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Lemons

Select Your Climate
Lemons

Growing lemon trees requires patience but once a tree is established you’ll be glad you made the effort.

Likes: 5–6 hours of full sun; good drainage; protection from wind.
Dislikes: Wet feet due to poor drainage – it can kill them.
When to plant/sow in zone:
How to start: Plant small tree in a mound of compost enriched soil to improve drainage.
How to grow: Keep moist and maintain a 7cm layer of mulch to conserve moisture. Feed with organic fertiliser spring, summer and autumn. Remove all the fruit for the first year or two to allow a strong frame of branches to develop to support years of heavy cropping.
When to harvest: As fruit change colour from green to yellow. A good twist and pull will free a lemon without damaging the tree, or snip them off with secateurs.
Pests and diseases: Scale, aphids and mealy bugs; gall wasp, sooty mould; and citrus leafminer.

Wondering what to plant when?

Climate zone map of Australia.
Use our planner to create a planting calendar for your climate zone
View Planting Guide