How to prune a potted lemon tree

Basic pruning techniques

When pruning lemons, the main pruning techniques include pinching, pruning, thinning, pinching back, twisting, removing buds, sawing main branches and cutting roots.

Pinching refers to removing the top part of new branches that have not stopped growing during the growing season of lemons; shortening refers to shortening a part of the annual new shoots or perennial branches of lemons; thinning refers to cutting off certain branches of lemons from the base; pinching back refers to cutting off the tips of perennial branches of lemons to make them shrink; twisting refers to pinching some branches of lemons 3 to 5 cm from the base with hands, twisting them greatly or twisting them downward; bud removal refers to removing the tender buds when the new shoots of lemons grow to 1-2 cm in summer and autumn; sawing off the main branches means using a pruning saw to saw off the lemons from the base of the large branches that disrupt the tree shape; root removal mainly refers to cutting off part of the large roots and lateral roots of the lemon.

Pruning Periods

In fact, lemons can be pruned all year round, but the methods and purposes are different.

Pruning is done during the growth stagnation period, which mainly refers to winter. Pruning is mainly done after the fruiting period. In areas with higher temperatures, dead and diseased leaves can be cleaned up at the same time. In areas with lower temperatures, pruning can be delayed until spring.

Pruning is done during the growing period, mainly in summer and during flowering. When pruning in summer, the main work is bud removal, pinching and short cutting, which can control the growth of branches and promote the development of fruits. Pruning during the flowering period mainly involves cutting off some flower branches. Generally, flower branches that do not grow leaves need to be cut off to reduce nutrient consumption. When pruning during the growth period, pay attention to disinfection after pruning to avoid diseases and pests.