You are happily growing lemon trees and not finding any difficulty because of the delightful flavor lemons give to your garden and the care you give to your tree when fertilizing lemon trees.
A lemon tree produces flavorful fruits, which, after a few years, you will get to enjoy squeezing out the lemonade from your lemons.
Lemons are heavy feeders, so fertilizing lemon trees is essential for them to thrive, produce blooms and fruits. You might know how to grow a lemon tree but not sure about feeding it with nutrients.
Suppose your tree looks healthy but doesn’t have lemons, and it’s the right time for fruiting. Your lemon tree may be lacking nutrients, and you are not giving the right fertilizer specifically for citrus trees.
In this article, we will show you how fertilizing lemon trees is resourceful to your plant, when and how to use it;
Fertilizing lemon trees components
Lemon tree fertilizers need to have three micro nutrients, high in nitrogen (N), then phosphorus (P), and potassium(K), known as NPK in short.
Besides the above nutrients, add minerals such as manganese, zinc, and iron for the tree to have enough nutrients and stay healthy.
Uses of Micronutrients NPK( Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium)when fertilizing lemon trees
Lemon trees need the three micro nutrients to grow, so without them, the plant might fail.
- Nitrogen is responsible for the growth of leaves on a lemon tree.
- Phosphorus is responsible for root growth, flower and fruit development.
- Potassium helps the general function of the lemon tree plant to perform correctly.
It’s best to know the NPK values of any fertilizer to help you select the most appropriate type of plant matching the fertilizer.
When do you exercise fertilizing lemon trees
It’s best to apply fertilizers to your lemon tree no more than four times a year. Fertilizing lemon trees is best in the spring, but do not wait for the weather to become too hot.
Also, when fertilizing lemon trees, do not add fertilizers when in the cold season because, at that time, the tree is not actively growing since it’s most likely in dormancy.
Fertilizing lemon trees works well for mature lemons and you can do it every one to two months.
How to apply fertilizers for lemon trees
While growing a lemon tree, you need to know how to apply fertilizers for your tree to produce blooms and fruits at the right time.
The best source of nitrogen Is mixed oil cake powder.
1. Prepare the soil before fertilizing lemon trees
Clear any weeds, rocks, or debris around the lemon tree before adding the fertilizers to the ground. Dig away any unwanted grass to keep the tree clear as they might also feed nutrients from the tree.
2. Apply in a circle
Apply the fertilizer around the lemon tree broad as the tree. The fertilizer needs to go 3 feet circular if your tree is 3 feet tall. Doing this helps it to reach the root system of the tree since it’s a little deeper.
Try not to place the fertilizer only at the tree’s base because it won’t get to the root system.
3. Cover a layer of soil after fertilizing lemon trees
After applying the fertilizer mixture, cover a layer of soil onto it and make sure there is no gap remaining to expose the fertilizer.
Lemon tree fertilizer ratio
You need to purchase a fertilizer with a ratio of 2-1-1, implying twice as much nitrogen to phosphorous and potassium.
Lemon trees prefer more nitrogen since it’s the one that contributes to the growth of leaves.
Trace minerals are also crucial for lemon trees, such as iron, zinc, and manganese.
Lemon tree fertilizer homemade
Lemon trees need a variety of nutrients to grow healthy and produce lots of fruits. Most gardeners always use organic composts from agricultural stores rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Other minerals in organic composts usually include iron, magnesium, zinc, among others.
However, it’s possible to create your homemade fertilizer so long as you keep an eye on which nutrients the ingredients provide.
1. Rich in major nutrients
It would help if you got leaves, stems, and comfrey herb flowers for potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Fill a jar with the leaves, stems, and flowers, then add water. Place the pot in a sunny spot for a full day to allow it to ferment.
Strain out the herbs and use its water as the fertilizer for the lemon tree. You can repeat this homemade fertilizer method every month.
2. Home made fertilizer rich in micro nutrients
This fertilizer is from parts of stinging nettle. You will still fill a container with the fractions of nettle and then fill with water. Leave under the sun all day and strain out the herbs at the end of the day. Use the water as a homemade fertilizer for your lemon tree monthly.
3. General tree fertilizer
The general fertilizer is the one a lemon tree needs to thrive. Integrate four parts of the seed meal, one slice of dolomite lime, and one half the part bone meal.
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and apply approximately 1b. of the fertilizer around the small tree and adding more to a more massive tree.
Homemade fertilizers are good only because most gardeners choose artificial ones because they are readily available for use.
How do you fertilize a potted lemon tree?
Potted Lemon trees are majorly for dwarf trees that are small enough and can allow you to take the tree outside for sun and inside when the temperatures drop below 50 degrees.
Container lemon trees are best in a plastic pot, which is lighter and will make it easy for you to move the plant and reduce the tree’s risk.
While filling a pot with a standard mix of all equal parts of well-decomposed compost as a fertilizer, add peat moss and coarse sand.
Water the soil after mixing it with the fertilizer and allow it to drain and, after that, plant the lemon tree.
It would help if you fertilized the potted lemon tree when it’s actively growing with a slow release.
Fertilize twice in the spring and mid-summer, and you will be supporting the tree’s growth. Ensure the fertilizer you add to the potted lemon tree contains the trace minerals like iron, zinc, and manganese.
Always water a container lemon tree thoroughly after fertilizing to help the nutrients sink into the tree system.
The best fertilizer for Meyer Lemon tree
Meyer lemon is a dwarf variety that crosses between an ordinary lemon and an orange. It has a thin yellow-orange skin and a sweet taste.
Meyer lemon thrives under the right conditions. If you give proper care to it, the tree grows up to six to 10 feet tall. As long as you give Meyer Lemon the best fertilizer, it will stay healthy, produce blooms and fruits.
A fertilizer high in nitrogen fertilizer and specifically for citrus trees, and you are better off applying it between April and September.
During the winter and autumn season, you need to withhold fertilizers.
Fertilize Meyer lemon regularly in the seasons we are mentioning herein. However, suppose you realize your tree is developing yellow leaves. In that case, it indicates the tree lacks fertilizers, and you need to add nutrients and water to it.
Indoor lemon tree fertilizer
An indoor lemon tree is in a container. It makes your life better because you can move it to a favorable location according to the season.
When a lemon tree is indoors, you need to ensure proper watering to keep the soils moist, warm temperatures, and keep the tree healthy.
An indoor lemon tree needs timing for prevailing conditions to grow savory fruits. It would be best to watch out for any warning signs that might signal nutrient issues or soggy roots. The main symbol of the lack of nutrients is yellow leaves.
A lemon tree indoors requires fertilizers rich in nitrogen and other fundamental minerals such as iron and magnesium. These nutrients are suitable for indoor trees.
A citrus fertilizer such as Avocado plant food and Pennington ultra-green citrus 10-5-5 give indoor lemon trees a suitable blend of micronutrients at planting time, which will keep it growing till four months.
When your indoor lemon tree begins to outgrow its containers, you need to repot it to a larger pot and make sure to keep it at the south window for enough sunlight.
Potted indoor lemons need fertilizers every three to four months, and you won’t regret having your tree produce as many fruits for you.
Lemon tree fertilizer spikes
Gardeners sometimes prefer switching to fertilizer spikes because they consider them stress-free. You do not have to keep sprinkling fertilizers monthly if you choose the fertilizer spikes option.
You might have soils in your backyard that are not fertile enough, yet you wish to plant a lemon tree in those soils. So to keep the tree healthy, you need to add organic materials and mulch and fertilizers.
Fertilizers can be in the form of liquid, granular, or tree fertilizer spikes.
Are you wondering whether fertilizer spikes are suitable for fruit trees?
Lemon tree fertilizer spikes are put into the ground around a tree’s drip line once in the spring and the fall.
Fertilizer spikes are easy to use and convenient. You do not have to go into the trouble of measuring out fertilizer and scuffing it into the soil.
A spike contains fertilizers that you release into the soil. You can use those that are specifically for citrus fruits.
However, there are some questions about whether you should fertilize lemon trees with spikes;
Much as spikes make it easy for you while fertilizing your lemon tree, and they have a few shortcomings.
1. Uneven distribution
In the process of pressing the fertilizer into the ground using fertilizer spikes in a specific location around the tree trunk, you are likely going to release the fertilizer unevenly to the root system.
2. Opportunity for pests
The fertilizer spikes may attract insects, which will attack the lemon tree roots, causing damage or disease to the entire tree leading to its death.
Lemon tree fertilizer spikes are useful as a fertilizing method for your lemon tree. However, you need to be more careful and decide whether you are using them or the sprinkling method.
Final consideration
Lemon trees are heavy feeders, so once you begin to grow them at your home, you need to ensure you do not forget to add fertilizers to keep the tree healthy and thriving.
Check the combination of your fertilizer mix. The micronutrients such as nitrogen have to be higher than phosphorus and potassium at the same level.
Your tree will be healthy with enough fertilizers at the right time when the temperatures cool, not cold, or very hot. You will see your tree bloom and bear fruits.