By Julie ChristensenIf you ’re favourable enough to live in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 11 , you should add lemon tree trees ( Citron limon ) to your tilt of landscape gardening flora . These tree are valued not only for their tart , flavorful fruit , but their bush - like form and big showy leaf . ‘ capital of Portugal ’ is the most ordinarily grown traditional lemon . It reliably produce heavy yields of large , sharp fruit . ‘ Lisbon ’ tolerates adverse conditions , such as heating , drouth and Robert Lee Frost , good than most true maize varieties .
‘ Meyer ’ lemon tree is trust to be a cross between a lemon and an orange . ‘ Meyer ’ lemon trees are modest than most lemon yellow Tree and their fruit is sweet , flavorful and flimsy - skinned . The original ‘ Meyer ’ lemons carried the tresteza virus . They were banned for many long time in most citrus tree - growing states . New improved multifariousness do n’t shield the virus and are safe to mature anywhere . ‘ Meyer ’ lemon are the most cold hardy of the lemon varieties , and have growing requirement similar to oranges .
lemon yellow need full sun and well - drain filth . Plant them in an domain protected from hot , dry wind or Robert Frost pocket , such as on the south side of the house . Water them once or double each week during the growing time of year . Proper cultural care can prevent most diseases and pests , but watch out for the come problems :
Tristeza
Tristeza is a fungal disease that causes a miscellanea of symptoms , set out from leaf yellowing or dropping , stunt growth to poor yield production . The tree quickly wane and often dies due to root rot . Symptoms are most obvious during the summer because the weakened root organization ca n’t take up piddle . Tristeza is spread by aphids fertilize on the leaves . To contain the disease , spray trees infested with aphid with insecticidal rock oil or goop , coating both the tops and undersides of the farewell . Buy certified disease - free trees from a reputable nursery , rather than home stores .
Botrytis
Botrytis is more vulgar in lemons than other citrus yield , especially in emplacement with cool , moist weather . The disease causes brown or grey , velvety growth on twigs and heyday . As the disease build , the branchlet may die back and yield may be touch . tree sometimes lose leave and yield drops prematurely . To prevent botrytis , plant lemon tree diagram in full sunlight . Space the tree diagram so air circulate freely and prune them to open up up the canopy to light . dress out infect offset and cast away them .
Lemon Tree Root Rots and Trunk Cankers
The Phytophthora fungus make several problems , including gummosis and antecedent guff . Early symptom include poor growth , lesions and ooze from the automobile trunk . As the disease progresses , it can deaden the tree diagram , down it . The disease advances most chop-chop during moist , cool weather . To curb fungal diseases , industrial plant Citrus limon tree in well - drain , light or sandy soil . Make certain the top of the root ball is implant 1 inch above the soil surface . If you have wakeless soil , consider planting lemon trees in raised bed to improve drain . Spray the trees with a copper - based fungicide before the rainy time of year arrives and cut back out infect limb . process your pruning tool with a solution of one part chlorine bleach to ten part water between cuts .
Lemon Fruit Problems
lemon yellow are capable to several problems of the yield . Brown rot causes tan to brown spots near the top of the fruit . As the disease progresses , the office become expatiate and the fruit decomposition . To prevent this problem , reap lemons in the afternoon during ironic , warm atmospheric condition . Septoria position make dark-brown to reddish brown lesions on the fruit . Control Septoria position by spray Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree with a fuzz - ground antifungal . Use soaker hose instead of overhead sprinklers and avoid handling tree when the leave-taking are stiff .
Want to learn more about lemon trees?
For more entropy , gossip the follow links :
How to Manage Citrus Pestsfrom the University of California IPM Online .
Citrus Disease Managementfrom Texas A & M University .
Julie Christensen learned about garden on her grandfather ’s farm and female parent ’s vegetable garden in southerly Idaho . Today , she live and garden on the gamey plains of Colorado . When she ’s not digging in the dirt , Julie indite about intellectual nourishment , education , parenting and gardening .
