How to Care for Miniature Lemon Trees

Meyer lemon

Miniature lemon trees bring fresh-scented flowers into your summer garden. The flowers evolve into bright yellow fruit. The flavor is lemony citrus with a hint of orange. Grow these small trees in pots so that they can be moved inside during cold weather. Pick the fresh fruit to add zest and vitamins to your meals. Use these easy guidelines to keep your miniature lemon trees healthy and productive for many years.

Things You'll Need

• Terracotta pots
• Gravel
• Potting soil
• Builders sand
• Pruning shears
• Insecticidal soap
• Cotton swabs
• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Plant miniature lemon trees individually in terracotta pots with holes for drainage. Place a layer of sharp gravel in the bottom of the pot. Fill with a mixture of ¾ potting soil and ¼ builders sand. Ensure that the roots are spread and completely covered. Leave the entire length of the trunk above the soil line.

2. 

   Situate miniature lemon tree pots outdoors in the spring as soon as daytime temperatures are consistently in the upper 60 degree range and there is no frost at night. Place in a location that receives direct sunlight and is protected from the wind.

3. Check that the soil remains moist, but allow soil to dry out slightly 2 or 3 times a month. Water more frequently in dry, hot weather.

4. Fertilize in the spring and late summer with a liquid fertilizer. Ensure the fertilizer you select is formulated with a higher ratio of nitrogen and is approved for use on citrus trees.

5. 

   Prune lightly in the early spring. Use pruning shears to remove branches that cross another to allow sufficient room for fruit development. Leave branches intact even if they lose their leaves. Watch to see whether they sprout new buds.

6. Lightly wipe away scale or other diseased areas with cotton swabs dipped in a mixture of water and insecticidal soap. Wash away aphids with a mix of water, dish soap and cooking oil in a squirt bottle.

7. 

   Move potted miniature lemon trees into a greenhouse or indoor patio before the first frost in the autumn. Use a two-wheel dolly to move larger heavier pots. Continue to water during the winter months and rotate monthly so that all sides of the tree receive some sunlight.

Tips & Warnings

• Miniature lemon trees may be found under the name Meyer Lemon or Improved Meyer Lemon Tree.

• Keep ripe fruits picked so that they do not rot on the tree and attract pests or disease.

Resources

• University of California Riverside -- Citrus Collection