Flowering citrus trees are gorgeous! What a pleasure to have them in your garden or on your terrace. But when they don’t bloom, what a disappointment… Especially when you think you’ve given them everything a citrus tree needs. Don’t despair: watching your lemon tree bloom is absolutely possible!
My lemon tree isn’t blooming and isn’t producing lemons: why?
Despite all the care you give it, your lemon tree isn’t flowering and can’t offer you lemons? First, know that the flowering period of a lemon tree depends on its variety. Some bloom several times a year, like the four-season lemon tree, which, as its name suggests, flowers a bit in March, then heavily in May, to bloom again lightly in June and finish blooming in summer. For more common lemon tree varieties, flowering generally occurs in spring. As for lemons, they typically appear from late September through November.
If you haven’t yet had the chance to witness your lemon tree’s flowering, there’s a reason for that. For a citrus tree to be productive, several conditions must be met.
A lemon tree is too young to bloom right away
First, isn’t your lemon tree too young to bloom? Indeed, a small lemon tree purchased just a year ago is unlikely to bear lemons immediately. Fruit trees generally need 4 to 5 years to start a bloom that will lead to fruiting.
It takes a few years for a lemon tree to begin producing lemons. And fruiting will be even stronger once the tree reaches maturity.
The solution: be patient!
Watch out for nitrogen-heavy fertilizers used in large quantities
Another reason a fruit tree may not bloom is applying too much nitrogen fertilizer. While this type of fertilizer will help your lemon tree become vigorous and display lush green foliage, in the long run it can harm its flowering. Indeed, nitrogen-fertilized growth strengthens branches and foliage, which is beneficial in early growth. But if the lemon tree gets too much nitrogen at the expense of carbon, then the vegetative growth tends to outpace flowering. This imbalance can explain why the lemon tree can’t produce lemons.
The solution: moderate your use of nitrogen fertilizers. Prefer slow-release citrus fertilizers that are higher in potassium. If you’ve tended to give too much nitrogen to your citrus, don’t prune the tree while the nitrogen-to-carbon balance rebalances.
Fertilizing your lemon tree: how to do it?
To make a lemon tree bear fruit, fertilization is therefore important. However, lemon trees should be fertilized moderately. Potted lemon trees can receive fertilizer about once a month. This can be liquid fertilizer diluted in the watering water, or organic fertilizers such as dehydrated manure. For lemon trees planted in the ground, fertilization with compost is ideal. You should then scratching the soil lightly at the base to mix the compost into the soil. In winter, stop fertilizing to respect a necessary rest period for the shrub’s health.
To produce lemons, a lemon tree must be properly watered
Watering fruit trees like citrus is crucial, but it’s all about the right amount. In fact, to fruit a lemon tree needs water in ample quantity, but not too much and not too little. Lemon trees hate drought, which can be problematic during heat waves, especially when water restrictions apply. There are ways to continue watering your garden if that’s the case.
A water stress, whether a lack of watering or overwatering, can thus prevent the flowering of the citrus tree. The lemon tree, coming from tropical, humid, hot regions, needs a regular water supply. The worst is a pattern of drought followed by overwatering.
The solution: if you tend to overwater your fruit tree, reduce the watering frequency until the soil dries, then gradually resume regular watering, but adjust the amount of water. If the lemon tree is potted, don’t let water sit in the saucer. Also pay attention to the potting soil. If the substrate is too compact, roots can drown during heavy watering. Consider repotting your lemon tree into a looser, more aerated soil. Also avoid water that’s too hard.
A lemon tree that’s too exposed to wind will have trouble blooming
Citrus don’t like drafts, even less when it comes to real gusts. Wind can dry out a lemon tree, and in winter, intensify the cold. So pay attention to weather conditions when you decide to move a potted lemon tree outdoors after winter.
The solution: move your potted lemon tree indoors to protect it from drafts. During the summer, place it in partial shade if possible to limit the risk of drought. In winter, protect it from the cold by placing it in a bright room with moderate temperature. Sunrooms are ideal. If your lemon tree is planted in the ground, plant evergreen, dense foliage shrubs alongside it to shield it from drafts. You can also set up windbreaks around it. During the winter, also mulch the base of your lemon tree in the ground and surround it with a winter veil to protect it from frost.
These tips should help you finally enjoy the flowering of your lemon tree
