When it comes time to water your Lemon, you may be surprised to find that this plant does not always need a high volume of water. Instead, if only a few inches of soil have dried since your last watering, you can support healthy growth in the Lemon by giving it about five to ten ounces of water every time you water. You can also decide your water volume based on soil moisture. As mentioned above, you should note how many inches of soil have dried out between waterings. A surefire way to make sure your Lemon gets the moisture it needs is to supply enough water to moisten all the soil layers that became dry since the last time you watered. If more than half of the soil has become dry, you should consider giving more water than usual. In those cases, continue adding water until you see excess water draining from your pot’s drainage holes.


If your Lemon is planted in an area that gets plenty of rain outdoors, it may not need additional watering. When the Lemon is young or just getting established, make sure it gets 1-2 inches of rain per week. As it continues to grow and establish, it can survive entirely on rainwater and only when the weather is hot and there is no rainfall at all for 2-3 weeks, then consider giving your Lemon a full watering to prevent them from suffering stress.

Most plants that grow naturally outdoors can be allowed to grow normally with rainfall. If your area lacks rainfall, consider giving your plants adequate watering every 2 weeks during the spring and fall. More frequent watering is needed in summer. In winter, when growth becomes slower and plants need less water, water more sparingly. Throughout the winter, you may not give it additional watering at all. If your Lemon is young or newly planted, then you should water more frequently to help it establish, and mature and grow up to have more adaptable and drought tolerant plants.


For potted plants, there are two main ways that you can determine how often to water your Lemon. The first way is to set a predetermined watering schedule. If you choose this route, you should plan to water this plant about once every week or once every other week. However, this approach may not always work as it does not consider the unique conditions of the growing environment for your Lemon .

Your watering frequency can also change depending on the season. For instance, a predetermined watering schedule will likely not suffice during summer when this plant's water needs are highest. An alternative route is to set your watering frequency based on soil moisture. Typically, it is best to wait until the first two to four inches of soil, usually ⅓ to ½ depth of the pots, have dried out entirely before you give more water.

Overwatering is a far more common problem for the Lemon, and there are several signs you should look for when this occurs. Generally, an overwatered Lemon will have yellowing leaves and may even drop some leaves. Also, overwatering can cause the overall structure of your plant to shrivel and may also promote root rot. On the other hand, an underwatered Lemon will also begin to wilt. It may also display leaves that are brown or brittle to the touch. Whether you see signs of overwatering or underwatering, you should be prepared to intervene and restore the health of your Lemon.

When the Lemon is very young, such as when it is in a seedling stage, you will need to give it more water than you would if it were at a mature age. During the early stages of this plant’s life, it is important to keep the soil consistently moist to encourage root development. The same is true for any Lemon that you have transplanted to a new growing location. Also, the Lemon can develop showy flowers and fruits when you give them the correct care. If your Lemon is in a flowering or fruiting phase, you will likely need to give a bit more water than you usually would to support these plant structures.

The seasonal changes will affect how often you water your Lemon. Mainly, during the hottest summer months, you will likely need to increase how much you water this plant, especially if it grows in an area that receives ample sunlight. Strong summer sunlight can cause soil to dry out much faster than usual, meaning that you’ll need to water more frequently. By contrast, your Lemon will need much less water during the winter, as it will not be in an active growing phase. During winter, you can get by with watering once every 2 to 3 weeks or sometimes not at all. For those growing this plant indoors, you should be somewhat wary of appliances such as air conditioners, which can cause your plant to dry out more quickly, which also calls for more frequent watering.

In some cases, your Lemon may not need any supplemental watering when it grows outside and will survive on rainwater alone. However, if you live in an area of little to no rain, you should water this plant about every two weeks. If you belong to the group of people who live out of this plant's natural hardiness zone, you should grow it indoors. In an indoor setting, you should monitor your plant's soil as it can dry out more quickly when it is in a container or when it is exposed to HVAC units such as air conditioners. Those drying factors will lead you to water this plant a bit more often than if you grew it outdoors.

Your Lemon will not be too picky about how you choose to water it. As such, you can use just about any common watering tool to moisten this plant’s soil. Watering cans, hoses, and even cups will work just fine when it is time to water your Lemon. Regardless of which watering tool you use, you should typically apply the water directly to the soil. In doing so, you should ensure that you moisten all soil areas equally to give all parts of the root system the water it needs. It can help to use filtered water, as tap water can contain particles that are harmful to plants. It is also beneficial to use water that is at or slightly above room temperature, as colder or hotter water can be somewhat shocking to the Lemon. However, the Lemon usually responds well to any kind of water you give it.

For outdoor plants, especially newly planted plants or plant seedlings, they can be prone to lack of watering. Remember that you need to keep watering enough for a few months when the tree is small or just planted. This is because once the roots are established, Lemon can rely on rain most of the time.

When your Lemon is planted in pots, overwatering is often more likely to.When you accidentally overwater your Lemon, you should be prepared to remedy the situation immediately. First, you should stop watering your plant right away to minimize the effect of your overwatering. After, you should consider removing your Lemon from its pot to inspect its roots. If you find that none of the roots have developed root rot, it may be permissible to return your plant to its container. If you do discover signs of root rot, then you should trim away any roots that have been affected. You may also want to apply a fungicide to prevent further damage. Lastly, you should repot your Lemon in soil that is well-draining. In the case of an underwatered Lemon, simply water this plant more frequently.


Underwatering is often an easy fix. If you underwater, the plant's leaves will tend to droop and dry out and fall off, and the leaves will quickly return to fullness after sufficient watering. Please correct your watering frequency as soon as underwatering occurs.

Lemon need occasional pruning. As with other trees that have fruits, the main reason for pruning is fruit production because the increase in the number of branches and leaves automatically means an increase in the number of fruits.

However, pruning the Lemon has many other benefits that go hand in hand with boosting yields.

Pruning helps keep the Lemon healthy. By removing dead or diseased branches(leaves), suckers that take away resources, and those that impede air circulation, you are giving your tree the best chance to remain vigorous.
Pruning helps with fruit picking. Keeping the canopy compact and low enough to harvest makes it easy to pick Lemon fruits by hand.
Pruning makes the tree look better. That is especially true for Lemon due to its capacity to be a highly decorative specimen tree.

Depending on the branches' thickness, you will need a pair of sharp, sturdy pruning shears and a small hand saw. Sterilize all the tools before and after pruning - especially if you are making cuts on two or more plants. That way, you avoid the spread of plant diseases.

All pruning cuts should be made at a 45-degree angle whenever possible.

There are two types of pruning cuts:

A heading cut is when you prune somewhere along the branch, shortening it instead of removing it completely. Besides shortening, this cut also promotes branching - because it “feels” the lack of foliage at the tip of the branch, the tree starts producing new growth below the cut. Thus, the heading cut is made right above a pair of leaves with buds.
A thinning cut is when you trim the branch down to another branch or to the trunk. It can mean cutting one shoot of a branch with multiple tips down to the node or cutting the entire branch down to the trunk, or reducing the number of leaves on the tree. As the name suggests, a thinning cut doesn’t promote new growth.

When pruning down to the trunk, always make cuts above the branch collar. The branch collar is the wrinkled area around the base of a larger tree limb. The cells created in the collar will ensure proper wound healing without resorting to products.

Pruning the Lemon step-by-step

Remove all dead or diseased branches(leaves).
Remove the branches that are too thin or dead leaves. That way, they will not spend the plant’s resources while failing to be productive.
Prune all crossed branches - those that grow horizontally into the crown Branch crossing the others can interfere with their growth and even damage them, so you should trim them right down to their base (thinning cut).
In the same fashion, shorten all the branches that reach the ground or are too low. This process is often called skirting.
Inspect the canopy center - if it is too dense, air circulation will become challenging. Cut away the problematic branches(leaves) to create a light, airy center that allows good ventilation.

Pruning brings beneficial stress to Lemon, thus encouraging new growth, but overdoing it can have the opposite effect. Cutting out more than ⅓ of the tree stresses it to the point of struggling with the re-growth. Never prune more than ⅓ of the canopy per year.

If you are doing extensive pruning, you shouldn’t cut the larger, mature branches all the way down to the trunk or parent branch. Leave about 5 inches or more of the branch so you wouldn’t discourage recovery and new growth.
Depending on the branches' thickness, you will need a pair of sharp, sturdy pruning shears and a small hand saw. Sterilize all the tools before and after pruning - especially if you are making cuts on two or more plants. That way, you avoid the spread of plant diseases.

If you keep the branch collars intact as per advice, the cells created in the collar will ensure proper wound healing without you having to resort to any products. Letting the Lemon heal on its own is the best long-term option.

However, despite being able to heal, the larger cuts are sensitive to sunburn. That is especially concerning because Lemon is used to planted in full sun. Painting the cuts with a 1:1 solution of water and white latex paint for interiors can help protect them from the adverse effect of sun rays.

Pruning the Lemon begins in the tree’s second year.

In areas with cold winters and frost, the best time to prune Lemon is in the spring, after fruiting. If you prune in autumn or too early in the winter, the delicate new growth will not have time to harden off enough to withstand cold spells.

If your Lemon has suffered frost damage, removing the dead and damaged wood(leaf) is essential - but not necessarily right away. Never do this until the frost risk has passed completely.

In frost-free regions, pruning can be done anytime, as needed, including in the winter. The only exception is the hot summer weather. There are situations when you should not prune, even if it seems logical.

While Lemon doesn’t require any changes in temperature to enter different growing phases, it is important to stay consistent. Wild temperature fluctuations can slow down its growth regardless of its current phase, so it's always better to keep them in a controlled environment. That optimal temperature range of 77°F and 90°F (25-32℃) is vital to maintain, especially staying above the lower limit. Going above 90°F isn’t ideal, but as tropical plant it won’t suffer too much. On the other hand, going below 77°F (25℃) (and especially 41°F/5℃) will begin to directly damage this heat-loving plant species.

Lemon does not need different temperatures for different growing seasons. The most important step in seasonal care is to keep the environment within the optimal temperature range. That's why it's always best to keep this plant indoors. That way, you can control the temperature no matter what the climate is like outside.

Light is also important for tropical species, with all of these plants preferring a partial side level of sun exposure. This means any light they receive needs to be dappled or filtered, with bright but indirect light being the best option when growing your plants indoors. Too much direct sunlight can negatively affect your plant’s leaves, reducing its growth potential.

Tip #1: Don’t Leave Your Plant Near Windows in Colder Months
If you want to make sure your plant isn’t exposed to colder temperatures, you may want to keep them away from windows. In colder months like late fall and winter, even the smallest draft can leak cold air into your home through cracks in your windows. While this air usually dissipates and warms up as it travels throughout your home, any plants placed in close proximity to the window will be affected. Move your tropical plants into an area where they will still get bright but indirect light, while making sure they won’t be affected by potential drafts.

Tip #2: If You Find Dry Patches, Your Plant May Be Getting Too Much Sunlight or Heat
You may notice the leaves become white or even scorched on a sunny day. These discolorations and unusual markings usually indicate that a plant is getting too much heat or sunlight, and it may be dehydrated. Excess light and heat will dry out the soil, stopping plants from getting the moisture they need to support their cellular structure. It also slows down or stops the process of photosynthesis, further hindering growth. If ignored for too long, these dry spots can spread and eventually result in the death of your plants.

Tip #3: Avoid Frost at All Costs
Colder temperatures and frost can damage your plants by causing ice crystals or disrupt normal physiological activity. This makes it nearly impossible for water to move freely throughout plant tissue, creating a deficit of moisture in their stems and leaves. You can tell a plant has been damaged by frost if it begins to suffer from hydrosis (it will appear as though it's soaked with water.) If the problem persists, your plants may begin shriveling and turning a dark brown or black hue. After that, the plant will almost certainly die.

The best way to maintain the right temperature range for Lemon is by keeping an eye on both the climate and humidity. You’ll want to try to keep each species in a room where you have access to climate control, keeping the heat in the temperature range best mimics its natural habitat. The humidity levels will also have a direct effect on temperature, so it's important to monitor these as well. You can artificially raise the humidity of your growing space by using a humidifier or lightly misting the leaves with water.

If you intend to grow this species outside, you may find it difficult to maintain the right balance of temperature and humidity. If temperatures begin to drop or the air becomes too dry, your best option is to find room within your home and move your plant inside. An indoor growing space will allow you to control the climate more closely, helping your plant reach its full potential.

For this tropical plant to thrive, you’ll want to keep them between 75°F and 90°F (25-30°C). Each species can handle temperatures outside of this range, but keeping it within several degrees of these limits will ensure they grow to their maximum potential.

As for its extreme temperature limits, any environment below 41°F (5℃) or above 104°F (40℃) will begin to hinder its growth and cause various aberrations to its leaves and stems. This is especially true with low temperatures; even a light frost can cause your tropical plants to perish. Cellular death can begin to happen at a rapid pace, with some species dying in as little as 12 to 24 hours.

Lemon requires some care in the spring.

Tip 1: Every few years, divide large plants at the roots.

Tip 2: Spring is also the time to sow seeds. Choose a sunny location and cover the seeds with about one inch of soil and water thoroughly.

Tip 3: When new growth begins emerging, an application of all-purpose, balanced fertilizer will provide the necessary nutrients.

Tip 4: Don’t forget to water when the top layer of soil begins drying out.

Tip 5: Ensure the plant is receiving plenty of sunlight during the day.

The leaves on Lemon do not thrive in bright sunshine in the summer.

Tip 1: Keep container plants in a shaded area.

Tip 2: Check the soil moisture level and increase watering frequency when rainfall is scarce. The soil may need checking daily to ensure it is not drying out.

Tip 3: Keep an eye out for slugs, and other garden pests, especially if there is mulch around the plant.

Tip 4: Cut back any spent flowers and remove any plant debris from the area.

Tip 5: Continue regular fertilizing to help support fall flowering.

Continue watering and fertilizing Lemon as long as it grows during the early fall season.

Tip 1: Once the plants have entered a dormant stage, you can prune them back down to the ground; then, reduce watering.

Tip 2: Use a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer regularly until the colder weather causes the plant to go dormant, then stop fertilizing.

Tip 3: Ensure the plant still has plenty of sun during this time, placing them in locations that have full or partial sunlight.

Tip 4: At the end of fall, after a hard frost, you can sow the seeds for Lemon to propagate more plants.

As Lemon goes dormant in cold weather, there’s not much care required for this plant. It's best to provide them with cold protection, however.

Tip 1: After cutting back the stems, you can cover the beds with tarp or mulch to add a barrier against the chill winter winds and frost.

Tip 2: Only water indoor or warmer-climate plants once the soil becomes dry to the touch, but for the most part you should leave this plant to itself during this season after providing it some shelter from the cold.