A lemon tree, like all fruit trees, is a perfect way to brighten up your garden. Those brilliant, bright yellow fruits that burst out from amongst the glossy green leaves are like little rays of sunshine in our outdoor space. They look wonderful on a patio in the summer, bringing their unmistakable fragrance with them.
While citrus trees can are not native to the UK, we can still grow them with a little effort - and that's precisely what we are going to go through with you today. The ultimate guide to lemon tree plant care, covering everything from planting, watering, how much light do lemon trees need to lemon tree harvest.
Planting Lemon Trees
The first thing you need to know when it comes to how to grow a lemon tree is how to plant one. The best thing to do is plant any citrus plants in pots - this will give you the chance to move them into better conditions as the weather changes, which here in the UK, will be very important for the survival of your lemon tree. Winter trees are quite happy indoors, but will thrive much more if they are moved outdoors in the warmer months.
Outdoor pots with good drainage are a good option, and if you decide to opt for indoor pots make sure that they will let water flow through them quickly. Overwatering is a problem with lemon trees, so the quicker the water can pass through the soil and out of the pot, the better.
In terms of soil, you again need to keep drainage in mind. Try to keep an even ratio of loam, grit and leafmould, and then top it off with some garden compost.
Lemon Tree Care Tips
Once it is planted, you need to know how to care for a lemon tree - just follow these tips and your lemon tree will thrive.
How much light do lemon trees need?
As a citrus tree, lemon trees love the sun. So ensure that it gets as much sun as possible - which will be difficult over the winter! The best thing to do is this; during the Spring and Summer (growing season), move it into a sunny spot in the garden - one that gets around 8 hours of direct sunlight a day. During the Winter, it needs to be protected by frost, which is more important than the amount of light it needs.
A quick note here on where to put a lemon tree: lemon trees don't tend to get on well with central heating - it's too dry for them. So they are better somewhere like a porch or a conservatory, rather than inside the house.
How often to water lemon trees
Watering is key to lemon tree growing. Again, the amount of water you citrus plant will need is very much dependent on the time of year. During the growing season, you should be aiming to water at least once a week, especially when the weather is particularly hot. The best test is to check to see if the top soil is dry - if it is, it could do with another drink. You can also use a watering indicator.
During the Winter, it really doesn't need much water at all - once a month is fine. The key is to not overwater when the plant is dormant.
For more information on watering garden flowers, or watering indoor plants, have a look at our blogs.
Feeding lemon trees
To help your lemon tree produce fruit, it's important to feed it at the right time, with the right feed. They are hungry plants! In the Spring and Summer, you should use a citrus fertiliser specifically formulated for citrus trees, like this citrus feed, about once a month. In the winter, they still need to have a balanced stock of nutrients to help them keep their leaves, so again, more citrus fertiliser once a month should help.
If you notice that your plant shas yellow leaves, it may be an iron deficiency. Fortunately, there are plenty of feeds to help you - have a look at our range of plant feed for plenty of options.
Pruning Lemon Trees
Producing fruit is hard work, so lemon trees need a lot of energy (thus the plant food in the previous section). What they don't need is to waste their energy on dead or dying leaves and branches - and that is where your pruning comes into play.
Only minimal pruning generally, but in early Spring, just as they are about to really start growing, you should trim any dead or damaged branches and leaves, so they can focus on healthy new growth. Use the right pruning tools for a nice clean cut. For more detailed instructions, visit our blog on how to prune fruit trees.
Common Lemon Tree Problems
Even if you do everything correctly, you may still run into a few issues - but don't worry. They are usually solved easily.
Lemon Tree Pests
There are a few common lemon tree pests that you need to keep an eye out for - aphids and mealybugs can create little black spots and discolouration on the leaves - the best thing to do is wipe these off the leaves with a damp cloth if you think you have an issue.
If you notice lumps on the stems and branches of your tree, it may be wasp eggs - again you should remove these as soon as you notice them.
Lemon Tree Diseases
Like all other citrus trees, lemon trees are susceptible to disease. Citrus canker is when you will see small circles on the undersides of the leaves, which can spread very quickly - like little yellow halos. Unfortunately, if you have developed this, it's best to destroy the tree and start again, as you don't want it to spread to other areas of your garden.
If you notice small brown or red spots on your fruit, you may have Citrus Black Spot - this is a fungal disease. It may cause your fruit to drop before it's ripe. The good news is this can be cured with an anti-fungal treatment.
Harvesting Lemon Trees
Now it comes to the best bit - how to harvest fruit from your lemon tree. Lemons will start out green and slowly turn yellow in the sun, but not all your fruit will reach this stage in the UK weather. You can test to see if they are ripe by first noting the colour, and if they are yellow, give them a squeeze and if they feel soft, they are ready for harvest. Use a pair of pruners and cut the stem as soon as you have ripe fruit - then the energy can be redirected towards ripening more fruit.
When life gives you lemons...
Growing lemon trees in the UK takes a little effort, but it is incredibly rewarding when you can harvest these bright yellow fruits to use in your drinks or cooking. Follow the steps above and you will have beautiful, ripe fruits in your garden throughout the Summer.
And why stop there? Have a look at our other fruit trees and garden trees - what do you want to be looking out at in your garden next Summer?
