Lemon Plant Information: History and Importance
You may not know this, but lemons and American history have a powerful relationship. First created by a cross between a citron and a lime, lemons made famous and exciting trading merchandise between the Arabs and the Europeans. [affiai asin=”B00KO64MWC,B01LW6P7IT,B01HBCLFVM,B005OK1XN4,B01G3QI0YM” template=”carousel”] Lemons arrived to the New World by courtesy of Cristopher Columbus, who transported them to the new land during his second voyage in the 15th century. People quickly understood that lemons and health also held an intimate relationship. Full of vitamins and able to balance more acidic bodies, lemons were the top treatment for scurvy. During the great California Gold Rush era, miners consumed plenty of lemons to keep themselves safe from this common disease. Fast forward to present days and you will find lemons as an integral part of healthy diets, natural cosmetic products, and homemade and pharmaceutical remedies. While their reputation revolves around the high levels of Vitamin C, you should also know that lemons also contain riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B6, potassium, copper, calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, pantothenic acid, and fibers. These are all fine arguments to compel any individual with a green tumb to learn how to grow a lemon tree. Let’s go through the basics.Are the Steps to Grow an Avocado Tree Similar to Growing a Lemon Tree?
Growing avocados: a comprehensive beginner’s guide explores the steps to cultivate avocado trees, but are they similar to growing lemon trees? Both require well-drained soil, adequate sunlight, and regular watering, yet avocados thrive in warmer climates. Lemon trees prefer slightly acidic soil and lower temperatures. While there are common principles, adapting methods to each tree’s unique needs is essential for successful fruit production.
How to Grow a Lemon Tree: The Basics
One of the first things you need to know about lemon trees is that they sport glorious deep green glossy foliage, snowy white fragrant flowers and bright yellow fruits to keep you healthy. For you to enjoy these glorious ornamental fruit trees, you need to know the basics of how to grow a lemon tree at home.Soil
The most important thing to take into account when learning how to grow a lemon tree is the quality of the soil. You may transplant a nursery-bought potted lemon tree to place it in your garden. You may try growing it from seeds or cuttings inside your house in a container. All these methods have greater chances to work if you build your lemon tree a solid thriving foundation. This means the soil needs to be well drained and slightly acidic.- Perform a soil test when you decide to grow the lemon tree. You can amend the soil accordingly to reach the perfect pH level for your tree (they prefer a pH level between 5 and 6.5).
- If you plant the lemon tree outside, remember to keep it slightly higher than the ground level. Dig a rather shallower hole in comparison to the length of the root ball. Place the tree in the hole and tamp firmly until you stabilize the tree.
- Pick a 24 inches wide by 12 inches deep container.
- Allow the organic seeds to dry a little for a week or two.
- Choose the potting soil correctly: it needs to be slightly acidic and fertile. Mulch and compost are your best bets when you grow lemon trees inside the house.
- Place the seed in the pot an inch
- Cover the container with a clean and clear plastic sheet/wrap.
- Set the pot in the sunniest location in the house.
- If you want to take the tree outside, wait for it to reach 6 to 12 inches in height before transplanting it.
Weather and Placement
There is no secret that lemon trees love sunny and hot weather. However, this should not make you give up on your plans of having your own lemon tree. You just need to be careful. Weather and placement go hand in hand in the case of lemon trees. This is why we will treat them together.- Lemon trees are extremely vulnerable to cold and frost. When you grow them outside, pick the sunniest and hottest area on your property (the south side of your home). For adequate growth, you should plant them near the house to avoid wind and frost damage.
- Lemon trees fare well within an average temperature range of about 70 F. (21 C.) throughout the day and 55 F. (13 C.) during the night.
- When temperatures fall below 55 F. (13 C.), lemon trees go dormant. This is why you may also consider adding fluorescent growing lights to the bed or row where you cultivate them.
- When you grow lemon trees indoors, keep them in an area of your house that receives plenty of natural sunlight and heat.
- If you want to take your indoor lemon tree outside, remember to complete this operation during warm months to boost the tree’s chances of bearing fruit. Specialists recommend taking the potted tree out because it does not benefit from bees and pollinators inside the house.
Watering
Both indoor and outdoor lemon trees need proper moist and watering. Here are some tips and tricks you need to keep in mind when you grow lemon trees.- Outdoor lemon trees need deep, infrequent watering rather than frequent shallow You should water your lemon trees at least once a week.
- Indoor lemon trees do not fare well in the house interior natural dryness. This means you should mist your lemon tree once a day at a minimum.
- For a more accurate measuring, water your outdoor lemon tree when the soil is dry 6 inches deep.
Pruning and Care
Lemon tree pruning should begin in the tree’s first year of life. You should train it to grow how you want as early as possible (but not under one year of development).- If you cultivate outdoor lemon trees, keep them at a maximum height of 8 – 10 feet to simplify your life and make the trees easy to care for and harvest.
- Do not rush into pruning healthy branches. The rule applies no matter if you grow your lemon tree in the house or the garden.
- Dry, yellow, wilted leaves are a sign you may have abused water or, on the contrary, you may have used too little water than recommended. Pick up the yellow leaves and see if the tree perks up after watering.
Fertilization
As we said, lemon trees love fertile soils, mulch, and organic compost. You can start feeding your tree once it develops its first leaves.- Lemon tree fertilization should take place only once or twice a year.
- Over-fertilization is not good for the lemon Make sure you do not add too many layers of compost or soil amendments only to make it grow faster or bigger.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Grow a Lemon Tree
- How long does it take to grow a Lemon Tree?
- How Do You Harvest Lemon Fruits?
- How do You Store Lemon Fruits?