Cultivate a Meyer Lemon In The Ground

• 1). Plant Meyer Lemon trees in a sunny location with a southern exposure and protection from winds.
  
  
• 2). Test the drainage of the planting site soil. Meyer lemons must not be allowed to sit in soggy soil. Dig a 30-inch-deep hole and fill it with water. Wait 24 hours and fill it again. If the water drains 2 inches in two hours, the drainage is sufficient. If it takes longer to drain, amend the soil to provide faster drainage.
  
  
• 3). Amend the soil by combining 4 inches of compost with the top 8 inches of soil. Mix them well and rake the bed until it is level.
  
  
• 4). Dig a hole the same depth but twice as wide as the Meyer lemon's nursery pot. Remove the plant from the pot and gently loosen the outside of the root ball. Place the roots in the hole, fill the hole halfway with soil and then the rest of the way with water. Once the water drains, settling the soil around the roots, finish filling the hole with soil. Press around the base of the Meyer lemon tree with your feet.
  
  
• 5). Water deeply once a week. Meyer lemon trees require moist, not soggy soil. Allow just the surface of the soil to dry. Add water if the tree begins to wilt.
  
  
• 6). Fertilize the Meyer lemon tree once a month during spring and summer with a slow-release, granular citrus fertilizer at the rate suggested on the package. Water before and after applying fertilizer.
  
  

Cultivating the Meyer Lemon in a Pot

• 1). Combine equal parts potting soil and sphagnum peat moss. Pour the mixture into the pot until it is half full.
  
  
• 2). Place the roots of the Meyer lemon tree in the pot, on top of the soil. When planted, just the tip of the root ball should be exposed. Add or remove soil from the pot to get the tree to the proper depth. Finish filling the pot with soil, to within 1/4 inch of the rim.
  
  
• 3). Place the pot in an area where it will receive sun all day. Mist it with water from a spray bottle daily.
  
  
• 4). Water the soil until the water drains from the bottom of the pot and the soil is completely saturated. Water again when the top 1 inch of soil is dry. Pour off any water that remains in the tray under the pot.
  
  
• 5). Fertilize the tree with a citrus fertilizer, at the rate suggested on the label for a potted tree, every 10 days. Water before and after fertilizer application.