Lemon

Lemon Care

Citrus limon

Other names: Limoeiro Siciliano, Citrus Limonum

What is the plant

Lemon is an evergreen plant that belongs to the genus Citrus of the Ruthaceae family. The Lemon's homeland is India, China, and the Pacific tropical islands. The Lemon is a fruit-bearing plant, sure to please you with its colorful appearance and tasty, aromatic fruits.

A Lemon tree ranges from 16-26 feet (5-8 meters) tall. The shortest subspecies is only 3 feet (2 meters) tall. The tree has a spreading crown composed of leathery green leaves with an unmistakable citrus smell. The flowers are pinkish on the outside, with white or light cream insides, while the fruits are yellow, oval, and elongated at both ends.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

15°C - 18°C

Hardiness zone

8 - 11

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

How to Care for the Plant

Water
You should water it generously at least twice a week during the summer. It is better to use boiled or settled water for irrigation, as citrus fruits are especially sensitive to chlorinated water. In winter, you can water Lemon once a week.
Pruning
Prune and shape the crown in the spring before active growth begins. Each stem should have 4-5 leaves. During the flowering period, you must regulate the number of flowers so as not to exhaust the plant's resources, making your lemons juicier and your harvest bountiful.
Fertilizer
Fertilize the Lemon more often than most of your other plants. Gardeners recommend fertilizing the plant weekly during the summer. A monthly top dressing in winter will also have a beneficial effect. You can buy a special citrus fertilizer for a less stinky solution than manure or other organic fertilizers.

Disease diagnosis

Check your plant’s health

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Sunlight
Lemon loves bright, diffused sunlight. In summer, you may move the plant to a shady place to avoid leaf scorch. However, remember that with poor lighting, the crown of the Lemon will fade, and the fruits will be sour (not in a good way).
Soil
The store-bought citrus or lemon mix would be the best. For DIY soil mixing, you can use peat, leafy soil, humus, and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1 for a young lemon plant. For grown trees, the proportion should be 3: 1: 1: 1. You can also add some clay to the soil.
Propagation
There are several ways to propagate this Citrus tree. You can use seeds, cuttings, or grafts. The simplest and most reliable way is cutting. Gardeners always cut their grafts in spring and summer. Immerse the sprout in the soil by 0.8 inches (2 cm), covering it.

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Temperature
In the summer, you should keep Lemons between 65-68°F (18-20°C), as this is the optimal temperature for flowering and fruit formation. In winter, the temperature regime can be 60-65°F (15-18°C).
Container
Choose a container with a flat bottom, as the tree can be top-heavy and may be unstable without a solid base. The pot's diameter should become larger with each new transplant, as the size of the root system will adjust to the size of the pot. There must be drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.
Fun fact
Lemon was listed in the Guinness Book of Records! An Israeli farmer has grown a lemon weighing more than 11 lbs (5 kg).