windowsill closer to sunlight.

If even one leaf of a lemon turns yellow, it is urgent to move the plant closer to sunlight

Fresh air has a beneficial effect on the growth of the plant and, if the leaves are curled, it is necessary to take the plant out into the yard or place the pot on the balcony.

Another reason why lemon leaves dry out is a lack of important microelements: copper and calcium. Copper is responsible for the internal balance of turgor; its absence leads to the fact that the leaves begin to curl. Calcium is responsible for plant growth.

Absolutely every houseplant needs feeding, which must be done once a month. This will avoid problems with leaf curling, and the lemon itself will begin to grow faster.

Insects and pests

If you notice cobwebs on a lemon or small bugs, then this indicates that your plant has been attacked by pests. The biggest danger is from scale insects and thrips. Before starting treatment, it is necessary to understand which of these insects attacked the leaves of the lemon.

Scale insects can be distinguished by characteristic brown dots on the leaves; the action of aphids causes the leaves to curl. What to do if you notice one of the signs:

  1. Dilute a light soap solution.
  2. Soak a cotton swab in it.
  3. Wipe each leaf thoroughly from the outside and inside.
  4. Rinse off the soap solution with settled water.

Infectious diseases

Houseplants are susceptible to infectious diseases. It is the development of infectious diseases that can cause lemon leaves to curl.

The most common disease is sooty fungus, which causes the leaves to curl and begin to turn black.

The appropriate medicines, which can be purchased at flower shops. When processing the plant, it is important to strictly follow the instructions indicated on the preparation.

We have listed the most common problems that lemon owners may encounter. Take care of your lemon and it will delight you with its blooms for many years.

Kira Stoletova

Growing a lemon tree at home is not difficult, but it requires special care and conditions of detention. Sometimes, due to failure to follow the rules for growing a plant, problems with the leaves begin: they turn yellow, dry out, and fall off. However, it is impossible to immediately determine why the lemon leaves curl.

  • Causes of leaf curling

    The lemon tree is loved by gardeners because it remains green throughout the year and is capable of bearing fruit. But in order for the plant to fulfill its purpose, it must be properly cared for. Sometimes small mistakes in care lead to lemon leaves curling.

    Improper care is not the only reason for this phenomenon; there are others:

    • damage by insect pests;
    • poor mineral nutrition;
    • lack of fresh air;
    • infectious diseases.

    The most common cause of leaf curling on a lemon tree is poor growing and care conditions: improper watering, inappropriate temperature and humidity levels in the room, drafts, poor soil and improper fertilization.

    To choose the right methods to combat the problem, you need to find out why lemon leaves curl and what factors influence this. Having determined the cause, one must not hesitate to eliminate it, since an neglected problem quickly destroys the plant. If treatment is started in time, the tree will quickly recover and sprout new greenery.

    Improper care

    If your homemade lemon's leaves curl inward or upward, turn yellow, dry out, or fall off, it doesn't like care. Abundant and frequent watering or, conversely, weak and infrequent moisture, lack of fresh air, poor-quality soil, rare and poor fertilizer or its absence - all this leads to curling of greenery, poor growth and the flowering of lemongrass.

    Improper watering

    Because of improper watering The leaves of an indoor lemon tree not only curl and change shape, but also fall off. This happens if you water the plant with cold or unsettled water.

    Before watering tap water It must be allowed to sit for several days so that the chlorine disappears from it. This element has a detrimental effect on the citrus plant. It is also important that the water reaches room temperature.

    Moistening with a vinegar solution has a positive effect on the condition of the green mass. Add a few drops of vinegar to 1 liter of settled water. The tree is sprayed as the soil dries, especially during the hot period. Do not allow the soil to dry out; water the lemongrass regularly and moderately. In summer, this procedure is carried out more often than in winter: every day or every other day.

    Moisturizing in summer and winter

    To avoid leaf curling in summer indoor tree sprayed with a spray bottle every day. If the weather is too hot and the air temperature is high in the room where the lemon is standing, it should be moistened twice a day. Otherwise, even if frequent watering the greenery will dry out and fall off. Also in the summer, lemongrass is watered from the shower a couple of times a month.

    In winter, due to the included central heating the air in the house becomes dry, which also leads to a deterioration in the condition of the greenery. If it is noticeable that the leaves of the lemon tree are curled, it is immediately provided with high humidity. Humidifiers help a lot. It is also useful to move the tree pot away from the radiators and place a large container of water next to it.

    Lack of fresh air

    Sometimes lemon leaves curl due to lack of fresh air. In winter, the room is ventilated, and in summer time The pot with the plant is taken outside or onto the balcony. At the same time, they monitor drafts and temperature changes: they harm the tree. You should not place it near doors and balconies. Schisandra does not tolerate direct sunlight.

    The appearance of pests

    Curling of lemon leaves also occurs due to damage to the tree by insect pests.

    Spider mites

    Spider mites usually infect the lower parts of young greenery and feed on their juices. A characteristic feature their appearance is a web. Insects settle under it. At the first stage of infection, there are few cobwebs, the tips of the leaves are slightly curled, and small yellow spots are visible on the leaf blade. As pests spread, the green mass is damaged and the plant begins to dry out.

    Shchitovka

    Thrips and aphids

    These insects also cause leaves to curl and stunt the growth of lemon trees. They settle on the underside of the leaf plate, suck the juices out of it, as a result of which the greenery becomes deformed, discolored and dries out. If the pests are not exterminated, they will destroy the tree and move to other plants.

    Lack of microelements

    If a lemon's leaves curl, this may be due to a lack of microelements necessary for full growth: calcium, magnesium, copper or boron. The following signs help determine which element the plant lacks:

    • for calcium deficiency green mass loses color, young shoots gradually dry out;
    • with a lack of magnesium, they not only curl, but also turn pale and become variegated;
    • with copper deficiency, the foliage first increases in size, darkens, its tips begin to bend, then it curls;
    • in the complete absence of copper, the green mass noticeably decreases in size, becomes discolored and curls, and the edges of the leaf plate are deformed;
    • with a small amount of boron, the leaves wither, curl inward, sometimes transparent spots appear on them or the veins expand.

    To prevent this problem, the lemon tree is periodically fed with special fertilizers. It is recommended to do this once every few months or more often, depending on the condition of the plant.

    Infectious diseases of lemon

    The curling of lemon leaves is also associated with infectious diseases. The most common diseases are sooty fungus and gommosis. When a sooty fungus disease occurs, a black mold coating appears on the plant, which quickly spreads and worsens the condition of the tree. The appearance of gommosis is accompanied by cracking of the trunk and the release of glassy resin from it.

    There are several treatment options for lemon tree. Usually with infectious diseases fight with the help of special medications that are sold in flower shops. They are diluted with water and sprayed over the entire plant.

    Fighting diseases is real and traditional methods.

    Why do lemon leaves curl?

    The lemon is sick, please help me identify the disease.

    Why do lemon leaves turn yellow?

    Necessary conditions for cultivation

    To avoid any problems with the lemon tree, it is provided with proper conditions. Make sure that the plant does not overheat in the sun and is not exposed to direct sunlight for a long time. sun rays. The room temperature should be on average 20°C. They try to maintain a stable temperature and avoid temperature changes.

    It is better to purchase soil for lemon in specialized stores. At the bottom of the pot, be sure to make a drainage 3-5 cm high. To prepare it, use sand or wood ash, but it is better to combine them. Experts advise insulating the pot so that the roots are always warm.

    Lemon is fertilized special solutions once every 7-10 days. Fertilizers are applied the day after watering.

    Conclusion

    Curling leaves on lemon tree- a common phenomenon. This happens by various reasons. First, they determine the factors that caused this problem, and only then begin to solve it.

    If leaf curling occurs on a recently purchased lemon, most likely the plant is going through a stage of adaptation to new conditions. Lemon will need some time to get used to the new growing conditions. But if leaf curling occurs in a lemon that has been in your home for a long time, it is worth analyzing the reasons for this phenomenon.

    The main reasons for lemon leaves to curl

    Insufficient humidity in the air

    Lemon leaves curl especially often in winter, when the heating is turned on in apartments. The air dries out, and the leaf blade begins to evaporate more moisture, which is why the leaf edges bend. A humidifier can help correct the situation, or the pot of lemon can be moved to a cooler room. You can also place the pot in a tray of water so that water does not get into the drainage holes.

    Rare spraying

    Lemon groves grow in conditions high humidity and moderately hot climate. Therefore, indoor lemon should be regularly sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle. This is an additional source of moisture for lemon.

    Lack of fresh air supply

    In summer, it is useful to take lemon out into the fresh air, avoiding drafts and direct sunlight.

    Lack of moisture in the soil

    Irregular watering leads to a lack of moisture in the leaves, which is why they begin to curl and turn yellow.

    Sudden changes in temperature

    Being tropical plant, lemon tolerates sudden changes in air temperature extremely negatively. Therefore, the pot of lemon should be kept away from windows and doors - the main sources of drafts. At unfavorable conditions The lemon tree's leaves curl and then may drop them.

    Pests, infectious diseases

    If the leaves are curled, carefully inspect the lemon - are there any pests on it? Most often, leaf curling is the result of the activity of spider mites, scale insects or aphids.

    • Shield. The insect most often settles on citrus fruits. The scale insect is easy to see on the leaves - their surface becomes shiny and covered with a sticky coating, as if it had been dipped in syrup. In the fight against scale insects, karbofos is used, but this product does not destroy scale insect eggs, so after 10-14 days they are re-treated.
    • Spider mite. The pest, characterized by its mobility, poses a great danger to citrus fruits. The presence of a tick will be indicated by light dots located on the back of the leaf. The young leaves that have just appeared are already twisted, their color becomes pale, they are entwined with cobwebs and eventually fall off. In the fight against spider mite The plant is treated with Keltan.
    • Aphid. Mostly green aphids settle in the buds of the apical part of the lemon. Aphid colonies can be found on the lower part of the leaf blade. These pests make the leaf colorless, curl it, and the growing young shoots become crooked. Dichlorvos will help get rid of aphids from lemon: moisten a swab with the product, place it in a bag with a pot of lemon and tie the bag tightly for a while.
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