Growing your own lemons is a lot easier than you would think. They are less fussy than orange trees, more disease resistant than stone fruit trees and possess the most intoxicating fragrance of blossoms and fruit when they are in season.
The key to growing a lemon tree is in it's location. You want to choose a spot in your yard that receives at least eight hours of sunlight a day. South facing sun is ideal.
Lemon trees, like all citrus trees, like to dry out between heavy, regular but infrequent watering. You do not want the roots to stay wet, which can result in "root rot". They like to be on a routine, so a regular schedule is key to a happy tree.
Lemon trees can be planted in a container or pot or in the ground. If you choose a container, make sure it is only slightly bigger than the pot it is in currently. The idea is to gradually shift your tree up into bigger pots very few years so that the roots have time to adapt.
Fertilize your lemon tree only four times per year, between Valentine's Day and Halloween. It's best not to fertilize your tree during the winter months, when it is growing more slowly.
The size of your semi-dwarf lemon tree depends upon it's root structure. A tree kept in a container will not grow as tall as a tree planted in the ground. A semi-dwarf Meyer can grow to be as tall as 16 feet when planted in the ground.
In the Spring, when it's time to prune your tree, prune the lower branches and suckers, which grow below the graft line of the tree. A lemon tree can be shaped into a topiary style with a proper pruning technique.