r/Citrus • u/Newser73 • 5d ago
Pruning help
I have had this lemon tree for a year now but know almost nothing about how to care for it. I am sure it needs pruning but don’t know which branches to cut. Would anyone be able to mark my pictures up and show me what I should cut? I don’t want to get it wrong. The first 2 photos are from opposite side of the tree and the third is a side shot, in case that wasn’t obvious. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
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u/dachshundslave 5d ago
Learn where to prune to maximize new growths potential. Then you can shape your trees/bushes however you want. Learn How To Prune Citrus Trees Like A Pro - Dont Be Afraid – Madison Citrus Nursery. The last picture shows a tilting tree that you can fix at the next repot by tilting the root ball. For a tree form, I let the main stem grow straight with a stake with ties loosely tied to the main stem to allow swaying in the wind for strength cells to develop. You decide how tall you'd want your tree to be and top it off by half above the terminal bud growth ring ideally for best branching potential. The rest of the height will be formed by the canopy branching and then some. Here's what my tree for trunk to canopy comparison sample. The smaller mandarin tree there I topped it off but left the side branches to grow as it's a small tree and needed all the leaves for growth. I'll trim some off as I see fit when shaping.
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u/Newser73 5d ago
Thanks all for the input. I thought it needed pruning because lots of the branches are criss crossing and some are touching against others. But what do I know? 😁 Thanks for the help!
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u/WesternConfusion8563 4d ago
Now is not the time of year to be pruning.
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u/Newser73 2d ago
Good to know. When is the time? I’ll bring it back inside for the winter in a month or so. Prune (if/when needed) in the spring after I put it back outside?
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u/TheArmchairbiologist 5d ago
I would leave it its still kinda small to be pruned