GROW YOUR OWN MEYER LEMONS FROM SEED

I look forward to December every year not only because of Christmas but because our local grocery has Meyer Lemons for sale.

They are a real treat for us tea sippers and lemon lovers. Nothing beats the tangy Orangey/lemony taste of a Meyer lemon. Last year I saved seeds from one and planted it in the spring. I was rewarded with this little seedling. You can grow one too - no matter where you live.

Look for Meyer lemons in the produce isle and my store has them in a separate area from the other lemons. Meyer lemons are bigger than normal lemons and much juicier.

Save the seeds that you will find near the center of each lemon. Some of them have lots of seeds and some only a few.
Rinse the seeds and allow them to dry. Store them in a little container until ready to plant. I put them in a small pot of regular potting soil, cover with about a quarter inch of soil and keep moist until you see the little seedling. Keep it moist and warm and it should grow for you. Remember these are tropical plants so be prepared to winter them over inside if you are above zone 8. If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse that's perfect. I have grown several types of lemons from seed and I winter them over in my little greenhouse. One is pictured below. It doesn't get below 40 degrees in there so they make it through the winter just fine. A sun room or brightly lit window will work too.

2 year old lemon in my greenhouse

As you can see in the picture above, my little tree is small but happy in the tall pot I planted it in. As it gets bigger, I'll move it up to a larger container. I'm not sure how long it takes for it to bloom. Probably three or four years - I can hardly wait. My friend bought a tree from a local garden center. It was EXPENSIVE and full of blooms. she said every bloom fell off about a week after taking it home. I think one of two things probably happened; she went from cool greenhouse atmosphere to dry house. A humidifier or steamer may have helped. Some plants simply don't like to be moved and will drop blooms and leaves due to shock. If that happens just water it sparingly and wait. They will usually recover and put out new leaves. Keep it happy and you should have blooms the following year.