My Lemon Tree

I have always loved lemons. However up until 2001, my knowledge of lemons was limited to the waxy polished kind you find in the produce department of your local grocery store. After a trip to Italy in the fall of 2001, I became much more acquainted with the path of a lemon to my kitchen table. In a lovely little casa in Caserta, Italy in the heart of Campania region, I was introduced to a beautiful lemon tree that stood proud in the courtyard. This home had belonged to my husband's family for generations and they informed me that this stately lemon tree was over 100 years old. As we traveled throughout Italy, I became quite taken by the lemon trees and I quickly became smitten with a lovely little liqueur known as limencello. We will discuss limencello in a later post.

Today, I want to introduce you to my lemon tree. Four years ago, I went to my local garden centre and picked up a small little lemon tree plant that stood nearly 6 inches in height. The tag in the plant assured me it would produce lemons. Fast forward to today, after a lot of tender loving care, I am here to tell you that I have produced my first lemon in my home located in Southern Ontario. A location not particularly known for any kind of tropical like climate.

I have nourished my plant from it earliest tender stage to the beautiful tree it is today. My routine includes bringing it outside every summer to take advantage of the maximum amount of sunshine. In the winter, it gets the best window in the house despite me having to rearrange furniture around it. I try to mist it daily through the winter months in an attempt to recreate a humid like atmosphere. I was fertilizing it and for 4 years I had a beautiful green plant, growing well but no blooms and no lemons. Then this spring, my local garden centre expert suggested I change the food and fertili
ze more often. I began feeding it a with Tomato plant food 4-6-8 every three weeks. Now 3 months later my lemon tree has begun producing blooms and its first lemon.

I wander out every morning to check on it's growth and look forward to the day I can pick that long awaited lemon. Now I need to decide what special dish I will honour it with, when that day arrives.