How to grow a lemon tree on Long Island

My daughter recently brought a lemon tree back from Florida. It is on my kitchen counter getting plenty of sun and also has a few buds. I plan to put it into a larger pot and out on my deck once the weather warms up. Is there anything I should do while we wait for spring to arrive? --Joan Hannigan, Bellport

We usually associate citrus trees with Florida or California, but they certainly can be grown in New York, and even produce fruit, as long as they're brought indoors over the winter and treated right all year long. Your lemon tree will thrive outdoors over the summer, when it will get the sunlight it craves, but until then, it will require a bit of special care.

While it's not a requirement, planting your potted citrus tree in straight compost will give it a nutrient-rich boost. Over the winter, keep it only slightly moist and place it in the sunniest spot in the house, away from cold drafts. Also keep it away from forced-air heating ducts and radiators, as a cooler room is preferable to a warm one, and 50 percent humidity is ideal.

When you notice growth beginning in spring, step up the watering, but be careful not to overdo it. Begin fertilizing now with a product specially formulated for citrus trees and continue applications once a week through September.

Around Memorial Day, place the tree outside in a shady spot for about a week and then gradually move it to a sunny but protected spot.

Reverse the process in September, moving the plant to a shady spot for a week to acclimate it to lower light levels before bringing it back indoors for the winter.

I'm thinking about my beautiful garden and how it was destroyed by rabbits last year. The rabbits ate the daylilies and hostas just as the new buds pushed through the ground. How can I deter these garden pests? -- Dawn Riggio, Franklin Square

The most effective means of rabbit-proofing a garden is a chicken-wire barrier. While this lends itself appropriately to a vegetable garden, somehow I think you'll agree it would detract from the look you're going after with your flower beds.

So you probably should consider a repellent. While you can't expect 100 percent effectiveness, some of the best repellents are other plants. Try planting chives, marigolds or catnip around your daylilies and hostas. Rabbits are repelled by their scent.

Some gardeners have reported success after sprinkling cayenne pepper or dried blood meal around plants, but if you try this, you'll have to reapply it after every rainfall.

There also is a variety of repellents available for sale, such as the strongly garlic-scented Deer and Rabbit repellent made by Plant Pro-Tec (plantprotec.com). It promises to chase away rabbits for six to eight months, and it's made from organic food-grade ingredients.

Finally, if your property is fenced in, inspect for any gaps under panels and seal them up with soil, stones or pavers.

We have two mature cherry trees that develop a good number of cherries every year. However, just when we think they will be ripe in a week or so, they rot and fall off the tree. Any thoughts on what we can do about this? -- Pat and Jay Walsh, Greenlawn

It's not uncommon for all kinds of fruit trees to produce an abundance of fruit and then drop its excess while still green.

But since yours are beginning to ripen and then rotting, it sounds like your trees might be afflicted with brown rot, a fungal disease that can affect leaves and blossoms as well as fruit. Oftentimes, the infection isn't apparent until the fruit begins to ripen, as you've reported. And since this is just about when you're eagerly planning your pie-baking schedule, this can be a big letdown, to say the least.

To prevent a recurrence, rake thoroughly under the tree and prune out any dead or diseased-looking branches now. Also, remove any mummified or shriveled fruit still hanging on from last year, as the disease can survive the winter in affected plant parts. Discard all the refuse in the trash, and continue to remove any diseased twigs as you notice them throughout the growing season.

Don't apply any nitrogen fertilizer to the soil around the tree, as studies have shown that too much nitrogen can increase susceptibility to brown rot. Likewise, be aware of this if the tree is planted in or near a lawn that receives nitrogen applications.

If the problem is severe, you can apply a fungicide as long as you use a product labeled as safe for use on "fruiting cherries" as opposed to one indicated for "ornamental cherries," "flowering cherries" or simply for "cherries." Follow label directions, which typically will recommend three applications before, during and just after the blossom phase.