The Lemon Tree
This is a back yard lemon tree in Eugene, Oregon. We are a USDA plant hardiness zone 8b. Our average lowest temperature for the entire winter is 18 F. Of course, that is too cold to grow citrus although my tree would probably survive that un protected, it would certainly be badly damaged. But I do protect the tree when the temp goes below freezing. 30 is ok, even 29 but lower than 29 and I cover the tree. See below.
The lemon tree can be covered in ice with no problem if the air temp doesn't go below 29 or 30.
A typical harvest amounts to literally hundreds of egg sized lemons. Harvest is usually January into February and even later. There are always some lemons on the tree because some are out of phase with the main harvest season. Oddly, those lemons tend to be a lot larger but much fewer in number.
The tree started its life a few miles from here. It was the project of a good friend's father. He and his citrus disproving wife were/are from Long Beach. Phil died five years ago and Jane now lives in a retirement community. Jane told Phil, over 10 years ago, at that time Phil in his mid 80's, he needed to "get that thing outta here." She told him he didn't need to be going out in the cold and maybe ice to cover that tree at his age.
So being good friends with the family, I knew all this and volunteered to adopt the 5 foot tall tree. We dug it up and relocated it to my back yard. I was thrilled. I already had a couple potted citrus. My place is a full on example of suburban permaculture here in River Road Neighborhood. The lemon tree has lots of edible landscape company.
So the transplant was a success, it has grown a good deal over the pat 12 or 14 years. It does not look like a lemon tree in Long Beach but it looks pretty darn good for Eugene. In a typical year, its covered maybe on 4 or 5 different cold weather occasions for maybe a total of 12 to 15 nights total. As we know, here in the coastal Pac NW, we can go 4 or 5 weeks with no freeze even in the middle of winter. And then, boom, down to 22 and its covered for 4, even 5 nights in a row like the freeze and ice we had last January.
To cover it, have 4 rebars stuck in the ground at 12, 3, 6 and 9. I fit small pvc pipe over the ends of the rebar connecting that rebar to the opposite rebar to form a simple dome shape to support the cover. After the pvc is in place, i have a role of aluminum sided 4 foot wide bubble sheets you can buy at the big box home improvement store. That bubble pack is great stuff, it goes all the way around the circumference and up 4 feet on the lemon tree, fairly tight around the tree and rebar. I clamp the ends with simple giant clothes pin clamps. Over the top goes, essentially, a stocking cap made of cheap kids sleeping bags sewn together.
That cap over laps the aluminum bubble pack. I can run a long bungee, made from bike inner tubes, all the way around to make it tight. I make sure the bubble pack is down to the ground. If its cold enough to cover, its usually cold enough to use an electric space heater under the structure. This works well. Even in the low 20's the $20 cheap space heater is on it lowest heat setting. If its wet, I can put a tarp over the entire set up. This all works well. Takes only 20 minutes to cover the tree and less to take it down.
A couple friends here in River Road also have citrus in the ground tho theirs are maybe 4 feet high and easier to manage. They both have lots of lemons.
Normally, I put a TV tray out front on my place with a sign that says 10 lemons for a dollar or just take some. I meet people who say, "oh, you're the guy with the lemon tree." I know of another lemon tree the size of mine not far but have never seen it.
Just this past week, I finally treated the lemon tree like a tree, not a shrub. I did a big pruning job after all these years. The tree will appreciate this attention. You can see the difference in the fotos. Pruned tree fotos are last.
So that's the story. Its great to have a lemon tree in full view out my window. I love to see the new leaves flush out in the spring and then, of course, thousands of flowers. I put lemon chunks in my salad every night and give lots away. Even selling some wholesale to the coop a few times but that maybe only 25 lbs.
I do a fair number of site tours of my property and some people look around when we come into the back yard and say, " what??!! Is that a lemon tree??!!"
It is and its a very healthy lemon tree. I love it!
You can hover over the foto for a caption and clik for a larger image.
The lemon tree can be covered in ice with no problem if the air temp doesn't go below 29 or 30.
A typical harvest amounts to literally hundreds of egg sized lemons. Harvest is usually January into February and even later. There are always some lemons on the tree because some are out of phase with the main harvest season. Oddly, those lemons tend to be a lot larger but much fewer in number.
The tree started its life a few miles from here. It was the project of a good friend's father. He and his citrus disproving wife were/are from Long Beach. Phil died five years ago and Jane now lives in a retirement community. Jane told Phil, over 10 years ago, at that time Phil in his mid 80's, he needed to "get that thing outta here." She told him he didn't need to be going out in the cold and maybe ice to cover that tree at his age.
So being good friends with the family, I knew all this and volunteered to adopt the 5 foot tall tree. We dug it up and relocated it to my back yard. I was thrilled. I already had a couple potted citrus. My place is a full on example of suburban permaculture here in River Road Neighborhood. The lemon tree has lots of edible landscape company.
So the transplant was a success, it has grown a good deal over the pat 12 or 14 years. It does not look like a lemon tree in Long Beach but it looks pretty darn good for Eugene. In a typical year, its covered maybe on 4 or 5 different cold weather occasions for maybe a total of 12 to 15 nights total. As we know, here in the coastal Pac NW, we can go 4 or 5 weeks with no freeze even in the middle of winter. And then, boom, down to 22 and its covered for 4, even 5 nights in a row like the freeze and ice we had last January.
To cover it, have 4 rebars stuck in the ground at 12, 3, 6 and 9. I fit small pvc pipe over the ends of the rebar connecting that rebar to the opposite rebar to form a simple dome shape to support the cover. After the pvc is in place, i have a role of aluminum sided 4 foot wide bubble sheets you can buy at the big box home improvement store. That bubble pack is great stuff, it goes all the way around the circumference and up 4 feet on the lemon tree, fairly tight around the tree and rebar. I clamp the ends with simple giant clothes pin clamps. Over the top goes, essentially, a stocking cap made of cheap kids sleeping bags sewn together.
That cap over laps the aluminum bubble pack. I can run a long bungee, made from bike inner tubes, all the way around to make it tight. I make sure the bubble pack is down to the ground. If its cold enough to cover, its usually cold enough to use an electric space heater under the structure. This works well. Even in the low 20's the $20 cheap space heater is on it lowest heat setting. If its wet, I can put a tarp over the entire set up. This all works well. Takes only 20 minutes to cover the tree and less to take it down.
A couple friends here in River Road also have citrus in the ground tho theirs are maybe 4 feet high and easier to manage. They both have lots of lemons.
Normally, I put a TV tray out front on my place with a sign that says 10 lemons for a dollar or just take some. I meet people who say, "oh, you're the guy with the lemon tree." I know of another lemon tree the size of mine not far but have never seen it.
Just this past week, I finally treated the lemon tree like a tree, not a shrub. I did a big pruning job after all these years. The tree will appreciate this attention. You can see the difference in the fotos. Pruned tree fotos are last.
So that's the story. Its great to have a lemon tree in full view out my window. I love to see the new leaves flush out in the spring and then, of course, thousands of flowers. I put lemon chunks in my salad every night and give lots away. Even selling some wholesale to the coop a few times but that maybe only 25 lbs.
I do a fair number of site tours of my property and some people look around when we come into the back yard and say, " what??!! Is that a lemon tree??!!"
It is and its a very healthy lemon tree. I love it!
You can hover over the foto for a caption and clik for a larger image.
