How to grow your own lemon trees

The UK with its mild weather is very suitable for growing lemon trees. Here are some tips to follow so you can harvest your very own juicy lemons.

The ‘Meyer’ lemon is the easier variety for growing in the UK. Plant in a terracotta pot which drains easily, as lemons dislike water logging.

Lemons love sunshine and require 6-8 hours of direct sunshine daily, so ideally position plants in open sunny site.

Lemon trees keep producing flowers and fruits most of the time, so need continuous access to food and water. If grown in the garden, mulch with compost regularly and if in a container keep feeding with citrus food. Soil should not be allowed to dry out, so keep an eye on watering.

Lemon trees thrive in high humidity so use a pebble tray under the pot as well as misting. Always use rain water or filtered water for lemons.

Before winter arrives, lemons need to be protected. Ideally they can be moved into a frost free shelter, like a well lit porch or conservatory. During winter, reduce watering but mist plants regularly to stop infestations of mites or aphids. Citrus tolerate cold up to -2 C but the fruit can get damaged by frost.

Sudden leaf drop is a sign of low humidity, common in homes with central heating during winter. The plants will green up again later in spring.

Lemon trees have a habit of growing bushy, and can be easily cut back in the autumn or spring.