Wow! That tree looks great! Way better than my puny little thing! These pictures of everyone’s trees make me want to go out and get more to experiment with!

I’m starting to second guess an LED as I was just told any good quality one will be expensive which makes me think any reasonably priced ones on amazon are just a waste of money, even if I spend 50$ on a bulb. Leaning towards a CFL now.

I am still new at this too but if I were you, had a light, wanted to continue active growth throughout the Chicago winter.... I would repot in the 5-1-1. Which I just did!

With the poor growing conditions inside a condo, that soil isn’t going to allow the plant to hold up over the winter, even with the lights.

If you are needing to water so much to keep it from wilting or drying out you may just be making the problem worse because that water might be sitting at the bottom still and I’ve read that root rot with over watering can look like a dehydrated tree that wilts because the roots can’t take up any of that extra water. Those roots you are seeing surface may be because they are looking for better air and drainage so they can actually take in the water they need. Or it may just be time for a bigger pot. Either way the answer would be to totally repot in new soil.

I’d at least check the roots, mix in some 5-1-1 if you don’t want to ”totally re-pot” but it seems like you need way better draining soil for it to survive. if I were you, again...I’d just want to start fresh and not worry, I think it was worth it to take the risk. that’s just me though.

I also have a humidifier running about 90% of the day right next to it. Indoor air is way too dry. I know others say it’s not needed but so far, id say it’s a huge help.

I don’t know about pruning or if you should fertilize or not but I’d def change that soil at least 50% to the 5-1-1 and get a humidifier.

I just totally repotted but in the same size pot, all I did was take out the “self watering“ component and add a lot more holes in the bottom and 4 on the side about an inch or 2 up the pot all across each other so there is a small hole on every side. I did the 5-1-1 with a tiny amount of slow release fertilizer and watered with half the recommended dose for indoors which is already half for outside of dyno gro. So far so good! I also wanted to add the fertilizer because it was lacking in something already and I have new buds and little lemons which I know takes up a lot of the nutrients which is maybe why the rest of the tree was suffering and getting chlorosis and yellowing leaves. Your leaves look good though so idk.

very long explanation and answer short... just repot it.

I know a lot of people here say not to do this in the winter but if it needs it now, it can’t wait all winter!

Good looking tree for indoor. I would top it back a bit at the top, which will encourage new lower growth. I would not cut the lower branches, if you intend to keep it in a container; but that is your decision. If I were going to put it in ground, then I would surely cut the lower branches. Cut and use the lemons as you want them or need them; they are mature and are a large drag on the tree and new growth.

Looking at the tree as shown in the picture, I do not see any wilting of the newer leaves. Giving a tree a occasional sip of water to insure its needs is totally the wrong thing to do. When you water a container tree water the tree THOROUGHLY. If your tree is growing in a highly aerated and well draining medium you do not have to worry much about over watering. Lastly, I would NOT prune the poor little tree, it is certainly too young and too small to prune. KNOW that when you cut any portion of the top of a young tree, you are also doing equal damage to the tree's root system, and your tree is much to young to grow through that at its stage in life.. A citrus tree is a unit, and mother nature in her wisdom, has planed it as so. The scion (above ground portion) and the root system grow in balance, and this balance is of up most important to a young trees.