Can You Grow a Lemon Tree Indoors? Yes, Here’s How!

Unless you live in a zone with year-round warm weather, bringing your lemon trees indoors for the winter is essential for their survival. And it’s no hassle at all. Indoor lemon trees are easy to care for, bring a welcome touch of green to your winter, give off a sweet, fragrant aroma, and — best of all — bear fruit!

We asked experts to share their tips for how to grow a healthy lemon tree inside your home.

Choosing the Right Lemon Tree for Indoor Growth

“Given the right conditions, there are few plants that can be grown indoors that produce lovely foliage with glossy green leaves and that yield both deliciously smelling flowers and edible fruit,” says Raffaele Di Lallo of Ohio Tropics, an online houseplant resource. “What more can you ask for?”

Sunlight is the most critical factor in successfully growing lemon trees, says Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, resident expert at The Houseplant Guru. “Citrus trees in the house need full direct sun to flower,” she says. “If it has the right light, it will flower and then you will know why it is a great house plant.”

Here are a few reasons why lemon trees make perfect houseplants:

• Easy to grow: Lemon trees will thrive in the right indoor conditions.
• Glossy green leaves: Lemon tree leaves are so shiny they look like they’ve been waxed.
• Fragrant flowers: “The aroma of the flowers will fill the house with an intoxicating scent,” says Steinkopf.
• Plentiful fruit: Indoor lemon trees can bear fruit up to four times yearly.

Indoor lemon trees will grow to between six and 10 feet tall, though dwarf varieties will level off a few feet shorter than that.

Ask your garden center expert for their recommendation for a dwarf lemon tree variety, such as Dwarf Meyer or Dwarf Ponderosa.

Setting Up Your Indoor Lemon Tree for Success

Setting up your indoor lemon tree? Here’s what you need to know.

Lighting and temperature requirements for indoor lemon trees

“Here comes the sun.” That’s the tune you should hum as you choose the right spot for a lemon tree in your home. They just need a tad of lemon tree maintenance indoors.

Di Lallo suggests placing your plant in the sunniest window in the house. An unobstructed southern exposure window is best for those in the Northern Hemisphere. The next best place, he says, “would be an eastern- or western-facing window.”

If you don’t have enough direct natural light, Steinkopf recommends putting an ample grow light over the top of the tree. “Turn your plant often to ensure all sides receive enough light to bloom,” she says. “If [it’s] not turned, only one side of the plant may bloom.”

After temperatures warm up in late spring, carefully move your plant outdoors into full sun.

“When you move your plant from indoors to outdoors, you must gradually acclimate it to the higher light outside, otherwise it will quickly burn,” Di Lallo says. “Place your lemon tree outside in full shade for a week. [Then] you can gradually increase the direct sun over a few days, until your lemon tree is placed in full sun.”

Once temperatures start to drop in the fall, bring your lemon tree back inside before the first risk of freezing. The tree can tolerate a range of indoor temperatures. If you set the thermostat in your home at a comfortable temperature for humans and pets, your lemon tree will be fine.

What type of pot and soil is best for a lemon tree?

When you raise a tree or any plant indoors, its survival entirely depends on you! Make the right choices for your lemon tree, using the best type of pot and soil.

Start with an inexpensive clay pot. “Terra-cotta pots are wonderful for citrus because they are porous and offer more oxygen to the root system,” Di Lallo says. “Citrus plants are prone to root rot caused by various pathogens, so terra-cotta pots will greatly reduce this risk.” Terra-cotta also helps when it’s time to water your lemon tree; more on that below.

While it might make sense to buy a pot larger than your tree needs, it’s going to grow, right?—it’s best to think small. Go with a “just container big enough for the tree and root system.

Because of their predilection for pathogens, Di Lallo says, it’s best to keep them slightly under-potted so that the soil can dry out properly. Up-potting your lemon tree, or planting it in too big of a pot, will result in soil that doesn’t dry out fast enough and can increase the risk of root disorders.

“Anytime your citrus has become root-bound and needs a bigger pot, only go up one pot size,” says Di Lallo. “For example, if your lemon tree is in a four-inch diameter pot and it needs a bigger pot, use a six-inch pot.” Add a wheeled plant caddy to help with periodic turning and transferring as your plant grows and the pot becomes heavier.

Your lemon tree needs a well-draining potting mix for those same moisture and root rot concerns. Both Di Lallo and Steinkopf recommend mixes specifically formulated for citrus plants. You can also use an all-purpose potting mix, but Di Lallo cautions to make it porous by adding soil amendments like perlite. He says the soil pH for a lemon tree should be between 5.5 and 6.5.

Watering and fertilizing lemon trees indoors

“Citrus can be a bit picky regarding its water needs,” says Steinkopf. Roots must stay relatively dry, but you can’t let the soil completely dry out, especially while the tree is flowering. “The flowers may wilt and even fall off,” she says, “never allowing for any fruit.”

A clay pot is helpful here. That way, you can tell if the soil is still moist; the bottom of the pot will be darker than the top. Di Lallo says to wait until the top inch or two of potting mix dries out before watering thoroughly again.

“It’s best to keep your plant more on the dry side,” he says, “but try not to let the potting mix go completely dry to the point where the plant wilts.”

How to fertilize a lemon tree?

If you plan to upgrade your produce, fertilizing your lemon tree is a great idea. It will help it produce more fruit while maintaining its overall health.

Since you’ll eventually eat those lemons, Di Lallo recommends sticking with an organic granule fertilizer. “Simply sprinkle the recommended amount into your pot, mix it in lightly and water it in,” he says.

He says to start fertilizing in the spring when your lemon will flush into new foliage and flowers. Then continue fertilizing through early autumn according to the directions on your fertilizer label.

By then, it will be time to bring your plant indoors again and enjoy its cheerful color, scent and fruit all winter.

Troubleshooting Common Indoor Lemon Tree Issues

Yellowing leaves:

This is a common issue with indoor lemon trees, and the best way to address it is to limit watering. Try to water only when the top inches of soil are dry. Also, add some Epsom salt if the edges turn yellow.

Leaf drop:

This is another common problem and it can be fatal for your plant if you don’t deal with it on a timely basis. Make sure you place your plant in a consistent, bright location and stick to a well-created watering routine. Observe your plant for the same.

Increasing pests:

Yes, where there is greenery, pests are always a very real possibility. To deal with these, make sure you use neem oil to wipe the leaves of your plant. You must also isolate the infested plant in a non-humid spot for best results.

Brown leaves:

This can be happening because of the increasing salt levels in your soil. Make sure you flush your oil every month to avoid the same. Further, mist the leaves regularly to revive them.

FAQ

 What type of lemon tree is best for growing indoors?

Although normal lemon trees would look amazing inside your house if you have high ceilings, we think dwarf lemon trees are the best choice for indoors.

These beautiful hybrid plants are made to respond to indoor care and atmospheres, making them the best choice. Remember to consult an expert beforehand.

How much sunlight does an indoor lemon tree need?

Your indoor lemon plants must get at least 5 hours of direct and uninterrupted sunlight. This helps them with their photosynthesis process and ensures their supremely stable growth. Keep moving your lemon tree to ensure it gets the best sunlight to shine and slay.

Can an indoor lemon tree produce fruit?

Of course! This is one of the best reasons to bring your lemon trees inside your house. However, the production could be a tad lower in such cases. But that depends on many factors, including the plant size and how you care for your babies.

About the Expert

• Raffaele Di Lallo of Ohio Tropics is an online houseplant resource. He has personally researched and nurtured many indoor plants.
• Lisa Eldred Steinkopf is the resident expert at The Houseplant Guru. She loves to experiment with indoor plants.

Sources:

• Martha Stewart: “How to Grow a Lemon Tree Indoors for Delicious Citrus Year-Round”
• Birds & Blooms: “How to Grow an Indoor Lemon Tree”