Ok let me share some pruning thoughts. First, If you want a tree to grow upward faster remove the lower leaves and branches, and keep doing so as it grows. And cut them off as they are just getting started. This is how you would prune it in your yard. You don't want branches near the ground. Second, Remove any big leaves that won't grow into branches, that are growing from the main truck. Always remove dying leaves so the plant doesn't waste its growing energy on trying to make them healthy again (because it can't). You topped off the lemon tree at too young of age. As it grows it will branch out. Go somewhere that has well pruned trees and really look at them. Good luck, great videos, thanks for teaching.
@@TechplantChannel What are some tips for growing trees from seeds because as a gardener my goal is to grow 3 trees in my lifetime from Seeds cuttings whatever as long as I don’t buy them from the store
@@buttercup3030 basically lots of light, don’t overwater, don’t overprune, fertilize regularly. Different methods work for different people, so if you want to grow trees you just have to be patient and prepare for a lot of trial and error. A good way to learn what works for you could be to plant lots of the same seed and give them slightly different care. That way, it’s less of a setback if you lose some along the way.
In my experience in my 2 years of gardening school, when pruning fruit trees, avoid taking much more than about 30% of the total plant. Otherwise it’s gonna be too stressful for them. I think this is especially true about trees growing in pots as opposed to in the ground. Trees in the ground are a lot hardier and can take harsh pruning. Also, I only water my potted lemon seedlings when the soil is almost completely dry. Lemon trees seems to prefer that.
Thank you for your video. Its always great to see you busy with your plant babies. The first time I pruned my citrus trees, I had a similar problem. Here are a few tips that I learned from an arborist. The best time to heavy prune citrus is when they are dormant. If they are actively growing, they can go into shock and die. Reduce the water and shorten the amount of light they get to help trigger the dormancy period. When pruning woody plants, make sure to only reduce the canopy by 1/4 its size each time you prune. This will prevent shocking the plant and will encourage the flush of new growth you want. You can also shape the tree by pruning back to the growth node that is facing the direction you want the new shoot to grow. Hope this helps with the survivors. Currently is it citrus pruning season here in CA and I've got a long list of trees to get pruned and ready for this coming summer. Have a great week. :-)
Thanks for the tips! Next time i try it ill make sure to shorten my light periods so i can do exactly what you said! Thanks for taking the time to share!
I had a lemon tree that was 5 years old. I thought for sure I killed it. All the leaves fell off and it never did anything else for like 6 months as I waited and hoped for new growth. I gave up and chopped it down to the base so I could pull it and use the pot. I noticed a tiny green leaf just under the soil so I reported it in a new pot with new soil. It's been a month and oh my I have so much new growth! I have no idea how it will turn out, but it lived!
My lemon sapling was outside during the winter, but was covered with thick plastic. During a deep freeze, we also had a rain that bogged the top of the plastic down and touched the tip of the sapling. The new growth at the top died from the frost, unfortunately. But, about a month later, the sapling spit of seven new sets of leaves from all types of places! Now it is growing vigorously again with all of its new growth!
Over watering is definitely something I’m learning! I like your saying water the plant in the pot not the pot, it actually puts it into perspective perfectly! Great content
We grow a huge organic garden every year in the Catskill Mountains region of NYS and I cannot throw out ANY seeds, ever! That being said, I’ve been addicted to germinating store bought organic Lemon seeds for the last 10 years. We put them in pretty ceramic planters and sell them as a fund raiser for a charity we run. My house is usually overrun with them and before your videos never knew how or when to prune the ones I have kept. How do you prevent multiple stems from the bottom? I am sure now with bark it is too late, but I was thrilled to stumble upon your very informative videos!
So a year ago I shared my seed starting experience where I got 21 trees from 11-ish seeds and I thought about giving my one year update too : A lot of seedlings that weren't strong enough ended up dying on their own, others because I was still learning and hadn't properly taken care of them. I was left with 5, and I gave away 4 to relatives and stayed with only one that celebrated its one year anniversary on Feb 16. Two weeks ago after repotting it I checked this video to see what I should do atp and read some comments about pruning and stuff, so I decided to remove some bottom leaves and simply cut off the tip. Two days ago I noticed that it was starting to branch out at the top 😁 Thanks for the video!
I have to thank you. Both of your lemon tree videos really inspired me to grow mine as well. I planted them in December of 2021. As I planted them in the winter, the progress was pretty slow, since they are depending on the sun from my south facing window. But right now they are taking off! Those two lemons I have are my first succesful trees that I have grown from seed! One of them is almost 30cm tall right now. Edit: As of October of 2022 it's around 80cm tall.
I've had a meyer lemon tree for 3 years now, I bought it at a store. One thing I have learned is pot size matters. I repotted my lemon tree after moving into a larger container and started feeding it more and it's grown MUCH bigger in that time.
100%! I started to grow lemon trees from seeds in 2020. I had about 4 successes, but left them in 6” - small pots for too long (small apartment) & afraid to take them outside. I lost 2 plants. After a many months of no growth: I transferred the strongest one from a 7” pot to 12” mixing in mostly peat moss and citrus nutrients and after a few days brought it outside (waited to prevent shock & because it’s summer conditions are perfect) and it’s now thriving!!! I think the peat moss to help with distribution of water, and the larger pot were the key. Bringing it outside for summer is a bonus, but I think the key is the larger pot! Now I’m looking for suggestion on how to propagate because it’s a single tall stalk, and afraid to cut the beautiful new growth off but seems like I don’t have a choice. The second smaller tree moved into the 7” pot, but could probably go larger. With some peat moss and moving outside it’s also now giving me new growth when previously it hadn’t grown and was almost on its way out.
Wow. This exact thing happened to me, and again I really appreciate your work here in experimentation. One thing I can say is that they are actually super resilient, and even those dead looking ones, if placed outside in summer, will come back beautifully. I literally just pruned a couple that I started from seed a year ago - which got about a foot tall and then died (or went dormant I guess) - and they're now coming back better than ever with some summer sun and rain. Also, "Water the plant, not the pot" is a great mantra. Gonna keep that one, thanks mate!
I have two lemons that I grew from seed. They're now 8 years old. I expect flowers any year now, though I haven't seen any yet. Flowers or no, I'm still proud of them 😊
@hawthorne1504 Congratulations! For starters, how much experience do you have with gardening? Because if you know your stuff, just water it enough to prevent full drying. If not, don't obsess too much with watering them. For most plant beginners, overwatering is a much more typical problem. You'll want to keep the soil slightly damp, but by no means completely wet. It depends on the size of the container (the bigger the more it stores, therefore less watering), but if I had to set some rule in stone, water lightly every 2-3 days. Though definitely look for signs of drying, don't just follow some schedule. One trick I like to use is to lift the pot, if it feels light like a loaf of bread, it needs watering.
@@hawthorne1504 Oh, it was a seedling? I'm sorry, how did I miss that. I'd keep a plastic film with some holes poked in it over, and lightly spray with a mister every day. Once it has established itself somewhat, continue with what I said prior.
Thank you for sharing your first video, I've learned alot in the past 2 years and have four fairly healthy plants that I'm considering pruning to control their shape, I would like the lollipop style. These have provided me with mental health support during the aftermath of covid. Wish me luck!!
Love it when gardeners experiment & even show their mistakes as that’s how we all learn. I found your video when searching variegated lemon trees. I just bought my 1st one (semi-dwarf) few days ago & planted in a 10 gal grow bag with handles. I have it on a south facing patio & b/c we are in Ca with 90 degree weather this week I have it in very little sun but lots of light just till it settles in. I have learned never to prune more than 30% at a time & that works for me. Thank you!
After watching your last lemon tree video, I was inspired to try it myself. I have about a dozen little sprouts and excited to see them continue to grow. Thanks for sharing your experience :D
The pruning you did was aggressive but absolutely fine and did a lot of good for the little trees. The new shoots will basically take the place of the old ones and bush out instead of growing tall and upright. You just need to give time for the tree to respond when you prune. The leaf dropping is most likely down to over watering or under fertilisation, citrus prefers long spells of drought before watering. The pruning can shock the tree but does not normally cause wilt to that degree, good job loved the update.
So glad you did the update. I’m super excited to try this today. Just watched your previous video and now watching this one. So excited to try the lemon germination. Brought some Mediterranean and Citrus Miracle Grow potting mix and clear plant pots (made for orchids) can’t wait to see the result. Sorry about you little plants 😢. RIP Thank you for the inspiration 👍🏻🪴
Awesome! I just asked you in your original video for an update and then Infpund THIS video. Now then, with THAT being said, may we.have yet ANOTHER update? Please? 😊
thanks for the update. questions...I saw the previous, when you started these...were they seeds from a regular lemon ? I have two 4 foot trees that I started from seed, healthy and place them outside every summer, zone 5b. They are 5 years old...should I ever expect fruit ? I keep getting different answers about store bought fruits.
Planted lemons from seed myself (before finding your channel, just came here for additional tips) For anyone willing to try, here are my personal experiences with it: Drainage, because you do not want to risk root rot. Root rot is THE WORST. You can get it under control by reducing watering in my personal experience, but do it for just slightly too long and your tree is dead. If you suspect your plant may have caught it: Good luck. If water can freely flow out of your planting pot, your risk of catching that is much lower. Pruning is ok, I regularly do it for shaping the trees a bit. Only cut a few branches at a time, so you do not shock your tree too much. Also: my trees are pretty bushy, so getting them to grow in a tall, tree-like form is difficult. Your results may vary. Wait for them to blossom. They will smell quite flowery - similar to roses, but much stronger and nicer in my opinion. It's awesome. And look out for the thorns when working with them. Also like roses, but these hurt a lot more if you accidentally grab them. In colder climates (Germany), if you have them indoors, you may want to move them to a warmer room and use plant lamps during winter. Certainly not the recommended method for getting them through winter, according to UA-cam. But it has worked for me, so take that for what it's worth. You can add small amounts of (dried, otherwise it will get moldy) coffee grounds to your soil for additional nutrients. Won't completely replace fertilizer, but it helps. If insects (in my case it was small flies) start nesting in your soil, try adding a layer of sand on top. This is only temporary, but you will want to find something they can not lay eggs into. Otherwise, larvae could feed on your plant's roots. And anybody harming my lemons will have to face consequences. Remove sand when no longer needed. Your lemons certainly do not need it. Watch for your soil's acidity. Lemons want to have slightly acidic soil, so do not use ash or similar fertilizer too much. This could really slow down growth. When in doubt: test.
Sounds like you had a good learning experience with those citrus trees. Yes they are very temperamental trees that you have to be cautious with and the slightest change can put certain varieties into shock very quick.
leaves from citrus trees are amazing!!! so aromatic and tasty. you can eat them too. kaffir lime leaves are used a lot in thai cooking, a good place to get an idea of ho to use them
I wanted to come back to this video and comment although it's an older video. I planted my own lemon seeds and there was absolutely some valuable info that I learned. Mainly the pruning issue. I managed to grow 3 plants. One of which has grown a lot faster than the other two. It's doing amazing, it already has bark and it's fragrant. It was growing in straight upwards so I removed ONE LEAF and it triggered A BUNCH of growth. A new branch which branches off a couple more times and new leaf grown at every leaf that was already existing. So I woulf definitely say get to pruning EARLY, it made such a difference for me and I think it'll cause my plant to grow in a nice shape. It's a bit unbalanced now with all thw growth on one side, so I removed another leaf so hopefully that'll cause another branch to grow and balance it out. Thank you for these videos!°
Thank you for this video! I had a question, if you don't mind: looking back at it, what would you say would be the best watering frequency for a potted lemon seedling once it's around 10 - 12 inches tall?
It really depends on how much light it is getting because it will change the frequency but once the soil is dry on top and a tiny bit damp under then water it again
I have multiple trees growing one is mature enough that it has produced 1 big ass lemon and its been green for about 2 months or so. I think we over pruned the tree as well because a lot of leaves fell off. I was told to water them once a week as needed (if the soil is dry upto your 2nd knuckle, it needs water. Still waiting for it to ripped up and turn yellow. Not sure how long that takes. I think i read like upto 6 months. My other sappling is about 2 years old and looks really healthy. The ithers..idk. i gave away 2 of them to neighbors also.
Same here, I don’t care when, I just do it when I feel so, but then I immediately adjust the watering. But hey, doing mistakes is human, we all do mistakes.
I have bunch of lemons, one orange, two walnuts, one avocado, 4 almonds. it's fun to grow things from the seed. my walnuts are the newest ones, and they are so pretty, completely new growth pattern
@mimosveta do you have any tips for me , some reason my almonds didnt germinate. Quick question , the walnutbplant , did you use one the are in the nut or one that are cracked and separated. Will the separated (not in the shell , and broken up ) work.
I tried bending the apex branches over with supports which resulted in the same branching coming out without having to prune and without losing leaves. It's currently shooting out a ton of new branches. Maybe give that a try?
I planted mine almost 2 years ago. The first year it didn’t grow much, but after it hit a year it started growing tall and branching out. I’ve pruned it slightly, nothing off the top yet, but it’s getting to where I won’t be able to reach the top, so I’ll cut it soon
Just found the first video for this update. Dude you are amazing! Thank you for doing thus follow up well over a year!!! Not many ppl will even do that!!! I'm subscribing NOW👏🏾
Excellent video! I have been growing lemon trees also, when I pruned them they did loose some leaves also, but I did just cut 2 nodes on each branch, its a learning process and ita fun!! Now I have some apple seeds ready to grow, after stratification. Planning to bonsai them ❤❤
@@TechplantChannel It's way cheaper, but the growth is way slower. It's a hobby, it doesn't have to be totally free. I think using some lights is okay, especially if you use them for other plants too.
With led that does translate to practically free. I calculated it while looking into growing microgreens, a single t5 led lightbulb would cost me a whopping 8€ a year if i ran it 12h a day, not that expensive.
I'd love to know your care with these trees. Are you using fertilizer at all and if so, what kind? Do you let the soil mostly dry before watering or do you water it sooner? What kind of soil are you using? Cheers for the update, I re-watched the first video about these plants just the other day and I was wondering how they've been doing, perfect timing on the update, looking forward to seeing if they make it to lemon bearing!
I tried to grow a lemon tree for a year without fertilizer and it was definitely not doing well. Was in full sun and plenty of water, while my other lemon three, about same size, in the same size pot and using same soil it was constantly fertilized and it was looking so much better. So don’t try to keep it without nutrients.
I’m glad they bounced back after all the pruning! I started a few types of citrus a while after watching the first video you did on these trees, and though mine haven’t grown super fast they are looking pretty good and have started to grow faster in past few months, I’ve found if you just pinch off the very tip of the tree it induces branching without shocking them too much. You can also dry the leaves from citrus cuttings and make tea if you like.
Great video and comments, thanks. I have 2 seedlings on the go and a shop bought plant from last year on the garden that got half eaten (should have kept it inside) but it has perked up a bit this year. However,the leaves have curled in. Why is that? Anyone know? They are a very health green still.
Bro, you just cut them at the wrong location. You can't cut stems mid-stretch. You cut them just above where a branch comes off the stem you're wanting to cut. And yes, THEN it'll grow out 2 branches just below where you cut. Personally, I would've done one of several methods and used the cut off stem to grow an exact duplicate of that tree's genetics to get identical fruit. Don't get discouraged bro, there's a learning curve and a TON of it! 👍
My Improved Meyer Lemon looks okay, brought it inside because it dried out too quickly in the greenhouse. The Bitter Orange I have growing in my bedroom is already taking over the pot and has half a dozen new branches. I need to repot both, but I don't have room right now, so I am gonna wait until early spring.
Great video! Thanks! Mine is still a seedling because of the winter that passed, but is growing rapidly due to spring! When you say water the plant not the pot what do you mean exactly?
Good luck! When they are moved into pots, Peat moss will give you much more likely success because it will help the water distribute evenly and protect the tree if you accidentally over water.
I've been advised to get grafted lemon trees because lemon trees does not grow true to form meaning the resulting fruit most likely won't be like the parent fruit because citrus fruits are polyembronic. What do you think?
Polyembryonic means that that more than one seedling can sprout from a seed. One seedling is a completely new plant and the other(s) are clones of the original plant. Polyembryonic seedlings grow from the tissue of the seed.
it does't lose the ability to uptake water unless you trim the roots, it just requires less water because it looses less through leaf evaporation. there's nowhere to take the water up to so it sits in the pot.
I started some lemon trees late last summer, but compared to yours mine are just ridiculous... they're super small (still only about 10cm), but I guess it might have to do with me living in Norway, and winter time is super dark and cold. Let's see what spring is going to bring. (Also going to start a few more, cause I gave 2 away and someone asked to get a few as well). Thanks for your videos
Your first video inspired me to start my 3 lemon trees. They've been growing since July and are happy in my bathroom's south facing window, though they haven't grown as fast as yours since they only get the natural sun and no supplemental light. I have toyed with the idea of braiding them but probably won't because I don't want to restrict their growth. Thanks for the idea, its crazy to me how much effort you put into these videos for us !
Thanks for the update and keep it up! By overwatering do you mea. You never let it dry? I usually let my top soil dry quite a bit and measure is with e moisture meter before i water it. When i water i water deeply until it leaks out and have no problem. How did you "mess up" your watering?
If you have two plants and both are in a gallon pot. One plant is 10inches tall with 25 leaves and the other plant is 5inches tall with 15 leaves you wouldn't water them the same amount because one plant isn't capable of uptaking the same amount of water if that makes sense
@@TechplantChannel ohhh now I get it , that’s really good to know ,I never thought of it this way ! Thank you so much 😊 my plants are still babies, it’s my first time planting something, if you have a Twitter so I can show you ? I would really appreciate some help 💦
@@TechplantChannel sorry but I have another question, my lemon sprouts are just two months old or so ,maybe less anyway,the biggest one have some yellow on the edge of the older leaves!! What should I do ?
Hi guys i have a quick question if i get the lemon from a store and get the seeds out and do everything in the correct steps is it possible to have some lemons on it after a few years?
Don’t give up !!! Last year I bought a butt load of lemons and made the yummiest bitterest lemonade and I planted the seeds along with the lemon seeds I bought offa wish I had a good amount of lemon trees a couple were killed by animals. But I sold all but one ( I had 9 by the end of the year ) and he’s turned into a beautiful year old tree !! Last year I collected a butt load of apple seeds( seriously I ate so many freaking Apples last year ) and left them in a moist baggy out side last year and I now have I think about 30 trees?? And that’s even with me loosing like 7 of them
From my experience, dont prune the point of any citrus, if u want some side growth just add some nutrients and it will grow. My lemon trees from seeds usually have about 1,5 - 2m in one year and i literally have one thats 3 years old and has 6 meters. If u want a bonsai, u have to wait for it to grow for about a year or so before pruning... just let it grow a bit
i have a generic fertilizer that i was adding to the water, its a pellet form so i would toss some in a gallon jug and leave it sit, but i was underfeeding them for sure
I had just lookip up at Bonsai videos. Practiced to some of the lemon & lime plants I have. They're doing alright despite the huge pruning and that I put them outside getting full sun & full rain (wet season here & tropic). Does growlight work as well as the actual sunlight? I'm not eating the promotional advertisements. How are your experiences using them compared to putting them outside?
I think most woody trees need a dormant period. Don't know if this applies to citrus. Maybe give it less light (12/12)? And more wattage will keep it dry... also invest in an oscillating fan or 10.... they will aspirate quicker that way.
I've been told that if you do prune the citrus trees at all, it should be just a few node at a time and after doing so they should always either be painted over or wrapped to keep them from getting rot from happening. When pruned citrus has the great vulnerability to fungal and bacterial infections inside the cambruim layers and the heart sections..
I watched you when it came out and I started my own and I forgot about them and there is mold on two of them can I replace the dirt and not toss it out I used a lot of time on them
Ok let me share some pruning thoughts. First, If you want a tree to grow upward faster remove the lower leaves and branches, and keep doing so as it grows. And cut them off as they are just getting started. This is how you would prune it in your yard. You don't want branches near the ground. Second, Remove any big leaves that won't grow into branches, that are growing from the main truck. Always remove dying leaves so the plant doesn't waste its growing energy on trying to make them healthy again (because it can't). You topped off the lemon tree at too young of age. As it grows it will branch out. Go somewhere that has well pruned trees and really look at them. Good luck, great videos, thanks for teaching.
Thanks for taking the time to explain this to me! Very helpful!
Your comment was the one I was looking for. Thank you, now I can go to bed and not have to type what you already told him.
😳 i just pruned my baby lemon tree
I heard as a rule of thumb you should not prune more than 30% at a time
Thanks for this comment dude/dudette! The "remove big leaves" works for peace lily aswell?
i like how he’s knowledgable but doesn’t use a bunch of advanced terminology. it just makes his videos more approachable and understandable.
Agree with you 💯.
This plus his videos arent super long! I notice a lot of plant videos are really long
Edit: grammar/typo
Agreed. And he's got a relaxing voice. Subscribed!
perhaps you should visit a nursery and gather your own information 😉
100%
Tip - remove extremely mature leaves to encourage new growth and smaller leaves
Nice tip thank you!
use hydrogen peroxide spray for ur dying plant if it has some life left it may regrow
also use some epsom salt spray
Should I take off old leaves on a roughly 3 year old plant? And continue to prune all the time?
Im not sure if spraying a literal chemical on a dying plant is safe?
I can hear the bonsai community screaming in the distance.
lol
@@TechplantChannel What are some tips for growing trees from seeds because as a gardener my goal is to grow 3 trees in my lifetime from Seeds cuttings whatever as long as I don’t buy them from the store
@@buttercup3030 basically lots of light, don’t overwater, don’t overprune, fertilize regularly. Different methods work for different people, so if you want to grow trees you just have to be patient and prepare for a lot of trial and error. A good way to learn what works for you could be to plant lots of the same seed and give them slightly different care. That way, it’s less of a setback if you lose some along the way.
@@kristine5561 thanks for the tips
@@TechplantChannel hello
In my experience in my 2 years of gardening school, when pruning fruit trees, avoid taking much more than about 30% of the total plant. Otherwise it’s gonna be too stressful for them. I think this is especially true about trees growing in pots as opposed to in the ground. Trees in the ground are a lot hardier and can take harsh pruning.
Also, I only water my potted lemon seedlings when the soil is almost completely dry. Lemon trees seems to prefer that.
Exception : pomegranate
Thank you for your video. Its always great to see you busy with your plant babies. The first time I pruned my citrus trees, I had a similar problem. Here are a few tips that I learned from an arborist. The best time to heavy prune citrus is when they are dormant. If they are actively growing, they can go into shock and die. Reduce the water and shorten the amount of light they get to help trigger the dormancy period. When pruning woody plants, make sure to only reduce the canopy by 1/4 its size each time you prune. This will prevent shocking the plant and will encourage the flush of new growth you want. You can also shape the tree by pruning back to the growth node that is facing the direction you want the new shoot to grow. Hope this helps with the survivors. Currently is it citrus pruning season here in CA and I've got a long list of trees to get pruned and ready for this coming summer. Have a great week. :-)
Thanks for the tips! Next time i try it ill make sure to shorten my light periods so i can do exactly what you said! Thanks for taking the time to share!
Is it true that suckers have triangular stems & have to be pruned?
I had a lemon tree that was 5 years old. I thought for sure I killed it. All the leaves fell off and it never did anything else for like 6 months as I waited and hoped for new growth. I gave up and chopped it down to the base so I could pull it and use the pot. I noticed a tiny green leaf just under the soil so I reported it in a new pot with new soil. It's been a month and oh my I have so much new growth! I have no idea how it will turn out, but it lived!
How is it now?
@caderiddle5996 it's still alive. Still no lemons though 😕
@@jenijean81 any lemons?
Still no lemons@@TheGamer-ll2cs
My lemon sapling was outside during the winter, but was covered with thick plastic. During a deep freeze, we also had a rain that bogged the top of the plastic down and touched the tip of the sapling. The new growth at the top died from the frost, unfortunately. But, about a month later, the sapling spit of seven new sets of leaves from all types of places! Now it is growing vigorously again with all of its new growth!
Over watering is definitely something I’m learning! I like your saying water the plant in the pot not the pot, it actually puts it into perspective perfectly! Great content
yeah for sure!
I just watched the previous lemon video and was blessed with this right after wow
nice! Thanks for watching!
We grow a huge organic garden every year in the Catskill Mountains region of NYS and I cannot throw out ANY seeds, ever! That being said, I’ve been addicted to germinating store bought organic Lemon seeds for the last 10 years. We put them in pretty ceramic planters and sell them as a fund raiser for a charity we run. My house is usually overrun with them and before your videos never knew how or when to prune the ones I have kept. How do you prevent multiple stems from the bottom? I am sure now with bark it is too late, but I was thrilled to stumble upon your very informative videos!
So a year ago I shared my seed starting experience where I got 21 trees from 11-ish seeds and I thought about giving my one year update too :
A lot of seedlings that weren't strong enough ended up dying on their own, others because I was still learning and hadn't properly taken care of them. I was left with 5, and I gave away 4 to relatives and stayed with only one that celebrated its one year anniversary on Feb 16.
Two weeks ago after repotting it I checked this video to see what I should do atp and read some comments about pruning and stuff, so I decided to remove some bottom leaves and simply cut off the tip. Two days ago I noticed that it was starting to branch out at the top 😁 Thanks for the video!
amazing!!! mine are dead! I hope yours lives on! good job!
@@TechplantChannel Thank you!
I have to thank you. Both of your lemon tree videos really inspired me to grow mine as well. I planted them in December of 2021. As I planted them in the winter, the progress was pretty slow, since they are depending on the sun from my south facing window. But right now they are taking off! Those two lemons I have are my first succesful trees that I have grown from seed! One of them is almost 30cm tall right now.
Edit: As of October of 2022 it's around 80cm tall.
I've been waiting for this for so long
I appreciate you waiting!
1.5 years
Hello scarlet the cat I also had a cat
oh i was thinking it's 15years
Same, mine is on 7-8 months now :D
Thank you for showing us your mistakes. I learned from them and will prune and water less because of your hands on knowledge. Thank you very much!
I've had a meyer lemon tree for 3 years now, I bought it at a store. One thing I have learned is pot size matters. I repotted my lemon tree after moving into a larger container and started feeding it more and it's grown MUCH bigger in that time.
nice, i think that was another factor in the death and slow growth once they got bigger
100%! I started to grow lemon trees from seeds in 2020. I had about 4 successes, but left them in 6” - small pots for too long (small apartment) & afraid to take them outside. I lost 2 plants. After a many months of no growth: I transferred the strongest one from a 7” pot to 12” mixing in mostly peat moss and citrus nutrients and after a few days brought it outside (waited to prevent shock & because it’s summer conditions are perfect) and it’s now thriving!!! I think the peat moss to help with distribution of water, and the larger pot were the key. Bringing it outside for summer is a bonus, but I think the key is the larger pot! Now I’m looking for suggestion on how to propagate because it’s a single tall stalk, and afraid to cut the beautiful new growth off but seems like I don’t have a choice. The second smaller tree moved into the 7” pot, but could probably go larger. With some peat moss and moving outside it’s also now giving me new growth when previously it hadn’t grown and was almost on its way out.
Wow. This exact thing happened to me, and again I really appreciate your work here in experimentation. One thing I can say is that they are actually super resilient, and even those dead looking ones, if placed outside in summer, will come back beautifully. I literally just pruned a couple that I started from seed a year ago - which got about a foot tall and then died (or went dormant I guess) - and they're now coming back better than ever with some summer sun and rain. Also, "Water the plant, not the pot" is a great mantra. Gonna keep that one, thanks mate!
Wow, can't believe it's been over 8 months since I last watched a video about your lemon trees. 2020 flew by, damn.
yeah it really did! Thanks for watching!
I have two lemons that I grew from seed. They're now 8 years old. I expect flowers any year now, though I haven't seen any yet. Flowers or no, I'm still proud of them 😊
I have a lemon seedling, how often should I water? He’s less than an inch tall.
@hawthorne1504 Congratulations! For starters, how much experience do you have with gardening? Because if you know your stuff, just water it enough to prevent full drying. If not, don't obsess too much with watering them. For most plant beginners, overwatering is a much more typical problem. You'll want to keep the soil slightly damp, but by no means completely wet. It depends on the size of the container (the bigger the more it stores, therefore less watering), but if I had to set some rule in stone, water lightly every 2-3 days. Though definitely look for signs of drying, don't just follow some schedule. One trick I like to use is to lift the pot, if it feels light like a loaf of bread, it needs watering.
@@hawthorne1504 Oh, it was a seedling? I'm sorry, how did I miss that. I'd keep a plastic film with some holes poked in it over, and lightly spray with a mister every day. Once it has established itself somewhat, continue with what I said prior.
Thank you for sharing your first video, I've learned alot in the past 2 years and have four fairly healthy plants that I'm considering pruning to control their shape, I would like the lollipop style. These have provided me with mental health support during the aftermath of covid. Wish me luck!!
Thank you for this video and everyone else making comments. I just pruned my plants due to not sleeping and they needed a good fix!
Love it when gardeners experiment & even show their mistakes as that’s how we all learn. I found your video when searching variegated lemon trees. I just bought my 1st one (semi-dwarf) few days ago & planted in a 10 gal grow bag with handles. I have it on a south facing patio & b/c we are in Ca with 90 degree weather this week I have it in very little sun but lots of light just till it settles in. I have learned never to prune more than 30% at a time & that works for me. Thank you!
After watching your last lemon tree video, I was inspired to try it myself. I have about a dozen little sprouts and excited to see them continue to grow. Thanks for sharing your experience :D
Wonderful! Good luck with your trees!
Do you have another update on your lemon trees?
I planted Jara lemons from seeds. They smell so good and so does the leaves. They’re 3 years old now and already budding flowers!!!
Please make video about your lemon tree and how do you taking care of them. Thanks
The pruning you did was aggressive but absolutely fine and did a lot of good for the little trees. The new shoots will basically take the place of the old ones and bush out instead of growing tall and upright. You just need to give time for the tree to respond when you prune. The leaf dropping is most likely down to over watering or under fertilisation, citrus prefers long spells of drought before watering. The pruning can shock the tree but does not normally cause wilt to that degree, good job loved the update.
So glad you did the update. I’m super excited to try this today. Just watched your previous video and now watching this one. So excited to try the lemon germination. Brought some Mediterranean and Citrus Miracle Grow potting mix and clear plant pots (made for orchids) can’t wait to see the result. Sorry about you little plants 😢. RIP Thank you for the inspiration 👍🏻🪴
Awesome! I just asked you in your original video for an update and then Infpund THIS video. Now then, with THAT being said, may we.have yet ANOTHER update? Please? 😊
Aww... you must have been disappointed in the loss. Thanks for keeping with it. Leave it to the runts to succeed! Never underestimate the lil guys...
Dude, you over-pruned. 😱😱
Thank you for honesty in sharing your "failures," although I chalk them up as pretty successful. Good job! Enjoying your videos.
thanks for the update. questions...I saw the previous, when you started these...were they seeds from a regular lemon ? I have two 4 foot trees that I started from seed, healthy and place them outside every summer, zone 5b. They are 5 years old...should I ever expect fruit ? I keep getting different answers about store bought fruits.
Planted lemons from seed myself (before finding your channel, just came here for additional tips) For anyone willing to try, here are my personal experiences with it:
Drainage, because you do not want to risk root rot. Root rot is THE WORST. You can get it under control by reducing watering in my personal experience, but do it for just slightly too long and your tree is dead. If you suspect your plant may have caught it: Good luck. If water can freely flow out of your planting pot, your risk of catching that is much lower.
Pruning is ok, I regularly do it for shaping the trees a bit. Only cut a few branches at a time, so you do not shock your tree too much. Also: my trees are pretty bushy, so getting them to grow in a tall, tree-like form is difficult. Your results may vary.
Wait for them to blossom. They will smell quite flowery - similar to roses, but much stronger and nicer in my opinion. It's awesome. And look out for the thorns when working with them. Also like roses, but these hurt a lot more if you accidentally grab them.
In colder climates (Germany), if you have them indoors, you may want to move them to a warmer room and use plant lamps during winter. Certainly not the recommended method for getting them through winter, according to UA-cam. But it has worked for me, so take that for what it's worth.
You can add small amounts of (dried, otherwise it will get moldy) coffee grounds to your soil for additional nutrients. Won't completely replace fertilizer, but it helps.
If insects (in my case it was small flies) start nesting in your soil, try adding a layer of sand on top. This is only temporary, but you will want to find something they can not lay eggs into. Otherwise, larvae could feed on your plant's roots. And anybody harming my lemons will have to face consequences. Remove sand when no longer needed. Your lemons certainly do not need it.
Watch for your soil's acidity. Lemons want to have slightly acidic soil, so do not use ash or similar fertilizer too much. This could really slow down growth. When in doubt: test.
Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like you had a good learning experience with those citrus trees. Yes they are very temperamental trees that you have to be cautious with and the slightest change can put certain varieties into shock very quick.
leaves from citrus trees are amazing!!! so aromatic and tasty. you can eat them too. kaffir lime leaves are used a lot in thai cooking, a good place to get an idea of ho to use them
I LOVE the smell
You are correct, you did both. Over pruned and then over watered.
I'm currently trying this now. My tree ID about 4 months old and doing quite well. I'm considering putting into a bigger pot very soon.
I wanted to come back to this video and comment although it's an older video. I planted my own lemon seeds and there was absolutely some valuable info that I learned. Mainly the pruning issue. I managed to grow 3 plants. One of which has grown a lot faster than the other two. It's doing amazing, it already has bark and it's fragrant. It was growing in straight upwards so I removed ONE LEAF and it triggered A BUNCH of growth. A new branch which branches off a couple more times and new leaf grown at every leaf that was already existing. So I woulf definitely say get to pruning EARLY, it made such a difference for me and I think it'll cause my plant to grow in a nice shape. It's a bit unbalanced now with all thw growth on one side, so I removed another leaf so hopefully that'll cause another branch to grow and balance it out. Thank you for these videos!°
They're gorgeous. Hope they keep moving along and end up as trees some day
me too!
Thanks so much for the follow up video, even though they failed a bit - we learned from your mistakes so super cool video again! Thanks mate!
Thank you for this video! I had a question, if you don't mind: looking back at it, what would you say would be the best watering frequency for a potted lemon seedling once it's around 10 - 12 inches tall?
It really depends on how much light it is getting because it will change the frequency but once the soil is dry on top and a tiny bit damp under then water it again
Love how thorough you were with your follow ups and time lapses. I learned a lot. Thank you for taking the time to create such an awesome video.
I have multiple trees growing one is mature enough that it has produced 1 big ass lemon and its been green for about 2 months or so. I think we over pruned the tree as well because a lot of leaves fell off. I was told to water them once a week as needed (if the soil is dry upto your 2nd knuckle, it needs water. Still waiting for it to ripped up and turn yellow. Not sure how long that takes. I think i read like upto 6 months.
My other sappling is about 2 years old and looks really healthy. The ithers..idk. i gave away 2 of them to neighbors also.
The one tree that is already fruiting, do you also have it from seed? How old is the plant?
nice vid, i prun em way more with no problem, only water when pot is light
yeap, i think i over watered them
Same here, I don’t care when, I just do it when I feel so, but then I immediately adjust the watering. But hey, doing mistakes is human, we all do mistakes.
I literally watched the first video yesterday and I was like I rlly hope he makes an update vid this is crazy 😂😂😂 I love ur vids💕
you got lucky. I said "soon" to a lot of people like 6 months ago... lol I feel bad for them
Ok, it's half way through 2024 - lets see an update!!!! So excited to see!
Any recent updates on the lemon trees?
when you have time, please do an update of this tree. thanks
I have bunch of lemons, one orange, two walnuts, one avocado, 4 almonds. it's fun to grow things from the seed. my walnuts are the newest ones, and they are so pretty, completely new growth pattern
very interesting, i wanna try them now!
@mimosveta do you have any tips for me , some reason my almonds didnt germinate. Quick question , the walnutbplant , did you use one the are in the nut or one that are cracked and separated. Will the separated (not in the shell , and broken up ) work.
Cool. How is your tree doing? Mine from seed is going on 3 years now. 🍋
I tried bending the apex branches over with supports which resulted in the same branching coming out without having to prune and without losing leaves. It's currently shooting out a ton of new branches. Maybe give that a try?
Wow awesome idea!
I planted mine almost 2 years ago. The first year it didn’t grow much, but after it hit a year it started growing tall and branching out. I’ve pruned it slightly, nothing off the top yet, but it’s getting to where I won’t be able to reach the top, so I’ll cut it soon
Nice! Good luck with your tree!
Could we see an update please? I’m just starting out this process so I’m interested on how it’s going for you
This lemon tree is what made me find out about you and subscribe
awesome! I appreciate the long term viewership!
Great heads up... I appreciate the actual results. Learning what not to do.🙃
Thanks!
Just found the first video for this update. Dude you are amazing! Thank you for doing thus follow up well over a year!!! Not many ppl will even do that!!! I'm subscribing NOW👏🏾
Excellent video! I have been growing lemon trees also, when I pruned them they did loose some leaves also, but I did just cut 2 nodes on each branch, its a learning process and ita fun!! Now I have some apple seeds ready to grow, after stratification. Planning to bonsai them ❤❤
very cool!!
That’s for the update!! Love your videos
Thanks for watching!
“It’s practically free” except for your electric bill with those grow lights 😜
thats true, i guess if you use a south facing window, then its kinda almost free
I thought it was north but maybe that's different because you're living somewehere else
If you use led they're much cheaper
@@TechplantChannel It's way cheaper, but the growth is way slower. It's a hobby, it doesn't have to be totally free. I think using some lights is okay, especially if you use them for other plants too.
With led that does translate to practically free. I calculated it while looking into growing microgreens, a single t5 led lightbulb would cost me a whopping 8€ a year if i ran it 12h a day, not that expensive.
I'd love to know your care with these trees. Are you using fertilizer at all and if so, what kind? Do you let the soil mostly dry before watering or do you water it sooner? What kind of soil are you using? Cheers for the update, I re-watched the first video about these plants just the other day and I was wondering how they've been doing, perfect timing on the update, looking forward to seeing if they make it to lemon bearing!
I've been using a mild fertilizer for a while just to try and get them to be stable. and im watering them when the pot starts to feel lighter.
I tried to grow a lemon tree for a year without fertilizer and it was definitely not doing well. Was in full sun and plenty of water, while my other lemon three, about same size, in the same size pot and using same soil it was constantly fertilized and it was looking so much better. So don’t try to keep it without nutrients.
I’m glad they bounced back after all the pruning! I started a few types of citrus a while after watching the first video you did on these trees, and though mine haven’t grown super fast they are looking pretty good and have started to grow faster in past few months, I’ve found if you just pinch off the very tip of the tree it induces branching without shocking them too much. You can also dry the leaves from citrus cuttings and make tea if you like.
So lucky, i watched the other video now and it looks like it already has an update for 1.5 years 🎉
Thanks for posting this even though there was some faliures. Makes it that more realistic :)
Great video and comments, thanks. I have 2 seedlings on the go and a shop bought plant from last year on the garden that got half eaten (should have kept it inside) but it has perked up a bit this year. However,the leaves have curled in. Why is that? Anyone know? They are a very health green still.
Bro, you just cut them at the wrong location. You can't cut stems mid-stretch. You cut them just above where a branch comes off the stem you're wanting to cut. And yes, THEN it'll grow out 2 branches just below where you cut. Personally, I would've done one of several methods and used the cut off stem to grow an exact duplicate of that tree's genetics to get identical fruit. Don't get discouraged bro, there's a learning curve and a TON of it! 👍
Great video! I enjoyed it and your plants look nice and healthy. Happy gardening!!
Wondering what kind of lighting these seeds were raised under.
My Improved Meyer Lemon looks okay, brought it inside because it dried out too quickly in the greenhouse.
The Bitter Orange I have growing in my bedroom is already taking over the pot and has half a dozen new branches. I need to repot both, but I don't have room right now, so I am gonna wait until early spring.
Great video! Thanks! Mine is still a seedling because of the winter that passed, but is growing rapidly due to spring! When you say water the plant not the pot what do you mean exactly?
3 weeks ago I started sowing lemon seeds, and this video has been super good for me, and also for my lemon tree :D
Wonderful!
Good luck! When they are moved into pots, Peat moss will give you much more likely success because it will help the water distribute evenly and protect the tree if you accidentally over water.
When you pruned, could you have propagated from the cuttings? Thanks for sharing!
I've been advised to get grafted lemon trees because lemon trees does not grow true to form meaning the resulting fruit most likely won't be like the parent fruit because citrus fruits are polyembronic. What do you think?
Polyembryonic means that that more than one seedling can sprout from a seed. One seedling is a completely new plant and the other(s) are clones of the original plant. Polyembryonic seedlings grow from the tissue of the seed.
yeah you want a polyembryonic seed, but the hard part is telling which sprout is the clone lol so you gotta raise em all
it does't lose the ability to uptake water unless you trim the roots, it just requires less water because it looses less through leaf evaporation. there's nowhere to take the water up to so it sits in the pot.
yeah thats what i meant im just poor at phrasing things
@@TechplantChannel all the best ofc, I love seeing updates from others growing citrus! hope to see more in the future :)
I started some lemon trees late last summer, but compared to yours mine are just ridiculous... they're super small (still only about 10cm), but I guess it might have to do with me living in Norway, and winter time is super dark and cold. Let's see what spring is going to bring. (Also going to start a few more, cause I gave 2 away and someone asked to get a few as well).
Thanks for your videos
What grow light do you use to grow these? My lemons don't seem to like being under my grow light and their leaves become thin and brittle under it.
I was using a cob LED grow light for like 8 months then a spider farmer led light with the samsung diodes
Mine is doing better under the grow light than outside in full sun, which is so weird.
Your first video inspired me to start my 3 lemon trees. They've been growing since July and are happy in my bathroom's south facing window, though they haven't grown as fast as yours since they only get the natural sun and no supplemental light. I have toyed with the idea of braiding them but probably won't because I don't want to restrict their growth. Thanks for the idea, its crazy to me how much effort you put into these videos for us !
Thanks for the update and keep it up!
By overwatering do you mea. You never let it dry? I usually let my top soil dry quite a bit and measure is with e moisture meter before i water it. When i water i water deeply until it leaks out and have no problem. How did you "mess up" your watering?
Did your graft take from the last video??
nope sorry, it failed and i forgot to include it in the video
Thank you for this video,but what do you mean by watering the plant not the pot?
If you have two plants and both are in a gallon pot. One plant is 10inches tall with 25 leaves and the other plant is 5inches tall with 15 leaves you wouldn't water them the same amount because one plant isn't capable of uptaking the same amount of water if that makes sense
@@TechplantChannel ohhh now I get it , that’s really good to know ,I never thought of it this way ! Thank you so much 😊 my plants are still babies, it’s my first time planting something, if you have a Twitter so I can show you ? I would really appreciate some help 💦
@@TechplantChannel sorry but I have another question, my lemon sprouts are just two months old or so ,maybe less anyway,the biggest one have some yellow on the edge of the older leaves!! What should I do ?
do you cut the root if it rots?
Hi guys i have a quick question if i get the lemon from a store and get the seeds out and do everything in the correct steps is it possible to have some lemons on it after a few years?
yeah but its going to be like 5+ years
@@TechplantChannel ty so much for the fast answer
is there another update?
So how are the lemons doing in 2022 Tech?
Yessssss I've been waiting for this!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing the good and the bad!
you bet! im still learning as i go! Thanks for watching!
damn i remember trying to plant lemon trees when i first saw your video but they all rotted 😳 nice to see yours are still thriving!
some of mine died! so dont give up and try again! I noticed i over watered some of mine so maybe try again but a little but less water!
Don’t give up !!! Last year I bought a butt load of lemons and made the yummiest bitterest lemonade and I planted the seeds along with the lemon seeds I bought offa wish I had a good amount of lemon trees a couple were killed by animals. But I sold all but one ( I had 9 by the end of the year ) and he’s turned into a beautiful year old tree !!
Last year I collected a butt load of apple seeds( seriously I ate so many freaking Apples last year ) and left them in a moist baggy out side last year and I now have I think about 30 trees?? And that’s even with me loosing like 7 of them
From my experience, dont prune the point of any citrus, if u want some side growth just add some nutrients and it will grow. My lemon trees from seeds usually have about 1,5 - 2m in one year and i literally have one thats 3 years old and has 6 meters. If u want a bonsai, u have to wait for it to grow for about a year or so before pruning... just let it grow a bit
What kind of fertilizer did you use when they were still young?
i have a generic fertilizer that i was adding to the water, its a pellet form so i would toss some in a gallon jug and leave it sit, but i was underfeeding them for sure
oMG THERE'S 1.5 UPDATE! Love you lemon treesssssssssss
hehehe
When you say water the plant and not the pot do you mean check the soil to feel if it’s dry then water?
My plants are just dropping leaves. I have a stick in a pot of soil. But it's a green stick? Will it grown back
Mine have come back to life a few times so don't give up on jt
Did you grow indoors or outdoors? Thanks
indoors under lights
I had just lookip up at Bonsai videos. Practiced to some of the lemon & lime plants I have.
They're doing alright despite the huge pruning and that I put them outside getting full sun & full rain (wet season here & tropic).
Does growlight work as well as the actual sunlight? I'm not eating the promotional advertisements. How are your experiences using them compared to putting them outside?
I think most woody trees need a dormant period. Don't know if this applies to citrus. Maybe give it less light (12/12)?
And more wattage will keep it dry... also invest in an oscillating fan or 10.... they will aspirate quicker that way.
thanks for the tips!
I've been told that if you do prune the citrus trees at all, it should be just a few node at a time and after doing so they should always either be painted over or wrapped to keep them from getting rot from happening. When pruned citrus has the great vulnerability to fungal and bacterial infections inside the cambruim layers and the heart sections..
yeah i chopped too much.....
Wrapped in cellophane?
sound solid, and realistic....J.H.N. Sorry ! you do better! yeah how to Stabilize. I've got seeds. good luck
Good luck!
I watched you when it came out and I started my own and I forgot about them and there is mold on two of them can I replace the dirt and not toss it out I used a lot of time on them
yeah just replace the moldy soil
What seed group is this lemon tree from? The yellow seeds or the brown skin cut seeds?
How old was the seedling when you first start to pinch or prune??
How much longer to be able to make lemonade?
5 years