Overwinter citrus trees indoors in pots to protect them from cold weather until you could move them back outside.
Citrus trees cannot survive outside year-round in frost-prone places.
Use these simple tips to successfully overwinter yourpotted lemonsand other types of citrus trees indoors.
Credit:OlyaSolodenko / Getty Images
Acclimate Trees to Indoor Lighting
Providing enough light is a challenge when growing citrus trees indoors.
To avoid fruit and leaf loss, bring your potted citrus trees inside when nighttime temperatures get below 45F.
If a tree starts to flower, ensure the room is at least 57F so it can produce fruit.
Dont Overwater
Citrus trees dont like having wet feet, so its important not to overwater them.
Water your citrus trees when the top inch or two of soil is dry to the touch.
Empty out saucers so the soil doesn’t get too soggy.
Provide Supplemental Humidity
Indoor heating lowers humidity levels and causes dry air.
Then touch the brush to the flowers central pistil.
Thin the Fruits
Citrus trees in containers are known for producing more fruit than they should.
Monitor the Trees Leaves
Dark green leaves on a citrus tree indicate a healthy tree with adequate nutrition.
If your trees leaves are off-color, fertilize them with a balanced, water-soluble product.
Healthy trees can be maintained with a slow-releasegranular fertilizerevery two months.
Tasting the fruit is a sure way to determine a fruits maturity.
Lemons and limes can be harvested when they reach a desired size and juice content.
