Status: 24.10.2023, 19:30 p.m.
By: Joana Lück
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Lemon trees give balconies and terraces holiday flair like no other plant. But in winter, you should take precautions with the plant.
Lemon trees look pretty and bring Mediterranean flair to the terrace or balcony. With the right care, the exotic from the rue family also thrives in this country. But from October onwards, caution is advised, because the plants do not tolerate frost.
How to overwinter a citrus plant correctly – step by step
Although lemon trees are perennial, they are not hardy. © Joachim Hahne/Imago
Like most plants from the south, the lemon tree will not survive the winter unscathed without protection. From October or November, as soon as the first night frosts arrive, you should grab the lemon tree and bring it indoors.
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Consider the following steps for a healthy plant:
- As the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) reports, there are two ways to overwinter citrus plants: light and warm or dark and cool. However, if the plant is warm, it should also be bright, which you can influence with LED bulbs if necessary. It also needs to be watered regularly, but little, and can be fertilized. However, the temperature should not exceed 15 degrees Celsius here either.
- In the living room, the lemon tree does not overwinter quite as optimally. However, if you have no other option, you should make sure that it gets enough light, according to Plantura. You can counteract dry heating air by spraying the plant with water from time to time.
- If you opt for a cool and dark place, a polystyrene sheet or coconut mat is useful as a base so that the root ball does not cool down. Wrapping in jute is also useful. The temperature should be between five and ten degrees, as reported by NDR. This means that the plant needs less water and can do without fertiliser.
If the citrus plant sheds its leaves, it is a sign that it is not feeling well. In spring, you should move the plant outside early to allow the plant to get used to it again. Only on further frosty nights do you bring them back in.