I’m super excited about picking these Meyer Lemons from our very own tree!!!

This past Spring, I was anxious to plant a fruit tree and agonized over what would be the best choice. We decided to go with a Meyer Lemon because they seem to be the hardiest lemon tree for our area. The meyer lemons are a little larger than a typical lemon and they have a little bit more sweetness, although are still plenty tart in my opinion. There were several tiny green lemons when we brought the tree home from the nursery, so it was exciting to see that it already had fruit. I was surprised to see several more grow that Spring! In total, we had 6 lemons to pick this Fall and I was even happier that they were all deliciously ripe and ready to eat! Car knew how to tell if the lemons were ripe and shared this with all of us.  First of all, the lemons have to turn completely yellow, and in the case of the Meyer’s, they might have a tiny bit of orange tint. It definitely should not have any green on it – this means it just isn’t ripe yet. This took a little patience on my part because I kept thinking they were ready to pick, but there would be just a bit of green on the bottom, so we had to wait. Once it’s all yellow, give the lemon a little twist and if it snaps off, it’s ready to pick. If it’s stubborn and wants to stay with the stem on the tree, then it’s just not ready yet. Makes total sense – Mother Nature is amazing!  Car learned all this great info at his Elementary school which has a big garden, including a Meyer Lemon tree. In 2nd grade, the kids picked lemons and made lemonade. It must have been a fun project and learning experience because Car remembered every detail and was able to explain the “ripeness test” – love all that hands on learning and sharing!! 🙂

We are excited with our first crop of lemons and are hoping that we will be picking lemons every Fall for many years to come. The kids want to make Lemonade! I’d like to try making preserved lemons, although I might need a few more for that project.

The tree was really easy to plant and take care of. Like planting any new tree or shrub, digging the hole is the hardest part. Cal dug a hole for me that was twice as big as the tree’s root ball. We added the tree to the hole and filled the hole with the dirt that we had dug out to make the hole. I bought a bag of organic citrus fertilizer to give it a boost after planting and followed the directions on the package. I’ll follow the directions again in the Spring to make sure the tree has a good start for these first few years.

We were quick to cut into one of the lemons and give them a taste test. They were super juicy and made a nice addition to my iced tea. The kids each made their own glass of lemonade. It’s so exciting to see things grow and I love that the kids enjoy gardening too! While we are able to grow a few things, it’s not like we are in a rural setting with gardens and every meal coming straight from the garden, so any opportunity for the kids to see up close and hands on where their food comes from is a great experience for all of us. 🙂