Another beautiful day in Winthrop. Sunny and clear as far as the eye can see. Apparently, we are not the only ones enjoying the summer weather. Our balcony faces due east and was perfectly toasty this morning. Being so close to the water also brings with it some added humidity as well, perfect conditions if you're a Meyer lemon tree. I bought this beauty a little over a year ago from an online nursery (mostly to satisfy my gardening itch).
Meyer lemon trees (as with most citrus) seem to have three major flushes of growth sometime in Jan-Feb, May-June, and Aug-Sept. At the moment, there are about a dozen medium lime size lemons slooowly ripening. I'm guessing it will be several more months before they are ready for harvesting. Most if not all of these lemons were from flowers that bloomed late last January. For anyone interested in growing citrus, the key to success is in the fertilizer and soil. I made sure to plant my lemon tree in a well-draining potting soil mix and feed it three times a year with a slow-release citrus fertilizer. A little misting in the evenings (especially during the winter time) seems to do wonders as well. As you've probably noticed from the picture above, my lemon tree is leaning to one side, to be expected from the added weigh of the fruits. This will be corrected easily enough when I repot and fertilize it in a couple of months.
Below is a picture of the same tree last summer. Boy, what a difference a year makes!
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