Okay, here’s my blog post about pruning my Meyer lemon tree, written in a casual, personal style:
Alright, so, my Meyer lemon tree was looking… well, let’s just say it was looking a little wild. Branches everywhere, not much fruit, and kind of sad, honestly. I knew I needed to prune it, but I was a little scared. I mean, what if I messed it up? But I figured, it couldn’t get much worse, so I went for it.
Getting Started
First things first, I got my tools together. I had some hand pruners, loppers (for the thicker branches), and a small pruning saw. Important tip here! make sure to clean it using some rubbing alcohol. to avoid problems with the tree.
Next, I just kind of stared at the tree for a while. Seriously, I probably looked like a crazy person, just circling my lemon tree. I was trying to figure out what needed to go. The general idea is to remove any dead, damaged, or diseased branches. Also, any branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other should be pruned. You also wanna open up the center of the tree to let in more light and air.
Making the Cuts
So, I started with the obvious stuff – dead branches. Those were easy to spot, all brown and brittle. Snip, snip, gone. Then I looked for branches that were growing straight down, or straight up, or just kind of in the way. It felt weird at first, cutting off perfectly good-looking branches, but I kept reminding myself it was for the greater good.
When cutting, I tried to make the cuts just above a bud that was facing outwards. The idea is that the new growth will then grow outwards, instead of back into the center of the tree. For the thicker branches, I used the loppers. And for a couple of really stubborn ones, I had to break out the pruning saw.
- Removed branches that were crossing each other.
- Took off some of the really long, spindly branches that weren’t doing anything.
- Opened up the middle as much as I can.
The Aftermath
When I was done, the tree looked… bare. Like, I definitely took off a lot more than I thought I would. I had a moment of panic, thinking I’d gone too far. But then I remembered that citrus trees are pretty tough, and they usually respond well to pruning.
I cleaned up all the branches I’d cut off, watered the tree really well, and then just… waited. And you know what? After a few weeks, I started to see new growth! Little green shoots popping out all over the place. It was such a relief!
Now, my Meyer lemon tree is looking much healthier and happier. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m definitely seeing the benefits of pruning. And the best part? I’m expecting a much better harvest of lemons this year! Fingers crossed!
