Lemon tree throws off flowers and fruits

Lemon trees are Mediterranean beauties that have been increasingly found on balconies and winter gardens for several years. The care of the plants is not complicated, but certain requirements must be met. The shedding of flowers and fruits is a mystery for passionate citrus gardeners. Various factors can be responsible for the loss. To get rid of the problem, you should get to the bottom of the cause.

Different causes

Natural selection

The evergreen lemon Tree is a self-pollinator. In the right conditions, it is not uncommon for the citrus plants to bloom and develop flowers all year round. Even young plants can come up with an abundance of flowers. However, this is no guarantee of a bountiful harvest. At a young age or if the citrus tree is small, the plants lack the necessary strength to optimally supply all fruit sets. The result: the citrus tree sheds a multitude of withered flowers, so that no fruit ripening takes place here.

You can observe this healthy selection especially on grafted plants. The roots are strong, but the refined upper part is not yet able to bear enough fruit. Experienced lovers of exotic plants can help a little and specifically remove the excess flowers. There is no rule of thumb for this measure. Rather, it is an interplay between gut feeling and experience.

weather

Weather-related influences

Older and larger lemon trees can also lead to increased loss of leaves and fruits. In this case, it is advisable to subject the plant to a closer examination. Because these plants are normally able to develop and supply more fruit sets. One important factor that can cause a variety of problems with citrus plants is incorrect location.

• the lemon tree needs a sunny spot
• Warmth promotes growth
• shady places are unsuitable

The Mediterranean plants are very sun-hungry. The plants can only develop optimally and develop flowers and fruits in a bright, warm place. A lack of light is quickly noticeable. The leaves take on a pale color and the growth of the evergreen lemon trees stagnates. If the plant increasingly loses its blossoms and fruit splendor, you should check the location of your lemon tree. In addition to a planting location that is too dark, the weather can also have an impact on the development of the plants.

• Drafts affect the plants
• Long periods of cold can lead to the fall of the leaves
• the lemon tree should be protected from rain

In summer, the exotic diamond plants have nothing against staying outdoors. If the conditions are right. If temperatures drop over a long period of time and rain falls for weeks, you should move the plants to a sheltered location.

Pour properly

It is an open secret among passionate lovers of the evergreen trees that the right supply of water can have a positive effect on development and the harvest. Accordingly, the citrus plants react sensitively if their needs are not properly met in this regard.

• prolonged drought leads to pale discoloration of the foliage
• rolled up or stunted leaves can indicate a lack of water
• young shoot tips wither first with prolonged drought

Citrus plants get by with a small amount of moisture, but the root ball must not dry out completely. Like all evergreens, these little trees have to be watered in the cold season. To avoid losing parts of the plant, you should consider the following tips when caring for the distinctive trees.

This is how you do it:

• is poured when the top substrate layer has dried
• small amounts of lime in the water do not harm the lemon tree
• spray the foliage at irregular intervals with a water sprayer
• Allow excess irrigation and rainwater to drain off through a drainage system

If the growth of your citrus plant stagnates, you can help with a brief dry phase. In this case, it is advisable to keep the plant approx. Cannot be watered for 7 days. Watch the lemon tree closely to avoid long-term damage.

Waterlogging can cause problems and diseases in the rhombus family. The moist environment around the roots promotes the infestation of hose fungi. These cause root rot. A dangerous disease against which there are no countermeasures.

Nutritional deficiency

Nutrient deficiency as the cause

It is not uncommon for plants to develop well in a sunny spot and with the right watering technique. When the first problems appear after about 2 or 3 years, there is great perplexity. In addition to water, heat and light, the citrus tree needs a certain dose of nutrients. The plants belong to the weakly consuming plants.

The minerals in a large bucket with a humus-rich substrate are enough for the lemon tree for several months. If these are used up, the formation of flowers and fruits suffer from the deficiency. It can lead to loss or Shedding of plant parts come.

Here's what you can do to counteract nutrient deficiency:

• use a special fertilizer for citrus plants
• fertilization is carried out from March to the end of August
• in the winter months the supply of nutrients is stopped
• Liquid fertilizer is administered via the irrigation water
• Repot the plants every 2 to 3 years

The lack of nutrients is not only noticeable in the form of discarded flowers and fruits. The first signs are discoloration and stunted leaves. Effective first aid measures consist of immediately moving the plants to fresh soil or adding liquid fertilizer to the substrate. Lemon trees must not be over-fertilized. Use the products strictly according to the instructions on the packaging. reduce the amount indicated there. An oversupply of nutrients can corrode the roots.

Wrong winter quarters

In the warm summer months, the lemon tree enjoys the stay on a sunny balcony or the bright terrace. As soon as the temperatures drop permanently into the single-digit range in autumn, the time has come for the move. Even young plants can withstand temperatures of around 3 ° C undamaged.

However, if you want to enjoy your citrus tree for many years to come, you shouldn't try this out. The change from the full sun outdoors to a darker room stresses the trees. The age of the plants does not play an essential role. During wintering, various reasons can lead to the loss of leaves.

• dry room air
• the plant is exposed to drafts
• the root ball dries out
• Pest infestation
• Lack of light

Insofar as the size of the tubs allows, a place on a light-colored window sill is ideal for the citrus plants. Placed on a thick styrofoam plate, the plants are also protected from the cold from below. Avoid direct sunlight whenever possible. This stimulates the plants to increase their growth and dries out the substrate in the container more quickly. With a location on the south window, the effort required to care for the distinctive beauties of the plants increases enormously. Here you should never leave the plants to their own devices for a long period of time.

In addition to a wrong location, when wintering Pests contribute to the shedding of flowers and fruits. While aphids occur almost predominantly only in summer, spider mites set the in the cold season Houseplants to. The cell sap sucking insects prefer to colonize the underside of the leaf. With the increasing appetite of the spider-like insects, the foliage of the plants dies. The lemon tree is no longer able to optimally supply flowers and fruits.