Lemon Tree Life Cycle: How Long Do Lemon Trees Live
If you live in a tropical or subtropical climate where frosts are mild and infrequent, you can grow a lemon tree. These trees are not only beautiful, but they also fill the garden with delightfully fresh fragrance. Read on to find out about lemon tree lifespans and what you can do to get as many years as possible from your tree.
Lemon Tree Life Cycle
The average lifespan of lemon trees is over 50 years. With proper care and disease prevention practices, a vigorous tree can live over 100 years. Diseases can shorten the life of a lemon tree, but good care leads to a strong, healthy tree less susceptible to diseases. Here are a few tips to help you extend the life of your tree: Plant lemon trees in a location with eight or more hours of direct sunlight each day. Choose a site with loose, well-drained soil. Water the tree often enough to keep the soil from drying out until it is well-established in its new home. An established lemon tree has bright, shiny foliage, and it shows signs of new growth. Once established, the tree only needs water during prolonged dry spells. Fertilize the tree with a citrus fertilizer. This type of fertilizer provides everything a citrus tree needs, including all of the essential micronutrients. Prune the tree just enough to allow sunlight to reach the lower branches. Failure to thin the tree can lead to diseases. Watch the tree for broken or diseased branches and prune to remove problems as they occur. The lemon tree life cycle is simple. Two to five years after planting the trees bloom with fragrant flowers capable of fertilization. Each branch holds both male and female flowers. Bees are the primary pollinators, and if pollination is successful, the resulting fruit contains seeds.
How Long Do Lemon Trees live In Containers?
Lemon trees can live almost as long in containers as in the ground. For long container life, repot the tree into a larger container every one to one-and-a-half years. It is important to use fresh soil when planting in a new pot. When the tree reaches its maximum size, it won't need a larger pot but it still needs fresh soil.
Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and receive a free download of our DIY eBook "Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects For Fall And Winter".
Jackie Carroll has written over 500 articles for Gardening Know How on a wide range of topics.
-
5 Plastic Products To Avoid In Your Garden – And How You Can Embrace Plastic Reduction
The less plastic we use, the healthier our planet will be. Here are some big plastic gardening products to avoid, plus some alternatives.
By Mary Ellen Ellis
-
8 Small Trees For Front Yards – Boost Curb Appeal Without Dominating The House
Discover the best small trees for front yards, which make an impact in multiple seasons without overshadowing the rest of the yard.
By Mary Ellen Ellis
-
Eureka Pink Lemon Tree: How To Grow Variegated Pink Lemon Trees
Fans of the quirky and unusual will love the Eureka pink lemon tree. These plants are beautiful and unique versions of the standard lemon tree. This little oddity produces flesh with a fascinating characteristic. Click here for tips on how to grow variegated pink lemon.
By Bonnie L. Grant
-
Soft Lemon Fruit – Why Container Grown Lemons Have Gone Soft
Lemon trees produce marvelous fruit that is equally at home in sweet and savory recipes. But what happens if your lemons have gone soft? Lemons may get soft before they are ripe – be it soft lemons on a tree or soft lemon fruit that occurs during storage. Learn why here.
By Amy Grant
-
Lemon Blossom Drop – Why Is My Lemon Tree Losing Flowers
Environmental consistency is essential to flower and fruit set of lemon trees. Any sudden change can cause fruit or flower drop on lemon trees. Have you found yourself wondering: why is my lemon tree losing flowers? Click on this article for more information.
By Darcy Larum
-
Transplanting A Lemon Tree – Best Time To Transplant Lemon Trees
Lemon tree transplanting is a tricky prospect. Find out when the right time is to transplant lemon trees and other helpful information of lemon tree transplanting in this article before you take on this task. Click here for additional information.
By Amy Grant
-
No Flowers On Lemon Tree – Tips For Getting Lemon Trees To Bloom
Growing lemons is a tricky business, as one wrong move and you?ll find all your effort has been for nothing. Getting lemons to bloom is about balancing the plant?s needs. Learn about the various pieces in the blooming puzzle in this article.
By Kristi Waterworth
-
Repotting Lemon Trees: When Do You Repot Lemon Trees
Lemon trees grown in pots eventually outgrow their containers. When do you repot lemon trees? Click on the following article to find out when the best time to repot lemon trees is as well as how to repot a lemon tree.
By Amy Grant
-
Yellow Lemon Tree Foliage – Why Did Lemon Tree Leaves Turn Yellow
Lemon trees are a great addition to the landscape, but sometimes your trees will develop problems like yellow leaves. This common issue can result from several different causes, but most are simple to correct. Click here to learn more about yellow lemon tree foliage.
By Kristi Waterworth
-
Sweet Lemon Information: Tips On Growing Sweet Lemon Plants
There are a number of lemon trees out that claim to be sweet and, confusingly, several of them are just called "sweet lemon." One such sweet lemon fruit tree is called Citrus ujukitsu. Find out how to grow Citrus ujukitsu trees in this article.
By Amy Grant