Any thoughts on how I can encourage 3 green lemons to ripen? Being in shitty England the weather is going poo so I am now concerned these 1st born are going to go to waste before they become useable....
Thanks Eddie
I see two choices you might have. I would leave them on the tree until just before the first freeze. Then I would pick them and put them in a paper bag with a couple of apples. The gasses put out by apples will cause a lot of items to ripen. I don't know if it will work on citrus.
Your second choice is to pick them and tell everyone that they are limes, big limes. OK, I apologize for that, but I thought it was kind of cute.
Dwayne
As long as they are mature size, picking them green is usually fine (that's what they do commercially). You can just leave them on the counter to ripen.
Thank-you both! Lol about the lime suggestion! ;.)
I will hold my nerve over the frost as long as I can & then try the apple/bag/counter-top combi.
Eddie
Good luck, but don't expect true ripening from the ethylene gas produced by the apple in a bag idea. Sad truth is that some fruits ripen after picking and some don't. Citrus doesn't, so your best bet is to leave it on the tree just as long as you can. -aem
How bad are your frosts? And how many hours? I have an orange tree and I've been able to sneak through a light frost for a few hours. Here in California they use little gas heaters for the citrus orchards. Maybe some kind of poultry heater would work too. If you don't have one handy you can improvise. I fill a clay pot about 3/4 full with sand (coarse or fine). Then I light a few pieces of charcoal. By a few I mean 5 or 6 pieces, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Feel free to roast marshmallows while you're waiting for them to die down. After the coals die down I cover the pot (full of coals) with another clay pot that has a hole in the top. I put the pot a few feet away from the trunk.
You don't want a lot of heat. You just need to keep it slightly warmer than freezing as long as possible. And be very paranoid about using open flames outdoors. Be sure your pot won't be disturbed and can't be knocked over. And give yourself a few feet of clearance around the pot. Be sure it is covered and secure before you walk away. My tree is in the middle of my lawn and the nearest structure is 15 feet away. Don't do this if there is a breeze.
I've thought about filling a small barbecue or cast iron hibachi with a concoction of stones and sand to see if it says warm longer. I suppose if I had to do this more than once or twice a year I'd invest in a real heater! Anyway, that's my crazy idea for you. Good luck!
Hi,
I have a lemon tree which I rescued from the warehouse where I work last year and it has developed 2 marble sized lemons over the 'staying in' period. I'm just trying to acclimatize it now to outdoors.
They are both green and look like small limes.
My point is this... you can buy lemons dead cheap, why try and force your tree? Mine has bushed out in all kinds of all awkward ways, but hey, I say to it... if you want to grow like that - good on you.
I prune it occasionally but not because I want it to supply me with lemons.
Follow it's progress intently, and watch it grow. What better pleasure?
Regards, Dave
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Mebbe where you are, but here in LA area, I've seen them as high as 50 cents a piece. SO glad I planted my tree [censored] years ago!
why try and force
ITS
progress intently, and watch it grow. What better
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