Young lemon trees in particular are very happy to grow - provided they have good conditions in terms of temperature, water and fertilizer. The strong roots have also spread quickly in the pot, so if possible, they should be transplanted into a larger pot with fresh substrate at least once a year. This is easy to do with our step-by-step instructions.
How do I properly repot a lemon tree?
When repotting a lemon tree, you will need a larger pot, fresh substrate, expanded clay or pebbles and water. Remove the old pot, loosen the root ball, fill the new pot with a layer of pebbles, insert the tree and fill it with soil.
Choosing the right time for repotting
Due to their rapid growth, young lemon trees should be repotted once a year until they are four to five years old. Perennial plants are happy to move every two to (at the latest!) three years and respond to a larger pot and new substrate with lots of new shoots and flowers. You should ideally transplant at the end of the winter break or at the beginning of the growing season, because at this point the roots begin to grow again so that they can immediately grow into the new, fresh soil.
Why shouldn't I repot in the fall?
Transplanting in autumn, on the other hand, makes little sense because the roots are already preparing for winter rest and severely limit their activities.are even completely inactive. The new nutrients from the fresh substrate are only flushed out by subsequent watering and can therefore no longer be used by the plant.
The step-by-step instructions for repotting
However, before you can start transplanting, you should first make some important preparations. You need:
- a new pot (diameter one third larger than root ball)
- fresh substrate
- Expanded clay / small pebbles
- a watering can with stale or rainwater
And this is how transplanting works – step by step:
- Loosen the roots stuck to the pot walls by tapping the pot walls and bottom
- Pull the pot from the root ball
- Larger trees can be laid on their side to make removing them easier
- Loose the root ball and remove excess substrate
- Remove weeds and pests if necessary
- Fill the new pot with a layer of pebbles
- If necessary, mix new citrus soil (€8.00 on Amazon) or use commercially available
- Now put a layer of earth on the pebbles, about two to three centimeters thick
- Insert the root ball
- Fill it all around with soil
- The bale should be the same height in the pot as before
- Fix it thoroughly with your fingers
- Finally, knock on the wall of the pot a few more times so that soil trickles down into the last cavities
- Water the plant thoroughly
Tips & Tricks
If the plants have been growing in very solid and/or loamy substrate, the ball should be placed in a tub of water overnight so that the soil can be flushed out. Every now and then shake the bale vigorously in the water.
