Even in northern climates and in the dead of winter, a productive lemon tree can be growing inside of your home or garage. They are quite beautiful in appearance, both in regard to their dark-green leaves and their snow-white blooms, and they also emit a pleasant, refreshing fragrance.
Here are instructions on growing your own citrus fruits:
It is recommended to buy a baby tree (2-3 years old) to get the best results with your lemons. Buy a clay or a plastic pot (with a lot of holes in the bottom), and make sure that it’s a bit larger than the actual root ball of your baby tree (as the tree grows, it might need a pot that’s about 12-15 inches deep, and 17-20 inches in diameter) . Put your baby tree in the pot, and fill the drainage container with stones to improve air flow. Fill up your pot with soil, but remember that some soils are specifically prepared for growing citrus fruits, and it is more likely that they will give better results.
These are basically all the preparations you need. Your tree needs about 8-10 hours of sunlight a day, and regular watering (be careful not to over-water). Lemons usually need about 6-9 months to ripen, so when they have a full color and a slight give to their touch – you’re all set.
You can also grow one from a seed
To grow your own lemon tree, you will need the following things:
– An organic lemon because non-organic lemons often contain non-germinating seeds
– Fertile potting soil, preferably containing vermiculite, peat, perlite, and natural fertilizers
– One planting pot (six inches wide and six inches deep)
– One seedling pot (24 inches wide by 12 inches deep)
– A sunny, indoor growing location and possibly a grow lamp
Follow these steps to grow your own lemon tree:
– Moisten the potting soil so that it becomes damp all the way through, but don’t soak it.
– Fill the smaller pot with soil, all the way up to an inch below the rim.
– Open a lemon and remove a seed. Remove all of the pulp from the seed’s surface. You can do this by sucking it until it is clean.
– You must plant it immediately. The seed must still be moist when it is buried into the soil. Plant the seed about half an inch deep in the middle of the pot.
– Use a spray bottle filled with water to gently spray the soil that is directly above the seed.
– Cover the pot with clear plastic wrap, use a good rubber band to seal the edges, and poke small holes in the top with a pencil.
– Put the pot in a warm, sunny location.
– Occasionally spray it with water, don’t allow the soil to dry out. The soil should be kept somewhat moist, so don’t over-water it.
– A sproutling should emerge after about two weeks. Then, take the plastic covering off. If you don’t have enough light for your lemon plant, you can use a grow light to supplement the sun’s light.
These two easy ways will provide you with delicious citrus fruits on your table without much work.
Source: healthylifetricks.com