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I just prune off the thorns and leave the branches, but this is a tree out in the yard and I haven't a clue what type of lemon it is. The cut off thorns won't grow back and it makes it easier to pick lemons and be around the tree when it's not got thorns.
I have thorns on my "improved" lemon tree which I purchased from Lowes. The Tree was REALLY small when I purchased it in late Feb. Less than 2' tall with only a few branches, but each branch was flowering. Even though you really shouldn't transplant when in bloom, I transplanted into a HUGE pot with organic potting soil. I included a citrus fertilizer spike as well. At first about 75% of the blooms went to fruit, but within the first couple of weeks all but 5 dropped. Those 5 are now HUGE... as big as large oranges and just starting to yellow. The plant has doubled in size as well. I keep it evenly watered but let it dry out a bit before watering again (unless it rains) I save rain water and use that to water my potted plants instead of tap water. It is in a sunny location in my front yard. (8+ hrs of full sun a day) I only give it a light insecticidal spray when necessary. I'm going to be moving from south central FL (zone 9B) to the Denver area (zone 5B) next spring and I plan to take it with me. We'll see how that goes. I used to live in a colder zone, but never tried growing citrus. I'll bring it indoors during the colder months.
I had until I just moved, two IM lemons in New Orleans. They do have thorns. At first they will give a few big lemons and then will start giving smaller sizes as time go on. Mine were 6 years old and gave about 100 lemons per tree. Watch those suckers!, also spray with oil spray. Dont worry about bugs they are not going to hurt the tree, after all you are growing it for fruit not foliage. Prune from the center of the plant, don't let it get crowded in there. Also you can top it as needed to maintain a tree that is easy to pick. I did have a problem with some insect that was curling the leaves and causing some light leaf drop but I had to live with it. Repeated oil spray should help plus using Bayer tree systemic that waters in is good, used it too. do not mulch near the trunk. I did and got termites attacking the tree. The tree survived but there was some superficial damage to the trunk on on tree. All my neighbors loved the tree, but I had to tell most people it was a lemon and not a lime since they saw large green fruit. Pick only what you need, the fruit will last longer on the tree than in the house. Get a juicer, freeze the juice into ice cubes. Great lemonade. Harvest when the fruit is deep yellow bordering on light orange indicating they are ripest.
We planted some kumquats and they have thorns. Somethings been eating their leaves over the winter down by the basement window so I have to spray them again.
I think I will plant a Satsuma but read a lot about a disease in S. Florida that has greatly affected the commercial guys so I hate to plant something and wait a few years and have it die, on the other hand maybe I can get lucky.
My grandson planted a handful of lemon seeds one summer about 3-4 yrs ago...we had homemade lemonade...and it has since grown into a 4 ft plant doing well with little or no maintenance from me...because I don't know anything about lemon trees. It has remained outdoors all year round and is doing well. I live in central Texas. I guess I need to start taking care of it. Thanks for the helpful tips.
I had two Meyer Improved Lemon trees in New Orleans and they thrived, producing the first year and growing rapidly. They did have thorns but beautiful thin skinned lemons. I moved last year to Florida only to find out that citrus trees in the home garden were wiped out by the state preventing the spread of some disease, ie protecting big business. Really sickening, many homeowners will never forgive. Now the special disease free plants are just becoming available but with a much higher price. HD had a " cocktail citrus" in a five gallon container for $139.95 !!!!
I have two potted, grown from seed 4-yr. Meyer lemon trees in NC. They have thorns and dark shiny leaves. I bring them inside mid to late fall. They love full sun. I wonder when they will flower and fruit. They look like two different species, but they have the same mother lemon. :>
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Lemon Thorns and Growing
