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Meyer Lemon Conventional Wisdom UPDATE 7/10/19
Posted on 7/1/19 at 8:34 pm
Posted on 7/1/19 at 8:34 pm
Let me begin this post by saying that I don't know shite about gardening or citrus trees. I bought a Meyer lemon 5 months ago and just read internet articles about how to grow it in a pot.
Everywhere you look, they tell you two things about growing citrus trees in zone 9:
1) It does best with FULL SUN for 8-9 hours per day. May need to protect the leaves with a UV spray, but more sun, the better.
2) Water deeply and infrequently. Soil should be slighty moist 2 inches below surface. Don't water until dry 2 inches below surface.
I followed this religiously and almost killed the tree. Thing was constantly drooping and leaves folding up or shriveling. No new growth, just the scion branch soldiering through. Everyone I asked said the same thing. "You are likely overwatering."
5 days ago I said frick it and put it in the shade under my patio. It gets maybe 2 hours of light a day, all of it soft morning and evening light. I also started drenching it every day. Soil is sopping wet at all times. I did exactly what every website says not to do.
The result? Thing is now growing like mad. Tons of new leaves and blooms. Looks like a damn model of a young citrus. Pics or gtfo, so here ya go:
I admit that I am retarded, but what gives? Why is doing exactly the opposite of the conventional wisdom making my tree thrive? TIA.
Everywhere you look, they tell you two things about growing citrus trees in zone 9:
1) It does best with FULL SUN for 8-9 hours per day. May need to protect the leaves with a UV spray, but more sun, the better.
2) Water deeply and infrequently. Soil should be slighty moist 2 inches below surface. Don't water until dry 2 inches below surface.
I followed this religiously and almost killed the tree. Thing was constantly drooping and leaves folding up or shriveling. No new growth, just the scion branch soldiering through. Everyone I asked said the same thing. "You are likely overwatering."
5 days ago I said frick it and put it in the shade under my patio. It gets maybe 2 hours of light a day, all of it soft morning and evening light. I also started drenching it every day. Soil is sopping wet at all times. I did exactly what every website says not to do.
The result? Thing is now growing like mad. Tons of new leaves and blooms. Looks like a damn model of a young citrus. Pics or gtfo, so here ya go:
I admit that I am retarded, but what gives? Why is doing exactly the opposite of the conventional wisdom making my tree thrive? TIA.
This post was edited on 7/10/19 at 11:06 am
6
Posted on 7/1/19 at 8:36 pm to Tigerlaff
My Meyer lemon has been a disappointment. I have it in full sun and drench it every few days. It exploded with some new growth in April when it wasn’t too hot, but it hasn’t done shite since then. Any ideas?
This post was edited on 7/1/19 at 8:36 pm
Posted on 7/1/19 at 8:36 pm to Tornado Alley
Is it potted?
Posted on 7/1/19 at 8:36 pm to Tigerlaff
Yes, in a big 15 gallon pot recommended by US Citrus.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 8:38 pm to Tornado Alley
Dude, put that thing in the shade and take away the sun. Give it that 9-11am sunlight and maybe 5-6pm. I'm going to write a damn book if yours starts blowing up too.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 8:40 pm to Tigerlaff
It’s worth a shot. I’ll move it tomorrow after work.
Last year, I had it only where it received morning sun (just a little), and it barely grew.
Last year, I had it only where it received morning sun (just a little), and it barely grew.
This post was edited on 7/1/19 at 8:41 pm
Posted on 7/1/19 at 8:49 pm to Tigerlaff
If you can plant it in the ground it will probably do alot better.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 8:54 pm to Tigerlaff
I had one in the ground. It was chest high and I went around and cut the lemons from the tree. That removed 50-75 lemons from the tree and that didn't even put a dent in the number. They can produce some serious fruit
Posted on 7/1/19 at 9:20 pm to Tigerlaff
Prepare for a novel, as I’m a fairly new Meyer lemon owner. Maybe some of this helps, or will aid in getting others to chime in.
I’ll preface this by stating that a year ago I was somewhat in your shoes, in that I was a new meyer lemon owner. The tree was about a foot and a half high when I got it, and in one of those standard gallon or so size pots. I transplanted it into a halved whiskey barrel (much larger pot), and it thrived outside all spring and summer as far as growth. But never a single blossom.
I watered it about once a week and fertilized about every 3 months, as the internet will scare you with all the “they hate overwatering” talk. I bought it with the intention of keeping it in a big pot on wheels, so I can wheel it into the garage when we get that occasional freeze.
Enter this spring. The tree is now about 5 1/2 feet tall, and busts out hundreds of blossoms. No bullshite, the entire tree was practically white from all the flowers. Hordes of bees doing their thing everyday. Fruit is growing larger by the day (from pea size to marble size). And it slowly all falls off except about 6 of em that are now golf ball size or so. And I started having problems with leafs yellowing while maintaining green veins.
I read a lot about early fruit drop and the leaf yellowing, which all made sense. I came to understand that being a plotted plant, the water and nutrient turnover was much greater. So apparently you have to water more often, and fertilize monthly (based on what I’ve gathered at least.) and even add supplements like epsom salt. Since adjusting to this, the leaves and fruit look much healthier.
What I cant seem to figure out is, I get new growth at the ends of quite a bit of the branches. It makes it about a quarter inch and falls off. It happens weekly, to the point where the ends of these branches are lumpy as hell from all the spots where new growth sprouted then immediately died. I don't think it’s pests, as I’ve done once a week neem oil applications which doesn't help at all.
I’ll preface this by stating that a year ago I was somewhat in your shoes, in that I was a new meyer lemon owner. The tree was about a foot and a half high when I got it, and in one of those standard gallon or so size pots. I transplanted it into a halved whiskey barrel (much larger pot), and it thrived outside all spring and summer as far as growth. But never a single blossom.
I watered it about once a week and fertilized about every 3 months, as the internet will scare you with all the “they hate overwatering” talk. I bought it with the intention of keeping it in a big pot on wheels, so I can wheel it into the garage when we get that occasional freeze.
Enter this spring. The tree is now about 5 1/2 feet tall, and busts out hundreds of blossoms. No bullshite, the entire tree was practically white from all the flowers. Hordes of bees doing their thing everyday. Fruit is growing larger by the day (from pea size to marble size). And it slowly all falls off except about 6 of em that are now golf ball size or so. And I started having problems with leafs yellowing while maintaining green veins.
I read a lot about early fruit drop and the leaf yellowing, which all made sense. I came to understand that being a plotted plant, the water and nutrient turnover was much greater. So apparently you have to water more often, and fertilize monthly (based on what I’ve gathered at least.) and even add supplements like epsom salt. Since adjusting to this, the leaves and fruit look much healthier.
What I cant seem to figure out is, I get new growth at the ends of quite a bit of the branches. It makes it about a quarter inch and falls off. It happens weekly, to the point where the ends of these branches are lumpy as hell from all the spots where new growth sprouted then immediately died. I don't think it’s pests, as I’ve done once a week neem oil applications which doesn't help at all.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 11:24 pm to Tigerlaff
I’ll weigh in - I’ve got 2 Meyer Lemons and 1 Key Lime in 15 gallon black poly containers. All 3 are about 2 years old. Like you I’ve done a good bit of reading. All 3 in full sun.
1. Watering deeply and infrequently applies to citrus planted in-ground. When planted in a container with a well draining potting soil you honestly can not overwater as any excess water not absorbed by the planting media will drain from the container. In this current heat you could can water daily or nearly every other day. Ideally your potting media would be moist like a rung-out sponge.
2. Container citrus requires more frequent fertilizer applications than in-ground citrus, b/c more of the nutrients are flushed out with the frequent watering, particularly nitrogen which is very soluble. I’m using CitrusTone (follow recommendations on bag, but be fore-warned, the stuff stinks), supplemented by a soluble Miracle Gro type fertilizer monthly as suggested by the Citrus Guy - I’ll get to that below.
3. Citrus have 3 flushes of growth per year, Feb-Mar, MayJune, Aug-Sept (that may vary a bit) but between those flushes you’re not going to see any vegetative growth.
4. After 3 years your tree will likely become root bound and you’ll need to remove it from the container, prune the outer roots (remove 1/4 to 1/3 of the outer root ball) and re-pot. Just google or YouTube root pruning container citrus for the details.
One of my Meyer Lemons produced heavily last year and I had to remove 2/3 of the fruit while green (small lemon size) b/c the branches couldn’t support the weight and I still had to support the branches for the remaining lemons. That tree this year has far fewer lemons but that’s normal for young citrus after a heavy bearing year. The other Meyer lemon produced only a few last year but is heavily loaded this year.
OP it possible your new tree was just getting settled in/established, you were likely under-watering, and its possible for these containers in full sun, particularly black plastic like I have, to get excess heat, resulting in a little root stress. Prob reduced heat stress by moving to shade and more frequent watering has stimulated new growth with your lemon.
The Citrus Guy LINK is a horticulturist who grows 50 + varieties of citrus in containers in SC. His $17 paperback book on growing citrus in containers is a simple read with suggestions/tips on growing container citrus and and you can sign up for his monthly newsletter for monthly tips. Arrives by email on time the first day of each month - got my July newsletter this morning.
1. Watering deeply and infrequently applies to citrus planted in-ground. When planted in a container with a well draining potting soil you honestly can not overwater as any excess water not absorbed by the planting media will drain from the container. In this current heat you could can water daily or nearly every other day. Ideally your potting media would be moist like a rung-out sponge.
2. Container citrus requires more frequent fertilizer applications than in-ground citrus, b/c more of the nutrients are flushed out with the frequent watering, particularly nitrogen which is very soluble. I’m using CitrusTone (follow recommendations on bag, but be fore-warned, the stuff stinks), supplemented by a soluble Miracle Gro type fertilizer monthly as suggested by the Citrus Guy - I’ll get to that below.
3. Citrus have 3 flushes of growth per year, Feb-Mar, MayJune, Aug-Sept (that may vary a bit) but between those flushes you’re not going to see any vegetative growth.
4. After 3 years your tree will likely become root bound and you’ll need to remove it from the container, prune the outer roots (remove 1/4 to 1/3 of the outer root ball) and re-pot. Just google or YouTube root pruning container citrus for the details.
One of my Meyer Lemons produced heavily last year and I had to remove 2/3 of the fruit while green (small lemon size) b/c the branches couldn’t support the weight and I still had to support the branches for the remaining lemons. That tree this year has far fewer lemons but that’s normal for young citrus after a heavy bearing year. The other Meyer lemon produced only a few last year but is heavily loaded this year.
OP it possible your new tree was just getting settled in/established, you were likely under-watering, and its possible for these containers in full sun, particularly black plastic like I have, to get excess heat, resulting in a little root stress. Prob reduced heat stress by moving to shade and more frequent watering has stimulated new growth with your lemon.
The Citrus Guy LINK is a horticulturist who grows 50 + varieties of citrus in containers in SC. His $17 paperback book on growing citrus in containers is a simple read with suggestions/tips on growing container citrus and and you can sign up for his monthly newsletter for monthly tips. Arrives by email on time the first day of each month - got my July newsletter this morning.
This post was edited on 7/2/19 at 7:53 am
Posted on 7/1/19 at 11:47 pm to CrawDude
This is excellent info. Thanks!
Posted on 7/2/19 at 2:02 pm to CrawDude
quote:fabric pots apparently help immensely with this
and its possible for these containers in full sun, particularly black plastic like I have, to get excess heat, resulting in a little root stress.
Posted on 7/3/19 at 8:51 am to wickowick
quote:
I had one in the ground. It was chest high and I went around and cut the lemons from the tree. That removed 50-75 lemons from the tree and that didn't even put a dent in the number. They can produce some serious fruit
The house we bought 3 years ago had a Meyers Lemon tree that was fairly old and made tons of lemons as you described. I cut the damn thing down and planted a Satsuma instead. I have no use for hundreds of lemons.
Next thing to go will be the damn grapefruit tree.
Apparently the previous owner had a completely different taste in fruit than I do.
Posted on 7/3/19 at 10:40 am to REB BEER
quote:you don't drink enough
I have no use for hundreds of lemons.
Posted on 7/3/19 at 10:45 am to Neauxla
quote:
fabric pots apparently help immensely with this
Yes that is my understanding (heat issue) and they also supposedly prevent or mitigate the rootbound problem. The fabric containers are not aesthetically pleasing, but one could place them inside a larger decorative container, if appearance is important, with allowance for an air gap between the fabric container and the decorative container. I’ve almost ordered some fabric containers in the past in the past to try this. I think I’ll follow up on this suggestion and give it try.
Posted on 7/3/19 at 10:51 am to Neauxla
When I get a bumper crop of lemons, I juice 'em and freeze the juice in ice cube trays. It's nice to have fresh lemon juice year-round whenever you want it.
Posted on 7/10/19 at 11:10 am to Tigerlaff
7/10/19 Update
Well, I continued my pattern of giving the lemon tree water every day and am giving it about 5-6 hours of dappled/shaded sunlight each day. It is growing so well that I had to re-pot it in a 15 gallon. It still droops during the hottest part of the day, but drinks up the moisture and perks up in the evenings.
Long story short, young citrus trees like full sun, BUT ONLY IF IT IS NOT 95 DEGREES OUTSIDE. The combo of the ambient air heat along with sunlight is just too much and stresses them out. I am getting much better results with partial sun during the day.
Well, I continued my pattern of giving the lemon tree water every day and am giving it about 5-6 hours of dappled/shaded sunlight each day. It is growing so well that I had to re-pot it in a 15 gallon. It still droops during the hottest part of the day, but drinks up the moisture and perks up in the evenings.
Long story short, young citrus trees like full sun, BUT ONLY IF IT IS NOT 95 DEGREES OUTSIDE. The combo of the ambient air heat along with sunlight is just too much and stresses them out. I am getting much better results with partial sun during the day.
Posted on 7/10/19 at 11:34 am to Tigerlaff
quote:
7/10/19 Update
This is really true of many woody shrubs and perennials. About the only plants that thrive in this heat and humidity are tropicals, and just about any plant nursery professional will confirm that.
That’s one upside of container plants - they can often can be moved to more favorable conditions. Thanks for sharing the info. I should move my 2 Meyer Lemons to more favorable conditions for the next couple months to mitigate heat stress. .
Posted on 7/10/19 at 11:47 am to CrawDude
Mine is on a southern facing tile patio, but under the shade of a mature palm tree. The palm really cuts a lot of the direct light exposure during the 12-3pm hours, so the only direct light it gets is in the evening. Would definitely recommend this method over 8-9 hours of full exposure like I was doing before. Will go back to that schedule once the temperature is somewhere below the gates of hell, maybe in October.
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