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Little lemon tree
Lavande
Posts: 171
in Fruit & veg
I was really touched to be given this gorgeous little lemon tree seedling (sapling?) yesterday and am so delighted with it. At the moment it is in the conservatory - but - I am going to be away for four days - should I put it outside or water it and leave it in the house? Sorry it's such a vague question but I couldn't bear anything to happen to it because it was specially nurtured as a gift for me by a young student and I would love to report on its progress after the holidays. The forecast is likely to be between 9°am and 22°pm -slightly overcast with perhaps a little rain.
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Aww, it is cute. I would bring it back indoors until night temperature is over sure to be 12C Lavande it is just a 'baby'. Three to four year old might cope with lower temperature of 10C. Moist feet but dryish top soil. I stand mine on gravel so it doesn't get a soggy botty. They are hungry feeders and need rose or tomato feed every week.
They love being in the summer garden though by a warm wall. HTH
My lemon trees are not much bigger than yours and a couple of my orange trees are even smaller and they've been outside for the last 3 weeks and they seem to be doing fine. My orange tree in the greenhouse has flowered a seccond time so I have both oranges and flowers which seems a little odd.
The citrus family give flower and fruit at the same time so you get scent nearly all year round as well as fruit. Great value for money.
I am over cautious perhaps but a sheltered warm wall should be ok if you or a family member are about; if going away I would be just as wary of water logging as cold nights and set it on pot feet/stones/gravel while I was away.
I'm back now and so sorry for the delay in thanking you all for your replies. In the end I left it in the conservatory - went away Wednesday evening and came back yesterday and it looked fine but leaves looked a bit grainy. As the weather seems to have got warmer I put it out last night against the house wall. This is how it looks at the moment - it's like little flecks all over the leaves. Sorry to pick your brains yet again but does it look okay or a bit ailing?
Hmmmm.
"I say, Holmes, what's that growing in that little pot?"
...you can fill in the rest yourself
Why does over-potting matter? In nature, the seeds would just be in/on the ground.
Oh
do you think i could re-pot it into a smaller size - or is it too late and too much disturbance to do it now? It was given to me like that but I didn't really give it much thought and as you say - there is no new growth at all. I think it may have been potted up and given to me on the same day. I would hate to lose it....or have I lost it?
Is that what you were alluding to as well Steve?
In my last post I was just asking why it matters. Seems to me that the more root space they have, the better, but (like the things that yer liable to read in the Biable) it ain't necessarily so,.
The previous one was a pathetic attempt at a pun.
As it is not doing anything I will re-pot in potting soil with some grit and bring it back in for some TLC. I can picture the scenario with the roots and water (hopefully it does have some roots. Thank you both very much
- but - Steve...please help me - I don't get the pun
I keep reading your reply and I thought you were saying the equivalent of 'what's growing here? - eh nothing" 
Welcome back Lavande! wash each leaf with milk and water solution 1 part milk to three parts water ASAP. best to use cotton wool or soft paint brush. Then re-pot using gritty or silver sand ( children's play sand not the awful orange stuff) in the mix.
These are Mediterranean plants so think holiday resort soil. Terracotta pots with either pot feet or gravel under the pot are ideal. Should be a happy little lemon after a Cleopatra bath, new bed and a sunny spot to spend the summer in.
Wait amminute......that will do for me too"