The lemon tree (botanical name *Citrus x limon*) isn’t actually that picky about its home, as long as it gets two things: plenty of light and plenty of warmth. Of course, depending on where you live, providing those two things can sometimes be a bit of a challenge!
A Potted Plant with an Outdoor Season
Since lemon trees are total sun-worshippers, you’ll definitely want to move yours outside during the summer months.
The Perfect Spot on the Balcony
Once your lemon tree has had a chance to acclimate to the outdoors, it will be happiest in a full-sun spot on your balcony or patio. These little guys really don’t care for partial shade. Because they love heat so much, try placing your tree against a south-facing house wall—it acts like a radiator and keeps their “back” nice and warm.
One thing to keep in mind: lemon trees aren’t big fans of wind or heavy rain. A light summer breeze is fine, but they hate being tossed around by strong gusts or storms. The same goes for wet weather. While a quick sunshower is a refreshing drink after a hot day, you’ll want to protect your tree from constant downpours or severe weather.
Winter Quarters
When summer starts to wind down, it’s time for your lemon tree to move indoors. You’ll want to find the brightest spot possible, because let’s face it—our winters are usually way too dark for a citrus tree’s liking.
Cold Overwintering
Ideally, you should keep your potted lemon tree in a “cold” winter dormant phase. This means keeping it in a spot where the temperature stays between 40°F and 50°F (5°C to 10°C). Great spots for this include:
- A bright, unheated hallway or stairwell
- A garage with a window for natural light
- A sunroom or conservatory
Warm Overwintering
If you don’t have a cool, bright room available, don’t worry! Your lemon tree can also spend the winter in a normally heated room, provided it’s placed in a very bright location.
Handling Moves
Lemon trees are a bit like homebodies—they don’t really like being moved around. While you can’t avoid the seasonal move between the patio and the house, try to time it so the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors isn’t too extreme.
Once your tree has settled into its “new” home for the season, try to leave it be unless moving it is absolutely necessary.
Growing Indoors Year-Round
Keeping a lemon tree as a permanent houseplant isn’t 100% ideal, mostly because they miss out on that direct, unfiltered sunlight. However, since smaller plants don’t require quite as much energy, you can certainly try growing a mini tree year-round in a very bright, sunny window.
