(My) Meyer Lemon Tree

We adopted a Meyer lemon tree to mark our first year in our first house. This was one of the first plants I wanted to raise in our new space. I hardly remember how I stumbled on the idea of raising a citrus tree, but it was likely while calculating the chance of cultivating olives, based on my plant hardiness zone. Unlike olive trees, citrus trees can grow and produce fruit in the mid-Atlantic. You just have to treat the plant like a tropical, bringing it indoors during the winter and providing additional light if the sun doesn't pour through the window.

What! Move a tree indoors? Citrus trees can be pruned, like bonsai in a way, to encourage bushy, shorter growth. The Meyer lemon tree can grow 6 to 8 feet high, but it will stay small if kept in a giant pot. Apparently, these trees produce fruit willingly indoors. The thought of walking past lemons ripening on the branch in February makes me squeal.

Homestead Gardens, currently my favorite garden center in the world, sells several varieties of citrus for $40. They have Kaffir lime and Washington Navel orange in addition to Meyer lemon. If your local garden supplier does not carry citrus, go online! Plenty of nurseries will ship you a tree. You can even find Meyer lemon trees here at Amazon. Don't forget to buy Citrus Tone, an essential plant food for your little lollipop, and have the nursery give you a tutorial on caring for your tree.

Meyer lemons are so versatile. Their juice is sweeter and less acidic than a true lemon and the skin is much thinner. Last winter I bought Meyers nearly every week at the grocery, using them in pastas, salads, and desserts. They really brightened my winter. This tree and I are going to be fast friends.