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Yellow leaves are your tree’s way of communicating with you. Sometimes it’s just saying “Hey, it’s cold!” and sometimes it’s calling out “Help, I need something!” The key is knowing the difference and then taking the right action to get your tree back to full health.

Don’t worry – while yellow leaves on lemon trees can be concerning, most causes are completely fixable once you understand what your tree is trying to tell you.

Download our leaf problem identification guide

Have you spotted yellow leaves on your lemon tree and are wondering how to fix them?

Lemons (and other citrus) have some unique characteristics that set them apart from other fruit trees. They’re evergreen (keeping their leaves year-round), they’re heavy feeders, and they’re particularly sensitive to certain soil conditions.

Understanding these quirks is the key to keeping your lemon tree happy and productive.

This post focuses specifically on how to treat yellow leaves on lemon trees. If you’re not sure whether your yellowing is normal or problematic, or whether it’s caused by a nutrient deficiency, start with our fruit tree yellow leaves diagnostic guide.

What makes lemon trees different from other fruit trees?

Before we dive into treatments, it’s important to understand that lemon trees aren’t like deciduous fruit trees.

They don’t naturally drop all their leaves in autumn, so any significant yellowing and leaf drop outside of normal old leaf replacement is worth investigating.

Normal leaf replacement: Lemon trees naturally shed their oldest leaves throughout the year, and these may yellow slightly before dropping. This should only affect a small number of leaves at any one time.
Problem yellowing: When you see multiple yellow leaves, consistent patterns of yellowing (like yellow veins or yellow areas between veins), or sudden widespread yellowing, your tree is asking for help.

The good news? Lemon trees respond quickly to the right treatment, often showing improvement within weeks once you address the underlying issue.

Winter yellowing

In our experience, one of the most common times people worry about yellow leaves on citrus is during winter, which matches what happens in our garden. If you live in a cooler climate like we do, some winter yellowing is completely normal and usually self-corrects when warm weather returns.

The degree of winter yellowing can vary wildly between trees. There are a couple of reasons for this; the first is the rootstock your tree is grown on. Some rootstocks (like Troyer Citrange) are more cold-tolerant, while others (like Trifoliata) prefer warmer climates and will usually turn yellow for a couple of months in the depths of winter.

The other factor that makes a huge difference is your climate. To a certain extent, you can influence this by creating a protective microclimate for your trees, but the minimum temperature over the cooler months is the main influence, and there’s not much you can do about it!

Why this happens: Cool soil temperatures slow down root activity, making it harder for trees to absorb nutrients even when they’re present in the soil. Iron is particularly affected, leading to that distinctive yellowing between leaf veins.

What to look for: Patchy yellowing in various patterns. The leaves may be yellow all over, yellow in patches, and some may have green veins remaining (particularly on new growth), during the cooler months.

The fix: Usually, patience! As the soil warms up in spring, the yellowing often disappears on its own. However, you can help by improving soil health over winter so your tree has better nutrition available when growing conditions improve.

Iron deficiency – the classic lemon tree problem

Iron deficiency (called chlorosis) is one of the most common causes of yellow leaves in lemon trees, and it has a very distinctive appearance that makes it easy to identify.

Recognising iron deficiency

The telltale signs:

Yellowing between leaf veins while veins stay green (called interveinal chlorosis)
Affects the youngest, newest leaves first
In severe cases, leaves can turn almost white
Sometimes creates a mosaic or net-like pattern on leaves.

Why it happens:

High soil pH (above about 7.5) makes iron unavailable even if it’s present
Alkaline irrigation water over time
Poor drainage or waterlogged soil
Cool soil temperatures (common in winter).

Treating iron deficiency

Address the root cause first, which is the fact that your soil is out of balance. Deficiencies showing in the leaves don’t mean the nutrients are not present in the soil! They just may not be available to your tree.

The easiest solution (with all deficiencies) is to improve the overall soil health. Rather than just adding iron, focus on why your tree can’t access the iron that’s already there.

Soil pH management:

Test your soil pH – lemon trees prefer slightly acidic conditions (pH 6.0-6.5)
Regardless of pH, add organic matter like quality compost (preferably home-made) regularly
For alkaline soils, use acidifying mulches like pine needles or composted oak leaves.

Improve drainage:

Ensure water doesn’t sit around roots
If planting in heavy clay, consider mounding the soil or planting in raised beds
Add coarse organic matter to improve soil structure.

Quick relief while soil improves:

Apply chelated iron as a foliar spray in the early morning or evening
Liquid seaweed or fish emulsion foliar feeds are good for the soil and can help feed the diversity of microbes that contribute to
Long-term soil health is the real answer.

Nitrogen deficiency: the mobile nutrient problem

Nitrogen deficiency in lemon trees looks quite different from iron deficiency, and understanding the difference helps you choose the right treatment.

Identifying nitrogen deficiency

What to look for:

General, uniform yellowing of older leaves first
New growth stays green and healthy initially
Yellowing progresses from older to younger leaves over time
May see premature leaf drop
Reduced growth and smaller leaves overall.

Why lemons are especially susceptible:

They’re heavy feeders with high nitrogen requirements
Nitrogen is water-soluble and leaches away easily
Cool weather reduces nitrogen uptake from soil.

Fixing nitrogen deficiency

Our preferred approach is to apply organic nitrogen sources. If you use mulch (which we don’t routinely recommend because fruit trees prefer a living understory), then apply the manure or compost beneath the mulch.

Monitor your trees closely if you apply any source of nitrogen, because more is not necessarily better! Beware of stimulating too much soft new growth, as this can steal energy from the fruit and also attract both insect pests and diseases.

Well-aged chicken manure – apply as a surface dressing around the tree.
Quality compost applied regularly
Diluted liquid fish emulsion or seaweed solution
Compost tea helps to re-innoculate the soil with healthy microbes.

Application timing:

Feed in spring (or whenever you notice new growth beginning in your tree).
Only light feeding when the fruit is developing, so you don’t accidentally divert the tree’s energy to new growth rather than fruit development.
Avoid heavy nitrogen feeding in late autumn in cool climates.

Other nutrient deficiencies in lemon trees

Lemon trees can suffer from several other nutrient deficiencies that cause yellowing, though these are less common than iron and nitrogen issues.

Magnesium deficiency

Symptoms: Interveinal chlorosis similar to that seen in iron deficiency, but yellowing often starts at the leaf edges and tips, leaving a green triangle remaining at the base. Affects older leaves first, as magnesium is a mobile nutrient.

Treatment: You may read elsewhere a recommendation to spray your trees with an Epsom salt solution, however this can be risky, as adding too much magnesium can induce deficiencies in other elements, especially calcium and potassium. It’s safer to stick to our healthy soil recommendations, as these will help the nutrient balance in your soil to self-correct naturally. If your soils are also acidic, you could consider adding some dolomite lime for long term correction.

Zinc deficiency

Symptoms: Small, narrow leaves with yellow mottling between veins, giving a “little leaf” appearance.

Treatment: If you’re following our healthy soil recommendations, you probably won’t need to do anything, but small repeated applications of zinc sulfate will gradually increase zinc levels.

Manganese deficiency

Symptoms: Similar to iron deficiency but with normal-sized leaves and symptoms appearing mainly in winter.

Treatment: Often self-corrects in spring. Foliar trace element sprays can act as a bandaid if symptoms persist, and manganese sulphate broadcast over the soil will help long term.

Water stress is another major cause of yellowing in lemon trees, and getting the watering right is crucial for citrus health.

Overwatering problems

Signs:

Yellow leaves combined with constantly wet soil
Musty smell around tree base
Root rot symptoms (black, mushy roots if you can check).

The fix:

Stop watering immediately and improve drainage
For potted trees, ensure drainage holes aren’t blocked
Add coarse organic matter to heavy soils
Once soil improves, establish proper watering schedule.

Underwatering issues

Signs:

Yellowing when neighbouring plants are green
Dry soil below surface level
Leaves feel crispy or papery
Leaves may curl.

Treatment:

Resume deep, regular watering immediately
Water slowly to ensure deep penetration
Establish a living understory beneath your lemon tree to keep the soil cool and reduce evaporation (noting that this may increase water needs)
Mulch heavily only if this will not adversely affect your living understory
Switch to drippers rather than sprayers
Check irrigation systems for blockages.

Proper watering for lemon trees

The golden rules:

Use an irrigation system if possible, as this will deliver water more reliably than watering by hand
Deep, infrequent watering rather than frequent shallow watering
Water early in the morning to reduce disease risk
Avoid wetting the trunk and main branches
Keep soil consistently moist but never waterlogged.

Other things that can go wrong with citrus leaves

Another common cause for concern in citrus trees is curly leaves.

Citrus leaf curl can be caused by insects, nutritional problems, or irrigation issues. Disease may also be the culprit.

Close up of a small citrus tree with citrus leaf curl where the leaves are tightly curled backwards

Building long-term lemon tree health

The secret to preventing yellow leaves is building resilient, healthy trees through good soil management and cultural practices.

Soil health for citrus

The foundation approach: Healthy soil equals healthy trees. Focus on building soil biology rather than just adding individual nutrients.

Annual soil routine:

Apply good-quality compost around trees at least once a year (or twice if possible). Homemade is always best.
If you have a worm farm, a handful of worm castings will add nutrients and help to repopulate the soil microbes.
Feed your microbes with regular applications of liquid seaweed and fish.
Establish a diverse understory beneath your trees that includes as many different plants as possible! Think colourful flowers, herbs, vegetables, and anything else that takes your fancy.
If you feel like adding mulch, use a woody mulch, and rather than adding as a thick layer, put in piles at different locations so you don’t smother your understory plants.
Test soil pH annually and adjust gradually if needed.
Add compost tea applications during the growing season.

Feeding schedule for lemon trees

Spring (early to mid): Major feeding with compost, aged manure, or complete organic fertiliser.
Late spring: Foliar feed with liquid seaweed or fish emulsion
Summer: Light compost tea applications if needed
Autumn: Light compost application, avoid high nitrogen feeds in cool climates
Winter: Focus on soil health, avoid disturbing tree.

Growing lemon trees in pots

Lemons (and other citrus) are one of the most common potted fruit trees. They suit pots because they are relatively easy to keep small, particularly if you buy a dwarf variety.

Fruit trees in pots are easy to grow with a bit of specialist knowledge. They’re a great solution if you are squeezed for space, have limited mobility, or you’re renting.

Special considerations for potted lemons:

Need more frequent feeding due to limited soil volume
Require excellent drainage but consistent moisture
May need annual repotting or root pruning
More susceptible to nutrient deficiencies

When to worry vs. when to relax

Don’t panic if:

A few old leaves yellow and drop naturally
Some yellowing occurs during winter in cool climates
New growth looks healthy despite some older yellow leaves
Yellowing improves with better watering or nutrition

Take action when:

Many leaves are yellowing simultaneously
New growth is consistently yellow or pale
Yellowing follows distinctive deficiency patterns
Tree looks generally unhealthy or is dropping lots of leaves

Be cautious about:

Trying multiple treatments without a proper diagnosis, especially when adding specific nutrient remedies. It’s very easy to accidentally make the problem worse or create a new problem.

Seek help if:

You’re not sure what’s going on.
Tree shows signs of disease (spots, lesions, dieback)
Yellowing is accompanied by pest problems.

Your lemon tree action plan

Most yellow leaf problems in lemon trees follow a predictable pattern, and learning how to fix yellow leaves on lemon trees effectively means understanding these patterns and responding appropriately:

Identify the type of yellowing using our diagnostic guide if needed.
Address water issues first – these often provide the quickest improvement.
Start building soil health with organic matter. This solves most long-term problems.
Provide targeted nutrition if specific deficiencies are obvious.
Be patient – lemon trees can take a few weeks to show improvement, but they usually respond well to good care.

Remember: Lemon trees are vigorous and forgiving. With the right conditions, they’ll reward you with years of fragrant flowers, beautiful fruit, and healthy green foliage.

The key is understanding that lemon trees aren’t difficult – they just have specific needs. Meet those needs consistently, and yellow leaves become a rare problem rather than a regular worry.

Get our Quick Leaf Problem Identification Guide

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How to treat yellow leaves on your lemon tree

Have you spotted yellow leaves on your lemon tree and are wondering how to fix them?

What makes lemon trees different from other fruit trees?

Winter yellowing