Question by Phil R.
Hi, the favourite topic of course...lemon trees! I have a new Eureka lemon, which I'm attempting to grow in a pot on a deck (no sunny spots left in the garden). I'm just wondering about pruning, as I'm going to have to control the size and I don't want it to become top heavy. It has a very sturdy stem about 880mm tall and after taking about 8cm off the top it has two small side branches at 460mm from the base and another at 720mm. Should I take more off the top including perhaps the top sidebranch?
Sarah's answer
Hi Phil,
Eureka is commonly recommended for growing in pots so it should do well on your deck. As for pruning – always use sharp and clean secateurs. Controlling the height is more complex than just trimming the top, as this can promote more vigorous upward growth. The best time to prune a citrus is after the harvest and before bud break so between late winter and early spring. You may still lose some of your potential crop.
It sounds like your tree is young, so I would be tempted to leave it at this point, although you could reduce the length of the long side branch to provide some balance to the tree. Going forward, to reduce the height, remove any branches at the base that seem to go straight up from a stronger branch. These are water sprouts and they rarely become productive branches. You can reduce the length of long branches to just above an outward facing bud. Removing interior branches within the tree that cross over other branches and can cause rubbing can help thin out the tree and improve airflow.
Step back and check the tree often to make sure it is balanced. It is not recommended to remove more than a third of the tree per year to avoid causing harm to the health of the plant. It is also important to note that it needs to be in a good sized pot so the roots get the support they need and also that it is completely reliant on you for food and water and it is a hungry plant, so feed often and water regularly.
All the best with it.
Cheers Sarah
