how often to water your lemon tree for maximum growth

Gardening

How Often to Water Your Lemon Tree for Maximum Growth—2 Rules Gardeners Swear By

Drescription

Having fresh lemons for drinks and cooking is the best part of growing a lemon tree in your garden or a container, and proper watering is essential to ensure the tree sets and grows enough fruit.

Learn how often and the right way to water a lemon tree for maximum growth.

How Often to Water a Lemon Tree

Watering frequency depends on the age of your lemon tree, weather conditions, and whether it is planted in the ground or a container.

Garden-Grown Lemon Trees

If you are planting a new lemon tree, frequent watering is important for growth and to help the tree adapt to its new environment. When planting the tree, be sure the soil is wet to a depth of at least 3 inches. Then water the tree 2 to 3 times per week for approximately the first month. Monitor rainfall in your area, and if you receive 1/2 inch (or more) during a single rainy day, do not water for a couple of days to prevent overwatering.

Once established, allow the top 3 inches of soil to dry before watering. Mature trees need deep watering two times per month in warm weather and less frequent watering in cool weather. Do not provide additional irrigation during rainy periods.

Container-Grown Lemon Trees

Container-grown lemon trees need more frequent watering. Water regularly, when the top 2–3 inches of soil dry out. Frequency depends on whether you use a plastic or terracotta pot.

Always be sure the container has good drainage because soggy roots will reduce fruit production and may cause the lemon tree to die.

The Right Way to Water a Lemon Tree

Whether the tree is planted in the garden or a container, the right way to deliver water is slowly, at the soil level. For established trees, water under the canopy and slightly beyond the drip line. A drip irrigation hose will add moisture slowly and allow it to seep into the soil before running off. Overhead irrigation is discouraged to prevent leaf disease and spotting.

Water deeply until the soil is moist at least 3 inches deep to establish a strong root system. It is better to skip a watering than to apply small amounts of water every day.

Common Lemon Tree Maintenance

In addition to giving a lemon tree adequate irrigation, there are other components of routine care that you should do to keep the tree healthy.

Mulching

In the garden, maintain a 3–4 inch layer of organic mulch under the tree to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Keep the mulch 6 to 12 inches away from the trunk.

Fertilizing

For newly planted trees, use a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer (1 tablespoon per month) in the watering solution during the spring and summer growing season. Increase the amount by the age of the tree each month until the tree is four to five years old.

Mature trees need about one pound of a balanced NPK fertilizer per year. Always read the package directions for application.

For container-grown lemon trees, use a complete citrus fertilizer with micronutrients and follow the label directions for the application, depending on the size of your tree.

Pruning

Pruning to open the center of the tree to receive more sunlight will increase fruit production. For young trees, prune only to remove suckers along the trunk and any vertical watersprouts that are too close to other branches.

Once the tree is mature, around 5 years, remove any dead, crossing, or too closely spaced wood that forms in the center. Prune off branches that touch the ground. Finally, prune to control size if it is crowding other trees. Prune in late winter or early spring.

Overwintering and Frost Protection

Most garden lemon trees have some cold tolerance, but will suffer when the temperature drops below 28 degrees for more than a few hours. If freezing temperatures are predicted, pick any ripe fruit and cover the trunks of young trees with burlap or newspaper to insulate them.

Cover the foliage of small trees with a sheet or burlap. Be sure to remove the protection when the temperatures rise above freezing. If the tree is damaged by frost, remove damaged fruit, but wait several months before pruning damaged leaves or branches.

Container-grown lemon trees in colder growing zones should be brought inside before the first predicted frost of the season.

Harvesting Lemons

Allow lemons to ripen fully on the tree because the fruit does not continue to ripen once picked. Taste fruit periodically and pick when it suits your taste. It is normal for a tree to drop many of its young fruit. Many varieties have a heavy crop one year, then a light crop the next year.

My Brother’s Playful Shared Kids Bathroom Reveal (Including Cute Double Vanities)

While this house has a lot of contemporary lines (with hits of traditional vibes throughout), it’s still a house for a family with two elementary school-aged kids (6 and 9). They share a hall bathroom that is a nice size and Max and I were able to design it to be happy and playful, and yet use high-quality material that will last (and obviously grow with them). I honestly never pictured this bathroom like this – it’s really sweet and charming and full of layers that are far from “contemporary”. Some of this is in the styling, for sure, but whatever it is I love looking at these photos and every time I walk in I get that surge of, “Oh this is so fun”. Where Are We In The House? Ok, we are on the second floor and you can see the kid’s rooms are nearby. The bathroom is pretty big – although I see that the floor plan has changed since this above version to NOT have a separation between the vanity area and the toilet/bath. It’s part of the house that was designed to be vaulted so it has high ceilings. When they did the window plan they chose a huge window in here – so it has a lot of natural light. Three Different Tiles Max Humphrey and I chose the tile (we co-designed many of the bathrooms together), but this tile is more him, I’d say (and I love it). That guy is a master at selecting and mixing tiles. He generally takes more risks than me but still stays within a restrained palette which you all know I love. We worked within Ann Sacks Made line (made in Portland, which we are big fans of) which has a huge variety of colors. What I love so much about it is the variation of the color at the edges in both the penny tile on the floor and the shower tile – it gives it a lot of dimension and texture (the outline isn’t the grout, it’s the tile). I should back up and say that my brother and SIL didn’t want a tub in here – their kids take showers so they didn’t see the point of a tub (and thought it would be hard to get in and out of). But as an avid bather, I pushed back hard saying how bad for resale it would be not to have a tub for kids. So they chose the most shallow tub (one that would be easy for the kids to get in and out of as a compromise. At times I feared that it would look too basic and not special enough, but as we built the rest of the design elements now I hardly notice that it’s just an alcove tub. The shower surround that we customized (with much agony, more on that later) really helps it feel more elevated. Also a huge shout out to Anne Usher, the architect who planned the skylight in here – the light that it brings into the shower is incredible and makes this area of the room come alive. We used a leftover Caesarstone slab for the niche (making it as big as possible to be in scale with the shower wall). The tray and little pot are from a local resin maker, Swift and Stone who I found at a market and immediately reached out to for this bathroom (you can see her work on the vanities as well). Mixing Tiles We mixed three different scales – the larger blue vanity wall, the medium shower tile and the small penny on the floor. The tones of them all looked really cohesive together and it feels highly customized and yet really cohesive. Purist Faucet Line FTW Always and forever I love the Purist line from Kohler. Of course, you have a variety of finishes (we chose vibrant brushed moderne brass) and different handle profiles (we chose the cross for this bathroom). It’s just simple, modern, streamlined, and timeless. We have this line all over the mountain house. It feels more contemporary there and here it leans more transitional – it’s really easy to mix in most styles, IMHO. The toilet is tucked on the other side of the vanities. We hung embroidery art from the OG Portland project by local artist Annie Odorisio and then styled the opposite wall with robe/towel hooks and a cute wicker hamper to warm it all up. You’ll see in here a circle motif everywhere, which I think really helped it feel more playful and fun for kids. Alright – a his and hers vanity that I seriously wish we had for our kids (who share and quibble and it’s a thing). These are two Tresham vanities that have a simple (and even shaker) vibe to them and then we made them more modern with the wood handles (from Etsy). If you are wondering why they are so close, we did too. In the plans, they were 18″ apart but the room just didn’t allow it so somewhere something was off. At first, I was like “uhhhh…” and then we just worked with it and now I barely notice that they are so close and I even think it’s really sweet. They both have their own storage and counters. With the more traditional tilework and vanities, I wanted to finish the room in a way that went more modern and contemporary like the rest of the house. So once I found these sconces from Worley’s I showed them to my SIL and we both were like, “these are them.” I love that they are graphic, with these playful round glass shades (which also provide great soft light), and you can choose from a variety of metals and wood tones (we chose brushed brass to match the faucets and cornsilk oak for the wood). The three of them flanking the pill shaped mirrors. I like how they call back to the penny tile, the shower faucet shape, the rug, and even the bench. The backsplash tile goes from floor to ceiling (although it originally didn’t – it stopped at 7′ which felt weird so we had to order more tile and cross our fingers the color would match perfectly). The pattern and color make this room come alive – it’s a pattern mixed with three different tiles, stacked in a repeat (this is a Max Humphrey move that I am into). The Tresham vanities also come with an integrated countertop and sink, making it a really easy one-and-done situation. I have this vanity in our mountain house guest room and love the joinery of the base. It comes in a couple of different sizes (I wish it came in 60″ or 72″ TBH – I think it’s awesome.) If you are opening up the walls and changing plumbing (or in this case, building a new house basically) definitely think about wall mount faucets. They really do free up space and I think give a more custom look (we didn’t do this in every bathroom – I like to mix it up). The room is pretty wide in a great way and we were able to add something opposite the vanities. The pocket door was custom (and white oak) and I hung a piece of art that I’ve had forever that worked perfectly in here. I continued with the circle/scallop motif with the rug (from Etsy), wicker pot (from The Container Store, can also be a cute trash can) and bench (from AllModern). We bought a lot of these resin (not pottery, which is nice for kids) bathroom accessories from Swift and Stone which she makes in a variety of colors and sells both locally and on Etsy. Top Down Bottom Up Window Treatments Opposite the vanity is this large window with black frames and while I’m so grateful for the natural light, these kids needed some privacy. So we had Decorview make the same shades that we have in our guest room that I love. They are modern Roman shades that as you can see can be used from the top down or bottom up (therefore letting nice light in through the top). It turned out to be far more of a mix of modern/traditional than I had predicted 3+ years ago, in such a good way. It’s really spacious, airy and bright with playful elements, but executed so well by a great team.

Cafe Curtains Update – In The Mind Of A Designer Trying To Make A Decision

Over a year ago I threatened to put up cafe curtains in the kitchen. We have a lot of glass windows and in “the great long dark” (i.e. November to March) it just looks like black reflection and doesn’t feel very cozy. But then other priorities got in the way, spring came and I forgot again until this November. So January seemed like the perfect time to tackle it and this time I’d DIY it to save some dough (felt simple enough). This is how our kitchen looks on days when it’s clean, without a lot of styling, so you can get a sense of how it feels. It’s always bright and sunny and during the day you don’t really think about cafe curtains until about 4:30 and then you want them badly. Also, ignore our dirty windows – we didn’t hire someone this winter, but will in the spring – they are FILTHY. As a reminder, this is the rest of the living room (with some slight changes). The Block Print This is how it went down – I chose this block print linen, in a bright white with a green and gray pattern on it. I really liked how it looked and spent hours and hours making the panels. I have a tutorial coming soon (they are no-sew). They look pretty great in this shot. But here’s the deal, when I started putting them up that night, they looked so bright and high contrast and just BUSY. Now this could be because the kitchen was also messy post-dinner, but I did NOT like the vibe (and Brian and the kids agreed). Just too much. Nothing is wrong with these and again in the bright sun I think they are so happy! But it’s like all I could see after the sun went down, against the darkness outside. Sure, if it were a softer cream that might have helped, but during the day the bright white works so well with the bright kitchen. So 7 panels in, I had an epiphany and decided to move the Boro fabric (the vintage indigo plaid) from the other windows in the living room and hang them here instead. I LOVED THEM. Now the issue with these is that there is no way to get 10 panels that match so I had to make sure that the tones worked well together and that they were balanced. Additionally, the panels that we had weren’t exactly the right size so I turned them horizontally and they were a bit short (while others are a bit long TBH), but I think I can still make them work. Pulled back I like them so much more in person (and in the photos, TBH but I’m not sure that opinion will reign supreme). In context to the whole room, shared with the living room, it looks so good. It pulls you over there, but it’s not busy (just blends in with the blue during the day and the “black” of the windows at night). And when they are closed you see the pretty patchwork quilting of the Boro fabric, which I know is not everyone’s cup of tea (one commenter told me to stop “trying to make my ripped rags work” which honestly made me LOL that someone would DM me such a thing – hurt people hurt people!). We used the Rejuvenation unlacquered brass tension rods so that we didn’t have to drill into the tile, and then they sell these pinch clip rings that were tricky to figure out, but once we did were so easy and I love how simple they look. Now don’t look too closely or you’ll see that some of the rods are at different heights and that’s because some of the Boro was just shorter than others, but it’s really hard to detect. Since I generally live in the “interesting is better than perfect” philosophy I don’t care. I’m into this. And before you say that you aren’t sure about this I’d love to style out the kitchen and shoot it with the context of the living room (soon!) We did take one shot with more context and me in it :) I actually love the solid neutral curtains in the living room being simpler now, and it’s inspired me to finally paint the fireplace. The blue cafe curtains just draw you over to the kitchen in such a “me” way and create so much coziness. And you’ll have to trust me that the white was actually busier than the darker blue, which seems nuts! Stay tuned for more photos in the spring of our updated living room (with some surprise products in it :))

7 Flowers You Should Plant Right Now for Blooms That Will Last Until December (or Longer)

We all know that it's pretty hard to maintain a flourishing garden and yard in the hot summer months. But of course, some outliers do bloom amongst the sunshine and continue to grow throughout the fall and winter months. Read on to see which plants you should grow now that will last until December. Pansies Pansies are a beautiful flower that you can typically plant in the late summer or early fall. They tend to like partial sun and partial shade, and don't appreciate too much warmth. This is why they are the perfect flower to plant if you want to have a yard full of blooms in the winter. These beauties flourish in 40°F to 60°F temperatures and will add a ton of pops of color to your garden. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best-growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Dahlias Dahlias are another kind of flower that should last until December. These pretty blooms originate from Mexico and South America, but still last throughout the fall months. As long as the temperature doesn't drop below 35°F, they will still be looking strong. Aster Asters are tough and able to withstand a lot of different climates and temperatures. They come in a variety of gorgeous colors like vivid blues and pastel pinks. The beauty of growing asters in the late summer is that they will likely last until the late months of fall. Keep in mind that they need well-drained soil to continue to flourish; they don't agree with soil that is too wet. Flowering Kale Flowering kale may seem like an unconventional plant to decorate your home in the winter, but its bright purple and pink tones will make passing neighbors stop and stare at your yard. Flowering kale easily tolerates frost and lower temperatures and should be blooming as the temperatures drop further in the late fall. Black-Eyed Susans Black-eyed Susans are the color of sunshine which is ironic because they love the cold temperatures. These golden beauties will even thrive in temperatures as low as -30°F and will transform your wintertime garden into a summertime oasis. Even after they wither away, they will continue to return year after year, making this one of the easiest flowers to deal with. Coneflowers Coneflowers come in a rainbow of different colors like pink, purple, white, yellow, and red. This tiny but mighty flower will bloom well into the fall and cooler months and love well-drained soil, too. Coneflowers are also beloved by bees, butterflies, and more pollinators. Catmint Catmint is a lovely purple-colored plant that resembles lavender and smells just as good. This plant is extremely tough and the blooms don't need much maintenance in the wintertime. They usually perform very well in pots even in the colder months and will evolve from a bright purple color in the summer and fall, into a lovely light purple and gray tone over the winter.

A Year in Fashion & Beauty: All the Things I Wore (On My Body and Face) in 2018

It has come to my immediate attention (once we pulled together this post) that this was not a very fashion-y blog year for Emily Henderson. I blame it on the fact that I was too deep in the renovation trenches to focus on fashion and beauty which I really LOVE, too. But once the summer hit, we got it together and dove in hard. So much chambray, bathing suits for different body types (thanks Arlyn and Sara), the team’s favorite beauty picks and, of course, the HAIR MAKEOVERS. We have a lot of plans for fashion and beauty next year because, well, it’s just fun and most everyone likes it, me included. :) Plus, I’ll take any excuse to try something new. For now, let’s take a look back on what happened in 2018 in the world of Haute Henderson. My sister pointed out to me that last year’s post is almost identical to this one so I fired her immediately. LOOK this girl loves her blue, white and blush for an everyday look. Plus this post contains some of my staples like the jeans and shoes that I wear all the time (SPEAKING OF WHICH: Nisolo, one of my go-to footwear brands is having an INSANE sale starting today until January 5th where a big majority of their products are 40% off, like these Chelsea boots, these oxfords and these mules). I did step out of my color palette a little so head to the post if you want to see what I changed up. I tend to lean on the modest side of fashion so swimsuits are not my favorite clothing item to discuss. And let’s be real, all of us have pain points on our bodies that we aren’t the happiest about. One of mine is my post-baby tummy. So this year, I talked to the team to see who was brave enough to talk about their bodies and pick out swimsuits they love. Sara and Arlyn (it was her FIRST month here) stepped up. Head to the post for some real body talk and flattering swimsuit options. I love a flowy dress and this summer I wanted them on my body. They are easy, comfortable and a whole outfit in one piece of clothing. This post was a roundup of all the ones I wanted plus some super cute summer shoes. We thought it would be really fun and super helpful to share the ladies of EHD’s most favorite beauty products. Since we all have different skin types, needs and levels of beauty knowledge, we figured that many of you could relate. So each team member talked about their skin, challenges and why they love the products they use. Just consider us your new cool friend who has all those awesome product recommendations you need in your life. This was the first year I shopped at the Nordstrom Anniversary sale and now I get it. It’s AWESOME. This post was not sponsored at all. I just needed some new fall clothes and jumped on the sale train. My love for the long trench is alive and real folks. But I grabbed some other very fun and apparently CONTROVERSIAL pieces. Check them out and see what you think. :) Summer is THE wedding season and it’s hard to know what to wear to all of those different weddings. Jess felt very passionately about this since she had five weddings to attend this year. So we decided to round up our favorite dresses and shoes by venue type and dress code. Remember when I said at the beginning of the post that I love trying all the new things?? Well, that usually excludes my hair. But we got an opportunity to do a trade with The Harbor Salon in Silver Lake to do five hair makeovers in exchange for a blog post. Four of the EHD ladies and I were ready for a change so we said YES. This post is an intro to where their hair was at and what we wanted to go for. We did it! Well, they did it as my hair is forever a work in progress. The girls look SO good and they feel/look like new people. Head to the post to see the beautiful pics of the salon and how awesome the ladies hair turned out. There you have it. That’s it. Short, sweet but still full of fun yet help info. Okay, now I want to hear from you. What fashion/beauty content do you want in 2019? It’s honestly so fun to put together so we would love to know what is most helpful to all of you. Comment below and we will try to deliver.