Photo: Elena Chochkova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Pruning guide · Fruit plant
Lemon: when and how to prune
Citrus × limon
Lemon is best pruned in March.
| Pruning months | March |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in March |
| Flowering | March–June |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
Lemon: when to prune it?
In March, before it starts growing and goes outside. You can also remove rootstock shoots at any time.
What else to prune in those months? March
Lemon: how to prune it?
- Cut out dead, weak and crossing branches.
- Shorten over-long branches to just above a leaf, to get a neat, compact crown.
- Remove shoots from below the graft union straight away: they come from the rootstock and do not give good fruit.
- Shorten or remove long, bare water shoots to keep the crown balanced.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: March.
- Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Pruning in March can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
- Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.
Common mistakes
- Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
- Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.
Caution: Wear gloves: many lemon trees have sharp thorns.
Nearby: related pruning guides
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.