Finally!
I did not know lemons had such a long growing season.
Our tree bloomed inside the sunroom in cold late February. It was just covered with blossoms which mostly fell off without setting fruit because there were no bees in the sunroom in February.
Even so, it developed an amazing number of clusters of teeny tiny lemons which grew all summer and fell off the tree one by one until we were down to eight big heavy lemons on a tree not as tall as I am.
All summer and fall they kept growing bigger and bigger but kept their dark green color.
We were puzzled that they weren't turning yellow until we read that they need cold temperatures for the fruit to ripen.
In late November we had a couple weeks of chilly weather and they finally began getting a yellowish blush ... then a bit more yellow ... and finally they were yellow enough to pick.
Almost 10 months from flower to refrigerator!
(Oh, and another surprise for the northern gardener -- lemon trees have nasty thorns.)
Those of us in North America can thank Christopher Columbus for our lemon pie, lemon curd, lemonade, lemon drops, lemon butter for shrimp, Lemon Pledge, and so on because it was he who brought the first lemon seeds to America on the Hispaniola in 1643.
We are having a hard time deciding what we should use our eight special lemons for.
What would you make?
The only places I've seen lemons growing naturally is in countries around the Mediterranean. I had no idea they had thorns. Interesting - and good for you - I'm hopeless at growing anything! My best suggestion for use is to cut them into quarters and, taking each quarter one at a time, gently slice them. Use a very sharp knife, taking care not to allow too much juice to spurt out. Then add some gin to a glass, top up with a little tonic water to taste, and pop one of the slices into the glass...repeat until all lemons have been used.
ReplyDeleteI slice mine up and store them in the freezer. Oranges trees have thorns too.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! I see lemon trees bearing fruit when we visit in CA and in AZ. In fact, people let baskets of them at the roadside for others to take because they have such a big harvest. Meanwhile, I must buy mine at the grocery store! I see lots of lemon bread in your future - bake and freeze for a taste of summer in the middle of winter. You might want a couple of Mike’s gin and tonic with lemons while you’re baking!
ReplyDeleteI think I’d make lemon bars.
ReplyDeleteStrawberry lemonade, yum.
ReplyDeleteThose lemons look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a lemon tree but if people give us 'lemons' and have too many we make lemon ice blocks to put in the water jug with water of course. I believe one can buy ice bags that have little compartments to freeze for your spring and summertime.
Ditto like my Tassie Mate...........lemon ice blocks and fresh lemon juice.
DeleteI am also quite partial to lemon meringue cheese cake. I would walk over ( VERY QUICKLY or
maybe JUMP - yes jump would be best) hot coals to get at this variety of cheese cake!
Just done get in front of me, I trample pretty well. You could advise your Mason that being a
little fellow would not stop me - ha ha.
Amazing that one reader was unaware of the very sharp thorns on a lemon tree???????
Cheers
Colin
It is - "DON'T" get in front of me.
DeletePlease note young Mason.
Colin
I can tell you are happy with the accomplishment of successfully growing lemons. I would be too.
ReplyDeleteOur lemon trees are dripping with ripe lemons - no cold weather here, so I don't know about that. Whatever you do, don't waste the peels. You can add them to your white vinegar for cleaning, zest them to add to pancakes, make marmalade using the whole fruit ...candied peel...then when you've used the juice and peel, 1/2 a lemon dipped in baking soda is great for cleaning the shower. Please tell us what you do!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this blog its very informative and useful for use.
ReplyDeleteหีฟิต
We have a lemon tree in our Aussie garden which is always a delight, when I moved in I was told every house in Melbourne had a G & T tree! Easy peasy to decide what you should make - lemon curd. In our house my husband makes this for some reason and he sees it as his job, and so who am I to argue with this?! Wren x
ReplyDeleteThe lemons are beautiful! You must be so proud! Lemon Meringue pie. That's what I would make! Sure didn't know the trees had thorns.
ReplyDeleteLemon bread and lemon bars! They look worth the wait. :)
ReplyDeletelemonade and a lemon pie and then lemon bars! :) You can pollinate the flowers yourself with a paint brush, but it sounds like your Lemon tree that is very pretty ...did just fine:)
ReplyDeleteOh my. How I love anything made with lemons. Now my Mayo Clinic acid reflux specialist says I must swear off them and anything tomatoey...:(
ReplyDeleteAfter my initial post I had a maddening craven for a lemon meringue cheese cake.
ReplyDeleteSo at high speed to the supermarket and a purchase was made.
Delicious..............bad luck to the Boroff young boys.........I ATE the lot!
You were too bloody slow - ha ha!
Cheers with my ever widening girt
Colin
That's quite a crop for a young tree.
ReplyDelete