Immediate Care Instructions
Please water immediately upon arrival, and then carefully review this instruction sheet for specific information on how to ensure you enjoy a healthy Miniature Lemon Tree. We highly recommend referencing a miniature tree book to supplement this overview.
About Your Miniature Lemon Tree
Your Miniature Lemon Tree is prized for its intense, lemon flavor and culinary applications, these citrus jewels can be sliced and used as a garnish for cocktails, tossed into a stir-fry to provide a citrus-y zing, grated over dishes, or eaten right off the tree. The white flowers are most notable for their creamy, delicate, tropical fragrance.
Light Exposure
Your tree will enjoy light as bright as possible, but avoid excess heat which will dry out the soil too quickly. A location that provides morning sun or filtered light throughout the day is ideal. In general, the larger the container, the slower the soil will dry out, and the more sun your tree will tolerate.
Water and Fertilizer
Water daily, through hot spells and in the summer heat. Every other day is sufficient in the spring and fall. In the winter you should keep the plant moist, watering only when the soil is dry to the touch. A well-balanced liquid organic fertilizer can be applied every 2nd or 3rd watering. Citrus trees in general are heavy feeders, especially iron, manganese, and zinc. Your local nursery will have an appropriate liquid food available.
Pruning
Prune to shape as you desire, keeping in mind the small size of the plant and its container. Flowers will appear from small shoots where the leaves meet the stem. It will flower sporadically throughout the year, most heavily in the spring. If too much new growth is produced at the branch tips, cut it back to a lower position to shorten the tree's height.
Winter Period
Keep the tree from extreme cold temperatures in a bright location throughout the winter. Depending on your location, you can leave it outside in a frost free area, or in a bright warm room if freezing temperatures occur. As old leaves fall off, fertilize regularly to create new growth.
Repotting
As your lemon tree grows, transplanting it into a larger container is the easiest way to keep it healthy. Every two to three years, remove the tree from its pot and trim away 1/3 of its roots. Repot with a blended organic potting soil. This will encourage new root growth and keep your Miniature Lemon Tree healthy and thriving.