How to Grow Meyer Lemon
Citrus x meyeri
Meyer lemon is a lemon-mandarin hybrid that produces sweeter, rounder fruit with thinner skin than true lemons. More cold-hardy than Eureka or Lisbon lemons (tolerating brief dips to -3C), it is the most popular citrus for UK container growing. Compact trees (1.5-2m) flower and fruit almost year-round in good conditions. Grow in a large container with citrus compost, provide maximum light, feed every two weeks with citrus fertiliser in the growing season, and overwinter in a bright cool room at 5-12C. Self-fertile.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Requirements
Light
Maximum light; outdoors in summer, brightest spot in winter
Maximum light is essential for flowering and fruiting. Place outdoors in full sun from late May to September, then move to the brightest indoor position over winter. A south-facing conservatory is ideal.
Watering
Water when top 2cm dry; rainwater preferred; reduce in winter
Water when the top 2cm of compost is dry. Use rainwater where possible as citrus dislike hard water. Reduce watering in winter. Never let pots sit in water.
Fertilizing
Citrus fertiliser every 2 weeks, spring to autumn
Feed every two weeks with a specialist citrus fertiliser from spring to autumn. Reduce to monthly in winter. Meyer lemon is a hungry plant that responds well to regular feeding.
Pruning
Light spring prune; pinch tips for bushiness
Prune lightly in spring to shape and remove dead or crossing branches. Pinch growing tips to encourage bushier growth. Avoid heavy pruning which reduces fruit.
Overwintering
Bright cool room at 5-12C; hardier than other lemons
Bring indoors before first frost to a bright, cool room at 5-12C. More cold-tolerant than other lemons (to -3C briefly) but still needs frost protection. Avoid warm dry rooms.
Growing Tips
Hardier than true lemons
Meyer lemon tolerates brief dips to -3C, making it the most cold-tolerant lemon for UK growing. It can overwinter in an unheated conservatory in mild areas, though a cool bright room at 5-12C is safer.
Almost everbearing
In good conditions with adequate light and warmth, Meyer lemon flowers and fruits almost continuously throughout the year. You may see flowers, green fruit, and ripe fruit on the tree simultaneously.
Sweeter than standard lemons
Meyer lemons are sweeter and less acidic than Eureka or Lisbon types, with thin edible skin. They are rounder in shape and turn deep yellow-orange when fully ripe. Use whole in cooking and baking.
