If your lemon tree is covered with green fruit but the lemons still seem surprisingly small in September, don’t worry just yet. A small green lemon does not necessarily mean that something has gone wrong.

Lemon trees can take a considerable amount of time to develop their fruit, and several factors can influence how quickly the lemons grow. Water, sunlight, nutrients, temperature, the size of the tree, and even the number of fruits growing at the same time can all make a difference.

September is therefore a useful moment to take a closer look at your lemon tree and make a few simple adjustments.

Why Are Your Lemons Still Small?

One of the first things to understand is that lemons do not all develop at the same speed.

A fruit may remain small and green for quite some time before it begins to increase noticeably in size. The variety of lemon, the age of the tree, growing conditions, and the time when the fruit first appeared can all influence its development.

If the leaves look healthy, the tree is producing new growth, and the fruits are firm and attached to the branches, there may be no serious problem at all.

However, small fruit can sometimes indicate that the tree isn’t receiving everything it needs.

Common causes include:

• inconsistent watering;
• insufficient sunlight;
• poor or depleted soil;
• inadequate nutrition;
• too many fruits on a small tree;
• poor drainage;
• root problems;
• or general stress.

The good news is that many of these problems can be corrected.

The September Step: Check Your Fertilization

If you want your lemons to continue developing, one of the first things to examine is the nutrition available to the tree.

A lemon tree needs several nutrients to maintain healthy leaves, produce flowers, and develop fruit.

However, this does not mean that you should simply pour more fertilizer onto the soil.

Using too much fertilizer can actually create problems.

The better approach is to use a fertilizer designed for citrus plants and follow the recommended dosage on the package.

A balanced feeding program can help support the tree while it is actively growing and producing fruit.

Don’t fall for the “more fertilizer = bigger lemons” idea.

A heavily fertilized tree is not automatically a tree with larger fruit.

Too much fertilizer can damage the roots or create an imbalance in the soil. In some cases, excessive nitrogen can encourage lots of leafy growth while not necessarily giving you the fruit development you were hoping for.

The goal is balanced nutrition, not maximum nutrition.

Watering Is Just as Important

Even the best fertilizer won’t help much if the tree isn’t receiving the right amount of water.

Lemon trees need consistent moisture, particularly when they are actively growing and carrying fruit.

But there is an important distinction:

Consistent moisture does not mean constantly wet soil.

If the soil dries out completely for long periods, the tree can become stressed.

On the other hand, if the roots remain soaked for too long, they may struggle to function properly.

Before watering, check the soil with your finger.

If the upper layer has started to dry and the soil underneath is also becoming dry, it is generally time to water.

Water thoroughly and allow excess water to drain away.

Never Let the Pot Sit in Water

This is particularly important for lemon trees grown in containers.

After watering, make sure excess water can escape through the drainage holes.

If the pot is sitting in a saucer filled with water for long periods, empty it.

Lemon trees prefer well-drained soil.

Poor drainage can create conditions that damage the root system, and a damaged root system cannot efficiently provide the tree with the water and nutrients it needs.

Sometimes the problem isn’t that you’re giving the tree too little water.

It’s that the roots are unable to use the water properly.

Give Your Lemon Tree Plenty of Sunlight

If your lemons aren’t growing as quickly as expected, look at the amount of sunlight your tree receives.

Lemon trees naturally prefer bright, sunny conditions.

Good sunlight helps the tree produce energy through photosynthesis, which supports both healthy foliage and fruit development.

A tree growing in a bright location will generally have a much better chance of producing strong growth than one kept in deep shade.

If your lemon tree is in a container, choose the brightest suitable location available.

What If the Tree Has Too Many Lemons?

This is another factor that is easy to overlook.

Sometimes the problem isn’t that your tree doesn’t have enough resources.

It is that the tree is trying to support too many fruits at once.

A young or relatively small lemon tree may produce more flowers and fruit than it can comfortably develop.

When this happens, the tree may naturally drop some young fruits.

This is not necessarily a sign that the tree is dying.

In fact, natural fruit drop can be part of the plant’s way of regulating its crop.

If a small tree is carrying an excessive number of fruits, selectively removing some of the weakest or smallest ones can sometimes help the remaining fruits receive more of the tree’s available resources.

Don’t Remove Every Small Green Lemon

Seeing small green lemons can make gardeners nervous.

But don’t automatically remove them.

A green lemon may simply be young.

Depending on the variety and growing conditions, lemons can remain green for a considerable period while continuing to develop internally and increase in size.

Instead of focusing only on the color or current size of the fruit, look at the overall health of the tree.

Ask yourself:

Are the leaves healthy?

Is the tree producing new growth?

Are the fruits firm?

Is the tree receiving enough light?

Is the soil draining properly?

If the answers are generally positive, patience may be all that is needed.

The Importance of the Leaves

Your lemon tree’s leaves can tell you a lot about what is happening below the surface.

Healthy leaves are generally a good indication that the plant is functioning properly.

However, yellowing, curling, excessive leaf drop, spots, or distorted new growth can indicate problems.

For example, yellow leaves can sometimes be related to watering issues or nutrient deficiencies, although there are many possible causes.

Don’t immediately assume that every yellow leaf means the tree needs more fertilizer.

First check:

• watering;
• drainage;
• sunlight;
• pests;
• root conditions;
• and recent changes in the plant’s environment.

Sometimes correcting the basic growing conditions is more useful than adding another product.

Check the Roots and the Pot

If your lemon tree has been growing in the same container for a long time, the roots may eventually become crowded.

A root-bound plant can have difficulty accessing enough water and nutrients, particularly when the container is small.

Look underneath the pot.

Are roots coming out of the drainage holes?

Does the soil dry out extremely quickly after watering?

Does the plant seem to have stopped growing despite receiving adequate light and water?

These can be signs that the root system needs attention.

However, don’t automatically move the plant into a huge container.

A pot that is dramatically larger than the root ball can hold too much moisture and create drainage problems.

If repotting is necessary, choose a container only moderately larger than the existing one.

What About Pruning?

If your lemon tree has small fruits, heavy pruning is usually not the first solution.

Removing large amounts of healthy branches can reduce the amount of foliage available to support the developing fruit.

Instead, focus on removing:

• dead branches;
• damaged branches;
• diseased growth;
• or unwanted shoots when necessary.

If the tree already has healthy fruit and foliage, avoid making unnecessary major cuts simply because the lemons are small.

A Simple September Routine

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