Too Many Lemons
I have a Meyer lemon tree. It's the most prolific I've ever seen, with beautiful juicy fruit. It's 10 years old now, and I keep it hard-pruned to no more than a metre tall and about the same width. But every winter (right now, here in Oz), it produces probably 100+ fruit. You can't see green leaves for the yellow fruit.
I make copious amounts of Indian lemon pickles, freeze the juice in ice-cube trays for future use in stews, curries and soups, make preserved lemons (how on earth do I use those?) I've made lemon cakes and biscuits (although I don't have a sweet tooth at all and live alone, so those are never finished.) I eat fish maybe once a week, so the fillets get a good spray.
I could make marmalade, but can't stand eating it. I try to give fruit to my neighbours, but now when they see me approach with bags, they draw the blinds and don't answer the door. (A bit like summer zucchini season, but that's another story...) I suppose I could approach strangers in the street, but that'd probably get me arrested.
So, have I exhausted my options, or do any of you clever cooks here have other options?
I'd be eternally grateful...
Comments (22)
- 9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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Comments (6)Debra, Your Meyer is seriously underfed; and with that size tree and that condition I would take off at least half the fruit. When the fruit is greener than the leaves, you know you have fertility problems. Also, a young Meyer (under 4 years) will NOT thin itself; it will keep too many fruits and "forget" to grow. If you leave all those fruits, next year it will have an equal number; and the next year the same; and in 5 years it will still be producing the same number and the tree will still be the same size. Once your tree gets older, say 4-5 years, it will do a pretty good job of self thinning. The next issue is that your tree appears to be staked; that is a recipe for disaster. Try lowering the ties 3 inches every 2 months until you can remove them completely. Citrus do not need support; staking only prevents the trunk from thickening naturally....See MoreMeyer lemons - how many is too many?
Comments (37)I have had a Meyer lemon for about two years- I’m guessing it was 2-3 years when I got it. It is grafted into an unknown rootstock. I bought it from my tree guy at the farmers market. Right now it is very healthy. It is about five foot tall and has about 40 grape sized lemons on it. It is still trying to bloom again and has a few babies as well. It dropped at least half of its baby fruits on its own. It is in a large terra-cotta pot. My question is this.... if I don’t want my tree to grow any more, should I forego thinning and just let all of the lemons mature? Does a tree drop larger than grape sized fruit? It is outdoors and gets lots of sun here in 7b. Also- I seem to have some tiny white flies in the dirt around the base and some spiders spinning webs to catch some random bugs that are on it. I’m not a huge fan of insecticidal soap. Any other suggestions for me. My first two summers with this tree were disappointing. One year I had about 5 good sized lemons and huge storm blew the tree over and knocked odd most of them, and last year I ended up with one lemon that refused to ripped for a year. It was not tasty....See MoreToo many pantries? Too many narrow spaces?
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- 9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago1) Prune your lemons back. When they're forming into small green buds, just break off all but one or two per cluster. You'll get fewer but bigger Meyers.
2) Admittedly this will make Meyers fruit even more vigorously, but are you sure you're feeding your Meyer appropriately? It looks very chlorotic in the photo.
Only the young growth on a Meyer is light green. The new growth is red-tinged, it opens a true spring green, then darkens into deep green. In full flush mine often look chlorotic as so much energy is going into fruiting, so your photo could just be a 'portrait in season'.
But mine look like this in mid-season. Any lighter, and they get an immediate dosage of liquid iron:
I don't know where you live, but in our area, Meyers are A Big Thing. Many restaurant chefs are happy to take as many bags as a homeowner can spare. Even one of the local pasta companies wants them, as they make a fresh lemon linguine that's a very popular item.
shaxhome (Frog Rock, Australia 9b) thanked jakkom- 9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoshaxhome (Frog Rock, Australia 9b) thanked writersblock (9b/10a)
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9 years agoshaxhome (Frog Rock, Australia 9b) thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10- 9 years ago
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