Mini Lemon (Lara)

This little tree has both tasty fruit and fragrant flowers – sometimes both at once. It can bring pleasure for months, or even years, with the right care. It is a cross between a lemon and a kumquat. The fruit is smaller but tastes very similar to a lemon with a sweet edible rind and is great for flavouring cooked dishes or slicing in cold drinks.

Citrus trees need light and like to be near a window, skylight or patio door. In summer your tree will enjoy a sheltered patio but needs to come inside in the autumn. Try to keep your plant away from cold draughts and radiators.

While plants are in a pot they will need regular watering, but it is important not to let the roots get waterlogged. Water thoroughly from the top until excess water drains right through the pot and out of the bottom. If the leaves start to droop or curl you know it is thirsty, so water straight away. You will need to water much less in winter.

Citrus trees will benefit from citrus feed every few weeks to encourage growth. If you need to repot your plant, its best to do so in the spring in citrus compost. As a general rule they flower in Summer and fruits ripen in the winter. The fruits are ready to harvest when they turn yellow and are slightly sweeter than limes with an edible rind.

Problem Solving

The most common problem with a lemon is leaves dropping due to over or under watering. If you are not sure which you might be doing, please do give us a call on 01825 721162. A return to a regular watering routine should help your plant recover, but in severe cases it may be necessary to cut off any dead growth and be patient while it recovers.