Growing a lemon tree is a lifelong delight, whether in a home garden or a pot, making it a must-have for any gardener.
know about Lemon Tree
Who hasn’t heard the classic folk tune about the lovely lemon tree? You are in the right place if you are wondering how to plant a lemon tree. Given their beautiful spring blooms and bright yellow, tart fruit, lemon trees make wonderfully lovely additions to any home garden or orchard. In warm-winter climates, this little evergreen tree can be cultivated in the ground or overwintered indoors in a container.
MANUAL FOR PLANTING LEMON TREE
Keep in mind that lemon trees grow best in semi-arid to arid subtropical or Mediterranean conditions while planting them. Being among the citrus that is most sensitive to cold, they can only withstand winters in USDA zone 9 and higher. Therefore, while choosing a location for outdoor planting, look for one that receives full light and is shielded from chilly breezes.
LEMON TREE ESSENTIALS CARE
When it comes to other fruit plants, growing lemon trees is rather little upkeep. Lemon trees need a lot of water during the growing season and frequent doses of nitrogen fertilizer, just like most other fruit trees. This evergreen tree rarely needs to be pruned, making lemon tree maintenance easier.
Water and Lighting Needs
location
Take into account the light needs of the lemon tree while choosing a planting location. The optimum place for lemon trees to bear fruit and bloom is one with plenty of direct sunlight. Throughout the growing season, frequent irrigation is necessary for the trees.
Needs for Soil & Fertilizer
The ideal soil for growing lemon trees is rich and well-draining. Growing on soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 is ideal for them. In terms of fertilizer, nitrogen fertilizer should be applied to the tree during the growing season.
Trimming Lemon Trees
The only pruning needed when the lemon tree is young is to cut off any suckers that sprout below the graft. Pruning out any water sprouts near other branches is also recommended.
When a tree is around five years old and begins to bear fruit, trim off any dead, broken, diseased, crossing, or excessively close together branches. Any lemon tree branches that come in contact with the ground can also be cut off.
Growing More Lemon Trees
Typically, sturdy rootstocks are used for grafting or budding lemon trees. Additionally, seeds can be planted to reproduce them, albeit the resultant trees will not be exact replicas of their parents.
Insect & Illnesses
Lemon trees are susceptible to damage from red spiders, mealybugs, citrus leafminers, and scale. Aphids, sooty mold, fuzzy gray mold, brown spots, anthracnose, citrus canker, and lemon scab are among the diseases that can affect them.
Harvest
Lemons should be left on the tree to ripen. As soon as they turn yellow and reach a size of two to three inches (5 to 7.6 cm), they are prepared for harvesting.
Lemon tree indoor
When kept at a consistent temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night, lemons can make happy houseplants. For people that reside in USDA zone 9 hardiness zones, this is lucky. Although the tree cannot withstand the harsh winter cold in these zones, it can be cultivated indoors in containers and overwintered. Sufficient drain holes and somewhat acidic soil are essential for a lemon tree container. If your home does not receive enough sunlight, use grow lights.
TYPES OF LEMON TREE
There are a few different types of lemon trees that you can start growing. Vigorous trees with a late winter and spring yield are produced by the Eureka variety. Choose the pink variegated Eureka with variegated foliage for a unique appearance.
The Improved Meyer, a cross between a lemon and a mandarin or orange, is unique in its own right. This type produces sweet, juicy fruit nearly all year round and can withstand frosts up to the low 20s.
