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Anyone had any luck with lemon trees in the UK?

janntimsonjanntimson Posts: 54
in Fruit & veg
I have no conservatory but a greenhouse and a lovely, sunny, south facing garden. We do have a dining room with french windows but no conservatory. Has anyone had any luck with lemon trees in the UK and if so what types and how did you manage it? Thanks 
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  • Singing GardenerSinging Gardener Posts: 1,237
    I have two that go in the greenhouse over the winter and are on a sunny patio through the summer. I've had a few lemons but also have lots of problems especially with scale insects. I wouldn't say mine are very successful but I believe that some people do get a good crop from them.
  • Valley GardenerValley Gardener Posts: 2,851
    I had one a few years back which was kept in the conservatory,but it too suffered with scale insects,it produced a few lemons but most dropped off as soon as they started to form. The blossom smelt lovely though.
    I wouldnt bother again.
    The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I keep one in a frost free greenhouse in winter. It comes out on the patio in summer. It is currently in the polytunnel in flower with a few lemons on it, and quite a lot of new leaves coming. It did seem to lose a lot this winter. I love it for the lemon  flower perfume.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Such a shame @pansyface my little Meyer Lemon has just opened its buds but managed to get covered in aphids at the same time...JOY. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Monty (GW) is big on lemon trees
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    We have 4 lemons, variety unknown, a calamondin,  (we did loose a calamondin in a greenhouses, with a small heater, bubble wrap in the Beast from the East)and a mandarine, they all produce fruit, Hubby likes them in our conservatory in winter, but yes, then you get terrible scale insect and everything sticky, drives me nuts.  They go into a frost free greenhouse, all produce fruit, does take sometimes 2 years with the lemons to be an edible size.  They are outside all summer.  Where we used to live a lady a couple of doors down had one planted out in her garden, which survived with no special treament over winter, it wasnt massive only about 4 feet tall.
  • janntimsonjanntimson Posts: 54
    Thanks all. I think I'll give it a miss. Just doesn't sound worth it especially as I'm a pretty novice gardener. Perhaps in a few years when I buy my villa in Spain .... :D
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Depends whereabouts in Spain you buy your villa  😆 

    I live in the north and can’t grow lemons outside. When I lived in the south, I struggled there too and the tree needed winter protection because of my altitude.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • janntimsonjanntimson Posts: 54
    Haha. I'll be sure to buy in south Spain at low altitude  ;) I like the look of a calamondin after researching actually. It's the trees and the smell I like the idea of not necessarily getting edible fruit so this might be a better choice. Might wait til we have a conservatory at least though 
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    If you get a conservatory then get a lime. They are evergreen, flower all year round ( and smell lovely) and you get fruit 3/4 times a year. Can be a bit temperature touchy, but will bounce back with a small amount of tlc.
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