There’s nothing wrong with buying your produce at the store. It’s convenient, and everyone does it. But some fruits are somewhat annoying to continue buying, as you rarely ever need a lot of them. You often spend extra on pre-packed bundles of six – four of which will go overripe before you can use them!
This may be a “first-world” problem, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an issue worth addressing. Take lemons, for example. They’re delicious to use as garnish, drinks, and flavoring agents. But you’ll rarely need a whole bunch of them at once – and if you do, the amount you spend on them can pile up.
What if I told you there was a way you may have never thought of that will eliminate the need for any more purchases of this fruit? What if there was a hassle-free, cost-efficient, and satisfying way to get them? The answer is simple: just plant a lemon tree yourself!
Understandably, not many people understand how gardening and planting work. It can be an intimidating concept, but if you don’t know where to start, we’re here to help. Yes, it sounds complicated – but we promise that it really isn’t!
Here’s How To Grow Lemons At Home And Never Buy Them Again
1. The Benefits of Home-Grown Plants
You may think growing plants at home is troublesome and too much of a hassle, especially when you can go to the store and buy produce yourself. The truth is, however, you can find a lot of positive sides to home-grown plants. Here are some of them!
a) You have control.
With store-bought produce, there’s a limit to what you can control. You cannot decide on the amount of fertilizer used and the kinds of pesticides implemented. When you do it all yourself, you’re guaranteed to know what you’re eating, and how fresh it is.
b) They have more vitamins and nutrients.
Freshly picked fruits and veggies have a lot more nutrients in them. This is because they aren’t subjected to long periods of transportation to get to grocery stores.
c) You decide when to pick them.
Like a particular ripeness? Know for certain that you have the right kind when you grow them yourself!
d) It can be as fresh as you want.
You can directly pick fruit and eat or use them right away to get the most out of them. In supermarkets, you’re not able to guarantee that the fruit is as fresh as you’d like.
e) It’s cheaper.
Overall, growing a lemon tree, though it takes time, is a great investment. In the long run, it’s much cheaper than going back to the store repeatedly for lemons.
f) It encourages healthy eating.
You’re much more likely to eat and use fruits and veggies if you grow them yourself. After all, you’ve put the effort into growing them and want to reap the rewards. This is a great way to get pickier eaters in your household enjoying better food choices. This healthier decision can help many things, from higher energy levels to lowered disease risk and increased positive thinking.
2. How To Grow Lemons At Home
Now, you know how great lemons are and how many positive benefits you can get from home-grown plants. All that’s left is to learn how to grow these lemons on your own so you never have to buy them again.
First, start by gathering your materials. You will need the following:
- A lemon
- A pot or similar container
- Potting soil
- Plastic film (must be breathable!)
- A sunny spot (or grow lights)
- A bucket
- Watering device (watering can, squirt bottle, etc.)
Once you have all your materials, it’s time to start planting. Here’s how to go about it.
- Start by preparing your soil. Place the potting soil inside a bucket and pour in a little water to dampen it slightly.
- Fill up your pot with the damp soil, leaving about one inch of space around the top just beneath the lip of the pot.
- Cut a lemon and remove one seed from the fruit.
- To get all the flesh off the seed, you can suck on it. However, note that your seed must be moist when potting it.
- Plant the lemon seed in your pot. It should be buried around half an inch under the soil.
- Fill a squirt bottle or a standard watering can with water and slowly water your lemon seed. It is vital to ensure that the soil does not become overly damp, so water in moderation.
- Cover your pot up with your breathable plastic film.
- Place your pot somewhere warm and sunny, or turn on your grow light and place it beneath.
- The lemon seed should begin to sprout after one or two weeks. When this happens, take the plastic cover off.
- You should then move the pot to a warm place without direct sunlight.
Now, how can you ensure that your lemon tree continues to thrive? After all, it’s a long journey from sapling to the fruit-bearing tree. To start, while the tree is still young, ensure the soil around it stays moist. Do note that the pot must have sufficient holes for fluid drainage.
Lemon trees must be exposed to direct sunlight approximately eight hours a day, so putting the pot out before you go to work and bringing it back in when you get home is a good way to work this out.
As your tree grows, you’ll need to regularly transplant it into bigger containers so it has space to get bigger and stronger. You can also use fertilizer as needed. Eventually, it may get too big to keep indoors or become difficult to bring out repeatedly. You can move it out to your yard, a porch, or a balcony.
Keep caring for your tree well, and soon, you’ll be able to enjoy delicious and healthy lemons right from your home.
3. The Benefits of Lemons
Of all the fruits in the world, why are lemons an excellent pick for your home? After all, they’re not the kind of fruit you can peel and eat. Well, as it turns out, a regular supply of lemons can have tremendous benefits for your health and body. Here are some of them!
a) Weight Management
Lemons contain much pectin fiber, a soluble component that expands when consumed. This causes more feelings of fullness that prevent unnecessary eating. In addition, studies have shown that lemons have polyphenols that can restrict fat buildup.
Additional plant compounds indicate lemons can prevent weight gain or reduce progress. However, do note that these studies have been performed on animals, and human results remain unknown.
b) Better Digestion
Carbs get a bad rep, but fiber is a form of carbohydrate that is very important to the digestive system. Lemons contain lots of soluble fibers and simple sugars, with 10% of the fruit’s composition being carbohydrate-based.
Pectin, one of these fibers, is known to have excellent effects on the body’s health. It can slow digestion, reducing unstable blood sugar for better balance and providing positive effects for digestion. Do note that you must eat the pulp to find a lot of that fiber.
c) Anemia Protection
A lack of iron can often lead to anemia. Lemons have some iron content, but that’s not why they’re so good for guarding against anemia. They aid the body in absorbing iron more efficiently, especially from more complex sources, like plant-based food.
This is partly due to lemon’s high vitamin C content and citric acid. These components are both reasonably well-known for their ability to help with iron absorption.
d) Heart Health
You’ll find 31 mg of vitamin C in one single lemon, comprising more than half of the recommended daily nutrient consumption. Eating foods rich in this vitamin can lower the chances of developing various heart diseases and strokes.
On top of that, many plant compounds within the sour yellow fruit promote better heart health and all the fiber within. They can also help to bring down cholesterol.
Citrus fibers are so effective in lowering bad cholesterol that studies have shown that just 24 g of them daily can have this result – one of the many reasons to grow lemons at home!
e) Kidney Stone Prevention
Kidney stones form from a build-up of waste within the body, leading to small lumps forming through crystallization. Those who get kidney stones tend to be prone to them, repeatedly causing repeated stones.
The citric acid within lemons can help to bring up the pH levels of urine, and they can cause more urine volume as well. This can help make it more difficult for kidney stones to form in the body.
Studies have found that drinking lemonade can remarkably prevent these stones from forming, though overall results remain inconclusive. However, most research suggests that drinking just a half cup of fresh lemon juice daily will prevent kidney stones from forming in those prone to them.
f) Lowering the Risk of Cancer
Those who eat citrus fruits have been suggested to have a lower chance of developing cancer, and lemon has specific compounds that are capable of killing cancer cells, according to research.
A variety of plant compounds within this yellow fruit may be able to lower cancer risk, preventing malignant tumor development. Animal studies have proved this to some degree. Unfortunately, no human testing has been done yet, and a very high dosage would be required to achieve this effect.
Final Thoughts On How To Grow Lemons At Home And Never Buy Them Again
Growing your lemons – and your veggies and fruit generally – is a great practice. It saves money, adds a beautiful, natural air to your home, and provides the freshest and healthiest lemons you could hope for.
Does it take some learning? Yes. Does it take effort and research? Yes. But is it fulfilling and rewarding? A hundred times yes! Take the time to learn to grow your lemonsfruits and veggies, and you’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it makes!
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