The Citrus Enthusiast’s Guide to Meyer Lemon Tree Care - and Deliciousness!
So you’ve got (or are considering getting) a Meyer Lemon Tree. Maybe you’ve got a green thumb. Maybe you, like many people, think caring for succulents is the peak of your gardening skill set. Whatever the case, allow us to introduce you to one of our favorite fruiting trees! We’ll walk you through everything you need to know.
Getting to Know Your Meyer Lemon
These trees are a delectable drop of vibrant sunshine in any home gardener’s collection. Dainty verdant greenery dots sprawling branches year round, and Meyer Lemons are notorious for their prolific fruiting season (which is almost year round as well). Between fruiting seasons, delicate and highly fragrant ivory flowers take the place of citrus on each bough.
Meyer Lemons are like the little engine that could. As a whole, they stay fairly small, even when planted outdoors. Most Meyer Lemons live to be about 50 years old, and they begin to fruit as early as 2 years into their lifecycle.
The fruit from these trees isn’t comparable to the lemons you find at your local grocery store. Meyer Lemons are a hybrid of traditional lemons and mandarin oranges. Their skin is thinner than most lemons, and you can expect a refreshingly sweet flavor from the fruit - perfect for many recipes!
As far as fruiting trees go, Meyer Lemons are wonderfully low maintenance. Their baseline requirements are simple: lots of sunlight, a little bit of water, and no frostbite. If you take away nothing else from this guide, remember those three things!
Let There Be Light
Meyer Lemon Trees make fantastic houseplants, whether they’re in your garden, on your porch, or in your living room. In ground or container-bound, they really couldn’t care less.
In ground Meyer Lemon Trees will thrive almost anywhere, provided they’re getting full sun. Expect an in-ground Meyer Lemon to grow 6-10’ tall.
If you prefer to keep the tree smaller throughout its life cycle, place it in a large container of your choosing. The beauty of a container-bound plant is its mobility, so follow the sun!
Your Meyer Lemon loves sunlight. In fact, it really needs 8-12 hours of full sun every day. Make sure that if your plant is indoors, you keep it right next to a large window that sees the sun.
Flash Flood Warning
The number one mistake gardeners and home horticulturists alike make with their plants is overwatering.
How often does it rain where you are? Chances are, once every couple weeks for a day or two. Watering your plants, indoors or outdoors, is about imitating their natural environment - not saturating the everloving daylights out of the poor things. Less is more!
Meyer Lemons are easy to water:
- First, make sure your tree is in well-draining soil, so that any excess water can simply escape the container or into the surrounding groundspace.
- Water your tree until the topmost layer of soil bubbles up for 1-2 seconds.
- Repeat this every week or two.
A good way to know if your Meyer Lemon needs watering is to do the finger test. Place your finger in the soil at the base of your tree, about 1-2” deep. The soil should be cool and damp. If it’s bone dry, add water. Otherwise, leave it alone! Drowning your plants is not par for the course here.
Water requirements vary per lemon tree and by location. A Meyer Lemon planted outside in Central Florida summer heat will have different water needs than a potted Meyer Lemon in your neighbor’s living room during the winter. The finger test is always a good way to be absolutely certain about your plant’s water needs.
Location, Location, Location
While Meyer Lemons are delightfully hardy plants, there are a few ways you can set your tree up for success.
Again, make sure you plant your tree in well draining soil. If you want to get technical, they thrive in a slightly acidic PH (between 5.5 and 6.5).
In-ground Meyer Lemons live their best life in zones 8-11 on the USDA Plant Hardiness Map. The climate of these zones tend to have a more tropical, humid, and sunny disposition.
Special Considerations
Remember the three points from the start of this guide? We’ve covered sunlight and water. Now let’s talk about winter care.
As a tropical plant, it’s important to keep your tree warm. There’s no need to panic when temperatures drop for the winter, but you absolutely need to avoid it getting frostbit. If your tree lives in a pot outside, simply move it inside when temperatures drop below 32ºF. Cover in-ground trees with a sheet, large cloth, or tarp at night to help prevent frostbite.
If you live in a place that regularly sees temperatures below 32ºF, we really recommend potting your Meyer Lemon tree and keeping it indoors. It’s the best way to ensure your tree will survive the cold temperatures and continue to fruit for its lifetime.
The winter months are also ideal for pruning, so take care to do this before new life appears in the spring.
Harvesting Your Bounty
You did the work, and now you see the rewards of nature’s bounty! When a Meyer Lemon is plump and a striking, evenly colored bright yellow, it’s time to harvest.
Harvesting Meyer Lemons couldn’t be easier - no clippers needed. Simply twist the fruit off its branch. Branches might droop under the weight of the fruit, causing some pieces to touch the soil. Harvest these fruits sooner, rather than later, to prevent rot.
Our Favorite Recipes
Life gave you lemons, so let's make something delicious!
Here’s our favorite homemade lemon salad dressing recipe - perfect for when you want to add a lively twist to your fresh greens!
Lemon Salad Dressing Recipe
- Half an onion, finely chopped
- 1 TSP garlic, minced
- 2 TBSP distilled white vinegar
- 2 TBSP of your favorite honey
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- The juice of two full Meyer Lemons (be sure to strain out the seeds)
- Zest of one Meyer Lemon
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and store in the fridge. Add to your salads or up the recipe to create a zesty marinade!
Of course, a blog about lemons wouldn’t be complete without the perfect lemonade recipe. Deliciousness is in the tongue of the taster, so be sure to taste test this recipe to your liking as you go.
Perfect Lemonade Recipe
- Equal parts granulated sugar and hot water - we recommend 1 cup of each
- 6-10 Meyer Lemons
- 6-10 Cups of ice cold water
Mix together your sugar and hot water to create a simple syrup.
Juice your lemons and strain for seeds. Start with 6 lemons, and add more if you feel you need it. A good starting point is ⅔ - 1 cup of lemon juice.
Combine the syrup and lemon juice, then gradually add your ice cold water. Taste as you go until the dilution is to your delight. Your lemonade will be the highlight of the neighborhood barbeque!
Try out these recipes as your Meyer Lemon tree fruits, and let us know how they tasted. Bonus points if you post a picture of your creation! Be sure to tag us @the.magnoliacompany - We’d love to hear from you!