Growing lemon trees: from seed to harvest
Plant in a sunny, sheltered spot once cold nights are over. Where winters freeze, grow it in a pot and bring it in for the cold months. Evergreen and self-fruitful, ripening for months.
Planting dates for lemon trees by zone
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Sow or transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Not suited | ||
| Zone 4 | Not suited | ||
| Zone 5 | Not suited | ||
| Zone 6 | Not suited | ||
| Zone 7 | Not suited | ||
| Zone 8 | Not suited | ||
| Zone 9 | Not suited | ||
| Zone 10 | not needed | March 30 | December 23 |
| Zone 11 | not needed | March 29 | December 25 |
Each date is the start of the best window from the same climate engine the Dibble app uses, run at typical places in each zone. Dibble tunes them to your garden's own location and lets you adjust frost dates for your own yard.
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Questions
When should I plant lemon trees?
It depends on your zone. Lemon is a tender crop, so the timing follows your last spring frost. Look up your zone in the table below for exact start, sow, and harvest dates, or open Dibble and set where your garden is to get your own calendar.
How long does it take to grow lemon trees?
About 270 days from transplant to the first harvest, with a picking window of roughly 60 days after that.
Plant at the right time this season
Dibble builds your calendar in under a minute. Free to start, no account needed.