How do I care for a lemon tree?

Question

I just received a Ponderosa lemon tree, not sure if they like alot of water, sun and what type of soil for repotting. And prunning?

Answer 1

Citrus really likes sun, and surprisingly enough, it really likes coffee grounds. If you have any, put it on the surface of the soil as a kind of mulch.

The only other tip I have is don't re-pot it right away into a really big pot. It will put all its energy into rooting, and won't do much else for awhile (like flowering and fruiting). If you see the roots coming out the bottom, transplant it into a slightly bigger pot. If the pot isn't heavy enough to keep the plant upright in winds, then place the smaller pot into a big, heavy pot. That should help.

I keep my lemon and kumquat outdoors (well, it's in a greenhouse this year) during the summer, then in a sunny southern window during the winter. The kumquat needs trimming, but the lemon has been OK. (BTW, I live way up north, but my lemon has survived two winters, and I've gotten about three lemons from it, so far.)

Ask your favorite garden center about the kind of fertilizer you should be giving it, and tips for your region.

Answer 2

It sounds as if it has been stressed by something, which could include over watering, too much heat, cold damage or infestation. Give it a stable environment, and look for signs of what may have caused the problem. Infestations may be at root level, and some grubs eat away at the roots of plants, which means they may get an infection. Otherwise, look for sticky residue on the plant, see if there is anything on the underside of leaves, as well as on top. You can buy specialised citrus fertilizer, and these contain the essential nutrients that lemon trees need in order to grow, flower and fruit. As it's spring time in the northern hemisphere, you could give it a feed, as long as it's not suffering from over-watering - in which case, let it dry out a bit first. As your plant may be outside, consider giving it some structural protection, in case the weather has stressed it in some way. In Louisiana we use pipe insultation, that is wrapped around the trunk, to prevent freezing. You can also build a protective enclosure, made of wood and garden fleece or clear plastic (like a mini greenhouse). As I don't know where you live, you can tailor your structure accordingly - if you're already in a warm place, you won't need the same amount/type of protection that you would if you were somewhere colder. I know that Florida citrus growers suffered freezes earlier this year, that have affected their plants, and hope that your plant hasn't encountered this. Even if foliage is damaged, lemons can resprout and continue, as soon as favourable conditions have returned. If it's been dried out, consider raising the humidity around it, potentially misting it having some trays of water that will evaporate and increase the relative humidity. Hope these thoughts help, I've covered a few things that could have impacted upon your plant - if you edit your question with info. on its location etc, this will allow for more definite appropriate advice. Good luck! Rob

Answer 3

Spraying leafs and cleaning leafs by soft fabric when they are dusty add fresh soil to put and watering once a day after sun rise.

Answer 4

right soil and water

Answer 5

Pee on it.