Lemon trees, prized for their glossy bright green leaves, plentiful fruit and fragrant blossoms, grow well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 to 11. You can also to grow a lemon tree in a pot indoors. Some lemon trees bloom in spurts year-round, while others bloom in spring. The blooms last anywhere from a few days to a week, depending on the variety, age of the tree, climate and the health of the tree. If your tree is not blooming, make some changes to encourage the blossoms to form.
Outdoor Lemon Trees
Water the lemon tree when the top 4 inches of soil is completely dry. Depending on the weather, this should be every eight to 15 days. Water until the ground is damp but not soaking wet. Lemon trees will not bloom if they are over watered and over-watering lemon trees is a common cause of the plant's inability to produce blossoms.
Fertilize lemons no more than once a month, depending on your soil and the type of lemon you're growing. Trees that are over-fertilized and that have too many nutrients often do not bloom.
Fertilize your plant if your soil is not nutrient-rich or if you have never fertilized the tree. Soils with too few nutrients leaves the tree unable to form buds. This is generally only a problem if you have previously been unable to grow plants in the soil or if you have never fertilized your lemon tree. Fertilizing your lemon tree with 2 tablespoons of nitrogen fertilizer, three or four times per year will encourage more blossoms.
Potted Lemon Tree
Move the lemon tree to a sunny part of your home. South- or southeast-facing windows work best. Lemon trees require a lot of sunlight and will not bloom without it.
Place a full-spectrum light within 12 inches of your plant if you cannot provide at least eight hours of full sun. Turn the light on after the sun moves off the plant. Don’t provide more than 12 hours of sunlight as you can cause sun-scald.
Leave potted lemon trees in cooler temperatures, around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, for at least a few hours every day in the winter and early spring. Lemon trees are subtropical plants and they will not bloom if they are in constantly warm climates. Cooler temperatures encourage the plant to bloom.
Stop watering the plant for two weeks and then water it twice as much as you normally would. This stresses the plant, which encourages it to blossom. Don’t do this more than once and resume a normal watering schedule after as too much stress can damage a lemon tree.
Things You Will Need
- Full-spectrum light
- Nitrogen fertilizer
- Don’t be alarmed if your young lemon tree hasn’t bloomed. Trees younger than three or four years often do not produce blossoms or fruit.
- Washington Post: Digging In -– Advice on Getting a Lemon Tree to Fruit
- University of Florida: FAQs -- Citrus
- Oregon State University: Meyer Lemons Can Be Grown in PNW if Protected From Winter
- Calloway’s Nursery: Ask the PlantMaster
- Stark Bro's: Blooming and Bearing Problems, and How to Solve Them!
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Citrus for the Home Garden in Contra Costa County
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