How to Grow Lemon Trees Indoor

Lemon is an evergreen tree, has a pleasant aroma and yellow fruit has a sour taste. Although it grows best outdoors, yellow lemons can also be grown indoors if cared for properly. By meeting your tree’s needs, you can help acclimate it to your indoor environment, and soon your lemon tree will be growing fast and ready to bear fruit! ^{[1] X Research Source}

Table of Contents

Plant a tree

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Choose a Meyer lemon tree to grow indoors. Meyer lemons are the most adaptable plants to grow indoors. They produce many small or medium sized fruits and are quite easy to care for for novice growers. ^{[2] X Research Source}

The marble lemon tree also grows well in the indoor environment and is also easygoing for those who are not used to growing trees.
Buy lemon trees that are at least 2-3 years old, as seedlings may not do well indoors. Although you can grow lemon trees from seed, they are less adaptable to indoor environments and will not produce the same fruit as the parent plant. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Choose deep plastic pots to plant yellow lemon trees. Plastic pots are suitable for growing lemon trees because it makes it easy to move the tree when the seasons change and the light source changes. You need to use a deep plastic pot to keep the plant steady in the pot as it grows and bears fruit. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

The depth of the pot will determine the size the plant can reach. You should use pots with a capacity of at least 60 liters. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
Choose pots with drainage holes to prevent waterlogged plants.

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Choose a drip tray to fit the pot. Place a few pebbles on the plate and add some water before placing the pot on the plate. A dish with water will help maintain moisture around the plant. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

You can cut a piece of garden cloth and line the bottom of the pot so that the soil in the pot doesn’t drip onto the plate. Change the cloth when you plant to avoid blocking the drainage hole.

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Buy a slightly acidic potting mix. Lemongrass grows well in a mossy mixture, as the mixture is mildly acidic and drains well. You can purchase a moss-mist mix or other well-draining potting mix from a gardening center or nursery. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Soil for cacti is also good for citrus.

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Find a sunny location to plant. Lemon trees grow best when in direct sunlight for at least 8-12 hours a day. Choose a location near a window where the plant can receive sunlight throughout the day. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

If you live in a place that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight, you should install a grow light near the lemon tree and keep the lights on for up to 12 hours a day.

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Lift the plant out of the nursery pot and spread the roots. Use your hands to rub and gently separate the roots. This will help the roots spread faster, absorbing more water and nutrients in the soil. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Remember to be gentle to avoid damaging the roots or breaking the roots.

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Fill the pot half full with the soil mixture. Before planting, fill the pot with soil about half way up and level it out. This step will make it easier for the roots to penetrate the soil and keep the plant upright when you put it in. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Place the lemon tree in the pot. Place the lemon tree upright in the pot and pour the remaining soil into the pot. Compact the soil around the base of the tree, keeping the roots out of the ground. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Plant the lemon tree at the same depth as the old pot.
Avoid covering the trunk with soil, as this will put the plant at risk of a fungal infection.

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Water the plant immediately after planting. Moist soil will be more familiar to the lemon tree and benefit the tree in the acclimatization process. Water until the soil is moist but not soggy or waterlogged.

Take care of plant

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Water the plant every week. If the lemon tree does not have enough water, the natural salts it produces can accumulate in the soil. You should keep moisture in the soil but don’t allow it to become waterlogged to prevent root rot. ^{[12] X Research Source}

If using hard water from a faucet, you may need to lower the pH before watering your plants. Mixing 1 tablespoon (15ml) of white vinegar into 4 liters of water is an effective treatment.
If the leaves curl, it means the plant is in need of more water.

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Allow air to circulate around the plant. To simulate an outdoor environment, open a door or window near the plant in warm weather. If it’s too cold, you can place a rotating fan near the tree to help air circulate well. ^{[13] X Research Source}

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Fertilize the plant every few months. Lemon trees will do well if they are given plenty of nitrogen – you can find a nitrogen-rich fertilizer at most tree stores. Fertilize the plant every 3 weeks in spring and summer, and every 6 weeks in fall and winter. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Fertilizer NPK 2-1-1 is suitable for citrus trees.
Do not use fertilizers that contain alfalfa meal or cottonseed meal. Fertilizers with these ingredients can cause fungal infections.

Lemon harvest

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Pollinate the plant with a paintbrush. Indoor lemon plants are not pollinated by insects, so you must pollinate the tree to produce fruit. Use a brush to sweep the stamens and anthers in the center of the flower, then bring the pollen to the pistil located deep in the middle of the flower. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Do this once a day to ensure successful pollination. Lemon trees can usually harvest fruit after pollination about 6-9 months. ^{[19] X Research Source}
Lemon trees can produce fruit even if you don’t pollinate the tree, but lemons will grow larger if pollinated. ^{[20] X Research Source}

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Prune the lemons that grow into thick bunches. When a cluster of many small fruits appears on the tree, cut off 2/3 of the fruit to give the remaining 1/3 a chance to grow. Use pruning shears to carefully cut away excess lemons.

Clusters of berries can deplete the plant’s energy and cause the entire fruit on the tree to be stunted.
Many lemon trees will drop their fruit on their own. Wait a few months before removing the fruit from the tree.

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Use your thumb to check the ripeness of the lemon. When the lemons are big, press your thumb on the lemon peel. If the inside is soft and juicy, but not hard, it means you can harvest. ^{[21] X Research Source}

Lemons can stay on the tree for quite a while without being overripe.
Lemons usually stop growing when it’s time to harvest and are bright yellow. ^{[22] X Research Source}

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Cut the lemon from the branch with pruning shears. Use pruning shears to press off the lemon from the branch at the base of the fruit. If you don’t have pruning shears, you can pull the fruit off the tree with your hands. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

Cut or pluck the fruit gently to avoid damaging the tree.

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Store yellow lemons for 1-2 months on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator. After picking lemons, you can store them for 2-4 weeks on the table and 1-2 months in the refrigerator. Avoid slicing lemons before using, as cut lemons only last 2-3 days in the refrigerator. ^{[24] X Research Source}

If you want to store lemons longer, squeeze lemon juice into a jar, cover, and store in the refrigerator or freezer for 4-6 months.

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Prune the roots if the tree stops producing fruit. The roots of a potted lemon tree can bunch together, but some plants will stop producing fruit if the roots get too tightly entangled. You should lift the plant out of the pot and use a sharp knife to cut off 1.3 – 2.5 cm of the root outside the root ball.

Keep the roots moist by going around spraying them with water.
Replant the tree and prune about 1/3 of the foliage to balance with the roots.

Advice

If you live in a warm climate, you can take the potted plants outdoors or plant them in the garden. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

Things you need

Plastic pots
Acidic soil mix
Water
Nitrogen-rich fertilizer
Humidifier
Paintbrush
Tree pruning scissors
Plant lights (optional)

Steps

Plant a tree

Take care of plant

Lemon harvest

Advice

Things you need

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