Growing a Lemon Tree: How to Grow a Lemon Tree from Seed

Growing lemons are easier than you thought. Learn how to grow a lemon tree from seed step by step including seed propagation, preparing the soil, weather conditions, fertilization and more.

In this guide, I will help you growing lemons in both indoor and outdoor garden.  Also, share my experiences, faster-growing tips, the problems I faced, and solutions.

Actually, this cultivation is simple and easy.  Let’s begin:

How to Grow a Lemon Tree from Seed

Lemon trees thrive outside year-round in the tropical, sunny areas. But they can also thrive inside as an edible fruit in cold environments.

Now, most of our farming we suggest buying seeds. But, I think it will be more fun if you can collect seeds on your own and propagate lemon trees.

That’s why first, we all grasp the technique of collecting and germinating process. Then we will learn how to plant them directly on the soil or in a pot\ bag or on your backyard garden.

Collecting and Processing Seeds: This collecting process is straightforward. Seeds are fetched directly from the fruit. So, next time when you suck a lemon save seeds.

Here are some tips, that you should follow.

Tips 1: Seeds from a Non-Organic Lemon may not develop seedlings so, accumulate them from an organic fruit.

Tips 2: Before removing the seeds, make sure that the lemon you use here is tasty and juicy. However, the citrus tree that developed from seeds tends to clone the mother trees natures. But not as accurately as the grafted citrus tree.

Tips 3: After removing seeds, they need to be cleaned properly and dried using tissue papers. If not they may not germinate as the fungal disease destroy the ability to sprout.

Tips 4: In the next step, plant them immediately.

Planting Lemon Seeds: Growing Seedlings 

Lemon seedlings are germinated in a sunny, indoor environment. Usually, the seeds are set in a pot.

Here are the things that you will need to grow a lemon tree from seed.

• Organic lemon seeds.
• A pot filled with soil and organic fertilizer mix (read: how to prepare soil).
• Suggested pot size is about 5 inches deep and 4 inches wide (for indoor planting use 8x8in).
• And plant them into the pot about 1/2 inches deep.
• Now, Place the pot in a warm place inside your home and water it frequently.
• Finally, when you plant the seedlings in indoor you will need a pot/ bag/ barrel.
• The size can vary in width, least size is 8-inch by 8-inch( 20cm X 20cm) width and height.
• But, if you like to grow them really big inside your house you will need a bigger pot size about 18 inches deep and 24 inches width (read: transplantation tips).

Note 1: After planting the seed keep it in a warm place. It will help them germinate. And after that move the pot near a window. It will require sunlight in this stage for 5-6 hour.

Note 2: Generally, lemon trees that originated from the seed will need a 4-5 year to produce lemon fruit. However, that is a long time to wait on. But, I found a solution that can reduce time significantly (discussed below: how to get lemon from seed germinated tree faster).

Seed Planting Season:

You can plant lemon trees at any time of the year.

But, the best seed planting season: Late winter or early spring.

However, most of the farmer grow them inside. In that case, it can be done any time of a year.

If you plant in a Summer Season, recently planted trees have little immunity to the warmth and dry climate. Furthermore, they can dehydrate quickly.

Young citrus plants are very sensitive to frost. If you plant in the winter, protect them from the cold.

Planting Seedling 

If you plant them directly in your garden (read: where you can grow lemon outdoor?), you need to plant them when they are about 6- 10 inches tall.

Indoor planting tips: 

If you grow a lemon tree from seed inside, then follow this steps below.

• Here, if you wish you can cultivate them using a single pot.
• Lisbon, Meyer lemon and Ponderosa dwarf develop very well in containers.
• Use a pot or bag (size: at least 8×8 inches, recommended 18×24 inches) for sowing seeds.
• It does not require transplantation. But if the varieties you choose to cultivate requires more reservation you can transplant them.

Tips for planting outdoor:

Firstly, Check that the weather and environment condition supports lemon farming outdoor. If it can grow lemon from seed outside than follow this next step.

• Prepare the soil as I described below (read:  soil condition for growing lemon).
• Then, dig 3×3 inches deep hole.
• Now, this transplanting process is sensitive.
• The lemon seedling will not survive if the root is damaged,
• Also, citrus trees do not grow roots faster.
• So, it has to transplant with soil they sprout.
• Plant them with 2×2 – inches soil.
• Then fill the rest space with organic fertilizers.

Conditions Requirement: Growing a Lemon Tree

We know that this plant can thrive all over the world. Actually, it’s a hot weather crop. But the lemon tree can grow in your place. Let learn how to raise them and in which conditions are appropriate.

Weather Conditions: 

For growing a lemon tree outdoor, the weather limits are given below. In case your area doesn’t belong to this conditions still you can grow them inside your home. If it can get eight – twelve hours of sunlight in a day.

The temperature they can tolerate:

Ideal Temperature:                77° to 86° Fahrenheit.

Low/ Cold Temperature:        25° to 30° Fahrenheit.

Hot Temperature:                    Up to 104° Fahrenheit.

*Us farming zone 9b to 11.

Soil:

These plants prefer well-drained, fertile soil, and 6.0 ph level. Lose and loamy soil are the beset grower. However, they can grow in different soils, including puny soil and lightly acidic soil.

In the case of container cultivation, soil and organic fertilizer mix work best.

Now the question is: How and what proportion they should be mixed?

Depending on your soil you can mix in proportion soil: fertilizer like- 50:50, 40:60.

Fertilizer: How to Practice Accurately 

These trees demand nitrogen greatly. So, the compost you will use for your plant should contain ample of nitrogen.

Now, Here are some tips for applying fertilization.  

• Lemon trees should be fed three to four times a year.
• Make sure that you practice at the usual times.
• Apply fertilization in active growing seasons.

Note 3: Do not practice it in cold season, heavy rain seasons when they do not grow actively.

As we know that, this plant become fruitful in four years. But I found that it can produce lemons faster. Actually, at the age of two. At that age, my “Meyer improved dwarf” produces 5 lemons.

Here is the process that I follow and suggest you follow when growing a lemon tree from the seed.

How to Grow Lemon Tree Faster:

This process is somewhat straight-forward. First, you have to understand what this plant needs to develop branches, roots, and flower.

If it gets fed appropriately, it will flourish. This plant needs nitrogen, 8-12 hour of sunlight, and fertilizers.

I have already discussed that in above.

Finally, this is the appropriate guide how I grow a lemon tree from seed. Now, this is your turn.

If you face any problem during this whole cultivation time. We are here! Ask any question, Farming Method will be glad to answer.  Please share this with your community.