Yellowing Leaves Lemon Tree Indoors

This is a common problem and there are several things that cause yellowing leaves on citrus at this time of year.
1. Lack of light. Plants will drop leaves if they aren’t in enough sun. Citrus want lots of light inside and do best in a south-facing window in direct sun.
2. Over or under watering. Citrus do best with steadily moist soil but not swampy wet. Make sure that when the plant is watered you’re getting the entire root ball wet, but don’t let the pot sit in the saucer of water for more than an hour. You can use an old bath towel to soak up the excess.
3. Lack of nutrients. Citrus should be fed regularly – unlike other houseplants that are given a rest in the winter, citrus can use fertilization 12 months a year. You can buy organic citrus food online and feed according to directions.
4. Mites are common on citrus indoors and can cause leaf yellowing and drop. Wash underside of leaves with a damp, soft cloth regularly to help control citrus mites indoors.
5. These plants are also prone to scale although that doesn’t cause yellowing of leaves – we’re just mentioning it and if your plant gets sticky, scale is probably the cause. Look for tan bumps on stems and leaf veins on top of and underside of leaves.