Lemon tree in a pot
Citrus limon, tree, evergreen
Water a lemon tree in a pot when the soil is dry a few centimetres down, which outdoors means every 3–6 days in summer and every 5–10 in winter. It wants full sun, as many hours as it can get, and starts to suffer below 5 °C (41 °F).
Updated 12 October 2026. How we write these pages
Lemon tree in a pot at a glance
Water, outdoors
3–6
days in summer
5–10
days in winter
When the soil is dry a few centimetres down.
Month by month
Minimum temperature
1–5 °C
It starts to suffer between 1 and 5 °C (34–41 °F).
Cats and dogs
Toxic to dogs and cats.
Chewing the leaves can make them ill: keep it out of their reach.
Growth
Steady. It’s a tree.
Feeding
Quite a lot while it’s growing.
Follow the dose and frequency on your fertiliser’s label.
Repotting
When the roots fill the pot.
Pruning
Thin out crowded branches. Shorten the new shoots. Remove suckers and water shoots.
Where does your plant live?
Pick its place and see what changes.
What changes
- Indoors, near the window. The right spot: in front of the brightest window, with as many hours of sun as it can get.
- Indoors, away from the window. There isn’t enough light here. Move the pot in front of the brightest window.
- Outdoors, in the shade. Shade doesn’t give it enough light. Move the pot where the sun reaches it for longer.
- Outdoors, in the sun. The right spot, with all the sun it needs.
- Indoors, summer. Indoors the soil dries more slowly than outside, where in July it needs water every 3–6 days, so feel it before you water.
- Indoors, winter, heating on. Near a radiator the air is warm and dry and the soil dries quickly, so keep the pot away from it and feel the soil often.
- Indoors, winter, cool room. The soil stays damp for a long time in a cool room, so water sparingly.
- Outdoors, summer. In July it usually needs water every 3–6 days, and more often in the sun, so feel the soil when it’s hot.
- Outdoors, winter. It starts to suffer below 5 °C (41 °F). On the coldest nights, move the pot under shelter or indoors.
- Outdoors, winter. In January it usually needs water every 5–10 days: in the cold the soil stays damp for a long time.
How often to water a lemon tree in a pot
Outdoors, month by month. Tap a column.
In October
Every 5–10 days
Usually every 7 days. Feel the soil first, and water when it is dry a few centimetres down.
Every month in a table
| Month | Usually | Usually between |
|---|---|---|
| January | every 7 days | 5–10 days |
| February | every 7 days | 5–10 days |
| March | every 7 days | 5–10 days |
| April | every 6 days | 4–9 days |
| May | every 5 days | 4–7 days |
| June | every 4 days | 3–6 days |
| July | every 4 days | 3–6 days |
| August | every 4 days | 3–6 days |
| September | every 5 days | 4–7 days |
| October | every 7 days | 5–10 days |
| November | every 7 days | 5–10 days |
| December | every 7 days | 5–10 days |
Typical intervals outdoors in a mild northern-hemisphere climate: sun, wind and rain stretch or shorten them. How to tell when to water, with a finger and the weight of the pot.
Soil, propagation and problems
Soil
An all-purpose potting mix that holds a little moisture but drains well: if it’s very dense, add some perlite. It isn’t fussy about pH.
Propagation
By grafting, a nursery job: at home it’s simpler to buy a new one.
Common problems
The most frequent: Mealybugs · Scale insects · Spider mites · Anthracnose · Aphids · Canker
When you feel the soil, look under the leaves too: pests show up there first.
Lemon tree in a pot: good to know
Citrus can carry flowers and fruit at the same time.
Cold draughts, dry air or temperature swings can make citrus drop leaves.
Yellowing or dropping leaves can mean overwatering.
Lemon tree in a pot: questions and answers
How often should you water a lemon tree in a pot in winter?
Outdoors in January, usually every 7 days (between 5 and 10), compared with every 4 in July. The longest gaps run from October to March.
How can you tell when a lemon tree in a pot needs water?
When the soil is dry a few centimetres down, not just on the surface.
How much light does a lemon tree in a pot need?
As much sun as it can get. Full sun means at least 6 hours of direct sun a day, so indoors the right spot is in front of your brightest window.
Is a lemon tree in a pot toxic to cats and dogs?
Toxic to dogs and cats. Chewing the leaves can make them ill: keep it out of their reach.
How much cold can a lemon tree in a pot take?
It starts to suffer from the cold somewhere between 1 and 5 °C (34–41 °F). Outdoors, on nights below 5 °C, move the pot under shelter or indoors.
When should you repot a lemon tree in a pot?
When the roots fill the pot. If needed, the best time is spring, when it starts growing again.
How do you prune a lemon tree in a pot?
Take out crowded branches and shoots that spoil the shape. Sparse or leggy stems can be cut back by up to two thirds, and you can shorten the tallest shoot too, for a bushier plant. Wear thick gloves: citrus often has thorns. Cut back strong new shoots to within the crown, so the plant branches. Don’t overdo it: citrus flowers on the tips of new side shoots. Take off any shoots that grow from the main stem below the crown.
How can you tell if a lemon tree in a pot is getting too much water or too little?
Too much water often shows as leaves turning yellow, soft brown patches on the leaves and leaves drooping even though the soil is wet. Too little shows as leaves drooping, leaves and buds dropping and young shoots drying out.
What soil does a lemon tree in a pot need?
An all-purpose potting mix that holds a little moisture but drains well: if it’s very dense, add some perlite. It isn’t fussy about pH.
How do you propagate a lemon tree in a pot?
By grafting, a nursery job: at home it’s simpler to buy a new one.
Which pests and diseases affect a lemon tree in a pot?
The most frequent are mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites, anthracnose, aphids and canker. When you feel the soil, look under the leaves too: pests show up there first.
Why are the leaves on my potted lemon tree turning yellow?
Often it’s too much water, especially in winter, so feel the soil and wait if it’s still damp. If the leaves drop after you’ve brought it indoors, dry air, cold draughts or swings in temperature can be the cause.
Where should a potted lemon tree go in winter?
Where winters are mild and frost free it can stay outside in a sheltered spot. Otherwise bring it indoors to a cool, bright room at around 13–18 °C (55–65 °F), in front of a window. Heated living rooms are usually too warm, and their air too dry.
When can a lemon tree go back outside in spring?
Once the nights stay above 10 °C (50 °F). Give it a few days in the shade, then move it into the sun bit by bit, because a sudden change can damage the leaves and set back its growth.
Read next
Every plant has its own rhythm. LINFA keeps track for you.
It looks at the light where your plant stands, its pot and the season, and tells you when to check it.
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