How would you like to have fresh lemons whenever you wanted no matter where you live?
If you answered yes, take a look at how to grow a dwarf lemon tree, and why you might want to!
Why a Dwarf Lemon Tree?
Not all of us have the luxury of living where citrus tree can be grown. With these dwarf lemon trees, they stay small. This means you can grow them in a planter. If you live in an area with harsh winters, you can simply bring your lemon tree inside and it will survive!
Another reason to choose a dwarf lemon tree is that the flowers that grow on them smell amazing. This is definitely a huge plus for the first few years when you don't get any lemons.
How to Grow a Dwarf Lemon Tree
1. Don't overwater
I made this mistake early on, and some of the leaves started to fall off. Also, make sure the planter/pot has good drainage as the roots are prone to rotting.
Once a week is more than enough!
2. Sunlight Lover
This tree loves sunlight, but during the winter time it would die if left outside (at least in some locations). When you do move your lemon tree indoors, find a spot that has a lot of direct and indirect sunlight.
If this is not an option, a grow lamp would be a thing to buy. This ensures it is getting some sunlight.
3. Humidity
Lemon trees naturally grow where it is hot and humid. While some days are perfectly hot and humid, other days not so much.
What seems to work perfectly for replicating humidity is a spray bottle. All you have to do is spray the leave every couple of days.
This is also extremely important during the winter time, because the heater in your house will make the air dry. In the winter time, you could also place your lemon tree near a humidifier (we run ours all winter long).
4. Temperature
This lemon tree is tough! The only thing to remember when it comes to temperature is it cannot survive cold weather. When the temperature outside starts consistently getting lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it's a good idea to bring it inside.
5. Big enough planter
A dwarf lemon tree will still grow, just not to the size of a full-grown lemon tree. This is why it's important to remember to change the planter as it needs.
When you start to see the lemon tree's roots coming up the top of the plant and no more soil can be added to your planter, it's time!
Related: Favorite Planters on Etsy
So, if you live in a place where citrus trees don't grow, grow your own! A dwarf lemon tree stays small enough to be left in a planter and moved inside and out with ease.
Just remember not to overwater, provide plenty of sunlight, spray it with water, and make sure it has a planter big enough. Have you ever grown a citrus tree in a planter before? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks!
jean says
Some years ago (3) we bought a dwarf lemo tree. WellI went and purchased citrus fertilizer. I watered it once a week. To our surprise, the dwarf plant got huge and bore lot and lots of lemon. We were told at the shop it was a dwarf lemon tree. My daugher told me it was because I over nourished the plant. To this day I have no idea what went wrong. I got some seeds from a friend and I want to see if I can grow a dwarf lemon tree. Jean
She's Your Friend says
Well, depending on where you plant them dwarf lemon trees can get up 8-12 feet tall at maturity while a regular lemon tree can get to about 15-20 feet tall under the right conditions.
I haven't heard about over nourishing, usually if a tree gets too much fertilizer it will kill it.
If you are wanting to keep the lemon tree small, it would require pruning the tree and the roots. Hope this helps Jean!