There are quiet a few lemon trees that make great indoor plants. The most common one would be the Meyer Lemon Tree. The Meyer Lemon Tree is a hybrid between a sweet orange and a true lemon.

The Meyer Lemon Tree will bear fruit when young and the lush leaves make it great as an evergreen tree in your home. This tree produces very fragrant small flowers during the winter months.

These lemon trees grow to approximately 4 to 6 feet tall and is usually 2 to 3 feet wide when making it very prominent in your home.

Because it is in a container, be sure to use a good all purporse soil mix that is slightly acidic or a citrus soil mix you can by at the home stores. These trees do not like to sit in soggy soil, so be sure the container it is well drained.

The Meyer Lemon Tree thrives in approximately 70 degrees and will become dormant when temperature is below 50 degrees.

It loves at least 8 hours of full sun each day and in the warmer climates, can be grown in partial sun. During the summer, go ahead and put the lemon tree outside for a little bit to get a shot of “natural” sun.

Meyer Lemon trees are very generous with their fruit and they are one of the hardier fruit trees. The smell from their fragrant blossoms is always a pleasure to have in the home.

Check with your local home store, and better yet, check with your local nursery for these wonderful Meyer Lemon Trees. It is fun when they bear fruit and you can make lemon pies with “real” lemons.

Tip #1 – Prune at the right time of year: The best time of year to prune dwarf lemon tree branches can change depending on which geographical location you live in. But most of North America will prune their fruit trees sometime between January and March. Pruning your tree too late in the season can cause unnecessary stress to the root system which will affect the trees ability to grow worthwhile fruit.

Tip #2 – Sharpen your Tools: Sharp and clean tools are essential when caring for and pruning dwarf lemon trees. To make sure that your tools do not carry a disease from one plant to another sterilize the blades using an alcoholic wipe.

Tip #3 – Remove the right branches: One of the most important points to consider when planning to prune dwarf lemon tree branches is that you want as much sunlight as possible to reach the center of the tree. For this reason, the first branches to remove are those which cross over the center and seem to be blocking the trees trunk. Once you have removed all of the intrusive branches you will also want to prune any sick, marked or dying branches.

Tip #4 – Cut the branches properly: To prune dwarf lemon tree branches properly you will need both a pair of sharp pruning shears as well as a pruning saw. To remove the branches make a smooth, continuous vertical cut as close to the trunk as possible. If you are unable to simply snip the branch with sheers, carefully saw the branch off without ripping the trunk bark.

The dwarf type can be grown conveniently indoors in a pot or in a yard with limited space. It is said that one adult tree can provide fruit for the whole neighborhood. The Lisbon variety is a hardy tree but prefers a warmer climate.

For areas of the country with frequent frost temperatures the Eureka type is preferable. The Lisbon lemon tree will die back to the roots after a hard frost. The Lisbon has sharp spines in abundance but this is a small drawback considering it’s other useful qualities.

The dwarf Lisbon lemon tree can be traced back originally to Portugal. Today it is one of the most popular varieties of lemon trees in California. The Lisbon needs lots of sun and nutrient rich soil.

It should be fertilized frequently with nitrogen, potassium and organic matter. If potted be sure to keep it well drained. If the tree is kept out of doors part of the year and brought in doors for winter you have two options for keeping it healthy.

If you keep it in the sun while indoors than you need to fertilize it several times in order to promote continued growth. It can also be kept in a cooler room with no sunlight and it will become essentially dormant for the indoor/winter season and will not require fertilization.

With a little work and attention, you are sure to love your tree for many years to come.

With fresh lemons as close as your kitchen garden pots, you’re always ready to prepare zesty lemon desserts or savory lemon butter sauces to compliment fish or vegetable dishes. Lemon butter, when sweetened, makes a perfect sauce for cake, especially gingerbread, a tangy yet sweet filling for tarts or pies, or a mouth watering pudding all on its own. Very similar to lemon curd, but a lot easier to make, sweet lemon butter sauce has a variety of yummy uses. Here is a holiday favorite:

Gingerbread with Lemon Butter Sauce

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 egg, beaten
1 c. molasses
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. hot water

Cream together sugar and butter then add beaten eggs and molasses. Blend. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and stir. Add hot water and beat by hand until smooth. Grease a 9×13 pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 35 minutes.

Lemon Sauce

½ cup sugar
2 tbsp. Corn starch
Pinch salt
2 cups water
¼ cup margarine or butter
1 tbsp lemon zest
3 tbsp. Lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and cook, stirring constantly until thick. Serve over gingerbread.

Lemon butter is equally tasty as a savory sauce over chicken, fish or vegetables. Here is a recipe for an easy and versatile lemon sauce that you’re sure to use over and over again.

Savory Lemon Butter

Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
5 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1.5 tbsp fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter and flour together. Add juice, zest and parsley and cook over low heat until thickened. Add seasonings to taste. Garlic can be added at this point as well if desired. Serve over desired entree.

This tree is a great plant for the indoors though it does not like the full sun or air drafts. If grown in the northern climates, grow lights are an excellent source of light. The tree should be planted in a light soil mix of peat moss, perlite and vermiculite. It should also have good drainage and needs to be watered every few weeks. Do allow the soil to dry out between watering as the roots will rot if left sitting in water.

If planted in a container, the tree will not grow larger than 8 feet. The tree itself has thorns, but the fruit is worth the effort. It is not freeze tolerant, so do not place the tree outside in the winter. Do keep it warm, as it loves the heat and will blossom if kept in 80 to 90 degrees.

Be sure to mist the leaves with a water spray daily. The trees love humidity.

The lemon blossoms of the Ponderosa Lemon Tree are very sweet smelling and do need to be pollinated by hand. To pollinate, use a small paint brush and rub the pollen within the flower. Fruit will ripen in approximately 6 to 9 months.

Fertilize the tree approximately every six months using citrus tree fertilizer or an acid loving water soluble product.

The lemon tree is usually grown by grafting cuttings to various citrus root stocks and can also be grown from seed. Be sure to check with your local nursery or a reputable online nursery for great trees.

Since these trees are very easy to care for, you have no problems having natural lemon juice for cooking and the fruit because of its size and bumpy skin is a wonderful conversation starter. Enjoy

Step One:

Take your time choosing your tree’s container.

The best container to use will be approximately 6 inches larger than the container your tree was sold in. You will also want to look for a container that has larger than average drainage holes. A dwarf eureka lemon tree needs well drained soil to maintain a healthy root system, a container that has smaller drainage holes will lead to soggy and weak roots.

Step Two:

Take your time choosing your potting soil.

A dwarf eureka lemon tree will actually prefer sandy, dry soil and will not do well in most retail brands of potting soil. To begin planting your tree start by filling your container half way with loose, dry soil.

Step Three:

Take your time planting your tree.

Citrus trees as a species are less hardy than other tree types and can be fragile while being transplanted or placed into a new container. To begin planting your dwarf eureka lemon tree carefully remove it from its original pot and lightly shake the access soil from the roots. Be carefully not to damage the smaller, newly formed roots. Now, place the tree into your container and fill the remaining space with your sandy potting soil, packing it down firmly as you go.

Step Four:

Take your time watering your new citrus tree.

Dwarf eureka lemon trees love moist soil and need to be watered every day. If you are keeping your container tree indoors you may want to keep a small misting bottle and give the leaves a light spray every morning. You may also wipe the leaves of your citrus tree with a damp cloth to remove dust; this is not necessary for plant health but will improve the appearance of an indoor tree.

Step Five:

Take your time enjoying the fruits of your labor.

A dwarf eureka lemon tree is a great house or container plant and can be a lot of fun to own! It is a good idea to replant your tree into a larger pot once every year and you will enjoy bright, juicy fruit every season! Remember, always make time to stop and smell the lemons!