My lemon tree. pictures

15 years ago

Planted from seed about ten years ago now I havent had a single flower on it. After reading so many posts of people having the same problem. I think I'll wait another ten before I give up on it. Makes for good shade now anyway.

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This is the youngest I could of it. maybe a year or so? I used an HPS light for the winters early on but it grew fast and tall.

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The next were summers on the deck and winters in front of patio door. The door faced west and did not get enough sun. Each fall it would shed half or more of its leaves wintering over in the apartment. It would get sudden growth spurts of oversized leaves on longer thicker stems. The summer growth usualy had several sprouts instead of 1 or 2. Also the winter sprouts came from within the tree instead of the tips. You can see the difference here. once it gets hardened off for the summer ill cut them off. Back then i left the big leaves on just to have some green to it. Now it has a few odd looking branches because of this

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Quite a bit of growth here. summer 2005 on the deck. Alexis, my big garden helper.

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backyard at new place. much sunnier winter spot has done it well. didnt have the big leaf drop for the first time. This was after its latest (i hope last) pot. couple more summers since last pic mostly filling in the canopy. Can't let it get to big ya know. Lily on the slide JJ on the swing. Also big garden helpers.

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Along the way I figured since I needed to keep it smaller I could try some bonsai experimenting. Exposing the roots seems to be going well. Not sure how good it could be for the tree though. I'll take a pic of a "jin" i think it is if someone wants. branch bending not so good.

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My lemon tree

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Comments (8)

reversethong
15 years ago
Thanks for sharing!!! It's a good looking tree. Where do you live? Also you could consider grafting another variety onto a portion of the tree for fruiting while you wait. Just a thought.
reversethong
14 years ago
Your post really got me thinking about how attached we get to these plants. I also found it touching how the plant seems almost like a family memeber, hanging out with the kids and growing along with your family. It also made me plants some seeds this week. The reward seems worth it!!! Keep me posted.

I hope others here can help you coax some fruit from her soon.
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
14 years ago
Your tree looks wonderfully healthy and happy. Frankly, I'd not make too many changes to what you are already doing. I like the idea of continuing to experiment with your tree, though you need to know that every time you top prune a seedling-grown tree, you delay the fruiting process.

If I were you, I'd purchase a grafted, dwarf specimen for fruit and then continue to prune and train your seedling. Citrus, by the way, can make great bonsai specimens.
mn_matt
Original Author
14 years ago
minnesota 3b

Thanks for the idea....grafting... hmm. Been busy with the maters and peppers. we'll see if I get to much of the lemon tree. The more I leave it be the better I guess.
denninmi
14 years ago
It's a lovely tree, whether or not it blooms. I have an avacado I planted from a pit on March 20, 1975, the day we had a major, major ice storm here in Michigan, and I've been waiting 34 years for it to bloom, I've concluded it NEVER will under household conditions, but it makes a lovely foliage plant and is like an old friend. So, it makes the annual trek outdoors for the summer, and back indoors for the winter, gets repotted in fresh soil every few years, cut back to keep its size manageable ever four or five years, etc.

Just the way it goes.

Hey, if I were you, I'd go to a craft store and get a whole bunch of those realistic looking styrofoam based artificial lemons, and wire them all over it, and then tell people what a nice crop you've got. 99% of them would never know they're not real. Just stick a couple of real ones on there, too, and pluck one of those in front of their faces. If your tree has large thorns like many seedling citrus, you could just impale the lemons on the thorns with no trouble.

But then, that's just me! I'm "different" or so I've been told.
mn_matt
Original Author
14 years ago
Hey, if I were you, I'd go to a craft store and get a whole bunch of those realistic looking styrofoam based artificial lemons, and wire them all over it, and then tell people what a nice crop you've got. 99% of them would never know they're not real. Just stick a couple of real ones on there, too, and pluck one of those in front of their faces. If your tree has large thorns like many seedling citrus, you could just impale the lemons on the thorns with no trouble

HAHAHAHAHA that is so something I would/will try. Most everone knows about the lemon of a lemon tree I'm growing so It would work.

Last year when I brought it in for the winter I was surprised to find 2 green lemons. Surprised and excited to say the least and a bit disapointed as i missed the flowering part....I wanted pictures of course...After closer inspection I discovered they werent lemons at all but a stinky lil fakes that a squirrel had put there .
Not sure what they were but ive seen the squirrels carrying them around and they make your hand stink forever if you touch them.
mn_matt
Original Author
14 years ago
its me again.... I cant wait to see all the flowers this year after finaly getting my first last year. It only took a decade or so. do they always flower in the fall? I'd post new pics but I broke the camera. oops.
puglvr1
14 years ago
That is a good looking tree. Congrats with your wonderful success!