Who doesn’t want a lemon tree in their yard? If you are a citrus lover and want to plant some citrus trees, start with lemon. The plants can be small while still being durable and can live for a long time. They are some of the easiest fruit trees to grow and care for. While lemon trees may be low maintenance, how you care for them is still important.
Planting
To care for a lemon tree, you need to plant lemon seeds. Just because you plant seeds from a type of lemon doesn’t mean you will get that type of tree. Some times you will, sometimes you won’t. Lemon seeds are easy to grow, but they take time.
First, take a lemon, slice it, and remove the seeds. Wash the seeds. Never plant seeds with pulp or sugar on them. A fungus may develop, and this could lead to the development of a fungus that may kill the seed.
Plant the wet seed in moist soil and then place plastic wrap over it. The plastic wrap will keep the soil moist and raise the soil’s temperature. Set the pot somewhere warm with a lot of light. Once the seedlings pop up, you can remove the plastic. When the seedlings have several leaves on the stem, then you can transport them into larger plots. When you plant your seedlings, keep in mind that lemons like slightly acidic soil. If you need to make your soil more acidic, you can add lime or sulfur to change the pH.
Water
For the tree to grow and produce lemons, you need to water it. Lemons like water. They really like water, but you shouldn’t over-water them. Keep the soil moist. If the soil is soggy, then root rot can develop, and that can cause the plant to die. To be sure, take your forefinger and stick it into the soil. If your fingertip is wet, then you don’t have to water it. If it is not, then water it until the pot overflows.
It is possible to grow a lemon tree inside, and if you do, make sure the pot has good drainage and mist the plant to keep the leaves moist.
Temperature and Fertilizer
Lemon trees like a lot of sun and warm temperatures. They like a temperature between 50 and 80 degrees. During the winter, if it gets colder than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, if possible, take the plant inside. The humidity level should also be at 50 percent or higher. You should also fertilize your lemon tree regularly during the growing season. Between spring and fall, fertilize your tree once every two to three weeks. A fertilizer high in nitrogen works best.