Which fertilizer should you use for lemon tree? Can you fertilize it with home remedies? Does the lemon tree benefit from coffee grounds?
With its wonderfully fragrant flowers and beautiful, glossy foliage, the lemon tree is a favorite plant of many gardeners. However, it requires a little care, but it's worth it to grow your own delicious lemon fruits. In this country, the heat-loving plant can only be grown in pots and it is therefore even more important to use the right fertilizer for lemon trees.
The lemon tree needs various nutrients to grow strong, healthy and produce lots of fruit. However, its needs vary depending on whether it is a young plant or not. However, cultivation is not always easy and fertilization helps to make it more productive and lush. Here you will find the different options to provide your lemon tree with the necessary nutrients.
What nutrients does the lemon tree need?
Every lemon tree first needs the three most important elements for each plant.
- Nitrogenpromotes the growth of leaves and branches. In lemon trees it has an effect not only on growth but also on fruit production and is therefore the most important element for the plant.
- Phosphorensures the tree's better resistance to weather conditions and pests.
- Potassiumpromotes flowering and fruit formation.
The Mediterranean plant also needs some minerals and trace elements.
- Eisen:The vitality and health of the citrus tree depends on the iron content, as the fruits are quite susceptible to iron deficiency.
- Magnesiumplays a role in fruit formation and is therefore of great benefit to the plant.
Fertilize lemon tree with vinegar solution
The lemon tree thrives best in soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. In alkaline soils with a pH of 7.0 and above, the iron in the soil is no longer available to the plant, leading to iron deficiency or what is known as chlorosis. To identify this disease, look for yellowing of the leaves between the veins.
You can combat chlorosis by improving the pH of the soil. To do this, mix 70 ml of white vinegar with 2 l of water and water the lemon tree with it.
To increase the iron content in the soil you can alsoMake your own nettle manureand water the lemon tree with it. Dilute one part of nettle manure with 10 parts of water and water the plant every 15 days.
Use banana peels as fertilizer
Lemons do not live on nitrogen alone. When the first fruits are ripe, we should reduce nitrogen in favor of potassium and phosphorus. Banana peels can be added to compost or used as mulch around the base of the tree as they are a good source of potassium for the lemon tree.
Simply scrape away the mulch from under the tree and add a few banana peels around the trunk. Then reapply the mulch to allow the shells to rot.
Are coffee grounds good for lemon trees?
Used coffee grounds are not just a waste product that should simply be thrown in the trash. The organic material still contains nitrogen and other nutrients like potassium and phosphorus that you can add to your citrus tree.
It still contains traces of caffeine and therefore serves as an effective pest control agent.
To provide your lemon tree with natural fertilizer, you should first let the coffee grounds rot in a compost heap before using them. Make sure it takes two to three months to fully decompose. Composted coffee grounds contain a higher dose of nitrogen, which accelerates the growth and development of the lemon tree.
Then sprinkle the compost with the incorporated coffee grounds around the base of the tree every two months. Spread it 2 inches away from the tree trunk to avoid possible damage.
Which fertilizer for lemon tree? Lawn clippings
Lawn clippings are rich in nitrogen and other important nutrients. It also provides a lot of organic material, which improves the soil structure and retains moisture in the soil.
If you have the lemon treeFertilize with grass clippingsIf you want to do this, you should first make sure that it does not contain any weed seeds.
Cut the fresh grass and leave it in the sun for a while. Then place it around the base of the lemon tree, keeping it away from the trunk to avoid fungal diseases.
If you cover the grass clippings with a layer of compost, they will decompose much more quickly and the valuable nutrients will be utilized more quickly.
Green manure with lupins
As mentioned, lemon trees need a lot of nitrogen, especially in early spring when they are recovering from winter and producing new leaves and lots of flowers.
You can make a good nitrogen fertilizer yourself from dried lupins.
Obtain 120 g of dried lupins, which is enough to fertilize one square meter. Grind and sprinkle them evenly around the tree. As they decompose, they enrich the soil and improve its structure.
When should the lemon tree be fertilized?
Fertilizing the lemon tree should begin in late winter or early spring. Carefully monitor how your natural fertilizer affects your tree over time. You can then adjust the additions slightly to achieve the best results.
Remember that over-fertilizing with a natural remedy is pretty much impossible, so fertilizing too liberally with home remedies is very unlikely to harm your lemon tree.
- It needs nutrients to form new branches and leaves, but also to bloom and bear fruit. Therefore, it should be fertilized from March to October, throughout the entire growing season. Therefore, fertilize it every 4 to 6 weeks.
- From November to February, the lemon tree is in a resting phase and fertilizer applications should be stopped.
Before fertilizing your lemon tree, water it thoroughly to avoid burning the roots.
To find the best time to fertilize your lemon tree, you should consider the physical condition and growth of the tree. A tree that has dark green foliage and bears fruit often does not need fertilizer.
Avoid adding fertilizers once the lemon tree is planted. Many potting soils already contain some fertilizer, so additional fertilization can do more harm than good. Allow the tree to get used to the new environment, water it well and fertilize it for the first time a few weeks later.
How to water your lemon tree in summerfind out here!
