We Figured Out the BEST Way to Grow a Lemon Tree from Seed This Summer
Houser Beautiful June 6, 2025
Lifestyle
Houser Beautiful June 6, 2025
Lifestyle
There's a level of pride that comes with growing your own produce at home. From small herbs like basil and rosemary to larger plants like tomatoes and figs, having a homegrown vegetable and fruit garden is becoming more and more popular, as are Mediterranean gardens. However, not everyone has a huge yard to plant in or they lack a green thumb in general, making starting this tasty hobby slightly more challenging.
Thankfully, some plants are both low-maintenance and provide produce, without requiring a yard or any outdoor space. One such option? The beautiful lemon tree. Take it from the experts at Oklahoma State University, who say that growing a lemon indoors is a great option, especially during the winter, since it'll still produce fruit.
As with any houseplant, you need to understand what a lemon tree needs before you get started growing one yourself. From the planting process to finally harvesting your fruit, keep reading to learn how to grow a lemon tree from seed to yield the best results, both indoors and outdoors. And maybe start saving lemon bar and lemony pasta recipes to live out your best lemon girl summer.
If you're opting to grow your own tree rather than pick one up from a garden center or nursery, here are the steps you should follow to properly grow a lemon tree from seed.
Cut a ripe lemon in half, and pick out the seeds with your fingers. You want to be careful not to damage the outer coating of the seeds. Rinse the seeds to clean off any juice and pulp residue.
Place the seeds in a bowl of cold water to check if they're viable. Use only the seeds that sink. Discard any floating seeds.
Allow the viable seeds to continue soaking for 24 hours to soften the outer coating. Once 24 hours have passed, wash the seeds to remove the coating.
In a container of damp potting mix, plant each lemon seed approximately half an inch deep. Water until the pot is dripping from the bottom. To get the seeds to sprout, place the pot in a warm location with plenty of light. A south- or west-facing windowsill works great. You can also use a grow light if natural light is limited or not available. Be sure to keep the soil moist but never soggy.
After a few weeks, seedlings should germinate. Cut back the weaker seedlings to soil level. Keep the seedlings well watered, and repot them when you notice they're outgrowing their original container or crowding each other too closely.
Lemon trees are native to the tropics and the Mediterranean, but they can grow just about anywhere with the right care. Follow the below guidelines to ensure yours thrives.
In warmer, sunnier climates, like USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11, lemon trees thrive outdoors in the ground or in containers when planted in well-draining potting soil. It's important to ensure the tree gets an abundance of direct sunlight, so watch your yard for a few days to figure out where the shady spots are and avoid those. Avoid planting your lemon tree anywhere there's standing water after storms, too. Excess water can lead to root rot.
According to Deborah L. Brown, a garden writer and former extension horticulturist with the University of Minnesota, lemon trees grow best in temperatures around 65 degrees and can withstand normal night temperature drops of between five and 10 degrees. Place your indoor lemon tree near a window or in a spot that receives direct sun for at least part of the day. South-facing windows are ideal.
Like most citrus trees, lemon trees prefer slightly acidic soil. Adding peat to a standard potting mix can help. Brown recommends using a 1:1 ratio of perlite, peat, and potting soil. If you'd rather purchase than mix your own, look for a potting mix that's more acidic than neutral.
Fertilize the plant only when it's actively growing, usually from April through August or September. Look for a plant fertilizer that's formulated specifically for acidic plants.
Lemon trees prefer to stay moist, but they're also incredibly sensitive to overwatering. Before watering, check the top inch or so of soil with your finger to see if the soil feels dry to the touch.
As you're growing your lemon tree indoors, you'll want to repot it every two years until maturity (after five years or so), and then every four years after that. The best time to repot is in the spring, just ahead of peak growing season.
To repot, gently remove the lemon tree from its container and brush away any excess soil. Then, place it in a new container that's one to two inches wider and fill in any gaps with new potting mix. Water thoroughly and leave to settle.
Lemon trees are quite hardy and rarely develop pest problems, but they aren't immune. Sometimes lemon trees can develop scale, whitefly, or spider mites. To prevent these pests, periodically wipe down the leaves with a clean, damp cloth (we recommend doing so about every other week). It's important to get both sides to deter insects. If your plant develops a problem, you can try getting rid of it with neem oil.
As with most houseplants, root rot is the biggest danger to an indoor lemon tree. Caused by overwatering, root rot leads to mushy and rotting root systems. If it's too far gone, a plant cannot recover. Be sure to check the soil's water content (by feel is perfect) before each watering.
The issue is usually a lack of pollination. If your garden or geographic area is particularly sparse, you'll want to add some pollinator-friendly plants to further encourage growth. Insects pollinate citrus outside. Since bees and butterflies aren't typically present indoors, your lemon tree may need a little extra help. Brown suggests gently shaking the flowers or flicking them with your fingers to help spread pollen from flower to flower.
Successfully growing a lemon tree from seed takes time and effort, especially if you want to grow your own lemons and not just enjoy it as an indoor plant. Lemon trees usually take between five and seven years (sometimes longer) to begin producing fruit, so if you're after a quicker alternative, buying a mature tree from a nursery is a great option. A partially grown tree will start producing fruit sooner, and you can be sure the fruit will be of high quality. However, when grown from seed, the lemon tree is adjusted to your home environment from the start.
Four common types of lemons are often grown as at-home trees because they're relatively easy to care for and produce delicious fruit:
Lemon trees are tropical plants that thrive in the heat. In the United States, outdoor lemon trees do best in areas like Southern California and Florida, where temperatures remain well above freezing for the majority of the year. Lemon trees can be planted permanently outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11 or grown in planters indoors anywhere else.
Indoors, lemon trees usually max out around six feet tall, but their height can vary based on the growing conditions. Outdoors, however, lemon trees continue to grow far beyond that and can reach more than 20 feet tall after five years or when they reach maturity.
Indoors, you'll start to see blooms and fruit around the three-year mark. Outdoor lemon trees take a little longer (since they're often much larger) and will produce fruit after five years or so, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.
Buyer
June 6, 2025
Mortgage applications activity was down for the third straight week, according to data from the from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) covering the week ending Ma… Read more
Lifestyle
June 6, 2025
There's a level of pride that comes with growing your own produce at home.
Lifestyle
June 6, 2025
Research estimates that 200 million people in the U.S. rely on tap water contaminated with PFAS, or forever chemicals.
Buyer
June 5, 2025
A lot of buyers are pressing pause on their plans these days, holding out hope that mortgage rates will come down – maybe even back to the historic-low 3% from a few y… Read more
Lifestyle
June 5, 2025
In a long-term study, those who consumed about 315 mg of caffeine per day (equivalent to between one and three cups of coffee) were more likely to reach age 70 without… Read more
Lifestyle
June 5, 2025
We're so close to starting summer, which means you're likely spending more time outside in your garden.
We Guide Homeowners through the complicated process of selling their home using our 4 Phase Selling Process and 3 Prong Marketing Strategy that alleviates their stress and moves them effortlessly to their next destination. Schedule a 15 Minute Complimentary Strategy Session Today
