Lemon trees are one of those rare combinations of beautiful and useful. We love using lemons in our recipes, and nothing tastes better than bright citrus grown in our very own gardens! Lemons can help to bring a dish to life, giving a bright set of flavours to support or carry some deeper, richer ones.
You would probably think it is impossible to grow a lemon tree in your back garden in the UK and colder countries in Europe, but this is not the case. Growing a lemon tree in a pot is the secret to growing a fabulous lemon tree. Growing lemon trees in pots are actually really straightforward, and they are able to grow really well in Europe.
In this piece, we will divulge all the important tips and tricks to help you grow the most incredible lemon tree this year. By starting in a plant pot, you can ensure that its early life is as optimal as it can be, enabling you to grow a happy, healthy lemon tree to last a lifetime.
Planting
You’ll want to start in a large terracotta pot. Grab really well-draining soil as these plants hate being overwatered. Our recommendation would be to use a 1:1:1 ratio of horticultural grit, loam, and leaf mould. This should ensure that every watering flows through the soil and prevents root rot and drowning.
You can supplement this soil blend with some garden compost or store-bought. Having some lovely, nutrient-rich soil will help these plants thrive and live a fabulous life. Ensure that the seeds a few inches into the soil and water carefully, around once a week. You can simply use rainwater as their main source of water.
Placement
As the end goal is to keep this plant outdoors year-round, it is important to find the correct placement. You’ll want to find this guy in a sunny yet sheltered place. They like south-facing and west-facing spots, somewhere that will get a few hours of sunlight a day.
You’ll want to bring these plants outside when they’re sunny. Try not to leave it out there when it rains (as it does a lot in the UK and mainland Europe!). One of the most important lemon tree care in pot tips is to allow it to receive outdoor conditions in the warmer months as it preps your tree for the big bad world.
Conditions
Indoors, this plant loves the warmth. Finding it a spot with a decently high temperature is a great shout. Furthermore, the more humid the better. Somewhere near the laundry room or kitchen would be ideal.
A sunny spot can be hard to find in some homes. Even if it isn’t particularly sunny, bright light in general would help this guy thrive. Emulating long days under the sun is the aim of the game for this lovely lemon tree.
Care
Once spring comes around, the main plant care begins. Prune this lemon tree of any badly growing leaves or if there are parts of it that don’t look as if they’re thriving. What we like to do is thin out the centre of the plant. This allows air and circulation to flow freely throughout the plant.
Spring is the time to do this because the pruning process is meant to aid the growth of the flower (or in this case, lemon). Trimming off half-grown stems halfway down the plant will be a great way to do this as they are simply detracting from the nutrients that could be going towards your delicious fruit.
Repotting
You shouldn’t need to repot more than once every two years. When do you, try to replace as much soil as possible. The lemons can be greedy with their nutrition so it is best to make sure they have fresh soil every 2-3 years.
When you repot, simply find a pot that is slightly bigger than the first, around 2 inches should be fine. Once you have brought it through a few different pots, you’ll probably be ready to bring it outdoors!
Check Out - A Failsafe Guide To Repotting Plant
Bringing Outdoors
You can choose to bring these trees outdoors or keep them indoors if they are not too big. It is quite a lot of hassle but you can control the conditions much easier indoors, obviously. That being said, with the right amount of support they can live and thrive in your garden with relative ease.
After 3 years or so, or when the tree is starting to grow quite large, dig a large hole in your soil bank and place the tree inside. Ensure that it has some of its original soil as well as old, this will help it to acclimate. Try and find it a nice, sunny spot to live in and allow this guy to grow! Water in the drier months and enjoy fabulous, homegrown lemons year round.
We hope you have enjoyed learning about how to grow amazing lemon trees in Europe, indoors. This plants will make cooking so convenient and there is no better feeling than popping to your garden to grab some ingredients to cook with.