By Krati Purwar
June 17, 2025
When life gives you a lemon, grow a lemon tree. It is probably the best decision you can make, and you will be proud while harvesting citrusy yellow balls. Anytime you want to balance the flavours in your dish, tone down the spiciness, or enhance sourness, you have to take a trip to your balcony or garden.
The pot for a lemon should be large and must have holes for drainage. The soil should be acidic and a good mix of coco peat, garden soil, and compost.
You can either grow a lemon tree through seeds or saplings. Trees from seeds can take 5-10 years to grow fruits, but saplings can give you fruits within 1-3 years.
A lemon tree flourishes in the sunlight. It needs direct light from the sun for at least 6-8 hours a day. Therefore, pick the sunniest spot on the balcony.
Plant the seed into the soil at least ½ inch deep. If you are transferring the sapling, be cautious not to disturb the root ball.
Lemon trees need a good amount of watering, but not so much that the soil gets clogged. It also thrives in the humid atmosphere.
Make sure you fertilise the soil so the tree gets ample nutrition. Pruning is also necessary for the plant to flourish.
Lemon trees are susceptible to pest attacks, which you can avoid via organic insecticidal soap. You need to practice patience too because fruiting does not happen overnight.