How to Fertilize Lemon Trees
Lemon trees make attractive landscape specimens---never more so than when they are laden with ripe fruit.
To ensure your lemon tree produces lots of large, juicy lemons, you need to make sure the tree gets the nourishment it needs from the soil.
Dwarf varieties can be grown in containers on the patio or deck or indoors in pots. With these too, proper soil quality and fertilization for nourishment will make all the difference.
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Instructions
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Purchase an inexpensive soil test-kit and use it according to package instructions to determine the acidity of the soil around your tree. If the pH is not correct, your tree will be less able to absorb and use nutrients in the soil even if it has been properly fertilized.
Lemon trees prefer a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0. If the pH level of soil around your tree is lower than this, it can be treated with lime. Follow the instructions that come with your soil test kit for adjusting the acidity of the soil depending on the results of the test. -
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Feed your lemon trees with a slow-release fertilizer every four to six weeks throughout the growing season. Look for a fertilizer with a 5-1-3 ratio. These are the relative percentages of nitrogen to phosphorus to potassium in the mixture. If you cannot find a fertilizer with those rations, choose the closest alternative. A 19-6-12 fertilizer, for example, is a good substitute.
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Apply the fertilizer according to package directions, making sure to broadcast it evenly to an area roughly the same diameter as the height of the tree. This will ensure that nutrients get to the whole root system.
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Tips & Warnings
Remember when fertilizing potted trees that the amount of time-release fertilizer you use depends on the size of the pot and not the size of the tree.
Water your tree regularly but be careful not to waterlog the roots. Use mulch to help retain moisture in the ground.
