Very Pretty

Like footballs.  Our first harvest of lemons.  They are huge.  Even my parents, who live on a citrus grove, can't believe how big our lemons are.  You can't tell from the photos, but they're probably 50% bigger than average & perfect.

Anyone remember the song, "Lemon tree, very pretty...?" My mother used to sing it to me when I was a small child.

Being new to lemon trees, I couldn't believe the thorns!  Some as long as 2-3".  I was extra careful with Charlotte underfoot, but not so careful with myself.  I wouldn't bother with gardening gloves (though I have really cute blue leather gloves with red trim).  I got poked here and there.  Not so much like a needle poke though -- those thorns are lemony.  So a lemon-thorn poke is like a needle poke with lemon juice on top.

The worst is getting spiked in the forehead.

I love it though.  I love to garden.  I even like the thorns.  It's just nice to be outside with the kids and the chirping birds.  And what's more sweet than sharing a pitcher of freshly-squeezed lemonade with your kids -- lemons they helped harvest?  Not much. 

It was a good day.

Now to get the rest of the garden in order.  One day.

Comments

[Megan and Flat Betty]

oh wow! I love lemons! the look, the taste and wow the size of yours!

thank you for sharing this quiet moment.

[jamie]

Heather....I grew up in SW FLorida, and vividly remember our citrus trees....my favorite part was the smell of the blossoms....just divine. Enjoy your special treat! I wish I had a cold glass of lemonade right now. Jamie

[Sarah]

Oh my gosh...I didn't know they "came" in that size! Beautiful lemons...makes me long for spring. :)

[April]

Wow- your lemons put mine to shame. Just a note to let you know I really enjoy your blog.
April
www.suaviloquy.blogspot.com

[Amy]

Wow. We're expecting ten more centimetres of snow tomorrow.

I don't know if I've ever even seen a citrus tree.

[Alissa]

wow. i had no idea lemon trees had thorns. crazy.

[Tami]

Those are pretty decent size lemons. The ones on my tree are fairly large as well. But I have yet to see any thorns. Perhaps they only are on different varieties? If so, I have no idea what variety mine is. But some of the lemons are as big as grapefruits. :-)

[Nix]

Oooo so pretty! I want lemonade now. I didn't know the trees had thorns either. You learn something new everyday!

[Shannon]

Those are beautiful. How awesome to have lemons growing right in your own yard!

[Steph]

They're enormous! But yikes, the thorns are too! I'm growing my first lemon tree and it hasn't died yet so I'm hopeful of a little home made lemonade soon too. Mmmmm.

[katie]

those are beautiful! i never knew lemons had thorns. I still have three feet of snow, and have a little spring time envy.

[tricia]

Oh that is so cool..........and beautiful!

[Kate]

It was a gorgeous day in Atlanta but everything is still completely bare, your lemon trees were quite the eye candy treat. And I had no idea about the thorns either!

[Ginger]

I love lemons! I hope we can move back to SoCal soon so we can have a lemon tree again!

[Kate]

These are amazing! I had no idea that lemon trees had thorns....those look mighty scary.

[Joy Gross]

Oh how I miss having lemons available like that.. awesome.. .thank you for sharing.

[Patti]

I think the song went something like this...

Lemon tree, very pretty
and the lemon flower is sweet.
But the fruit of the poor lemon
is impossible to eat.

The tune was very Carribbean sounding, catchy and fast. Probably not the exact words, but as close as I can remember.

[marian]

I'm not sure I could be any more jealous at this moment. Two feet of snow on the ground, another foot on its way tomorrow, and you're harvesting LEMONS? Time for me to start rocking back and forth and chanting "Vermont is beautiful. Vermont is beautiful."

[mikawendy]

Whoah, I didn't know lemon trees had thorns! My great-aunt in California sometimes would send us boxes of lemons, and they were the size of grapefruits!

[Amii]

Thank you for the beautiful lemon pics! Today felt like spring was right around the corner - it got up to 85 here in North Texas! My poor Meyer Lemon tree is cooped up in the garage until the threat of a freeze has passed. Thanks again!

[Jen Eskridge]

Looks like a Miracle Gro commercial in the making. Those lemons have such beautiful rich color too. Lovely. ~jen~

[Sherry H.]

What beautiful photos! The reason that tree has thorns is that it is a different variety called a Meyer lemon. They have huge thorns and if you leave the lemons on the tree for awhile after they are ripe, they get huge. And the bigger they get, the more juice they have - sometimes up to half a cup or more. The Meyer lemon is more sweet than a regular tart Eureka (grocery store) lemon, and it has an almost floral fragrance to it. Some say it is a cross between a lemon and a tangerine. People in other parts of the U.S. pay a fortune for them, if they can even find them, but we in the SF bay area are fortunate to have them in many, many backyards. On warm days in March and April when the lemon trees start to bloom and the fragrance of the lemon blossoms permeate the air, it's almost intoxicating. Plus they make fabulous desserts and lemon curd and candied lemon peel and lemonade, and, well, just about anything you use them in.

[Kristen Laurence]

They're gorgeous!

[mo]

Those are amazing! There is nothing better than growing your own food. I had no idea lemon trees had thorns. We don't grow a lot of lemons here in the Pacific Northwest though.

[Heather Bailey]

Wow, thanks Sherry, you sure know your lemons! Sounds like the nectar of the gods - and now I'm even more in love with my lemon tree than before - while visions of lemon curd dance in my head.

[Andrea Q]

I had no idea that lemon trees have thorns!

[mojcej]

Nice!
I have a little lemon tree and I just can't wait the first lemon to grow on it.
(sorry my english)
I like your blog very very very much!
Greetings from Slovenia.

[Stacey]

holy guacamole those are some lemons! mmmm, mile high lemon meringue pie. Enjoy your harvest!

[Jean]

Whoa- they are beautiful! I had no idea lemon trees had thorns. What a funny contrast to the photos of the lady down below them.

[April Lister]

reading your blog. Love the idea of gingerbread soda. Gotta get that one! Your valentine ornaments are beautiful. Please take a moment to sign the comment section of my friends blogspot at mccplg.blogspot.com and tell her cowchipper sent ya. thanks for sharing!

[Krista]

the color yellow!! i had almost forgotten what it looks like. thank you for the glorious reminder. here the sky is gray, the trees are gray and snow is swirling in the air. oh, to be outside picking lemons -- even with giant thorns.

[Mellissa - wondermommy]

Those are beautiful. You make me want to plant a whole grove of trees.

[luvbug1975]

Such bountiful lemony goodness! I'm super jealous--here in the Texas Hill Country, we just don't grow lemons. Too bad for us because those are gorgeous! Have you tried making any lavender lemonade? YUM-O!

[luvbug1975]

Such bountiful lemony goodness! I'm super jealous--here in the Texas Hill Country, we just don't grow lemons. Too bad for us because those are gorgeous! Have you tried making any lavender lemonade? YUM-O!

[DeeLight]

What fantastic lemons!! Who knew, Lemon trees have thorn.

[luvbug1975]

And P.S. I do remember that Peter, Paul, and Mary song..."Lemon tree, very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet...."

[luvbug1975]

And P.S. I do remember that Peter, Paul, and Mary song..."Lemon tree, very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet...."

[Sarah M]

wow, those lemons are like the size of a small child!
how fun. You will have lemonade for days with those!

[Angela]

Oh, man. You're making me miss living in AZ and having citrus trees. As if the weather outside didn't make me miss it already.

[Lasso the Moon]

Oh, wow! I'm so jealous. Your sunny (and ginormous!) lemons and here I am in this winter wonderland...it's still coming down...
Thanks for the pick-me-up!
--Anna

[Laura/DaPFG]

your last line sounds like me...i am always saying that "one day" the rest of the garden will get worked on....but, of course not. i have this weird layer of like dead weed laying across all of the dirt, and for the life of me can't figure out how to get rid of it.

those lemons are ginourmous and awesome. and now i want some lemonade.

[lynn]

Are those Ponderosa lemons? We made a chicken marinade and a full pitcher of lemonade the other night from just one lemon!

As far as thorns go, blood orange thorns are the ones that seem to constantly prick me in the garden. I'll have to see if my Meyer lemons have thorns that big. Citrus season is the best part of a southern "winter" for sure!

[Karla]

Ooh - I can practically smell them! Lovely pictures!

[Ula]

WOW those are gorgeous. I'm seeing lots of lemonade, lemon squares, lemon pie, lemon chicken, etc. in your future.

[Elizabeth Mackey]

Aren't citrus plants just gorgeous!! I love the blossoms too. On my blog I have an embroidery project that you might like since it looks like your lemons above!! It will be a table runner. I'm hoping to finish it by summer. Take a look :)

[Megan]

wow what beautiful lemons. I'm jealous of your sunshine

[Stephanie T.]

We have Eureka lemons, not Meyer. They grow the size of grapefruits! We're in the middle of tearing out hedges and putting in 6 fruit trees..cherry, apricot, pomegranate, clementines, star grapefuit and a variety of naval orange...Now, if the stormy, windy weather will cooperate, we'll get everything in the ground!
Love those lemony pictures! spring is just around the corner!

[Carolyn]

What is your plan for all the lemons??? I hope to see future posts of lemony goodness. How wonderful!

[Erika Cass Designs]

Mmmmmm, this post made me thirsty! ;o)

[samm]

I'm totally jealous. Outside my windows is snow. Still. And more is going to fall overnight and tomorrow. Lemon trees wouldn't like it here at all. I hope you will photograph the flowers when the tree blooms! I'd love to see them. And can we figure out a way to send the aroma too? :O) samm