Getty Images/Ekaterina Varnakova
Growing plants from seeds is incredibly satisfying.
Dont expect a bounty of lemons.
Growing aLemon treefrom seed can take 10 years, and the fruit may not be tasty.
Credit:Getty Images/Ekaterina Varnakova
But the tree and its flowers are a nice reward instead of supermarket produce.
(If you want fruit sooner, choose a tree from a garden center or nursery.)
Plant the seeds as soon as possible after cutting them from a lemon, and youll be surprised.
Inhale the divine scent of those blossomsa combination ofjasmineand citrus.
Note that lemon trees are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.
However, lemon treesgrown from seedmake beautiful hybrid houseplants with glossy leaves and sweet-scented blooms.
The trees wont grow and fruit the same as their parents.
Not knowing what to expect is part of the fun of growing them.
Give them a warm, sunny location, and keep the soil moist.
Use grow lights to give them sunny conditions, or place them outside in full sun.
Place containers in an indoor location receiving bright light, such as a south- or west-facing window.
Use agrow light indoorsto provide sufficient lighting if needed.
Soil
Plant seeds in well-draining soil.
The plants do not like soggy soil, which can lead to root rot.
Water
Take care to water seedlings and young plants carefully.
Lemons require moist soil but should never be soggy.
Allow the soil surface to dry between waterings, then water the container deeply.
Do not allow pots to sit in trays of water.
Temperature and Humidity
Lemon trees like heat and humidity and dont do well in colder climates.
They do well with indoor temperatures and thrive between 55F and 85F.
Bring outdoor plants indoors when temperatures take a dip.
Types of Lemon Trees
Pruning
Young plants may not branch readily.
As plants grow, you may notice thorns developing at the nodes, especially on fruiting stems.
This is perfectly normal.
Thorns can be pruned off if desired.
Lemon trees can also bepruned at any timeto shape plants.
How To Grow Lemons From Seeds
Lemons grow quite easily from freshly harvested seeds.
Unlike vegetable plants, citrus seeds do not tolerate drying out and should be planted as soon as possible.
Use a container with drainage holes to allow excess water to drain away.
Water the soil until evenly moistened, then cover pots with plastic to retain moisture until the seeds germinate.
Place containers in a warm location, around 70 F, until the seeds germinate.
Monitor soil moisture, keeping it moist but not soggy.
Light is not essential until seedlings emerge, which can take two to three weeks.
Lemons are well adapted to indoor temperatures and thrive between 55F and 85F.
Clay pots are ideal, as they allow excess moisture to evaporate from soils.
Deeper containers are preferred to shallow ones.
ensure the pot has drainage holes and usewell-draining soilthat has been amended with organic matter.
Plant the seedling and water it, keeping the soil moist and not soggy.
Keep indoors year-round or plant outdoors in zones 9-11.
As plants grow, they can be moved into larger containers every one to two years.
Be sure to bring them back indoors when temperatures begin to drop.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Lemon trees arent immune to pests and diseases.
Small spots on leaves that enlarge and turn yellow could indicate the plant is affected by citrus canker.
Give the infected plant a lot of full sun and treat it with fungicide.
Flowering plants do not always produce fruit.
Outdoors, lemonblooms are pollinated by insects.
When grown indoors, lemons may need a bit of help to set fruit.
you’ve got the option to also use a paintbrush to move pollen from flower to flower.
Dry seeds may germinate, but it depends on how much time has passed.
If possible, start with fresher seeds, rinse, and soak overnight.
These are best propagated by cuttings.
It takes years for lemon trees grown from seed to mature and produce fruit.
The payoff of waiting so long is that they will live for more than 50 years.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.Lemon.
