Why are Lemon Tree Leaves falling off? (5 Ways to Save the Tree)

The lemon trees are one of the most common trees that gardeners love to grow in their house garden. The lemon trees are even favorites of beginner gardeners as they are easy to maintain and give delicious juicy lemons. It turns off one’s mood if the plants or trees have started to shed leaves all of a sudden. The same scenario is happening with tee lemon trees. Do you know Why are Lemon Tree Leaves falling off?

Key takeaways:

• Don’t worry, because the fact is lemon trees when fruiting and blossoming tend to lose some leaves.
• It is part of their development stage. The lemon trees should not be shedding the leaves in bulk.
• There are various reasons behind the Lemon Tree Leaves falling off such as overwatering, pests, diseases, underwatering, lack of nutrients, water, and sunlight, and many more explained below.
• We understand how beautiful the lush green leaves look on the trees.
• The Meyer lemon trees are losing their leaves every other or in short time intervals which means there is something wrong with the lemon tree. The hint is that the lemon tree is under stress.

Let’s take a deeper look at the falling of lemon leaves and their root causes. In this article, you will also get to know the tips on saving the lemon tree from falling leaves. 

Why are Lemon Tree Leaves falling off?

As I mentioned above, the lemon trees are under stress. The stress can be getting less sunlight, too much sunlight, lack of nutrients in the soil, watering problems, pests, and diseases. If the temperature is too low then the lemon trees will show weak leaves that will ultimately fall off.

Though the lemon trees are healthy and still shedding their leaves make sure what season it is, it can be a fruiting season or the flowering season. Below are the reasons behind the lemon tree leaves falling off:

1. Watering issues 

The lemon trees can get affected by irregular watering schedules. It is one of the reasons behind the Lemon Tree Leaves falling off. The lemon tree if overwatered can be a problem.

The water in the soil standing for long can be dangerous for the roots. The roots get rot easily in the soggy soil that has poor drainage.

The roots that are unable to get the nutrients after their quality has deteriorated means the plant will become weak and the leaves will become dull and drop.

2. Underwatering

The lemon trees are underwater again a problem! The lemon tree roots fail to absorb the nutrients and water from the dry soil. It is one of the reasons behind the Lemon Tree Leaves falling off.

The moist, well-drained soil is good. The dry soil can be harsh to the roots as well. The plant will dry as well with time with the leaves drooping on the ground.

3. Irregular light reaching the lemon tree

The lemon trees are particular in case of light requirements. It is one of the reasons behind the Lemon Tree Leaves falling off. The lemon tree needs a good amount of sunlight that is bright and direct.

Though indirect light will also help them thrive. The light should reach the lemon tree for 5-6 hours.

4. Nutrients deficiency

The lemon trees love the fertile soil having the nutrients, especially nitrogen, magnesium, zinc, iron, and manganese but the over-fertilization can still be harmful to the lemon trees. It is one of the reasons behind the Lemon Tree Leaves falling off.

Yes, they are heavy feeders and many gardeners get them to over-fertilize them, being a parent thing! The lemon trees also if they are not getting these nutrients properly then will fall off the leaves.

5. Cold temperature

The lemon trees are sensitive to cold stress. The cold conditions can make them slow and dormant. Low temperatures can harm the tissues and the leaves will drop.

The temperature drops below 20 degrees which means the lemon trees can get into cold stress and are susceptible to getting damaged. The lemon trees are hardy but the frost can affect the leaves. 

6. High temperature

The high temperature can inhibit the growth of lemon trees. It is one of the reasons behind the Lemon Tree Leaves falling off.

The leaves will start to fall if the temperature rises more than 50 to 60 degrees in summer and 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall and winter seasons. The high temperature can irritate the lemon tree leaves. 

“Trees are the poems that the earth writes upon the sky”

– By Khalil Gebran

7. Pests and diseases

Pests like aphids, mealybugs, scales, bugs, and leaf miners can be the reason that the leaves are falling. It is one of the reasons behind the Lemon Tree Leaves falling off. The pest sucks the nutrients and sap from the plant body and hinders the movement of the food into the leaves which can lead to the drooping of leaves which will later fall from the trees.

The disease can be the reason also, caused by fungi, soil-borne pathogens, and bacteria as well. The disease affects the plant tissue with the result that the fruits’ quality decreases and the leaves start to fall. 

5 ways to revive back the lemon trees 

1. Spraying the tree regularly 

When the temperature is too high, or the soil is looking dry you can spray the lemon tree after a few hours in a day. 

2. Maintain the nutrients level in the soil 

Fertilize the soil one time a year in the spring season. Adding the slow-release fertilizer is effective.

The lemon trees can be fertilized one time every 2-3 months if the conditions are too stressful around the tree. 

3. Use good soil with good drainage

The soil that you use should have little sand content in it; this will improve the drainage of the soil.

The soil should not be soggy but moist and well-drained. The soil needs to be discarded if it is moldy. Use new and clean soil. 

4. Maintain a watering schedule, stick to it

The proper watering schedule is needed to make and make sure you stick to it. Water the lemon tree every other day when they are growing and if matured then water the trees one time every one to 2 weeks. Check the soil dryness before watering. 

5. Move the potted lemon tree to the better spot 

If the sunlight is too strong you can move the potted lemon plant to the shaded spot. The trees can also be covered if the temperatures are too low.

Wrapping up the context 

Environmental conditions like humidity, temperature, and soil can make changes in the functioning of plants. The lemon trees need to be noticed well by the gardeners if there is a pest infestation or the soil is too dry or moist. We hope you like the article and that the information was helpful to you. We are happy to help. Happy growing and caring! 

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