Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How Long Does It Take for Lemons to Ripen on a Lemon Tree?
How Long Does It Take for Lemons to Ripen on a Lemon Tree?. Lemon trees, such as the Meyer lemon, bear increasingly more fruit as they mature. The more fruit, the more important it is to ensure that the oval, bright-yellow lemons are ripe and ready for picking.
Lemon trees, such as the Meyer lemon, bear increasingly more fruit as they mature. The more fruit, the more important it is to ensure that the oval, bright-yellow lemons are ripe and ready for picking.
Changing Color
Immature lemons are deep green and gradually change color over a period of several months -- November through April in many growing areas of the United States. Color alone isn't always an indication of ripeness, according to MeyerLemonTree.com, though the fruit is safe to eat once it reaches this stage.
Tree-ripening
The ripening process of lemons stops after picking; prematurely picked fruit won't increase in sugar content or become juicier as time passes. Lemons ripen slowly on the tree, so there's no hurry to harvest the fruit.
Size and Weight
Deep yellow lemons that feel heavy when hefted are generally ready for picking. Commercially grown lemons headed for market usually measure between 2 1/8 to 2 1/2 inches and have a juice content of about 25 percent, according to Purdue University's Center for New Crops and Plant Products. Lemon-tree growers suggest plucking a yellow lemon from the tree for a taste test. If it's too sour, allow others to ripen on the tree a little longer.
