Meyer Lemon Tree

Citrus fruits like Meyer lemons, Kaffir limes, oranges and kumquats are some of the best plants that can be grown at home in your backyard or in containers. The best thing about these citrus fruit trees is that their tangy fruits can be enjoyed by pickling, making lemonades and in salad dressings. Growing a Meyer lemon tree at home is not very difficult and once you plant it, it will begin to give you fruits in profusion within a very short time.

A Meyer lemon tree is about 6 to 10 feet in height and has small dark green and shiny leaves. The flowers of the plant are white and purple and are quite fragrant. The citrus fruit of the Meyer lemon tree i.e., the Meyer lemon, is round in shape with a deep yellow color and its skin is thinner than ordinary lemons. The Meyer lemon develops an orange color when it is ripe and is sweeter, almost orange like in taste, as it has less acidity. A Meyer lemon tree grows well in tropical climate and a tree which is propagated through seedling starts giving fruits in about four years. Many dwarf Meyer lemon trees are also available which are just right for growing indoors as well as for outdoor gardening.

How to Grow a Meyer Lemon Tree Indoors

For those of you who live in an apartment and would like to see some greenery, growing a Meyer lemon tree in a container will be the most rewarding. Purchase the dwarf lemon tree variety of Meyer lemon as they are the most suitable for growing in containers. Select a medium sized container or terracotta pot and make some holes at the bottom of the pot or container for drainage. Place some bits of broken terracotta over the holes and fill the container with good potting soil. Mix the soil with some slow release fertilizer so that the plant can get all essential nutrients. Now make a hole in the middle of the soil in the container and plant the Meyer tree in it, making sure that you do not destroy the roots. Add more soil around the hole and add some compost to it. Now water it generously and place the pot in a place where it can receive plenty of sunshine.

Water the Meyer lemon plant at least once a week. Once the plant matures, it will bear fruit in two to three years. The lemon fruit appears as light green which turns a yellow-orange as it ripens. Meyer lemon tree pruning should be restricted to cutting back branches that grow too much in height and to remove dead or damaged wood. Pruning citrus trees is really not that much required as in container gardening they do not grow to too much height. Avoid over-watering the Meyer lemon plant in your enthusiasm as too much water will simply damage the plant and make it rot.

There are some important Meyer lemon tree care that you should remember if you want a good harvest of tasty Meyer lemons. Choose a superior quality Meyer lemon plant for growing in containers from a reliable nursery and also choose the biggest container that you possibly can for planting it. Small containers will hinder the growth of the tree as well as damage the root system. Use good quality potting soil that is a mixture of compost and soil and make sure that the soil is dry and alkaline. Carefully observe the plant and if you see yellowing leaves or the leaves are shedding too soon, this will indicate that the plant is suffering from poor drainage or is exposed to cold drafts and winds. To combat these problems you need to replant the plant and shift the container to a sunny place.

If you follow all these guidelines while planting a Meyer lemon tree, you are sure to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Meyer lemons are one of the best citrus fruits and they can be used in many different ways.