I need some help with my meyer lemon..

I live in zone 5 in the US, so my lemon tree is a potted plant. It
normally lives outdoors after spring frosts, and comes into the house
before fall frosts. The tree is 3-4 years old.

I got one lemon off it the second year, and last year I picked off all
3 fruit buds (silly me) checking to see how secure they were. Now the
tree is beginning to bloom again, and I am pollinating, and seeing
fruit buds again. However, the tree has dropped a bud, and this time I
wasn't playing with it, and I would like to know what's going on and
how I can get it to set fruit again.

Details..
Tree lives in my living room where it gets decent morning and afternoon
sun via south-facing picture window. Temps are coolish, maybe 60 at
night, but warm during sunny days, otherwise low-mid 60s. I am
watering when the soil is dry, generally once per week, with water.

I do have a water softener, but a young orange tree (3 years but tiny)
and a mandevilla spending the winter inside (and a few various
houseplants) show no signs of problems with the water, they all get
similiar treatment, although a tomato plant just producing did keel
right over and die on me.

Once a month I fertilize with miracle-gro, maybe a bit on the strong
side (1 tsp/liter bottle). I did put a 1/8-1/4 inch by 2 inch
houseplant fertilizer stake in the soil about 4 inches away from the
trunk when I noticed the first blossom.. not sure but I think this is
another miracle-gro product, comes in a package of 6-8; only one
inserted.

Leaves look ok, they don't seem to be dropping or turning yellow.
There are.. eleven? blossoms on the tree; one fruit bud (used to be 2),
several of the blossoms are just starting so they are tiny, maybe 3 are
mature blossoms (open). Should I pick off remaining blossoms..?

The tree is in a standard 8 inch terra-cotta clay pot, and stands 32
inches tall. Soil was recently added to the pot to cover some roots
that were exposed last time I watered (Ball brand potting soil, light
fluffy - great stuff).

What I'm calling a fruit bud is a mini-miniature green swelling that
looks to me like a pint-sized green lemon, smaller than a pea, so I'm
assuming the hand pollination worked. It forms at the base of the
blossom. The first lemon it set was pollinated during the summer, and
the fruit was picked that December. Since then, two blossom cycles
have occurred.. during the winter!

Any ideas what might be happening to the fruit, or how I can ensure
another crop..? Thanks..

I live in SW Ohio, I am pretty much at the border between zones 5 and 6.
I too have a Meyer's lemon tree, although mine is about a year younger
than yours. It spends the winter in my basement under a high pressure
sodium grow light, so it get pretty good light, and it stays about 65
degrees F.

For the last two summers it has been pollinated and produced three
lemons the first year and this year four lemons. All were pollinated by
bugs outside during the summer months. I just picked the first ripe one
this year and the other three are pretty much ready. This is its third
winter inside and the first two I tried hand pollinating it. It did not
take very well, like you the ovaries started to swell, but then stopped
and fell off. I believe it was because of inadequate pollination. I am
going to try a new technique this year. For some clivia that I grow it
was suggested that a little sugar water be put on the stamen before
applying the pollen. This apparently helps improve the polination.
Also, maybe someone on this list will have other suggestions on how to
improve pollination of the these trees when they are growing indoors.

Linda



gonzo wrote:
I need some help with my meyer lemon..

I live in zone 5 in the US, so my lemon tree is a potted plant. It
normally lives outdoors after spring frosts, and comes into the house
before fall frosts. The tree is 3-4 years old.

I got one lemon off it the second year, and last year I picked off all
3 fruit buds (silly me) checking to see how secure they were. Now the
tree is beginning to bloom again, and I am pollinating, and seeing
fruit buds again. However, the tree has dropped a bud, and this time I
wasn't playing with it, and I would like to know what's going on and
how I can get it to set fruit again.

Details..
Tree lives in my living room where it gets decent morning and afternoon
sun via south-facing picture window. Temps are coolish, maybe 60 at
night, but warm during sunny days, otherwise low-mid 60s. I am
watering when the soil is dry, generally once per week, with water.

I have one lime one orange and two lemon trees under MH lighting and have
never hand pollinated them and get fruit from all. I have alot of fruit drop
but still some hang in there. At first sigh of bloom I use a good blooming
nutrient and the tree fills with blooms.when the tree is not in bloom I use
a good growth nutrient and all is well. My water plan islike this
nutrients,water,water,nutrients,water,water. give nutrient and on next two
waterings just water then start over. I use Hydroponic nutrients even with
my soil plants. hope this helps
"gonzo" wrote in message
oups.com...
I need some help with my meyer lemon..

I live in zone 5 in the US, so my lemon tree is a potted plant. It
normally lives outdoors after spring frosts, and comes into the house
before fall frosts. The tree is 3-4 years old.

I got one lemon off it the second year, and last year I picked off all
3 fruit buds (silly me) checking to see how secure they were. Now the
tree is beginning to bloom again, and I am pollinating, and seeing
fruit buds again. However, the tree has dropped a bud, and this time I
wasn't playing with it, and I would like to know what's going on and
how I can get it to set fruit again.

Details..
Tree lives in my living room where it gets decent morning and afternoon
sun via south-facing picture window. Temps are coolish, maybe 60 at
night, but warm during sunny days, otherwise low-mid 60s. I am
watering when the soil is dry, generally once per week, with water.

I do have a water softener, but a young orange tree (3 years but tiny)
and a mandevilla spending the winter inside (and a few various
houseplants) show no signs of problems with the water, they all get
similiar treatment, although a tomato plant just producing did keel
right over and die on me.

Once a month I fertilize with miracle-gro, maybe a bit on the strong
side (1 tsp/liter bottle). I did put a 1/8-1/4 inch by 2 inch
houseplant fertilizer stake in the soil about 4 inches away from the
trunk when I noticed the first blossom.. not sure but I think this is
another miracle-gro product, comes in a package of 6-8; only one
inserted.

Leaves look ok, they don't seem to be dropping or turning yellow.
There are.. eleven? blossoms on the tree; one fruit bud (used to be 2),
several of the blossoms are just starting so they are tiny, maybe 3 are
mature blossoms (open). Should I pick off remaining blossoms..?

The tree is in a standard 8 inch terra-cotta clay pot, and stands 32
inches tall. Soil was recently added to the pot to cover some roots
that were exposed last time I watered (Ball brand potting soil, light
fluffy - great stuff).

What I'm calling a fruit bud is a mini-miniature green swelling that
looks to me like a pint-sized green lemon, smaller than a pea, so I'm
assuming the hand pollination worked. It forms at the base of the
blossom. The first lemon it set was pollinated during the summer, and
the fruit was picked that December. Since then, two blossom cycles
have occurred.. during the winter!

Any ideas what might be happening to the fruit, or how I can ensure
another crop..? Thanks..

It sounds like your pot is a little small but I doubt that is a real
problem. I have had serveral Meyer lemons and blossom drop is quite common.
Normally most trees produce far more blooms and small bud fruit than the
tree can support. The tree reacts to this condition by dropping a certain
number of buds. Perfectly normal. Let the tree go through its normal cycle.
You may have more good lemons than you expect

Have Fun

Jim

"clucas" wrote in message
ink.net...
I have one lime one orange and two lemon trees under MH lighting and have
never hand pollinated them and get fruit from all. I have alot of fruit
drop
but still some hang in there. At first sigh of bloom I use a good blooming
nutrient and the tree fills with blooms.when the tree is not in bloom I
use
a good growth nutrient and all is well. My water plan islike this
nutrients,water,water,nutrients,water,water. give nutrient and on next two
waterings just water then start over. I use Hydroponic nutrients even with
my soil plants. hope this helps
"gonzo" wrote in message
oups.com...
I need some help with my meyer lemon..

I live in zone 5 in the US, so my lemon tree is a potted plant. It
normally lives outdoors after spring frosts, and comes into the house
before fall frosts. The tree is 3-4 years old.

I got one lemon off it the second year, and last year I picked off all
3 fruit buds (silly me) checking to see how secure they were. Now the
tree is beginning to bloom again, and I am pollinating, and seeing
fruit buds again. However, the tree has dropped a bud, and this time I
wasn't playing with it, and I would like to know what's going on and
how I can get it to set fruit again.

Details..
Tree lives in my living room where it gets decent morning and afternoon
sun via south-facing picture window. Temps are coolish, maybe 60 at
night, but warm during sunny days, otherwise low-mid 60s. I am
watering when the soil is dry, generally once per week, with water.

I do have a water softener, but a young orange tree (3 years but tiny)
and a mandevilla spending the winter inside (and a few various
houseplants) show no signs of problems with the water, they all get
similiar treatment, although a tomato plant just producing did keel
right over and die on me.

Once a month I fertilize with miracle-gro, maybe a bit on the strong
side (1 tsp/liter bottle). I did put a 1/8-1/4 inch by 2 inch
houseplant fertilizer stake in the soil about 4 inches away from the
trunk when I noticed the first blossom.. not sure but I think this is
another miracle-gro product, comes in a package of 6-8; only one
inserted.

Leaves look ok, they don't seem to be dropping or turning yellow.
There are.. eleven? blossoms on the tree; one fruit bud (used to be 2),
several of the blossoms are just starting so they are tiny, maybe 3 are
mature blossoms (open). Should I pick off remaining blossoms..?

The tree is in a standard 8 inch terra-cotta clay pot, and stands 32
inches tall. Soil was recently added to the pot to cover some roots
that were exposed last time I watered (Ball brand potting soil, light
fluffy - great stuff).

What I'm calling a fruit bud is a mini-miniature green swelling that
looks to me like a pint-sized green lemon, smaller than a pea, so I'm
assuming the hand pollination worked. It forms at the base of the
blossom. The first lemon it set was pollinated during the summer, and
the fruit was picked that December. Since then, two blossom cycles
have occurred.. during the winter!

Any ideas what might be happening to the fruit, or how I can ensure
another crop..? Thanks..

Is it normal that the leaves drop off of the meyer lemon tree but it continues
setting fruit? Any info would be great! Thanks

Leaf drop is almost guaranteed when you bring the tree into the house over
winter if you do not provide really good light from a South facing window.
With out leaves, eventually the buds will drop even though the tree is in a
bloom cycle. No leaves--no mature fruit. I try to keep my trees in full sun
except when really cold below freezing weather is predicted. I live in zone
8a so I don't have the same problem as more Nothernly zones.
Check this link out. http://mitglied.lycos.de/Reichel/Citrus/WLD.html

Have Fun

Jim

"MWhite3660" wrote in message
...
Is it normal that the leaves drop off of the meyer lemon tree but it
continues
setting fruit? Any info would be great! Thanks

mine is doing the same thing....let me know if you find anything out about this
problem. my email is k you