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tonyb416

Meyer lemon is flowering...again

20 years ago

Wow, for this round of growth I have a lot more flowers. I still have small fruit on some branches -- these have not ripened much -- they're still pretty green and growing very slowly.

But this new flush of flowers surprised me. There's a lot more this time.

I'm in zone 6 and the plant is kept in an east facing window. I have not fertilized since early summer. I guess it's doing well where it is...and I should leave well enough alone!

Comments (8)

  • 20 years ago

    Tony, congrats..Meyer's seem to bloom yr round, or at least mind do, too. Now the test; see if they fruit. I hope so.
    I wouldn't change a thing including feeding. Sounds like it's doing terrific where it's growing...Toni

  • 20 years ago

    I was surprised my potted Meyer specimen has been flowering too since it has been outdoors in the cool fall nights dropping below 50*f. None of the other citrus were doing anything but Meyer's had a little new growth and numerous flowers of which were setting fruit. Several days ago I had to bring all tender citrus into the greenhouse because of the first freeze. Now the Meyer has gone insane with new growth and flowers inside the warm greenhouse. Meyer does not seem to go dormant in short cool days as with most other cold hardy citrus. Meyer is counted as one of the hardier true citrus or is it??? My Meyer would have fried at 25*f being in such active growth.

  • 20 years ago

    Don, I never had problems w/my Meyer's when leaving outside in cooler temps and brought indoors in a cold room. But there is a limit, too..I wouldn't leave out if temps dipped in the 30's. One reason is, when brought inside there's more of a chance of leaf drop, (like most citrus)
    It's a lot hardier than say Key or Persian Limes which are cold-sensitive.
    Why would your Meyer's have fried if left it 25F? Do you mean it would have frosted? Toni

  • 20 years ago

    Yes they are hardy but in active growth I think not.

    I try to keep all the true citrus outside when possible because of the red mite trouble in a greenhouse. Other than Limes I have found most true citrus in my collection will withstand a brief dip to the mid 20's in a dormant hardened state and thus can stay outdoors here except during winter. I don't think my Meyer with active growth could have withstood mid-20's without damage. The new tender growth would die and perhaps even hardened wood could frost cracked. Of course that is a guess and no big deal since I took all inside last week. I do not have leaf drop trouble in my greenhouse because it's a cool humid house.

    Last year Meyer went totally dormant in mid fall and was left out until the real winter weather hit. This year it's in the greenhouse with all it's flowers. My fall was warmer than normal and perhaps that's what caused the flower and growth flush.

    I thought the unusual Meyer activity might be of interest and not ment to confuse.

  • 20 years ago

    Don, are you talking to me? LOL..I don't have problems w/leaf drop either, or if so, very little.
    My old Meyer's never dropped leaves..and I'd leave it out late in the yr. But some ppl have trouble w/WLD which is why I brought it up.
    I too keep my gh on the cool side..right now it's 64..what I don't like is, one window opens automatically when the temps exceed a certain temp..it opened today..I'd rather it didn't..we had sun, so the heat increased, and I'd like keeping it a bit warmer at night..but when the window opens.......Toni

  • 20 years ago

    Then again those leaves do not last forever. A little winter leaf drop should be no worry if it's the slower process with a abscission layer formed to drain the leave's carbohydrates.

    It's that heated dry household air that does the damage. Around here a forced air heat system will take the already dry Oklahoma winter air and drop the indoor humidity to 10% or less. Cacti like it but citrus gasp.

    The hardier true citrus seem to like wintering over in my unheated single layer poly greenhouse even though it's sometimes rather cold. Most of the winter it's windows and door are wide open to keep the citrus cool and dormant. When a strong cold blast hit's I shut the door and windows then spray water all over. The increased dewpoint from the water keeps it from dropping much below 25*f most strong winter spells. If it get's too bad I have a small portable propane heater. In early spring I like to get everything out soon as possible even if mild freezes still can happen. I have terrible trouble with red mites inside the greenhouses.

    I have a double wall poly house for the more tender plants. One year it slightly frosted and killed my Key Lime. I was surprised that lime was tender as what the books say. Otherwise I have found most citrus hardier than what books state. Ponderosa Lemon has been far hardier for me withstanding light freezes (29*f or less) without much damage even though books say it's tender as a Lime.

  • 20 years ago

    my parents have a Improved Meyers lemon and it took off when it was repotted in a bigger pot...I was wondering if i could take cuttings or what have you....also could you prune it in the winter??

  • 20 years ago

    Phoenix, sure you can take cuttings, but getting them to root is another thing. I'd either wait until temps warm up or use heating equipment..to get to root, they need bottom heat. Take a 4" cutting, remove lower leaves, (leave all but 2-4 upper leaves on) Place in moist seedling soil or peat pellets. Or make your own mix of moist sand and vermicuite. Everyone uses different mediums. Keep out of direct sun. Place plastic for greenhoues effect w/slit for air ventilation. Then wait. Good luck, Toni