Monday, November 12, 2018

Meet Sunny, My Wintertime Companion

Jan here, and I am so excited!

Look at this:


That is a lemon! A real lemon! Growing on my lemon tree!

I started seeing these lemon trees in my garden catalogs several years ago, but wasn't sure I could take care of a citrus tree. Our move north in 2011 clinched the deal - sub-zero temperatures and a semi-arid climate are NOT an ideal climate for citrus fruit!!!

Then in 2017, my daughter and son-in-law gave me a gift card to our local garden center. As I browsed through the hundreds of plants, I narrowed down my choices to a house plant. Something unique. Something fun.

When I turned a corner and saw the citrus trees, I knew I had found what I was looking for. I had a reasonable expectation that if the local garden center was selling these trees, then it might be possible for me to keep it alive.


This baby needs more tender loving care than any plant I've ever owned. Its care isn't hard, just constant.

It needs a LOT of sunlight - eight to twelve hours a day! So I adjusted things in the dining room to give it the prime spot in the south window during our short winter days. I even put the pot on a wheeled coaster so I could move it from the south window to the west window to grab another hour or so light in the afternoons.

It also needs warmth - 65° or warmer. Hmmm. We keep our thermostat set low during the day, and lower at night. I adjusted the temperature up a degree or two (much to my husband's delight!)

Another thing it needs is special fertilizer. I bought a kit from this website: My Citrus Tree, and am now convinced that the right fertilizer makes all the difference!

The final thing it needs is humidity. Like I said before, we live in a semi-arid climate. Our relative humidity is often in the single digits during the winter, and rarely gets above 60% in the summer. Great for humans, not so good for citrus trees. So I bought a spray bottle to mist the tree every day, and I water it (just a little bit) three times a week to keep the soil moist.


But keeping track of those little details is worth it. My goal when I got this little tree was to keep it alive. :-) In the spring I transplanted it to a larger pot, and it has doubled in size. When the first blossoms appeared, I was transported by their lovely scent.

The newest blossom, just opening this weekend.
I did have a scare at the beginning of last winter - the poor thing lost all of its leaves! But a visit to the website gave me some ideas, and I was able to nurse it back to health.

It loved the summer days out on our deck. And the hotter the weather, the better! I did have to remember to bring it into the house each evening, since our nights almost always dip into the 60's, even in the hottest part of the summer.

As blossom followed blossom, I watched eagerly for fruit to appear. Several did...but then died before reaching the size of a dime. I went back to the website to learn how to be a honeybee, and armed with a cotton swab, did the deed. Several times. And was rewarded with one lemon that has survived and grown!

And now I'm waiting patiently for the lemon to turn completely yellow!

I decided a plant like this deserves a name. So I chose "Sunny." Why? Because it is a constant source of sunshine, even on the darkest winter day!

What do you think? Would you try growing a citrus tree?



Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.

You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com.

9 comments:

  1. This is awesomesauce!!!! I can`t believe that little bitty tree bore that big lemon! Those branches look scrawny!!! Sunny`s future looks bright with you for her adopted mama! So...what are you going to do with that lemon once it`s ripe? And you`ll have to tell us if there`s a difference between a fresh picked lemon and the kind we get in the grocery store after they`ve made their long trek north.

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    1. You're right - it IS a little bitty tree! The weight of the lemon rests on the dirt. I keep a leaf under there to protect the lemon, but it just keeps on growing.

      I haven't decided what I'm going to do once the lemon is ripe. I could juice it, but it seems like I should use it in a special recipe. I'll have to let you know!

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  2. Jan, you're so adventurous--and dedicated!! I'm like Kav, I can't believe that huge lemon is on that scrawny branch! LOL

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    1. It has certainly been an adventure! But I'm always up for a challenge. :-)

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  3. How fun is that, Jan? A lemon growing right in your kitchen. Very cool.

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    1. It is very cool! I was surprised to get one lemon. Now I'm feeling greedy as I plan for another one!

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  4. I've seen these in gardening catalogs as well and wondered if they really worked. I live in the South, but still worry about having enough light in the house. I would love to have my own lemons, but haven't had the courage to try yet.

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    1. Hi Linda!

      In the South, you would be able to leave the tree on your patio or deck all summer, and it would love it. You'll have to go to the website I linked in the blog and read about the plants. There is a lot of information there, and you can ask questions about your growing area.

      Have fun!

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  5. I have killed every single plant I've ever tried to grow in the house. I am pretty amazing outside, but Jan... I am a neglectful plant owner. I forget them... and even when I remember the poor buggers, I shrug them off.... I am so impressed by this! GO SUNNY!!!!!

    "Sunny.... you smiled at me and really eased the pain!"

    What a cool project you've got going there. I am crazy proud of anyone who can keep plants alive inside.

    Go you!

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