If any are branches hanging inside the lemon tree, remove them. Prune around these branches. Pruning the Tree. Remove dead, damaged and over-reaching branches. When and how should they be pruned?-- S.K., Trinity. A: Generally, lemons require little pruning. Decide whether you want to cut the tree back severely, due to space restrictions or, whether you want to just shape it and leave it with the same overall size. Cut at the top of the branch to make it collapse downward. Wait to begin pruning your tree until it has grown 3-4 feet tall. Perform most of the pruning to shape this citrus in late winter. Fertilize your Meyer lemon tree in the summer with one cup of 10-10-10. Choose three to five branches inside the tree that will act as your scaffold branches. Make every cut cleanly and no more than about 1/4 inch away from a healthy bud or junction with another branch. Inspect the dwarf Meyer lemon for pests and diseases regularly throughout the growing season and cut off diseased, broken or heavily infested portions of the tree as you notice the damage, making a cut several inches below the damage or infection into healthy tissue and just above a bud or branch junction. Cut away any branches that are not part of the scaffolding so that they are 4-6 inches from the trunk. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in urban and regional studies. If the shape is not to your liking, even it out with your shears. Trim off any branches that are touching the ground or other structures, as these can act as bridges for ants and other pests. Meyer lemon trees naturally grow about 10 to 12 feet tall but reach a mature height of only 5 to 6 feet if grafted to a dwarf rootstock. Prune around these branches. These trees, which are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11 and grown over a broader range indoors or as a container specimen, benefit from an occasional pruning that encourages health and an attractive form. Cut out any dead wood from the tree as well as any that look diseased or damaged. Choose the lowest scaffold branch so that it's higher than 3 feet from the ground. The trees are smaller than most lemon trees, making them easier to grow indoors, on a balcony or in a small space. Make these cuts at ground level or nearly flush with the trunk. They provide an abundant crop of thin skinned, waxy lemons. Make a cut on the bottom of the branch about a quarter of the way in. Prune Lemon trees to allow ample sunlight to reach into the middle of the tree, otherwise fruits will not … If any are branches hanging inside the lemon tree, remove them. Prune your Meyer lemon tree in the spring or summer, when there is little-to-no fruit on it. Choose the lowest scaffold branch so that it's higher than 3 feet from the ground. Meyer Lemon Trees are encouraged to bear lots of large fruits, pruning trees to develop a strong branch system capable of withstanding the annual load of ripe fruit is also critical. Angela Ryczkowski is a professional writer who has served as a greenhouse manager and certified wildland firefighter. Cut all the branches off the tree that are lower than the lowest scaffold branch. Doing this often will keep the tree trained to the height you cut it. As a general rule, leave one fruit to develop for approximately every 42 leaves. Thin out fruit selectively by gently cutting small fruits off at the stem junction, leaving healthy fruits that are spaced evenly around the tree's canopy. Step away from the tree and look at the shape. Pruning does not have to take place every year; just prune the trees when they need to be thinned out or to get rid of diseased branches. How to Prune a Meyer Lemon Tree. A lemon tree will provide fruit all throughout the winter and can make an attractive addition to a decorative garden. Destroy or dispose of the infested or diseased portions of the tree that you remove. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Never remove more than one-third of the Meyer lemon's branches or overall bulk in a single pruning session but instead reduce its size over the course of multiple years, if needed. Cut all the branches off the tree that are lower than the lowest scaffold branch. How to Plant an Apple Tree & the Needed Hole Size, How to Prune Citrus Trees Indoors and Keep Them Small, University of Florida Nassau County Extension: Meyer Lemon, University of California Cooperative Extension Sacramento County: Growing Citrus in Sacramento, Oregon State University Extension Service: Meyer Lemons Can Be Grown in PNW if Protected From Winter, Texas AgriLife Extension Service: Growing Citrus in Patio Containers, National Gardening Association: Edible of the Month: Lemons and Limes, National Gardening Association: How to: Grow Citrus in a Container. Cut dead or injured branches and branches that are rubbing against each other or crossing back towards the inside of the canopy back to just above a bud or branch junction. Do not prune until most of the fruit has matured and has ripened before pruning in the spring. Pruning these trees is no different than pruning any other type of lemon tree. Meyer lemon trees can be kept to a small pot, restricted to the size of a small shrub or can grow up to a full-size lemon tree. A lemon tree will provide fruit all throughout the winter and can make an attractive addition to a decorative garden. Cut away any branches that are not part of the scaffolding so that they are 4-6 inches from the trunk. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →. Prune off any watersprouts, overly vigorous, vertical or nearly vertical shoots, growing out of branches in the canopy. Perform most of the pruning to shape this citrus in late winter. All Rights Reserved. Doing so regularly will keep the tree growing to your liking. The three lemon trees most commonly found in California are the Lisbon, Eureka and Meyer. Check your tree for dead or damaged branches and leaves. Cut out any dead wood from the tree as well as any that look diseased or damaged. Choose three to five branches inside the tree that will act as your scaffold branches. Once the tree is three years old, fertilize with two cups of 10-10-10 every summer. Meyer lemon trees (Citrus x meyeri) are prized as ornamentals for their fragrant blooms, dark and waxy foliage and nearly thornless nature as well as for the fruits they produce, which are rounder and more orange than other lemon varieties. Q: Our 3-year-old, 10-foot-tall 'Meyer' lemon trees are loaded with fruit. Cut straggly, unruly branches that are spoiling the overall shape, and growth of the tree. Follow these step-by-step instruction to get the best crop from your lemon trees. Thin out other branches until the lemons are receiving substantial sunlight. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Train the tree to grow to a certain height by trimming any branches that grow higher than you wish. Cut back branches that seem too long, overly vigorous or leggy, working your way around the Meyer lemon tree's canopy to give it a uniform, rounded appearance or to reduce its overall size. Cut all branches that are not part of the scaffolding of the tree and are growing vertically, back to about 4-8 inches. Remove crossing branches as well. Cut off all shoots that are growing out of the tree's roots or the lower portion of the trunk below the graft union where the Meyer lemon was joined to the dwarfing rootstock. Choose the lowest scaffold branch so that it's higher than 3 feet from the ground. To encourage establishment and vigor, you may opt to remove all fruits as they appear for the first two years following planting. If the top of the tree is too thick, the lemons will struggle to ripen and develop.

how to prune a meyer lemon tree

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how to prune a meyer lemon tree 2020