Many people associate having their own lemon tree in the garden with a holiday flair in the warm, sunny countries of the Mediterranean and the pleasure of being able to harvest fresh, tasty and unsprayed fruit. However, a lemon should be cultivated in a bucket if possible due to its sensitivity to frost.

Why lemons are not suitable for planting out in the garden

The lemon is an evergreen tree that bears flowers and fruit all year round - often both at the same time. In our Central European climate zone, however, a vegetative dormant phase begins with the onset of autumn, to which native deciduous trees, for example, react by shedding their leaves - in order to then sprout again in spring. This change of seasons is completely unknown to lemons, which is also reflected in the extremely long fruit ripening phase by local standards: Lemons need an average of six to nine months from flowering to ripe fruit - you would not get any ripe fruit from a planted lemon can harvest. Furthermore, lemons are not among the hardy plants - they would simply freeze to death if the temperatures were below zero for a long time.

Lemons love light and fresh air

Nevertheless, lemons love a lot of sun - the more the better - and respond to a sunny, sheltered and airy summer spot outdoors with numerous new shoots and flowers. For this reason, you should keep your lemon tree in a portable bucket if possible and simply set it up in a suitable location in the garden during the summer season. At the beginning of the winter season, the pot and tree finally migrate to more suitable quarters. Lemons hibernate best at temperatures between just above 0 and up to 12 °C in a bright and sheltered location.

Criteria for a summer location in the garden

  • the more sun the better
  • it can never be hot enough for a lemon in summer
  • the location should be free from drafts
  • the tree needs sufficient distance to other plants
  • provide sufficient water and nutrients

The outdoor season for lemons lasts from around the end of the Ice Saints (approx. mid to late May) and ends - depending on the weather conditions - between the beginning and end of October. In the spring, you should first slowly get the tree used to the blazing sun again - otherwise burns may occur.

tips and tricks

Unless you live in an extremely inclement weather region, you can still try planting your lemon tree and wintering outside. With the help of root heating and sufficient packaging material, even very frosty temperatures should be able to be bridged - as with the olive tree. Be careful not to freeze the roots.

Category:

Vegetable garden