lemon tree

I have a 3 year old lemon tree that has 5 ripe lemons (With very thick skins) several small green ;emons and quite a lot of blossom.It is now getting to big to keep transporting into greenhouse for the winter.is it feasable ti keep outside or can I prune it quite hard.Its over 5 ft tall.

I don't have any pruning experience with citrus trees but most fruit trees can be pruned quite hard if they get too large so I would imagine citrus are the same?  

But I do know that you can't keep them outside as they don't like the cold at all even if you wrap them up - I think they can only cope down to about 5 - 10 degrees (bit like me).

lemon trees or orange do not like central heating prefer a conservatory or room with no heating .they need to be fed a winter special food as well as a spring one.If not to big they like to go out in one of those periods called summer when its nice and sunny.do not over water in winter and mist.

Thank you chrissie b and flowering rose,most helpful.

Hello Gardener, what I have done this Saturday? Today we take care all our "babies": about 20 plants form grafting and/or propagation of Citrus hystix (Kaffir lime) and the Citrus aurantiifolia (Key lime). I satisfied with the results. They are now 0.7-1.2 meters in heihgt and produce a good crop of fruit and looks very funny: two different fruits on one tree...(but 2 roots). 5 years ago I practise this method with two kind of mangoes successful. But it's very hot at the moment an have to watered 2 times a day.Best luck and organic greetings, ThaiGer.( have a nice saturday-night...)

 This is my mother in law's lemon tree

I think I saw a gw where Monty said lemon trees dont like to be cut back too much. My mother in law hacks hers back every year and every year it grows to at least the same size, (she empties her swimming pool - the drainage pipe waters her side garden where the tree is so contains chlorine and bleaches etc) and it always looks great. Mind you, she is in one of the hottest regions of Portugal. Maybe that makes a difference.