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Growing Lemons

Lemons have a place in any home, and are very useful in cooking. A lemon tree can provide you with bountiful fruit for years on end. Read on to learn more about growing lemons.

Choosing a Lemon Tree

When buying your lemon tree, look for one that has glossy, deep green foliage. This indicates a strong and healthy plant. Avoid trees that show any signs of paling or yellowing as they may be suffering from a lack of nitrogen. Also check that there is no rotting or decaying of the stem’s bark where the stem meets the potting mix in the pot. This is called collar rot. Finally check for any sign of insect or pest attack or discolouration that may be caused by a fungal disease.

Where and When to Plant Lemons

Lemon trees do best planted in a warm, sunny position that is protected from frost. They need at least six hours of sun every day. Ensure that the soil is well drained. The best time to plant them is in spring if you live in one of the southern states. In subtropical areas, they can be planted most times of the year except during the very wet season. If you live in a cold zone, grow lemons in containers and bring them inside a greenhouse or enclosed porch when it gets really cold.

Planting the Lemon Tree

When planting the tree, give it a good soaking the day before you plant it so that the soil does not fall away from the roots when you place it in the hole. To plant the tree, dig a hole that is both wide and deep enough to accommodate the whole root system. If you have clay subsoil be careful that a hollow is not formed in the bottom which can fill with water and potentially drown the roots. To stop this from this occurring, it is best to plant the tree onto a slight mound built up above the surrounding soil level or to install an underground drainage system.

Place the lemon tree into the hole, ensuring that the bud union is well above the level of the soil (the bud union is the slightly swollen area on the main stem where the lemon has been grafted onto rootstock). Do not place any fertiliser into the hole. You do not need to fertilise until new growth appears on the tree. Once the tree has been placed, backfill the hole, firming the soil with your hands as you do. Water thoroughly when the hole is half full and water again when the hole is completely filled.

Watering Lemons

Lemon trees need plenty of water during spring and summer – their main growing periods. Moderate watering may be required in autumn and winter. When watering, it is important that you deep water. Surface watering only results in the fine surface roots getting wet. To help prevent the soil drying out, mulching is a good idea. Simply spread organic mulch around the tree – being sure to keep it away from the main stem. As well as conserving water, mulching will also help to suppress weeds.

Fertilising Lemons

Lemon trees need substantial amounts of fertiliser but be careful not to apply too much nitrogen – this causes the tree to produce thick skinned fruit and lush leaf growth at the expense of fruit. Use a complete citrus fertiliser on your lemon tree. Feed the tree twice a year – once in early spring, and again in late summer. Always water and aerate the soil before fertilising.

Pruning Lemons

Lightly pruning the lemon tree before planting will help to encourage growth. Remove about half the top growth by cutting straight across the top. Apart from this, the tree will not require pruning until it matures. Once matured, prune the tree yearly to keep it within bounds and easy to pick. New growth should be pruned back by one-quarter to one-third.

Pests that Affect Lemons

Lemon trees do attract pests and they need to be controlled. Aphids are attracted to the new foliage. Citrus leaf miner is the larvae of a moth and the telltale sign is a silvery trail as they eat their way through the leaf. Scale is also common. There are many pest control solutions available, so it is a matter of choosing the one that is right for you. For scale, a vegetable oil based solution is best. If there are growths caused by the larvae of insects, the best thing to do is to prune the affected limbs.