Winter: 2026
Step-by-step guide: Transplanting a lemon tree
Hello everyone and welcome back to the blog!
I'm thrilled to have you here today. In this post, we’re tackling a step-by-step tutorial on transplanting a young Four Seasons lemon tree (Citrus limon), grown straight from a seed taken from my neighbor's tree.
The Story Behind Our "Special Citrus" Mix
A couple of years ago, I formulated a custom substrate mix specifically designed for palm trees. A neighbor of mine—for whom I did some gardening work—kept the leftover mix and used it to plant lemon seeds. The results were astounding! The seedlings grew thriving and strong, performing significantly better than those planted in pure vermicompost/humus.
Extra Gardening Tip:
Step-by-Step Transplant Process
Pure worm castings are full of nutrients, but when used alone, they tend to compact and hold too much water. Citrus plants require a light, well-aerated medium with superior drainage to prevent root rot (Phytophthora). The palm substrate balanced aeration, moisture retention, and nutrients so well that it became my go-to custom citrus formula ever since!
Substrate Selection and Preparation
Perlite:
Black Topsoil:
Worm Castings (from the compost bin):
River Resaca & Peat Moss:
Extra Nutrient Boost:
In the first photo, you can see the small seedling in its nursery bag next to its new 3-liter pot. Our custom soil blend features:
Enhances drainage and prevents soil compaction.
Provides structure and basic moisture retention.
Delivers rich organic matter and beneficial microbes.
Adds light organic bulk and helps maintain the slightly acidic pH (6.0–6.5) that citrus roots thrive in.
We added a scoop of bone meal, which provides essential phosphorus and calcium to encourage robust root expansion.
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a bucket until completely homogeneous, breaking up any clumps by hand.
Technique:
Placement:
Unpotting and Positioning the Seedling (Note: I couldn't film or snap a photo of the exact moment I unpotted the plant because young root balls can fall apart easily, requiring both hands for safe handling).
Hold the base of the plant gently along with the topsoil, turn the soft nursery container upside down, and apply gentle pressure from the bottom up to slide the root ball out smoothly.
Add a bottom layer of fresh soil to the 3L pot, set the seedling in place, and ensure the root collar sits right at surface level (never bury the main stem too deep).
Technique:
Feeding, Tamping, and Aftercare
Fill the remaining space with substrate and press gently around the base to eliminate air pockets. Water deeply using liquid worm humus (compost tea) to feed the soil microbes and ease transplant shock. Place the newly potted lemon tree in a shaded, protected area (or inside a greenhouse with adequate ventilation if temperatures rise).
What’s next? Here is a video and some photos.
Interactive image viewer: Transplanted lemon tree.
📸 Rooting process log
Lemon plant and pot.
I proceeded to transplant.
We will see how it evolves.
Lemon plant
In a pot
Original
Substratum
For the mixture
In a new pot for a lemon tree
Trimming completed
From the flowerpot
Into a new pot with organic substrate.
Already transplanted
Into a new pot
With added substrate for the root collar.
🍋 Step-by-Step Guide: Transplanting a Four Seasons Lemon Tree Seedling with a Custom Citrus Substrate
Test your knowledge on the repotting guide!
