How to Prune Lisbon Lemon Trees
Lisbon lemon is one of the two major varieties of lemon trees. It's native to Australia, though it will grow in any tropical or semi-tropical climate that rarely sees a frost. Lisbon lemon trees have thorny branches that bear fruit inside the canopy, rather than at the branch tips, and the fruit will typically ripen in late summer to mid-fall. Pruning a Lisbon lemon tree is an easy and pleasant task, since this variety, like most citrus trees, actually needs very little trimming to produce a lovely, natural shape. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Study the shape of your Lisbon lemon tree and its location. Prune out dead or wilting branches caused by shade from fences or other, taller trees. Consider cutting back or removing sources of shade from other trees if this becomes a problem. Lisbon lemon trees require warm temperatures and at least six hours of full sun per day in order to thrive.
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Decide what height you'd like your Lisbon lemon tree to be. The ideal height for a mature Lisbon lemon tree is about nine to 11 feet. Cut back long shoots of new growth from the top before the tree flowers, to create a smaller, bushier tree that will sprout from lower on the trunk. Prune stray shoots from the lower part of the trunk to make the tree grow taller, faster.
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Prune sparingly if the tree is young, since pruning tends to stimulate more fruit production in the remaining branches. Branches heavily laden with fruit in a young tree will tend to break, and the average Lisbon lemon left alone can produce more fruit in one year than a household can use.
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Promote more fruit production in mature Lisbon lemon trees by pruning them back by half to increase flowering the following year. Each flower has the potential to create a fruit, so the more flowers the tree produces, the more fruit will eventually grow.
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Check for dead wood at the center of the tree periodically and cut it out, being careful of the thorns as you go, to promote an overall healthy and vigorous appearance.
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Tips & Warnings
Cut branches close to the trunk, but not right at the trunk, to avoid wounding the tree and leaving it prone to fungus and insects.
Do not allow grass or other plantings within three feet of the trunk of a Lisbon lemon tree, especially if it is young and not yet fully established. Discourage competing plants by putting down mulch in a circle around the trunk, about three feet in diameter.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit lemon tree image by Dennis Carrigan from Fotolia.com
