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#365997 Mar 7th, 2013 at 02:18 PM
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GailC Offline OP
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I started a Meyers lemon from seed last spring and need advice about how to force it to stay small like a dwarf variety? What will happen if I pinch the very center of the baby plant?
It still only has a few leaves and is finally starting to branch out so I have time before I have to start trimming on it but I want to be prepared so I don't ruin it.
The last citrus I had in the house I killed so I'm pretty worried about this one. I would like to get a dwarf pink lemon some time this summer if I can keep the Meyers happy.

GailC #365998 Mar 7th, 2013 at 02:37 PM
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California Queen
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Most meyers lemons can be kept relatively small. Not necessarily miniature, though. They usually still tend to grow a little large for indoor plants. You can tip pinch them and then continue to pinch the tips of side branches as they grow out.
I have never seen a first year lemon fruit. Good luck!


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Tina #366004 Mar 7th, 2013 at 09:58 PM
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I'll probably try to keep it on a bonsai scale, it really needs to stay under 2 feet if possible. I've had trouble with yellowing leaves, the fertilizer I have is 19-31-17 and it has all the chelated minerals in it, will this be ok? How often should I use it? the plant is only 6" or so in a 4 inch pot.

GailC #375597 Aug 19th, 2013 at 10:32 AM
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Citrus produce fruit only on the new flush of leaves. If you keep pinching your tree back it will not flush, and therefore your tree will never fruit. As for fertilizer citrus trees are heavy feeders, and require a lot of nutrition. Citrus roots absorb nutrients from the soil in a 5-1-3 ratio. This means for every 5 parts nitrogen, the roots absorb 1 part Phosphorous and 3 parts Potassium. The best fertilizer to apply for citrus trees, especially container trees, is a fertilizer with the formula of 25-5-15 W/ trace minerals (a 5-1-3 ratio fertilizer). A citrus tree should be fertilized at a very minimum of once a month, and at 1/2 rate during the winter, if the tree must be grown in a lower light level during the winter. - Millet.


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