Many of our partner schools are building lemon tree pergolas. Pergolas are overhead structures that support trees or vines. By contrast, trellises also support trees and vines but are only vertical structures.

Here are three reasons why pergolas are great for lemons:

 

1. Pergolas Support the Weight of Heavy Fruit

Mature lemon trees can have so much fruit that it can be hard for them to support all of it. Branches may get pulled to the ground or even broken off. At maturity, a lemon tree can bear between three and 400 lemons per cycle. In the tropics, some trees have even been known to bear crops three times a year. That’s a lot of fruit!

 

People help to build the Kalani High School Project Lemon Tree pergola | Bizgenics Foundation

2. Pergolas Encourage Growth Patterns for More Fruit

Pergolas also encourage horizontal growth patterns rather than vertical growth patterns. Horizontal growth can yield up to 60% more fruit because horizontal growth produces more flowers than vertical growth. This tends to produce more leaves for photosynthesis, which means that they are making more sugar for the tree to eat.

Each time a tree creates a new set of leaves (called “flushing”) it also creates flowers. The more flowers, the more fruit. This is why lemon pergolas are built everywhere in places like the coastal cities of Italy.

 

People help to build the Thomas Jefferson Elementary Project Lemon Tree pergola | Bizgenics Foundation

3. Pergolas Provide Shade for a Myriad of Uses

For schools, pergolas present a unique opportunity for students to learn design and construction while building an eco-agricultural outdoor classroom. Pergolas are merely skeletons, so they are cheap to build and go up in a hurry.

There are many uses for the areas under pergolas: social areas, grow gardens, aquaponics, and more. We even know of one school that is creating a hanging obstacle course like American Ninja Warrior!

We’d love to hear about your lemon tree pergola successes and ideas! Share them with us in the comments below or send us a message.

steve
Author: steve