Once I set eyes on the lemon tree in Ysolda's (a knitwear designer) flat I knew it was a plant I wanted to try growing in my own home. I previously thought they were something that would only grow in warmer climates but became suspicious when I spied loads of them in plant boxes in the serene back garden of the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The Meyer Lemon is native to China and thought to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. The skin is a little thinner than a regular lemon so zesting won't actually yield very much. The thrill for me will be in watching these little oblong green fruits become bright yellow over the course of goodness knows how long. It has become a cheery daily ritual to pour a cup of tea and 'visit' my lemons and as you can see...Deacon is always right there to supervise.
That's amazing - can you grow them inside your house?
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you could grow them inside. To you transfer it to the outside later. It is beautiful but Deacon always steals the spotlight for me:)
ReplyDeleteDoes it get very large? It's so cool--I'd love to have a lemon tree in my house. Will you be able to use the lemons later--in tea perhaps? You'll have to share when they turn yellow!
ReplyDeleteverity, It appears you can! Moving them outside in the warm months is an option but you have to watch they don't get bugs...ugh.
ReplyDeleteBook Psmith, The pot could go outside for the summer but it wouldn't survive in the ground over winter. I'll be sure to give Deacon a cuddle for you!
Danielle, I think I read something about 6' but you can keep it trimmed smaller than that. You absolutely can use the lemons once they're ripe! Watch this space for further progress.
My chocolate peppermint plant got bugs INSIDE the house, so I wouldn't say that that's safe!! I had to throw it away.
ReplyDeleteYour lemon tree is lovely, and must be such a cheerful thing to watch each day. I had two little apple trees I was growing from seeds, but I got a potted geranium for Easter and it brought something evil in with it. Poor little trees were gone in a week.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I love fruit trees. I had no idea we had lemon trees in our garden here at the V&A - obviously my powers of observation are somewhat lacking! I hope you get lots of lovely lemons to make lemonade...yum! You could set up a stall!
ReplyDeleteverity, How disappointing! A little dish soap mixed with water in a spray bottle will sometimes do the trick.
ReplyDeletemakedoandread, I remember you planting those apple seeds, what a shame.
booksnob, Absolutely! Would a lemon drizzle cake as well be over doing things?
Oooh, lemonade (preferably pink!) and lemon drizzle cake, not to mention tea with lemon...
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