L’orangerie!
As tomato season winds down, citrus season is ramping up. When we planned our garden makeover, we wanted to include some potted dwarf citrus for that Provencal feel. I wasn’t expecting to see fruit the first season! Immediately above and below, navel oranges.
Below, lemons (one of two varieties). These are either Meyers or something else that I can’t remember the name of.
Still green, but hopefully they will ripen fully in the next few weeks.
Below, Valencia oranges (great for juice).
And the second lemon tree, just now blooming.
The trailing rosemary in the pots is a nice touch, and great to have right outside the kitchen door!
I’ve been giving these plants a periodic feeding with Miracid, but I’ve been told they like iron too. If anyone has a good suggestion for mineral supplements for potted citrus, please chime in. And we had some spider mite problems earlier in the summer (you might see some leaf bubbles still) but they seem to be under control with periodic spraying of oil.
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Beautiful! It’s so good to have a garden.
You are so lucky to be able to grow oranges and lemons in your yard. They look lovely in the clay pots, and I’m sure this fruit will taste delicious.
The Scott’s website claims that Miracid is rich in iron. I use it for my broadleaf evergreens here in the Middle Atlantic region; the leaves get yellowed if they’re iron deficient. But I see that Scott’s also has a formula specific to citrus and palm trees.
How fabulous! Seems so exotic to me, up north, especially now that we have a dusting of snow all ’round. . .
The round-ish ones are Meyer, and the “Lemon” shaped ones are Eureka varietals. 🙂 I have one of both in the dwarf version, but my neighborhood is all lemon and avocado groves, so I’m literally surrounded by them!
Your little trees are producing quite a lot of fruit!
How delightful that you can walk outside a grab a lime or lemon when you need one!
Oh, I am so jealous! I have always wanted to have my own lemon tree, the leaves smell great!
If your citrus begins to yellow, a dose of iron chelate in addition to whatever else you are using helps.
I grow Meyer lemons and Satsuma oranges in my yard in Texas. Both usually don’t ripen until late Nov/early Dec. Unfortunately, the main thing I use lemons for is in iced tea, which I don’t drink much in winter. I finally figured out to juice the lemons and freeze tablespoon amounts in ice cube trays. Excellent to have in the freezer, when a recipe calls for a tablespoon of lemon juice!
Vancouver , B.C. has just moved into the winter nasties, ( slushy snow on the ground outside, less sunlight) so I take comfort in knowing there is warmth and growth somewhere. As a northerner,to me there is something miraculous about having oranges in your backyard! Enjoy the magic!(Have you ever grown figs???! That would be bliss as well!)
I love dwarf citrus trees, they are perfect for Southern California. I gave my beau 4 of them for his birthday last month. He planted them in the ground but I like the way that you planted them in pots better. Very nice.
The uber mansion that I was at yesterday had big pots of dwarf citrus around the pool. Gorgeous.
*That* is the way to live! There is no greater luxury than being able to pick your own produce — and your trees are LOADED! Yum!
What a fragrant yard you have with beautiful citrus and rosemary . . you must smile whenever you see or smell it.
Ohh! How fantastic these are!
You lucky woman. We are FREEZING up North.
Sooo envious today, when it’s cold in Seattle and I’m wearing a long scarf, knotted a la Pseu!
Rita – thanks! I’ve so enjoyed this garden.
Northmoon – we are lucky with the climate here. I’m waiting to see whether the fruit is actually edible; I’ve heard that often the fruit doesn’t fully ripen until the trees are mature. Fingers crossed!
Carol – thank you! I’ll have a look for that citrus food.
materfamilias – is it normal to get snow this early? I have to imagine it’s very pretty though.
spacegeek – thank you! So I guess the ones that are still in bloom stages are the Meyers. Le monsieur wants an avocado tree next.
Wendy B – they really are! I’m pleasantly surprised.
hostess – I’m hoping so. Fingers crossed that they ripen fully!
J. – they really do smell lovely, the blossoms too.
J.W. – thanks so much; I’ll look for that.
lauries – it’s actually rather chilly here too, and probably will be for the next several days. Enjoy that scarf!
Jill Ann – what a great idea (freezing the lemon juice)! I’ll definitely do that. I love a slice of lemon in sparkling water.
Katriona – I don’t have figs, but Miss Janey does. I love them, but the trees require a lot of growing room, and I’m not sure they can thrive in pots.
Belle – those pictures of that house were amazing. Now, if we could only find a spare 20 mil in the sofa cushions….
Rubiatonta – I really look forward to this, thanks!
Kathy – it really does make a lovely combination of fragrances!
Miss Janey – thanks! I’m just thrilled to see fruit happening!
LPC – we’re probably not as cold as you are, but pretty chilly for LA.
Tiffany – I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a kumquat. What do they taste like? One house I lived in as a child had a guava tree. The fruit was very sour but I liked it.
love citrus in a tub! Looks amazing x
Gorgeous. I have lemons, cumquats and calamondins (plus kaffir lime, which is just for the leaves) in my courtyard and garden and I love being able to grab whatever I need for cooking … and the herbs. Enjoy!
for an all around pesticide try neem oil.
it’s natural so you can find it in organic stores.it is safe for people therefore ideal for edibles.you can also use it inside the house for all bugs and those on pets too.
re iron have you considered iron sulphate? the one used for blueing hydrangeas?
btw. nice orangerie.
Cumquats/kumquats are very sour, but make excellent marmalade and are also great candied to drop in champagne or serve with ice cream … and pretty!
Your citrus will need iron, but if Miracid has it, you will know soon enough. The leaves will turn yellowish if they don’t get enough.
You are reminding me of my desire to have a pair of potted citrus – a dwarf lime and a blood orange is what I want.
We have two lemons in the yard that bear well, although the trees are now quite old. We have a lime that doesn’t get enough sun.
I see you have a drip irrigation line into the pots – good idea.
Rosemary grows like a weed in my garden – literally; it self-seeds everywhere.
LPC has overstated the situation. We are NOT freezing up here. I wish we were! I am jealous of materfamilias having a dusting of snow all around. But at least it is sweater weather this week, making it feel like a real holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!