These basics on how to grow and care for an indoor lemon tree can have you drinking lemonade in no time. When grown outdoors in warm climates, regular lemon trees grow 20 feet tall and take up to six years to bear fruit.
Growers graft indoor lemon tree varieties onto special dwarfing roots that speed up fruit-bearing ability and keep trees small. Some of the easiest, most popular indoor lemon trees are actually crosses with other fruits, but some are true lemon trees that do well in pots.
The best dwarf indoor lemon tree varieties include:. Most dwarf lemon trees sold by nurseries are two to three years old — old enough to start bearing fruit, but still immature. Container size helps limit a tree's eventual height, but most indoor dwarf Meyer lemon trees grow to at least 3 to 4 feet tall. Other indoor varieties can grow to 6 feet or more. If you plan to grow a lemon tree from a seed, understand that the new tree won't be the same as the one the seed came from.
Starting a lemon tree from a cutting will yield the same tree — from the ground up — but the process is challenging. Either way, your new tree won't have the small size and disease resistance of grafted dwarf trees, and you won't see fruit for many years. It's tempting to start your lemon tree in a pot worthy of its final size, but it's better to start out small.
Overly large pots with excess soil make it difficult to tell when your indoor lemon tree needs water. For most young, nursery-grown trees, start with a inch diameter container. As your tree grows over the years, slowly progress to pots double that size in width and depth. Lemon trees do well in all kinds of pots, from porous terra cotta to lightweight resin.
Just make sure the container has large, unobstructed drainage holes. Like other citrus trees , lemons prefer cool roots, so avoid black pots and other dark colors that heat up in sunlight.
Always use a deep saucer under your container to protect indoor floors from excess water. Consider putting a wheeled plant dolly underneath. Lemon trees get heavy and hard to move as they grow. Lemon tree roots demand abundant oxygen, so proper planting and excellent drainage are key. When planting your tree, the flare at the base of the trunk should sit slightly above your eventual soil line.
Start by filling the new container's bottom with soil, then lightly tamp it down. Repeat until you reach the right depth for your tree's root ball.
This helps provide a good foundation so your tree won't settle in too deeply. Always leave a few inches at the top for watering.
Indoor lemon trees do best when their soil stays evenly moist. Choose a well-draining potting mix designed for indoor palm trees or citrus. These mixes help prevent soggy soil while still retaining moisture, so roots don't get too wet or too dry.
As a final step, treat your newly planted lemon tree to Pennington UltraGreen Plant Starter with Vitamin B1 , which provides micronutrients and reduces transplant shock. The smaller kumquat trees need 10 feet between trees and 15 feet between rows. Dwarf citrus trees need half as much space as standard trees. Why is the skin on my lemons so thick? Very simply, a thick peel on any kind of citrus fruit is caused by a nutrient imbalance.
The thick rind is caused by either too much nitrogen or too little phosphorus. A phosphorus deficiency will cause almost the same results, but depending on the levels of nitrogen, the tree may not look as lush. How do you prune citrus trees? February through April are the best months to prune. Remove all sprouts originating from the trunk.
Are coffee grounds good for Meyer lemon trees? The best soil pH for growing lemon trees and other citrus is 6. If your soil has a higher pH, use mulches that acidify the soil, like pine needles or coffee grounds.
Regularly test your soil's pH to avoid making it too acidic. What is the smallest lemon tree? Though lemon trees naturally reach about 25 feet tall, you can usually find dwarf varieties available. Dwarf 'Eureka' lemons can reach up to 10 feet tall unless they are kept in check. How much does a dwarf lemon tree cost? So, how should you care for your lemon?
Generally, a lemon tree should be watered once weekly or bi-weekly, depending on rainfall in your area or your humidity indoors. A watering schedule is important to keeping your Lemon Trees healthy and happy.
But if you're not sure when to water your Lemon Trees, just check the top 2 inches of soil. When this area is dry, it's time to water. FGT Tip: Citrus leaves love humidity. Indoor Lemon Trees will do best if misted daily, especially when you are running your heat during cooler months. You can also use a humidifier or fill your pot's saucer with rocks and add water; place your plant on the rocks, ensuring the bottom of the pot is above the water line, for best results. We recommend fertilizing your Lemon Trees especially Meyers every four to six weeks, from February to August, to ensure a healthy cycle.
Citrus trees benefit from fertilizers that are generally balanced with a slightly nitrogen-rich blend. Prune as needed to maintain your Lemon Trees' shape. Clip any branches that are too long, and remove branches growing toward the trunk of the tree instead of away from it.
This process maintains airflow between the branches and allows light to penetrate the center of the tree. FGT Tip: Sterilize your pruning tools with rubbing alcohol. This ensures a clean cut to keep your Lemon Trees healthy.
Citrus canker, root rot and mites are the most common pests and diseases affecting Lemon Trees, but luckily, they're easy to treat, especially with organic, natural solutions.
And if you keep your Lemon Trees indoors, you simply need to monitor and clean the leaves. If you're treating, ensure that you always use an approved fungicide, or just remove any dead or diseased areas.
Fully remove infected material from the tree. Now it's time for the best part: harvesting! Lemons are ready to pick when they're yellow or yellow-green on the outside. And most of our Lemon Trees are primed for harvest after only a couple of years, or sooner. Lemons ripen anywhere between 4 and 12 months after flowering, with blooms appearing in spring to signal a later transition to fresh fruit in the summer.
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