Tips to grow and market your lemons

Judy Mwikali sells her Lemons at Bus Station, Nairobi. [Jenipher Wachie, Standard]

As healthy living continues to grow currency, so is the demand for fruits such as lemons. Lemons are packed with Vitamin C which is key to a strong immune system. Growing lemons can be highly rewarding if done properly. Ideally, you can plant up to 150 trees per acre. Maximum production can be attained after trees produce over four to five times. Each tree can produce over 100kg at peak production. Lucas Munene, a farmer from Kiambu County, says grafted lemon seedlings take two to three years to start fruiting, and a single tree can produce up to 200 to 300 fruits per season by year five. The common lemon varieties include Acid lemons (Lisbon and eureka) and Sweet lemons (Meyer and ponderosa).