Re: Meyer Lemons
"Mize, Mk (Kurt), NNO" wrote:
>
> Lorraine wrote:
>
> <Please send that lemon recipe. The Meyer lemon , can it take freezing
> weather? I have a lime tree which is on a South wall and I cover it with
> plastic during the winter as it sometimes snows. We usually only go down to
> hovering around freezing, but sometimes it freezes ice . Daytimes can go as
> high as the 60's here in Greece. We are above Athens. On the coast they
> grow citrus everywhere.>
>
> Lorraine:
>
> If you are able to obtain this cultivar, I don't think you will be
> disappointed. The fruit is uniquely fragrant, and is sweeter, when ripe,
> than "true" lemons. Of unknown parentage, the Meyer lemon is thought to be
> a hybrid between a true lemon and a sweet orange or mandarin. It is named
> for Frank Meyer, a plant explorer for the US Department of Agriculture in
> the early years of this century. Meyer discovered the original plant
> growing in the courtyard of a monastery near Peking, and it was introduced
> into the US in 1908. In the US today, most are grown in California's
> Central Valley, south of Fresno and in the Sacramento Valley. A few growers
> in northern San Diego County sell mainly to organic and farmers' markets.
> They're also grown in Texas and Florida. Peak season in most areas is
> November, December, and January, but can extend to April. In mild climates,
> it is ever-blooming, so you can have fruit of all ages on the tree at once.
> It is wonderful for lemonade, lemon-meringue pie, or any of the other things
> for which you might use lemons, and it makes a beautiful and delicious,
> golden-colored marmalade. It is among the cold-hardiest of citrus. Much
> more so than any of the limes. I think it is just above the Kumquat in
> hardiness. I would also cover a Meyer Lemon, though, if I were expecting
> snow. Freezing weather will damage the fruit, and may harm the newest
> growth, but the plant should come back strongly in the spring. I find that
> most citrus trees seem to languish for the first 2 or 3 years after
> planting, until they become established, but then they really take off. I'm
> not too familiar with your climate, but my impression of Greece is that it
> is pretty dry. My trees like plenty of water. I soak them well once or
> twice a week in hot weather (which means all through the summer, here), and
> also in winter if we are expecting a freeze, as they seem to sustain more
> frost damage if they are desiccated. I have had several requests for the
> marmalade recipe, so I guess I'll have to scrounge around in my recipe books
> and will post it to the group as soon as I find it.
>
Our tree hasn't been bothered by our "normal" occasional frosts of about
-3 C, but on one occasion when it got down to -6 C and repeated this for
six or seven nights, all the nearly-ripe fruit went squashy, though the
foliage wasn't damaged. If I had had any sense I would have thrown a
temporary cover over its head.
Thanks to Kurt for the interesting history of this useful tree, which I
had not before seen.
Whenever I use a fruit just for juice I find myself eating up the
rest, skin and all, and finding it quite delicious. (We never spray, so
this is quite safe).
Moira
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata,
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
