- 6 days ago
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It is a Saturday afternoon at the grocery store. You walk past the citrus section. Four-pack of organic lemons, eight dollars and ninety-nine cents. Conventional lemons, three for four dollars and forty-nine cents. You think about how often your family uses fresh lemons. For tea, for lemonade, for baking, for cleaning, for cooking, for the children's water bottles. Easily two hundred to four hundred dollars per year spent on lemons that travel three thousand miles from California or Spain before they reach your kitchen. Plus the lemons are picked unripe, gassed with ethylene to look ripe, and never develop the deep flavor of a fruit that ripened on the tree.
Now imagine a different scenario. A two-foot ceramic pot sitting on your sunny porch from May through October, then moved indoors near a south-facing window from November through April. The Meyer lemon tree growing in that pot produces twenty to forty lemons per year. Bright fresh sweet lemons you picked yourself. Zero dollars per lemon after the initial tree purchase. Lasts for fifteen to twenty years with proper care.
This is the
It is a Saturday afternoon at the grocery store. You walk past the citrus section. Four-pack of organic lemons, eight dollars and ninety-nine cents. Conventional lemons, three for four dollars and forty-nine cents. You think about how often your family uses fresh lemons. For tea, for lemonade, for baking, for cleaning, for cooking, for the children's water bottles. Easily two hundred to four hundred dollars per year spent on lemons that travel three thousand miles from California or Spain before they reach your kitchen. Plus the lemons are picked unripe, gassed with ethylene to look ripe, and never develop the deep flavor of a fruit that ripened on the tree.
Now imagine a different scenario. A two-foot ceramic pot sitting on your sunny porch from May through October, then moved indoors near a south-facing window from November through April. The Meyer lemon tree growing in that pot produces twenty to forty lemons per year. Bright fresh sweet lemons you picked yourself. Zero dollars per lemon after the initial tree purchase. Lasts for fifteen to twenty years with proper care.
This is the
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00It is a Tuesday morning at the grocery store.
00:02You stand at the produce section.
00:05The lemons in the bin are $1.50 each.
00:08Last summer they were $1.00 even.
00:11Two summers ago they were $0.75.
00:14You drop four lemons into the bag because Esther needs them for tonight's roast chicken,
00:20tomorrow's lemonade, the canning batch on Saturday, and the cleaning recipe for the
00:25glass stove top.
00:26$6.00 for four lemons.
00:30The receipt at the checkout says you have spent over $300.00 on lemons in the past 12 months
00:37alone.
00:38Now walk to Esther's south-facing kitchen window.
00:42On the wide sill in a 14-inch terracotta pot is a small Meyer lemon tree.
00:49Two feet tall, glossy dark green leaves.
00:53Three small green fruits hanging from one branch.
00:57Two yellow ripe lemons on another.
01:00Right now, in this kitchen, today, our family is harvesting lemons.
01:06The same lemons that cost $1.50 at the grocery store, growing for free from a single pot that
01:14has produced fruit every year for the past seven years.
01:19I want to be straight with you before I go further.
01:22Pennsylvania Dutch farmers do not traditionally grow citrus outdoors.
01:28Lancaster County winters drop below 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
01:32No lemon tree survives that planted in the ground here.
01:37But container citrus is different.
01:39The tree grows in a pot.
01:41The pot moves outdoors in summer for the sunlight and warmth.
01:46The pot moves indoors in winter for protection from frost.
01:50And the family that does this gets fresh lemons,
01:54year-round from one tree for the price of one pot of soil and a $15 grafted sapling.
02:03This is not deep Pennsylvania Dutch tradition.
02:07Container citrus became a real possibility for cold climate farm families only after the 1900s,
02:14when sunny, south-facing windows and indoor heating became common in farmhouses.
02:21Easter's great-grandmother probably never grew a lemon tree.
02:25Her grandmother kept one on the back porch in summer and brought it into the kitchen in winter
02:31starting in the 1960s.
02:34Easter has kept the same tree, or its descendants, for 30 years.
02:40That is the tradition I am sharing with you today.
02:43Not centuries old, but verified, real, and working in our kitchen right now.
02:51I am Elias Yoder. I am Amish, and I farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
02:57Today I am going to walk you through 10 verified tricks for growing lots of lemons in a single
03:04container, even in cold climates where the temperature drops to 10 or 20 degrees Fahrenheit in winter.
03:12Every method backed by university extension research and decades of real cold climate container citrus growing.
03:22No exaggeration, no false claims.
03:26Just the methods that actually produce fruit year after year from a single pot.
03:32By the end of this video, you will have everything you need to grow your own lemon tree at home,
03:38no matter where you live in North America.
03:42Quick word before I go further.
03:44The old methods my family uses.
03:48There is more of it than fits in any one video.
03:51I gathered the whole of it into a book at EliasYoder.com.
03:56The book is the long version.
03:59If you want it, it is there.
04:01I will not mention it again.
04:03Now, the 10 tricks, plainly.
04:07Method 1.
04:09Choose the right variety.
04:11This is the first and most important decision.
04:14Do not grow a lemon tree from seed.
04:17I want to be plain about that.
04:20Seed-grown citrus trees are not true to the parent tree.
04:24The fruit may be different from what you expected.
04:27The tree may take 7 to 15 years to produce its first lemon.
04:32Many seed-grown trees never produce fruit at all.
04:37Buy a grafted citrus tree from a reputable nursery.
04:41A grafted tree is two trees combined.
04:44The roots come from a hardy rootstock species.
04:48The branches that produce the fruit come from a known lemon variety.
04:53Grafted trees produce fruit in their first or second year.
04:57The variety is guaranteed.
05:00The harvest is predictable.
05:02For cold climate container growing, the two best varieties are
05:07Meyer lemon.
05:09Tolerates temperatures down to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
05:14Self-pollinating.
05:16Produces fruit year-round once established.
05:19The fruit is sweeter than a regular lemon, less acidic, perfect for cooking and lemonade.
05:24This is the variety in Esther's kitchen window.
05:28And dwarf eureka lemon.
05:30The classic tart lemon flavor.
05:33Slightly less cold tolerant, but still container friendly.
05:37Also self-pollinating.
05:39A grafted Meyer lemon tree from a quality nursery costs about $25 to $40.
05:45The cheapest investment you will ever make for a plant that produces 50 to 100 lemons per year for 10
05:52to 20 years.
05:54Method 2. Choose the right container.
05:57The minimum size is 14 inches in diameter and 14 inches deep.
06:02Larger is always better.
06:04A 25-gallon pot is the long-term ideal once your tree reaches maturity.
06:11The container material matters.
06:13Terracotta clay is the best choice for citrus.
06:16The porous clay walls allow excess moisture to evaporate, preventing root rot.
06:21The darker color of wet clay versus dry clay tells you at a glance whether your tree needs water.
06:28Plastic pots work, but require more attention to drainage and watering frequency.
06:34Cement and ceramic pots are heavy and harder to move indoors in winter,
06:38which is a real consideration for cold climate growers.
06:42Wood barrels are an option, but eventually rot.
06:45Drainage holes are not optional.
06:47Your pot must have multiple drainage holes at the bottom.
06:51Citrus roots that sit in water die quickly.
06:54Place the pot on a saucer indoors, but lift it off the saucer regularly to let it drain.
07:00Do not let the pot stand in a saucer full of water.
07:04Method 3. Get the soil mix right.
07:06This is where most container citrus growers fail.
07:10Regular garden soil is too dense for container citrus.
07:14Pure potting mix is often too wet retaining for citrus roots.
07:18The soil for a container lemon tree needs to be well draining and slightly acidic.
07:23The recipe Esther has used for 30 years.
07:2640% good garden soil, 40% cocoa peat or peat moss, 20% compost like well-aged cow manure
07:34or vermicompost.
07:36To this, add one handful of perlite per gallon of mix for extra drainage.
07:41And add one handful of steamed bone meal powder mixed throughout.
07:45The bone meal is a slow-release source of phosphorus, which the tree will draw on for the next several
07:51months as it establishes.
07:53If you are vegan or prefer non-animal fertilizers, rock phosphate powder works as well as bone meal.
07:59Both are verified slow-release phosphorus sources used by professional citrus nurseries.
08:05The soil pH should test between 5.5 and 6.5, slightly acidic.
08:12Citrus does not need highly acidic soil despite the common myth.
08:16Most quality potting mixes naturally fall in this range.
08:20If you want to verify, a $5 soil pH tester kit at any garden center will tell you.
08:26Method 4. Provide enough sunlight.
08:29This is non-negotiable.
08:31Citrus trees need a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight every day.
08:35More is always better.
08:38Without enough sun, your tree will grow leaves but will not produce flowers.
08:42And without flowers, there is no fruit.
08:44Outdoor placement in summer.
08:46A south-facing exposure on a deck, patio, balcony or yard.
08:51Full sun, ideally with morning sun direct and some afternoon protection in the hottest climates.
08:58Indoor placement in winter.
09:00The brightest south-facing window in your house.
09:03If you do not have a strong south-facing window, supplement with a grow light.
09:07A simple LED grow light, $10 to $20, set on a timer for 12 hours per day,
09:13makes the difference between a tree that survives winter and a tree that thrives through winter.
09:19Important transplant note.
09:21When you bring a new tree home from the nursery, do not immediately repot it.
09:25Place it in indirect bright light for 3 to 4 days first.
09:29Let it acclimate to your house.
09:31Then repot.
09:32After repotting, keep it in shade or indirect light for one full week.
09:37This prevents transplant shock, which is the single most common reason new citrus trees die in their first month.
09:44Method 5. Water correctly.
09:47This is where most folks go wrong.
09:49Citrus trees need consistent moisture, but they hate soggy roots.
09:54The rule.
09:55Water deeply when the top 2 to 3 inches of soil feel dry to your touch.
10:01The finger dip test.
10:03Push your index finger into the soil up to the second knuckle.
10:07If the soil feels moist anywhere along your finger, do not water.
10:11If the top 2 inches feel completely dry, water deeply until water flows from the drainage holes at the bottom.
10:19Frequency varies by season and climate.
10:22In hot summer outdoor conditions, you may need to water every day or every other day.
10:28In cool winter indoor conditions, you may water only once a week or less.
10:33There is no rigid schedule.
10:36The finger dip test tells you what the tree needs.
10:39When you water, water deeply and thoroughly.
10:42Light surface watering only wets the top inch of soil and trains the roots to grow shallow.
10:49Deep watering drenches the entire root ball and water flows out the drainage holes.
10:54This is the right way to water any container plant.
10:58Over watering is fatal to citrus.
11:00Yellow leaves and droopy branches are signs of over watering.
11:05Under watering produces crispy, curling leaves and dropping fruit.
11:09Both kill the tree if uncorrected.
11:12The finger dip test is your protection against both extremes.
11:17Method 6. Fertilize correctly.
11:20This is the most important step for fruit production.
11:23Citrus trees are heavy feeders, especially during the flowering and fruiting stages.
11:28They need a variety of nutrients including the major three, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium,
11:35plus trace minerals, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc.
11:40The fertilizer schedule.
11:42A handful of well-aged compost or vermicompost mixed into the top of the soil every month.
11:49This is the minimum baseline.
11:51A balanced, citrus-specific fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 2-1-1 or 3-1-1, such as 6
12:00-3-3 or 9-3-6.
12:03Apply every four to six weeks during the active growing season from March through September.
12:09Citrus needs more nitrogen than most fruiting plants, which is why the first number in the NPK
12:14is the largest.
12:16A foliar spray of Epsom salt for magnesium every 15 days.
12:21The recipe.
12:22One teaspoon of Epsom salt dissolved in one liter of water.
12:26Spray thoroughly on the leaves, mainly on the underside where the stomata, the breathing pores,
12:32are concentrated.
12:33Magnesium deficiency shows as yellow leaves with green veins.
12:37The Epsom salt foliar spray prevents and corrects this quickly.
12:42Banana peel water for potassium every 15 days.
12:46Soak two or three banana peels in a quart jar of water for three days.
12:50Strain.
12:51Pour the liquid around the base of the tree.
12:53The potassium boosts flower formation and fruit set.
12:57In winter, reduce feeding to half strength every six to eight weeks.
13:02The tree slows its growth in cool indoor conditions and needs less.
13:07Method 7.
13:08Pest control.
13:09The neem oil method.
13:11Citrus trees are occasionally affected by three pest groups.
13:15Aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies.
13:18All three can be managed with the same simple treatment.
13:22The recipe.
13:23Five to ten milliliters of pure neem oil in one liter of water.
13:27Add a drop of mild soap to help the oil disperse.
13:31Spray every 15 days as preventive maintenance,
13:34on the underside of the leaves and along the stems.
13:37If your tree is already infested,
13:39spray weekly or even twice a week until all pests are eradicated.
13:44Neem oil works because it disrupts the insect's life cycle.
13:48It does not work instantly like a chemical pesticide,
13:51but applied consistently, it eliminates the pest population within two to four weeks.
13:57Honest scope.
13:58Neem oil is mildly toxic to cats if ingested in large amounts.
14:03Keep pets away from freshly sprayed plants for a few hours until the spray dries.
14:08Outdoor application is fine for any pet that does not eat plants.
14:12Method 8.
14:13The soil pH question.
14:15Plainly answered.
14:16Many folks assume citrus needs a very acidic soil because the fruit itself is acidic.
14:23This is wrong.
14:24Citrus trees need a slightly acidic soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5.
14:29That is the same pH range required by most garden vegetables.
14:34If your soil tests too alkaline, above 7.0,
14:38you can lower the pH by mixing in coffee grounds, pine needle mulch, or sulfur powder over time.
14:46If your soil tests too acidic, below 5.0, mix in a small amount of garden lime.
14:53Most quality container citrus potting mixes are naturally in the right range,
14:58so this is rarely a problem if you start with the right soil mix.
15:03The visible sign of wrong pH.
15:06Iron chlorosis.
15:08Yellow leaves with sharp green veins.
15:11This means the soil pH is too high, locking out iron uptake.
15:17Switch to a citrus-specific fertilizer with chelated iron added.
15:22The yellowing reverses within two to four weeks.
15:25Before I walk through the last two methods and the winter routine, let me pause for a moment.
15:31The old ways only help if you actually use them.
15:35That is why we built our Amish home savings system and community.
15:39So you can work through the methods with us, ask questions,
15:43and stay consistent with other households doing the same work.
15:47The link is in the description.
15:49Now, the last two methods, the winter routine and the honest math, plainly.
15:55Method nine, encourage pollinators, especially indoors.
16:01Most Meyer lemon and dwarf Eureka varieties are self-pollinating.
16:06This means the flowers contain both male and female parts and can pollinate themselves with help from
16:12wind, bees, or human action.
16:16Outdoor pollination happens naturally.
16:19Bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects visit the flowers and transfer pollen.
16:25If your tree is outdoors during flowering season, you do not need to do anything extra.
16:31Avoid spraying pesticides while flowers are open, since chemicals drive away the pollinators you need.
16:37Indoor pollination requires help.
16:40There are no bees in your living room.
16:42Once the tree flowers indoors, gently shake the branches every few days,
16:47or take a small, soft brush or cotton swab and gently brush the inside of each flower,
16:53moving from one flower to another.
16:56This transfers the pollen by hand.
16:59About 30 seconds of work per tree, every few days during flowering season, ensures fruit set.
17:06Method ten, prune for shape and health.
17:10Citrus trees grow into whatever shape you train them.
17:13Without pruning, they often grow tall and leggy, with sparse fruit on long, thin branches.
17:19The pruning rules.
17:21Trim regularly throughout the growing season.
17:24Remove any dead, diseased, or dry branches as soon as you see them.
17:29Remove suckers, the small shoots growing from the root stock below the graft union,
17:34which appear near the base of the trunk.
17:36Remove crossed branches that rub against each other.
17:40Hard pruning happens once per year, in late winter or very early spring, before new growth emerges.
17:47Cut back the top third of the tree to encourage bushier growth and more flower production.
17:53This sounds aggressive, but it is exactly what professional citrus growers do,
17:58and the tree responds with stronger fruit production.
18:02Pruning indoor trees in winter.
18:05Light maintenance pruning only.
18:06Save hard pruning for late winter when the tree is preparing for spring growth.
18:12The cold climate winter routine.
18:15The single most important habit for cold climate container citrus growers.
18:20Bring the tree indoors before the first frost.
18:23Watch your local weather.
18:25When nighttime temperatures consistently drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the tree must come inside.
18:32Meyer lemons can tolerate brief dips to 20 degrees,
18:36but sustained cold below 40 stresses the tree and stops fruit production.
18:42Transition gradually if possible.
18:44Move the tree to a porch or covered area first for a few days.
18:48Then move it fully indoors.
18:51This prevents shock from the sudden environmental change.
18:54In-door placement.
18:56In-door placement.
18:57South-facing window.
18:58Bright light all day.
19:00Away from heating vents.
19:02The dry, hot air dehydrates the tree.
19:05If your home is dry in winter, place a humidity tray,
19:08a shallow tray of water with stones, under or near the tree to add moisture to the air.
19:15Indoor watering.
19:17Reduce frequency.
19:18The tree uses less water in cool indoor conditions.
19:23The finger dip test stays the same.
19:26Water only when the top two inches feel dry.
19:31Indoor fertilizing.
19:33Half strength every six to eight weeks.
19:36The tree grows slowly in winter, so it needs less feeding.
19:42Indoor pollinating.
19:43Hand pollinate any flowers that appear, since there are no bees indoors.
19:50A small, soft brush gently inside each flower every few days during bloom.
19:58Bring the tree back outdoors in late spring.
20:01When nighttime temperatures stay consistently above 50 degrees Fahrenheit,
20:07the tree can move back outside.
20:10Transition gradually, starting with a few hours of morning sun and slowly increasing exposure over a week.
20:19Now I want to take a moment because here is where it all comes together.
20:24Look at what we have walked through.
20:2610 tricks for growing lots of lemons in a single container, even in cold climates.
20:33Every one of them backed by university extension research and real cold climate container citrus practice.
20:42Choose a grafted Meyer lemon tree.
20:45Plant it in a 14-inch terracotta pot with a well-draining, slightly acidic soil mix.
20:53Give it six to eight hours of direct sun daily.
20:57Water deeply when the top two inches are dry.
21:00Fertilize with a citrus-specific NPK every four to six weeks during growing season,
21:08with Epsom salt foliar spray for magnesium and banana peel water for potassium.
21:15Spray neem oil every 15 days for pest prevention.
21:20Keep the pH between 5.5 and 6.5.
21:26Hand pollinate indoor flowers.
21:29Prune for shape every spring.
21:32And bring the tree indoors before the first frost every winter.
21:38The honest math is plain.
21:41A grafted Meyer lemon tree from a quality nursery costs $25 to $40.
21:47A 14-inch terracotta pot costs another $20 to $30.
21:53Soil mix, fertilizer, and supplies for the first year cost another $30 to $50.
22:01Total first-year investment, about $80 to $120.
22:07A mature Meyer lemon tree produces 50 to 100 lemons per year.
22:13At $1.50 per lemon at the grocery store, that is $75 to $150 worth of fruit per year.
22:23The tree pays for itself completely in year one or two.
22:28After that, every lemon is free.
22:32A Meyer lemon tree well cared for produces fruit for 10 to 20 years.
22:39That is $1,500 to $3,000 of lemons from a single $100 investment.
22:47The bigger value is the consistency.
22:50Fresh lemons from your own tree, harvested moments before use.
22:56No grocery store runs.
22:58No worrying about the grocery store running out.
23:02No wax coating on the rind, which affects flavor in cooking and cleaning recipes.
23:08The lemon ester rubs on the glass stovetop is the same kind of lemon she squeezes for lemonade,
23:16juices for canning recipes, and zests into Sunday roast chicken.
23:22All from one tree on the kitchen windowsill.
23:26There is no money in the citrus industry in teaching folks that one $15 grafted lemon tree
23:34on a sunny windowsill produces what a family spends $300 on at the grocery store every year.
23:42There is a great deal of money in selling families a $1.50 lemon at a time, every week, forever.
23:52So the simple old method sits quiet in farm kitchens and small nursery growers guides.
23:58And most American families pay full price for grocery store lemons every year when one pot of soil
24:07and one Saturday's work would have given them all the lemons they need for the next 20 years.
24:15You can be the one who never paid full price for a lemon again.
24:21So here is what I want you to do.
24:23This weekend, drive to a local nursery, not a big box store where the trees are often poorly cared for,
24:33and ask for a grafted Meyer lemon tree, about $25 to $40.
24:40Pick up a 14-inch terracotta pot and a bag of citrus-specific potting mix while you are there.
24:47Total Saturday investment, under $100.
24:53Next week, bring the tree home.
24:56Place it in indirect bright light for 3-4 days, then transplant it into your new pot using the 40
25:04-40-20 soil mix recipe.
25:0740% garden soil, 40% cocoa peat or peat moss, 20% compost, plus a handful of bone meal.
25:15Keep it in shade for one week after transplanting.
25:19This month, begin the watering routine, finger dip test, deep watering when top 2 inches are dry.
25:27Place the tree in your south-facing window or outdoor full sun location.
25:33Begin the first round of fertilizer.
25:36This year, watch for the first flowers, which on a healthy Meyer lemon tree often appear within 6-12 months.
25:44Hand pollinate any indoor flowers.
25:47Watch the first fruit form.
25:50Harvest your first lemons when they turn deep yellow, usually 6 months after the flowers appeared.
25:56Tell me in the comments below, have you ever tried to grow citrus in a container?
26:01And if you have, what challenges did you face?
26:04And if your mother or grandmother had her own tradition of growing fruit indoors, a potted fig tree on the
26:11back porch, a sunny window orange tree, a balcony lemon, share the family memory.
26:16The little inherited growing methods are exactly the kind of knowledge that gets lost when nobody writes them down.
26:24I read every single one.
26:27Next video.
26:28Since today we covered growing the lemon tree itself, the next walks you through the five specific ways to bring
26:36your citrus tree indoors for winter without losing fruit production.
26:40The seasonal transition is where most cold climate container citrus growers lose trees.
26:46Five verified methods to make the transition smoothly.
26:50The same methods we use here in Lancaster County every October.
26:55Subscribe so you do not miss it.
26:57Until then, find a grafted Meyer lemon tree at a local nursery, put it in a 14-inch terracotta pot
27:04with the right soil mix, give it six to eight hours of sun a day, water deeply when the top
27:10two inches are dry, fertilize every four to six weeks, and remember that one small lemon tree on your kitchen
27:17windowsill produces what a family of four buys at the grocery store all year long.
27:23That is how the careful old folks fed their families fresh citrus before the grocery store sold it every day.
27:30That is how it is still done in any kitchen window that remembers.
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