LISBON LEMON TREE CARE

Lisbon lemon trees are quite popular in Arizona. Lisbon lemon trees can tolerate harsh heat and windy conditions but are somewhat “frost sensitive”. Luckily Arizona doesn’t get must frost, so planting and harvesting a Lisbon Lemon tree in Arizona is very possible and with the right tree care your lemon tree can grow up to 30′ tall. So, get ready for Lisbon Lemon tree care tips from the experts at Phoenix Trim A Tree.

PLANTING YOUR LISBON LEMON TREE

Make sure and plant your Lisbon lemon tree in a area where it can receive full sun. Soil should drain easily as lemon trees do not grow well in standing water. If you live in a colder part of Arizona, such as Flagstaff, you are going to want to grow your lemon tree in a container that can be moved inside your home during the winter months.

HOW MUCH MULCH DO I NEED FOR PLANTING?

The root zone should be buried in 4-6″ of mulch. Mulch will reduce the amount of moisture loss and reduces the amount of weed grown around the base of the tree.

LISBON LEMON TREE CARE

Lemon trees need sun, water, fertilizer and pruning just like every other plant. Read about how to water your lemon tree, protect them from the cold, fertilize them, and how to prune and harvest your lemons.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I WATER MY LEMON TREE

Lisbon lemon trees need to be watered regularly, especially during the first 3 years, or their 1st growing season as experts would call it.

WATERING DURING THE SUMMER – Water your Lisbon tree once a week during the summer months.

WATERING THE REST OF THE YEAR – For the rest of the year, only water your lemon tree every other week.

WATERING AFTER THE FIRST YEAR – You can reduce the amount of watering after the first year to prevent over watering.

LEMON TREE FEEDING/FERTILIZER

Lemon trees in general need a hefty supply of food (nutrients) to have healthy growth. Although, you won’t use a general fertilizer for Lisbon trees, you are going to want to use a citrus fertilizer that is made for citrus trees. You should re-fertilize your tree 2-3 during the growing season. The first re-fertilization should take place in spring. You’re going to want to fertilize before the new growth comes, not after, and then again at the beginning of September. If you are growing your lemon tree indoors, you are going to want to re-fertilize every month during the hot months to keep the soil moist and rich.

LISBON LEMON TREE PRUNING

STEP 1 – Choose the proper time to prune
STEP 2 – Remove all fruit from the tree
STEP 3 – Prune any branches that are damaged or diseased all the way back to the base
STEP 4 – Cut any branches that are smaller than the diameter of a pencil
STEP 5 – Prune suckers as they appear at any time

Usually, trees are only pruned during their dormant periods but lemon trees don’t have one. So, you should only prune or shape your Lisbon lemon tree during the cold months while the tree growth has slowed. Also, any suckers on the trunk of the tree should be removed. Also, to produce larger lemons, pinch off excess lemons while they are still tiny and leave 4-6″ between them. Read Wiki How’s Article on “How To Prune A Lemon Tree: 12 Steps (with Pictures)” for more information about pruning your Lisbon lemon tree.

PROTECTING YOUR LEMONS FROM THE COLD

As we learned above, Lisbon trees are sensitive to frost. Cold temperatures are one of the only things that can kill your Lisbon tree. Use Christmas lights strung through a canopy to provide extra heat during the cold months. For the coldest months, you can wrap your canopy in a blanket for additional heat.

HARVESTING YOUR LEMON TREE

Lisbon trees usually produce fruit within 3 years of planting.

IN CONCLUSION

• Plant Your Lemon Tree In A Sunny Area With Good Drainage
• Plant Your Lemon Tree in 4-6 inches of mulch
• Water your lemon tree every week during the summer months and every other week after that
• Feed your lemon tree nutrient rich citrus fertilizer
• Only prune your Lisbon tree during the winter months
• Protect your lemon trees from the cold, it’s the only thing that can kill them

Thank you for reading “Lisbon Lemon Tree Care” by Phoenix Trim A Tree. If you haven’t done so already, make sure and check out our post “Growing Lemon Trees In Arizona” for more information.