If you’ve ever wondered when lemon trees begin bearing fruit, this article is for you.
Lemon trees start producing fruit at various times depending on the variety.
Lemon trees produce fruit and ripen between 4 and 12 months after flowering.
You’ll notice flowers appear in spring, while the fruits develop and mature (by slowing turning from green to yellow) in fall or winter.
Meyer lemon trees, for example, produce fruit at different times each year.
These citrus trees are cold-hardy and self-fertile.
You can start picking fruit when the tree is at least 6 months old.
They should be about the same size and weight as other lemons.
Meyer lemon trees start bearing fruit at different times
Meyer lemon trees start bearing fruit at different times. While trees grown from seed start producing fruit at about 2 years of age, Meyer lemon trees grafted on dwarf rootstocks can begin blooming as early as 1 year
. Meyer lemon trees are capable of fruiting all year, but their harvest is most abundant in fall and spring. If you’re planning to grow your Meyer lemons indoors, make sure to fertilize them at the beginning of the growing season.
Before planting your Meyer lemon tree, be sure to prepare its soil. You’ll need a container with a good amount of peat moss or potting soil. After planting, water thoroughly from top to bottom.
Then, begin to prune the branches each year. In spring, prune the branches at the base of each bud, making sure to cut them off before the new buds begin to break.
Keep in mind that Meyer lemon trees can self-pollinate when they’re grown in the right climatic conditions and temperatures. If they’re planted too close together, they may not cross-pollinate effectively. If you’d like to grow a Meyer lemon tree in your home, plant it at least four feet apart. This will ensure that the two trees cross-pollinate and start bearing fruit at different times.
Keep the soil moist but not soggy. When you water your Meyer lemon tree, make sure to place a finger into the soil and wait until your fingertip feels damp but not wet. Water your Meyer lemon tree slowly and thoroughly, and don’t overwater it. If you do overwater your Meyer lemon tree, you’re likely to kill it. So, water it regularly and watch it thrive.
You can also grow your Meyer lemon from seed. If you’re unsure of what time to plant a Meyer lemon tree, you can harvest the seeds from fresh fruit.
A single seed contains about 10 seeds. Sow the seeds at half an inch deep in moist, but not wet soil. Then wait for four years for the tree to produce fruit. This will give you a chance to enjoy the delicious flavor of lemons for many years to come.
Lemon trees are cold hardy
You can grow your lemon tree in zones 6, 7, and 8. Lemon trees prefer temperatures between ten and fifteen degrees Fahrenheit.
Lemon trees grown in hardiness zones 6 and 7 must be protected from the cold by bringing them indoors in winter.
You can grow lemon trees in pots in Zones 6, 7, and 8 if they are protected from harsh winter weather. However, you must provide supplemental light between 10 am and 2 pm, or you should move the plant inside.
Meyer Lemons are a type of sour orange. They grow as shrubs or small trees. The fruit is orange-yellow and much less acidic than regular lemons.
The fruit ripens over the winter and drops its leaves. This variety of lemon has a thin leaf canopy, making it less suitable for shipping. It is not common in grocery stores. Lemon trees can also be grown in containers.
Yuzu is another citrus commonly grown in northern climates. They are widely used in Asian cuisine, and the rind is edible.
If you want to grow a lemon tree in a cool climate, you should consider a cold-hardy cultivar, like the kumquat. This citrus is highly desirable for its long-term storage life and low-fat content. It’s also a hardy plant and is cold-hardy to mid-twenties.
Limes are a common citrus fruit but there are many varieties available. You can grow fruity, seedless, and bearss limes in containers, or grow the more fragrant Washington nave oranges.
They are all good choices for a patio or balcony. These citrus trees are very hardy and produce fruit, so you can enjoy them all year long.
They are a good option for people with a warm climate since they can survive temperatures as low as twenty degrees.
While lemons, oranges, and grapefruits are the least cold-hardy citrus species, you can grow a tree in a tropical climate.
Citrus species can tolerate temperatures down to the low teens in some cases. Grapefruit, tangerines, and mandarins are more cold-hardy than oranges and lemons.
You can even grow smaller citrus trees in containers. Just make sure that they are protected from freezing temperatures.
Lemon trees require hands-on maintenance to produce fruit
While a lemon tree requires a lot of hands-on attention to produce fruit, it’s also a surprisingly easy plant to grow. Lemons are a wonderful and versatile fruit for home gardens, and they grow well in containers.
Despite the high maintenance required, lemons can provide a delicious, year-round supply of lemon juice. To avoid these problems, lemon trees need regular watering.
A lemon tree can flower throughout the year, though the fruits generally appear in the early spring and late fall.
Coastal regions with temperature fluctuations may have longer harvest seasons, while landlocked locations with distinct seasons are likely to see a predictable period for blooming.
During the first three weeks after flowers appear, lemon trees are particularly susceptible to water stress, which makes leaves and fruit the first things to compete for water.
Lemon trees are self-fertile
Many people have wondered whether lemon trees are self-fertile and produce fruit. The answer is yes. Lemon trees are pollinated by their own pollen glands. Self-pollinating flowers contain male and female reproductive organs.
During the blooming season, these organs are displayed in flower petals. The female pistil is composed of the stigma, style, and ovary, while the male stamen is made up of filaments and anthers.
Indoor lemon trees produce fruit by self-pollination. The pollen contains sperm that is transferred to the central stigma.
This stigma is a sticky membrane that is the botanical equivalent of an egg. When the tree matures, it bears fruit in about one to two years. This fruit-bearing tree is not difficult to grow in a container. However, it may need assistance when pollinating.
In addition to self-fertilization, lemon trees need fertilizer. A 2-1-1 fertilizer may not be sufficient for your lemon tree. You can buy citrus potting mix online or mix equal parts of potting soil, peat moss, and perlite. Make sure to regularly mist the tree with a cool-steam vaporizer and apply a half-strength citrus fertilizer to the soil.
Lemon trees – Summary
Some apple varieties are partially self-fertile. If you plant them in an area with warm, dry spring weather, they will likely produce fruit without the help of other varieties.
However, if you live in a climate with cold, wet springs, you should assume that these trees are self-sterile.
So, it is better to choose two or more varieties. There are no guarantees, but if you choose a self-fertile variety, you can be assured of fruit.
If you are planting lemon trees in the backyard, you may want to consider a neighboring lime tree. If you plant both lemon and lime trees side by side, they will cross-pollinate without affecting the quality of the fruit.
You can expect bright yellow lemons on a single tree, while a lime tree will produce green fruit on several trees. You’ll likely get a larger crop from the older ones, but they will cost more.