Lemons are luscious. The trees are lush looking in the landscape. One bonus is that lemons are one of the easier citrus to grow successfully. A plethora of lemons can be easily preserved in many ways – that’s a topic for Savor the Southwest, like crafting this lemony “adult beverage.”

Overview of Lemons

Lemon trees come in several species. This means that if you tried growing lemon once, but it didn’t work, then you may have success with a different lemon with different genes. That said, the care is mostly the same – it’s the tolerance of soils, heat, and most importantly the tolerance to cold that differs. Yes, the fruit shape and flavor differs somewhat as well.

citrus tree in a container — Lemons on a dwarfing root stock will live for many years in a container. This is an option for the cooler areas of the Southwest.

Most citrus are tropical in origin, so do not take kindly to freezing temperatures. Over the centuries, the human race has bred a few citrus varieties that are hardy to 10F, but they are the exception rather than the rule. When deciding to plant a lemon tree, look at how cold and hot it gets in your yard. Next consider how much fussing you want to do over your lemons when it gets cold, or in the heat of summer. Don’t forget to consider just how much lemon your family will eat.

Cold Hardiness

This term refers to the plant itself and its ability to withstand cold. It’s what those USDA zones are all about. It talks about what leaves and stems and trunk experience. It considers the ability of the plant to tolerate cold – and how much cold. The citrus fruit itself will be damaged by freezing temperatures. Longer than 6 hours of temperatures below 32F means the fruit of the lemon may develop frost damage.

lemons cut open for jucing — You may not know that your fruit has been frost damaged until you cut it open and it is dry and mealy inside.

The official temperature in your city may be very different from what a tree in your yard experiences. If you live near the base of a mountain, cold air falls and your yard can freeze without posted frost warnings. Microclimate is extremely important to insure citrus success.

Lemon Varieties

The lemons listed below start with the most cold hardy and go to the least. I am referring to the cold tolerance of the entire plant. The fruit itself easily freezes anytime temperature drops below 32F for several hours. If you live in the High Desert, the Meyer lemon is your best choice.

lisbon lemon with it's distinctive nose — Lisbon lemon have the classic “nose” you see on the grocery store lemons.

Meyer lemon (Citrus X meyeri), native to China, a cross between a some lemon ancestor and either a mandarin or common orange. Hardy to 20°F. Can be grown in containers. Also the cultivar ‘Improved Meyer.’

Lemandarin, also called Rangpur lime (Citrus X limonia), hybrid between mandarin and lemon, with orange peel and flesh, but lemony flavor. Hardy to 28°F.

Lemon, true lemon (Citrus X limon), hybrid of old breeding. Hardy to 30°F. Three varieties: ‘Butwal,’ ‘Lisbon,’ and ‘Ponderosa’ do well in the low humidity of the Southwest. For containers consider the ‘Variegated Pink’ variety.

limetta fruit on a tree — Limetta are rounded in shape and lack the “nose” of other species. These are not very cold tolerant so not all my readers can grow them.

Mediterranean sweet lemon (Citrus X limetta), hybrid of Italian breeding started in Roman times. Fruit is shaped somewhat like a tangerine but is yellow when ripe. Hardy to 32°F. Most varieties, such as ‘Femminello Santa Teresa,’ ‘Genoa,’ ‘Limonero Fino,’ or ‘Villa Franca’ do well in the Southwest.

Rootstocks

Citrus listed above are usually grafted onto a disease resistant and/or dwarfing rootstock. The most commonly used rootstock is sour orange, also called trifoliate orange. If your tree freezes and the only part that comes back is from below the graft union, you now have a sour orange tree. At least sour oranges are good for making marmalade, and they make a quite passible “lemonade.” My only issue with these trees is the fact that the trifoliate orange has some long evil thorns.

lemon tree brought indoors for the winter — If you live in a colder area of the Southwest, consider growing your lemons on a dwarfing rootstock. This helps them stay small.

Pollination

Lemons, even the ones of hybrid origin, are self-fertile and do not require another tree to cross-pollinate.

Grow Lemons

When

Plant citrus in the soil or in containers in early spring. Avoid planting during the heat of summer. Never plant citrus with the crown (point where trunk and roots meet) below the soil line. When in doubt, plant at exactly the same level as the plant is in the pot.

citrus trees in the landscape — Citrus trees are part of this lush looking landscape. These trees are shaded almost all day by the narrow yard, hence the pruning is acceptable for them.

Earth (Soil)

Citrus grows best in a well-drained loam soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. In much of the Southwest this means adding compost to the soil on a regular basis. Planting trees in tree wells and mulching the roots with cedar bark is one good way to help citrus thrive.

Air (Temperature)

Keep from freezing as discussed above. Also, lemons do not do well in very windy sites. This means if you want a wind break, you will need to select different plants. If it gets much over 110F in your yard for more than a few days at once, consider a piece of shade cloth over your tree(s). Don’t use 90 percent shade, that will cause other problems, but a 30 to 45 percent shade is what many nurseries will use.

lemons growing on a tree — In WINTER, lemon trees need six hours a day of sunlight so that the fruit can ripen.

Fire (Light)

Full sun is fine. Afternoon shade in Low Desert will mean less stress on the trees. If left to grow in their natural shape, lemons can grow in reflected light – such as near a pool. If you want to prune it into a lollipop, it will suffer sunscald and possibly die in reflected light. Depending on the size of the pool and the size of your yard, a dwarf lemon tree might look mighty fine. More on Planting in Reflected Light.

Water

Lemons require 30 to 40 inches of water per year depending on size and species. Water should be applied to a three foot depth and then allowed to dry somewhat. A thick layer of cedar bark mulch will help hold in moisture, reduce weeds, help acidify the soil, and discourage pests. Keep mulch two to three inches away from the trunk to avoid disease. Renew the mulch as needed.

lemonade in a pitcher by a pool — Reflected light can be hard on lemon trees, but enjoying lemonade beside the pool is mighty fine.

Fifth Element = Your Care

Fertilizer

Lemons do well with a balanced fertilizer on the three fertilizer holidays – St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day. Along with these holidays, lemons appreciates some help setting fruit. You can use a bloom fertilizer when the first flower buds appear. This can be supplemented in mid-June and mid-August with additional applications of citrus or fruiting fertilizer.

A good nutrient rich compost applied all around the tree every spring and watered through to bring the nutrients into the soil is also ideal for long term health and fruit production. Note that it is critical to avoid placing any organic material against the trunk itself. This can cause a number of disease issues. More Citrus Care.

Pruning

Prune only to remove dead wood or suckers sprouting below the graft union. Lemons grow best with their foliage reaching the ground, shading their roots and trunk. Avoid pruning lemon up into a lollipop shape, their trunks are especially susceptible to sun scald and wind burn, plus exposed trunks also are more susceptible to freezing. Prune if branches are rubbing each other or against buildings. After a freeze do not prune a thing until after April first. Often what you may think is dead will recover.

illusration of grafting — The desirable fruiting top portion of the tree is grafted onto the roots of a citrus that has good characters for roots (disease resistance, cold tolerance) but not ideal fruit. The plant heals over well, but there will be a lump near the base of the tree – called the graft union.

Fruit Thinning

Called “June Drop” in the fruit tree industry, this generally occurs in May in lemons. Up to half of the tiny developing fruits drop off the tree. The tree is self pruning some of the fruit and getting rid of what it can’t support.

It starts earlier than May though. Citrus trees will naturally drop about half of their fertilized flowers during bloom season. That is normal unless leaves are also drooping, in which case it is a sign of stress.

Pest & Disease Problems of Lemons

Alkaline-Induced Iron Chlorosis is a very common problem with in lemons and all citrus in our alkaline soils. The leaves turn yellow, while leaf veins remain green. This is not a disease, rather an inability to pick up the iron that is present in our soil. Treat by acidifying soil. I posted an article on Chlorosis last week – ahead of this topic – just to better guide you. In HLB (below) there are splotches not patterns.

chlorosis on lemon leaves — A pattern of yellowing leaves = alkaline induced iron chlorosis

Citrus greening, Huanglongbing (HLB), is of great concern in our area as it can devastate the orchards forever and do billions of dollars in damage. Please purchase your citrus only from a certified and licensed nursery. If you see yellow splotches on your citrus leaves contact your Cooperative Extension Service.

Gummosis is the term for when sap curdles and bubbles out of damaged areas on the trunk and branches. The bark generally gets damaged by sunburn or mulch against the trunk. Remove the curdles and paint with a 10 percent solution of potassium permanganate. Repeat as needed.

Insects

Insects don’t want to kill their food source, thus their harm is generally tolerable for the lemon. Humans have other concepts. I try to leave “bugs” for birds, lizards and other bug eaters to eat.

citrus leaves eaten by caterpillars — Grasshoppers ate a few leaves before a bird swooped in and nabbed lunch for her babies. Looks unsightly but I still got ample fruit.

Most common caterpillars is the dog face, named for the butterfly. The caterpillar looks like a bird dropping. Most homeowners don’t ever notice them, but if you do and they bother you, pluck them off with tweezers, avoiding the red horns they stick out at you, and drop in a bucket of soapy water.

lemon tree in a pot — Indoor plants are more prone to scale insects than outdoor plants.

Thrips and aphids, suck sap of young leaves and twigs in spring. Rinse off with a blast from garden hose. They can cause leaf curl which is unsightly. Once the thrips have died off in the summer heat, it is too late to treat and you are left with curly leaves until they drop – in about a year.

Potted citrus indoors may get scale, an insect pest. Resolve by placing the plant outside, once it is warm enough. Natural predators will show up to eat the scale. That said, place infested trees away from your other fruit trees.

Harvest Lemons

Skin color is no indicator of ripeness. Mamma citrus tree will release her baby ripe fruit into your hand when you gently tug on it. Most lemons start ripening in January and are available into April. If you notice the fruit turning brown on the tree, it is time to harvest the rest.

Thanks for reading – Jacqueline

More Fruit Trees!

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Grow Lemons