{"id":23117,"date":"2023-11-01T14:20:12","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T12:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/?p=23117"},"modified":"2023-11-01T14:20:12","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T12:20:12","slug":"how-and-when-to-trim-a-lemon-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/how-and-when-to-trim-a-lemon-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"How And When To Trim A Lemon Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The lemon tree is an evergreen, perennial fruit tree that can beautify a garden and produce bountiful harvests for many years. Knowing how and when to trim a lemon tree is an important part of keeping it healthy and producing delicious fruit. It’s best to use sharp pruning shears, because dull tools can tear the bark, leaving the tree vulnerable to disease. Always remove dead or diseased branches first, as they can spread the infection.<\/p>\n

It’s best to trim the lemon tree when it’s in the dormant season, late summer through early winter. This is when the tree isn’t actively growing and before its natural flowering period. Pruning in spring can disrupt the tree’s growth and reduce future harvest yields. Prune the branches and trunk to maintain the desired shape and size, but leave plenty of healthy interior branches with plenty of leaf growth as they will provide food to the fruit. When trimming the outer branches, cut just above a bud or branch to encourage it to grow. Don’t cut too close to the trunk to avoid leaving a gap, or too far from the trunk as it will reduce available sunlight and nutrition. If pruning to reduce the size of the tree, cut the small branches first before the larger branches.<\/p>\n

When trimming to maintain the shape of the tree, stay away from the center and keep the canopy even and open. In order to shape the bark growth, angle the cuts on the branches slightly downward away from the center of the tree. To keep the tree sprouting new branches and reduce pest issues, trim away water sprouts and any spindly growth that takes away from the uniform shape of the tree. This also helps to keep the canopy open to air circulation, which will help prevent disease.<\/p>\n

At the end of trimming each year, inspect the entire tree for any pest damage or disease. Remove any affected branches to keep the infection from spreading. Clean the pruning shears with soapy water before each use to prevent the spread of diseases, and dip them in rubbing alcohol after use. After pruning, give the tree a deep watering to encourage new growth, and mulch around the base to help retain moisture and discourage weeds that can compete with the root system.<\/p>\n

How to Prune Vigorously Growing Branches<\/h2>\n