When life gives you lemons, make lemonade — but what about when life does not give you lemons? Well, you make the lemons yourself (with a bit of soil, gardening and patience for about 15 years!). Growing a lemon tree is no easy feat, but if you’re in it for the long haul, it can be a beautiful, rewarding and delicious fruit tree. Lemon trees can grow outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 11, while some types can thrive indoors. If you live in a warmer state where a tree can be grown outside year-round or have the space for one to be brought indoors in the colder months, see the expert-approved guidelines below for growing a lemon tree (plus methods that helped my family grow one in recent years). How to grow a lemon tree from a seedTake the seeds from a lemon.Choose a bright yellow lemon that’s free from bruising and blemishes to harvest the seeds from. Peel the lemon like an orange or carefully (emphasis on carefully!) cut the lemon in half without splitting the seeds with your knife. Rinse the seeds to clean them and place them aside to fully dry. Plant your seeds.Immediately after drying, plant the seeds into plug trays for seedlings or a small pot about half an inch to an inch deep into the soil. The containers should drain well and the soil should be kept moist. Properly care for the plant.Grow your plant in the right conditions, including tons of sunlight, warm temperatures and humid air (more on those below!).Move it to a larger space.Once the plant is bigger, you can transport it outside or to a larger pot. The Old Farmer’s Almanac suggests using a pot with excellent drainage at a half-barrel size (at least 15-gallon containers will be suitable for most lemon trees). “If you’re planting a lemon tree in a large pot, be sure it has a hole in the bottom and that the soil has enough drainage so the water doesn’t pool up in the pot,” says Ryan McEnaney, author of Field Guide to Outside Style, and spokesperson for Endless Summer Hydrangeas and First Editions Shrubs & Trees.Reminder: You can always start a lemon tree with a baby tree, rather than from a seed. This will significantly cut down the wait time for how long until a lemon appears. “These small trees come in containers. Look for healthy leaves and roots,” according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. BECOME A GREEN THUMB!SrdjanPav//Getty ImagesHow to care for a lemon treeSunlightThe Old Farmer’s Almanac states that lemon trees need at least six hours of sunlight per day, but the trees can thrive with even more. “Lemon trees love light — the more the better. Twelve to 14 hours a day is best during the growing season,” says Marvin Pritts, professor and director of Undergraduate Studies of the Plant Sciences Major in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University. “Because they don’t need to go dormant over the winter, they can be treated like an indoor plant if they get enough sunlight to produce fruit,” says McEnaney, who recommends placing the pot in an area that gets at least eight hours of sunlight with a southern exposure if possible. You can also use a grow light for indoor plants to help on cloudy days. WaterPritt recommends watering once every two or three days if the tree is in a small pot, but less frequently in a larger pot and only once a week outdoors in the ground during the growing season. “Lemon trees typically don’t need daily watering, as they don’t like to be overly saturated,” McEnaney says. The goal is to keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet. “Let the soil dry completely before watering — too much water can be detrimental,” Pritt says. McEnaney suggests sticking your finger in the dirt up to your knuckle to see if the soil is evenly moist or starting to dry out. If it’s the latter, then it’s time to water. “When watering, give it a good soak until you see water draining out the bottom of the pot. Let it drain through and soak it one more time until it starts draining again,” McEnaney explains. Plants in pots can dry out faster, so you may have to water a potted tree more often than an outdoor lemon tree. SoilThe Old Farmer’s Almanac says it’s best to plant the seeds in a container with good draining and slightly acidic soil (look for premixed soil specific for citrus trees or regular potting mix with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5).Olena Malik//Getty ImagesPruningWe pruned our tree’s branches to prevent them from crossing over one another, which can prevent proper airflow and disrupt growth. Pruning can also be used for an aesthetic purpose: My dad did not want the lemon tree to form into a bush shape, so we cut the bottom branches off to ensure it had more of a “tree” appearance. Pollination Pritt says that manual pollination is important if you are growing it indoors. “When the tree flowers, pollen will have to be moved around the flowers with a paintbrush — mimicking a bee — to obtain fruit,” he explains. You can also gently shake the flowers to get the pollen to spread around the pot. Fertilizing”During the growing season, from spring through fall, feed your lemon tree with a balanced fertilizer or a pre-made mix for citrus,” McEnaney says. Be sure to follow the package instructions for how much and how often to fertilize, but he says you’ll typically want to space out feedings about three times per year. “This will ensure the tree has enough nutrients to grow and produce lemons,” he explains. Pritt recommends mixing slow-release fertilizer in the soil or potting mix before planting. You can do this in the soil of the larger pot when you are ready to transport from the plug trays. “Since they keep their leaves all year long, fertilization should occur every two to three months,” says Pritt, who suggests fertilizing more frequently when the trees are growing the fastest (AKA, spring and summer). However, McEnaney suggests stopping fertilization during the winter when it’s not actively growing. How often you fertilize will ultimately depend on the type of lemon tree you choose to grow and the type of fertilizer you use. Common types of lemon treesBarbara Rich//Getty ImagesMeyer Lemon Tree: This is one of the most popular varieties for at-home gardeners. “The fruit is typically a bit smaller, great for growing in a pot and has a nice, sweet taste,” McEnaney shares. The Old Farmer’s Almanac describes this variety as a prolific tree that can grow fruit while in a container. A full-size Meyer lemon tree grows around 10 to 15 feet tall and a dwarf Meyer lemon tree grows only 6 to 10 feet, making it an even better option for indoor gardening. Eureka Lemon Tree: Chances are you’ve spotted Eureka lemons at your local grocery store. Dwarf Eureka lemon trees are a more suitable option for those looking to plant a tree in a pot. Eureka lemons’ juice and zest are typically used for cooking due to their sweet and tart flavor that’s too sour and acidic to eat directly. Harvey Lemon Trees: In my house, we are growing a Harvey Lemon Tree in a pot. This is a less common option but a great pick for those who live in colder areas, as it can withstand temperatures as low as 20 degrees. However, you still shouldn’t plant it outdoors unless you live in USDA zones 8 to 11. My family’s tree is placed inside during the colder months since we live in New York and has shed a decent amount of leaves, but it stays small enough to be transported indoors when necessary.Isabella Cavallo / Good Housekeeping InstituteOur lemon tree outside when it was a small tree. Isabella Cavallo / Good Housekeeping InstituteOur lemon tree grown bigger and placed indoors for the winter. Lisbon Lemon Trees: Producing one of the most popular lemons globally, Lisbon lemon trees grow on evergreen trees that are about 10 to 13 feet tall. They are ideal for their tolerance of colder temperatures and can grow in USDA hardiness zones 2 to 11 when moved indoors (and only 9 to 11 if kept outdoors). Plus, the lemons grow inside the tree’s canopy, which is a unique trait that protects the lemons from harsher weather. Things to keep in mind:Temperature and local weather: Lemon trees thrive in warm, hot climates. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to grow a lemon tree if you live in a colder environment, but it will make it a bit more complicated and you will either need space indoors (where it still receives sunlight!) or a greenhouse to keep it living through the winter. They thrive best in temperatures ranging from 70 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but should otherwise be moved indoors. “They can be outside for the summer, but they cannot tolerate freezing or even cold temperatures for very long. In the winter, they will benefit from supplemental light,” says Pritt. The height: Depending on the type of lemon tree you choose, it can grow up to 20 feet tall. “These trees can grow 10 to 20 feet tall and 5 to 15 feet wide, so give them plenty of room to stretch out,” McEnaney says. The Old Farmer’s Almanac says semi-dwarf trees will need an eight-by-eight foot space. Dwarf trees, like the Meyer lemon tree, only grow six to 10 feet tall, but since they grow in a shrub shape, they need up to a 10-by-10 space — or you can prune the bottom to keep it in a small pot. Common Pests: “If you’re growing indoors, be on the lookout for any pests, just like you would any other houseplant,” McEnaney warns. Plus, insects can be brought into your home from the outdoors, so be sure to check the plant for pests at the end of the summer season. The Old Farmer’s Almanac says to watch out for whiteflies, aphids, scale, spider mites and thrips. Periodically cleaning the tree can help with preventing indoor pests. “But remember that this is an edible plant, so don’t spray any chemicals that you don’t want to ingest,” McEnaney says. Instead, he recommends cleaning the leaves with plain water or spraying a natural insecticidal soap as needed. He also notes that good airflow is the key to preventing disease, so make sure to keep the pot in a room with suitable sunlight, humidity and airflow. Related StoriesIsabella (she/her) covers commerce and product-related content in the home, lifestyle, fitness, technology and beauty. She graduated from Binghamton University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in English: Literature & Rhetoric. Before joining GH, she was an editorial assistant at Prevention, where she covered health topics and celebrity news. More
