A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Green Lemons

About three months ago i bought a little lemon tree at a greenhouse. Two months ago large green lemons grew. Now they are about 3" but aren't turning yellow.

Does anyone know whats up?
Veggie-T

It may be lacking in sunlight or some nutrients. Lemons sometimes turn from yellow back to green if left on the tree.

Be patient VT. If they're only 2 months old the fruit has a way to go yet. They'll turn when they're ready. I've had them full and green on the tree for over 3 months. Try and let them fully ripen on the tree as the skins will thin out and they will get more juicy. They're ready when they're fully yellow and have been so for a while and just holding one causes it to come off. If you pick them early, use some secateurs and snip them off to save damaging the branch. Seems lots of people get very impatient for things to ripen at this time of the season. Me included.

Thanks for answering guys!
If this helps i have a label that says they are meyer lemons and mature in two to three months.
Thanks again

Veggie-T

Meyer lemons eh? You may have answered one of my many questions about calamondins....I heard that they are quite similar in nature.

How large is yours?

about 3' high and 1 1/2' wide

Mines much smaller, and all this talk gave made me go out and by a meyer. It has 5 fist sized fruits on it, green.

Wish me luck

Hey guys...

I kinda have the same problem. Back in May, I bought a 7 gallon Eureka lemon tree with about 15 or so green lemons already on it. I planted it in a pretty sunny area. Soil is composted quite well, and I regularly feed it citrus food.

But the same lemons from May are still the same size and green! The tree has since flowered and small lemons have formed, but they have never turned yellow either.

What's going on?

Steve

One thing about citrus is they like to have a year or two to establish. So it's actually best to remove the fruit for the first year at least and preferably 2 years so they can put the energy into their root systems and grow a little. You will get a stronger, more productive tree in the long run. Sounds like you are expecting these adolescents to be experts at reproducing. Steve, i'd remove all the fruit, get the tree ready for winter and i'd bet that come spring you'll have a flush of new healthy growth, plenty of blossom and you could expect to get fruit from the tree. Not too much, don't load it up. Come on guys, give the little fellas a chance to grow up ;-)

Good point. Didn't think about that. I've removed all the lemons so it can concentrate on establishing itself. The little green lemons don't taste good, but they do freshen up the garbage disposal when you cut them up, throw 'em in and run the disposal.

Steve

Meyer lemon tree is what I have too. I just recently picked (right before hard freeze)over 2 bushels of lemons. I have lemons coming out of my ears. LOL

Well, mine started to ripen around xmas, I had 5, one still remains on the tree. It should be ready in a week or so.

remember young trees tend to give larger fruit.also on lemon trees the more you pick them the more they produce. first fruit should always be removed.
good luck

I have a Meyer lemon which is my pride and joy.
The lemons will take their time turning yellow, but they will.
My tree is loaded with green lemons now, and was only purchased and planted in, I think, December.
I have mine in a 24 inch pot, in full sun all day.
This is my second tree, the first I gave to a neighbor when it became too big to handle.
I use both citrus food and Miracle Gro, which the nurseryman told me to use as a supplement.
I was advised that a potted lemon tree should be fed citrus food every 6 weeks, and not seasonally as the packages directs.