How to Grow and Care for Meyer Lemon Tree

Meyer lemon trees are a lemon/mandarin orange hybrid. Growing Meyer lemon trees (Citrus × lemon 'Meyer') is easy in warm climates like Florida or California where they’re popular as low-maintenance container-grown plants both outdoors and inside. They are slightly more cold-tolerant than Eureka and Lisbon lemon trees but still need a sheltered and sunny position to thrive. These trees don't do well in saturated conditions, so pick a spot that has excellent drainage. If you are concerned about standing water, build up a wide mound of soil to plant your tree on or position it on a slope. Similar to other citrus fruits, the fruit's skin and plant materials are toxic to dogs and cats.

Meyer Lemon Tree Care

There are a few important tips to keep in mind when caring for Meyer lemon trees.

• Plant in well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
• Place your tree in a spot where too much water saturation won't happen, as the roots don't do well with excess moisture.
• Avoid overwatering; if growing in a container, water when the top two inches of soil are dry.
• Feed three times during the growing season with high-nitrogen or all-purpose fertilizer.

Light

All citrus trees love the sun, and the Meyer lemon tree is no different. It will grow and fruit best when located in full sunlight, though it can survive in a slightly shady spot. This tree prefers at least eight hours a day of direct light.

Soil

Meyer lemon trees can grow in almost any type of soil, as long as it boasts good drainage. They prefer an acidic soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5 and thrive in a loamy or sandy mixture. Test your soil ahead of planting to determine whether or not it needs adjusting. You can add lime to increase the soil pH or sulfur to lower it, if necessary.

Water

Proper watering is one of the keys to growing any citrus plant, particularly those grown in pots. The aim is to keep the soil of your Meyer lemon tree moist but not soggy. To determine whether it's time to water your plant, stick your finger into the soil at least up to the second knuckle. If you feel dampness at your fingertip, wait to water. If it feels dry, water your plant until you see water run out the bottom of the pot. Curling leaves are a common sign your plant needs water.

It's a good idea to use pot feet, which allow water to drain out of the pot and prevent the plant from becoming waterlogged.

Temperature and Humidity

Meyer lemon trees are happiest in temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so unless you live in USDA growing zones 8b to 11b you should bring your tree indoors when temperatures start regularly dipping below this range. In every zone, the tree should be protected when temperatures drop below freezing. Be sure to use a covering that reaches the ground to help trap the heat from the earth.

Citrus trees do best with humidity levels of 50 percent and above. If you don't have a humid enough spot indoors, make a pebble tray. Fill a tray with rocks, pour water just below the top of the rocks, and place your pot on top of the rocks so that humidity will rise around the plant. You can also consider placing a small humidifier nearby.

Fertilizer

During the growing season (early spring through fall), feed your Meyer lemon tree with either a high-nitrogen fertilizer or a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer. Typically three applications evenly spaced throughout the growing season should be enough to keep your plant happy, growing, and producing. Citrus trees also respond well to additional feeding with a liquid fertilizer, such as compost tea, liquid kelp, or fish emulsion, but it is generally not necessary.

Pruning

The tree's general shape has no bearing on its ability to produce fruit, so pruning is just for your preference. Many gardeners prefer to prune the tree so that it has an exposed trunk and traditional shape, while others opt for a hedge-like shape.

Either way, wait until the tree is between 3 and 4 feet tall before pruning. The majority of the fruit ripens in the winter, so you should wait until that process is complete before pruning.

Beginning at the base, prune off any dead or dying branches, as well as any long, thin stems (which generally aren't strong enough to hold fruit). From there, you can prune any branches that are impeding the growth of others or preventing ample airflow.

Propagating Meyer Lemon Trees

Lemon trees are easier to propagate than some other citrus varieties. This can be done using semi-hardwood cuttings at any time of the year, but the process is most likely to succeed if the cutting is taken when the tree is in active growth, in late spring or early summer. The cutting should be from healthy, new growth, and it shouldn't have any flowers or fruit on it. Here's how to root a new Meyer lemon tree from a cutting:

1. Take a cutting from a mature and disease-free plant, ensuring the segment is at least 3 to 6 inches long.
2. Remove all leaves, flowers, or fruit from the cutting, except for the top four leaves.
3. Dip the cut end of the branch in a rooting hormone powder to protect against rot or disease.
4. In a medium-sized pot (about 1 gallon), place a high-quality potting mix that has been thoroughly watered.
5. Place the cutting into the soil mixture, making sure the cut end of the brand is buried into the soil.
6. Cover the entire pot and cutting with a plastic bag to preserve moisture and place it in a brightly lit location. Keep the soil moist (but not soggy) and mist the cutting occasionally until it develops new roots (which typically happens in two months).
7. Once roots are established, remove the plastic covering and care for your plant normally, keeping it indoors or in a sheltered location until the following spring.

Potting and Repotting Meyer Lemon Trees

When potting a Meyer lemon tree, choose a 5-gallon or larger container that is at least 12 to 15 inches in height. Make sure the container has ample drainage holes. Fill the pot partway with a potting mixture (ideally one made for citrus trees), remove the tree from its original container, and fluff the roots if they are matted. Place the tree in the center of the pot, and fill in the gaps with the potting mixture just to where the crown of the roots is still visible. Press down the soil, and water the tree immediately. Pot-grown trees will require more frequent watering than their in-ground counterparts.

Your Meyer lemon tree will need to be repotted every two or three years, or when the roots begin to show through the container's drainage holes. Repotting is best done in early spring before the active growing season. Follow the instructions for growing in a container, but choose a container that is one size larger.

Carefully loosen the tree's roots from its current container with a trowel, and gently shake off any compacted soil from the roots. Place the tree in its new container and add fresh potting soil. Water your Meyer lemon tree well to help revive it after the shock of being moved, then resume a normal watering schedule.

Overwintering

Meyer lemon trees are somewhat cold tolerant and can withstand temperatures down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. If it gets much colder than that where you live, consider growing your tree in a pot and bringing it indoors for the winter. Place it near a window so it receives as much sunlight as possible.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Meyer lemon trees—and citrus trees in general—are typical targets for a variety of pests, including whiteflies, rust mites, mealybugs, aphids, and scale. While established adult trees usually can withstand an infestation or two, smaller, more vulnerable trees can be decimated by any one of these issues. Signs of pest issues will typically appear on the undersides of leaves or the fruit.

To control and eliminate pest issues, begin by pruning away any dead, unhealthy, or infected areas of the tree. Treat the plant by spraying it with horticultural oil, like neem oil, diluted significantly, reapplying frequently until all signs of infection have ceased.

How to Get Meyer Lemon Trees to Bloom

Though not grown just for its flowers, getting your Meyer lemon tree to bloom is still incredibly important for fruit production.

Bloom Months

Meyer lemon trees do not flower for the first few years of their life, so keep an eye out for blooms around the third or fourth year. While they can bloom all year, Meyer lemon trees typically bloom in the spring and fall.

How to Encourage More Blooms

The most essential component for Meyer lemon tree blooms is abundant light—all citrus trees need a lot of light to bloom and simply will not do so without getting at least eight hours a day. If you don't have an outdoor spot in the ground that gets that much light, consider potting your lemon tree so you can move it around and "chase" the light throughout the day.

If your Meyer lemon tree is getting plenty of light but still not blooming, it's time to look to your fertilizing schedule. Fertilize your tree once a month, but no more—trees that are fertilized too much have just as hard of a time blooming as ones that are not getting fed frequently enough. Choose a fertilizer that is specifically formulated for citrus trees.

Additionally, the temperature is fairly important when it comes to getting your Meyer lemon tree to bloom. Your plant will need a brief period of cooler temperatures (around 60 degrees Fahrenheit) during the winter and early spring to be encouraged to bloom.