Prune your Meyer lemon tree when a visual inspection of the tree indicates that it is due for pruning. Pruning involves opening up the canopy or cutting away dead, weak, or diseased growth to invigorate the tree. Pruning is important for improving the overall structure and vigor of the Meyer lemon tree, so delaying pruning can cause damage.
It’s best to prune your Meyer lemon tree in early spring, before buds grow and new growth begins. During this period you can easily identify diseased or dead branches without disrupting the growth of healthy ones. Trim away all broken, dead, weak or crossing branches with pruning shears and loppers. Once this is done, reduce the height and width of any branches that are growing too large.
Also, prune away any fruit that is not of the highest quality, leaving only the fruits with the best flavor. This will help ensure the sun and airflow distribution is uniform. Prune back the lateral shoots after they have grown four to five sets of leaves, and trim the vertical shoots back so that each has only three to four sets of leaves.
Pruning helps your Meyer lemon tree grow in a healthy and efficient manner. By cutting away dead, diseased, and weak growth, you can promote denser and more healthy foliage on the tree. Pruning in early spring helps your Meyer lemon tree flower more vigorously and helps it distribute its resources more effectively.
Avoid pruning your Meyer lemon during winter as it makes it harder for the tree to recover when young tender growth is exposed to cold weather. When pruning, don’t remove too much at once – take only a bit at a time. This is because the Meyer lemon tree takes time to recover from pruning and excessive pruning can shock the tree, preventing it from flowering and producing fruit.
Finally, prune your Meyer lemon tree regularly to maintain its shape, increase fruit production and promote better health. Aim for uniform, open growth and maintain a balanced shape by pruning away any dead, overdone, or diseased growth. After pruning, water the Meyer lemon tree deeply and mulch around the base of the tree. Following these steps ensures that your Meyer lemon tree stays healthy, vigorous, and fruitful for many years.
Pruning for Growth
Pruning your Meyer lemon tree helps promote healthy growth and increases the fruit production. Proper pruning stimulates the small twig-like growth at the base of the lemon tree that is responsible for the flavorful and juicy fruit we all know and love. Cutting away any diseased or dead wood is also necessary to give the healthy shoots a chance to grow. Additionally, keeping the growth of the tree low and compact helps it retains a manageable size, making the tree easy to harvest.
Pruning for Sun and Air Flow
Meyer lemon trees thrive in sunny and warm conditions. Therefore, pruning to maintain an open and airy canopy is important. This ensures that all parts of the tree receive enough sunlight and airflow to support the growth of healthy and delicious fruits. To achieve this, it helps to thin out the branches by cutting away any overlapping growth, as well as removing competing fruit shoots.
Example Pruning Steps
Pruning your Meyer lemon tree is a simple process that anyone can easily master. As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to wait until after the flowers have bloomed and before the new leaves start to appear. Start by removing any dead, broken, or weak twigs that are blocking sunlight or air from entering the tree. Thin out the branches and cut away any lateral shoots by 1/3 of their original length. Trim away any protruding or crossing branches, as well as any vertical shoots that make the tree look unbalanced.
Follow Up Care
You should also water your Meyer lemon tree deeply shortly after pruning, as the process of pruning can have an adverse effect on the hydration of the tree. If the Meyer lemon tree doesn’t receive enough water, the newly pruned branches may become brittle and weak, impairing the growth of new fruits. Additionally, put some mulch around the tree before the summer season begins. This helps retain moisture in the soil, staving off drought stress.
Monitoring for Diseases
Pruning is also a useful tool for staying ahead of any potential diseases. By pruning your Meyer lemon tree on a regular basis, you can more easily spot any evidence of disease that may be lurking in the tree. This is especially true for fruits that may have been affected by the cold, frost, wind, or drought. If you notice something wrong, you can quickly remedy it by pruning away the affected branches.
Timing and Scheduling
Finding the right time to prune your Meyer lemon tree is key. If you wait too long, the tree could suffer from shock; and if you prune too soon, it won’t have enough time to fully recover. For the best results, prune your Meyer lemon tree in late winter or early spring, before the buds start blooming. Additionally, be sure to prune no more than 1/3 of the overall tree at any given time. Doing so ensures that the tree remains healthy and vigorous for years to come.
