How to Prune Lemon Trees

If you have lemon trees it’s vital that you keep them pruned. Neglecting the pruning process can lead to a slower-growing tree and one that produce less fruit. Unlike other citrus trees that may be able to be pruned throughout the year, lemon trees require a more specific pruning time table. The benefits of having a lemon tree are worth the work, so long as you know what you’re doing.

Step 1- When to Prune

If you prune your lemon tree at the wrong time you risk losing that year’s harvest. The lemon tree only needs to be pruned once every year or 2, depending on how fast it is growing. If you live in a warm climate, the season you prune your tree in doesn’t matter but you should not prune on really hot days. The best time to prune a lemon tree is shortly after it has produced its autumn harvest to allow the tree plenty of time to recover after the pruning process before the next harvest. Generally though, you can prune a lemon tree any time it’s producing flowers.

Step 2- How to Prune a Lemon Tree

The process of pruning a lemon tree is very precise. You must prune it in a way that allows plenty of sunlight to reach as much of the tree as possible. When cutting a branch it’s important to cut it at a slight angle. You want to cut the angle about 1 inch away from the main trunk or branch and you want the angle to be directed away from the tree. Cutting in this fashion promotes growth and trains the tree to grow its branches upward.

It’s very important to remember not to trim more than 1/3 of the tree each year. Trimming more can damage the tree, causing it to grow more slowly and produce less fruit. Leave at least 3 to 5 main branches to give the tree a head-start to a bountiful harvest the following year. Trimming off weak or wobbling branches is a good idea because these branches will produce inferior lemons or fruit that will fall from the tree before it is ripe.

Tips

• Begin pruning the tree within its first or second year of life to train the plant to grow in the desired direction.
• If the branch looks good, don’t trim it! There’s no need to trim a branch that produces great fruit unless it either interferes with the tree getting sunlight or it’s completely growing in the wrong direction.
• It’s smart to wear gloves while pruning to protect your hands from any thorns or biting/stinging insects that may be lurking in your lemon tree.
• The sharper your sheers are, the easier the pruning job will be and the cleaner the cuts you will be able to make.
• Make sure to trim interweaving branches.