Lemon Planting to Harvesting Process with Complete Knowledge

Lemon is one of the core categories of lemon. It is mainly known worldwide for its pulp and juice. Therefore, various lemons are used around the world as food or juice. In central India, Nagpur oranges are grown on a large scale. Farmers cultivate the lemon in India in ​about 923 thousand hectares with an annual production of 8608 thousand metric tons. In Punjab, you can grow lemon on 39.20 hectares of land.

Lemon Planting and Cultivating Guidelines:

Farming requires a variety of equipment, which plays a major role in the agriculture process. Tools, harvesters as well as tractors are the main ones in the cultivation of lemon; Hence, we suggest the Mahindra Tractor, which is better for increasing efficiency in farming.

1. Lemon Farming – Climate Conditions

The subtropical climate is most conducive to the growth and also helpful in the development of lemon. A temperature below -40°C is detrimental for young plants. A soil temperature around 250°C seems to be optimal for root growth. Dry conditions and a well-defined summer with low rainfall (ranging from 75 cm to 250 cm) are more favourable to crop growth. High humidity promotes the spread of many diseases, and also frost is very harmful. The hot wind during the summer causes the young flowers to dry up and drop. Darjeeling Mandarin (Khasi Orange type) grows up to 2000m altitude as it adapts to a cooler climate.

2. Lemon Farming – Soil Preparation

Lemon can thrive well in an extensive range of soils. Soil properties such as soil reaction, soil fertility, drainage, salt concentrations, and free lime are important factors determining lemon planting success. Lemon grows well on light soils with good drainage. You should use soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 considerably well. However, they can grow in a pH range between 4 and 9. A concentration of calcium carbonate in the feeding zone can adversely affect growth. Therefore, the heavier but well-drained subsoil seems ideal for lemon.

3. Best Time to Plant the Lemon

The best planting season is from June to August. For planting, pits of size 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm can be dug. At the planting time, apply 10 kg of cow dung and 500 g of superphosphate per pit. With a good irrigation system, sowing can also be done in other months.

4. Lemon Farming – Irrigation Requirement

lemon needs life-saving water in the first year during winter and summer. Irrigation improves plant growth, flowering and fruiting in lemon. It also reduces harvest time and increases lemon size. Spring spoilage is more likely in irrigated conditions, and the next crop that ripens in October-November can be heavy. Diseases such as collar rot and root rot can occur in over-irrigated conditions and if the collar area is wet. High-frequency light irrigation is beneficial. Irrigation water containing more than 1000 ppm of salt is harmful. The amount of water and the irrigation frequency depends on the soil texture and also it depends on the growth stage. Partial drying of the soil in spring may be acceptable.

5. Manures and Fertilizers

• You should manure the lemon plants in three equal doses three times a year in February, June as well as September. 
• Dosage varies depending on soil, age and plant growth.
• You should increase the dosage every year to reach full dosage in the eighth year. 
• Fertilizers are spread on the ground until leaf drops mix lightly with the soil. After applying fertilizers, you should irrigate when there is a shortage of moisture.
• You may give one or two sprays of the micronutrient mixture.

6. Intercultural Operations of Lemon crop

Spading of basins, Ploughing weed control, etc., are important intercultural operations for soil aeration and health. Chemical control of weeds with weedicides like diuron, gramoxone, simazine, herbal, etc., may also be adopted.

7. Pruning and Trimming 

You should remove all shoots of the plant 40–50 cm before the ground level develops in the early stages. The centre of the plant must remain open. You should distribute the branches well on all sides. You should remove early cross twigs and water suckers. Bearing trees require little or no pruning. All diseased, injured and hanging branches and also dead wood should remove periodically to begin lemon greening. 

10. Pests/Insects and Disease Control Management:

Pests: lemon important pests are lemon psylla, scale insects, orange shoot borer, leaf miner, fruit fly, fruit sucking moth, moth etc. Other pests that attack lemon are mandarin oranges, mealybugs, nematodes, etc., especially in humid climates.

Major pest control measures are given below:

1. Lemon psylla: Monocrotophos – 0.025% or Carbaryl – 0.1% or Spraying of Malathion – 0.05%  
2. Leaf miner: Spraying of Phosphamidon @ 1 ml or Monocrotophos @ 1.5 ml. 
3. Scale pest: Spray Parathion (0.03%) emulsion, Dimethoate 150 ml and 250 ml Kerosene oil in 100 litres of water or Malathion @ 0.1% or Carbaryl @ 0.05% plus Oil 1%.
4. Orange shoot borer: Keep the garden clean during the egg-laying season, spraying Methyl parathion @ 0.05% or Carbaryl @ 0.2% or Endosulfan @ 0.05%.

Diseases of Lime plants

The main diseases of lemon/lime are anthracnose, tristeza, lemon canker, gummosis, powdery mildew, etc.

The control measures for these diseases are summarised below:

1. Tristeza: Control the aphids and use of cross protected seedlings is recommended.
2. lemon canker: Spray the affected twigs with 1% Bordeaux mixture or copper fungicide after pruning. The 500 ppm aqueous solution, streptomycin sulphate, is also effective.
3. Gummosis: Scrape off the affected area and also use Bordeaux mixture or copper oxyfluoride.
4. Powdery Mildew: You should cut the first dead twigs. Spray Wettable Sulphur 2 gm/Litre, Copper Oxychloride-3gm/Ltr of water in April and October. Carbendazim @ 1 g/Lit or Copper Oxychloride – 3g/Lit fortnightly.
5. Anthracnose: Dry twigs are cut first and after this, also do two sprays of Carbendazim @ 1 g/Lit or Copper Oxychloride – 3 Gm/Litre fortnightly.

Lime Harvesting techniques

Mature lemons are picked in 2 to 3 cycles. There can be 2 or 3 crops in the rainy, summer, and autumn season in a year. You should choose the orange colour when the colour starts to develop.

Equipment Requirement in Lemon Farming

When you want to get information about lemon cultivation, you should also know the equipment that will help to boost the yield. Cultivators, Tillers and tractors are crucial factors in lemon farming. However, the Digitrac tractor is the most pivotal equipment.

For more information regarding lemon farming in India, stay tuned with us.