Many people associate having their own lemon tree in their garden with a holiday flair in the warm, sunny countries of the Mediterranean as well as the pleasure of being able to harvest fresh, tasty and unsprayed fruit. However, due to its sensitivity to frost, a lemon should be grown in a bucket if possible.
Can you grow a lemon tree in the garden?
A lemon tree in the garden should be kept in a pot as it is sensitive to heat and frost. In summer the tree needs a sunny, protected location. In winter it should overwinter at around 0-12°C in a bright place.
Why lemons are not suitable for planting 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 rest phase begins with the onset of autumn, to which native deciduous trees, for example, react by shedding their leaves - and then sprout again in spring. This change of seasons is completely unknown to lemons, which is reflected, among other things, in the extremely long fruit ripening phase for local conditions: Lemons need an average of between six and nine months from flowering to ripe fruit - so you won't get any ripe fruit from a planted lemon can harvest. Furthermore, lemons are not winter-hardy plants - they would simply freeze to death in prolonged sub-zero temperatures.
Lemons love light & fresh air
Nevertheless, lemons love a lot of sun - the more the better - and welcome 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 transportable pot if possible and simply place it in a suitable location in the garden during the summer season. At the beginning of the winter season, the pot and tree finally move to more suitable quarters. Lemons overwinter best at temperatures between just above 0 and up to 12 °C in a bright and protected location.
Criteria for a summer location in the garden
- the more sun the better
- it can't be hot enough for a lemon in summer
- the location should be free from drafts
- the tree needs sufficient distance from other plants
- Ensure sufficient water and nutrients
The outdoor season for lemons lasts from around the end of the Ice Saints (around mid to late May) and ends - depending on weather conditions - between the beginning and end of October. In spring you should slowly get the tree used to the blazing sun again - otherwise it can cause burns.
Tips & Tricks
Unless you live in an extremely inclement weather region, you can still try planting out your lemon tree and overwintering it outside. With the help of root heating and enough packaging material, even very frosty temperatures should be able to be overcome - as with the olive tree. Above all, make sure that the roots do not freeze.
