I bought this Meyer lemon tree in mid summer this year. I planted it in a container because I live in Ohio and will have to bring it indoors. The tree was only about 12 inches when I got it and it is growing really well. It's about 2 1/2 feet now. I had to stake it up because the trunk is pretty thin. My question is this, how long do I let it grow straight up without branching off? So far there aren't any real branches. Should I cut it to promote growth of a limb? I've never grown a potted tree so any help would be useful. thanks!

Galadriel

You can prune to promote branching whenever you want. It's better to have a potted tree start branching lower than higher on the trunk. My Meyer Lemon starts branching less than 6 inches from the soil line in it's pot. As yours is already 2.5ft, you'll have to take a little slower, you never want to prune more than 1/3 of the tree off at any time. Cut off the tip, say about 6 inches now. It'll start branching below that. Next summer, cut off more of the 2 foot trunk, say another 6 inches, including any branches it may have developed in those top 6 inches. It'll branch again below that. You can continue every 6 months or so (wait until you see good branching coming off of the trunk so you see what it's doing) until it starts branching a point that you have determined is good for your tree. You will also want to have the side branches also branch, so you have a bushier tree with more places for it to flower and grow fruit from. However, you do not want any branches crossing each other or growing towards the trunk, those should be cut off as soon as you aware of them.

Make sure you use a pair of sharp, clean and sanitized clippers when you cut. There should be no need to cover the cut. You may also want to cut off the thorns that develop. Try to prune about 2 weeks or so before you fertilize it so as to not stress the tree too much.

Good luck!

Thank you so much for that information!! I have never grown a tree so I am clueless on the subject. I really appreciate you taking the time to be so thorough for me. Looks like I've got some work ahead of me, thanks again!

Galadriel

You're welcome. Good luck with your tree and keep us all updated. This is generally friendly forum and gardeners like to talk.

Hmmm. My lemon tree is growning quite slowly. It actually stopped for a while, but I re-potted it in "cactus/citrus" potting soil and it seemed happier. It gets afternoon sun on my deck. Should I put it in a sunnier location? BTW, I'm also in Ohio/Zone5b

Lemon trees like full sun, the more the better. They are also heavy feeders and really do require fairly regular acidic fertilizer. My tree gets a grow light in the winter months when it's inside and no fertilizer while it's in a relatively dormant state in the winter. I say relatively dormant because they don't really go dormant, but they will slow their growth indoors. I'm in zone 5 up in CT.