Like orchids, lemon trees have become an indispensable part of our homes. Nevertheless, one or two uncertainties and questions arise from time to time when it comes to care; after all, you want to do everything right. In order for the tree to really look like a tree, produce plenty of flowers and fruits and grow healthily and aesthetically, this plant needs to be pruned and cared for from time to time. We will explain to you exactly how to prune the lemon tree with everything you should know.
When is the right time to prune the citrus tree?
Cuts are generally possible at any time of the year. However, some people prefer to prune the lemon tree in the fall, when many other plants also need to be trimmed and you are preparing everything for winter anyway. Andfor winter quartersThis may also be quite practical because it makes the tree more compact. However, in some cases late winter or early spring is a better time and the reasons are quite simple:
When to prune the lemon tree? That depends on the type of cut
- There are three types of pruning on the lemon tree: maintenance pruning, training pruning and rejuvenation pruning:
Educational cutsare rarely necessary because they serve to shape the tree into a tree. They are particularly common on young lemon trees. So these are topiary cuts. It is precisely these cuts that are best carried out at the end of winter or in early spring, in February or March. During this time, the tree loses the least amount of strength due to this care measure and can therefore recover more quickly afterwards.
Conservation cutsare less radical and can be carried out again and again throughout the year. They are used for care, maintaining health and strengthening. Sick, dead and horny shoots are removed, and possibly one or two unwanted branches for aesthetic reasons. The maintenance cut is also intended for thinning so that sufficient light can reach the inside of the crown.
Rejuvenation cutsmay be necessary after several years if the tree appears to be becoming more and more bare. Pruning is carried out quite radically in spring.
How do you prune a lemon tree?
How exactly should you prune the lemon tree? Depending on the type of cut, you proceed slightly differently. In both cases, be sure to use secateurs that are not only sharp but also clean. This will ensure smooth cuts and avoid infections.
After any type of cut you shouldfertilize the plantto give it enough strength for new growth.
Cutting lemon trees – instructions for maintenance pruning
Whenever you have aProblem with the treenotice, you can use scissors. Proceed as follows:
- Simply cut off diseased, injured or dead parts, right behind the dead part into the healthy wood. Branches on the plant (on the next largest branch or at the base of the leaf) are optimal for cutting so that you don't end up with bare, leafless shoots that would spoil the aesthetics of the tree.
- Then removehorny shoots, i.e. those that only drain energy and produce no fruit. You can recognize them because they grow quickly and steeply upwards, are long, thin and soft and have leaves with a different shape.
- Crossing branches interfere with each other. In such cases, always remove the weaker of the two.
- To thin out, remove shoots that grow inwards into the crown.
- After you have removed all the parts of the plant mentioned, take a step back and take a closer look at the crown as a whole: Is it uneven, bare in one place or too dense? Are some shoots particularly long? Then you can make some beautifying topiary cuts. But use it sparingly.
Cut the lemon tree correctly with a radical cut
The young tree in particular should first be steered in the right directions so that a good basic structure is created. With the so-called parenting cut, you adhere to the following rules:
- Like many other trees, lemon trees do not have a main shoot from which the other branches emerge. Instead there are several central shoots.
- Right at the beginning, choose the strongest of these central shoots and shorten it by a third.
- No matter how difficult it may be for you, the other central shoots have to be completely removed. If possible, cut them off at the base.
- The remaining leading shoot is now bare by cutting off all of the side shoots with the exception of three or four. Make sure that these side shoots are strong and distributed as evenly as possible around the leading shoot.
- Cut back the selected side shoots by a third, just like the leading shoot.
Perform a rejuvenation cut
If the tree becomes increasingly bare and only develops leaves at the tips of the shoots, it is probably onerejuvenating care measurenecessary. You can also tell this from the fact that the shoots only grow very slowly or not at all.
- If you want to prune your lemon tree to rejuvenate, choose spring.
- Focus on the tree's stronger branches.
- Prune them back vigorously, no matter how difficult it is for you. This step will reward you with a beautiful tree. At the end, only 10 to 15 cm long side shoots should remain.
- You can leave all branches, as smaller branches, that extend from these side shoots on the tree.
- Also remove any diseased or dead and dried shoots that are still visible after the radical cut.
- Observe the new growth and do not neglect regular pruning to remove unnecessary shoots.
- There will be no flowers or fruit this year.
