Ted Betz
Growing lemonsin a container is easier than you may believe.
Fleming cares for the potted citrus and other tropical plants in the nations garden.
Matthew Flemingis the lead horticulturist for tropical plants at the Smithsonian Gardens in Suitland, Maryland.
Credit:Ted Betz
But thats if you put them in a 3-foot wide pot.
you’re free to get two crops out of them, Fleming says.
Use a terra-cotta planter.
Lemons are very particular about their roots, and they dont like wet feet, Fleming says.
Pick the right-size pot.
Dont put a lemon tree in a pot that is too large.
Choose a well-draining potting mix.
Lemon trees need a chunky mix that lets water drain off quickly, Fleming says.
Dont use a soil mix for tropical plants, he cautions.
Go with a mix blended for cactus or citrus that is looser and slightly more acidic.
Lemons prefer asoil pH of 6.0 to 6.5, lower than most potting soil mixes.
Lemons like to dry out between waterings.
Otherwise, put down your watering can.
it’s possible for you to also use a moisture meter.
In extremely hot weather, your potted lemon tree may need watering a couple of times a week.
Reduce watering in the winter when the lemon trees growth slows down.
Choose the right fertilizer.
The first number is the nitrogen, by weight, in the fertilizer.
The second number is the amount of phosphorous, and the third number is the amount of potassium.
Look for fertilizer with a first number that is two to three times higher than the other numbers.
Ideally, you want a fertilizer with at least a 2-1-1 ratio.
But any balanced fertilizer will work, Fleming says.
A citrus-specific fertilizer removes all guesswork.
Feed three times a year.
Fleming says to give your lemon tree three big meals of fertilizer a year.
The goal is steady feeding without overfeeding, which can damage the tree.
Remove some of the baby fruit.
Thin out the baby lemons when they are still pea-sized so your tree wont overbear.
Overbearing will drain the plant.
Fleming recommends leaving just one lemon per growing point on the tree.
Prune your lemon treein late winter and early spring, Fleming says.
Lemons are naturally scrubby, shrub-like trees with multiple branches.
Shaping them is really not necessary, Fleming says.
That means letting them be scrubby and multi-trunked with a bare-looking middle.
Get the light right.
Keep an eye out for pests and diseases.
If your tree shows signs of fungus, prune off diseased leaves and improve the plants air circulation.
you’re able to do this by pruning the center of the tree so its open to airflow.
Keep it from freezing.
We bring them inside for the winter.
Lemon trees thrive in temperatures between 70F and 100F.
When you take your plant outdoors for the spring, move it gradually so it can acclimate.
Leave the lemon tree in the sunlight a little longer each day for up to two weeks.
Move it too fast, and you risk scorching the leaves.
Keep humidity levels high.
Citrus needs 50 to 60 percent humidity.
