In spring you prune to maintain the neat shape you are aiming for - lemon trees can be clipped in various shapes, including round-shaped, bushy, or as standard trees for a more formal garden design – and thin out the center of the plant to allow light and air to get in. Assessing the tree at this stage, where growth is just starting, means you can best consider the shape and structure you are aiming for by pruning. You can prune lemon trees all the way through to early spring, when they are starting to grow. Do this between late winter and early spring.’Ĭitrus trees will enter their period of dormancy at the end of the growing season and this is the earliest you can consider pruning them. He says: ‘Plants won't need much pruning, but you can cut back side shoots to maintain an attractive, rounded shape.

Martyn Cox, a fruit and vegetable growing expert, explains what one of the prime reasons is for clipping your lemon trees. If the tree looks sickly, or there are signs that it is ailing, then put the pruning shears away. It is important to make sure that there is healthy growth on the lemon tree before pruning. The pruning window is between the coldest period of the year and when the stems are shooting. The best time to prune citrus trees, including lemon trees, is when they are starting to grow, in late winter or early spring. Four lemons growing on a lemon tree When to prune a lemon tree

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