How to choose a lemon? Citrus fruits on our shelves are quite expensive. And it’s very disappointing to choose a fruit on the counter and come home to find out its poor quality. What to do? We must learn to choose correctly.
First of all, you must clearly understand whether you are going to store them for a long time, or whether you want to eat them immediately.
1:1112 1:1122If the first It is better to buy slightly unripe fruits. They can be stored for quite a long time, sometimes several months. It is best to store lemons in a cool, dark place. The ideal storage location is in the bottom compartment of the refrigerator, not the freezer. There, lemons will retain for a long time the beneficial properties that nature has generously endowed them with.
If the second is true, then you should prefer already ripe fruits. If you want to choose a truly ripe lemon, do not pay attention to the intensity of the yellow color, but rather pay attention to the shine of its skin. A ripe but fresh lemon sparkles like a polished one.
Touch the lemon, it should be quite hard . A soft lemon is an overripe lemon. And even if it does not turn out to be rotten inside, its taste and medicinal qualities will leave much to be desired.
Also pay attention to whether the lemon has smooth or bumpy skin.
They say that lemons from the first harvest, that is, from a tree that bears fruit for the first year, have thinner and smoother skin, and they also contain more useful components.
If you are buying lemons by weight and not individually, you should not buy lemons with uneven skin, as it is too thick and makes up a significant part of the weight of the fruit.
However, the peel itself, usually ignored and not eaten, is very useful due to the white, tasteless layer. This layer of the peel is called albedo, and the colored outer layer, from which the zest is made, is called flavedo. Albedo contains the main supply of vitamin C and bioflavonoids that promote the absorption of vitamin C.
There are fruits and berries that contain more vitamins than lemon, but it is in lemon that they are protected by a thick peel and therefore last much longer than in other fruits.
In cut lemons, vitamin C is quickly destroyed by high or low temperatures and upon contact with sugar.
1:4393Therefore, to get the maximum benefit from lemon, it must be consumed fresh.
Sometimes you buy a lemon, but it’s bitter, like quinine. What's the matter? There could be many reasons for this. Such an aftertaste, for example, may appear if lemons have been treated with antibiotics in order to preserve them during transportation. Unripe lemons can also be bitter.
But the most common cause of bitterness, and not only of lemon, but of all citrus fruits, can be hypothermia of the fruit. Cold-damaged lemons can be identified by brown, sunken spots (pockmarks). If the films of the segments peel off from the pulp, individual cells of the pulp have burst and white crystals are visible on them - these are clear signs of freezing.
The bitterness of lemons can be reduced somewhat by pouring boiling water over the peel. After this, the lemons begin to smell especially intense. By the way, if you intend to add lemons to drinks, dishes or baked goods, you must remove the grains and skins, otherwise they will acquire a bitter taste.
However, there are no comrades according to taste and color. Maybe some people like it bitter.
How to choose the right lemon?
Visually, lemons may differ in shape, smoothness of the peel, richness of its shade, as well as the size of the fruit. Lemons almost always taste the same, but due to improper storage, fruits with a rather bitter taste may occur.
When choosing a lemon, you can ignore the color of the peel and size. . It is much more important to determine the ripeness and quality of the fruit. This is done visually. It is not necessary to cut a lemon to determine its quality.
In shape, lemons can be round, oval, with elongated stalks or tips, and also have elongated fruits. The reason for this diversity is the varieties of these citrus fruits. Almost all varieties taste the same.
Lemons can be broadly divided into two categories based on the thickness of the peel:
With thin skin;
with thick skin.
It is difficult to say that some lemons can be bought and others cannot. Both of these types are consumed in different ways.
2:2348For example, thick-skinned lemons ideal for adding to soups or drinks, and fruits with thin skin It's best to buy when juice is important.
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Which lemons are worth buying:
- if you apply a napkin to a lemon, then traces of essential oils should remain on its surface (if there are no traces, this does not mean that the fruit is of poor quality, but the release of oil indicates the absence of chemical treatment);
- If you lightly squeeze a lemon in your hand, its peel should be elastic (a lemon that is too hard will be unripe);
- The lemon peel should be smooth without depressions, wrinkles or wilted areas;
- the surface of the lemon should have a uniform color without dark spots or dots;
- the aroma of lemon should be felt through the skin and be characteristic of this type of citrus fruit;
- a ripe lemon can only be yellow;
- lemons with thin and smooth skin have higher levels of beneficial properties (such fruits are usually removed during the first harvest of the tree).
- limp lemon peel may be a consequence of improper storage, overripeness or rotting of the fruit from the inside (there may be no brown spots or dots on the surface of the peel);
- if, when squeezing a lemon in your hand, its peel is soft and does not spring back, then the fruit is overripe;
- lemons with a too shiny surface have been treated with chemicals or paraffin;
- if black dots or small spots appear on the surface of the lemon, then the fruit was stored incorrectly and, most likely, was overcooled (the taste of such a lemon will be bitter);
- greenish or green spots on the lemon peel are a sign of its unripeness;
- dark and sluggish spots on the peel indicate the beginning of the rotting process (the taste of the lemon will be spoiled, and the amount of juice will be reduced several times);
- if the lemon peel is not smooth, then when you cut the fruit it will also turn out to be thick (there will be too much peel and not enough pulp);
- if the lemon does not smell, then it was grown using a lot of chemicals;
- There are fewer vitamins in thick-skinned lemons than in thin-skinned fruits (the beneficial properties accumulate in the white layer between the pulp and the peel).
Unripe lemons can be purchased. This option is acceptable, for example, if you do not plan to eat citrus fruits immediately after purchasing them. At room temperature, the fruits ripen quite quickly.
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Lemon with sugar in a jar
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Everyone knows that lemons are very beneficial for the body, they are great for helping with colds, increasing immunity (the body’s resistance to infections), and tea with lemon (cool in summer, hot in winter) is not only healthy, but also incredibly tasty!
4:1055 4:1065Lemon can be candied in a jar for future use, but not for long. To do this, rinse the lemon under running water (some also recommend pouring boiling water over the lemon), cut it into thin or thick slices, as you like.
4:1476Next, pour a little sugar at the bottom into a clean and dry jar, then put a slice of lemon, then sprinkle the lemon slice with sugar again, then another slice, and so on until the jar is full. We also pour a little sugar on top, close the jar with a lid and put it in the refrigerator for storage.
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Convenient to use as a container for storing lemon and sugar. old mayonnaise jars, as well as small 200 or 250 gram mustard jars, in which the delicious seasoning is now sold.
4:380 4:390This preparation is very convenient to use during the week, if suddenly someone gets sick in the house or just as an additional sweet treat for evening or morning tea. By the way, lemon and sugar can be added to coffee, it’s also very tasty, it adds sourness to the coffee.
4:867In the summer, you can pour hot water over a slice of lemon and cool it - you’ll get a great summer lemonade.
4:1078 4:1088The harm of lemons and their contraindications
Lemon acid actively irritates the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. Because If you have a stomach or duodenal ulcer, colitis or enteritis, hepatitis or pancreatitis, cholecystitis or acute nephritis, you should not eat these citrus fruits.
It would seem that this The fruit removes bleeding gums and plaque, whitens teeth , however, after using lemons, it is still better to brush your teeth so as not to damage the enamel with citric acid.
If you have a sore throat or an inflammatory process in your mouth, Do not use lemon juice, otherwise it will lead to pain, irritation of the mucous membranes, increased bleeding and healing will slow down.
Lemon oil, due to its essential properties, is quite active, which is why it may cause skin irritation . Before you use it for any purpose, try applying a small amount of oil to the back of your brush and see how your skin reacts.
Manifestations of allergies may also appear in those who are overly fond of lemons. In this case, it is not the citrus itself that causes harm, but its unlimited quantity.
As you can see, the benefits and harms of lemon are important. Assessing the active effect of these citrus fruits on the body, you must decide for yourself whether to eat lemons or abstain.
If you use them, I think you have repeatedly encountered a situation where you brought home several fruits, but they turned out to be not of the best quality? If this sounds familiar to you, you just need to learn how to choose the right lemons and buy fresh and ripe fruits.
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How to choose the right lemons
4:80Note - 8 ways to use lemon
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Lemon is one of those fruits that people say is both tasty and healthy. Of course, you can’t eat it whole like an apple, orange or grapefruit, but it is added to all kinds of drinks and used in making desserts and in cooking. There are dishes that are difficult to imagine without lemon. The fruits contain citric acid, vitamins A, B, P and, of course, C - we all know ascorbic acid. Lemon zest contains essential oils, has a specific taste and is successfully used in cooking and confectionery.
India is considered the birthplace of lemon (according to some sources - China), but wild lemons also grow on the Pacific islands. As a cultivated plant, lemon is grown in many countries with a subtropical climate, including the Caucasus and the Black Sea coast of Russia. The lemon tree is evergreen, grows up to 5-8 meters in height and bears fruit for more than forty years.
Lemon as medicine.
Everyone knows perfectly well how to eat lemon. Some people like to put lemon in tea, others like to snack on cognac, while others prefer lemon with fish or barbecue. And we all, of course, know that lemon is very useful in treating colds. Lemon juice diluted with water reduces fever well, and rinsing the mouth with it relieves inflammation of the mucous membrane. Gargle with undiluted juice for sore throat.
Lemon is very useful for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, since the substances it contains strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Lemon is useful for various heart diseases. Lemon is used to treat arthrosis, gout, and cholelithiasis. As a medicine, many recipes use a combination of lemon and honey.
We buy a lemon.
Lemons mainly come to our markets and stores from Turkey. But there are also deliveries from the south of our country. There are several varieties of lemon, as well as its hybrids with orange and other citrus fruits. But most often, when buying a lemon, no one will tell you what kind of lemon you are buying. They are usually sorted only by size.
When buying lemons, you should decide in advance whether you are taking them for storage or for immediate use. Lemons can be stored for a long time, but to do this they must be chosen correctly. For storage, you should buy fruits slightly unripe. A rich yellow color does not always indicate the degree of ripeness of a lemon. The unripe fruit is slightly matte and hard to the touch. It is better to consume ripe fruits immediately; they will not be stored for long and will rot even in the refrigerator. A ripe lemon shines like a polished samovar and slightly crumples when pressed firmly. But you should pay attention that when pressed it should spring back. Overripe fruit is soft to the touch. It is better not to take such lemons. Even if it does not turn out to be rotten inside, it has significantly fewer beneficial properties than fruit of normal ripeness, and it will not please you with its taste. And in two or three days it may completely deteriorate.
The size of the fruits may depend on both the variety and the age of the tree from which they were picked. Lemons from trees that bear fruit for the first time have the thinnest peels. But sellers are unlikely to be able to give you such information (from which tree the lemon was picked), so if you buy lemons by weight, and the thickness of the peel is of great importance to you, rely on your intuition. Obviously, you are better off choosing fruits that are not very large and have smooth skin. If the surface of the lemon is uneven and lumpy, then most likely the peel will be thick.
However, the thick peel of lemon is not at all a disadvantage. If you eat lemon slices as a meal or snack without any processing, you should eat the whole thing. After all, the fact is that the white layer of the peel, called albedo, contains the main supply of vitamin C, as well as bioflavonoids, which facilitate its absorption by the body. The colored layer - the zest or flavedo - contains mainly only essential oils and pigments. 
And one more thing about the peel. There are berries and fruits that also have a serious supply of vitamin C and other vitamins. But only in lemon are these vitamins protected by a thick layer of peel, so they are well preserved. So don't be afraid of thick-skinned lemons - they are healthier than thin-skinned ones. By the way, vitamin C is destroyed quite quickly in sliced lemon and from contact with sugar. Therefore, it is most beneficial to eat a slice freshly cut from a lemon and without sugar.
Brown sunken dots - pockmarks - on a lemon indicate that the fruit was overcooled during transportation or storage in a store warehouse. If the film on the slices easily comes away from the pulp, it means that it was frozen at all. True, you can only check how the film comes off at home. Typically, over-chilled lemons are overly bitter. Very unripe fruit can also be bitter. It happens that someone likes this bitterness. You can reduce the bitterness by pouring boiling water over the lemon.
Storing lemons.
It is best to store lemons in a special compartment of the refrigerator - they can lie there for several months and nothing will happen to them. If there is no special compartment for fruit, you can store it in the lowest compartment of the refrigerator. It’s better not to put it in the freezer; we’ve already said that after defrosting, lemons will become loose and bitter. Properly chosen lemon for storage retains its valuable qualities for a long time.
Enjoy your meal!
Membranosis The disease affects citrus fruits during storage. Most often it is found in ripe fruits, as well as in varieties with reduced shelf life. The development of membranosis depends mainly on storage temperature. At 0"C the disease almost does not manifest itself; at +2"C the fruits are affected less often than at plus 4 - 5"C. However, storing lemons at 0+2"C leads to other, more unpleasant consequences, and therefore they are usually stored for a long period at a temperature of plus 3 - 4 "C. Insufficient ventilation of storage areas also contributes to the development of membranosis. The disease is also caused by unfavorable development of fruits on trees, low temperatures (even if the temperature does not fall below 0"), dry winds and strong fluctuations in soil moisture content.
Red spot [adustiosis] This disease appears in lemons during storage and causes large losses of fruit. The most severely affected fruits are usually those picked unripe in damp, cool weather. The development of red spotting is also promoted by treating fruits with ethylene and storing them at... temperature plus 2 - 4" C, sometimes at 0" and + 10" C and insufficient ventilation in storage areas.
Oleocellosis occurs due to the destruction of part of the essential oil glands. The spreading essential oil damages the cells of the surface layer of the peel between the glands. Diseased cells become deformed. The areas of tissue between the glands are slightly depressed and darken, and the undamaged glands clearly protrude above the lower surface of the spot and seem to be swollen. This physiological disease affects the fruits of oranges, lemons and tangerines on trees and during storage. Most often damaged are unripe fruits that are harvested in cool, damp weather in autumn or winter.
Brown spotting Dry, slightly depressed light brown spots form on the skin of the fruit, which subsequently merge. When the fruit is severely damaged, the deep layers of the peel and the walls of the lobules turn brown, and even the shape of the fruit changes.
Endoxerosis is often mistaken for black rot caused by Alternaria, which contributes to or follows this disease. The main cause of endoxerosis is considered to be a lack of moisture in the soil during fruit development. The disease can be prevented by maintaining a favorable water balance in the soil, as well as by collecting fruits that are fully ripe on the tree. The occurrence of the disease has little or no connection with storage conditions.
Hypothermia Cooling of fruits causes various disorders in them, some of which are inherent in all types of citrus fruits, while others are specific to individual varieties. For example, picking lemons in cool, humid weather can result in a browning of the membrane between the segments, which may also involve the pith and pulp of the fruit under the peel. Similar symptoms can occur during long-term storage of lemons at a temperature of 0+4.4 "C. Storing citrus fruits at the same temperature for 2 - 3 months causes watery tissue disintegration, especially in fruits removed at the end of the harvesting period. In this case, the peel become soft, spongy and watery and look as if they have been frozen. At room temperature, the fruits emit a characteristic fermenting odor. A common result of hypothermia is pitting, burning and browning of the essential oil glands.
Sour rot This disease is characterized by wateriness and tissue decay, especially in fruits harvested at the end of the harvesting period. In this case, the peel becomes soft, spongy and looks as if the fruit were frozen. Acid bacterial rot affects citrus fruits during storage for 2 - 3 months at a temperature of 0 + 4.4 "C. At room temperature, the fruits emit a specific smell of fermentation.
Deep pitting [peteka] The appearance of the disease is facilitated by low temperatures during the period of fruit development on plantations in late autumn, winter and early spring. Most often, however, pitting develops during long-term storage of fruits of any degree of maturity at a temperature of O + 4.5°C. At 10°C, lemons are little affected, and at 15°C, pitting does not develop at all.
Exanthema When exanthema occurs, brown or reddish shiny spots soaked in gum form on the fruit. The spots merge and cover large areas of the fruit. Its surface becomes glassy and covered with small cracks. The fruit splits in places where there are cracks, and droplets of gum protrude from it, which also forms in the corners of the lobules and along the core. Exanthema appears during the growth of citrus fruits, when the soil lacks the microelement copper. Shoots, leaves and fruits are affected.
Blue mold Causative agent – Repicillium italicum Weh. The fruits appear soft, watery, easily pressed with a finger, rotten skin, slightly depressed, wrinkled. Decayed areas are covered with superficial, pressed mycelium, forming a narrow white border around a blue coating. Blue mold affects all types of citrus fruits and most often fruits with mechanical damage. The disease is also transmitted by contact of affected fruits with healthy ones. Fruits that are overripe, unstorable, and also affected by other diseases are easily affected by this mold. The development of blue mold is favored by elevated temperatures and high relative humidity. Low storage temperatures (0+1°C) greatly retard the development of the fungus.
Green mold Causative agent – Penicillium digitalum Sac. Its distinctive feature is the formation of a wide white smearing blurry stripe around the initial spot on the affected part of the peel. The peel affected by green mold sticks to the wrapping paper. The pulp of the fruit becomes flabby and acquires a bitter, unpleasant taste. The development of the disease is promoted by the same conditions as blue mold.
Wet white rot [sclerotinia] Causative agent – Sclerotinia libertiana Fuck The parts of the fruit affected by rot are initially leathery and elastic. Later, during the development of the outer white flocculent mycelium, the fruit becomes soft and flabby. The disease especially affects lemons during storage and is transmitted to healthy fruits through contact with affected ones. Its development is facilitated by mechanical damage to fruits, their poor keeping quality, low temperature and high relative humidity in the garden and storage.
Soft black rot [aspergillosis] The causative agent is Aspergillus niger van Tiegh. At the beginning of the disease, a light, soft spot appears on the surface of the peel, easily pressed through with finger pressure. A white coating of fungal mycelium forms on the affected area, then sporulation appears in the form of a black powdery mass. The disease affects citrus fruits during storage, especially at high temperatures.
Black rot [alternaria] Causative agent – Alternaria citri Pierce. The disease is widespread and damages citrus fruits during storage. Most often it develops on fruits with reduced viability after long-term storage, but oranges are sometimes affected on plantations. The development of the disease in storage facilities is delayed at low temperatures and low humidity. air.
Dry black rot [pleosporosis] Causative agent – Pleospora herbarum Pab The area of the skin affected by the disease initially remains completely hard, increases in size, and gradually acquires a leathery, slightly elastic consistency. As mycelium and black spores develop, it becomes dark brown or black and often cracks. The disease affects unripe and ripe fruits of lemons and oranges in gardens and during storage.
Brown rot [late blight] Causative agent – Phytophthora species Fungi of Phytophthora species cause root collar and trunk gommosis, leaf spotting and fruit rotting in citrus fruits. When infected with the fungus Phytophthora citriphtora, a vague brown hard spot appears on the skin of the fruit, the pulp gradually rots underneath it, then the rot covers the entire fruit. In this case, the fruits emit a characteristic unpleasant odor. Brown rot affects fruits on plantations, in packaging areas, during transportation and storage. On plantations, fruits located on the lower branches of the tree are more likely to become diseased, since spores located on the soil fall on the fruits with splashes of rain.
Brown rot of the stalk [dothiorella] Pathogen – Dothiorella gregarea Sacc The disease spreads in the tissues of the inner layers of the peel and pith cavity faster than in the pulp. Severely affected tissue is greenish-brown or olive-black. The optimal temperature for the growth of the fungus is plus 25–27 "C, humidity 95%. It affects the fruits of oranges, lemons and tangerines in gardens and during storage.
Diplodia Pathogen - Diplodia natalensis Evans A characteristic sign of the disease on fruits is that from the side of the stalk or apex the fruit acquires a soft, leathery consistency and a brown color, often in the form of longitudinal blurry stripes. The fruit becomes watery or glassy. The rot can cover the entire fruit, which turns olive green to black and gradually mummifies. Black dots – fungal pycnidia – appear on the affected areas. The mushroom is moisture-loving, which determines the areas of its distribution. The disease causes cancerous wounds on the trunk and rotting of fruits on the tree and during storage.
Gray mold [botrythiosis] Pathogen - Botrytis cinerea Pers. The disease most often develops at sites where the peel is damaged or around the stalk. In this case, a dark brown depressed spot is formed, first dense, then elastic. However, the most characteristic sign of the disease is the formation of a thick, fluffy gray (mouse-colored) coating that gathers dust when touched. The disease is easily transmitted by contact from affected fruits to healthy ones during transportation and storage. The optimal temperature for the mushroom is plus 18–25 "C, but it develops well at lower temperatures.
Fusarium rot Causative agent – Fusarium lateritium, etc. Rotting usually begins from the stalk. The tissue affected by rot is soft, the outside of the fruit is light or dark brown, and the inside is quite light. Subsequently, a whitish or pinkish cotton wool-like coating of fungus appears on the decayed surface, which covers the affected decomposing tissue in separate foci or almost completely. Fungi from the genus Fusarium cause rotting of ripe fruits of oranges and tangerines, less often lemons, often within 1-2 months of storage at temperatures above 10°C.
Anthracnose Pathogen – Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz When the disease occurs on the fruit around the stalk, first light, then reddish to dark brown, dry depressed spots are formed - sores up to 20 mm in size. Tangerines have brown oval spots with darker edges compared to other citrus fruits. Under the stains, the fabric softens and rots. The fruit acquires a bitter-sour taste and an unpleasant odor.
Melanosis Causative agent - Phomopsis (Diaporthe) citri Fam The fungus causes two types of lesions on fruits - brown rot at the stalk and fine spotting. In the first case, a brownish-brown, dense, dull spot appears at the base of the fruit, gradually covering the entire fruit. Droplets of brown exudate often appear on the surface of the fruit. When cutting the fruit, browning of the central line of the junction of the segment and the white part of the peel is observed. The second form of melanosis on fruits is characterized by the formation of raised spots in the form of dots, rings, arcs or irregular outlines. The spots are hard, crust-like, small solid or patterned. The disease is widespread in countries with humid climates. It affects oranges, lemons, tangerines, and grapefruits on plantations and during storage.
Scab [wartiness] Pathogen – Elsinoe fawcetii Jen On green small fruits, scab appears in the form of small translucent tubercles, lighter than the surrounding tissue. Gradually, the tubercles grow and acquire a cream or pale orange color. Over time, they become olive-colored, hard, and merge, completely covering and severely deforming the fruit. For the disease to spread, high humidity and moderate temperature are required, plus 15–20" C.
Peel spotting [septoria] Causative agent – Septoria citri Paa. , S. limonum Pass Small dry round greenish-gray depressed spots with a diameter of 1–2 mm appear on the skin of diseased fruits. The lower part of the depressed area of the peel is usually light brown or beige; above there is a narrow greenish stripe, which turns red or darkens in completely ripe fruits. . On some spots, pycnidia appear in the form of black dots. The release of spores from pycnidia, as well as their germination and spread, is facilitated by damp weather (rain, fog) or high air humidity (90%) in storage facilities. The fungus develops at temperatures from +2 to +34 C. The optimal temperature is plus 16–25 "C.
Black spot Causative agent – Phoma citricarpa Mc Alp Reddish-brown, slightly depressed spots with a diameter of 1–12 mm appear on diseased fruits, which later enlarge, deepen and become almost black. Along the edges there are spots of a reddish tint. The spots may merge, covering most of the fruit. The fungus also affects the inner layers of the peel to a depth of 1–3 mm. Sick fruits tend to dry out. The disease develops primarily in the garden or shortly after picking the fruit, but often affects citrus fruit during storage.
Bacterial necrosis [citrusblast] Pathogen – Pseudomonas citriputeale (Smith) Stapp The disease affects young shoots, from where it spreads to the fruits. Round, depressed watery spots form on the fruit, initially yellowish-brown, which later turn into a black pit. The spots only affect the skin, without penetrating the flesh. A combination of the following factors leads to the massive spread of the disease: general weakening of trees, the presence of mechanical damage, rainy, windy weather and relatively low temperatures. The optimal temperature for the development of bacteria is plus 15–18 C, minimum +1"C, maximum +35"C.
Cancer Pathogen - Xanthomonas citri (Hasse) Dows The disease affects shoots and fruits. Initially, numerous small round oily or watery spots appear. Subsequently, the spots turn yellow, the tissue in the middle of them grows, and small tubercles form. As the epidermal tissue grows, it ruptures, and a spongy tumor emerges. The spongy tissue of the tumor is white or chestnut-brown, hard. The tumor tissue also ruptures, forming a crater-shaped hole in the center with raised edges. . Metas affected by cancer often merge, become crusty and crack as the fetus grows. The optimal temperature for the development of bacteria is plus 20 -30 "C
Impetrature [petrification] The disease mainly affects citrus fruits, especially oranges and grapefruits. Hard tubercles of varying sizes and numbers are found on the surface of the fruit. The main difference of the disease is the formation of gum, which is visible on the albedo when the fruit is cut through the swelling. The viral disease of citrus fruits, impetrature, is widespread in a number of Mediterranean countries (Italy, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Turkey, etc.).
Stubborn ["stubborn"] The disease is caused by mycoplasma. Diseased fruits are smaller than normal, elongated, weakly colored or completely green, the albedo is often blue or pink. The fruits are low-juicy and have an unpleasant taste. The most characteristic sign of the disease is a strong thickening of the skin in the upper half of the fruit, which gives them the shape of an oak acorn.
Scale insects Family Diaspiodide Insects vary in shape - rod- and comma-shaped and in color - brown and yellow. Having attached themselves to the plant, the larvae secrete liquid from the glands, which forms a shield on the insect’s body. Scale insects settle on the stems, leaves and fruits of plants and suck the juice from them. As a result, the plants weaken and the yield decreases. With severe damage, the fruits are underdeveloped and less complete in chemical composition.
Silver mite [itching] Phyllosoptrata oleivorus Ashm The mite damages various plant organs by sucking juice from them. As a result of its numerous stings, essential oils appear on citrus fruits, which dry out and oxidize, forming a thin skin of a silvery hue on lemons and a rusty color on oranges and tangerines. Over time, the silver tint on lemons turns into a purple-brown. Subsequently, the skin of the fruit thickens and becomes cork-like, and the commercial quality of the fruit decreases. If the damage is severe, small fruits are stunted and die.
Mealybugs Family Monophlebidae and Pseudococcidae Of the pests that damage citrus fruits, the most famous are the Australian grooved bug and various species of so-called mealybugs. The latter are characterized by the fact that their body is covered with white powdery secretions, similar to flour. They settle in large colonies on trunks, shoots and fruits, sucking juices from them, retarding the growth and development of plants, causing leaf fall, shoot drying, and deformation of fruits that do not reach normal size and maturity.
Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis copitata Wied This polyphagous pest damages the fruits of not only citrus fruits, but also many other plants (bananas, coffee, persimmons, apple trees, grapes, etc.). First, a puncture in the skin, made by the female when laying eggs, is found on the surface of the fruit. Gum often comes out from the damaged area; the peel here hardens and looks like a dark tubercle. The larva that penetrates the fruit destroys its pulp and causes rotting. Damaged fruits usually fall off. The larva emerges from the fallen fruit and pupates in the soil.
Oriental codling moth Grafolitha molesca Busck (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) The oriental codling moth damages the fruits and shoots of many fruit crops, including citrus fruits. As a result, young shoots wither and dry out. Excrement and droplets of gum are found on the fruits in places of damage. Younger caterpillars damage the fruit shallowly, while older ones penetrate the pulp and can reach the seeds, which they also feed on. Damaged fruits do not develop completely, rot easily and often fall off. They are poorly transported and stored.
Dry, slightly depressed light brown spots form on the skin of the fruit, which subsequently merge.
When the fruit is severely damaged, the deep layers of the peel and the walls of the lobules turn brown, and even the shape of the fruit changes.
Membranosis
The disease does not cause any external changes in the fruit; it is detected only when they are cut. With membranosis, the inner layers of the skin of the shell of the lobules, and sometimes also the tissue of the central cavity, become covered with irregularly shaped brown or dark spots.
The disease affects citrus fruits during storage. Most often it is found in ripe fruits, as well as in varieties with reduced shelf life.
The development of membranosis depends mainly on storage temperature. At 0"C the disease almost does not manifest itself; at +2"C the fruits are affected less often than at plus 4 - 5"C. However, storing lemons at 0+2"C leads to other, more unpleasant consequences, and therefore they are usually stored for a long period at a temperature of plus 3 - 4 "C. Insufficient ventilation of storage facilities also contributes to the development of membranosis.
The disease is also caused by unfavorable development of fruits on trees, low temperatures (even if the temperature does not fall below 0"), dry winds and strong fluctuations in soil moisture content.
Membranosis is often accompanied by other diseases, such as pitting, red spotting, since these diseases develop under the same conditions as membranosis.
Oleocellosis
Oleocellosis occurs due to the destruction of part of the essential oil glands. The spreading essential oil damages the cells of the surface layer of the peel between the glands. Diseased cells become deformed. The areas of tissue between the glands are slightly depressed and darken, and the undamaged glands clearly protrude above the lower surface of the spot and seem to be swollen. In green lemons, the tips of the glands protruding from the spot are usually green, while in ripe fruits they are yellow. Gradually the glands become light and then dark brown. The walls of the glands dry out and collapse. Leaking essential oil damages adjacent areas of the peel. Affected tissues become dry, brownish-brown or completely black. The albedo tissues gradually darken under severely damaged areas of the flavedo as the disease progresses. In the lower albedo layers there are individual brownish-brownish spots and veins.
This physiological disease affects the fruits of oranges, lemons and tangerines on trees and during storage. Most often damaged are unripe fruits that are harvested in cool, damp weather in autumn or winter. Mechanical damage to the peel, hail damage and insect pricks, which cause the leakage of essential oil from the glands, also contribute to the development of the disease.
Endoxerosis
Endoxerosis is commonly known as yellow tip disease, dry tip disease, or flower tip disease.
Its signs are usually the destruction or drying of the tissues of the pistillate end of the fruit, accompanied by a change in color to pink or brown. This process intensifies as the fruits ripen. Green lemons, when endoxerosis develops, often lose the shine of their peel and turn yellow at the pistillate end. Cutting open an affected lemon reveals pinkish or rusty-brown tissue that is partially dried out and broken down, resulting in voids and the release of gum. This disease is difficult to distinguish from the appearance of mature fruits, but a cut shows damage to the inner part of the peel and axial tissue.
Endoxerosis is often mistaken for black rot caused by Alternaria, which contributes to or follows this disease. The main cause of endoxerosis is considered to be a lack of moisture in the soil during fruit development. The disease can be prevented by maintaining a favorable water balance in the soil, as well as by collecting fruits that are fully ripe on the tree.
The occurrence of the disease has little or no connection with storage conditions.
Have you already grown an indoor lemon and decided to add to your collection? Or are you just planning to acquire such exotic things? Let's see which varieties of lemons are most suitable for growing in apartments.
Lemon tree about 1.5–2 m high with a small rounded crown up to 1 m. On old branches the bark is gray-green, with small thorns. The leaves are glossy-smooth, dark, up to 16 cm in length. They can be oval, rounded or elongated.
It blooms and bears fruit all year round, one of the most unpretentious varieties to care for. Even western and northwestern windows are suitable for such an indoor lemon. Over the course of a year, it produces from 20 to 40 tasty fruits (many argue that they are even tastier than ordinary ones) weighing 120–150 g. Sometimes specimens weighing up to 500 g are found. The peel can be consumed along with the pulp, seeds are usually 5–10, occasionally 20. Often found fruits without seeds. This lemon variety begins to bear fruit at 3–4 years of age.
It is relatively resistant to dry air, but responds very well to spraying the crown. The ideal humidity for it is 60–80%. In the house it is usually grown near eastern windows, although it can also tolerate partial shade. But burns are possible on the south window.
Meyer
Widely used for growing outdoors, where it is often grafted. In the apartment it is grown on its own roots. The height of the tree is from 1 to 1.5 m. The crown is well leafy and can be easily shaped. There are few thorns. The leaves are glossy, dense and dark, serrated.
It belongs to the remontant and early ripening varieties, bears fruit abundantly, sometimes up to 4 times a year. The fruits are not very sour, up to 150 g. Buds appear only on young shoots produced this year. It blooms earlier than other species, most often already in March or April. The flowers are small (3–4 cm), but very fragrant. They can be arranged singly or in inflorescences of 2–6 pieces. Ripening lasts 8–9 months, the fruits are picked slightly unripe.
These homemade lemons need to be carefully looked after: in winter they need to be kept in a room where the temperature is no more than 12 °C, otherwise the fruit may not set. They need regular watering and spraying of the crown. It is better to grow such a lemon near eastern or western windows: the abundance of light will make the tree grow quickly, but will slow down the setting of flowers. Darkening is also harmful - it can cause problems. It must be protected from drafts. Meyer can be grown either from cuttings or.
Chinese
In fact, this is the second name: this variety was brought from Beijing (for which it received the name “Chinese”) by researcher Franz Meyer (in whose honor the variety received its first name).
Anniversary
A hybrid bred in Uzbekistan, the “ancestors” of which were such lemon varieties as the Tashkent and Novogruzinsky lemons. One of the most undemanding varieties. Jubilee lemon usually grows up to 1.5 m. It is a large-fruited variety (fruits up to 600 g). The skin is thick. This homemade lemon attracts many with its abundant flowering, during which the tree is almost completely covered with white flowers with a slightly purple tint (also a “hereditary” feature of the variety from Tashkent). They are usually collected in inflorescences of 14–16 pieces.
Like the variety bred in Tashkent, it begins to bear fruit in 3–4 years. It adapts quickly and easily tolerates indoor conditions: even in dry air and with little watering, fruits set. True, it is difficult to get indoor lemons from this variety: branches with buds form from almost every bud and leaf axil.
Genoa
One of the rare species. Trees are about a meter long with a dense crown. There are almost no thorns. These lemons are distinguished by especially tasty fruits with delicate pulp. Their peel is edible, without bitterness.
Quite dense films inside are characteristic. The weight reaches an average of 110 g. A lemon grown from a cutting begins to bloom in the 4th year. One of the important conditions for care is an abundance of light, without which the tree does not develop well. With good home care, it produces a huge harvest: in the first years of fruiting it produces up to 50 fruits, and from an adult tree you can collect about 120–180 fruits per year.
Lisbon
Tall trees with large, dense and wide leaves. There are a lot of thorns. The fruits are very tasty, seedless, with a thin edible peel, weigh 120–150 g. A very hardy variety. It grows well at almost any room temperature and is resistant to heat and coolness, as well as drought. Lighting likes bright, but diffused - direct rays of the sun should not fall. As a rule, it begins to bear fruit already in 2–3 years. From this lemon tree you can collect up to 60 pieces per season.
Maykop
The best varieties were used to select this lemon. The result is an extremely productive crop: mature trees produce 100–300 fruits per year, and sometimes up to 700 are harvested from old lemon trees of this variety! The fruits weigh about 140–160 g.
Trees rarely grow higher than 2 meters. Hardy and unpretentious, they are well suited to home conditions. There are two subspecies. The first type is formed almost without stamping. The crown is dense, branched, with many branches without thorns, which are located horizontally or hang down slightly. Leaves with a waxy coating, dark. Small flowers are collected in inflorescences of 3–5 pieces. It tolerates wintering well in houses and normal room conditions.
The second variety is distinguished by strong branches directed semi-vertically upward. The crown is symmetrical. This type easily adapts to home conditions, but prefers wintering in a cool room.
Buddha's hand
If you wanted to know which lemon is the most original, it is, without a doubt, Buddha's Hand. These indoor lemons are usually acquired for its decorative qualities. Its fruits attract the most attention: long, up to 40 cm, in the form of a bunch of bananas or a hand (for which the variety received its name). They consist mainly of a thick peel up to 5 cm, there is very little pulp, it is not juicy, has a bitter or very sour taste and is unsuitable for consumption, but the zest is sometimes used for baking.
The leaves are oval and quite large. Home care requires plenty of light and warmth. It begins to bear fruit in the 3rd year. The fruits have a light violet aroma. Sometimes this tree is used in perfumery.
Ponderosa
A hybrid that was obtained naturally from crossing between species such as citrons and lemons (according to some versions, like the New Zealand variety). It is similar to the Kyiv large-fruited one. It tolerates heat and drought normally, but before starting such a plant, you need to carefully read the care rules: the plant is sensitive to the soil, reacts poorly to its excessive acidity, and needs. These lemon trees love indirect, bright light.
The trunk is up to 1.8 m. This lemon is characterized by strong branches, a spreading and wide crown, and hard and dense leaves. The flowers resemble jasmine - large, like those of the Kyiv lemon, white and cream. Abundant flowering peaks in spring, from March to May. Just like the lemon, the Kiev large-fruited lemon bears very large fruits - on average 300–500 g, but there are often cases when they reach 1 kg.
The peel is rough and quite thick. The pulp is juicy, pleasant to the taste, almost without the characteristic taste of citric acid. There are a lot of seeds. Fruiting begins in the 2nd year.
Volcano
A dwarf tree up to 1.2 m. The fruits are miniature (up to 4 cm), tasty, with a delicate sourness. You can decorate your home with such lemon trees, since they bloom all year round, and you can often see both flowers and ripe fruits on the branches.
When watering, very soft, settled water is important.
Lunario
One of the most successful varieties for an apartment. The 1–1.5 m tree blooms almost continuously, and ripe fruits ripen on it at any time of the year. Flowers are solitary or in small racemes. The first flowers on these lemons can be found in 2–3 years. There are a lot of thorns.
Fruits with thin, smooth skin. The pulp is aromatic, not very juicy, slightly acidic. There are almost no seeds.
Novogruzinsky
Novogruzinsky is a vigorous variety, the height can reach 2–3 m. The crown is regular in shape, dense and spreading. It bears fruit 2–3 times a year, starting from the 4th (sometimes 5th) year of life.
If the New Georgian lemon is well cared for, it can produce up to 200 fruits per year. On average, their weight is 130 g. Fragrant, juicy, sour. Large flowers have a light purple tint, solitary or in racemes.
Video “Lemon Care”
In this video you will hear useful tips for caring for lemons.
