I have a lemon tree in a large pot (40cm diameter).

It's about 3 years old.

For the last 2 seasons I've been getting about half dozen lemons each
season.

I get lots of little lemons starting to grow, but when they reach about
1-2cm long, they fall off the tree.

Only a few stay on to mature.

Any suggestions?

Don't citrus trees shed fruit if they don't receive enough water? Do you
water it? Do you give it wettasoil regularly? Could you perhaps plant it
somewhere in the garden?

--
Wanda
aka Willow
The missing and definitely not to be taken seriously under any circumstances
garden gnome
http://www.2000cn.com.au/~willow

~~faeries are able to fly because they take themselves lightly~
mr clever wrote in message
...
I have a lemon tree in a large pot (40cm diameter).

It's about 3 years old.

For the last 2 seasons I've been getting about half dozen lemons each
season.

I get lots of little lemons starting to grow, but when they reach about
1-2cm long, they fall off the tree.

Only a few stay on to mature.

Any suggestions?

"mr clever" wrote in message
...
I have a lemon tree in a large pot (40cm diameter).

It's about 3 years old.

For the last 2 seasons I've been getting about half dozen lemons each
season.

I get lots of little lemons starting to grow, but when they reach about
1-2cm long, they fall off the tree.

Only a few stay on to mature.

Any suggestions?


As Willow said, it's probably due to lack of water. A Lemon tree in a pot
will take up a lot of water, and if the pot has ever dried out totally then
the soil may be water repellent.
Probably best to get it out into the ground somewhere.
If that isn't possible, give it a real good watering, then dig down in the
soil a few inches with your finger, and see if the soil is moist. If it
isn't, it's become water repellent, and you will have to add some sort of
soil wetting agent or crystals.
If it is ok, then just keep the soil moist.

Good luck
--
Remove "not" from start of email address to reply

My wife is raising oranges in a pot. We used to have a lime tree but after
7 or 8 years it died. She says that you will have some fall off. The limes
did that all the time, but there were a few that made it. They never
ripened at the same time, You might get two that were big enough us use at
one time, but usually it was one at a time.

She waters them every 4 or 5 days when the top of the pot starts feeling
dry. They don't want to stand in water, so the secret is pouring a little
in, and keep an eye on the tray. If water doesn't start coming out of the
bottom, pour in some more. Keep this up until you start seeing it come out
of the bottom. If you accidentally get too much in, let it set for several
hours and then empty the pots.

Do you have any evidence of spider mites? I imagine that a bug could cause
that problem also. You have the plant setting outside now don't you? We
take ours out on the porch in the summer and bring them in during the cold
weather.

Good luck. Dwayne



"Andrew G" wrote in message
...
"mr clever" wrote in message
...
I have a lemon tree in a large pot (40cm diameter).

It's about 3 years old.

For the last 2 seasons I've been getting about half dozen lemons each
season.

I get lots of little lemons starting to grow, but when they reach about
1-2cm long, they fall off the tree.

Only a few stay on to mature.

Any suggestions?


As Willow said, it's probably due to lack of water. A Lemon tree in a pot
will take up a lot of water, and if the pot has ever dried out totally
then
the soil may be water repellent.
Probably best to get it out into the ground somewhere.
If that isn't possible, give it a real good watering, then dig down in the
soil a few inches with your finger, and see if the soil is moist. If it
isn't, it's become water repellent, and you will have to add some sort of
soil wetting agent or crystals.
If it is ok, then just keep the soil moist.

Good luck
--
Remove "not" from start of email address to reply

Is 40cm a large (enough) pot for a lemon tree?

Sounds like stress is causing the fruit to drop, and I think you will
have a constant battle to keep this poor tree happy in a pot of this
size - feeding and watering need to be constantly monitored in a pot,
and you need to be especially careful in summer when the pot will dry
out quickly - you may even need to water twice daily.

Any size pot will be hard work, but how about half a wine barrel?

Good luck.



mr clever wrote:
I have a lemon tree in a large pot (40cm diameter).

It's about 3 years old.

For the last 2 seasons I've been getting about half dozen lemons each
season.

I get lots of little lemons starting to grow, but when they reach about
1-2cm long, they fall off the tree.

Only a few stay on to mature.

Any suggestions?