Lemon care guide

Pets and children

How often to water Lemon

Spring–Summer (Mar–Sep)

Every 2 days

In a pot, water thoroughly when the topsoil is dry: about daily in summer and every two to three days in spring.

Autumn (Oct–Nov)

Every 3 days

The fruit is swelling, so keep it from drying out; as a guide, water every two to four days once the surface is dry.

Winter (Dec–Feb)

Every 6 days

About every five to seven days, a few days after the surface dries, in the morning of a mild day.

Light and placement for Lemon

As a guide, a spot in full sun and sheltered from cold north wind; with too little light it sets few flowers or fruit, and it generally fruits well in a pot on a balcony.

Overwintering Lemon

Overwintering guide: −3°C (27°F) or above

One of the more cold-sensitive citrus, with about -3°C as its limit; move a pot under a south-facing eave or to a bright indoor window, and wrap a garden tree in fleece against cold wind to generally reduce leaf drop.

Fertilizing and repotting Lemon

Fertilizer

A hungry tree: as a guide, organic or slow-release fertilizer in March, June and October, and for a pot smaller doses about monthly through the growing season to spare the roots.

When to repot

Spring–Summer (Mar–Sep)

Common problems with Lemon

• Winter wind strips the leaves and cuts next year's crop.
• A dry spell in summer makes the young fruit drop.
• Swallowtail caterpillars strip the young leaves.

Tips for growing Lemon

• Thin the fruit hard for the first two or three years so the tree can grow.
• Let the fruit turn yellow on the tree; harvest usually starts around November or December.
• Thorns scar the fruit, so snip them off when pruning.

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