Citrus plants grown at home, with the wrong organization of wintering, are most often subject to disease and death. How to keep them in the autumn-winter season? There are two types of wintering: warm and cold.
Cold way of wintering plants
Temperature conditions and lighting. The optimum temperature for wintering is at least 5-10 ° C, but crops grown under such conditions do not always successfully tolerate dormancy.
The main problem is considered not that it is very difficult to create a certain temperature in the room, but that the growers cannot evenly warm up all parts of the tree.
A plant standing on a windowsill or insulated balcony can get into a situation when, due to cold air, the roots will stop drawing out nutrients, and the crown at this time will develop from the excess of sunlight. In this regard, citrus trees contained in the cold do not need additional lighting, and they must be kept out of the sun.
Observe that the air temperature at the top of the plant is 1-3 degrees higher than the temperature of the soil in the container.
Watering and moisture levels. It is necessary to correctly enter the culture into a state of rest. Provide for her the optimal air parameters for the roots and crown, otherwise the citrus will shed the leaves. Some growers in such a situation begin to water the tree vigorously, but these actions only harm: the roots will begin to rot.
Citruses usually do not need watering and spraying during hibernation.
A warm way of wintering citrus crops
Florists most often provide a "warm" wintering for plants, in which citrus fruits would continue to vegetate, but not very actively.
Temperature control and lighting. The citrus grower must create uniform heating for the plants along their entire height. Everyone knows that it is the big difference in temperature between the upper and lower parts of the trunk that can cause the "green pet" to start shedding foliage.
Favorable room temperature should be between 18-20 ° C.
But creating optimal conditions for growing citrus fruits in rooms with central heating is quite difficult. It is even more difficult to create care with non-insulated windows. Since any citrus plant can be subject to sudden temperature changes when the root system suffers from the cold coming from the windowsill. And the other side of the tree, facing the room, at this time languishes from strong heat.
In this regard, it is necessary to prepare for wintering as early as possible:
- windows on which containers with bushes will be located should be insulated;
- if possible, a thermostat can be installed.
For the tree, you will have to create additional lighting. Daylight hours in winter for a plant should last at least twelve hours. Care should be taken to ensure that foliage is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pay special attention to this issue in late winter to early spring, just during this period the sun is very aggressive.
Watering and moisture levels. Provide a protective shield for the plant so that it cannot be damaged by the warm, dry air masses rising from the heating. At the same time, you need to monitor the humidity indicators.
The warmer it is in the room, the higher the humidity level on the window should be. The optimum humidity for citrus fruits is at least 60-70% at a room temperature of more than 20-22 ° C.
In winter, it is better to spray the plants once a day, rather than water them. If it becomes necessary to increase the humidity, you can install dishes with water or a humidifier next to the tree.
A few tips for growing citrus crops
Some simple rules to help protect the tree in winter:
- Slowly prepare your pet for wintering. Move the pot to the loggia before turning on the heating.
- Check soil moisture before watering. Water with a spray bottle.
- Spray in the morning or evening to avoid sunburn.
- A hygrometer and thermometer should be installed next to the plant, so it will be easier for you to monitor the air readings.
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