Caring for citrus and fruit trees is easy if you avoid the pitfalls.  This article will break it down in simple and easy steps to help you keep your trees happy and healthy.
To make it convenient you can just click on the links below that will show you the recommended products.

WATERING 

Underwatering and overwatering are both detrimental to the tree.
Citrus Trees prefer infrequent, deep watering. Generally, once a week is all that is needed.
We strongly recommend utilizing a Moisture Meter for trees grown in pots that reads between 1-10 before watering, because once a week watering could be too much water for a container-grown, indoor tree.
Once the tree has been watered properly, check the soil with the moisture meter after the water drains to make sure the meter reads 10. This will ensure that the tree has been watered deeply and properly. You will not have to water the tree again until the meter reads 4.
Do not leave the meter in the pot when not in use.
Moisture meter for trees grown in the ground

FERTILIZERS-  FOR CITRUS AND AVOCADO

Do not use these products on fruit trees (Look under the Fruit tree recommended fertilizers)

I highly recommend Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro. This product helps plants thrive and has nutrients that other fertilizers may not have enough of. I use this product as a foliar spray,  although you can also water the tree with it. The great thing about this product is when using it as a foliage spray, it goes straight to the tree within days, so you don't have to wait to water and feeding through the root system of the tree takes time for nutrients to break down.

When fertilizing with any of the recommended products, keep in mind that the directions on the bag of fertilizer are directions for trees that are planted in the ground, not for container-grown trees, so be careful not to use too much fertilizer at one time for a potted tree.
When using Fertilome Fruit, Citrus, and Pecan Tree Food, be careful not to use too much of this product due to its high ratio of nitrogen. The ratio is 19-10-5 so it's a great product to use occasionally. Normally when using the high nitrogen Fertilome Fruit, Citrus, and Pecan Food I'll wait a month and then switch to something that is not so high in nitrogen, such as Espoma Citrus Tone or Fish Emulsion
Occasionally I'll add Bone Meal mixing a quarter cup to one gallon of water and water the tree with the mixture.  Bone meal will cause the tree to grow and bloom, so it is important to know bloom times.
For Orange trees, a good time to use the bone meal mixture is mid-February if your tree is indoors and protected from freezing temperatures. Don't overuse bone meal due to the tree's need for nitrogen. Citrus are heavy nitrogen feeders and bone meal has phosphorus.
Whenever you use bone meal you must supply a nitrogen fertilizer within a few weeks or within a month.
Sometimes I mix equal parts of bone meal and Blood Meal together (2 tablespoons of each) to 1 gallon of water and water the tree with the mixture since blood meal is a nitrogen product.
If you are feeding an orange tree,  I would simply use a quarter cup of just the bone meal in February and then in a month use a nitrogen product. This way the tree gets the boost of phosphorus for growth and blooming.

Orange trees bloom between February through May so the bone meal will give it the boost it needs to bloom just keep in mind it is important to make sure you feed the tree nitrogen fertilizer thereafter so the tree has plenty of nitrogen to produce and grow the fruit.

Although I have recommended quite a few fertilizers, you can just pick a few of them and add to your stock over time.  Dyna-Gro would be at the top of the list.

If you ordered the smallest tree then I would transplant the tree after 2 weeks into a larger pot before starting a fertilizing schedule.

A high nitrogen fertilizer like Fertilome Fruit, Citrus Pecan Food is a good product but be careful when using it for a potted tree, you don't want to use too much with a ratio of 19 on the nitrogen.
(3 gallons pots) 1 teaspoon every other month
(7 gallons pots) 1 tablespoon every other month
(10 gallons pots) 2 tablespoons every other month.

On the months you skip you can choose 
Blood Meal,
Fish Emulsion or
Citrus Tone

so you'll be feeding the tree something monthly, Just use the same ratio above for the pot sizes, the fish emulsion needs to be diluted in water.
Since trees are living things I try to consider the fact that I would not want to eat the same meal every day. After a while, my favorite meal would not be my favorite anymore.
So I try to consider that when feeding my trees and give them some variety.
Also, please keep in mind, your tree is trapped in a pot, like a fish in a fishbowl and it cannot get nutrients unless you provide them. If we fed our fish the same way we fed our trees, in many cases the fish would be floating belly up.

For trees planted in the ground please follow the directions on the bag and if your winter is cold stop fertilizing in mid-September.

FRUIT TREE FERTILIZER

Fertilizing Fruit trees like Olive, Figs, Persimmon, and Pomegranate are a lot simpler to manage.
Find an even number fertilizer like  Southern AG All-Purpose Fertilizer 10-10-10

Fruit trees can get phenomenal growth and bloom with Bone Meal using a quarter cup per gallon of water only once or twice per year.

OTHER RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

LIGHTING
Good lighting is a requirement for all citrus. Green leaf drop is the #1 problem caused by a lack of light. Trees get their energy from the sun. If the tree doesn't get enough sunshine then it will start dropping its foliage, which is a vicious cycle, if it doesn't have the energy it requires it will eventually die.

We recommend a compact fluorescent light (CFL) 5000k grow bulb, which is a full spectrum bulb that promotes overall plant growth. This should be screwed into a reflector, so the light is directed onto the tree and not used just as a bulb in a standard lamp or overhead light. Without the reflector, the light is too dissipated to be of much use. The lights can be purchased as a full set, bulb with the reflector at :
https://www.acfgreenhouses.com/green-thumb-clamp-on-grow-light.aspx   When purchasing this light be sure it's ONLY the 5000K in the drop-down menu.

Multiple trees
If you have multiple trees you might want to consider the Sun Blaze T5 Fluorescent Grow Light.
https://www.acfgreenhouses.com/sun-blaze-fluorescent-t5-grow-light.aspx

SOIL TREATMENT

The secret of healthy and great-looking trees begins in the soil. If the soil is poor and lacking nutrients the tree will do poorly. Fungus delivers many essential nutrients to the root system of trees and increases drought resistance.  Fungi produce specialized acids and enzymes that break the bonds that bind nutrients to the soil and organic compounds.
Mycorrhizae Fungi, are the principal structures for most nutrient uptake in the plant kingdom.

Tree roots and fungi form a symbiotic relationship. The Mycorrhizae Fungi form large networks of fine filamentous growth throughout the soil. The roots and the fungi assist each other with the fungi collecting water and nutrients for the plant's root system and the tree assists the fungi by feeding the fungi sugars.
Soil Acidifier will help reduce alkalinity for all acid-loving Citrus Trees.

PEST PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

There are a few simple preventative measures that can help considerably to prevent pest infestation. Trees that have spider mites, aphids, scale, etc need to be completely washed off with sudsy dawn dish soap. Killing the pest is only part of the problem. Honeydew left on the tree will eventually cause the tree to deteriorate. So wash the foliage and then you can treat the tree with Neem Oil.

A tape barrier is crucial in protecting the tree in the winter. If you have to take your tree indoors in the winter then chances are high you live in an area that has dormant trees outside.
Consider your outdoor surroundings, are the trees and bushes barren, with no foliage?
If you get warming temperatures that fluctuate from warm to cold, ants can become active along with spider mites and the only foliage around is your tree.

Tape barriers are simple. Just wrap a wide piece of Masking Tape around your tree (not the whole tree) Just a section no wider than the width of your tape will do and wipe Tanglefoot on the tape. This will prevent pests from crawling up the tree to get to the foliage.

I always do a few preventatives to protect my trees. Diatomaceous Earth is also helpful, just sprinkle a small amount on top of the soil. Imagine you are a bug crawling across the soil to get to the tree, if the bug crosses into the Diatomaceous Earth it will get cut up and die of dehydration, so you don't need to use a lot of it.
I also use Gnat Traps in the event the soil has fungus gnats.
Mosquito Bits  sprinkled on the soil's surface or mixed with potting soil prior to planting will kill fungus gnats

If you see fruit flies flying around the foliage, you'll need to wash the tree. Fruit flies and fungus gnats are not the same types of flies.
Fruit flies are your best friend in the winter, they will let you know if there is honeydew on the foliage, and honeydew is a killer to the tree. Once the honeydew is gone, they will leave also.
Fungus gnats hang out in the soil, so if the fly isn't mainly interested in the foliage area of the tree, it's a gnat. You can also smear tanglefoot on a bottle that has a small amount of apple cider vinegar in the bottle, they can't resist the Apple Cider Vinegar and will get stuck in the tanglefoot.
Citrus leaf miners can be a real nuisance. They are larvae that originate from several types of insects such as moths. They lay their eggs on the trees and the young larvae burrow into the leaf, eating the foliage. They are not harmful to the tree but they can make your tree look less attractive. I use Fertilome Fruit Tree Spray which can also be used as a fungicide.

CITRUS GREENING 

Brassinolide- This product is for research purposes.

The Asian citrus psyllid has put the United States Citrus industry in serious jeopardy.
Citrus Greening is the worst citrus disease in the world and is causing devastation that's spread by this disease-infected insect. The US consumer has little knowledge of this devastating insect that has caused billions of dollars in loss for the Citrus industry and whole abandoned orchards and groves throughout Florida.
The Asian psyllid pierces through the tree to suck out the sap, and if it is a carrier of the virus it enters the tree and causes long-term damage until eventually, the tree dies.
The cell walls of the foliage collapse which will not allow foliar sprays to enter the cell walls because the cells are so small the particles cannot enter the cell to be absorbed into the tree.
If there is an issue with collapsing cells, no foliar sprays will ever help the tree and with collapsing cells eventually, this causes the breakdown of photosynthesis and loss of nutrients.

The brassinolide causes cell elongation, which expands the cells, allowing the nutrients and sunshine to pass through.
The brassinolide won't hurt the trees since it is a growth hormone and natural in plants.

Please keep in mind the Brassinolide product is for research purposes.
Normally I would not recommend a product that is for research purposes but trees with Citrus Greening survival rate is low, the tree dies within a few years unless measures are taken to save the tree.

THYME GUARD
Organic Bactericide, Fungicide, and Insecticide

SETUP IDEAS

When watering the tree properly the soil should be drenched and with the deep-watering method, a lot of water should drain from the holes in the bottom of the pot, which requires a Catch Tray when trees are indoors. I recommend a hard plastic tray that can hold over a gallon of water for larger trees. The tree should be above that catch tray so it doesn't sit in standing water. A Small Plant Stand is helpful in keeping the tree elevated above the drainage tray.

If you have any questions please contact us at support@lemoncitrustree.com or call

Happy Growing,
Nancy
866-216-8733

LemonCitrusTree

We love the holiday season with family get-togethers, good food, gifts and loved ones that make life tremendously meaningful. We will spend hours shopping for our loved ones and cooking our holiday feast from our favorite recipes.

Whether we are baking Christmas cookies with Lemon and Rosemary or putting oranges in Christmas stockings, citrus are a big part of the Christmas holiday and with it brings warm feeling of nostalgia.

Each and every year, we decorate to beautify our homes and make them look inviting.
With wreaths of green and colors of silver, gold, red, orange and blue, and trees made up of our kids holiday trinkets, along with our baby’s first Christmas ornaments and keepsakes that help make our holiday special and unique.

This year why not start a tradition of your own that is unique that could define a new tradition in your family?

Of course we will keep the old traditions alive because they are special to us and that is why we continue them, but we can create new ones that will inspire generations and they may pass on from us our own unique ideas of holiday cheer. It’s an exciting thought to create a tradition that might get passed down to our children and future generations.

Trees are just part of the holiday cheer and tabletop citrus not only make a beautiful centerpiece but also bring the citrus smell of Christmas into the environment, that continues on long after the Christmas Holiday and New Years.

  Best Trees To Buy For The Holidays

Clementine Trees are also known as the Christmas Orange Tree and they produce bright mandarin oranges which are smaller than the average oranges,. The fruit is incredibly sweet, seedless, and easy to peel, making it a great orange for even small children.

The Meyer Lemon is a fabulous tree for any occasion, it’s ever-bearing quality makes it one of those “must have trees” it is simply a gorgeous tree and because it can bloom anytime of year, its a real favorite and helps bring springtime into our homes. Long winters can be a bit depressing with the cold, especially in northern regions of the United States where blizzards can keep us restricted to the indoors. A Meyer Lemon Tree can make the space substantially less depressing as it blooms and produces flowers and fruit.

Persian and Key Limes are favored fruit for those football fans that love to drink while watching their favorite teams, or just for holiday get-togethers. Garnishes of lime wedges are meant to enhance the existing flavor of beverages. Limes are used for cocktails, beer, desserts and succulent meat dishes.

Meiwa Kumquat is a lovely tree that produces small round orange fruit about the size of a large cherry tomato. The whole fruit can be eaten including the peel. It's a sweet-tart flavor balance. The fruit makes fabulous ingredient for favorite desserts and beverages.

Our trees are simply a unique gift idea and can make winter less depressing and dress up the Holidays with good will, give homegrown ingredients and make a wonderful conversation piece for your special holiday that could cause generations after you to follow in your footsteps as they desire to keep your tradition alive.

Soggy wet roots are the leading cause of problems with container grown citrus trees. Many of those problems can be eliminated with careful container choices and a moisture meter that can prevent over-watering.
The Deep Watering Method is the proper watering method, directions can be found here:
https://lemoncitrustree.com/store/citrus-blog/2018/10/19/deep-watering-method-for-potted-citrus-trees/

CLAY POTS
Clay pots are classic but heavy choices. If you live in the southern part of the country, you may want to avoid the clay pots, as they dry out very quickly and you'll spend a significant amount of time watering in hot summers. If you plan on using clay be sure the mouth of the pot is as wide or wider than the pot itself, avoid the spherical pots with the mouth of the pot curving inward, these tend to be wide and shallow and don't have the depth needed for the deep root growth and if you ever need to transplant you may have trouble getting the root ball out if the opening of the pot is smaller than the width of the whole pot.

WOOD POTS
Wood containers degrade over time, allowing roots to grow into cracks and have irregular surfaces, making it harder to transplant. While transplanting you may be ripping roots out between cracks to dislodge them, so avoid the wood and look for something comparable like a plastic barrel that you can drill additional holes in. Many plastic barrels look very similar to the wood barrels.

SELF-WATERING POTS
The self-watering pots are NEVER recommended for Citrus trees. Citrus require infrequent deep watering, so self-watering pots do not allow for this. The self-watering type can cause overly wet roots. Also, pots that have the catch tray or saucers attached are not recommended, trees do not like "wet feet" and those types of pots can cause root rot.

CLOTH POTS
Cloth container pots are not recommended. The cloth can become misshapen over time as the soil settles. During the watering process, some of the soil may relocate in the pot, and this can cause the tree to eventually tip out of its container since the soil is not held firmly into place with solid sturdy sides. The cloth pots just do not work well because they are far too flexible allowing the soil to reshape the pot during the deep watering process, which will cause the tree to tip out because it has nothing sturdy to hold the soil in place.

PLASTIC POTS
Hard plastic pots come in a wide selection of designs and colors, making them the ideal choice for citrus trees. When choosing a pot, be sure you can actually see drainage holes in the bottom, if not it is the wrong pot. The sides should be sturdy and the plastic strong enough to drill additional holes in the bottom if needed.
Plastic pots are easier to handle and more lightweight than clay and resistant to breakage.
Four to five large (3/4"-1") holes are the minimum necessary for adequate drainage. Select a pot that makes it easy to inspect your tree or re-pot if needed. Smooth tapered sides with a wide mouth at the top work the best. Avoid shapes that are narrow at the top or other designs that would impede the root ball from easily sliding out.

Do not add stones or gravel in the bottom of the container. Elevate the container pot off the drainage-tray or ground to allow the water to exit the container after watering. Water according to pot size and do not go beyond a 10-gallon container.

For more transplanting information: https://lemoncitrustree.com/store/citrus-tree-care-containers

LemonCitrusTree

Trees will die without the essential requirements. Incorrect watering is the most common cause of issues and tree death.

Deep Watering Method

1. Check the tree with a moisture meter before watering. (The meter's range should be from 1-10)
2. The prong should be deep into the pot.
3. Only water when the meter reads 4.
4. All trees require deep watering. Deep watering is drenching the soil until water pours from the holes at the bottom of the pot.
5. Watering with a few cups is not acceptable, this will cause deep roots to die. Never be stingy with the water when the tree needs to be watered.
6. Once the tree has been watered properly, recheck the moisture level again to make sure the meter reads high (9 or 10) and then do not water again until the meter reads 4.
7. In the winter you will water far less, about twice a month (But always check the tree with a meter weekly because this can vary)
8. The meter should never be left in the pot when not in use.
9. Never water with cold water in the winter
10. Never water the tree with water from a water softener.
NEVER ALLOW TREES TO SIT IN STANDING WATER
A space between the bottom of the pot and the tray that catches the water is required.

LemonCitrusTree

Grow Your Own Citrus & Fruit Trees

Imagine cultivating your favorite fruits at home and relishing them fresh off the tree whenever you feel like it! At LemonCitrusTree, we help you plant dwarf citrus and fruit trees in your own homes so that you can enjoy growing your own fruits while enhancing the appearance of your home.

What We Do

• • We cultivate and deliver citrus and fruit trees in our family owned nursery and farm in Louisiana.
• • We also have affiliate farms in California, Texas and Florida.
• • Since 10 years, we have been supplying citrus and fruit trees to our customers all over the US.

Benefits of Growing Your Own Citrus or Fruit Trees

• • It’s healthy.
• • You get fresh fruits and flowers.
• • They add to your home’s interior décor.
• • They create a pleasant environment.
• • They are ideal gifts for your loved ones.

Varieties Of Trees You Can Get From Us

• • Meyer Lemon Tree
• • Kaffir Thai Lime
• • Persian Bearss Lime
• • Clementine
• • Lemon Trees
• • Lime Trees
• • Orange Trees
• • Kumquat Trees
• • Mandarin Trees
• • Hass Hass Avocado
• • Pomegranate
• • Arbequina Olive
• • Fig Trees
• • Persimmon Trees
• • Fruit Plants
• • Satsuma Trees
• • Tangelo Trees
• • Tangerine Trees
• • Grapefruit Trees
• • Loquat
• • Nut

Why Choose Us

• • We provide you with trees that bear blossoms and fruits even if they are just a year old.
• • You can find popular varieties of high-quality, beautiful citrus and fruit trees.
• • We offer trees at reasonable rates, with a three-year limited warranty.
• • Along with the trees, we also provide black grower’s pot and soil for free.
• • When it comes to tree care, we provide expert assistance whenever needed, via phone or email.
• • We adhere to the USDA guidelines and deliver healthy, vibrant trees.

Sources Of Reference:

http://lemoncitrustree.com/store/index.php
https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee/plsc211/student%20papers/articles00/dwillard/dwillard.htm

Citrus has a certain nostalgic effect, with the fruit associated with both sunny skies and cozy Christmases. Just a few generations ago, access to citrus fruits was a novelty for people in colder climates, but lemons, oranges, and the delightful clementine are standard fare in lunch boxes and kitchens across America today. In addition, more and more hobby growers are taking a second look at citrus. Trees like the clementine are easier to care for than you might think, and there's nothing quite like picking fresh citrus from backyard branches.

What is a Clementine?

Clementines belong to the mandarin orange family. They are small, sweet, lunch-box friendly fruits that peel easily for on-the-go enjoyment. The variety is sometimes referred to as a "Christmas orange" because they are in season right around the holidays and many people purchase them as a seasonal treat. Clementines are very similar to tangerines, with a bright, fresh flavor in a pleasingly poppable package.

Growing a Clementine Tree

Citrus gets a bit of a bad rap as being difficult to grow. Many home gardeners completely write off citrus trees as too cold sensitive. Though the clementine tree is considered a warm-weather-loving plant, they can be cared for in a warm environment. These fun fruits are ideal for USDA hardiness zones 9-11, they can actually do very well in greenhouses and in pots where moving them out of the weather is possible.
For growing zones 9-11 The Clementine’s ability to bear fruit consistently is greatly hindered by unexpected frosts during blossoming, so container planting is recommended if you try to nurture clementines in less than ideal climates.

Keeping Clementines Happy

When planted outdoors in a sunny climate, clementine trees resemble a standard dwarf fruit tree in size. However, container planting keeps them manageable as the tree can't outgrow the root structure in the container, and most will resemble a shrub or bush in their dimensions. A clementine tree in a container should always have sufficient drainage to avoid bogging down the roots, and it will do best when exposed to full sunlight as much as possible. In fact, it's ideal if you can move the tree outdoors when the weather is mild, only bringing it inside when temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

The clementine tree is perfect for budding citrus growers, as it is more forgiving than other varieties and can survive challenging growing conditions and inexperienced husbandry. With proper care and smart management, most people can successfully cultivate clementines in a temperature-regulated growing space or container, or, if you're lucky enough to live where it's warm, right in your own backyard. If you're interested in growing a clementine tree yourself, take a look at our website, as we offer many trees for you at great prices.

Our company has been in business since 2004. Not a whole lot of people realize that when they visit our website. We were the first citrus farm on the internet. We started as a small family farm and even though we have grown some, we are still a small family farm. We genuinely care about all of our customers, some of them have been coming to us for years because they know we sell quality trees. We wanted to share on our blog a recent post by one of our customers to our facebook page. We hear of horror stories like this a lot and feel genuinely bad for our customers who get tricked by super low pricing and pictures of trees that look nothing like the companies actually sell.

So here is a comparison of one of our customers who purchased a Hass Avocado from us AFTER he purchased from one of our "competitors".

That's ours on the right, just after he unboxed it. Can you see the other "tree"?

We hate that our customers are ripped off by other companies. We sell real trees that are grown by world renown experts that have been doing this for generations. We realize it's time to get aggressive and expose this fraud to hopefully protect others from falling into the same trap.

If you have already purchased one of these trees from another company and are having a hard time keeping it alive, just send us an email at support@lemoncitrustree.com with a photo of the tree. We will try our best to help, just some trees can't be saved when they are raised in such poor conditions.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Take care & thanks for reading!

Crystal

Owner

LemonCitrusTree

p.s. We have a discount till next Friday! Use the code: nosticks for $8 dollars off your order. Have a HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND!

We know, waiting for your citrus to ripen can seem like it takes forever. As much as you might be tempted to rush your little citrus buds along, patience really is key here. Let the tree take its time. Try to enjoy the process and pay attention to how beautiful it is. It’s natural to look forward to your fruit ripening, but growing citrus or any of your own food is about more than the end result. Enjoy the journey. More nutrients are getting packed in your fruit day by day while it's still on the tree.

Citrus fruit only ripens on the vine so, if you pick it while the fruit is still green it will stop the ripening process. Citrus ripening times vary significantly which could vary from year to year as it is dependent on the weather in your area. If you have had a lot of rainy and cloudy days this could affect ripening times and cause a delay. Sunshine is crucial for ripening fruit. Your citrus tree should have at least 6-8 hours daily of full sunshine. In the winter if the tree is taken inside use supplemental lighting. There are plenty of growers lights that will work. Nurture your tree while the fruit is ripening and you won’t regret it!

All citrus variety is the same, as far as starting off as a green bud. Just like tomatoes, except citrus cannot ripen off of the vine while tomatoes can.

Here are some photos of the stages of the fruit ripening process of a lemon tree from bloom to being fully ripened. My favorite stage is when the tree is in bloom. The fragrance is wonderful! Very light and floral, with a hint of citrus zing. Mmm.

Citrus Fruit Growing from Blossom to Maturity

Pictured below are some small fruit in the process of growth but premature yellowing fruit (which will turn brown eventually).

Baby Citrus Fruit

Please do not panic, all fruiting trees go through stages of fruit drop. Fruit drop is when the fruit is still very immature and it begins to drop off the tree while green, yellow or brown.
The tree has shut off nutrients to the yellow fruit and eventually, the fruit will drop off the tree prematurely. This cannot always be prevented, as the tree is still young and has shut off the nutrients and is reserving its energy for growth rather than maturing fruit.
It is important that the tree has appropriate nutrients such as nitrogen because if it lacks nutrients it will cause fruit drop that could otherwise be avoided.

All citrus fruit (including Meyer Lemons ) will be green for about 8-9 months after they bud. It will take an additional 2-3 months to fully ripen and turn to their respective color. The Meyer Lemon ripened fruit color of the yellowish/orangish tint happens in the last month of their maturation process.

The fruit is the sweetest and has the most nutrients when it has that nice orange tint. Then the fruit is ready to be harvested.

The fruit picked prematurely will be more sour than normal. Please be patient, as Mother Nature moves at her own predetermined pace.

Let us know in the comments what you have learned through the process of watching your fruit ripen. We love hearing from you! If you are having problems with your tree, let us know by calling 866-216-TREE (8733) or emailing us at support@lemoncitrustree.com

Happy Gardening,
Lemon Citrus Tree

Once again this is the time of year when trees are inside for the winter months and depending on how many trees you have, this can prove to be a daunting task.

I think I made all the mistakes one can possibly make through the years, making it an interesting adventure. From purchasing very flimsy catch trays, to having terracotta cumbersome heavy plant trays. I found out the hard way that it is better to purchase good quality trays that are large solid hard plastic and lightweight.

To make the job easier I have recommendations for set up.

Purchasing  20" (outside diameter) catch trays and a small plant stand is the way to go, even if you have the tree still in a small pot. As your tree grows and transplanting into larger pots, eventually you’ll need the larger trays.

To save money, I would recommend a tray that can hold a lot of water and the tray in the photo can hold over a gallon.

Plant Catch Tray with Plant Stand

After doing the deep watering method, the water pours from the holes in the bottom of the pot into the tray and any water in the tray will just add humidity in the air.
When the trees are placed outside for the spring and summer, the trays can be cleaned and stacked one upon another to make storage easy, until you need them again in the fall/winter.

Having the plant stands situated inside of the trays will make watering so much easier, without the worry of the bottom of the pots sitting in standing water.

The dimensions of the tray in the photo:
Diameter of Terra Tray is 17.05 Inch, made to fit Fiskars 20 Inch Terra Pot

Product Dimensions: 17.05 x 17.05 x 2.80.

Iron Plant Stand
Measures 9" diameter by 5" height.

Advantages

○ prevents the trees from sitting in standing water
○ prevents overfill if you water with a gallon of water
○ prevents having to move trees around, just to water.
○ durable, lightweight and stack-able for easy storage.

Remember you will probably water far less in the winter than you do in the summer.
Normally I water a few times a month when following the fertilizer recipe.
It is very important to rely on a moisture meter. I recommend one that reads from 1-10 (water when meter is on 4).

Moisture Meter

I hope these suggestions make winter set-up a little less daunting.
Nancy

This year you can use those Meyer Lemons that you've grown to perk up the flavor of your Thanksgiving bird! This recipe will work with other types of sweet citrus too or you can use more than one type of citrus to come up with your own version of this delicious recipe. Cooking should be fun and experimenting with cooking makes it even better. I have included substitutes for every ingredient that's easier and/or healthier to find or use.

Our Ingredients:

Approximately a dozen Meyer Lemons (Or your favorite sweet citrus fruit)

8 Cloves of Garlic (You can substitute 1 Clove with either: 1/2 teaspoon garlic flakes; 1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder; I do not recommend using Garlic Salt as a substitute but if that's all you have then you can substitute 1/2 Teaspoon to equal 1 Clove then use half as much salt than our recipes calls for below)

1/4 Cup Fresh Rosemary (You can substitute dry herbs for fresh but you need to use half of what the recipe calls for. So 1/4 becomes 1/8 of a cup)

1/4 Cup Fresh Thyme (You can substitute dry herbs using half as mentioned above)

1/4 Cup of Salt (You can substitute with the potassium chloride if desired)

1 Stick of Butter (You can substitute with 6 Tablespoons of Olive Oil)

1/8 Teaspoon of Black Pepper (White Pepper can be substituted with the same measurements or a pinch of Cayenne Pepper can used)

Directions:

1. 1. Prepare your oven per the package directions of the Turkey that you are using for this recipe.
2. 2. Zest Six of the Meyer Lemons, Finely Chop your Garlic Cloves & Fresh Herbs then set aside.
3. 3. Cut Four of your Meyer Lemons into quarters and set aside.
4. 4. In a medium saucepan melt the butter (or warm the olive oil) then remove from heat.
5. 5. Add the Zested Meyer Lemons, Chopped Garlic, Salt & Fresh Herbs into the butter/oil and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool.
6. 6. Rinse the Turkey and dry with clean paper towels. Rub the turkey with the butter/herb mixture completely covering the entire turkey.
7. 7. Place Seasoned Turkey into a roasting pan, stuff turkey with the quartered lemon pieces. Then roast per the directions on the Turkey label.
8. 8. Use the remaining Lemons to garnish your turkey after cooking is complete.

Additional Tips:

Typical roasting times are 20 minutes per pound at 350 Degrees.

Roasting the Turkey upside down for the first 45 minutes of roasting can significantly improve the moisture retention of the meat.

Adding an inch of Turkey or Chicken stock to the bottom of the roasting pan can improve the taste of the turkey and help maintain moisture in the meat.

Using a meat thermometer can simplify your roasting. Just remove the turkey when it reaches 170°F.

Using Food Service plastic gloves during the preparation of the turkey especially while rubbing the seasoning can keep your hands clean and prevent abrasions from the salt which can be very painful.

All of us at LemonCitrusTree wishes you & your loved ones a very HAPPY Thanksgiving!