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Have you ever dreamed of cultivating your own citrus haven? Learning how to grow a lemon tree from seed can be a rewarding experience, and this comprehensive guide is tailored just for that.

Dive deep into the world of lemon trees, discover the essential materials and tools, and follow our step-by-step instructions to nurture a healthy tree from a tiny seed.

Whether you’re a gardening novice or a seasoned green thumb, our article will provide valuable insights to help you care for and flourish your lemon tree. Let’s embark on this zesty journey together!

Introduction to Lemon Trees

Because there are other citrus fruits known as lemons (Wikipedia), let us first define the kind of lemons we are referring to in this article. True lemons, scientific name Citrus x limon, are a species of flowering plants.

They belong to the rue or citrus family, known as Rutaceae, are evergreen and are native to Asia. Growing into small trees, they produce yellow fruits which are ellipsoidal in shape (shaped as a deformed sphere.

There are several cultivars and varieties of the lemon species. It is an economically important one, as its fruits may be used for culinary, industrial, fragrance medicine or other purposes.

Although lemon juice is sour in taste (as it has an acidic pH of 2.2), it is used in making several foods and provides the body many health benefits.

Some of these include improvement of heart and gut health, weight control and reduction of one’s proclivity to certain health problems (Healthline).

Different other parts of lemons and lemon trees can be used in making food, like the peel, leaves or the oil obtained from lemon skins. Other uses include producing electricity, cleaning, serving as hair bleach and making invisible ink.

Raw, peeled lemons contain about 9.3% carbohydrates, 1.1% protein, trace amounts of fat and 88% water. It is because of his nutritional content and the amount of fiber they contain that they are said to aid weight loss.

They also contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, lots of vitamin C and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc).

With all these benefits in mind, how lovely would it be to grow your own lemon tree (if you have ample space)! It is quite easy to grow, thriving even in pots.

However, one requirement is that if you are to grow lemon trees outdoors, it must be in an area with mild winters. Because they are native to the subtropics, they might be harmed or killed if they are exposed to bad winters.

True lemon trees are spreading bushes or small trees, usually around 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) high. They only grow very tall when they are not routinely pruned.

Their twigs or branches typically have sharp thorns on them, an adaptation used for the purpose of keeping hungry animals from feeding on their attractive yellow fruits.

Lemon trees also have white flowers that bloom from spring to late winter, or all year round, and have a sweet citrus fragrance. Their oval foliage is usually reddish when the trees are young but turns dark green above and lighter green below as the plants mature.

How to Grow a Lemon Tree from Seed

Lemon seeds are “small, ovoid, and pointed; occasionally fruits are seedless”. They resemble orange seeds. The growth of lemon trees is now limited in several subtropical and tropical countries.

When planted for commercial reasons, lemon trees are grown by budding or grafting their seedlings to the seedlings of other species within the citrus family Rutaceae. Some examples are grapefruits, mandarin oranges and sweet oranges.

Lemon trees are best grown in cool areas with stable, constant or consistent levels of warmth. Results differ when your lemon tree is grown from seed from when it is commercially grafted (grafting is an easier process).

From two to three years, lemon trees propagated by grafting are expected to begin to produce fruit but if grown from seed, they should begin to fruit around five years after.

Another difference is that while grafted trees look identical or very similar to their parent trees, lemon trees grown from seed do not; they may even bear fruit inferior to those of the parent tree or need much longer than five years to fruit properly.

This section contains lists of materials and tools needed, as well as steps, to grow a lemon tree from seed, with two different methods provided. Tips for care and maintenance after planting the seed are provided also.

Method 1: Planting in Soil

Materials Needed

1. Small Pot

This is the medium for holding the soil while the seeds germinate in it. Ideally, your pot should be 4 to 6 inches tall and 3 to 4 inches in diameter. It should be made of plastic or terracotta.

2. Soil Mix

You want to get a soil mix with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. It should be a moisture-retentive but well-drained soil mix, which is already pasteurized. It could also be a citrus soil mix.

Pasteurization is important to rid the soil of pathogens which can hinder the growth of the seed or kill it). You can also make a mix of half perlite and half peat moss or sand, then pasteurize it.

3. Fresh Lemon Seeds

You want to get more than one fresh and plump seed (usually 4 to 8 per pot) from a juicy lemon for the best results, as lemon seeds do not do so well or may not even germinate when they are left out for long and dried.

4. Clear Plastic Wrap

This is to cover the top of the pot after you have planted the seed, to ensure that moisture is retained in the soil.

Tools Needed

1. Trowel:

You may need a trowel to mix your soil until it is even but your hands can do the job too.

2. Drill:

If you cannot find a pot with drainage holes in it, you might need to have a drill handy to create some holes.

Steps

1. After removing 4 to 8 seeds from a fresh, juicy lemon, rinse them to remove flesh or pulp and sugar residue, as these may contribute positively to the growth of fungal infections which are harmful to the germination and growth of your seeds.

2. Although completely optional, you want to peel the skin off the seeds or let them soak in warm water overnight. This step is to help the seeds germinate faster, as the sprouts will not have to also break through the seeds’ skins.

3. Prepare your potting soil in a separate container, mixing the soil with water, blending this mix with your hands, or a trowel if you have one handy, until the soil is evenly damp and not soggy or dried out. This soil should be free of fertilizer.

4. Place your prepared soil in your plastic or terracotta pot, up to about 1 inch until it is full. This pot should have drainage holes to ensure that your seeds do not sit in soggy soil.

You want to make sure that you give your lemons seeds the best possible conditions to thrive in. If your pot does not have drainage holes, you can drill some in yourself.

5. Plant your lemon seeds about half to 1 inch deep in the soil. Their pointy tips should be faced downwards, then cover the seeds with the soil.

The pointy part is where the roots grow from, and they need to shoot downwards. Planting more than one seed at once is important, as some seeds might not germinate.

6. At this point, cover the top of the pot with your clear plastic wrap and use a rubber band around to secure it on the sides of your pot.

While this ensures that your soil retains moisture and warmth, poke a few small holes in the plastic wrap to allow your seeds (and later seedlings) breathe.

7. Place your pot in a warm location, at least 70°F (21°C) and at most 82.4°F (28°C). Your germinating seeds need warmth but not sunlight at this stage, as too much sun can harm your delicate, young seedlings when they emerge.

8. Keep the soil consistently moist by watering it when the top becomes dry. Make sure to add the plastic wrap back over the top of the pot after watering.

9. After about two or more weeks, your seeds should have germinated and you should be able to see a few sprouts. By this time, remove the plastic wrap and move your pot to a more sunny spot.

Remember to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Water once the top inch of the soil (at most) is dry. You can begin to water the plant once weekly when 4 to 5 leaves have emerged.

10. When you begin to see roots peek through your drainage holes, it is time to repot your plant. You can transplant your young lemon plants to a larger pot that is about 4 to 6 inches in diameter. A guide to repotting is available below.

Method 2: Sprouting in Plastic Bag

This method is deemed more effective than the first. By letting your lemon seeds sprout before placing them in the soil, you have a higher amount of seeds germinate.

Materials Needed

1. Paper Towel

A paper towel is needed to wrap your seeds before placing and sealing them in your plastic bag.

2. Water

Although you will need water throughout this planting process, you need a little to dampen your paper towel.

3. Resealable Plastic Bag

This is essential, as your wrapped lemon seeds are placed and sealed in this bag, then left to sprout or germinate.

4. Fresh Lemon Seeds

You want to get more than one fresh and plump seed (try with 4 to 8 seeds or more) from a juicy lemon for the best results, as lemon seeds do not do so well or may not even germinate when they are left out for long and dried.

5. Small Pots

These hold the soil to place the seeds in after they have already germinated. Ideally, your pots should be 4 to 6 inches tall and 3 to 4 inches in diameter each. They should be made of plastic or terracotta.

6. Soil Mix

You want to get a soil mix with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. It should be a moisture-retentive but well-drained soil mix, which is already pasteurized. It could also be a citrus soil mix.

Pasteurization is important to rid the soil of pathogens which can hinder the growth of the seed or kill it). You can also make a mix of half perlite and half peat moss or sand, then pasteurize it.

Steps

1. After removing 4 to 8 seeds from a fresh, juicy lemon, rinse them to remove flesh or pulp and sugar residue, as these may contribute positively to the growth of fungal infections which are harmful to the germination and growth of your seeds.

2. Although completely optional, you want to peel the skin off the seeds or let them soak in warm water overnight. This step is to help the seeds germinate faster, as the sprouts will not have to also break through the seeds’ skins.

3. For this method, you can also peel the white layer off to reveal a brown seed cover, and then peel this layer off as well. A third, thinner layer is found underneath and you can scratch this off easily too.

4. Soak your paper towel in water and then squeeze to remove excess. Then, flatten it out, remove wrinkles and ensure that it can fit very well into your plastic resealable bag. If the paper towel is too big, you can fold it neatly.

5. Place your plump, fresh lemon seeds in the damp paper towel, taking care not to crowd them. Space them about three inches apart as this ensures that their roots have ample space as they germinate.

6. Fold the paper towel, ensuring that all the seeds and the paper towel itself are still damp. Then, place this towel, with well spaced seeds, into the resealable plastic bag and seal it.

7. Place this plastic bag in a warm, dark or shaded area. At this stage, what your seeds need the most to germinate or sprout properly are warmth and moisture. The plastic bag traps the moisture, so the environment should be warm but airy.

8. After one to four weeks, your lemon seeds should begin to sprout. When their roots are between 2 and 3 inches long, they are ready to be planted in the soil.

9. Prepare your potting soil in a separate container, mixing the soil with water, blending this mix with your hands, or a trowel if you have one handy, until the soil is evenly damp and not soggy or dried out. This soil should be free of fertilizer.

10. Place your prepared soil in your plastic or terracotta pot, up to about 1 inch until it is full. This pot should have drainage holes to ensure that your seeds do not sit in soggy soil. There should be one small pot available for each germinated seed.

11. Separate your seedlings from the paper towel with care. You want to avoid breaking off roots in the process, and some paper towel residue is fine because it does not affect their growth.

12. After preparing the pots, soils and seedlings, it is time to plant. Taking the length of the roots into consideration, create sizeable holes to place them in within the soil.

Be careful to avoid breaking their roots. With their roots facing downwards, bury each of the seedlings in the soil of their own individual pots gently and pat them down.

13. You can now place your pots in a bright, warm area where they can receive sunlight. Remember to water the soil regularly, making sure keep it damp but not soggy or dry.

14. When 4 to 5 leaves have already appeared on each lemon seedling, you can dial down on the watering. You can let the top inch of your soil dry out before watering, but do not let the entire soil go completely dry.

15. When you begin to see roots peek through your drainage holes, it is time to repot your plant. You can transplant your young lemon plants to a larger pot that is about 4 to 6 inches in diameter. A guide to repotting is available below.

Care and Maintenance

While your lemon seedling or young tree is quite easy to take care of, you need to know the proper way to care for it. In this section, we will learn of it water, temperature, sunlight and repotting needs to ensure your plant grows healthy.

Care Needs

Watering

Lemon seedlings need to be watered 2 to 3 times per week until they begin to sport a good number of leaves. They are tropical plants and so they need lots of moisture to grow properly.

When they are quite established and have produced 4 to 5 leaves, you can reduce watering until the top inch of the soil is dry. Take care not to underwater or overwater your young plant. Reducing watering in the winter.

Sunlight

When you first move your lemon seedlings into the sunlight, they should have about six to ten hours of indirect light daily. When they are more established, they will need somewhere around eight hours of exposure to full sun daily.

They should be kept indoors, beside a south-facing window if one is available. You can also place them outside but be sure that they do not get scorched or damaged by excessive sunlight exposure.

Temperature

The ideal temperature for your lemon seedlings as they grow would be between 50 and 80°F (between 10 and 26.7°C), but it is best to keep them warm at about 70°F (21°C).

When they grow into trees, however, their temperature needs change slightly. Lemon trees tend to prefer stable temperatures of 75 to 86°F (23.9 to 30°C).

Soil pH Level

The ideal pH level of the soil for lemon plants is slightly acidic, from 5.5 to 6.5. While pH levels tend to change, they should be regularly checked (with a good pH testing kit) and maintained.

If the pH level of the soil is too low, it means it is too acidic and you want to lower the acidity (i.e increase the pH level). Calcium hydroxide is alkaline in nature, so it can be used with water to increase soil pH levels.

If the inverse occurs and the pH level of the soil is too high, it is not acidic enough so you want to increase the acidity (reduce the pH level). This can be done by adding sulfur, lemon juice, vinegar, compost or black coffee to your soil.

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is good at intervals for your plant, but as you reduce watering in the winter, it is advisable to cease fertilizing your lemon tree or plant completely in that period.

In warmer parts of the year, you want to use fertilizer regularly to ensure that your plant or tree gets all the nutrients that it needs to yield good fruit when they appear.

Try all-purpose fertilizers with macronutrients or fertilizers specifically for lemon trees if your plant grows indoors. This is more likely to be in its earlier stages of life.

You may use organic fertilizer, such as compost, twice a year to boost the nutrients in your soil. You may use water soluble ones biweekly, every three weeks or monthly. These are more likely to be used when your tree has grown older and larger.

Repotting

Your lemon seedlings will need to be repotted annually, biennially or every three or four years, depending on their size. It is important to know when to move your plant to a bigger pot to avoid discomfort in its roots.

The easiest and best way to tell when your plant is in need of a transplant is by checking its drainage holes. If lots of roots are beginning to emerge underneath, it is time for a bigger pot!

The best time of year to repot your young lemon tree is usually the spring, just before another growing season begins. To repot your lemon tree, you need a bigger pot, about 2 inches wider in diameter, and deeper also (depending on the size).

Your new pot needs to have drainage holes also, and you need to have prepared new potting soil. Gently take your lemon plant or tree out of its old container and place it in the new one. Add your new soil and water thoroughly.

FAQs

Conclusion

There you have it: two methods detailing how to grow a lemon tree from seed, with materials and tools needed and tips to care for your plant properly. Leave any questions or tips you may have in the comment section!

Bear in mind that it takes a lot of patience and maintenance to get your lemon tree to produce fruit. It also takes a long time, anywhere between seven and fifteen years, before harvest! In this time, be sure to take proper care of your lemon tree.

Note that because lemons are tropical plants, they prefer relatively cool, constant climates. The trees are, as you can guess, grown in orchards. At large sizes, they can be kept 16 to 26 feet (5 to 8 meters) away from each other.

Lemon trees typically bloom all through the year, producing their white flowers with sweet citrus scent. When they begin to produce fruit, these fruits are picked an average of 6 to 10 times per year.

Those lemon trees grown for commercial purposes may begin to produce fruit from the third to fifth year after planting. Their fruits are typically picked when still green, then cured and left in storage until they are fully ripe (yellow in color).

Lemons are economically important plants, the parts of which are used for several purposes, some listed above. It would be lovely to have your own lemon tree in your backyard, and there is a free guide above!

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