The lemons are coming, the lemons are coming

Hurray! The new crop has finally started on our Meyers, although if we don’t get some more rain soon, it’ll be a short season. Hopefully we’ll get some more rain in January to keep things going, but those early winter rains really helped bring the crop along.

I don’t thin the multiple sprouts so some of them are small, but all of them are ripe despite the color (color change depends on temps, and as we get close to frost levels the fruit ripens even though they don’t turn completely yellow).

This is about seven gallons’ worth from all three trees, with lots more to come.

i have one tree that is also full of fruit, hopefully will not lose in the cold temps.

Is the same true of oranges? We moved into our home 18 months ago and for the first time have a "crop" of oranges on our tree. I'm not sure when to pick them off. Most are all orange on the rind except for a little green on the very bottom.

When can we pick them?

TY! Congrats on your Meyers! I'm envious :)

Wow, I did not think citrus grew that far north. Are you near the water (having more temperate weather than further east Oakland)? I have been trying to keep my 'just planted this year' dwarf Meyer lemon from freezing. The tag says good to 32 degrees and we had 19 early mornings at 32 and below in Dec.! Our weather here is probably a little like when we lived in Danville.

We're on the edge of the 'fog belt' - in the Oakland hills, just west of Danville. 7-10 frost days per year only.

lynne, I recall several years ago a post from someone who had several citrus trees that said they can hang on the tree for months before getting ripe. With the Meyers, I use the 'tug and twist' test. Color does not make as much difference as one would think. Fruit that is ready to pick comes off quite easily.

Beautiful ! My Meyers are young, so we are just getting a few. What do you do with all those lemons??

I juice and freeze a lot of them. Usually put some peel in so it adds the lemon oil in. I use small containers, about 1/2 cup.

Fresh lemonade is always good. Honey-lemon tea when we catch a cold/sore throat. Preserved lemons are nice but high in salt so I've only made them a couple of times. We love chicken piccata and chicken thighs baked with garlic and lemon.

My DH insists on Meyers for vinaigrette dressing, says he likes it even better than balsamic.

I agree, so good on a salad! My girls like to slice them and take them in their lunch, so I suppose we could never have "too many".

Many restaurants here also include thin slices of Meyers in the batter when doing a fritto misto - especially good with shrimp and/or calamari rings.