Citrus limon • The Garden Essential
Is there anything more useful in the kitchen than a lemon? From dressings and marinades to baking and cocktails, it is the workhorse of the culinary world. And unlike most fruit trees that bear once a year, many lemon varieties (like the 'Meyer' or 'Eureka') can produce fruit nearly year-round in the right climate.
Lemons are subtropical evergreens. They have glossy, dark green foliage and intoxicatingly fragrant white blossoms that smell like jasmine and neroli. Walking past a blooming lemon tree is one of the great joys of gardening.
They are also incredibly adaptable. Whether you have a sprawling orchard or just a sunny balcony, there is a lemon tree for you. Dwarf varieties thrive in pots, making them perfect for urban jungles.
Vitamin C is the headline act, but lemons offer more. This data is for one raw lemon without peel (58g).
*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Citric acid in lemons stimulates urine production and raises pH, creating an environment less favorable for kidney stone formation.
The high Vitamin C content helps stimulate white blood cell production, your body's primary defense against infections.
Vitamin C is essential for collagen formation, which keeps skin firm and youthful. It also protects skin from sun damage.
Squeezing lemon juice over spinach or salads helps your body absorb the plant-based iron much more effectively.
Lemons are hungry and thirsty plants, but treat them right and they will bury you in fruit.
'Meyer': A cross between a lemon and mandarin. Sweeter, thinner skin, slightly floral. Great for pots. cold hardy.
'Eureka' / 'Lisbon': The classic grocery store tart lemon. Heavier producer, thicker skin, more vigorous.
Locate the sunniest spot in your garden. They need 8+ hours of sun. If growing indoors, place by a south-facing window.
Soil must drain freely. Citrus hate "wet feet." In the ground, plant on a slight mound. In pots, use a dedicated Citrus/Cactus mix.
Citrus are heavy feeders. A yellowish tree is a hungry tree. Feed 3-4 times a year (Early Spring, Late Spring, Late Summer/Autumn).
Use a specialized Citrus Fertilizer containing Nitrogen, trace minerals, iron, mango, and zinc.
Consistency is key. Erratic watering causes fruit split or drop. Water deeply once or twice a week, allowing the top 2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings.
Test: Stick your finger in the soil. If it's damp, wait. If dry, soak it.
Prune in spring after harvest to shape the tree. Remove "suckers" (growth below the graft) immediately. Open the center to light.
Remove "gall wasps" (lumps on branches) by cutting off affected stems before the wasps emerge in spring.
Squiggly silver lines on twisted new leaves. Fix: Spray new growth with horticultural oil or eco-oil to prevent the moth laying eggs. Damage is mostly cosmetic on older trees.
Cause: Nitrogen deficiency (old leaves yellow) or Iron deficiency (new leaves yellow with green veins). Fix: Apply appropriate fertilizer or chelated iron.
Small brown or black bumps on stems/leaves along with black soot (sooty mold). Fix: Scrub off with a toothbrush and soapy water. Spray with white oil.