Lemon is an exotic plant from the citrus family that has long gained popularity not only as a useful and healing fruit, but also as a houseplant. True, it is not easy to grow it in an ordinary city apartment, but especially persistent flower growers create ideal conditions for lemon, and he thanks them for his beautiful and well-groomed appearance, as well as numerous fruits.
You can buy a young plant in any specialty store, but it is not very popular, since lemon is not cheap, and caring for it is difficult. Many do not dare to grow it, fearing not to cope and ruining a capricious tropical plant. After all, attention and care is not enough. Indoor lemon will need special conditions that will be close to its natural conditions. It is easily susceptible to disease and can suffer from various pests.
The most frequent and widespread problem is negative manifestations on the leafy part of the plant. Lemon leaves suddenly begin to turn yellow and wither, and later fall off en masse. In order to avoid such troubles, it is necessary to know the main causes of these phenomena. There are many factors that cause these complications with indoor lemon.
The main causes of yellowing of lemon leaves
Lack of lighting
Bright sunlight and long daylight hours in countries such as India and China, which are considered the most popular and favorable places for growing lemon, are one of the important factors in the full development of a tropical plant. At home, you will have to work hard to create appropriate lighting throughout the year. After all, the lack of light and yellowing of the leaves are directly related.
You can make up for the lack of light outdoors (for example, on a balcony, loggia or terrace). It is possible to change the place of growing lemon only at the optimum night air temperature, which will not fall below twelve degrees Celsius and the guaranteed absence of night frosts.
In the room for the citrus representative, you need to choose a window sill on the south side of the apartment, and in addition to this, use a mirror or foil as a reflective device, which will significantly increase the flow of natural light. An excellent solution would be to use a fluorescent lamp as additional lighting.
Improper watering
An excess or lack of irrigation water leads to a disease of the plant's root system, which begins to fight hard for life and spend all its energy on restoring the roots, and for the aboveground part of the resources there are no longer enough resources, and therefore problems with leaves begin.If the lack of water during irrigation can still be adjusted and the soil in the flower pot can be moistened in time, then overflow of water will lead to the death of the plant due to the appearance of rot.
The ideal soil condition is constant moderate moisture.
Unsuitable content temperature
The yellowing and wilting of the foliage is often a consequence of the stress the plant has suffered. Stress for a lemon is sudden temperature changes, cold drafts and low indoor temperatures.
A citrus representative can fully develop at temperatures from 14 to 27 degrees Celsius. Ideal conditions are small fluctuations in temperature within these limits. Airing during the cold season should be carried out with extreme caution. Cold air streams should pass above the crown of the indoor plant (this also applies to the use of a fan, air conditioner). In the heating season, heating devices (including a fireplace), which are located very close to the plant, are no less dangerous for lemon.
Low humidity level
It is possible to maintain the moisture level necessary for lemon (about 70%) with the help of water procedures in the morning and evening hours every day of the year. For spraying the crown, it is recommended to use soft, settled water. You can also connect household humidifiers, a mini-fountain and a steam generator to solve this issue.
Lack of nutrients and trace elements
Adequate nutrition is an important component of the growth and development of a lemon in a room environment. With a lack of some trace elements and nutrients, the plant changes the color of the leaves and even sheds them. For example, a light yellow small spot on the leaves appears when there is a lack of nitrogen. Drying of the leaves at the edges indicates the plant's need for phosphorus. And the lightening of the green color of the leaf mass signals a lack of iron.
Gardeners recommend timely and regular application of special complex fertilizers for plants from the citrus family in the exact dosage that is suggested in the instructions. It is very important not to exceed the norms of applied fertilizers, because they are absorbed by the plant, which means that an excess of trace elements along with the fruits can be eaten and harm the work of various internal organs of a person.
The appearance of pests
It is possible to fight harmful insects that feed on the juice of the leaves and stems of lemon only with the help of chemical solutions and various preparations for spraying citrus crops.
- A spider mite can be destroyed by Actellik.
- The shield is afraid of spraying with Fitoverm.
- You can get rid of aphids by using Tanrek.
- "Neoron", "Aktara", "Fufanon" work well against whiteflies and worms.
Dangerous diseases
Infectious, viral and fungal diseases that affect the color and condition of the leafy part of the lemon, unfortunately, cannot be cured. In most cases, the plant affected by the fungus must be destroyed, since it cannot be saved, and it is very easy to infect other indoor flowers. Among the many diseases of lemon, the most common ones can be distinguished.
Scab - fungal disease scab or wart appears on all parts of the plant - stems, leaves and fruits. First, small yellowish specks appear on the leafy part, which after a short time become warts of a dark gray hue. Turning into large growths on the stems, the warts gradually destroy the plant.
In the early stages of the disease, you can try to save the lemon. All affected shoots and stems must be pruned, and the remaining healthy parts must be sprayed with Bordeaux liquid.
Malsecco - this disease is also caused by a fungus and its onset can be determined by specific signs. Yellowish streaks against the background of bright green leaves are evidence of the appearance of a disease.A little time will pass and wilting and rolling of the leaves will begin, which will subsequently fall off, and the stems will gradually dry out. It is useless to fight this fungus, the plant cannot be cured.
Brown spot - this fungal disease has another name - phyllostictosis. The fungus most often affects the leaves at the bottom of the plant. The appearance of the disease is noticeable by the mottling on the leaves of a light brown shade and a darker border.
At the initial stage of the disease, the citrus crown can be treated with special fungicidal preparations, which are recommended for the destruction of certain types of fungus - Strobi, Vectra or Abiga-Peak.
Oily spot - this incurable fungal disease can destroy indoor lemon within 3-6 months. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter at what stage the disease is detected. The green leaf mass is first covered with chaotic light yellow spots, then they turn almost orange, then dark brown and black. The surface of the affected leaves appears oily.
When the first signs of the disease are detected, it is recommended to immediately isolate the lemon from other plants, or even better, to immediately destroy it, since there is a high probability of contamination of other indoor pets.
Late blight - the disease late blight, common for many indoor plants, begins to infect the lemon from the root collar. Its signs become visible over time on the leaves and stems. The main signs of the disease are dark watery spots on the bark, which crack after a certain time, and a light with a yellowish tinge is released from the cracks. The leaf plates are covered with oily spots.
Urgent measures - cleaning the damaged areas of the bark and processing the entire plant with Bordeaux liquid.
Tristeza - this disease is caused by a virus that is quite widely known among European gardeners, as it prefers to infect various representatives of citrus fruits. It is impossible to cure a plant from this viral disease.
The disease has three stages of development. On the first - the leaves acquire a yellow or bronze tint. On the second - the color of the leaves becomes saturated - yellow. And the final stage is a massive fall of foliage, the death of the root part and the entire plant.
Natural factors
Sometimes a single yellowed leaf appears on the lemon bush at the very bottom of the crown, and the plant remains in its usual state and does not change its external characteristics for a long time. In this case, there is no reason to worry - it's just that the old leaf has turned yellow, which will soon fall off, and a young new leaf will come in its place.
