Lemon Tree Day 2024 Lemon tree day was originally established to help bring lemon trees to communities everywhere and to spread awareness about this beneficial and tasty fruit. This year it will be celebrated on the 18th May. Lemon trees require a lot of care and maintenance to make sure they are kept healthy. This is why we have created a mini guide on how to care for your lemon tree. Allowing you to celebrate and appreciate this beautiful tree on this day. Don’t forget we also sell a range of other citrus trees that are perfect for bringing that Mediterranean feel to your garden. How to grow a lemon tree Citrus x lemon can be the easiest citrus trees to grow providing they have the right amount of care and attention. There are many things to consider to ensure your lemon tree thrives. Caring for a citrus lemon tree Lemon trees require care and attention in order for them to flourish but you will really reap the benefits from doing so. As mentioned above they are not cold weather hardy at all and must be kept in a pot, in a conservatory, greenhouse or in a well-lit windowsill in colder months. In severe weather, a heated conservatory of fleece is highly recommended but remember not to keep it near a hot radiator. Keep an eye out for any frost that is forecast even after winter has passed just incase and have your horticultural fleece at the ready! Top tip – They are better grown in pots when in a cool climate so they are easy to move when it gets colder. Feeding and watering a lemon tree Citrus trees are hungry plants and will need regular feeding. During summer it is recommended to use a high-nitrogen citrus summer feed such as John Innes No.3 compost and in winter you can switch to a specific citrus feed. It is recommended in summer to water the trees with rainwater. In winter it’s slightly different, you should let the surface of the soil partially dry out before you water. You can then water the lemon tree throughly with tepid rainwater and allow the access to drain away. Be careful not to overwater in the winter as they don’t need it. Pruning citrus trees Once spring arrives, your tree is producing new shoots and your lemon tree now lives outside, you can then consider pruning. You will want to thin out the centre of the plant as this allows more sunlight and air to get in. Any branches that are looking dry, thin, tired and lacking in vigour can be removed. This encourages new growth of flowers and fruit on their stronger branches. You can then revisit this in September to keep your lemon tree to the desired size. Mature trees may produce fast-growing shoots called ‘water shoots’ which are unwanted. These can be removed when they appear from the main branches at the middle or bottom of the plant. Harvesting fruit from a lemon tree If your tree is young then it’s best to remove fruits when ready as they take a lot of the plant’s energy to produce. It’s best to encourage the tree to bear fewer and larger fruits until it’s more developed. Once citrus trees are fully grown they start to develop a rich skin colour so they can be picked or left on the tree until they are needed. Although citrus lemon trees require lots of care they come with many benefits. They are a lovely addition to any garden and are also a rich source of Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium and more. They are perfect for bringing a Mediterranean feel to your home. When you purchase a citrus tree from us you will receive a citrus tree care guide that provides you with all you need to know when it comes to caring for your citrus tree. BACK TO ARTICLES
