Meyer Lemons: Why You Should Plant One
One of the best things about having a garden in the desert southwest is our ability to grow citrus of all kinds. Lemon trees are a popular fruit tree and I am often asked what type of lemon do I recommend.
There are different types of lemons but the one that is my favorite isn’t a ‘true’ lemon tree at all. It’s a Meyer lemon, which is a cross between an orange tree and a lemon tree.
The result is a fruit that tastes sweeter than your typical lemon and has lovely thin, smooth skin. Meyer lemons are suitable for use in the same ways that other lemons are, but you can use them in additional ways as well due to their sweeter nature.
I recently shared the reasons why you should plant a Meyer lemons tree in one of my latest articles for Houzz.
Have you ever grown a Meyer lemons tree?
March is the Perfect Time for Planting a Meyer Lemon Tree
Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."
My home has a courtyard at the front door that is partially enclosed, open to the sky in the middle with an overhang at the front door. I would love to grow a Meyer lemon in a large pot by the front door. Would this work or does the tree need direct sunlight?
I just bought an “improved Meyer lemon” tree. I want it to replace an old large lemon tree we lost recently due to a fungal issue. Can I just remove the old stump and transplant the new tree there, or is this fungal thing…. a thing? I was told it’s common in old trees, and it would be OK from our arborist. Just to “watch the watering.”
Would love a 2nd opinion. Thanks!
Hi Matt,
Generally, it’s not recommended to replant a tree in the same spot regardless of whether or not there was a fungal problem. The reason for this is that even if the stump and roots were ground, and removed, there is a higher percentage of sawdust in the soil and not enough nutrients for a new tree initially. If you can plant the new tree several feet away, that would be best. If that is not possible, remove as much of the trunk and roots of the old tree before planting the new one and keep an eye out for any nutrient deficiences. Fungal infections in citrus trees are rather common and one, gummosis, is typically present throughout much of the Southwest. It is spread when water splashes up onto the trunk of citrus trees where it can take hold and grow.
I hope this helps!