By Obiabin Onukwugha
When you think of lemons, you probably imagine them growing in massive, sprawling trees in warm-weather orchards. But the truth is that you can have a fruit-producing lemon tree at home even if you don’t have a large yard to plant them.
Lemons contain nutrients that may help support your cardiovascular health and protect against kidney stones and anemia, among other benefits. Lemons are high in vitamin C, fiber, and various beneficial plant compounds. These nutrients are responsible for several health benefits.
It has also been found that lemon can ease stress and reduce high blood pressure when boiled and taken cold, one glass cup twice daily for three days.
You can start your lemon tree at home in a container that measures just half a foot, upgrade it to a foot-wide pot at maturity, and still expect a few fruits on the branches at the end of the growing season.
Like other citrus plants, lemon trees need little to survive and even thrive. Once you’ve bought or assembled the optimal potting mix, all you need is giving the trees enough light, consistent moisture, and annual pruning to keep their growth in check.
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First, if you’re starting with a young planting from the nursery, a pot with a 12-inch diameter will suffice. Since lemon trees like acidic soil that drains well, fill the pot with one-third perlite, one-third peat, and one-third sterile potting soil. This helps it shed excess water, while the peat adds acidity. You can substitute perlite with vermiculite, which also aids aeration and drainage.
Lemon trees need to get full sun for at least six to eight hours daily, so find a bright location for the pot indoors. Apart from being bright, the location should have an ambient air temperature of roughly 65 degrees Fahrenheit to encourage growth.
Lemon trees need adequate irrigation to thrive, and you can use your finger to check if the tree needs watering. If the soil feels dry to a depth of 2 inches, add water to the growing medium. Likewise, fertilize the plant with food made for plants that like acid during its growing season.
Indoor lemon trees do need pruning if you want to keep them from growing too big a canopy. To give these trees the desired shape, you can cut them down to the lateral branches.
It is important that you look out for shoots that have had time to harden, cut them, and place them in a container with a well-moistened potting medium.
Once the roots extend beyond an inch, transplant them to a pot with the same type of medium you’re using for adult plants. Alternatively, you can also try to grow lemon trees from seed.
