Lemon Tree Fertiliser

Correct Fertilisers For Lemon Trees

Lemon trees thrive with a balanced nutrient supply, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. However, the correct fertiliser will depend on whether the tree is being grown in soil outdoors, or in a pot. The fertilisers used are very different for each case and getting it wrong can lead to poor outcomes. These brief articles give the best advice for feeding your lemon tree.

Best Fertiliser For Lemons Grown Outdoors

Lemon trees require feeding to keep them growing optimally. The Plant Company’s Citrus Fertiliser has been blended to give plants the boost they need and then sustained nutrition for the next 12 months. The Plant Company recommends the fertiliser is applied to the soil surface in spring just as the plants start to grow actively. More importantly, we advise that no fertiliser is placed in the hole at planting, but rather spread around the soil surface so it can wash through the roots as it releases. Our citrus fertiliser ensures the nutrients are retained around the roots rather than being lost through the soil profile to where the plant can’t reach it. This also applies to plants grown on sandy soils. The Plant Company’s Citrus Fertiliser is therefore very environmentally friendly and longer lasting than most other products in the market.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if Citrus Fertiliser has been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush.

Best Fertiliser For Lemons Grown In A Pot

Lemon trees grown in containers require different fertiliser to those grown outdoors in soil. In this instance, the correct fertiliser to use is either container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets. Each of these will provide safe, sustained, and complete nutrition to the plant for the next 12-months. Using other types of fertilisers can be detrimental to the plant and may result in plant injury or death.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets have been used. If you think the plant needs an extra boost or has some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush as the nutrition is right where the plant needs it.

Best Organic Fertiliser For Lemons

Lemon trees are showy plants that require feeding to keep them looking amazing. A lot of articles have all sorts of advice on this subject which often requires multiple applications, so you use more of their products. The Plant Company prefers to take a simpler and more environmentally responsible approach. We believe the best organic option is The Plant Company's organic fertiliser which is applied in spring and again in autumn and will keep them well fed. You can safely apply generous amounts of this fertiliser without risk of injuring the plants. More details about this organic fertiliser are provided with the product.

Best Soil pH For Lemons

The soil pH refers to how acid or alkaline the soil is. Lemons prefer a soil pH within the range of 5.5 to 6.8 which means they require an acidic soil. As the pH of the soil moves away from this optimum range, the nutrients the plant is taking up (or not taking up) through the roots changes. If the shift in pH is too far, this can result in deficiencies of some nutrients and toxic levels of others. In either case this can cause the plant to become sick or even die a slow death.

The best way to know whether the pH is correct for your plant is to do a test. The Plant Company has pH test kits available that are easy to use and only take a few minutes to get a result. Preferably this test should be completed before planting so any pH issues can be corrected without risking the plant. A pH less 5.5 should have sparing amounts of dolomite lime applied along with Citrus Fertiliser. A pH above 6.8 should have small amounts of soil acidifying fertiliser applied. In both instances the fertiliser should be thoroughly mixed into the soil before planting. A retest of the soil pH should be undertaken after four weeks, and small adjustments made again. If the pH is in the optimum range, just use Citrus Fertiliser thereafter.