As someone who lives in a Jersey City apartment, I dream of an outdoor space that allows me to grow fruits, veggies, and herbs—I’d take a fire escape with a few planters at this point. Imagine fresh-squeezed lemonade, citrusy pasta, and zesty homemade desserts, all made with homegrown lemons. Not to mention, the undeniable charm of having a fragrant lemon tree brightening up your home.
If you’re short on outdoor space, most Meyer lemon trees can grow on patios, balconies, or sunny indoor spots, according to the Sill. Costco's Meyer lemon tree, which will grow to be six to 10 feet tall, is likely to thrive indoors—I’m really tempted to buy it for my living room.
Not a Costco member? No worries: You can buy Meyer lemon trees on Amazon and from The Sill that’ll also produce fragrant flowers and sweet, juicy lemons with a subtle hint of orange. Meyer lemon trees are most popular varieties for at-home gardeners, because they can grow fruit while in a container.
While a full-size Meyer lemon tree grows around 10 to 15 feet tall, a dwarf Meyer lemon tree grows only 6 to 10 feet, making it a better option for indoor gardening. Dwarf trees can be styled as a classic tree with a defined trunk or a fuller, bushier form, depending on where it’s planted.
Lemon trees do best outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 11, but they can also thrive indoors. The Old Farmer's Almanac states that lemon trees need at least six hours of sunlight per day, but the trees love light—more the better, especially during growing season. With summer season upon us, a lemon tree would do well outside in direct sun, but in cooler climates, you might want to bring it indoors when temperatures drop.
If you’re growing a lemon tree indoors, you might want to invest in a grow light to help on cloudy days. Manual pollination is also important. Outdoors, a lemon tree can attract pollinators, like hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, to your garden.
As for watering, experts recommend watering once every two or three days if the tree is in a small pot, but less frequently in a larger pot and only once a week outdoors in the ground.
