Hallo,

My Meyer lemon tree is currently growing at an angle (picture below). Would it be safe to stake it and try to straighten it out as much as possible with ties?

Thanks!

sure you can straighten it out more than it is. completely straight i don't think so but defendantly straighter.

If you leave the tree alone, the tree will naturally balance itself out all by itself. The pot size is to small for the trees size. Check the root system, I'm sure the roots must already be circling around the inside of the container. All in all you have a nice looking tree.- Millet (941-)

If you need to re-pot it anyway, why not tilt the root ball in the larger pot to stand it up that way?

I haven't had much luck with the "leave the tree alone and it will balance itself out" approach. I've tried this on several different container trees. If it does "work" to balance out later, it must be much much later like 5+ years. My trees that start out lobsided like the one in the picture tend to stay that way. This is b/c those large branches keep directing most of the nutrients to themselves, rather than to any smaller ones that may exist. You should also not make any pruning cuts on the larger branch, as it will only stimulate more growth.

I assume Millet is saying it might sprout a branch on the other side or the large branch will grow toward that direction and give overall balance to the tree. But I'd have more hope for what is typical considered a water-shoot. I normally dislike water shoots (from the trunk): vigorous growing branches that grow straight up, sprouting either directly from, or between two large limbs coming off, the trunk. But in your case, if any new branches form down low, train them straight up (stake them once they are attached securely but before they harden off) and it should become your new trunk.

i like the idea of tilting during the repoting stage. not perfectly strait but more vertical.

Thanks everybody for your suggestions.

I think i'll try re-potting it at an angle; i'm too impatient to wait for a sideshoot which may or may not appear in order to balance the tree out

As long is green you can train it as you wish