I wrote the title of this article in caps due to my winter frustration.
Every winter customers complain about green leaf drop. I brace myself for it by gulping down a strong coffee and wonder why the ugly light I recommend is ignored for a much more attractive option.
Citrus trees are not houseplants that can adjust to low-light environments.
When choosing lighting you need to know what you are purchasing.
Buying lighting based on reviews is not a guarantee that the lighting is going to be adequate because that depends on what you are growing.

Think: Florida and southern California.
Be critical of lighting with advertisements with photos of houseplants.
If you see houseplants in an advertisement for lighting, please move on.
I don't have to read the specs of lighting to know it is incorrect lighting when the advertiser shows a photo with spider plants. Peace lilies, African violets, Snake plants, Alocasia, Aloe vera, Arrowhead Vine, Corn Plant, Dragon Tree, Dumb Cane, Emerald Gem, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Palms, etc.
If you see houseplants in the advertisement you need to keep looking. Many houseplants do not need additional lighting as long as you have a sunny room.

Sunny rooms are not acceptable for Citrus trees, they need full "direct" sunshine for at least 6 hours every day. Citrus trees thrive in lighting and get their energy from the sun, the more (correct) lighting you can give to the tree,  the better the tree will do!
When choosing lighting the question you need to ask yourself is do you want an attractive tree with an ugly light or an attractive light and ugly tree begging you to give it more light?

Correct lighting is NOT an adjustable stand on a tripod with multiple pretty wand heads in purple, blue, and red LED lights. Correct lighting is WHITE LIGHT which has all the spectrum of light.
Daylight starts at 5000K The "K" is for kelvin and tells you the color temperature of light and many false advertisers claim their lights are full spectrum but are listed below the daylight spectrum. If your lighting is not 5000K you're not even giving your tree daylight.
The higher the spectrum the better the tree will do.
5000K is your morning sun, 6500K is your afternoon sun.
The light we recommend is the bare minimum the tree needs.
Anything below 5000K is not daylight.

Lumens are also important. The Lumens listed will tell you the brightness of a bulb, so the spectrum of 5000K has all the colors in the prism and you see it as white light. The lumens are the brightness of the lighting, and just like the spectrum the higher the lumens the better the tree will do but the minimum of lumens is 2600. Many advertisements do not even list the lumens.
The wonderful thing about lumens is you can easily add more lumens by just adding another bulb.

When adding lighting make sure the light is above the tree about 1 ft and left on 10-12 hours.
You can upgrade to a nicer light such as a gooseneck floor lamp with multiple heads just make sure you use the white light 5000K bulbs and use all the heads on the floor lamp.

Our Lighting Recommendations

We recommend a compact fluorescent light (CFL) 5000k grow bulb, which is a full spectrum bulb that promotes overall plant growth. This should be screwed into a reflector, so the light is directed above the tree about 1-1.5 ft. Without the reflector, the light will be too dissipated to be of much use. The lights can be purchased as a full set, bulb with the reflector at :
https://www.acfgreenhouses.com/green-thumb-clamp-on-grow-light.aspx

Green Thumb Clamp-on Grow Light
ITEM #: 5605160

The AFC greenhouses have the drop-down menu tab in the link. Make sure the 5000K is chosen before ordering.

The grow lights should be left on for a minimum of 10-12 hours. The light should be placed DIRECTLY above the tree about 1-1.5 ft above it.
If the tree gets good sunshine and the sunshine is shining directly on the tree for a few hours every day, then you may be able to turn the lights off after 8 hours.
When lighting is supplemented, turn lights off at night. Plants require day and night.

There are also other options like a gooseneck floor lamp with daylight bulbs-  Recommended only as a set -bulbs with the gooseneck floor lamp.
One of these bulbs is not appropriate lighting, you'll need to use at least two of the bulbs that give 3000 lumens
5 bulbs with the floor lamp is 7500 lumens.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VDXDXSC

Bulbs
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Eagle-Equivalent-Daylight-Dimmable

Sunblaze
https://www.acfgreenhouses.com/sun-blaze-fluorescent-t5-grow-light.aspx

Many people disregard the ugly option with the reflector and bulb.
We do not benefit financially in any way by recommending it, or any of these lights.
I know the reflector is an ugly option. I have a few of them myself.
You might wonder why I would have those ugly lights since I live in the south.
Years ago I had the brilliant idea to haul all my trees indoors in the winter because I had to experience what our customers experience so I could educate myself and give customers good tree care that works.

I experienced the frustration of buying junk lighting for myself on my journey of indoor winter growing. Many lights simply did not work. They were sparkly and interesting with purple, blue, yellow, and red lights and I went through a few options and that can be an expensive endeavor.
Eventually, I ended up with two of the ugly lights, because I had 10 trees hauled indoors that winter. I was pleasantly surprised and had happy trees all winter.

-Nancy

Water the tree immediately as freezing temperatures pull the moisture out of the tree's roots.
Wait and determine the extent of damage before pruning in the spring or when the possibility of frost has passed.
Identify the graft or bud union, and make sure the fruiting wood above the graft is still green and healthy.
Photo of the graft can be found here:
https://lemoncitrustree.com/store/pest-disease

If it is viable it should produce new buds in the spring. If all the leaves are brown
and curled, remove them in the spring and water the tree with a quarter cup of bone meal mixed in a gallon of water for a potted tree.
It will take a few weeks for the appearance of new buds. After bud break, you can prune the branches if desired.
Preconditioning helps; trees exposed slowly to cold will fare better than those subjected to a sudden frost. Also, prolonged exposure to cold is more damaging than a brief plunge in temperature. Here are some methods we have used to help protect plants when freezing temperatures may pose a threat.

Listen for news of cold fronts, and be prepared to take action!
Water all garden plants thoroughly before a freeze since freezing soil will pull sustaining moisture from the roots.
Use antitranspirant sprays. Common brands: Anti Stress and Cloud Cover.
Put old fashioned, heat-producing Christmas lights in the trees or in landscape lighting under the trees. This method often yields excellent results for cold-sensitive lemons and limes.
Hot bulbs can scorch leaves, so take care to angle them so that they directly touch foliage as little as possible.
Use frost cover blankets, also known as floating row cover or Remay. This is a spun polyester material designed to cover trees and plants. It can be draped directly on the plants and secured at the ground to trap daytime heat. Unlike plastic covers, it can be left on during the day without fear of overheating the plants. Used in combination with lighting, it is a great way to protect cold-sensitive plants.

Citrus may be pruned to any desired shape. Pruning is fine any time of year, except in the winter for outdoor trees. Pinching back tips of new growth is the best way to round out the trees without impacting future fruit.

Citrus will look fuller with occasional pruning to shape leggy branches. Very leggy branches indicate the need for more light. Some trees may develop erratic juvenile growth above the graft. If so, prune for shape and balance. Any growth above the graft can eventually bear fruit.

Pruning to Optimize Fullness & Fruit Production

Any branch with fruit is putting its energy into fruit production. Prune the other branches now, make the pruning cut just above a leaf without leaving a stub. If you take off more than 1/3 of the length, the tree will make multiple branches at the pruning cut, thereby making the tree more full.

All of our Citrus are fruit producing ages. But like all fruiting trees,  the citrus also go through stages of fruit drop. The tree is dictated by mother nature in determining whether it has enough energy to fully take its young fruit to maturation. Sometimes it will drop its fruit to ensure it has enough energy to maintain the primary life systems such as its canopy and roots. As the tree matures, gets stronger and becomes more established, its fruiting capacity will increase.

Once the trees are about 3 years old, they are mature enough to handle fruit production without impacting branch and foliage growth.
For lemons and limes, the time from bloom to edible fruit is generally 6-9 months. For winter
oranges and other citrus, it is generally 12 months. Keep in mind that all citrus fruits only ripen
on the tree. The best way to determine ripeness is to pick a fruit and sample it, since rind color
can be an unreliable indicator.
Average Crop Yield
In appropriate climates, a mature Dwarf Citrus tree planted in the ground can produce about 2/3 as much fruit as a full-sized standard citrus tree in the ground. Some varieties "hold" fruit well on the tree for extended periods, while others need to be picked promptly because fruit quality will deteriorate quickly after ripening.

Can I Determine Ripeness By The Color Of The Fruit?

Cooling nighttime temperatures trigger the appearance of orange and yellow hues in the rinds of citrus fruits. In temperate climates that have gradually cooling nighttime temperatures toward winter, fruit coloration is generally a good indicator of ripeness.

In tropical climates and also in many indoor growing situations, fruit coloration may not be the best indicator of ripeness because the tree is not receiving the necessary climactic cues for fruit coloring. This is why the Key lime is harvested green in the more tropical areas of Mexico and Florida where it is grown commercially. These limes are ripe when picked, even though they are still green. Limes in California and other areas that receive cooler temperatures during the ripening season will turn yellow when ready to pick. Like most citrus, lemons are green as they develop, then turn gradually to yellow when ripe. (Extremely ripe Meyer lemons take on a lovely orange hue.) Once mature, most lemon varieties will hang on the tree for several months, slowly growing larger and developing thicker skins.

When coloration is not a reliable indicator, ripeness can be determined with other methods. Look for the development of a dusky appearance on the rind of ripe fruits. The final determinant of ripeness will be how the fruit tastes. Sampling is often the most reliable indicator of when to harvest. Remember that citrus will not ripen further once picked.

More information on green fruit and fruit drop here:  https://lemoncitrustree.com/store/citrus-blog/2017/08/23/did-i-get-a-lime-tree-why-is-my-citrus-fruit-still-green

Friday Afternoon:

Oh, that beautiful lemon tree you sent me. I am so excited about this tree
I can hardly contain myself.
It’s the dead of winter and the weekend is here.
I pull you out of your packaging and you make me smile.
You are blooming like it's a warm spring day.
This grower's pot is not worthy of you!
This weekend I will find you a new pot.
Here you go, have a drink of water.

Saturday:

Let me pull you right out of that black grower's pot my little darling, and place you in some beautiful container. Oh, I know you traveled a long way to get to me and you had a rough journey.
I know you cannot wait, a beautiful tree deserves a beautiful pot.
I’ll pay no attention to the long journey you traveled or be critical of the pot I have planned for you, or the soil I plant you in.
Who needs to bother with the small things like drainage?
This pot is just too nice to pass up and it will make you look incredibly beautiful.
Let me fill the pot with rocks at the bottom so I can impede your drainage over time.
For added beauty, I’ll place rocks on the top of the soil to keep the soil from drying out correctly, or maybe I'll add some more plants!!!
You look lovely, let me set your pot inside this catch tray in a corner as you become part of my decor, you are so beautiful and you smell heavenly.
I think you need a cup of water.

Sunday:
Oh beautiful Citrus, let me get you a cup of water.
Where oh where did I put those tree care directions?

Monday- Wednesday:
I think maybe I should have read those tree care directions, I wish I knew what I did with them?
Oh beautiful Citrus, let me get you a cup of water.

Thursday:
Oh, my citrus tree you’re looking a little depressed today!
I think I’ll go to my local nursery and ask someone what to do about it.
Here, let me water you with just a little water, just enough so I don’t have to worry about water messing up my wood flooring.

Friday:
It’s been a week and some of your leaves have yellowed and green ones are on the floor.
Why are you misbehaving? I have done everything for you.
I think I’ll call the company this week.
You poor thing. This should fix the problem, have a cup of water.

Saturday & Sunday:

:(

We agree at Lemon Citrus Tree that dwarf Lemons, Limes, and Orange trees can beautify your decor but they cannot beautify your space if their needs are not met.
Trees are living plants and they have special needs.

The photo above of the lemon tree would look fantastic in any corner of a living or dining room if it were just a fake tree with silk flowers, but it’s not and it can’t be treated like a fake tree or plant.

Let's go through each of the mistakes in this story:

First of all, let’s not transplant. The tree has traveled some distance so it's best to give it a bit of a reprieve from the journey and just set it in a bright sunny area so it can get direct sunshine and leave it alone.
Before transplanting, make sure to check the potting instructions, located on our website.

If it is in shock it needs some time to adjust to the new environment.
Do not place the tree near a heat vent or against a wall or in a corner of a room with no lighting.
Wait at least 2 weeks before attempting to transplant the tree into a new pot.

When shopping for a new pot, look for one that is double in size, and don't go beyond a 10-gallon pot. Flip the pot over and look at the drainage holes, if you see no holes, it's the wrong pot for the tree.
Make sure the pot has good drainage and purchase a well-draining soil without moisture retention additives.

A moisture meter is a simple tool to let you know when to water and it also lets you know if the tree, once the water drains, whether it needs more water than what you have given it. So, always recheck the soil after water drains.

A cup here and a cup there for a large tree is not going to work out well.
If you have to take a tree indoors for the winter a drainage tray is not a splurge. Lifting heavy pots can be a chore and when the soil is wet the tree is pretty tough to pick up.
Choose a tray for the long term that can hold at least a gallon of water.
A small plant stand would be great (It will save you a lot of work) so the pot won’t be sitting in standing water.

PERFECT!

If you have the tree sitting in a drainage tray, then you are not watering it correctly.
Citrus trees need DEEP infrequent watering, not a few cups every few days but more like a gallon (if your pot is large) normally you should be watering indoors every other week.
Check the moisture level with a meter BEFORE and AFTER watering, this will ensure you’re correctly watering it. NEVER leave the meter in the pot when not in use.

When you grab for the water jug BE LIBERAL with the water, drench the soil.
Correctly watering your tree will be a mess if you don’t have the correct set up to start with.
Citrus hate wet feet, so the pot sitting in standing water is not good for the tree. If you water correctly then water will pour out of the holes into the catch tray.
It is definitely worth the time and effort to get the tree set up correctly.
NEVER ever plant other plants with the tree, plants will rob a Citrus of water and nutrients.

Think Florida - Citrus trees love the Florida weather, it’s sunny & humid.
Sitting the tree near a heat vent will turn a happy tree into a sad tree.
If you live in an area where the tree needs to be taken indoors in the winter, please keep in mind the light requirements and supplement lighting.

For indoor lighting, use full spectrum high lumen lighting ONLY

Caring for citrus and fruit trees is easy if you avoid the pitfalls.  This article will break it down in simple and easy steps to help you keep your trees happy and healthy.
To make it convenient you can just click on the links below that will show you the recommended products.

WATERING 

Underwatering and overwatering are both detrimental to the tree.
Citrus Trees prefer infrequent, deep watering. Generally, once a week is all that is needed.
We strongly recommend utilizing a Moisture Meter for trees grown in pots that reads between 1-10 before watering, because once a week watering could be too much water for a container-grown, indoor tree.
Once the tree has been watered properly, check the soil with the moisture meter after the water drains to make sure the meter reads 10. This will ensure that the tree has been watered deeply and properly. You will not have to water the tree again until the meter reads 4.
Do not leave the meter in the pot when not in use.
Moisture meter for trees grown in the ground

FERTILIZERS-  FOR CITRUS AND AVOCADO

Do not use these products on fruit trees (Look under the Fruit tree recommended fertilizers)

I highly recommend Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro. This product helps plants thrive and has nutrients that other fertilizers may not have enough of. I use this product as a foliar spray,  although you can also water the tree with it. The great thing about this product is when using it as a foliage spray, it goes straight to the tree within days, so you don't have to wait to water and feeding through the root system of the tree takes time for nutrients to break down.

When fertilizing with any of the recommended products, keep in mind that the directions on the bag of fertilizer are directions for trees that are planted in the ground, not for container-grown trees, so be careful not to use too much fertilizer at one time for a potted tree.
When using Fertilome Fruit, Citrus, and Pecan Tree Food, be careful not to use too much of this product due to its high ratio of nitrogen. The ratio is 19-10-5 so it's a great product to use occasionally. Normally when using the high nitrogen Fertilome Fruit, Citrus, and Pecan Food I'll wait a month and then switch to something that is not so high in nitrogen, such as Espoma Citrus Tone or Fish Emulsion
Occasionally I'll add Bone Meal mixing a quarter cup to one gallon of water and water the tree with the mixture.  Bone meal will cause the tree to grow and bloom, so it is important to know bloom times.
For Orange trees, a good time to use the bone meal mixture is mid-February if your tree is indoors and protected from freezing temperatures. Don't overuse bone meal due to the tree's need for nitrogen. Citrus are heavy nitrogen feeders and bone meal has phosphorus.
Whenever you use bone meal you must supply a nitrogen fertilizer within a few weeks or within a month.
Sometimes I mix equal parts of bone meal and Blood Meal together (2 tablespoons of each) to 1 gallon of water and water the tree with the mixture since blood meal is a nitrogen product.
If you are feeding an orange tree,  I would simply use a quarter cup of just the bone meal in February and then in a month use a nitrogen product. This way the tree gets the boost of phosphorus for growth and blooming.

Orange trees bloom between February through May so the bone meal will give it the boost it needs to bloom just keep in mind it is important to make sure you feed the tree nitrogen fertilizer thereafter so the tree has plenty of nitrogen to produce and grow the fruit.

Although I have recommended quite a few fertilizers, you can just pick a few of them and add to your stock over time.  Dyna-Gro would be at the top of the list.

If you ordered the smallest tree then I would transplant the tree after 2 weeks into a larger pot before starting a fertilizing schedule.

A high nitrogen fertilizer like Fertilome Fruit, Citrus Pecan Food is a good product but be careful when using it for a potted tree, you don't want to use too much with a ratio of 19 on the nitrogen.
(3 gallons pots) 1 teaspoon every other month
(7 gallons pots) 1 tablespoon every other month
(10 gallons pots) 2 tablespoons every other month.

On the months you skip you can choose 
Blood Meal,
Fish Emulsion or
Citrus Tone

so you'll be feeding the tree something monthly, Just use the same ratio above for the pot sizes, the fish emulsion needs to be diluted in water.
Since trees are living things I try to consider the fact that I would not want to eat the same meal every day. After a while, my favorite meal would not be my favorite anymore.
So I try to consider that when feeding my trees and give them some variety.
Also, please keep in mind, your tree is trapped in a pot, like a fish in a fishbowl and it cannot get nutrients unless you provide them. If we fed our fish the same way we fed our trees, in many cases the fish would be floating belly up.

For trees planted in the ground please follow the directions on the bag and if your winter is cold stop fertilizing in mid-September.

FRUIT TREE FERTILIZER

Fertilizing Fruit trees like Olive, Figs, Persimmon, and Pomegranate are a lot simpler to manage.
Find an even number fertilizer like  Southern AG All-Purpose Fertilizer 10-10-10

Fruit trees can get phenomenal growth and bloom with Bone Meal using a quarter cup per gallon of water only once or twice per year.

OTHER RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

LIGHTING
Good lighting is a requirement for all citrus. Green leaf drop is the #1 problem caused by a lack of light. Trees get their energy from the sun. If the tree doesn't get enough sunshine then it will start dropping its foliage, which is a vicious cycle, if it doesn't have the energy it requires it will eventually die.

We recommend a compact fluorescent light (CFL) 5000k grow bulb, which is a full spectrum bulb that promotes overall plant growth. This should be screwed into a reflector, so the light is directed onto the tree and not used just as a bulb in a standard lamp or overhead light. Without the reflector, the light is too dissipated to be of much use. The lights can be purchased as a full set, bulb with the reflector at :
https://www.acfgreenhouses.com/green-thumb-clamp-on-grow-light.aspx   When purchasing this light be sure it's ONLY the 5000K in the drop-down menu.

Multiple trees
If you have multiple trees you might want to consider the Sun Blaze T5 Fluorescent Grow Light.
https://www.acfgreenhouses.com/sun-blaze-fluorescent-t5-grow-light.aspx

SOIL TREATMENT

The secret of healthy and great-looking trees begins in the soil. If the soil is poor and lacking nutrients the tree will do poorly. Fungus delivers many essential nutrients to the root system of trees and increases drought resistance.  Fungi produce specialized acids and enzymes that break the bonds that bind nutrients to the soil and organic compounds.
Mycorrhizae Fungi, are the principal structures for most nutrient uptake in the plant kingdom.

Tree roots and fungi form a symbiotic relationship. The Mycorrhizae Fungi form large networks of fine filamentous growth throughout the soil. The roots and the fungi assist each other with the fungi collecting water and nutrients for the plant's root system and the tree assists the fungi by feeding the fungi sugars.
Soil Acidifier will help reduce alkalinity for all acid-loving Citrus Trees.

PEST PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

There are a few simple preventative measures that can help considerably to prevent pest infestation. Trees that have spider mites, aphids, scale, etc need to be completely washed off with sudsy dawn dish soap. Killing the pest is only part of the problem. Honeydew left on the tree will eventually cause the tree to deteriorate. So wash the foliage and then you can treat the tree with Neem Oil.

A tape barrier is crucial in protecting the tree in the winter. If you have to take your tree indoors in the winter then chances are high you live in an area that has dormant trees outside.
Consider your outdoor surroundings, are the trees and bushes barren, with no foliage?
If you get warming temperatures that fluctuate from warm to cold, ants can become active along with spider mites and the only foliage around is your tree.

Tape barriers are simple. Just wrap a wide piece of Masking Tape around your tree (not the whole tree) Just a section no wider than the width of your tape will do and wipe Tanglefoot on the tape. This will prevent pests from crawling up the tree to get to the foliage.

I always do a few preventatives to protect my trees. Diatomaceous Earth is also helpful, just sprinkle a small amount on top of the soil. Imagine you are a bug crawling across the soil to get to the tree, if the bug crosses into the Diatomaceous Earth it will get cut up and die of dehydration, so you don't need to use a lot of it.
I also use Gnat Traps in the event the soil has fungus gnats.
Mosquito Bits  sprinkled on the soil's surface or mixed with potting soil prior to planting will kill fungus gnats

If you see fruit flies flying around the foliage, you'll need to wash the tree. Fruit flies and fungus gnats are not the same types of flies.
Fruit flies are your best friend in the winter, they will let you know if there is honeydew on the foliage, and honeydew is a killer to the tree. Once the honeydew is gone, they will leave also.
Fungus gnats hang out in the soil, so if the fly isn't mainly interested in the foliage area of the tree, it's a gnat. You can also smear tanglefoot on a bottle that has a small amount of apple cider vinegar in the bottle, they can't resist the Apple Cider Vinegar and will get stuck in the tanglefoot.
Citrus leaf miners can be a real nuisance. They are larvae that originate from several types of insects such as moths. They lay their eggs on the trees and the young larvae burrow into the leaf, eating the foliage. They are not harmful to the tree but they can make your tree look less attractive. I use Fertilome Fruit Tree Spray which can also be used as a fungicide.

CITRUS GREENING 

Brassinolide- This product is for research purposes.

The Asian citrus psyllid has put the United States Citrus industry in serious jeopardy.
Citrus Greening is the worst citrus disease in the world and is causing devastation that's spread by this disease-infected insect. The US consumer has little knowledge of this devastating insect that has caused billions of dollars in loss for the Citrus industry and whole abandoned orchards and groves throughout Florida.
The Asian psyllid pierces through the tree to suck out the sap, and if it is a carrier of the virus it enters the tree and causes long-term damage until eventually, the tree dies.
The cell walls of the foliage collapse which will not allow foliar sprays to enter the cell walls because the cells are so small the particles cannot enter the cell to be absorbed into the tree.
If there is an issue with collapsing cells, no foliar sprays will ever help the tree and with collapsing cells eventually, this causes the breakdown of photosynthesis and loss of nutrients.

The brassinolide causes cell elongation, which expands the cells, allowing the nutrients and sunshine to pass through.
The brassinolide won't hurt the trees since it is a growth hormone and natural in plants.

Please keep in mind the Brassinolide product is for research purposes.
Normally I would not recommend a product that is for research purposes but trees with Citrus Greening survival rate is low, the tree dies within a few years unless measures are taken to save the tree.

THYME GUARD
Organic Bactericide, Fungicide, and Insecticide

SETUP IDEAS

When watering the tree properly the soil should be drenched and with the deep-watering method, a lot of water should drain from the holes in the bottom of the pot, which requires a Catch Tray when trees are indoors. I recommend a hard plastic tray that can hold over a gallon of water for larger trees. The tree should be above that catch tray so it doesn't sit in standing water. A Small Plant Stand is helpful in keeping the tree elevated above the drainage tray.

If you have any questions please contact us at support@lemoncitrustree.com or call

Happy Growing,
Nancy
866-216-8733

LemonCitrusTree

We love the holiday season with family get-togethers, good food, gifts and loved ones that make life tremendously meaningful. We will spend hours shopping for our loved ones and cooking our holiday feast from our favorite recipes.

Whether we are baking Christmas cookies with Lemon and Rosemary or putting oranges in Christmas stockings, citrus are a big part of the Christmas holiday and with it brings warm feeling of nostalgia.

Each and every year, we decorate to beautify our homes and make them look inviting.
With wreaths of green and colors of silver, gold, red, orange and blue, and trees made up of our kids holiday trinkets, along with our baby’s first Christmas ornaments and keepsakes that help make our holiday special and unique.

This year why not start a tradition of your own that is unique that could define a new tradition in your family?

Of course we will keep the old traditions alive because they are special to us and that is why we continue them, but we can create new ones that will inspire generations and they may pass on from us our own unique ideas of holiday cheer. It’s an exciting thought to create a tradition that might get passed down to our children and future generations.

Trees are just part of the holiday cheer and tabletop citrus not only make a beautiful centerpiece but also bring the citrus smell of Christmas into the environment, that continues on long after the Christmas Holiday and New Years.

  Best Trees To Buy For The Holidays

Clementine Trees are also known as the Christmas Orange Tree and they produce bright mandarin oranges which are smaller than the average oranges,. The fruit is incredibly sweet, seedless, and easy to peel, making it a great orange for even small children.

The Meyer Lemon is a fabulous tree for any occasion, it’s ever-bearing quality makes it one of those “must have trees” it is simply a gorgeous tree and because it can bloom anytime of year, its a real favorite and helps bring springtime into our homes. Long winters can be a bit depressing with the cold, especially in northern regions of the United States where blizzards can keep us restricted to the indoors. A Meyer Lemon Tree can make the space substantially less depressing as it blooms and produces flowers and fruit.

Persian and Key Limes are favored fruit for those football fans that love to drink while watching their favorite teams, or just for holiday get-togethers. Garnishes of lime wedges are meant to enhance the existing flavor of beverages. Limes are used for cocktails, beer, desserts and succulent meat dishes.

Meiwa Kumquat is a lovely tree that produces small round orange fruit about the size of a large cherry tomato. The whole fruit can be eaten including the peel. It's a sweet-tart flavor balance. The fruit makes fabulous ingredient for favorite desserts and beverages.

Our trees are simply a unique gift idea and can make winter less depressing and dress up the Holidays with good will, give homegrown ingredients and make a wonderful conversation piece for your special holiday that could cause generations after you to follow in your footsteps as they desire to keep your tradition alive.

Soggy wet roots are the leading cause of problems with container grown citrus trees. Many of those problems can be eliminated with careful container choices and a moisture meter that can prevent over-watering.
The Deep Watering Method is the proper watering method, directions can be found here:
https://lemoncitrustree.com/store/citrus-blog/2018/10/19/deep-watering-method-for-potted-citrus-trees/

CLAY POTS
Clay pots are classic but heavy choices. If you live in the southern part of the country, you may want to avoid the clay pots, as they dry out very quickly and you'll spend a significant amount of time watering in hot summers. If you plan on using clay be sure the mouth of the pot is as wide or wider than the pot itself, avoid the spherical pots with the mouth of the pot curving inward, these tend to be wide and shallow and don't have the depth needed for the deep root growth and if you ever need to transplant you may have trouble getting the root ball out if the opening of the pot is smaller than the width of the whole pot.

WOOD POTS
Wood containers degrade over time, allowing roots to grow into cracks and have irregular surfaces, making it harder to transplant. While transplanting you may be ripping roots out between cracks to dislodge them, so avoid the wood and look for something comparable like a plastic barrel that you can drill additional holes in. Many plastic barrels look very similar to the wood barrels.

SELF-WATERING POTS
The self-watering pots are NEVER recommended for Citrus trees. Citrus require infrequent deep watering, so self-watering pots do not allow for this. The self-watering type can cause overly wet roots. Also, pots that have the catch tray or saucers attached are not recommended, trees do not like "wet feet" and those types of pots can cause root rot.

CLOTH POTS
Cloth container pots are not recommended. The cloth can become misshapen over time as the soil settles. During the watering process, some of the soil may relocate in the pot, and this can cause the tree to eventually tip out of its container since the soil is not held firmly into place with solid sturdy sides. The cloth pots just do not work well because they are far too flexible allowing the soil to reshape the pot during the deep watering process, which will cause the tree to tip out because it has nothing sturdy to hold the soil in place.

PLASTIC POTS
Hard plastic pots come in a wide selection of designs and colors, making them the ideal choice for citrus trees. When choosing a pot, be sure you can actually see drainage holes in the bottom, if not it is the wrong pot. The sides should be sturdy and the plastic strong enough to drill additional holes in the bottom if needed.
Plastic pots are easier to handle and more lightweight than clay and resistant to breakage.
Four to five large (3/4"-1") holes are the minimum necessary for adequate drainage. Select a pot that makes it easy to inspect your tree or re-pot if needed. Smooth tapered sides with a wide mouth at the top work the best. Avoid shapes that are narrow at the top or other designs that would impede the root ball from easily sliding out.

Do not add stones or gravel in the bottom of the container. Elevate the container pot off the drainage-tray or ground to allow the water to exit the container after watering. Water according to pot size and do not go beyond a 10-gallon container.

For more transplanting information: https://lemoncitrustree.com/store/citrus-tree-care-containers

LemonCitrusTree

Trees will die without the essential requirements. Incorrect watering is the most common cause of issues and tree death.

Deep Watering Method

1. Check the tree with a moisture meter before watering. (The meter's range should be from 1-10)
2. The prong should be deep into the pot.
3. Only water when the meter reads 4.
4. All trees require deep watering. Deep watering is drenching the soil until water pours from the holes at the bottom of the pot.
5. Watering with a few cups is not acceptable, this will cause deep roots to die. Never be stingy with the water when the tree needs to be watered.
6. Once the tree has been watered properly, recheck the moisture level again to make sure the meter reads high (9 or 10) and then do not water again until the meter reads 4.
7. In the winter you will water far less, about twice a month (But always check the tree with a meter weekly because this can vary)
8. The meter should never be left in the pot when not in use.
9. Never water with cold water in the winter
10. Never water the tree with water from a water softener.
NEVER ALLOW TREES TO SIT IN STANDING WATER
A space between the bottom of the pot and the tray that catches the water is required.

LemonCitrusTree