Lemon Tree
Citrus x limon
Page last updated: Jul 19th, 2026
Overview
A classic citrus. Citrus don’t love the cold and it’s long term viability wasn’t to be in the mountains.
Care Instructions
Fertilise with a slow release citrus fertiliser in early Spring and also in early Autumn. Citrus are heavy feeders.
Mulch with lucerne or pea straw. Keep organic matter away from the trunk though to prevent collar rot and keep the immediate surrounding area cleared of weeds and other plants to avoid competition.
Doesn’t need a significant amount of pruning. At the end of winter, thin out overcrowded branches and remove wayward shoots. At the end of summer, the most vigorous shoots can be tip pruned to encourage branching. As the tree produces fruit from the tips, it should ultimately be shaped like an upside down pear.
Water shoots (rapid growths) can occur and should be cut back.
For the first two years, remove all the fruit as it appears This focuses the tree’s energy on growing a strong frame to support masses of fruit when it matures. This can be supported by tip pruning to encourage a dense habit.
The citrus fruits require a significant amount of time to ripen. Feeding while they are flowering will result in a lot of leaves, but not very much fruit.
Plant History
Purchased by Dave and Eden in 2022 as a housewarming gift. It survived the first year of garden neglect (somehow) and put on some solid growth over the 2023-2024 summer.
In November 2024 it was transplanted from its original ground position to a pot to free up the space for more suitable plants (the Wollemi Pine). I dug up the entire root ball (as far as I could) and moved it over to the largest pot I had. I gave it a solid prune immediately after this and it recovered well, putting out new shoots within a few weeks that developed out fully into more branches.
In September 2025 I decided that the mountains were not for this tree and attempted to move him wholesale to Randwick. I trimmed him back and we drove him down (stopping off at the Richmond airshow along the way - the lemon tree stayed in the car though). He never recovered from this and prompt shed nearly every leaf when he settled in Randwick. Maybe it was the shock, maybe it got too wet on the balcony in Randwick. Who knows. But whatever it was, the tree did not like it.
Personal Musings
I hate Caitlin buying a bag of lemons and throwing 2/3 (if we are lucky) of them out. I hope for a future where this tree alleviates my pain, but I suspect it won’t quite turn out how I imagine. The lemon tree doesn’t mesh with the native vibe going for in the backyard, but he was there first, so everyone else has to wait.
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