Lemon trees: Different stages of lemon tree growth

Everyone loves to have freshly squeezed lemon juice. Have you ever thought of growing them in your garden? You know what the best part is? You don’t need a big space to grow them.

Yes, it is possible to grow lemons both indoors and outdoors, which is great for adding to any space. But to grow lemons, it’s essential to learn about the life cycle of lemon trees. Compared with other fruit trees, lemon trees grow faster and can possibly bear fruit within two years. To grow them, let’s start by reading about the different growing stages of lemon.

Different stages of lemon tree growth

Lemon trees are used to grow faster than other citrus trees. After the plantation is done they can grow fruits in a few years only. The growing stage of the Lemon Tree starts from seed germination to bearing fruit. The following are the stages of Lemon Trees growth which will help you to know what the next process of the growth is. 

Let’s begin here 

Germination: 

• The seeds of the lemon trees are small, and smooth, having a milky white hue on them. 
• If everything goes in the favor of the lemon trees they are able to germinate in 5 to 7 days.
• During the seed germination, you will see tiny leaves blooming from seeds to form a lemon tree.

Seedling Stage:

• Two sixes full seed germination process you will see small Green Leaves growing from the soil. 
• The first two leaves are called sprouts that are used to grow and produce new leaves which develop stems and leaves.
• During the Seedling stage, the plant is delicate. They need a good amount of water, especially during the hot summer.
• You can transplant the seedlings into a location where they get full Sun after 3 months.
• To grow the seedlings into big Lemon Trees they need a lot of Sunlight.

Youth & Maturity:

• In this stage of lemon trees growth, you need to protect them from cold temperatures.
• With time, the sapling grows into denser leaves, robust trunks, and forming branches.
• In this stage, the lemon tree tends to grow into mature plants having trunks and branches.
• You need to take proper care of the lemon tree during the youth and maturing stages.
• You need to make sure to provide sunlight, nutrients, and water in order to grow them.
• Avoid overwatering the lemon tree which leads to root rot condition.

Flowering & Fruiting:

• After approximately 2 years of growth, the tree does start forming buds. 
• During the springtime, the flower starts to bloom from the buds of the flower. 
• The lemon tree does not need any pollinators to produce fruits. 
• With the fading of the flower young lemon fruits ripe into juicy fruit. 
• You need to provide the lemon tree with the right amount of water for growing fruits. 
• Growing lemon trees in the container need a drainage hole to prevent root rot. 

Ripening Lemons:

• The lemon takes around 4 months to mature. For proper growing of a fruit mixture, the tree is well hydrated and fertilized.
• Do protect the Lemon Tree from pests, and aphids as that of the Lemon Tree and have a bad effect on the fruits. 
• In case there is any infection in The Lemon Tree you need to quickly prune off the branch or leave that is affected so that the infection does not spread all over the tree.
• The lemons are smooth yellow skin and oblong in shape. 

Harvesting the Lemons:

• To reach the harvesting stage you need to wait until the lemon is fully ripe.
• In case if you pick premature lemons they will not continue growing and developing further.
• So it is the best way to wait until the lemon is fully mature, having a Sunny yellow color.

Difference Between Immature Lemons and Mature:

There is a vast difference between immature and mature lemons such as the metro lemon which comes under lemons that are not fully ripe and have grown to full size. They are basically green in color, smaller in size, and taste more tart than fully mature lemons.

Mature lemons are those that are larger in size sweeter in taste and are juicer fruit. They do have smoother skin than immature lemons. So you need to wait until the lemon is fully ripe before harvesting them so that they taste sweet. 

Drying:

• The last stage of Lemon Tree growth is dying which comes if they are not picked up at the right time.
• During the dying stitch they start to get discolored and withered and at last will be detached from the tree. 
• The Lemon Tree is used to produce the fruit until it reaches the ripe age.

Factors Affecting Plant Growth

Factors Affecting Plant Growth	Following is a list of requirements to know in case you are growing a lemon tree in your home.
Difficulty	Growing The Lemon Tree is a moderately difficult task but it is easy to achieve after having basic knowledge.
Climate	To get a positive result you can bring the plant from a healthy nursery Crown tries to measure you get the good fruit flavor as quickly as possible
Soil	Well-drained slightly acidic to neutral soil.
Sunlight	To get a positive result you can bring the plant from a healthy nursery Crown tries to measure you get the good fruit flavor and as quickly as possible
Planting	They need six to eight hours of direct sunlight in a day. At
Watering	To get a positive result you can bring the plant from a healthy nursery Crown tries to measure you get the good fruit flavor as quickly as possible
Fertilizer	You need to give the Lemon Tree a balanced citrus fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 2:1:1 or 3:1:1.Fe
Pruning	For maintaining the shape of the Lemon Tree you need to prune it during the winter, Early Spring which will help to maintain the overall health of the Lemon Tree.
Pests & diseases	The lemon trees can become prone to various pests and diseases such as aphids, scale insects, citrus leaf miners, and fungal diseases. You need to keep an eye on the trees in order to maintain their health.
Harvesting	Make sure to harvest the tree Only when the lemons are fully ripe and mature.

Best Practices for Lemon Trees 

Below are the best practices that you can do for the lemon tree. Because now you come to know about the stages of lemon tree growing but now is the time to know about the caring of the lemon trees in the following points. 

So are you ready to witness the tips and tricks to know how can you maintain the growth of the lemon trees if yes, then for the below points?: 

Watering needs

• One of the things that you need to maintain is the regular watering of the lemon trees.
• When they are new, they require water frequently in the current three months after planting.
• After that, you can provide them with water once a week so that they grow well.
• What about container lemon trees? It is important to maintain the level of humidity in those plants. 

Pruning needs

• Lemon trees are those plants that require less pruning as compared to other plants.
• All you have to do is to remove the damaged stems from the plant.
• It will increase new growth in the plant.
• So to maintain the growth of the plant and its vitality, you have to remove the branches from the base of it. 

Fertilizing needs

• Lemon trees will grow better if you will provide them with a good amount of fertilizer.
• You have to apply them with Buddy laser after every 3 to 4 months.
• Choosing the months of November, March, June, and August will suit the lemon trees best.
• Make use of citrus fertilizer or a slow-release fertilizer to supply it to the plant giving it a good amount of nutrients.

Planting needs

• You have to choose a sunny location for your plant If you are planting lemon trees outdoors in your garden.
• Do not use that area that will invite frost. 
• It is recommended to provide extra care to the lemon trees by feeding them with a good amount of sunlight so that receive benefits.
• Last, but not least feed them with slightly acidic soil that should be well-drained. 

Wrapping up the Context

In this guide, you come to know about the growth stages of the lemon tree, you know how they grow and what is next to come such as starting from seed germination, growing sprouts into seedlings, the seedling starting to become mature, the blooming of flowers, and at last fruits maturing.

There are many ways to use the lemons such as making lemonade. You can also use the lemon peel to improve the soil acidity. I hope the information was helpful.

Thanks for reading! Happy Gardening!