I have four lemon trees, all in pots. They are improved Meyer lemons and I can tell you that you will never want to buy a grocery store lemon ever again once you have tasted the Meyer. Thin skinned and wonderfully fragrant, no bitterness.
They spend the frost free months against the house on a south facing wall. They are watered separately from other plants in the garden using a battery powered timer and drip irrigation. During our long absences, this terrible summer, this watering system did the job of keeping the plants healthy.
I have to go to some lengths to maintain the trees because they must find a place sheltered from frost over the winter. At one time, I would keep them in the house and enjoy their fragrant winter blooms, but when travel takes us away during winter months they have to find a home in the potting shed, greenhouse or garage. The lemon tree in the foreground was left out two winters ago and when the temperatures dropped into the low teens I was sure it was lost. However, when spring arrived the tree started to grow new leaves. It did not bear fruit that year but this year the lemon count is 27. This convinced me that I must protect during the winter. The trees will be too set back to produce if I leave them outside.
The prize for the most lemons goes to the tree at the back; total count 38. The total count for all four trees is 106. Hm!! let me see what shall I do with them...........
Great how you count lemons! But with a few treasured trees and the care you take, that makes sense. Your method seems like the best way to grow them there!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you've got a great plan. I see nice holiday presents in fruit baskets. If any remain, I'd freeze the juice:) Your first pic is really lovely. There's nothing like a fresh lemon off your tree. We have the same issues here with our lemons. These plants are best placed in pots to protect from the extreme freezes.
ReplyDeleteThe Meyer lemon is incredible! My father has grown them for years and I always get some in November/December when I visit. It makes the most delicious lemon pie--yum. We squeeze it and make lemonade year-round. I'm impressed that you grow them here in Austin. I guess I've never tried because I have a source for them. Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteIf I ever move into a house with lots of south-facing windows I'm getting one of these for sure. Citrus trees are top of my list for things I'd love to grow.
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice lot of lemons! What a beautiful first picture, as well.
ReplyDelete30 Lemons? On one little tree!? 106 total! Wow...I am impressed. And jealous...
ReplyDeleteI meant 38...I mean 30 would be great, but 38 even better!
ReplyDeleteDon't you love them??? I have two at home as well. They are the best. I put them on everything- salad, fish, water, tea, I THINK of things to make to use them when they are ripe. They do not compare to the grocery. Not even for a second. How fun you have so many!!!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to try one of those. I have no place with decent lighting for the winter though.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great harvest you've had from them! Impressive!
Beautiful lemons and so many. I'll have to try growing them here now that I have a place for plants in the winter.
ReplyDeleteAmazing that you can get that many lemons from potted trees! I've wanted to do what you're doing but can't face the hauling in and out in winter and can't figure out how to shelter them if we don't. Please post what you decide to do.
ReplyDeleteAlan and Sue- They don't do much during the winter so light doesn't seem to be important. They get very little in the potting shed. I would give one a try.
ReplyDeleteKathleen- They all went inside the potting shed yesterday. No heating but doesn't freeze in there. I helped D get them onto the dolly to move them in.
What is your secret to getting your little lemon trees to produce considerably more fruit than my aged, but considerably larger potted tree, has produced in its life? Perhaps its because yours are Meyers whereas mine is a Eureka (we bought the Eureka because we were told it was a prolific, all-year round bearer.
ReplyDeleteDesiree- It is so nice of you to drop by and visit my garden. I just told my husband. We HAVE to go to S Africa sometime in the not too distant future. We have friends who visited gardens there and their photos were magnificent. I re potted my lemons this year and they really benefited. I think I read somewhere that they should be root pruned every so often. The one in the very large pot we lifted up and put new soil in the bottom and around the outsides. It had 'eaten' a lot of the soil and was about 8" down from the pot rim. I will look to see if I can find the article about root pruning lemons in pots. Also Meyers are good for pot culture. Check out and see if you can find one. They really are worth having.
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