Lemon trees are an excellent choice for DIY gardening. Besides being highly productive, they are also a beautiful decoration with an extremely pleasant smell. They are also easy to grow. If you don’t already know how to grow them, this article will teach you a step by step on how to grow a lemon tree.
But before telling you how to grow a lemon tree, you should first know why you should grow a lemon tree. First of all, lemon trees are extremely healthy. They contain a high level of vitamin C and they are rich in riboflavin, thiamin, iron, magnesium, pantothenic acid, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, copper, calcium, and folate. They are the best shield against scurvy.
Additionally, lemon trees can be grown outdoors and indoors in the same way. All you need to do is to follow the below guide on how to grow a lemon tree.
1. Choose an organic lemon
Organic lemons’ seeds are perfect to grow indoors and outdoors. They are capable of germinating under any conditions. Unlike non-organic lemons’ seeds, which, sometimes are incapable of germinating. Expert gardeners strongly suggest that beginner gardeners should pick the “Meyer” variety.
This variety; although it is an indoor variety, could also grow outdoors. What makes this variety special is that besides having all the health benefits of any other lemon variety, it is a decorative variety. It is mainly popular for being used for decorative purposes.
They are also available in many grocery stores. You could even buy them at amazon.com.
2. Potting soil
Although lemons can tolerate all qualities of soil even the poor ones, you should good quality soil for better production. Lemons grow best in a slightly acidic soil. Hence, you should use a soil mix of peat, perlite, vermiculite, and organic fertilizer. Believe me, you will have an extremely heavy production with this mixed soil.
If you are growing your tree outdoors in your garden or yard, you should plant the seeds half an inch under the soil because lemons trees grow better when they are higher than the ground. Don’t cover it the same soil, replace it the potting mix. Water it and add some mulch to keep the soil damp and moist.
If you are growing a lemon tree in a container, read the following step.
3. choose a container.
A small container will be enough till sprouting. Most gardeners use 5-inch deep containers for sprouting. Besides, small containers maintain the moisture better than the large ones. Sprouting usually takes 3 years. Thus, after 3 years you will have to transplant your seedling into a larger container.
For mature lemon trees, you should use a 12-inch deep container with a diameter of at least 14 inches. As your plants grow, you may need to upgrade to a bigger container in a few years.
Terracotta containers are attractive and decorative, but, plastic containers can hold moisture better. It is up to you to choose which one to go with. Either way, it is extremely important to make adequate drainage holes in your container.
4. light
lemons trees need a lot of direct light. Whether it is artificial grow light or sunlight, you should expose your trees to at least 12 hours of light daily. If you live in an area where your house does not get much sunlight, consider buying one of these effective and inexpensive grow lights at amazon.com
5. Watering
Another equally important step is to keep the soil constantly and consistently moist. Therefore, it is necessary that you water your trees carefully. Check the soil 6 inches deep before watering. If it is dry water it, if it is not, check it tomorrow.
Usually, lemon trees need watering once or twice per week. However, it also depends on your climate and weather conditions. Keep an eye on your plants and water when only necessary.
This is how to grow a lemon tree properly, easily and effectively. Follow the above steps and you will enjoy a fruity, smelly and decorative lemon tree in few years. If you have any questions or inquiries, we remain at your disposal.
You may also want to check these astonishing self-watering containers if you are a busy person. They will spare you time and will take care of your plants in the best way possible.