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Garden Gate:  Lemon tree inside - caring for it?  |
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CherryPie
True Blue Farmgirl
935 Posts
Kimberly Ann
Puyallup
WA
USA
935 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 11:26:50 AM
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I brought my Improved Meyer Lemon tree inside for the winter and I need some tips for caring for it. Right now, it has a bunch of fragrant blossoms on it, a few small green lemons and one yellow lemon - but hardly any leaves. I'm watering it lightly twice a week and it sits next to a window. What should I be doing to keep my investment going through the winter? Given this is the Northwest, my lemon tree will spend more time inside than outside!
Thanks!
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 11:54:36 AM
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My Momma lives in Missouri, and brings her Meyer Lemon Tree in every year, I will ask her and get back to you.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 5:48:48 PM
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Hey! I've got one too, and I'm over on the east side of WA. Mine is hmmm 6 or 7 years old now? Watch carefully for mites. Don't over water in the winter, gently dust/wipe the leaves with a damp cloth as needed, your lack of leaves makes me wonder if it has enough nutrition. A bit of epsom salts in water can help. I'd need to see a photo to do a better diagnosis. Sounds like you are doing well if it has fruit and blossoms. The leaf-drop may be due to supporting the new life and sacrificing the leaves to do it. Your tree may be "gasping". Bare branches are not good. A bit of stress can jerk it into "produce leaves mode". Grab a branch and gently shake, supporting the fruit, or harvest the fruit, or use now to prune some branches for shape (also, lower branches produce more for some odd reason). All these things can be the shock to get it producing leaves again. No leaves=no food. Think about what conditions are like in the tropics...dry season vs. wet season. Winter is dry season for lemons. Don't over water. Let the soil dry between waterings...how often depends on your soil mix/indoor humidity. And take what I advise with what you know of plants in your area, and double check with a good local nursery. I know this works for my tree here, but yours might be different.
We make a difference. |
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CherryPie
True Blue Farmgirl
935 Posts
Kimberly Ann
Puyallup
WA
USA
935 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 10:43:34 PM
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I'll post a picture of my tree tomorrow - I really appreciate the advice!
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher |
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CherryPie
True Blue Farmgirl
935 Posts
Kimberly Ann
Puyallup
WA
USA
935 Posts |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17476 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17476 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2009 : 09:35:46 AM
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hey Kim,
I use to live in SO Calif.(Ventura CO)...and the area I lived in was well know for strawberries, avacodo & lemons....primary crops....lemon trees fair well in dry hot regions, humidity is not their friend!
humidity = mold...also they don't need or like a lot of water...over watering will cause leaf drop.
Your tree does look good though....do you feed it? You will need a Citrus/Avacado feed/fertilizer....that may be all you need to get it to leaf up.
Let the soil dry out between waterings & for sure, try giving it a 'kick' with epsom salt like Michelle suggested. Oh and for sure a sunny spot that gets 6hours of warm bright sun light makes for a happy tree.
Let Michelle & me know when you harvest & squeeze your first pitcher of lemonade,,,we'll be right over! lol!
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom.
"I've never met a sewing machine I didn't like!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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CherryPie
True Blue Farmgirl
935 Posts
Kimberly Ann
Puyallup
WA
USA
935 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 07:17:16 AM
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Thanks everyone!! I will definitely try your advice.
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 08:25:39 AM
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well, I took to long, Graces advice is what my Mama said, so there ya go, lol.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17476 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17476 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 09:44:55 AM
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You can take the Gal (me) outta California,,,but ya can't take the California outta the (me) Gal! lol!
I sure miss my avacodo,lemon, apricot & almond trees back in Moorpark....sigh!
But I am learning new ways to garden up here in the Inland Northwest thanx to all the wonderful gals up here. :>)
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom.
"I've never met a sewing machine I didn't like!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 4:21:58 PM
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How long ago did you buy it? Wondering if it was given a time-release super fertilizer that made it look gorgeous and go into heavy production mode, only to run out of energy and start dropping leaves and dying.
It needs fertilizer and epsom salts. Are the leaves yellowing and dropping off? Or dropping off green? Hold one up to the light...when you look through it, do you see darker areas/spots and lighter areas? If you can't find one for citrus, one for Azalias/camelias (check the fine print, it may say citrus too) would probably do the trick, and be more likely to turn up on the shelf in our area.
We make a difference. |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 4:29:33 PM
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Grace, I wish I lived in that part of California that grows citrus and avacados, wait, no I don't, I love my farm/ranch and my cold winters. i wish they would come out with cold hardy citrus/avacados, sigh...
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17476 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17476 Posts |
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Gloria Bonde
True Blue Farmgirl
103 Posts
Gloria
Hot Springs
SD
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 3:04:52 PM
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I've had a dwarf lemon tree growing upstairs in the south window for several years. After the last freeze date I take it outside. And, I bring it in before the first fall freeze. Outside, the porch is a better place for it, than the garden. This year the squirrels took off two of the lemons! They dropped them not far off from where they took them. I also grow a dwarf kumquat with it's pretty totally edible fruit. I just put a plumeria upstairs. I got the plumeria from my brother who lives in California. We live in South Dakota. It looks like it is doing fine. The lemon blooms all winter and will set about 3 fruits during the winter. They are huge. 13oz (I weighed it on my postal scale) Enjoy
www.ahealthygardener.com |
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Cindy Lou
True Blue Farmgirl
2325 Posts
Susan
Lonsdale
MN
USA
2325 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 3:11:28 PM
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I'm so glad I found this thread! We got a Meyer lemon plant and two lime trees this past spring. They did great outside this summer. It was pretty dry but I watered them occasionally. I brought them in before frost and appreciate any hints about keeping them healthy. We hope to eventually have a greenhouse but for now they sit in front of a south facing window. Would it help to have a full spectrum light for them too?
"You can't roller skate in a buffalo herd.....
But you can be happy if you've a mind to. All you've gotta do in knuckle down, buckle down and do it, do it, do it!" |
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Shirley
True Blue Farmgirl
734 Posts
Shirley
Olympia
Wa
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Nov 09 2009 : 12:33:31 AM
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I also got a meyer lemon this spring (QVC) hehe
It grew a little outside this summer, but didnt bloom, do they need a pollenizer to bear fruit? It was the whole set-up with soil and fertilizer ,so it should be ok for awhile.they said it would have lemons on it in the winter. but it doesnt have any blooms.
It now in my sunroom. Kimberly ,at least you have some blooms and stuff.
Shirley |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17476 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17476 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2009 : 11:02:18 AM
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hey Shirley,
hmmm, was it a grafted tree or a self pollenator?
I never worried about mine(back in Calif) but then it was out side across from the Avacado, almond & apple trees... but they dooooo need long hours of sun light.
Does the tag/paperwork have a www. site you can go to?
I have never bought plants from QVC, crafting suppies yes, but not plants.
Let us know what you come up with.
hugz
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom.
"I've never met a sewing machine I didn't like!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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CherryPie
True Blue Farmgirl
935 Posts
Kimberly Ann
Puyallup
WA
USA
935 Posts |
Posted - Nov 29 2009 : 08:01:19 AM
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Well, my tree is still going. It put out a ton of blossoms, then dropped those after a few weeks. Still not very many leaves, though there are some, but the green lemons seem to be growing, so I guess that is good. I have it by my sliding glass door, so it gets some sun (eastern, but that's all I have for it).
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher
http://beesinourbonnetsintheburbs.blogspot.com/ |
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Gloria Bonde
True Blue Farmgirl
103 Posts
Gloria
Hot Springs
SD
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2009 : 3:39:49 PM
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My lemonn has been upstairs in a south window with no additional light now for 2 months. I take it out in the spring. It is full of buds which came on since it has been upstairs. After the flowers start blooming I use a tiny makeup brush and tap the different flowers. I don't know if that is what pollinates them or not, but it always sets fruit. I do try to give it a little fertilizer about once a month. It is very easy to grow. And, the scent of the flowers - love it-Gloria
www.ahealthygardener.com |
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Garden Gate: Lemon tree inside - caring for it? |
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Lemon tree inside - caring for it?
