Learn how to grow a Lemonade Tree (Citrus limon x reticulata) at home, from planting to harvest, and how to use its delicious fruit in drinks, desserts, and garden-fresh recipes. The Lemonade Tree is one of my favourite citrus trees, especially because it’s so productive! You can eat the fruit fresh off the tree, just like an orange, but with lemon flavour!
The lemonade tree was discovered in New Zealand from a chance seedling. Many backyards have Lemonade Trees growing, and it was a staple fruit in my lunch growing up in NZ. I now have a Lemonade Tree in my Perth gardens, and it is loaded with fruit each year. It’s honestly one of the most refreshing, productive citrus trees you can grow. The fruit is naturally sweet and low in acid, like lemonade straight from the tree! It’s perfect for eating fresh, juicing, or turning into easy garden-to-table treats.
What parts of Lemonade are edible?
Flesh – Edible
Mild, sweet-tart flavour with low acidity—can be eaten fresh, just like a mandarin or orange. Great for juicing, making cordial, using in desserts, or adding to savoury dishes. Unlike regular lemons, you often don’t need to add sugar!
Juice – Edible
Naturally sweet juice makes a refreshing lemonade-style drink with no sugar needed.
Zest (Outer Peel) – Edible
The peel (zest) is full of citrus oils and adds bright flavour to:
Cakes and cookies
Dressings and sauces
Herbal teas or syrups
Rind (Including Pith) – Edible when Cooked
Can be used to make candied citrus peel, marmalade, or citrus-infused vinegar. Thicker rinds can also be oven-roasted with herbs or added to preserved lemon recipes.
What is a Lemonade Tree?
The Lemonade Tree is a hybrid between a lemon and a mandarin, resulting in a fruit that looks like a lemon but is mild, sweet, and low-acid. It can be eaten fresh like an orange, juiced into a zingy lemonade-style drink, or used in desserts without that sharp citrus bite.
Quick Tips on How to Grow Lemonade at Home
PLANT
Autumn or spring in frost-free areas.
SOIL
Well-draining, compost-rich soil. Avoid heavy clay unless mounded or in raised beds.
LOCATION
Full sun (at least 6 hours daily). Protect from strong winds and frost.
CARE
Mulch thickly, water consistently (especially during flowering and fruiting), and prune to shape after harvest.
FERTILISE
Feed in early spring, summer, and late summer with organic citrus fertiliser or worm juice + compost.
PESTS
Watch for citrus gall wasp, aphids, scale, leaf miners, and fruit fly. Encourage beneficial insects and prune affected areas.
HARVEST
Pick when fully yellow for peak sweetness. Or slightly green for more tartness and flavour.
REPRODUCE
Usually grown from grafted trees.
Why Grow Your Own Lemonade?
Here are some of the many reasons to grow Lemonade.
Naturally sweet fruit – no sugar needed!
One ingredient Lemonade!
Great fresh eating
Low-acid – gentle on the stomach and kid-approved
Perfect for small spaces or large pots
Highly productive from an early age
Great pollinator and companion tree for citrus guilds
Versatile in the kitchen – from juice to marmalade, even baking
Temperature & Climate Conditions
Lemonade Trees grow best in subtropical to warm temperate zones, but they’re more cold-hardy than many tropical fruits. With the right care, they can thrive in most areas of Australia:
Ideal temperatures: 15–30°C
Can tolerate down to: -2°C (brief frost OK with protection)
Best zones: 2–4 (Subtropical to Warm Temperate)
Plant in a sunny, sheltered location, preferably near thermal mass (like a wall or paved area) to keep roots warm in winter.
In colder regions: grow in large pots and move to a sunny porch or greenhouse in winter.
TOP TIPS TO GROW LEMONADE
Choose a warm sunny location
Prepare the soil with plenty of compost
Free draining is key!
Choose a sunny spot with great drainage
Protect from frost in the first 1–2 years
Mulch thickly but keep away from the trunk
Feed regularly and deep water in dry months
Remove gall wasp galls before spring
Net for fruit fly
Keep weed-free and well-mulched
Growing Lemonades in Pots or Small Spaces
Great for renters, balconies, or frost-prone areas (can be moved to shelter). Plant in their final position early to minimise root disturbance. Use a large pot (at least 50L) with premium potting mix + added compost. Ensure good drainage. Feed more often, as potted citrus use up nutrients faster.
How to Care for Lemonade Trees
Care/ Maintenance
Lemonade trees are heavy feeders due to the amount of fruit they produce! Add plenty of compost and mulch often to keep them well fed. Always ensure the mulch is pulled away from the trunk. Keep an eye on suckers and remove any growth from below the graft line. Add frost cloth during sudden cold snaps. Place young trees near north-facing walls or thermal mass.
When to Feed Lemonade Trees
Citrus trees are hungry feeders, especially during their active growing and fruiting seasons. Feed them three times a year, timed with key growth phases:
1. Early Spring (August–September)
Just as new growth starts and flowering begins
Encourages healthy leaves, blossoms, and strong fruit set
2. Early Summer (November–December)
Helps fuel fruit development and maintain strong leaf growth
Important for trees already holding fruit
3. Late Summer / Early Autumn (February–March)
Boosts energy before fruit harvest and supports next season’s buds
Prepares the tree to handle cooler months with stronger roots and reserves
Bonus Feeding Tips:
Avoid feeding in winter when growth slows, especially in cooler areas.
Use organic citrus fertiliser, compost, worm juice, or seaweed tonic.
Apply after watering, then water again to avoid burning roots.
Mulch well, but keep it away from the trunk
Watering
Citrus trees like the Lemonade Tree need consistent watering, but they don’t like soggy feet! The key is to keep the soil evenly moist, not wet, not bone dry. Excess watering or inconsistent watering near ripening can cause fruit to split.
How Often to Water:
Young trees: Water 2–3 times per week, depending on weather
Established trees (in-ground): Deep water once a week in mild weather, 2–3 times a week in summer or heatwaves
Potted trees: Water more frequently—every 1–2 days in summer, but always check the soil first
Best Watering Tips:
Water early morning or late afternoon to reduce evaporation
Mulch thickly (with compost, straw, or bark) to keep moisture in, but keep mulch clear of the trunk
Signs of Over or Underwatering:
Yellow, curling leaves: Could be either! Check if the soil is too wet or too dry.
Dry, crispy leaves or fruit drop: Not enough water
Drooping, dark green leaves or root rot: Too much water or poor drainage
Pro Tip: Use your finger! Stick it about 5 cm into the soil—if it feels dry, it’s time to water.
When to Harvest Lemonades
Lemonade trees are early-season producers. They can start to ripen in late Autumn to early winter. Pick when fully yellow. Fruit doesn’t ripen much off the tree, so taste test before harvesting large batches. Or slightly green for more tartness and flavour. Lemonades can lose some flavour when over-ripe.
Pruning & Care Tips
Prune after fruiting to maintain shape and airflow.
Remove any inward-facing or crossing branches
Cut off any suckers or growth below the graft
Keep well-mulched and weed-free at the base
Pests / Disease
Slugs, slaters, and snails can also be damaging to young plants. Watch for fruit fly, root rot (in soggy soil), and mealybugs. Net fruit if needed. Birds, rats and fruit bats will also enjoy your fruit.
Cooking and Using Lemonades
Lemonades are great because you can enjoy them straight off the tree! However, once your tree gets bigger, you will have an abundance! It can be too much to eat fresh, even after giving some away. Below are some ideas to use and preserve your Lemonade harvests.
Dehydrate slices for teas, cocktails, or cake decoration
Freeze juice
Preserve in Jams, Marmalade or Chutney
Watch for more tips on growing a lemonade tree
Lemonade FAQs
Do lemonade trees have thorns? Yes, most do have thorns.
Are Lemonades a hybrid fruit? Yes, they are a cross between a lemon and a Mandarin
Are Lemonades sweeter than Meyer lemons? Yes, and even less acidic
Do they grow true from seed? Very Unlikely. This is a hybrid cross, and can be cross-pollinated again, so seedlings will be surprising results.
How long until they fruit? Grafted fruit trees will likely try to fruit in year 1. Due to the size of the tree it can be better to remove the fruit until year 2-3.
Where did Lemonade trees come from? Thought to have originated from New Zealand in the early 1980s from a chance hybrid seedling.
Learn how to grow Kumquat trees at home and what to make with your harvests with this ultimate guide! Kumquats (Citrus japonica and hybrids) or Cumquats are very ornamental citrus that produce masses of small fruit. Kumquats can be eaten straight from the tree, with the skin being edible too. They make beautiful, abundant additions to the garden, especially if you like jams and marmalades.
Kumquats are evergreen and provide dense bushy foliage, which makes them great for wind protection or screening.
Can be grown by seed but may differ from the parent plant.
Why Grow Kumquats at home?
Here are some of the many reasons to grow Kumquat
Hardy, low-maintenance fruit tree
Perennial
Ornamental and edible
Prolific producer
Dense busy shrub
Grows well in pots and containers
The whole fruit is edible
Great for making jams and preserves
Popular Kumquat Varieties
Nagami – Japanese variety with small oval-shaped fruit. Bright orange when ready. Sweet skin and tart flesh. 1-2 seeds in each fruit.
Meiwa – Larger round orange fruits. Sweet skin and flesh. A hybrid of Nagami and Marumi varieties.
Marumi – Round fruits that are quite sour or tart. Mainly used for preserving.
Variegated Kumquat – Stand out ornamental variegated leaves and fruit. Variegation disappears on fruit usually once ripe. Also known as Calamondin or Calamansi.
TOP TIPS TO GROW KUMQUAT
Choose a sunny location
Mulcharound the base (avoid touching the trunk)
Free-draining, slightly acidic soil
When to PlantKumquat
Ideally, plant your trees in Spring or Autumn. If you are growing in containers, protect new plants from extreme heat or cold.
How to GrowKumquat
Choose a sunny location with 6-8 hours of sunlight.
Dig a hole twice as big as the pot and loosen the roots if they are tightly bound.
Free-draining soil with compost.
Mulch to regulate temperatures and reduce weeds.
Give it a deep water.
Care/ Maintenance
Feeding
Feed with compost or liquid fertilisers in late winter after fruiting.
Watering
Deep water especially in summer.
Pruning
Prune after fruiting for shape. This can make it denser and bushier. Always check and remove growth below the graft.
The great thing about growing Kumquats is that they can last a long time ripe on the tree. This makes them really beautiful and ornamental and gives you time to preserve the fruit in batches. The fruit is ready when it is rich in colour. It can be a good idea to harvest using scissors or snips as the branches are thin and can rip or break if you pull the fruit off.
Reproducing
Kumquats often have 1-2 seeds inside. These can be grown, but results can vary but why not give it a try! Most citrus are grafted onto rootstock for disease resistance.
Cooking and Using
Kumquats fruit prolifically, so it’s a good idea to have a few recipes on hand. The great thing is that you don’t need to peel them as the skin is edible too!
Kumquats can be made into jams, chutney, marmalade, and relish. They can also be preserved whole in salt or liquor. Dehydrating slices is another easy way to preserve the harvest.
Citrus are a fantastic addition to a home garden because they are hardy, quite forgiving, and easy to use in the kitchen. Here in Perth Citrus grow very well due o our warm sunny climate and sandy soils. Citrus are sun lovers and require at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. They are not a fan of frosts and extremely cold weather. If you do get harsh winters you could try growing citrus in a pot so that you can move it to a warmer location for the winter months. In this guide we will go through all of the steps to growing and taking care of your citrus trees so that you can get delicious and abundant crops of fruit each year.
Types of Citrus
Not all citrus are made equally and each type will have slightly different needs. It is important to look into this when choosing which citrus and also which variety is right for you and your garden.
These guidelines are general in nature and more suited to your classic citrus such as Lemon, Lime, Orange and Grapefruit. Citrus such as native finger limes are a little more delicate and have different feeding and sunlight requirements.
Top Quick Tips
Choose a sunny location
Prepare soil with compost
Loosen roots to ensure it is not root bound when planted
Feed regularly with compost, liquid fertilisers, and mulch
Check for gall wasps in Autumn and winter
Check no shoots are growing from below the graft line!
Mulch and keep weed-free around the base of the citrus
Remove mulch from directly touching the trunk
WATCH the masterclass
Choosing a location
Citrus are sun lovers and require 6+ hours of sunlight per day. Citrus grown in the shade can still fruit but will be less productive and more susceptible to fungus and disease.
However, here in Perth, dappled summer shade in the afternoon could work well to help protect the trees from our harsh summer sun.
Protection from the wind is also desired so that flowers don’t get blown off before they have had time to set as fruit.
Consider the size of the tree for the location you have chosen. Most varieties of citrus are available as dwarfing which means they will grow to a maximum height of 2m. This can be a good idea for small urban blocks.
Soil
Citrus like free-draining soil and don’t like having waterlogged or boggy roots. This can quickly lead to root rot. They also prefer soil that is neutral in pH.
To prepare your soil dig a hole that is twice the size of the pot your tree has come in. You may want to add compost and composted manures (chicken, horse) to amend your soil. Make sure you mix in the soil amendments with your natural soil so that it isn’t a dramatic transition.
For sandy soils: add in some compost and mix it through the sandy soil so that it is free draining but now has a little extra nutrition.
For Clay soils: Add in compost and sandy soil to help create a more free-draining patch. It would also be beneficial to mound the soil up so any excess water drains away from the dree to help reduce clay-bogged soil.
Note: do not put any fertilizer in the hole as this will burn the roots.
When to plant Citrus Trees?
The ideal time to plant out your new citrus tree is in Spring after any chances of frosts and passed. This will give the tree time to get situated before summer. Avoid planting citrus (or any trees) during the peaks of summer. It is already stressful enough for the plant without adding in extreme temperatures. If you buy or receive a citrus tree during summer, keep it in a pot and ensure it doesn’t dry out, or plant it in a larger pot and keep it somewhere protected from summer sun until Autumn when it is safer to plant out.
How to plant out your potted plant?
Firstly make sure you water your plant well – place a tray underneath for it to absorb the water.
Have your hole prepared (twice as big as the pot).
Carefully squeeze the sides of the pots and start to pull the tree out by holding the stem at the base.
Gently loosen the soil around the sides to allow the roots to spread out once it is planted. If your plant is root bound and all the roots are tightly wrapped in the shape of the original pot, you will need to tear away some of the roots to break it free from it’s confined shape. Use the hose to blast away some of the soil and this can also help free up the roots. If you do not break up the roots around the side the plant will remain tightly bound and will not be able to expand and grow.
We the soil with a hose and place the plant in the hole and push the soil back around it. Compact the soil down by gently using your foot.
It can be a good idea to stake your tree for extra support so that it grows straight and doesn’t snap in any strong winds.
Give the tree good water.
Mulch around the base. Wet cardboard can help keep weeds away and then add mulch on top. Mulch out as far as the leaves spread on the tree. Pull back the mulch from about an inch away from the trunk so that it doesn’t rot.
Give your tree consistent water but always check first to see if the soil is moist so as to not overwater it.
It is generally advised to remove fruit for the first 3 years so that the tree can establish strong roots and branches. You will often find the tree will naturally drop fruit itself in the first few years.
Feeding
Mulch around citrus, especially below the canopy line. Citrus have shallow feeder roots so they can dry out, overheat or get too cold if their roots are exposed.
Citrus are quite heavy feeders but young trees in the first year won’t need much if any fertiliser. Use compost, compost teas, worm teas, chicken manure or bedding, and slow-release citrus fertilisers. You can feed citrus every 6 weeks from August to February.
Citrus are very good at telling you what nutrients they are missing by the colour of their leaves. Yellow tips, veiny patterns, brown patches, or yellow leaves that drop off. Sometimes it may just be that the pH of the soil is not right or the soil temperatures are too low for the plant to absorb nutrients. This is why our trees often look a little sad after winter.
May deficiencies can look similar to a balanced NPK fertiliser or regular feeds of compost teas and natural liquid fertilisers can help reduce the chances of deficiencies.
Some of the common issues are:
Lack of Nitrogen – Leaves turning yellow and dropping off. Often caused by excess rain or not enough nutrients being added. Sheep pellets, composted animal manure, garden compost and lawn clippings can help.
Lack of Magnesium: Leaves start to look yellow in patches, tie-dye effect but the base or centre of the leaf remains the greenest. This appears mainly in older leaves. To add magnesium to your plant apply a feed of Epson salts. These can be purchased from the plant store and will have the directions and amounts listed. Usually, 1-2 tsp dissolved in hot water then added to 1L of water per tree. This can also be sprayed on the leaves for a quicker effect but do not do this before a hot sunny day.
Lack of Potassium: Potassium or potash is what helps our flowers and fruits form. Banana peels, wood ash (white part used sparingly) or potassium sulphate.
Heavy rain and temperatures can also affect how nutrients are absorbed so don’t stress too much, often these correct themselves as rain eases or temperatures rise again. balanced regular feeding of compost and increasing diversity helps.
Watering
Citrus like regular and consistent watering. 1-2 times a week in warmer months. It is important that citrus get plenty of water when starting to form fruit. Drip irrigation, weeper hose or other slow-release watering can help to allow water to soak in. Mulching will help retain moisture and temperature around the plants.
Pests and diseases
Citrus are quite hardy and as long as we keep up the nutrition and they have enough sunlight they can usually shake off most pests.
A few to look out for are:
Gall Wasps: These lay eggs in the branches of your tree and swell to look like little lumps. Often we don’t notice them until late summer and autumn. It is important that we remove these during winter before the eggs hatch. You can tell if they have hatched because they leave little exit holes in the lump. The lumps should be removed and ideally burnt. If not secure them in a bag and tie them tight so if they hatch they cannot escape. leave it in the sun for 4 weeks if possible to kill off the larvae. DO NOT put in the compost. If wasps are allowed to hatch they will start to infect your neighbours trees and then you will have more and more issues each year as the surrounding trees get left unchecked. Be aware that removing a lot of branches will affect the following year’s production.
Avoid excess fertilizer in spring or late winter can cause big flushes of new growth. This is what they love to lay eggs in.
Citrus leaf miner: This moth lays eggs and the larvae leave silvery wiggle marks on the leaves similar to a snail trail. Remove affected leaves, especially on young growth. dispose of in a similar way to the above.
Aphids: Aphids will attack new growth, especially in the warmer months. When possible spray them off with a hose to reduce the population. Eco neem oil or dishwashing liquid and water can be applied to the new growth if the infestation is bad or reoccurring.
Sooty Mould: This is a black mould that looks a bit like the plant has been burnt. Sooty mould doesn’t really affect the plant but it is a clear indicator that something else is going on. Usually, this means your tree is being attacked by aphids or spider mites. Once you clear up this issue the sooty mould will dry up and fall off.
Encourage beneficial insects by increasing diversity and flowers to the garden.
Pruning
The great thing about citrus is they don’t require any special pruning. You can prune your trees to shape or keep them at a manageable height. The best time is late winter to early spring once the tree has finished fruiting. Use sharp, clean cutting tools and don’t cut more than 20%. You do not want to do an overall “hedge” prune as this will affect the next season’s harvest. Select specific branches that need to be cut back for height or shape.
Grafted fruit trees are when a delicious variety is attached to the roots of a vigorous growing variety. Most citrus will be grafted.
Keep an eye on the graft line and always remove shoots or suckers that appear below the graft. The graft line is usually easy to see as it will have a different texture and often a different width. This is most important in the first few years of planting the tree. You do not what the graft to grow or it can overtake your tree and kill off the actually selected variety.
How to tell if the rootstock is taken over?
Citrus rootstock often has very sharp spikes. The leaves will be a different shape too. They are usually bush lemons and will produce no fruit or small dry tasteless lemons. Always check below the graft line to ensure all rootstock shoots are removed.
Harvesting
Use sharp secateurs to harvest your fruit rather than ripping off the tree and causing damage to branches. The best way to tell f citrus is ripe is to try one and see. Fruit often take 9-12 months to ripen. Fruit can be left on the tree so that you can eat them fresh as needed. Until they start to fall or you are getting excess rain. Large downpours of rain can cause citrus to burst open and split.
Welcome to my garden in July. It is the middle of winter here in Perth, Australia and although the temperatures have been quite mild, we have been getting a whole lot of rain! Today we take a look around my sustainable permaculture garden to see what we can find to harvest! I will also go through what I am going to make or preserve with what I pick.
It has been non-stop raining for two weeks with more rain forecast. Two days of fine weather finally arrived and I managed to get out and see what was ready. Heavy rains can cause some issues when your fruit and veggies are starting to ripen. Extra water can cause them to split open and then bugs can get in and I want to make sure I harvest as much as I can.
Citrus are ripening over winter and I have quite a few young trees. Citrus grow really well here in Perth, as they can handle our hot dry summers. Citrus trees are also a little more pest resilient than many other fruit trees. So, I have quite a few varieties – Lemon, Blood Orange, Lemonade, Lime, Finger Lime, Kumquat, and Mandarin.
Click to Watch my July Harvest
Sustainable Permaculture Garden Harvest
Just for fun I decided to weigh out my produce. Listed below is how much I harvested.
Lemons || 2.078kg
Blood Orange || 683g
Arrowroot || 170g
Lemonade || 682g
Broccoli || 93g
Parsley || 477g
Lettuce || 300g
Rainbow Chard || 127g
Purple Sweet Potato || 1.251kg
Hawaiian Sweet Potato || 667g
Fennel || 506g
TOTAL: 6.578kg
Harvest Gallery
Most of my Citrus trees are still young and this is the first harvest of fruit. What I love about fruit trees, is that they continue to grow more and more fruit each year. Fruit trees are powerhouses in abundance and such a valuable food source for any sustainable permaculture garden.
Join me on YouTube for new gardening videos every week – Click to subscribe
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my page so I can continue to provide you with free content!
