Growing to a manageable 8 to 10 feet tall, miniature lemon trees produce white blossoms and delicious fruits. Adapting well to both containers and garden locations, these cold-hardy dwarf plants still need fertile soil for fruit production. Fertilizers rich in nitrogen, and other essential nutrients, help your miniature lemon tree generate successful fruits each growing season.
Of all the 16 necessary nutrients for plant growth, nitrogen is critical for miniature lemon trees. Part of chlorophyll production, nitrogen aids in photosynthesis so foliage grows dense to generate the sugars needed for fruit development. In fact, your fertilizer needs to have a slightly higher amount of nitrogen than the other elements typically included, such as phosphorus and potassium. For example, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, or NPK, fertilizer ratios like 2:1:1 and 3:1:1 work well for a miniature lemon tree. In contrast, a balanced fertilizer does not offer the same growth benefits as a nitrogen-rich mixture.
Specialized Citrus Fertilizer and Timing
The best miniature lemon tree fertilizer is commonly marked specifically for citrus. Along with high nitrogen amounts, manufacturers mix in other key elements, like manganese, sulfur and calcium. For best results, you need to fertilize your miniature lemon tree between February and early August at periodic intervals denoted by the fertilizer's instructions. Adding essential nutrients before the growing season gives the tree a boost on flower and fruit production while maintaining the same high nutrient levels throughout the spring and summer with subsequent applications.
Your miniature lemon tree typically prefers a liquid fertilizer instead of a granular form because liquid disperses evenly in the soil for an all-around balanced delivery of nutrients. The best application technique is distributing the fertilizer close to the trunk, but not touching it. You need to continue dispersal completely around the tree until you reach 2 feet past the drip line. By creating a large fertilizer ring around the tree, all the spreading roots reach the nutrients easily for rapid uptake.
Avoiding Root Burn
In general, it is not good practice to fertilize in the first year after planting a miniature lemon tree. The roots have not established themselves deeply in the ground. It is possible to "burn" roots with fertilizer. As you till the fertilizer into the ground, roots still remaining in the topsoil become damaged and die back. Begin all fertilizing after the one-year mark to protect the roots and the tree will respond positively to the additional nutrients.
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