Lemon Tree in a Container?

[Mika]

I've got a little lemon tree in a container inside. She's about a year old now and this is my first winter with her. Unfortunately she seems to be loosing a lot of leaves due to the low amount of light. I'm considering buying a grow light but I wonder if it would be better to let it regrow its leaves? I'm worried they might not grow back though! Have any of you guys ever grown a lemon tree indoors? I think it's a meyer lemon tree.

 

[Chuck]

I've got a little lemon tree in a container inside. She's about a year old now and this is my first winter with her. Unfortunately she seems to be loosing a lot of leaves due to the low amount of light. I'm considering buying a grow light but I wonder if it would be better to let it regrow its leaves? I'm worried they might not grow back though! Have any of you guys ever grown a lemon tree indoors? I think it's a meyer lemon tree.

A Meyer's lemon is one of the primo lemons of all time. They require a lot of sunlight. If it is loosing its leaves because of lack of light it will not regrow them and it will slowly die unless it is provided a lot of light to provide photosynthesis. I don't know what the size of the plant is but at a year old I would presume about 2-3 feet tall if you acquired it from a nursery. Grow lights will help but putting it in a sunlight situation, like in front of a southeast facing window will be much better. The more light the better whether from grow lights or the sun

 

[Mika]

A Meyer's lemon is one of the primo lemons of all time. They require a lot of sunlight. If it is loosing its leaves because of lack of light it will not regrow them and it will slowly die unless it is provided a lot of light to provide photosynthesis. I don't know what the size of the plant is but at a year old I would presume about 2-3 feet tall if you acquired it from a nursery. Grow lights will help but putting it in a sunlight situation, like in front of a southeast facing window will be much better. The more light the better whether from grow lights or the sun

Oh no. I'm definitely going to get it some grow lights soon then! You are correct about the height; it's about 2.5 ft tall. I have it in a south facing window right now but unfortunately that's the best I can do. I'll definitely get it some lights. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Chuck]

Oh no. I'm definitely going to get it some grow lights soon then! You are correct about the height; it's about 2.5 ft tall. I have it in a south facing window right now but unfortunately that's the best I can do. I'll definitely get it some lights. Thanks for the advice!

How large is the pot? Have you removed the plant from the pot to see if it is root bound or if there is girdling root affecting things?

 

[Mechanic]

Mika
Citrus are so very sensitive to changes in light conditions. Did you move it before it started leaf drop? Lemons are one of the most finicky citrus trees that I have grown. Grow lights will help recovery but try to keep a constant or gradual light changes so that it doesn't feel that it has to shed leaves to survive.

 

[Momhardatwork]

I think you are correct in trying to give it more light...even if it is with a grow light if this is the best you can do for now. I have been growing about 4 lemon trees from a container but the coldest it gets here is about 40 degrees F and it has been a very mild winter...so much so that I have been able to leave some of them out on my deck. Repotting may help as mentioned above. I have also been using egg shells crushed up and placed in the top layer of the soil and I believe this to be a good source of nutrients for the plants and they seem to perk up after 3-4 days. Good luck!

 

[Gina145]

I have also been using egg shells crushed up and placed in the top layer of the soil and I believe this to be a good source of nutrients for the plants and they seem to perk up after 3-4 days. Good luck!

I've got a few problem citrus trees too, so I think I'll have to try the egg shells next time we cook eggs. Will this help with other ailing plants too?

 

[gata montes]

I've got a little lemon tree in a container inside. She's about a year old now and this is my first winter with her. Unfortunately she seems to be loosing a lot of leaves due to the low amount of light. I'm considering buying a grow light but I wonder if it would be better to let it regrow its leaves? I'm worried they might not grow back though! Have any of you guys ever grown a lemon tree indoors? I think it's a meyer lemon tree.

Although lack of sunlight can cause lemon trees to lose their leaves - there are also several other causes too - such as too much fertilizer or over watering - but that said - one of the main causes of total leaf drop in lemon trees when grown inside is temperature fluctuation - particularly as they don't like warm centrally heated environments and especially areas where doors are constantly being opened and closed.

Oh and I would just add that as lemon trees prefer to be warm in summer but cool in winter - they are best grown in a non heated conservatory with plenty of bright light.

 

[Mika]

How large is the pot? Have you removed the plant from the pot to see if it is root bound or if there is girdling root affecting things?

It's in a two or three gallon container. I haven't removed it from the pot though. It's too cold to take it outside, and I don't want to make a huge mess inside. I put it in a cactus/fruit tree potting soil; therefore, it is less compact and tends to make a bigger mess.

Mika
Citrus are so very sensitive to changes in light conditions. Did you move it before it started leaf drop? Lemons are one of the most finicky citrus trees that I have grown. Grow lights will help recovery but try to keep a constant or gradual light changes so that it doesn't feel that it has to shed leaves to survive.

I did; however, it was a few months prior to it loosing leaves. I brought it in during late July, and it started loosing leaves in late November.

I think you are correct in trying to give it more light...even if it is with a grow light if this is the best you can do for now. I have been growing about 4 lemon trees from a container but the coldest it gets here is about 40 degrees F and it has been a very mild winter...so much so that I have been able to leave some of them out on my deck. Repotting may help as mentioned above. I have also been using egg shells crushed up and placed in the top layer of the soil and I believe this to be a good source of nutrients for the plants and they seem to perk up after 3-4 days. Good luck!

I can't use eggshells here due to our animals. If I put eggshells in any of the plants, our cat will dig them out. lol. I do give it Miracle Grow twice a month. I had some issues with it not growing when I first got it and that's what the seller told me I should do.

Although lack of sunlight can cause lemon trees to lose their leaves - there are also several other causes too - such as too much fertilizer or over watering - but that said - one of the main causes of total leaf drop in lemon trees when grown inside is temperature fluctuation - particularly as they don't like warm centrally heated environments and especially areas where doors are constantly being opened and closed.

Oh and I would just add that as lemon trees prefer to be warm in summer but cool in winter - they are best grown in a non heated conservatory with plenty of bright light.

The amount of fertilizer and watering has been consistent since I first got the plant. Well, within reason. Of course I give it more water now than I did when it was smaller. It a cactus/fruit tree soil which is supposed to drain better. The pot also has drainage holes with a container underneath.

The temperature stays fairly steady. It is set to 68 degrees. The room it is in has floor heat only. Warm gusts of air aren't the problem. It is on the second floor far away from the heating vents and doors (which are both only on the first floor).

 

[Chuck]

IMO from what has been said, the plant is starving. Being planted in a cactus medium mixed with a fruit tree mix??? Cactus mix is to allow for quick drainage. I haven't a clue what fruit tree mix is, if there is such a thing, because apple trees, pear trees, peach trees and citrus trees are all different. MiracleGro is just about the worst thing possible to use as an all purpose fertilizer. It is made to be used often and it leaves deposits of salts every time you use it. These same salts deplete the soil of organic matter and with the use of a cactus mix what little nutrients the tree was getting just drains out of the bottom or is blocked from the roots. IMO you should repot the tree into a much larger pot with a 50/50 mix of top quality compost and potting soil. You should throw away the chemical fertilizer and use an organic liquid fertilizer like HastaGro in conjunction with an organic granular fertilizer.

 

[gata montes]

Mika - as you mentioned that you have been fertilizing your tree twice a month and with Miracle Grow too - I'm thinking that could well be the reason why your tree has lost its leaves - as apart from the fact that feeding your tree twice a month is way, way too much - Miracle Grow is not the correct fertilizer either - especially as all citrus tree varieties and especially lemon trees - even when grown in a pot - only need to be fertilized once a year - preferably around February to March and with a potassium rich fertilizer rather than one with a high nitrogen content.

I would also add that if you are also watering your tree as often as you are fertilizing it - that could also be contributing too - as even in the driest of conditions and especially during the winter months - lemon trees generally require no more than a through monthly watering.

Although I would agree with what Chuck has said regarding re-potting - mainly because a change of soil would help get rid of the residue from the Miracle Grow - it doesn't really matter what you choose in terms of potting soil - as lemon trees will grow in almost any type of soil providing its very free draining and not too rich

 

[Mika]

IMO from what has been said, the plant is starving. Being planted in a cactus medium mixed with a fruit tree mix??? Cactus mix is to allow for quick drainage. I haven't a clue what fruit tree mix is, if there is such a thing, because apple trees, pear trees, peach trees and citrus trees are all different. MiracleGro is just about the worst thing possible to use as an all purpose fertilizer. It is made to be used often and it leaves deposits of salts every time you use it. These same salts deplete the soil of organic matter and with the use of a cactus mix what little nutrients the tree was getting just drains out of the bottom or is blocked from the roots. IMO you should repot the tree into a much larger pot with a 50/50 mix of top quality compost and potting soil. You should throw away the chemical fertilizer and use an organic liquid fertilizer like HastaGro in conjunction with an organic granular fertilizer.

It's not mixed, it's one mix that is supposed to be good for both. I was told they prefer soil that doesn't hold water as well or it would cause the roots to rot out. It's not like sand, it doesn't just run straight to the bottom. It just doesn't hold as much as generic potting soil. Also, it has a container on the bottom for it to suck the water back up.

I don't use the amount of MiracleGro that they recommend, it's diluted a lot more. I started using it because the tree simply wouldn't grow. For a few months it didn't even start to get a single leaf. I'll have to try finding a different fertilizer though. I was using MiracleGro because it was the only one I can find around here. I'll check online.

Also, I would prefer not putting it into a bigger container. The tree variety I bought is meant to remain pretty small. The supplier said I should leave it in a 1 gallon container, but I decided to pick a bigger one.

Mika - as you mentioned that you have been fertilizing your tree twice a month and with Miracle Grow too - I'm thinking that could well be the reason why your tree has lost its leaves - as apart from the fact that feeding your tree twice a month is way, way too much - Miracle Grow is not the correct fertilizer either - especially as all citrus tree varieties and especially lemon trees - even when grown in a pot - only need to be fertilized once a year - preferably around February to March and with a potassium rich fertilizer rather than one with a high nitrogen content.

I would also add that if you are also watering your tree as often as you are fertilizing it - that could also be contributing too - as even in the driest of conditions and especially during the winter months - lemon trees generally require no more than a through monthly watering.

Although I would agree with what Chuck has said regarding re-potting - mainly because a change of soil would help get rid of the residue from the Miracle Grow - it doesn't really matter what you choose in terms of potting soil - as lemon trees will grow in almost any type of soil providing its very free draining and not too rich

It's strange that it would start loosing its leaves now after so many months though. At first it wouldn't even grow without the Miracle grow. I don't use the amount recommended though, it's diluted a lot more. Which was also what I was told to do by the seller lol. I was told to use less fertilizer more often. Especially since it is in a container with potting soil.

I'll try cutting back on the watering. And finding a new fertilizer.