How to shape indoor lemon and other citrus fruits by pruning. How to trim a lemon with your own hands - photo, diagram, expert advice How to trim a lemon at home

Below is material on forming the crown of an indoor lemon. When I first posted it, it seemed to me that this was enough, but I was wrong - the topic is quite broad and not everything is as simple as it might seem at first glance. So I decided to add a few more pages:

For those who want to understand the issue of pruning, I recommend looking through all the pages - they complement each other well, even though in some places the material overlaps.

There are many cases where indoor lemons, especially those grown from rooted cuttings, grew well without shaping. But still, in order for the tree to have a beautiful crown, it is necessary to constantly work in this direction - to guide its growth by resorting to pruning and pinching - removing emerging buds.

Natural branching of an indoor lemon tree.

A young tree initially produces one vertical shoot of zero order.
- may already appear in the 2nd year side shoots 1st order.
- Usually branches of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th orders begin to develop within a few years. It’s these branches that they try to get quickly, because only on short side branches - fruits - flowers form, and then ovaries. If the growth of a lemon is left to chance, then the wait for the first flowers and fruits will be somewhat delayed.
This development of the lemon tree described above is primarily characteristic of grafted seedlings and seedlings. As practice shows, cuttings of lemons still prefer to bush on their own - already in the first years of life (sometimes there are exceptions).

Rules for forming the crown of an indoor lemon tree.

Pinching and pruning of branches is carried out throughout the growing season according to the principle: shorten all the branches, starting with zero (stem), force the tree to bush - you will get “fruits” faster.
- the mature stem of the seedling (zero-order branch) is shortened at a height of about 16-20 cm, leaving only a few well-developed buds directed in different directions. Subsequently, shoots sprout from these buds, of which 3-4, in turn, are left - these will be first-order branches (the future main skeletal branches of the plant).
- these branches (first order branches) are not allowed to grow beyond 20 -25 cm.
- shoots of the 2nd order are cut only 10 cm shorter.
- branches of the 3rd, 4th, 5th orders are shortened by 5 cm.
When branches of the 4th order have already appeared, the formation of the crown skeleton is completed.
It is important during the formation of the crown skeleton (lasts 2-3 years) to control that not just the top bud grows, but 2-3 more at the same time. If this is not the case, then this one is better the only escape delete. “remove”, but do not prune the branch - remove the unwanted shoot as soon as it begins to grow from the bud.

There is a difference between "delete" and "trim". Trimming when shaping for indoor lemon is not exactly what is needed. Firstly, it is “painful” for him, and secondly, it is irrational. To build its tissue, a tree needs a lot of time and a large amount of nutrients. In this regard, it is better not to allow such idle “work”, but to control its growth by pinching (pinching) - removing the unnecessary shoot at the very beginning of its development from the bud. It happens that a stubbornly growing bud needs to be pinched twice. It is also useful to apply pinching to the tips of all rapidly developing shoots - to save nutrients and more quickly ripen new growth.

Indoor lemon twists.

In addition to pinching and pruning, you need to pay attention to the sunlight exposure of the lemon tree. The plant should not be constantly in a constant position in relation to sunlight, otherwise there will be no full development. If you treat a lemon tree like an ordinary flowerpot - for example, turn the plant with the opposite side towards the light; then the result will be the following: the leaves will curl, become deformed, or even completely fall off. As a result of the above action, the plants will grow very poorly, and long time feel depressed.
What's the matter?
The thing is that in room conditions, the lemon tree is very conservative. The leaves of the plant seem to get used to a certain dose of light - illumination from a certain direction. In the event of a sharp change in light intensity, the metabolic processes that occur in plants are immediately disrupted, which in turn adversely affects the condition of the plant.

To rotate the lemon tree:
The following proven method is recommended - turn the pot with the plant 10 degrees every 10 days. As a result of such a small turn, the lemon tree will not experience sudden changes, and metabolic processes will proceed normally. Thus, in 1 year the lemon tree can be rotated 360 degrees - which in turn will ensure uniform development of the crown.

A little more about plant rotations.
The crown of a lemon tree can also be shaped into a bush. The plant itself will tell you how to do it.

How indoor culture is becoming increasingly popular. But in order for the lemon tree to grow healthy and regularly produce good harvest, it needs careful care. And one of the important points in caring for an indoor lemon is its pruning. Indoor lemons need pruning; without it, the plant will either grow with a small number of side branches, or, on the contrary, look like a large, sloppy bush. In this article you will learn how to properly trim your citrus tree and form a beautiful and neat crown.

The lemon tree will be smooth and beautiful, only. if you shape it

Why do you need to trim?

First, you need to figure out why you need to trim at all. Pruning is necessary for the following reasons:

First lemon pruning

When should you start trimming yours? It is recommended to prune your tree for the first time from the first year of its life, when it grows more than 20 cm in height.

What time of year is best to prune? Here opinions differ. It is believed that at home you can prune all year round. But anyway best time for of this event- spring, because it is then that the tree begins the period of flowering and budding. If you need to prune the tree earlier, you can do it at the end of winter (February).

Pruning will refresh the plant and give it new incentives for growth and development.

It is better not to trim a lemon that is too young, because instead of the expected benefit, it will cause irreparable harm to your plant.

Features of branching and its influence on pruning. General pruning rules.

Before you start pruning, it is very important to understand how the branches of a lemon tree grow. The branching of its shoots has several features:

1. at the very beginning of the growth of a lemon, it has only one shoot, it will be a shoot of zero order (also called a standard);
2. when it reaches one year of age, new side shoots are formed, these will be shoots of the first order. When pruning, you need to leave 4 such shoots;
3. As the plant grows further, shoots of the second order are formed on these shoots of the first order, and shoots on them III order, and so on;
4. After IV order shoots are formed on the lemon, it will begin to bear fruit.

A mature plant has various options branches that bear fruit in different time(some bear fruit, while others are still growing and begin to bear fruit only after a year).

Sometimes shoots with only one apical flower are formed. It is also sometimes possible to form “fatting shoots” - they are very powerful and can periodically form on the lemon. Such shoots arise inside the crown, grow vertically and then turn into long soft shoots. You can deal with “fattening shoots”, as well as with non-fruiting shoots. in the following way: either remove them completely, or shorten them by 25 cm, somewhere at the level of 5-6 buds (in this case, they may degenerate into fruit-bearing branches).

A fattening shoot on a lemon is strong, beautiful, but it will not bear fruit.

If some of your lemon's branches have become weak or dry, these will need to be trimmed as well. This must be done because they will waste nutrients that the living parts of the plant need.

Pruning should be done according to the following rules:

1. Pruning is carried out throughout the entire growing season of the plant.
   You can prune all the branches of a lemon tree, but the first thing to prune is . This way the plant can take the correct shape.
2. Start with a 0 order escape. shorten by at least 15, but no more than 20 cm. Be sure to leave 4-5 well-developed buds, they are needed for the development of future side shoots that form the “skeleton” of the crown.
3. Shoots of level II are shortened by no more than 25 cm, shoots of level III are no longer than 10 cm. All subsequent levels are shortened by only 5 cm.
   On shoots of levels IV-V, pruning can be completed.
4. One of the pruning methods is pinching (or pinching). Its essence is to remove unnecessary shoots on initial stage their development from a fruit tree (a fruit branch that bears flower buds). You can also pinch rapidly developing shoots. This will help the plant reduce the consumption of the minerals it needs, and this will promote the maturation of new growth.

After you remove all unnecessary parts of the branches, you must treat all cuts with an antiseptic. If this is not done, the plant may get sick. The treatment can be carried out with a special garden varnish.

It is also worth noting that small branches (thinner than a pencil) do not need to be processed.

It is best to shape your lemon tree into a flat shape. This lemon crown is considered the best for home growing.

In order to form such a crown, you need to direct shoots of all levels to the windowsill at a certain time, and if necessary, cut them off and break them off. Then, when the dimensions of the crown of the tree and the window opening become the same, hard pinching is carried out, and you can even trim it. In this case, you can form a so-called “living curtain”. With such a crown it will feel great and produce a good harvest.

It is important to monitor the formation of “fatty shoots”; if they are noticed, they must be removed immediately.

Lemon's basic principles are similar to the formation of the crown of an ordinary fruit tree

There is another method of forming a crown, which involves cutting all the branches to a certain length. But with this method, there is a risk that yours will not bear fruit this season.

It is best to perform corrective pruning, in which new branches are only slightly shortened. A few weeks after this event, new growth sites will form at the site of the cuttings, and soon new young branches will appear. It is important to do everything as carefully as possible, trying not to damage the tissue of the tree trunk, because this can disrupt the growth of the lemon.

must be completed before fruiting begins. But we must remember that removing flowers and ovaries from a branch promotes its growth. In this way you can regulate the yield; rationing the yield is very important so as not to deplete your plant by excessive flowering.

Excessive blooming on lemon should be removed, otherwise it will weaken the plant.

Lemons, compared to other fruit trees, have very lush flowering. And despite the fact that a large number of flowers look very beautiful and please the eye, abundant flowering can greatly deplete your tree. The result of such depletion may be a small number of fruits or their low quality. To avoid all these unpleasant consequences, you need to prune during the flowering period of the tree. In its process, all weak and poorly flowering branches are removed. This procedure will help you get a good harvest of lemons.

Anti-aging pruning

Everything tends to age, so your tree will age over time. But there is a way to delay this process a little - you need carry out anti-aging pruning. During this, all weakened and dry branches are removed from the plant as much as possible. This will help stimulate the growth of new young branches. It is also recommended to apply various fertilizers simultaneously with such pruning.

All these measures will help you “rejuvenate” your lemon tree a little and extend its fruiting period by several years. A properly formed crown of your green pet will help not only make it a decoration for your home, but also improve its condition, enhance fruiting and prolong the life of your tree.

After trimming the crown of the plant, you need to read how to do it according to the rules in our blog.

Forming a citrus crown is a fascinating process, but requires patience. Sometimes necessary to get a fruiting tree. Fruiting in most lemons begins only after the formation of fourth-order branches in the crown (more on this below). Branches of the first, second and third orders do not produce fruit. But the Meyer lemon bears fruit on branches of the second and third orders.

It must be said that citrus fruits have a rather stubborn character. They don’t always want to grow the way we need them to - a compact tree. Therefore, we will try to formulate instructions for detailed formation. And the most important thing here is the beginning, when a sprouted seed, a rooted cutting or a young scion has just begun to grow. But before we talk about formation, let’s touch on the issue of physiology.

Features of the development of citrus fruits

The growth and development of citrus fruits in nature and on our windowsills is significantly different from others indoor plants. The specificity of development is determined by the cyclical nature of the growing season. From spring to autumn, these plants experience three peaks of development:

First growth, spring, from about mid-March to June. At this moment, new shoots and leaves grow powerfully. But suddenly growth stops and the lull (lack of growth) lasts until the young shoots mature.

The ripening of shoots is one of the phases of the growing season, and it consists of preparing the plant for the dormant period. In nature, ripening begins with a significant reduction in growth processes: a decrease in day length, an increase in daily temperature differences, and in cultivated cultivation, in addition, during pruning. When ripening, the deposition of nutrients in the shoots increases, the green bark becomes woody, becomes brown and dry, and the leaves acquire a darker shade.

Second wave of citrus growth during a month in midsummer. Again we observe intensive leaf growth. In August it stops again and the maturation of recruits begins.

The third wave of growth usually occurs in the Indian summer - early September and can last until the end of October.

What is noteworthy: often at the end of the growth phase, citrus fruits dry out the apical bud (growth point) at the end of the shoots. Thus, the natural formation of the crown occurs in nature. Those. thanks to this mechanism fruit trees have a spreading crown.

It must be said that the timing of growth spurts is not rigid; they are dictated, first of all, by weather conditions. For example, last year my calamondin began to grow rapidly in mid-March, this year at the end of February. And the orange is in another room (with more low temperatures) last year - at the end of March, but this year I haven’t started yet. In addition, if the spring is early and sunny, the first growth may be more vigorous and longer than the second, or, conversely, the spring is cloudy and the summer is sunny, then the second growth is longer and more productive. Sometimes there are only two waves of growth in a year, or vice versa four.

Not on the topic of formation, but speaking of growth peaks. During intensive extension green leaves and flowering, citrus fruits gain a huge number of buds. Sometimes they bloom like our apple trees - all the branches are strewn with flowers, then the formation of ovaries begins. But suddenly some fly around, and after a couple of weeks, fly around again. Citrus fruits shed a significant part of the set fruits on instincts of self-preservation, so that depletion does not occur and there are enough nutrients for a new cycle of growth and flowering.

When I saw this spectacle for the first time, I almost made a terrible mistake. The fact is that the mass flying around of the ovaries - they fall out like peas, immediately raises the idea that, probably, the plant does not have enough water. We need to water it! But overwatering is detrimental to citrus fruits - it is certain death. And if you don’t know physiology, you can destroy the plant by trying to stop the flowers and ovaries from shedding by watering. Therefore, first, check the soil in the depths of the pot to see if it is dry enough.

Well, now let's move on to the formation.

Formation of the crown of citrus fruits grown from seeds

Step one

After the seed germinates, a shoot is formed from the seedling or rooted cutting; it is called a zero-order shoot. For this single-stem seedling, while it has not yet become lignified, we pinch the crown (growth point) so that the height from the ground is 25-30 cm. This process is called pinching.
After pinching, the growth of the zero shoot stops and it begins to ripen.

Step two

When the ripening of the zero shoot ends, the citrus is ready for new growth, and we cut it to the required length. Traditionally, it is recommended to leave 15-20 cm, some gardeners cut it even shorter - leaving about 10 cm. In any case, it is desirable that at least four leaves remain on the zero-order shoot.

Step three

New shoots begin to grow from under the leaves remaining on the shoot. Usually, when pruning a zero shoot, the bud itself begins to grow. top sheet or two kidneys, less often all three. To form a profusely fruiting tree in the future, it is necessary to ensure that three, or at most two, new shoots begin to grow. These will be shoots of the first order. If they don’t want to grow, only one new shoot stubbornly climbs, we break it out (breaking out differs from pruning in that the shoot is removed completely under the base). We are waiting to see if the remaining kidneys wake up. If they don’t want to start growing, then we break out the leading shoot again.

And so on until we get the simultaneous development of two or three shoots of the first order. Ideally, it is better to get four first-order shoots, but in reality this does not always happen.

Step four

If we managed to get three shoots of the first order, we allow the one above to grow upward and direct two to the sides. Those. You can fix the shoots in certain directions using flexible wire, but make sure that it does not injure the bark.

If we managed to get four shoots of the first order, then we direct them like a fan, in different directions, moving them apart so that the shoots do not interfere with each other or block the light. Very often the shoots stretch upward in a crowd so that from the outside you cannot see which branch is which and in what order. At the same time, young citrus fruits are formed very easily with wire.

Step five

The branches of the first order grow, and can grow thin and long for a long time, so when they grow 25 cm, we pinch them back. When the branches ripen, we cut them approximately 5-6 cm below the pinching site, so that no less than four leaves remain on the shoots of the first order. When pruning, make the cut directly above the bud, facing outward and not inward of the crown (picture above).

The final part of crown formation

If you have mastered the formation of shoots of the first and second order, everything else is not difficult. Everything happens according to the same scenario. We grow the shoots to a certain length, tweez them, wait for them to ripen, and trim them.
The length of the shoot at which the crown of the shoot is pinched depends on the order of branching - with the next order they are shortened.

Approximate dimensions:

• shoot of zero order 15-20 cm
• shoots of the first order 20-25 cm
• second order shoots 10-15 cm
• shoots of the third order about 10 cm
• shoots of the fourth and further about 5-10 cm

On shoots of the fourth or fifth order, the formation of skeletal branches ends. If the shoots begin to bloom before the crown is formed, it is better to tear off the buds, since there will be no growth on such branches and the formation will take a long time. And only with the formation of shoots of the fifth order can citrus fruits be allowed to bear fruit.

The first difficulty: to achieve development after pruning not just one bud, but two or three at the same time. If a single shoot begins to grow at the pruning site, you need to break it out, sometimes repeatedly. Those. do not let it grow, but break it out at the base until shoots begin to appear from the lower buds.

The second difficulty: the appearance of tops. These shoots are also called fattening shoots; they will not bear fruit, but are distinguished by the fact that they grow vertically upward and grow much faster than future fruiting branches. If they are not broken out, they draw off a lot of nutrients and thicken the crown.

Formation of the crown of a fruit tree

If you already have an adult, grown lemon tree (and other citrus trees), then you can trim the branches and form a crown within all year round, But better in spring(April May). The shoots grow constantly, the tops grow especially vigorously - these shoots need to be cut out regardless of the time of year (if you do not want to use them in the future - this is also possible).

The formation of an already mature large plant with branches of 5, 6 or more orders is carried out as your soul tells you. Step back and evaluate the shape of the crown from the side. Usually it is trimmed so that the lemon or orange really looks like a miniature tree. Some citrus fruits, such as calamondin (citrofortunella), due to genetic characteristics, grow not as a tree, but as a bush. Then your task is to maintain the even shape of the bush, trim the branches that grow inward and not outward.

If you have grafted a fruit tree or wildflower grown from a seed, after successful fusion you need to correctly direct the graft. The shoot that grows after grafting is tied to a stick stuck into the pot so that it grows straight. The growing scion should be trimmed at a length of 12-15 cm. In the future, it should be formed in the same way as described above, counting the order of the branches of the scion, not the rootstock.

Lemon trees, propagated by cuttings, layering or grafting, bear fruit on branches of the 4th-5th order, running to the side. When using a low-standard form in a tree grown from a cutting or layering, branches of the 4th-5th order are formed by the end of the second year of life. Such plants bloom and can bear fruit already in the third year. On three-year-old lemons, first remove half of the buds, and then leave 2-3 fruits from the remaining ovaries, on a 4-5-year-old plant - 6-7 fruits, on a 6-7-year-old plant - up to 10 fruits. With this rationing of the harvest, the correct development of the lemon tree is ensured.

Formation of a standard tree

Depending on the height of the trunk (trunk), the trees can be:

• high standard - the height of the standard reaches 30 cm
• medium standard - height up to 20 cm
• low standard - standard height 10 - 15 cm

To form a low-standard lemon, grapefruit, lime or any other citrus fruit, after young plant will reach a height of 15-20 cm, before the start of its next growth (late February - early March), the top is cut off, leaving 4-7 leaves. After this, 4-6 shoots will begin to develop from the lateral buds. Of these, you need to leave only 3-4 shoots going in different directions (first-order shoots). When these side branches have completely finished growing, their tops are also cut off, leaving 3-5 buds on each of them in the axils of the leaves. The last bud should look outward rather than inward. The growth of branches (second-order shoots) will begin again from the lateral buds.

Subsequently, pruning is carried out until branches of the fourth order are formed.

Rejuvenation of old citrus trees

A lemon tree is rejuvenated at 14-20 years of age, when its fruiting declines. By this time, the plant is already quite powerful, dense, and the branches are quite thick. Not every window sill will fit such a specimen, but even in the room, lemons and oranges are quite spread out - fruit shoots They grow not upwards, but to the sides.

In addition, large trees often outgrow all available containers. The root system is limited to pots (bucket, tub), and may not be able to feed a large dense crown, especially one hung with fruits. In order to maintain a certain proportionality between the tops and roots, the crown of old trees is shortened.

Pruning should be done in the spring (March - April): all branches up to the 4th-5th order are cut off, thereby causing increased growth of dormant buds. Rejuvenated plants are transplanted into new dishes or old ones, while root system need to be shortened by one third, cutting off the roots from the periphery of the root ball. The roots inside the root ball should never be disturbed.

Tell us how to trim a lemon at home? We planted a couple of seeds, but only one sprouted. But a small tree has already grown from it, however, it does not want to branch, but only grows upward. How to give a lemon a lush shape and are there any special features of pruning for fruiting?

Indoor lemon has long been a common sight on our windowsills. It is not difficult to grow it from ordinary lemons that we buy in stores. However, if you want the tree to have a beautiful shape, it is not enough to just water it. Lemon, like most indoor plants, needs proper shaping. Knowing how to trim a lemon at home, you can give it a lush shape and get a harvest. Although citrus fruits themselves can branch, without the participation of a grower this process is chaotic. Most often, a lemon growing “on its own” forms a tall tree with long shoots that interfere with each other. Timely and competent pruning will help direct the plant’s growth in the right direction and form a beautiful crown. Moreover, it needs to be started in the early stages, when young seedlings are actively growing upward.

How to trim a lemon at home - step by step procedure

The first pruning should be done in early spring, and even better in the month of February. For a one-year-old plant that has reached a height of about 20 cm, it is necessary to cut off the top. It is important that the remaining stem has at least 3 living buds. After pruning, the lemon will direct its forces to their development and form 3 young side branches.

The further procedure for forming an indoor lemon consists of annual pruning as follows:

If the lemon, after pruning, stubbornly does not want to produce several shoots, it is necessary to persistently remove the top until several buds are formed. If the tree produces a strong vertical branch, you can leave it by pinching it and giving it a horizontal direction of growth. To do this, wrap the shoot with soft wire and bend it, fixing the wire around the pot.

Tops and those branches that will form in the middle of the crown must be removed annually. This will avoid thickening and maintain the desired rounded shape. At the 5th year of life, you can give the lemon the opportunity to bear fruit - by this time it will already be strong enough.

Trimming inflorescences to regulate fruiting of homemade lemons

Indoor citrus fruits not only have a spectacular decorative look. With proper care, they will delight you with a harvest of small, but very fragrant lemons. However, if your tree decides to reward you with fruits, you should intervene natural process. If there are too many ovaries, the lemons will grow small and the tree itself will expend more energy. Therefore, it is necessary to count the inflorescences and remove the excess ones. Only the number of ovaries that the young plant can provide with adequate nutrition without compromising its development should remain. Depending on the age of the lemon, it is allowed to leave:

• no more than 3 inflorescences - for a plant under 3 years old;
• up to 7 ovaries - for a 5-year-old tree;
• about 10 buds - for a lemon over 7 years old.

How to trim and shape indoor lemon - video

Lemon is often grown at home. It's not only beautiful tree, it is also capable of bearing fruit. When growing and caring for lemon at home, the formation of the crown and regular pruning trees play a significant role. Thanks to correct pruning the tree will look beautiful, neat and well-groomed. In addition, the growth activity of the tree depends on the correct pruning.

Why is pruning necessary?

Lemon pruning is done to achieve the following goals:

• maintaining a beautiful and well-groomed crown shape;
• security correct height tree and fruiting;
• extension of life and duration of fruiting;
• rejuvenation of an old tree;
• reducing the likelihood of developing tree diseases.

Pruning a lemon at home is not only done so that the tree begins to bear fruit faster and more. Pruning also performs only decorative tasks to make the tree look beautiful.

How to trim a lemon at home in a pot?

Pruning must be approached competently, otherwise you can harm the tree. There are several basic rules for cutting a lemon:

• The tree should be pruned when it is dormant. This condition occurs during the cool season;
• All fruits should be removed from a tree that is already bearing fruit before pruning;
• the lowest shoots are shortened by 25 cm, those next from the bottom - by a maximum of 10 cm, the rest - by no more than 5 cm.

There is nothing complicated about pruning. But mistakes cannot be made, since the tree may grow in the wrong direction.

Correcting errors will require trimming large quantity branches, which will slow down the development of the tree. Therefore, before pruning a lemon at home, you should consider in detail the scheme and sequence of removing branches.

When to prune a lemon tree?

There is no consensus among citrus growers regarding the timing of pruning lemons grown in pots. According to most, it is best to trim the tree in early spring, before young shoots have yet appeared.

But even in winter, a slight thinning of the crown is allowed. To improve fruiting throughout the next season, it is also recommended to prune the lemon tree closer to the beginning of winter.

First lemon pruning

The first pruning plays a vital role in terms of fruiting. Haircut must be done in the 1st year of life lemon tree. Pruning should be done at a height of about 20 cm.

It is important to leave 3-4 full healthy buds, which are necessary for the appearance of young shoots. Lateral branches will form from them. Lemon pruning is done with pruning shears.

Pruning young tree, remove branches that grow vertically. It is advisable to carry out this procedure in February.

The height of the tree is determined by the location of the pot. If it is on a windowsill, do not let the tree grow too tall. Based on this, the shape of the crown is determined.

Second and subsequent cuts

Starting from the 2nd year of life, lateral branches will form on the tree. These shoots are usually called first-order branches. Their number should be 3-4 units. Therefore, in the 1st year, exactly 3-4 buds are left during the pruning process.

To form branches of the 3rd order, the tree should also be pruned correctly. After this, the tree will form a crown on its own. When the branches of the 4th order grow, the process of fruiting should begin.

Ways to remove branches

There are two main options for pruning branches:

• partial. Large branches are made 25 cm shorter;
• complete. The branch is completely cut off. The method is usually only relevant for dried or damaged shoots, which can cause tree diseases to develop.

Shoots need to be cut off if they create obstacles to each other's growth. Weak shoots need to be removed and the strongest ones left. In the case of vertical strong shoots, they should also be cut off. At the top of the tree, first of all, the shoot, which is directed vertically, is cut off.

Lemon tree pruning diagram

The tree should be pruned according to this scheme:

In the 1st year, only the trunk is cut so that the lateral branches begin to grow. Without such pruning, the tree will be too long and sparse. The plant should be 25-30 cm in height.

In the 2nd year, cut off the side branches. This promotes the formation of young shoots. The latter should be about 3. If only 1 shoot has formed, it is cut off to stimulate the development of others.

Then the 3rd order branches are pruned.

When the branches of the 5th order are cut, the crown is considered formed. From this moment fruiting begins.

Subtleties of lemon trimming at home

Experienced citrus growers give several useful recommendations for pruning a lemon tree:

• After pruning, the cut areas must be treated with garden varnish. In case of complete removal of thin branches, processing may not be performed;
• the tree needs to be pruned every year to create a neat decorative crown;
• all weak and vertical shoots must be removed;
• The tops of fruiting shoots are cut off to activate the process of fruit formation. The top can be pinched when 6-7 leaves have formed.

If the tree is already quite old, it is worth doing rejuvenating pruning. It involves shortening old branches to stimulate the development of young shoots.

Photo instructions on how to trim a lemon