Here's an update on my tree further to an earlier thread: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=10447 I thought I'd better start a new thread as this is slightly off topic. My tree has now been in the ground for about three months, and the fruit are forming nicely. As it's just a small (2 foot) tree, I thinned the lemons to about 30. They are starting to grow nicely in the warm summer weather we've experienced of late, and the largest are about 3 inches in diameter. Here is a picture:
leapfrog, I am interested in how you make out over the first winter. I have one (potted) and keep it in the greenhouse over the winter. I would put it in the ground but, I just don't have the right spot available just now. Also, I think I would need a good raincover with the Tofino rainfall. Please keep us posted.
leapfrog, i was wondering how long it took your lemon tree to produce lemons. mine are 1 year old and have not produced any. i was wondering if this was normal, or there is something i should be doing that im not. the trees' are in pots and are about 3 and 5 feet tall. thank you
leapfrog's tree is likely grafted or is a rooted cutting from mature wood. Your trees (described in the thread lemon tree | UBC Botanical Garden Forums) are seed-grown and therefore has a juvenility period, typically 2-3 years under ideal conditions.
thank you for the info. i was amazed that i could start it from a lemon seed. now that i did, i was wishing it would produce lemons.
I take it your lemon trees are now only one year old. If this is true, it will be a lot longer then 2 - 3 years before your tree begins to fruit. - Millet
Hi, Millet. I noticed you had written 10-15 years in the other thread but thought it may have been a typo. In your experience, do you not find that lemons have a much shorter maturation period?
Here is a good thread from the University of New Mexico about growing Lemon from seed. http://cahe.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/2000/040800.html - Millet
The article states: Is this true? Would the mature tree then impart maturity to the grafted seedling. I didn't think that would be the case.
No, a mature tree will NOT impart maturity to immature budwood. To get blossoms/fruit quickly, the budwood that is grafted onto a rootstock must be taken from a MATURE tree. - Millet
Thanks for the confirmation, Millet. Would it be correct to go further to say maturity cannot be imparted to immature wood under ANY circumstance?
Thanks all of you for your interest. First a correction. In my original note I said that the largest fruit are currently 3" in diameter. I meant to say 3" in circumference (i.e. about an inch in diameter). Brian: In reponse to your comment above, I will keep you posted. I'm not too concerned about rainfall for two reasons. As you know, Tofino gets a lot more rain than we do here in the rainshadow of the Olympics. Also, my tree is up against the house, under the eaves. LPN: That may well be, and we might get a cold winter. But I remain optimistic. As mentioned in the earlier thread, it hasn't gone below -4 C over either of the past two winters in this part of Oak Bay. In addition, the tree is in a sheltered spot up against the house with a south western exposure. I have ordered a portable plant house as additional protection, and will string Xmas lights inside the plant house if it gets below about minus 2 Celsius. I don't have a lot of experience with this kind of thing, but I intend to do my best. jimhill2: Junglekeeper is correct, mine is from a nursery. I bought it from the local Sears Garden Centre this spring. It's grown by Monrovia of Azusa California, and it was covered in blossoms when I bought it. I''ll keep you posted.
leapfrog, I was not aware that citrus was available at Sears. It would never have occurred to me to look there. Did they have anything other than Meyer lemons? Is there much leafy growth on your tree? There has been very little on mine, unlike the other lemon varieties that I have. Also, apologies for taking the thread OT with the discussion on citrus juvenility.
Junglekeeper, the only way that I know to impart maturity to immature wood, is growth and time. It is only when the tree has produced the required node count does the tree become mature. Junglekeeper, you really have come a long way in a short time. How many trees do you presently have? I always enjoy your thrreads. Take care. - Millet
Meyer lemons are the best citrus for growing outside in the Pacific Northwest. The caveat is: they must be planted in a protected area in a full sun location under the eave with well draining soil and be able to be covered, and use full size Christmas lights (or something similar) for warmth during our colder weather. (what I don't know is which rootstock selection will give the lemons the best chance of survival outside ??) Many times we have No idea what we are buying from a nursery or big box store. Recently (this past January) I bought 3 Meyer lemons from H.D.. I now believe they may not be Meyers at all - as the new growth is kind of bronze in colour, which is more typical of a Eureka Lemon. Eureka lemons will have a very short life if planted outside here. All thoughts are appreciated. Greg
Hi Greg, I just answered your E-Mail earlier this evening. Many Meyer Lemons are grafted onto Flying Dragon rootstock. Flying Dragon rootstock, will impart some additional cold hardiness and also some dwarfing. - Millet
I now have 10 different varieties, not counting seedlings, small cuttings, and seed-grown trees. My jungle has become much denser! I also bought one of those trees from Home Depot. The one I have has the foliage and the fruit fitting a Meyer. However another person who saw these trees thought some of them may have been Ponderosa because of the shape and size of the fruit. (I was not with this person and did not see them for myself.) Also, the grower confirmed that these are rooted cuttings.
When I was there in April they had half a dozen "Improved Meyer Lemons" and as I recall one larger and less hardy grapefruit tree. There is lots of leafy growth on the tree. While it might turn out to be a different variety, it had characteristic mauve/white blossoms, and the new leafy growth was a kind of reddish, purpley green colour. Here is a picture of the tree from the end of May when it was in full bloom and the new leaves were fairly well established:
This is encouraging, Gregn, as my growing conditions meet all of these requirements. In addition, I'm 50 yards from the Pacific ocean at sea level, so the moderating effect of the Pacific is particularly pronounced. I would think a key drawback is not so much the minimum temperature are the relatively low heat index. While it's in a sunny spot which regularly sees late spring, summer and early fall daily highs in the low 70's F and above, so far I've only had 6 days this year where the temperature in the vicinity of the tree has gone above 30 C (86 F). We might reasonably expect 3 or 4 more such days in August, but that puts the lemon tree in AHS Heat Zone 3, whereas Zone 8 to 9 (i.e. in excess of 90 days per year over 30 C) is recommended. I'm assuming this means a longer time to maturity for the fruit. Might that mean that the fruit will stay on the tree over winter and ripen next spring? Or perhaps never fully ripen at all? As far as whether or not it's a Meyer, please refer to my previous note. However, I can add that the Monrovia nurseries, from whence this tree came, are in my experience quite reliable.
Yes, those little bronze leaves look the same as what i had this spring. The Meyer lemon I bought from Monrovia of california last year is just now putting out new leaves and they are all green. http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/PlantThumbs?SearchView&Query=lemons&count=10 If you click on "foliage" it describes what it looks like in the various stages. Any thoughts? Greg IF you search "citrus" you will find what is available at Monrovia. There are quite a few garden centres in the Lower Mainland that deal with monrovia and they may bring in some special requests...
Meyer lemons do not need heat to ripen nor do Oro Blanco grapefruit and most other acidic citrus. That's why these are suitable to be grown inside in areas less favourable than our locales. I found this chart informative, however, the low minimum temperature numbers are very conservative (for the plant itself not the fruit) The following Information is from Four Winds Growers of California. Once acclimatised and on a mature plant perhaps 5 years old in some cases they should withstand much lower temperatures ( I have heard of Owari Satsumas surviving temps in the mid teens and lower F. ) Monrovia rates their meyer lemon down to 20 deg F.... Greg .................................................................................................................... Citrus Variety Information Chart For each variety we sell, the following table lists that variety's suitability for indoor growing; its minimum tolerable temperature for winter; its bloom and fruiting seasons; and its recommended summer heat level to produce good fruit. Lemons, limes, and citrons are most sensitive to frost, while sweet oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and calamondins are intermediate. Kumquats and Owari Mandarin Satsuma are the most frost-tolerant, tolerating temperatures in the low twenties. Trees grown as houseplants or indoor/outdoor plants are not necessarily subject to these zone limitations. See our heat requirements page for more information on ripening. http://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/solver/varietyinfo.html
I noticed this statement while reading the section on Meyer Lemon in The Citrus Industry. This explains the confusion over the appearance of the fruit. I didn't realize it could be so variable.
Thanks for that information Junglekeeper. I too have seen very large Meyer lemons (fruit) on the trees for sale around Vancouver. lemons 2x the size of your typical store varieties. I thought they had been mis labelled.... Also, have you been to the Asian garden centre at the south end of Knight street in Richmond? (just east of the intersection)They have lots of citrus there some outside (some sort of variegated lemon which the proprietor doesn't think is edible...) More in the cold frames outback and yet more in the tropical section. Its too bad they don't know all the varieties they have for sale.They have lots of calimondins for chinese new year. Their prices seem quite reasonable. Greg
Hi, Greg. I know the place you're referring to. The variegated lemons must be 'Variegated Pink', in which case they should be edible. What else could they be? The leaves certainly look like those of lemon.