i think wintering depends on the conditions it will be stored in. if you can winter it in a place where the soil temp will stay above 55F, then it would do well in a sunny location. if you wintered it in colder soil with the same light, the leaves will drop. if you winter it below 55F but in little light it would be fine. did it lose its leaves before or after you put it back out? how warm/cool was the room with the west facing window?

i think its to do with dormancy. when the roots go below 55F they stop growing, so if you have it in bright light the leaves will have a fit and drop off (i think this is winter leaf drop) so decrease light levels if the soil temp goes below. i am wintering all of my citrus in a south facing window with plenty of warmth - i hope they notice little difference besides the shorter days.

citrus tend to be quite fickle, and pout when their conditions change, so moving locations irritates them. they show their displeasure by dropping leaves. my meyer goes practically bald if i look at it the wrong way :D

what are your watering habits over summer and winter? do you fertilize? any idea what type of potting mix it is in?

the room stays warm with plenty of light. I don't think the soil drops below 55F. I fertilize 4 times a year with citrus fertilizer. I did not repot after it was purchased, its in the same mix from the nursery.

what does the mix look like? and how do you water it?

Check the root ball carefully...is it really constricted? When i bought my citrus there was very little mix left in the pot because it was so pot bound!

dont forget, citrus dont like a change in environment. try introducing it to its new home gradually over a few weeks. bring it in for a few hours, then overnight, then gradually more until it is well set indoors. do the same when taking it back out - introduce it to the outside world gradually.

They dont like dry air which usually comes with indoor heating, so make sure you keep humidity up. people suggest humidifiers, but I make do with gravel trays and regular misting. too dry and they will complain :)

thanks for the info. I'll check the mix and root ball and see whats going on. I will acclimate it carefully to the indoors and hope for the best. I overwinter hundreds of plants indoors so I like to think I make a pretty good environment for them. My lemon is the only one that gave me real trouble last year. I want lemonade next summer from my own lemons, Is that too much to ask?

you dont prune it do you? if so that will decrease fruit chances. there are others on here more experienced who know about how to encourage blooming at certain times and crop times, im afraid im not one of them! but if you treat your tree right im sure it will reward you :)

I am going to try to store my meyers in my basement, I think they need humidity in the winter and most homes dont supply this.

Frank

I wonder if they need a certain period of cooler/colder temps to flower the following spring. Anybody have any ideas?

Most (if not all) citrus do need a cold period to flower in the spring , but in countrys were it is not cold enough you can just let them dry out to stress the tree, they flower with stress , so you could just do this

I keep them under growlights etc during the day,and i just let the trees cool at night by turning all but heater mats off and it seems to work , as long as theres some sort of thermostatic heater to stop it going too cold

rock on. I will continue my research on-line and ty to put together the best conditions I can for my situation. THANKS for all your responses.

Oppalm. Citrus prefer cool oppossed to hot 'nights' during winter. A 10 degree drop at night is ideal.
It'd be difficult if not impossible for us to adapt to rooms kept at 50-55F degrees, not that I blame anyone. lol, but citrus wouldn't mind the decrease.
It's best bringing citrus indoors gradually..similiar to taking them out..they need to adapt either way..
Few leaves drop if temps are kept 65-68F during the day, and 55-65F at night. Humidity makes a huge difference, if possible invest in a humidifer. They're great for people, too. Misting and weekly showering perks tropicals-sub-tropicals during gray, dry months.
Proper watering is most important, year round. The idea is to allow soil to dry between waterings.
If it was my citrus, I'd wait until spring to repot. Increase 1-2 sizes from its original size. MG Palm & Citrus soil is okay, but you may need to add other mediums so it's well-draining.
Choose a south or west window in winter. Whichever provides brighter conditions. My plants get additional artificial light a few hours after dark. The longer the better.
Withhold fertilizer after Sept..Start up again in late winter/early spring, or when you notice new growth. Fertilizing when days are short, and/or gray, will cause spindly growth.
Pruning isn't necessary. Unless someone is really hung up on shape, there's no need to prune. It also reduces chance of flower/fruiting. Stray branches and root stock should be removed.
Good luck, Toni