Cover the cutting and pot with a plastic bag and place it in a warm, brightly lit location. Meyer lemons are among the easiest variety of citrus to root. Meyer lemons are less acidic than the traditional grocery-store ones. Place the end of the cutting in a rooting hormone before sticking it in moist soil inside a pot. Meyer lemon trees love temperatures of between 50-80 degrees fahrenheit. So this year I picked one up early in early April as soon as I saw it at our local nursery. Press down the soil and water the lemon tree immediately after repotting. You are most likely to see your lemon tree get pestered by scale, aphids, whiteflies and citrus mites. Growing Meyer Improved Lemon trees is easy and comes with many advantages including the ability to harvest sweet-tasting lemons that are less acidic than other cultivars. The trees are smaller than most lemon trees, making them easier to grow indoors, on a balcony or in a small space. Water the plant gradually. Finally…here we go, this is how to grow your very own lemon tree from the seed of a store bought lemon! The same goes for fertilizing. Growing lemon trees outside not only requires warm temperatures, it also requires patience. The easiest citrus to grow indoors is the Meyer lemon. Lack of flowering or fruit: this is a common problem with indoor grown Meyer lemons. While pruning lemon trees back will engender larger, healthier fruit, citrus wood is strong, and thus, less likely to break under the weight of a bumper crop than other fruiting trees. Who wouldn't wanna watch this cute lil' lemon tree come to life, right? Once the tree has matured, it will require less frequent watering, like every few weeks between 3-6 inches of water. Your cutting needs to be long enough to have 2 or 3 lead nodes. When trimming or pruning the lemon tree and harvesting the fruits, always sterilize the blades of your pruning tools with rubbing alcohol or Lysol. Select a sturdy container with drainage holes that is 1-2 sizes larger than the container the tree arrived in. The sweet and tart flavor of 'Meyer' lemons (Citrus × meyeri) makes them a favorite in the kitchen and for beverages. YOU’LL LOVE: Growing onions all year round If there’s one tree that should be included in every garden it’s a lemon tree. Choose a sunny site in the garden with a well-draining soil. Pruning. Growing naturally to a compact size, Meyer lemon trees (Citrus × meyeri) don't need regular pruning. Prepare the sterile potting mix or a mix of equal parts perlite and peat moss by placing it in a bucket and adding water. The lemons should be egg yolk color and the peel will be a little soft to the touch. How long will it take to fruit if you grow it from seed? A good well-draining soil mix for indoor plants can be made out of a third indoor potting soil, a third peat moss, and a third perlite or sand. Tip: If planting multiple Meyer lemon trees, space them at least 8 feet apart for adequate air circulation. F avoured by gardeners and cooks, lemon trees are not only attractive, they bear fruit almost all year round. If growing your tree indoors, opt for the sunniest room or use grow lights to supplement sunlight. Make sure the soil remains moist and the cutting receives indirect sunlight. Sweet-tasting fruit with moderate acidity. The cutting should not have flowers or fruit. The cutting should root within eight weeks. Cut the stem at … If you live in USDA zone 8 or lower, Oregon State University recommends planting the lemon tree in a pot and taking it indoors in winter. Your cutting must have at least two or three nodes (where leaves emerge) at the base, and show no signs of disease, damage or stress. Note: if you’re planning to keep your lemon tree exclusively indoors, it may take longer than 2 years for the fruits to ripen. Dwarf lemon trees are just like traditional lemon trees and produce the same fruit, except the trees themselves only reach a … Feed your lemon tree in spring and summer to … Meyer Lemon Tree, Improved Meyer Lemon Tree, Perfect Lemon Tree, Dwarf Meyer Lemon Tree: Scientific Name: Citrus x meyeri “Improved” Month(s) of Harvest: 4-8 months: Light: Full sun: Water: Water deeply when the top of the soil dried out. Meyer lemon tree care includes finding the right location for your tree. Detangle the roots and cut off the dry ones. Remove the leaves from the bottom 1/3 of the cutting. Citrus trees can also fruit throughout the tree, including shaded areas, so cutting back lemon trees to improve light availability is not necessary. I’m not sure how to ship seeds (how to prepare the seeds for shipment). After the flowers have faded, be patient. Why you want to buy a Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree for your pot is simple. E.g. During spring and fall (growing season) feed your Meyer lemon tree with an all-purpose, slow-release fertilizer or a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Press down the soil and water the lemon tree immediately after repotting. Water them twice a week during hot weather. (A Meyer lemon tree and key lime tree growing side by side.) Did you know you can grow citrus indoors no matter where you live? Lemon trees are some of the easiest fruit trees to grow indoors. Your cutting must have at least two or three nodes (where leaves emerge) at the base, and show no signs of disease, damage or stress. I can't dig up the tree, but I would like to take the biggest cutting I can and grow a new tree. How to Propagate Satsuma Orange From Cuttings, University of Minnesota Extension: Growing Citrus Indoors, Oregon State University: Pucker Up, It’s Time to Talk Lemons, Harvest to Table: How to Plant, Grow, Prune, and Harvest Citrus. Growing lemon cuttings is simple, but you need to make sure you're using sterile tools and giving the cutting the conditions it needs to grow into a healthy, productive tree. It is important for your “parent” lemon to be organic. The new pot must have adequate drainage holes. Your cutting must have at least two or three nodes (where leaves emerge) at the base, and show no signs of disease, damage or stress. When your Meyer is inside or when you bring it indoors for the winter, becareful not to placeit under or on top of a vent.And for optimal growth,mist your tree daily with a spray bottle for extra humidity. Check for new roots by gently tugging on the cutting in approximately eight weeks. Step 5. Whenever possible, harvest fruit and seed from a known tree to ensure the best results. It produces a fruit that is tangy, juicy, and slightly sweet. Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. These are the steps to follow to plant your Meyer lemon tree in a pot. Most lemon trees are made from grafting fruit bearing branches to dwarf or more hardy resistant rootstock. Go to your local health food store and purchase an organic lemon. Do not allo… Preparing the Container. The parent plant may be a hybrid, with a greater chance that the seed will produce a sterile tree. The Meyer Lemon Fruit can be used for cooking, baking, and even home remedies. Even so, the plant will be aromatic and attractive, making it a worthwhile endeavor. Meyer lemons grown from seeds rarely produce fruit, and even if they do, it can take up to 7 years! Gently slide the tree out of its nursery container. Gradually move it toward a south-facing window until it receives direct sunlight for six to eight hours daily. When repotting a Meyer lemon tree, choose a large container that’s at least 12 inches in height. They provide an abundant crop of thin skinned, waxy lemons. Believe it or not, certain trees fruit in five to seven years time. Lemon trees are so decorative – whether grown indoors or out. You may have new flowers develop while the lemons are still ripening on the tree. Once the tree has finished producing fruit, reduce the frequency of feeding. The lemon tree can be kept in decorative and very attractive pots. Cuttings are another reliable means of propagating lemon trees. Water when the soil is dry to the touch and mist the foliage regularly to keep the humidity high. In the hottest summer areas, morning sun and afternoon shade are best for growing Meyer lemons. Keep the mix damp, but not waterlogged, and mist the cutting regularly to keep the humidity high inside the plastic covering. The Meyer lemon, though just as striking, is actually a cross between a mandarin and a lemon, so it has different qualities than your basic lemon: it’s sweeter, the skin is thinner and it’s heavenly to cook with.