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Lemon tree

Bf206Bf206 Posts: 234
in Fruit & veg
I got a lemon tree as a present a few years ago. So I don't know what variety it is but you can see it's been grafted. I've had some lemons off it and they were fine - normal, not Meyer ones. It's always looked pretty unhealthy, though. I've probably neglected it at times, have never been sure how to prune it and can never decide whether it should live inside or outside. I have got back into the habit of using winter/summer fertiliser weekly though. Obviously I keep it inside during winter but now the weather's nicer, should I take the plunge and leave it out? When I did that last summer, I shed lots of leaves and fruit so I brought it back in. From what I've read, though, some shedding is natural so maybe this time I need to do that and just hold my nerve if leaves and fruit start dropping? Also, I can't find any definitive advice on pruning. It's got two main stems / branches which both have fruit and flowers on. The top of one in particularly is pretty straggly so i wonder whether to lop it off to encourage some bushing out? At the moment, it's a pretty odd looking thing...

Posts

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546

    http://citruscentre.co.uk/cultivation.htm

  • Bf206Bf206 Posts: 234
    Ok thanks. That is clearer than other sites I've seen.



    Methinks I better put it outside and hope for the best. And I'll give it a prune...
  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    Bf, they're much better off outside as soon as the weather allows. They will easily cope with temps in single figures, even low single figures. Mine go undercover from about November to early March.

    They always shed leaves over the winter period, new ones appear in spring. It's part of the plant's natural regeneration process. I don't fertilise over winter when the plants are essentially dormant but I do keep an eye on the soil's moisture levels. Once they're outside and the weather is warming up, I fertilise roughly weekly. Like anything in containers, regular watering flushes out nutrients.

    I've never found the need to prune much beyond taking off any dead, weak or crossing branches.

  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532
    I had lemon and oranges I found they don't need regular pruning if you do they won't flower, inside look out for mealy bugs and red spider
  • Bf206Bf206 Posts: 234
    I'll try and post a pic later. I've had it two years I think and it was a strange stubby thing when I got it. To be honest, it's not much different now - apart from various thin, green 'branches' which in fairness have fruited.



    I wonder if the issue is that it has two main branches / trunks? The lower one was there when I was given it but that's become the stronger - or at least has grown / fruited more. But I wonder whether it is in fact a sucker and I'll be better off longer term lopping it off.



    Definitely going to get advice from here before I do that though as it seems a rather drastic move!
  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    Yes, a photo would be best.

     

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