Now what, lemon tree?

[sanzfrancisco]

Hello, again tree people. I have a lemon tree that has hundreds of flowers at the moment. What is it that I need to do to make sure that I actually get some lemons this year? The past two years have not been particularly productive. Advice, please.

Many thanks,
janice

 

[Chuck]

Hello, again tree people. I have a lemon tree that has hundreds of flowers at the moment. What is it that I need to do to make sure that I actually get some lemons this year? The past two years have not been particularly productive. Advice, please.

Many thanks,
janice

Just make sure that it gets pollinated. If the plant is outside don't worry. If inside you will have to do it by hand or move the tree outside for awhile. If you move it outside make sure it doesn't get sunburned

 

[sanzfrancisco]

Hey there Chuck. Soooo, my tree is outside and has always been. Seems the pollination is the problem. My neighbors lemon tree is full of lemons, but as I mentioned, my tree has been bereft of lemons for a number of years. What can I do??

 

[Chuck]

Hey there Chuck. Soooo, my tree is outside and has always been. Seems the pollination is the problem. My neighbors lemon tree is full of lemons, but as I mentioned, my tree has been bereft of lemons for a number of years. What can I do??

What variety of lemon is it? Has it been fertilized? Has it been pruned? Does the tree abort baby lemons or does the tree not make baby lemons? Do the blooms fall off without any sign of lemons occurring. How old is the tree and has it ever produced lemons?

 

[treeguy]

Have you ever had lemons from this tree?

 

[sanzfrancisco]

It's a Meyer lemon tree, and it produced quite a few lemons when it was young.

What variety of lemon is it? Has it been fertilized? Has it been pruned? Does the tree abort baby lemons or does the tree not make baby lemons? Do the blooms fall off without any sign of lemons occurring. How old is the tree and has it ever produced lemons?

(I guess it's about 9 years old by now.) Some of the flowers just drop, and many baby lemons abort. Yes, it's fertilized, but no it hasn't been pruned for a while.

 

[Chuck]

It's a Meyer lemon tree, and it produced quite a few lemons when it was young.


(I guess it's about 9 years old by now.) Some of the flowers just drop, and many baby lemons abort. Yes, it's fertilized, but no it hasn't been pruned for a while.

I have never heard of a healthy citrus tree not ever producing fruit or dropping all of its embryonic fruit year after year. Your tree looks healthy, lots of new growth and a good color. Your neighbors tree produces so it is not a matter of pollinators. It produces blooms and baby lemons. So, all the prerequisites are there, what's left? All that is left is either insects such as thrips and/or citrus mites or a nutritional problem. I would say its nutritional and probably a lack of some trace mineral. So here is what I'd do. I would first clean up all the weeds under and around the tree and then I'd fertilize heavily with an organic citrus fertilizer. Then I would foliar spray with liquid seaweed and do a heavy soil drench with it also. You might also prune out a few interior branches and remove any deadwood. Then all you can do is observe closely any changes in the tree.

 

[sanzfrancisco]

I have never heard of a healthy citrus tree not ever producing fruit or dropping all of its embryonic fruit year after year. Your tree looks healthy, lots of new growth and a good color. Your neighbors tree produces so it is not a matter of pollinators. It produces blooms and baby lemons. So, all the prerequisites are there, what's left? All that is left is either insects such as thrips and/or citrus mites or a nutritional problem. I would say its nutritional and probably a lack of some trace mineral. So here is what I'd do. I would first clean up all the weeds under and around the tree and then I'd fertilize heavily with an organic citrus fertilizer. Then I would foliar spray with liquid seaweed and do a heavy soil drench with it also. You might also prune out a few interior branches and remove any deadwood. Then all you can do is observe closely any changes in the tree.

Thanks a bunch, Chuck. I will do what you suggest, and keep watch.