SHIFTING ROOTS

home, garden, food, and prairie lifestyle

  • About
    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Features
    • Privacy Policy
  • Blog
  • Gardening
    • How to Start a Garden: Especially if you’re in Zone 3 or Zone 2
    • Seed Starting
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Perennials
    • Cut Flowers
    • Small Space Gardening
  • Recipes
    • Canning
    • Preserving
    • Prairie Fruits Cookbook
    • The Best Pumpkin Recipes
    • How to Make a Tempting Christmas Cookie Tray (Plus Recipes!)
  • Popular Posts
  • E-Books
    • Pretty & Practical Garden Planner
    • Cut Flowers Made Simple
    • Constant Colour Perennial Garden
    • Small Garden, Big Harvest
    • Growing Roots Online Gardening Course
    • Frost Proof Flower Garden
    • Bouquets Made Beautiful
    • Savvy Seed Saving Annual Cut flowers
    • Prairie Fruits Cookbook
    • Online Gardening Consultations
  • Seasons
    • Christmas

Yes! You Can Grow Lemons in Zone 3– Here’s How.

April 9, 2019

Pin238
Share
Tweet
238 Shares

When you live in a cold climate like I do, certain plants are just far off dreams. Not all common fruit trees work here and you need to be careful that you get a hardy variety. For a long time I thought growing a lemon tree, or any type of citrus tree, would be impossible–until now.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first–a lemon tree is not going to survive our -40 winters. There’s simply no way to get an outdoor orchard going. However, you can successfully grow Meyer Lemons in pots, putting them outdoors in the summer and bringing them indoors in the winter.

Did you know you can actually grow a Meyer lemon tree in cold climates, like zone 3!?!?  Here's how to grow a lemon tree in a pot indoors as a houseplant, along with care trips.  Then take it outdoors for the summer in your backyard. #lemontree #fruittree #containergardening #canada #zone3

How to Grow a Citrus Tree in a Cold Climate

Ideally you’ll have a south facing window for as much light as possible over the winter, but the direct morning light of an east facing window will also work.

When it’s time to bring the tree out in summer, harden the tree off by setting it out in the shade for a week, before transferring it to a sunny location. After enjoying the summer sun, do the same process for a week before you bring the tree back indoors for the fall and winter.

In zone 3, that means you would harden off the tree the third week of May, leave it outside for the summer, then harden it off the last week of August and bring it indoors the first week of September, just to be safe. Citrus trees can not handle frost, so watch the weather and don’t take any chances.

Did you know you can actually grow a Meyer lemon tree in cold climates, like zone 3!?!?  Here's how to grow a lemon tree in a pot indoors as a houseplant, along with care trips.  Then take it outdoors for the summer in your backyard. #lemontree #fruittree #containergardening #canada #zone3

Watering a Lemon Tree

Lemon trees like to be watered regularly, but not overwatered. Never saturate the roots of a lemon tree, and always let the soil dry out slightly between waterings. Terracotta pots can help wick away moisture if you tend to over-water your plants.

Here’s how to grow more hardy fruit trees, and a 6 fruits you can grow from seed.

How to Keep Your Lemon Tree From Dying

A Meyer Lemon tree is generally easy to grow, but there are three things that will kill it: Too much water, not enough light, and too much cold. If the leaves of the plant start to yellow and fall off, one of these these is happening.

If your citrus tree is mildly droopy looking, it just needs some more water and will perk up shortly.

The only exception to this rule is when you bring your lemon tree indoors for the winter. It will droop and possibly lose a few leaves as it is adjusting to the sudden lack of light.

Did you know you can actually grow a Meyer lemon tree in cold climates, like zone 3!?!?  Here's how to grow a lemon tree in a pot indoors as a houseplant, along with care trips.  Then take it outdoors for the summer in your backyard. #lemontree #fruittree #containergardening #canada #zone3

Fertilization, Pruning, and Repotting

For best results fertilize your lemon tree once every 2 weeks from April to September.

Meyer Lemon trees don’t need to be pruned unless you don’t like the shape your tree is going in or some of the top branches are scraggly. Try not to prune the bottom branches, as they usually produce the most fruit.

Learn the Basics of Gardening in Just a Few Minutes

Gardening doesn't have to be complicated. Learn the basics in minutes, get started with your first garden in a day or less, and start your lifetime gardening adventure.

Enter your name and email address to download the Quick Start Garden Guide. You'll also get a mini-email course and weekly gardening tips and advice.

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Once the lemons set, you may need to remove the smaller lemon buds to make the stronger ones larger. Yes, it will feel terrible, but you’ll thank me when the remaining lemons get larger.

Meyer Lemons are overbearing and self-pollinating, so keep picking the lemons to get more fruit!

Your citrus tree will start to bulge at the top of the pot when it’s time to repot. Add a mix of potting soil and sand, keeping the soil line the same. You can add a thin layer of mulch to the top to help keep in moisture if you like.

Did you know you can actually grow a Meyer lemon tree in cold climates, like zone 3!?!?  Here's how to grow a lemon tree in a pot indoors as a houseplant, along with care trips.  Then take it outdoors for the summer in your backyard. #lemontree #fruittree #containergardening #canada #zone3
Did you know you can actually grow a Meyer lemon tree in cold climates, like zone 3!?!?  Here's how to grow a lemon tree in a pot indoors as a houseplant, along with care trips.  Then take it outdoors for the summer in your backyard. #lemontree #fruittree #containergardening #canada #zone3
Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

4 Comments
Filed Under: Uncategorised Tagged: citrus, fruit tree, Lemon

About Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

Comments

  1. Jesse says

    April 10, 2019 at 7:14 am

    Are there any good orange varieties to grow?
    Reply
  2. Dawn says

    September 25, 2020 at 7:44 pm

    How tall will the Meyer lemon trees get when growing on a pot?
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      September 30, 2020 at 5:20 am

      I've seen one that got to 6 feet in a greenhouse, but for those of us at home, you can just trim it to the size you like every year.
      Reply
  3. Kelly Quinn says

    December 6, 2020 at 9:13 am

    Hi Kristin, I’m in Saskatoon as well. I bought a dwarf lemon tree last summer and as soon as I started bringing it inside at nights in late august, it began to lose its fruit. It lost all fruit when the largest fruits were about the size of a kumkwat. Now in early December it has also lost almost all of its leaves. I live in an east facing house and my tree gets light but not direct sunlight. I am very conscious of not over watering it. This is the first year I’ve ever tried to grow plants indoors. Please help!!!
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Grow roots with us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

Recent Posts

  • How to Grow Eucalyptus for Cut Flowers (Even in a Short Growing Season!)
  • 26 Best Flowers to Grow for Dried Flower Arrangements
  • 17 Perennial Flowers That Love Shade
  • How to Design a Cut Flower Garden in Raised Beds
  • How to Start a Cut Flower Garden

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Connect with Shifting Roots On. . .

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Find What You’re Looking For. . .

Privacy Policy

Got the seed starting itch? There's some things y Got the seed starting itch?  There's some things you can actually seed start now and you won't end up with crazy leggy seedlings and endless problems.  In fact, these plants require that you start now, and need to be started in zone 3 by the end of February at the absolute latest.⁠
⁠
I've already started some lisianthus and eucalyptus, and am waiting on my seed orders to start some more.⁠
⁠
If you're starting a luffa sponge, make sure you have some sort of eventual plan for the vine.  last year mine went over my fall windows before I was able to take them outdoors.⁠
⁠
P.S. I've actually never started onions from seed, so if anyone wants to chin in about their experience, feel free!
Growing eucalyptus for the first time this year? Growing eucalyptus for the first time this year?  A new post is on the blog to walk you through it.  While in theory eucalyptus is easy to grow, it's challenging in my zone 3 garden for three reasons: ⁠
⁠
➡️It needs a long time to mature⁠
➡️I have a short growing season⁠
➡️I live in a cool climate, and eucalyptus grows better when its warm.⁠
⁠
That said, you can see by this picture that it can be done!!⁠
⁠
Are you growing eucalyptus this year?
Oh friends, if any of my nice, curated photos sums Oh friends, if any of my nice, curated photos sums up how this last week went, I think it's this one.  Babies crying, trying to stay calm, outwardly looking like it's all under control, but feeling very overwhelmed.⁠
⁠
This post isn't gardening related, so feel free to scroll by if you're here only for the gardening content.⁠
⁠
Thankfully it's January, and I keep reminding myself that the Internet will not break if I don't keep to my self-imposed posting schedule.  But it doesn't make a week full of teething-and-not-sleeping baby any easier. ⁠
⁠
Felicity slept through the night for the first time ever last Monday, then proceeded to punish us with frequent wakings and terrible sleep until Saturday.  And as tough as this is in regular times, in Covid times its extra frustrating because I don't have my village.⁠
⁠
I can't just call up another Mama friend and go for coffee at her house.  I can't take my son out for a Mommy-and-Dominic date because everything he'd want to do isn't really much of an option.  There's no playgroup or play place to just drop in on.  And forget just taking everybody out to get groceries just for a change of scenery.⁠
⁠
I know people have way more serious problems than this, and I hope I don't sound whiny and entitled, it's not my intention.  Please know that I'm very grateful for my family and job and that so far we've been healthy. ⁠
⁠
A lot of you who follow me do so in part because you are also juggling life with very little people through this strange time.  I hope that in occasionally sharing my struggles, it makes you feel better about your struggles. (You're struggling too sometimes. . . right?)
Do you tend to plan out your garden to the nth deg Do you tend to plan out your garden to the nth degree, do you just wing it, or are you somewhere in-between?⁠
⁠
I tend to plan it all out, and then when I actually get out in the field, so to speak, the plan changes a little bit. ⁠
⁠
If you need a garden planner that's both pretty & practical, my garden planner is available in the ebooks section.  It's only $9 and has lots of upgrades from the previous planner.  Use code CANADA if you're Canadian to account for the exchange.⁠
⁠
P.S. You can see exactly what you're getting in the video--no surprises. ⁠
P.P.S  I get my planner bound and printed at a printing place.  Lots of people just print their own and put the sheets in a binder.
Are you gardening in containers this year? When y Are you gardening in containers this year?  When you're shopping for vegetable seeds, look for varieties that have names with words like patio, tiny, small, etc.  While lots of vegetable varieties will do fine in a container, you'll have an easier time with ones that are specifically bred for that situation.⁠
⁠
📸 by @blushbrandphotography
I'm living the pepper dream in this photo. While I'm living the pepper dream in this photo.  While these ones are a bit on the small side, who doesn't want ripe peppers in July in zone 3?!?! ⁠
⁠
Over the years I've gotten better at growing peppers, and I promise I'll spill my secrets in February when it's actually time to start them.  Until then, get yourself all or one of my four favourite varieties: ⁠
⁠
🌶️Carmen⁠
🌶️Escamillo⁠
🌶️Candy Stripe⁠
🌶️Hungarian Hot Wax⁠
⁠
Do you have a favourite pepper variety?⁠
⁠
Have you flipped open a seed catalogue lately? It Have you flipped open a seed catalogue lately?  It's so easy to get completely overwhelmed, especially if you're new to gardening.  Why are there so many varieties of everything and which ones do I choose?⁠
⁠
Here's how I try to narrow it down.⁠
⁠
🌤️ Short growing season like me?  Try and prioritize varieties that have short dates to maturity.⁠
🥗 What do you or your family actually eat?  While I think you should always try a couple of new things, there's no sense in planting a giant garden filled with vegetables that you're not going to cook with. ⁠
🥒 Do you care whether your vegetables are heirlooms or hybrids?  Heirlooms are the kind that have been around for 50+ years and you can save seeds from.  Believe it or not, this year we're prioritizing hybrids for some of our garden.  The Hermit @mgsraney is obsessed with production this year, so anything that's going in "his" greenhouse better be able to produce a lot.  I'm using more heirlooms in my "glamour garden" as we call it, because I want things that are pretty and I can save seeds from.⁠
⁠
What do you prioritize when you're picking out seeds?⁠
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Theme Design By Studio Mommy · Copyright © 2021

Copyright © 2021 · Beyond Madison Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in