Lemon tree with no lemons

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by scarecrow, Nov 5, 2006.

  1. scarecrow

    scarecrow Member

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    Location:
    NY
    We have had a lemon tree for over three years now.
    We originally took the seed from a lemon wedge in a restaurant- we hadn't expected it to grow at all.
    This lemon tree is over five feet tall, and has humongous, pointy thorns, about two to three inches long appiece.
    It has never grown any lemons, and we cannot figure out why.
    The leaves don't fall off; in fact, it has withstood a few winters (in a humongous pot, we drag it in by the heaters and lamps during the cold season) and is watered at least weekly.
    Can somebody help us figure out why our lemon tree has no lemons?
     
  2. skeeterbug

    skeeterbug Active Member

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    Location:
    Pensacola, USA
    Your lemon has no lemons because it is a seedling. From seed, citrus varieties must grow a certain number of leaves (nodes) before flowering and fruiting. The exact number is not known and varies with the type of citrus, key limes being short--generally 2-3 years-- grapefruits one of the longest 12-15 yrs.

    You can graft your tree with mature wood (budwood from a bearing lemon tree) and your tree will bloom on growth comming from that bud in the next year or so. Any growth from that mature budwood will also have fewer and shorter thorns. Otherwise it will take another 3-5 years before the existing tree will fruit.

    Pruning also increases the time to fruit because it is removing some of the required nodes.

    Skeet
     

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