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Meyer Lemon has blooms - what to do now??

16 years ago

Hello,

My Meyer Lemon now has buds that will be blooms soon. I keep it in a container (small one gallon that it came in) in a sunny south window. Should I do anything special to the plant now?? I know that some plants get a dose of fertilizer when they go into bloom. Would a drink of weak kelp/fish emulsion be in order? Keep moist now?? Any help is appreciated.

DL

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Comments (7)

natalie4b
16 years ago
Dancinglemons,
I am thrilled to see the blooms on my lemon tree I have in a container by the sunny kitchen window. I bought it this spring and kept it outside on a patio till the first frost.
It's a new experience for me, and I was about to post the same question when I saw yours.
Look forward to read the responses from more experienced lemon growers.
~Natalie
janice_gardener
16 years ago
Hello, I am also a new Meyer Lemon mommy and I have the same question. Mine is loaded with buds with a couple of the buds flowered. I also would like to know if I need to do any them to help the blooms since there is no bees to go from flower to flower spreading pollen. I know with tomatoes I use a soft paint brush to spread the pollen to get tomatoes. Does Meyer Lemon need the same help?
Janice
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Even if you think it needs repotting, I would not do it now, next spring will be soon enough. Right now you want to keep it growing. Most of the flowers will fall off without forming fruit which is a good thing right now. Yes start fertilizing now and keep it up monthly. About a tablespoon of citrus labelled plant food every month. Citrus grow year around, and in a container they need to be fed year around. Al
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The 2 most common causes of fruit drop are uneven watering or temperature fluctuations. Do you check the soil before you water? It may be that with all this heat, the container might need an additional watering as containers do dry out quickly. Or it could be that going from 80's into triple digits is too much temp. fluctuation. Citrus are heavy feeders, so it may be time to fertilize again, which could be a third reason for fruit drop...not enough nutrients to sustain fruiting. Check your fertilizer and see if it gives instructions for containers. wanda
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suburbanrancher, it's advised that the best time to repot (since, as you say Meyers seem to always be in some state of flowering) is during a dormant period just following fruit set and just before the next flush of leaves. This usually corresponds to early summer (around June or thereabouts). jkom, what an interesting question you ask about in-ground vs pot ripening times for IMLs. I actually have 3 Meyers in the ground and one that's potted, and I had every intention of (taking it a step further and) making this a full-time houseplant. After all, I'm able to successfully flower both a Cattleya orchid and a plumeria (no longer alive) at an East/Southwest facing window so I'd hoped to successfully fruit the Meyer at this location. But I've chickened out (and my potted Meyer is now an all-outdoor plant), as nobody's seemed to have done 100% indoor cultivation of a Meyer and gotten it to fruit - if anyone has evidence otherwise, I'd love to know! Maybe I should just do the experiment to determine the answer for myself...and also answer your fruit-timing question. Tim
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It's in a 14" pot. Soil is dry enough to need water (less than half a gallon) 1- 2 times a week. The plant has filled out nicely and has grown a little since I planted it. (New thorns are also growing.) I know it will bloom through out the year. Sorry if i wasn't very clear. I just meant I didn't want to stress it into bloom for the instant gratification. Thanks for the advice. I'm watching the temps very closely, I keep it inside on cloudy days in a bright window. The south facing corner, outside, stays way too cool when the sun isn't shining, but can easily reach 72 on a 52 deg day. The building and stony ground cover surrounding it, both radiate a lot of heat. The normal highs for my area are around 62 deg this time of year. We've been unusually cool. I'm in southern RI. Right on the Atlantic shore (where it often snows on one side of the highway and rains on the other; at the same time. Makes for some interesting U-turns) I think the azalea mistake comes from all the leaves around here that have either turned color or fallen already. I think the person who asked thinks azaleas are semi evergreen like rhoderdendrum. I was out for a few hours the other day and when I came home, the tray under the lemon had water in it. This same person came and told me my tree was wilting, but denied watering it. (Only the new growth was wilting - because it got too warm.) He also said it would do a lot better if I planted it in the ground like his sister's tree in Florida. A New England native should know better. The little old lady next door gave me some Lemon Christmas ornaments to hang on it today, so no one will make that mistake again... funny lady.
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birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Keep your citrus in the strongest light/sun, and continue doing whatever is it your citrus are accustomed to. No extra moisture is needed..In fact, if a tree is overwatered, or underwatered, flowers can drop.
Here in IL, I don't add fertilizer this time of year..
Depending on the fertilizers you guys used, some Citrus fertlizers last 3 months, others longer..Read the container.
BTW, if this is the first time your citrus have bloomed, it's possible flowers may drop..this is normal.
But it seems Meyers are ever-blooming..Mine bloom throughout the year, and I'm in gray, sunless IL..(S)
Eventually you all will see little fruit popping out where the flower grew. As time goes by, fruit matures.
IMO, I wouldn't change anything..don't repot. If your home is dry, a little added humidity does wonders. Good luck, and Happy Holidays...Toni
janice_gardener
16 years ago
Toni
Thanks for the input. I did not know that Meyer is everblooming. That is great!
Janice
natalie4b
16 years ago
Thank you Toni,
would misting/spraying the tree help for extra humidity?
tsmith2579
16 years ago
If it is in a 1 gallon pot, is it big enough to grow fruit? Let it bloom and enjoy the fragrance. I would pull off any fruit that sets. This spring I would repot to a large pot and let it grow a lot before letting fruit set.
dancinglemons
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks one and all for the info. I will enjoy the blossoms for sure and before I set the plant outside in spring I will repot into a larger pot as mentioned here. I might remove all blossoms after but maybe I will keep one or two just to see if it makes a lemon. There are clusters of blooms some have 5-6 some less.

I do not mist mine but this would be easy to do for me. I water them once a week because they get really REALLY dry in my den window.

DL

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