The sour taste of lemon adds flavor to sauces, salad dressings, baked goods, drinks, and other desserts. These citrus trees are usually grown in tropical and subtropical countries, contributing significantly to their agriculture industry. But, how much money do lemon farmers make? Read on as we will explore more!
How Much Money Do Lemon Farmers Make?
They can earn around $1,200 – $1,500 per acre revenue per year after five years of planting because lemon trees only start to give fruits after five years. However, this income can be quickly increased per acre if these farmers adopt more modern, sustainable farming practices and use better marketing communication tools.
How To Make Your Lemon Farms More Profitable?
Apply the most suitable cultivation methods
Knowing how to grow lemons will ensure fruitful trees. Lemons can be grown in many soil types, but those with drainage are the most suitable for its cultivation.
They also grow well in slightly alkaline and acidic soils. The right pH range should be 5.5 – 7. If you can get it at 6.5, that would be ideal.
Fertilizers for lemon trees should be high in nitrogen, and farmers should fertilize them no more than four times a year. Since they’re not in their active growth in the winter months, farmers should not fertilize them during this time of the year.
So, how do you fertilize lemon trees? An easy tip to follow: fertilize them in a circle around the tree, and this circle should be as wide as the tree’s height. If your lemon tree is 3 feet tall, it’s best to apply fertilizer in a 3-foot circle around the tree. If it’s 15 feet tall, apply fertilizer in a circle of 15-foot around it.
Choose a sustainable farming method
Instead of using chemical fertilizers, farmers can switch to organic fertilizers to encourage lemon trees’ healthy growth, which will eventually increase flowering and fruiting. More importantly, this sustainable way of fertilizing also helps to build healthy soil for the long term.
Many organic fertilizers sold on the market contain a perfect combination of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK), providing micronutrients and secondary macronutrients, which are exactly what all citrus trees need for optimum growth.
Lemon trees have shallow roots that grow in the top layers of soil. Therefore, they need mulch to protect these layers from moisture loss. Besides, mulch can help cut down on the time you need to take care of your lemon crops.
Though most mulch types can fight pests, only some can cater to the needs of lemon trees, and they are grass clippings, fallen leaves, and wood chips. You can use around 4-6’’ layers of these natural mulches to prevent weeds while still allowing water to reach the roots.
Use the right marketing messages
Once you’ve taken good care of your lemon trees and applied organic cultivation methods, it’s now important to market them as produce harvested from organic farms. Organic fruits, including lemons, are always richer in taste and aroma because they have lower pesticide residue levels.
These days, customers are more conscientious. They care more about their health and the environment where they’re living. As a result, they do not mind paying more for the organics. Given this, as long as you use the right marketing messages and channels, your lemon fruits can be sold at a higher price.
Last Words
How much money lemon farmers make will largely depend on how they grow these fruits, whether they grow them organically and how well they market them. However, they can earn from $1,200 to $1,500 per acre per year after the 5th year of the tree growth.