Meyer Lemon Tree in the Great White North

[CityChook]

Okay, so I was at my local nursery last week , drooling over anything green, and happened upon some 4 ft. meyer lemon trees. Now I'm not a dolt - I know I can't grow these here, but does anyone around here have experience with putting these babies in a large pot and then bringing them indoors for the winter? Oh boy, my DH might kill me...

 

[ninjapoodles]

I just got a dwarf Meyer lemon that was sold as a potted plant. I hope to be able to just set it inside our unheated workshop during the winter.

 

[smom1976]

I went to the county extention office workshop for citrus trees

They said to just bring it indoors in a sunny place like a sun room.. they even said citrus like grapefruit and lime we even have to bring inside.

 

[vfem]

I hope that's a pretty small tree to bring inside?! I saw a lemon 'bush' in a magazine, I'm not sure what kind it was... but was only supposed to get about 2-2 1/2' tall and 2' wide. My husband said NO to that! LOL

Couldn't hurt to try if you know you have room inside by some windows in the winter.

 

[patandchickens]

Your problem is that citrus trees are not 'really' deciduous -- they are not meant to lose all their leaves in winter, thus they need light and warmth and so forth 12 months of the year.

Unlike edible figs, which *are* properly deciduous and can be wintered over in a garage or whatnot that stays above freezing, citrus trees need somewhere indoors that does not drop below 50ish, has reasonably good humidity (otherwise: massive spidermite etc problems, and poor tree health), and a very long day of very bright sunny light.

If you have a sunroom or something like that, or a heavily windowed very bright white-walled south-facing room with good humidity, you *can* winter citruses in the house... but it is not easy and often doesn't work well.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[sparkles2307]

Up here in our area there is a lady who grows BANANA trees and brings them indoors in the winter. I am getting the dwarf lemon, orange, and pomegranate and will utilize our south facing picture windows in the winter for them...

 

[Iceblink]

I had a calamondin orange tree as a semi-houseplant, she did fine in a big pot. ( I named her Simonetta)
The only thing that I would worry about is getting the flowers polinated. I took Simonetta outside on warmer days when she was in flower, and brought her inside at night. She had buds, blooms and oranges at the same time. But in the very far north, bees and other polinators might not be around in the winter.

I am thinking about getting a Meyer Lemon tree to keep inside, I really miss fresh Meyers. They are unrivaled in tea.

 

[valmom]

That sounds great for in my sun room next winter. I have thought about it, but never done it- any links for where to buy them? I've never actually seen them for sale around here.