Sanbokan Lemon Indoor Care: Watering Precision for Container Citrus

Gift Tree Crisis

Sherri's 42" Sanbokan lemon (East Texas, 10" pot, 10-13 fruit all dropped, now leaves falling). No visible leaf spots/disease. Indoors by large bay window. Weather fluctuates daily.

Primary Issue: Water Management

"Sounds like not enough water, would cause leaves and all to fall off." Container watering trickier than ground.

Container Watering Principles

• Pots dry outside-in — root ball center stays wet
• Until roots fill new pot: water outside edge primarily
• Occasional full soak to wet entire root zone
• Saucer rule: Empty within 15 minutes or roots rot
• Florida reference: Kathy waters same-size pots daily in sun

Variety Note

Sanbokan (Sanbōkan) = "great lemon, like drinking lemonade with sugar in it." Worth saving.

Environmental Factor

Indoor bay window + Texas weather changes = fluctuating evaporation. Monitor soil moisture daily by finger test, not calendar schedule.