How to encourage fruit from lemon tree?

salmanfaiz87

Hi Lovely Community,

I have Lisbon lemon tree from Bunnings in my backyard which gets sun whole day.

It was planted last year in Feb and has grown twice in height but has not yielded a single fruit to date.

I have been regularly fertilizing it. The ground is clay and been thinking to introduce some gymsum to improve soil condition.

I have attached some photos, it is not clear to me if these are sucker roots or not.

Any guidance would be highly appreciated.

Regards,

Sal

EricL

Hello @salmanfaiz87 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your lemon tree.

The straight green shoot you see growing from the base of your lemon tree is rootstock growth. Grafted citrus trees are made up of two parts: the rootstock (the lower trunk and root system) and the scion (the upper part that produces the desired fruit). The graft union is usually visible as a slight swelling or angled join higher up the trunk. Any shoots growing from below this graft point are from the rootstock, not the fruiting variety you want.

In your photo, the green shoot is emerging below the main trunk’s graft union, which means it is rootstock. If left to grow, it will sap energy from your lemon tree and may eventually overtake it, producing poor-quality or inedible fruit.

You should remove rootstock shoots as soon as they appear. The best way is to tear or cut them off cleanly as close to the trunk as possible. Tearing while young is often better than cutting because it removes the dormant buds that would otherwise re-sprout.

To prune rootstock shoots properly, first trace the shoot back to its base. These come from below the graft union, the swelling on the trunk where the rootstock and fruiting variety meet. Remove the shoot as close to the trunk as possible, since leaving a stub encourages regrowth. 

For young, soft shoots, tearing by hand is best because it pulls away the tiny buds. For thicker ones, use clean, sharp secateurs and cut flush with the bark without damaging the main trunk. Check regularly, as suckers often reappear, and remove them promptly while still small. Keep soil and mulch away from the trunk, as stress encourages more suckers.

Here is a handy guide: How To Grow And Care For a Lemon Tree 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric