I have an opportunity to get a Meyer lemon and a lime tree which are both 40 to 50 years old. I have never had Citrus trees before so I have some questions. Will they continue to produce as long as they are kept healthy or are these getting close to the end of their productive life? What is the degree of difficulty with older citrus? Any advice would be great. I would hate to kill such established trees. Thanks.
According to the (pdf) thesis Hyperbolic Tangent Yield Function Of Florida Citrus, That's encouraging since I imagine the citrus industry's idea of productive would encompass a much higher yield than that expected by a hobbyist. However the study may not apply to containerized citrus.
Thank you. I think I will take the leap and get them. Everything I have read is encouraging and I hope to be making lemoncello very soon.
Sorry to rain on your parade, but Limoncello from Meyer lemons tastes kind of like chewing on a #2 pencil. Meyers are fanastic lemons for confit, pies, preserves, pickling, and candying, but their rinds lack the strength of flavour and lemon roundness that's necessary for liqueurs. Traditional Limoncello is made using Sorrento/Sta. Teresa or (ideally) Amalfi lemons, which have a very different flavour profile and much thicker skins. However, a 50-year old potted Meyer tree will be rewardingly productive with very little care (relatively). I've got some Bearss and Sorrento lemons in my front yard that are pusing 70 and still fruiting beautifully - not to a commercial scale, but certainly enough to keep me in citrus!
Thanks for the advice on the advice on the limoncello. I'm ok with making lots of other lemon stuff too. So glad to hear that if healthy it'll stay productive.
