How to Grow Lots of Lemons on Lemon Tree | Lemon Tree Care Tips

Position: Where to Plant Lemon Tree

1. Sun is the most important need for lemon tree. The plant gets lots of energy from sun and uses it to produce good growth and plenty of fruits. So plant your lemon tree where you get at least 6 hours of full sun light. Plant your tree on the south-facing side of your home for full sunlight.
2. Insufficient light will prevent your lemon tree from growing and growing a lot of lemons.
3. Along with sun light, lemon tree also requires a warm weather. If you live in a cool climate, then plant the tree in a warmest spot, against a sunny wall or sunny metal fence which gets heated and provide heat during cool winter so that it can grow well.
4. If you are growing your lemon tree indoors, then insufficient light may be the problem. Ensure sufficient lighting to keep your lemon tree healthy. Place your lemon tree in front of a sunny window. You may use artificial light. The tree will grow strongly when they get plenty of light.

Soil For Lemon Tree

Lemon trees thrives in a well-drained, nutrition rich sandy soil having a pH between 6-7.5. 

1. You can add lots of composted cow manure or compost in the soil to make it nutritious. Add river sand or perlite to make the soil free-draining. Poorly drained soil and standing water in soil can cause root rot and  root diseases, reducing the plant's growth.
2. If you have heavy soil you can improve it by mixing in a quality compost and gypsum.

   Growing Lots of Lemons

Watering

How Much Water Does a Lemon Tree Need?

Correct watering is very important to grow lots of lemons. Following are the tips for lemon tree watering.

1. Lemon trees love moist soil. As a rule of thumb, lemon tree needs water to a depth of 3 inch, through out from trunk to the drip line, about 200-300 liters of water per week to form good size fruits.
2. Correct watering time is also important to get  lot of fruits. Water when the tree starts to flower and then the flowers start to produce fruit. The soil should not dry out when the fruits are forming.
3. Reduce watering in winter, once a month.
4. Water only when the top four inches (10 cm) of soil is fully dry.
5. The signs of over-watering are premature leaf drop and yellowing of leaves.

Mulch

1. The lemon trees have fibrous which absorb water and nutrients for its growth. These feeder roots are just below the soil surface and can become dry in hot days.
2. Add a thick layer of mulch from 1 foot from the trunk to the drip line of the tree to keep proper moisture in the roots and protect them from harsh sun and cold weather.

Lots of Lemons Growing in a Pot

Fertilizer

Feeding lemon trees in pots and ground: Lemon tree needs regular fertilization for its healthy growth and producing flowers and fruit. 

Fertilize your lemon tree every second month when it is young and actively growing. Fertilize only once in winter when it goes dormant.

The best fertilizer for lemon tree is a balanced fertilizer with a citrus tree NPK (Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potash) ratio of 2:1:1, that is 6-3-3 with secondary nutrients like calcium, iron, Sulphur, copper, manganese, boron, and zinc. The lemon tree needs more nitrogen than phosphorous and potassium.

You can apply natural organic fertilizers made from manures such as cow manure, chicken manure or even horse manure. 

When to Fertilize

Fertilize in late winter, late spring and late summer. If you’re growing it indoors, fertilize it between mid-spring and late summer/early autumn.

How much fertilizer?

Fertilizer For Young Lemon Trees

In the first year, feed 0.25 kg (0.5lb ) of NPK fertilizer to your lemon tree during the first year each month in the growing period, from spring to late summer. During the second year, feed 0.45 kg (1lb) of fertilizer  each month during the growing period [1].

Fertilizer For Mature Lemon Trees

As a rule of thumb, mature citrus trees need at least 0.45 to 0.75 kg (1 to 1.65lb) of NPK fertilizer per year of its age [2]. For example, feed about 2.25 to 3.5 kg (5 to 7.5 lb) fertilizer to a 5 year old tree. If your tree is 12 years or older, use about 6.5 kg (15lb) of fertilizer.

Homemade Fertilizer For Lemon Tree

1. Feed 1 foot away from the trunk and spread evenly up to the drip line.
2. If growing in a pot, apply fertilizer along the rim of the pot. Fertilizing closer to the trunk may kill the tree. For citrus tree growing in a pot, you may give a slow-release fertilizer, so your tree receives nutrients gradually and the roots are not burned.
3. Water well after fertilization.
4. After flowering, feed a liquid fertilizer mixed with seaweed solution in soil and also spray on leaves and flowers every 2 weeks until fruits are ready to harvest.

Insects and Diseases

Lemon trees are relatively pest-resistant, particularly if have correctly taken care of the position, soil, mulch and fertilization, then the tree will be strong enough to fight most pests and diseases.

1. But still the tree can suffer from scale, mealybugs, spider mites, citrus leaf miners and citrus bronze bugs, etc. that will result in your lemon tree not growing well.
2. Check your plant carefully for any sign of pest attack whenever you water your plant. 
3. Your tree may be attacked by citrus leaf miners and citrus bronze bugs.
4. Leaf miners will cause the problem of leaf curling, leaf yellowing and leaf drop.  Cut and destroy all the infected leaves and branches. Then spray a mixture of pest oil and neem oil on both sides of the leaves. 
5. You can us a homemade spray to treat citrus leaf curling and citrus bugs.

Lemon Tree Pruning

1. Lemon tree does not need any pruning. The flowers and fruits are set on the tips of old branches, so do not prune unless essential.
2. Prune only the diseased and dried and dead branches.
3. You can prune weak and crossing branches.
4. If you want to prune your citrus tree to shape it, do so in winter.
5. Prune any growth from soil below the graft as this growth is from the root stock.
6. Remove all sprouts originating from the trunk.

Video of Growing Tons of lemons