Lemon trees are typically grown in tropic or subtropical regions , but if you live in a dusty area and desire to relish homegrown lemons , you’re able to learn how to grow lemon trees in pots and best of all It ’s comfortable than you might imagine .
When you grow lemon trees in containers , it allow you to grow them in any surroundings . you’re able to bring them inside when the weather condition starts to get cold , and they make a fragrant , beautiful houseplant , or you’re able to rise them outside year - round if they have the ripe clime .
If you ’ve always want to try growing lemon tree at home but felt like you could n’t because of your climate , you’re able to do it ! This guide shows you everything you need to experience about growing Citrus limon trees in pots .
Learn How To Grow Lemon Trees In Pots
If you ’ve nevergrown fruit Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree on potsbefore , lemon trees are an excellent choice for beginners .
They are relatively easy to spring up , and they are n’t too finicky about conditions . Trust me ; larn how to uprise lemon Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in pots is easy than you might guess .
1: Choose DwarfVarietiesOfLemonThat Are Perfect For Container Growing
When you grow a lemon tree in a flock , it ’s not going to get as enceinte as the ones farm in the ground .
While you’re able to grow any type inside your home – the conditions will make the tree diagram size of it to be restrict – it ’s good to select gnome lemon tree varieties for optimal growth .
develop lemon tree in pots have become more pop over the preceding few yr , and gardeners identified several varieties that do exceptionally well in pots .
Ideally , you ’ll want to start with trees that are 2 - 3 years old . This is the long time when they are mature enough to bring forth yield , but you still might need to wait a year or two before yield appears . The trees will be belittled , but they will uprise , even shadow varieties .
1.Start With A 12-Inch Diameter Container With Proper Drainage
Perhaps one of the most vital factors when choose a container for lemon yellow tree is drain . They ask good drainage , so pick one that has several drain hole .
You will need to repot your tree every few years or at the start of spring . In warmer mood , winter is the good season to repot your trees .
deflect using a mickle that is too heavy or too small for your tree . It should only be one size liberal than your old pot .
2.Place The Pot In A Warm, Sunny Location
you could keep your citrus tree out of doors when the conditions is warm and frost - gratuitous . Potted lemon yellow trees postulate to be kept in a spot that receives 6 - 8 hours of direct sunlight per 24-hour interval .
3.Fill Container With Well-Draining Potting Mix
You need to get the soil right the first time with your lemon tree . Garden greenhouse sell potting mixes created for cactus , palms , and citrous fruit trees , hold back a balance of ingredients design to retain wet while also run out freely .
4.Planting Lemon Trees In Containers
you’re able to only found your tree diagram one sentence in your container , so you need to do it right . Planting depth is critical to understand because citrus trees postulate plenty of air circulation .
Take a flavour at your tree diagram and observe where it starts to flare out at the groundwork ; this should be slightly discover .
Caring For Potted Lemon Trees
Lemon trees make a fantastic container plant , and they do n’t require an excessive amount of concern . You have to remember to water and fertilize when require and rationalize once a year . That ’s not too bad !
1.Keep The Soil Moist And Never Let It Dry Out Completely
Lemon tree prefer to have consistent , even watering . If the dirt dry out too much , the leave will fall off of the flora . It ’s well if their stain is evenly moist , but they should never be sloughy .
2.Fertilize Your Lemon Trees
A essential part of growing a healthy lemon tree is using fertilizer . Before planting , you should add compost to your dirt for the initial nutrient needed for growth , but that ’s not all you call for to do .
3.Don’t Forget About Pollination
Lemon Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree flower in the winter , and there are n’t as many pollinator inside of your home base . If you have to bring your plant inside for the winter because of your climate , you need to turn over pollinate .
you’re able to utilize an electrical pollenation tool if you desire , but hand - pollinating each flower is round-eyed , but it ’s often overlook by those new to growing citrous fruit trees inside .
4.Overwinter Inside
If you live in USDA zones 8b-11 , you do n’t require to worry about winter and insensate temperature too much .
Zones below that require special care because of the cold , rough winters . temperature below 30 ℉ are life - jeopardize for lemon yellow trees , but the “ Meyer ” tree can stand as cold as 24 ℉ .
Lemon trees are vulnerable to inhuman atmospheric condition and drouth , so when winter hits , you ’ll require to bring your Tree inside away from the cold weather .
While lemon trees farm in the ground can palm meek frost , container - grown ones can not tolerate low temperature .
If your Tree start to drop some or all of their leaves , do n’t be surprised . They can do this whether you move them within or outdoors ; it ’s a natural process as the plant adjusts to different light levels .
Your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree will soon create leaves well suited to the fresh floor of light ; just be patient with your plant .
5.Prune As Needed
Pruning is needed for all yield trees ; citrus tree diagram are no exception to that . Regular pruning limits the tree size and encourage with child fruit . Wait until your tree protrude to flower before pruning ; you do n’t require to cut off your fruits .
Harvesting Fresh Lemons At Home
One welfare of grow fresh gamboge at household is that many cultivar hold fruit year - rotund , such as the Meyer lemon tree diagram . The main harvest takes place between the middle of November and the center of April .
The trees are highly fat in colder area , spreading the harvesting more throughout the year . For those in warm climates , the harvest is concentrated in the fall and early wintertime .
Common Pests & Diseases That Bother Lemon Trees
Citrus trees are vulnerable to many pests and diseases , but you do decrease the risks of both when you develop them within . Here are some of the most common pests and diseases that bother lemon yellow trees .
Citrus Canker
Citrus canker is a extremely contagious bacterial contagion that lead to annulus - like lesions or scab on the leaves , twigs , and yield of citrous fruit trees .
If your plant has a serious infection , it can cause folio release , blemished fruits , or tree dieback . Citrus canker broadcast quickly through the wind , insects , doll , and humanity , so it can well become a problem .
you could habituate various sprays to protect your tree from infection , such as a limpid fuzz fungicide , but it ’s just a preventive treatment .
The trouble with this bacterial disease is that it moves fast once your trees are infected , demolish trees before the bacterium fan out .
Melanose
This is a fungal infection that bothers young , citrus fruit . While it does typically taint primarily Citrus paradisi , lemons are n’t resistant to this fungus . Melanose is more knockout in older Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , ones that are over ten twelvemonth old because it choose deadwood .
you could subjugate melanose by on a regular basis pruning to combat the disease . Another option is to use a swimming copper fungicide as a preventive treatment .
Greasy Spot
Here is another fungal disease that bothers citrus yield Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . You ’ll know that you have greasy spot if you have yellowish - brownish blister place on the leaves , mainly the leave ’ bottom . As the disease progresses , the spots develop an oily feeling .
When your industrial plant have a greasy spot , it can cause meaning leafage loss , especially during the wintertime , and it also taint the fruit of the plant .
If you want to control this disease , you have to collect and get disembarrass of all fall leaves ; this reduces novel spore that could taint your plant .
Then , spray your plant with liquidity fungicide in June or July ; you might need a 2d program in August or September .
Sooty Mold
Sooty mold is a fungus that modernize when pests get out behind honeydew secretions on your trees and plant .
Aphids , whitefly , and mealy bug are common pests that secrete honeydew melon as they take up on sap out of your plant .
Sooty mold rarely kills your plants , but the insect that cause it can damage or demolish your plant .
Once you take tutelage of your gadfly problem , you could dampen away the plants ’ sear mold with grievous bodily harm and piss . You also can use a liquified copper fungicide or Neem oil to treat your lemon trees .
Aphids
One of the most plebeian pests that infect lemon trees are aphid . In small numbers , they wo n’t cause serious problems , but their population farm apace , which can damage your citrus Tree during their primary growing season .
Apids go down on out the cosh from your leaves , induce puckered Deutsche Mark , yellowing , and curling . The leaves look deformed and horrifying .
you may knock aphids off of your tree with jets of weewee , or you may use some novel insect powder to spray your plants .
The sprays should be applied to the farewell ’ underside , and it only takes one or two applications to get rid of an aphid plague .
Citrus Whiteflies
If you see tiny , livid - winged insects that quantify around 1/12 of an inch , you more than probably have citrus whiteflies .
They teem out when you shake the branch of your trees , and they also repose testicle on the leaves ’ undersurface . Then , once they hatch , the juvenile whitefly soak up the leave ’ sap , leading to loop leaves .
One way you could control citrus whitefly is with insecticide , but it also takes several applications . It ’s essential to take restraint of these pests because they hidden honeydew , leading to sooty modeling .
Orangedog Caterpillars
These are turgid caterpillars that measure up to 2 inch in distance with a dark-brown colouring .
They attach to the citrus fruit trees and start to eat the leaves ; you ’ll get laid it ’s orangedog caterpillars when the leaves appear to be eaten or chewed from the outer edges inward .
You should get rid of any caterpillars on your tree that you see by hand . You should know that they do n’t smell the best , but it ’s the best control method . You also can use an dirt ball atomiser that contain spinosad or B thuringiensis as constitutional controller method .
Citrus Thrips
If your tree is infected with citrus thrip , the first thing you ’ll point out is shrivel leaf bud and leaves that are curl and distorted .
They often have a silvery grey coloring on the leaves and a silvery color scabbed or streaked on the fruit .
Citrus thrips are orangish or sensationalistic , small in sizing , primarily attacking young leave and juvenile yield .
The adult rest their eggs in the fall , and the juveniles hatch in the spring , immediately feeding on the farewell and yield . Their damage is most famous during hot , ironic weather .
To control citrus thrip , you’re able to spray the Tree with dirt ball spray with spinosad , but you need several repeat lotion to control the population fully .
Citrus Bud Mites
If you live in a coastal part , citrus bud hint might become your archnemesis .
They ’re little , elongated insects that flower in the summer , so fall blooms are at risk .
It ’s hard to detect these tiny insects , but you may find them if you closely audit your fruit . You ’ll need to use an insecticide to verify the universe .
Final Thoughts
When gardener branch into growing houseplant , many do n’t consider growing maize trees in pots indoors , but they are fragrant , beautiful houseplants that also provide you with yummy fruit .
Written By
Amber Noyes was born and raise in a suburban California township , San Mateo . She keep back a master ’s degree in horticulture from the University of California as well as a BS in Biology from the University of San Francisco . With experience working on an organic farm , water preservation research , farmers ’ markets , and plant life nursery , she understands what makes plant prosper and how we can best understand the connector between microclimate and plant life health . When she ’s not on the land , Amber loves informing people of unexampled ideas / thing touch to horticulture , peculiarly organic horticulture , houseplants , and growing plant in a small space .
