Citrus Craze at Todays Farmers Market
Farmers markets are brimming with citrus of almost every variety and color. It’s hard to not be mesmerized by the gorgeous baskets and stalls filled to the brim with vibrant citrus. We have a pretty good inventory of citrus in our backyard already, but it doesn’t mean that we get tired of looking at them.
And of course, we never tire of photographing. You can never have too many meyer lemons!
Bearrs limes. Margarita Time!
Meyer lemons and Satsuma tangerines. More cocktail time. And some baking love.
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Hi,
Just love your site. I live in the midwest and have a sunroom that is in need of some container citrus plants. Would you happen to know of any sources?
Thank you, Michele
Hi Michele,
We always get our trees from our local nurseries, but we have heard of good things on the garden forums about FourWindsGrowers.com. Sometimes your local nurseries might be able to special order you some trees as well. Good luck!
T & D
I know this post is insanely old, but I am curious (and couldn’t find it anywhere else in your garden section) where do you purchase your Dr. Earth Citrus Fertilizer and your Montery Garden insect spray for your trees? (Just read your Sunset write up today online) I am in the same city as you and use Larry’s Building for my compost to help with this HORRIBLE clay soil of ours. Would love to buy the fertilizer and spray local (bike to it even!!!) as I am adding to my home garden addiction with several citrus trees. Can’t believe it took my this long to realize I should also be growing oranges if I live in OC! Getting of tired of having to get quality products/seeds online. Trying to reduce my footprint if possible. Any recommendations?
Hi Anna,
The Dr. Earth we usually get at Rogers Gardens and I think they also have it at Green Thumb in Lake Forest. The Montery Garden spray is easier to find. Both the aforementioned places have it, but Armstrong Nursery and quite a few other nurseries will stock it too. Good luck! There is nothing like growing your own foods and watching your trees flourish.
T & D
Thanks for the speedy response!
One of my fingerlimes is very young and has yet to produce. My larger, more mature has a red skin and a pink flesh. The flavor is wonderful in my opinion. My girlfriend and I like to sprinkle the “caviar” over Carne Asada tacos. I have also shared with friends who enjoy sprinkling fruit over oysters. I got my younger tree at Monterey Bay Nursery Inc., the owner had just shipped the majority of his stock, so I wound up with a smaller specimen that I have potted. My larger bush came from a test plot at Menlo Growers in Gilroy, CA.
The size on the Finger Lime from Meno is amazing, I paid 40 and it was definitely bigger than most 15 gallon purchases. It is currently covered in flowers and has several fruit starts.
We had some freak warm weather here a few weeks back and our apricot pushed early, its now covered with young fruit, but no leaves! Hope that the leaves come in soon to protect the young fruit. I will definitely look into the Spice-Zee Necta-Plum, hopefully I can find one soon, or I will have to wait till next year to get it properly planted.
Keep up the amazing work!
Chris
I was inspired by your coverage in Sunset and have a million questions to ask both of you! I have been a lifetime geek for citrus. I just bought my first house and in less than a year I have already planted 8 Semi Dwarfs. I am in Salinas, CA and find that the most challenging in my garden are the Australian Finger Limes, I was wondering if you two had thought about planting a finger lime?
After reading your piece on the Fremont Tangerine I added a significant one to my collection. Do you find that it is an alternate bearer? I have read reports to the fact that it is, and others saying they bloom annually. Any experience you can offer a newcomer?
Thank you for your inspirational site!
My current collection consists of:
2 Fingerlimes
Rangpur Lime
Keylime
Meyer
Algerian Tangerine
Variegated Lemon Golden Nugget
Murcott Mandarin
Fremont Tangerine
I also have:
Granny Smith Apples
Gala Apples
Peach
Apricot
White Nectarine
2 Rainier Cherries
Holy cow what a great selection. The Australian Finger Lime in next on our list. We’ve found growers who will ship it, but they have to hack it back so much, we’ve been trying to hunt down a nursery where we can pick one up. Even if it means a nice roadtrip!
What color finger limes do you have and do you have a preference in flavor?
Our fremont is crazy. We think it is on crack. Although it is probably just tapping into an old decomposing massive root from a past tree. Every year it produces like mad. The fruit hold really well on the tree, and the longer the better they become.
We are super jealous of your rainiers and apples! And are trying to figure a spot to put an apricot! But still leaving room for the Australian Finger Lime. 😉 What a great set of trees you have. The stone fruits start blooming for you yet? Ours just started up a few weeks ago. If you can find a Spice-Zee Necta-plum you won’t be sorry. It is a new variety from the Zaigers (they developed the pluots). Gorgeous red leaves, massive fruiting, plum tartness in the skin, but not quite a thick, nectarine like flesh. Delicious.
Happy gardening and thanks for sharing.
T & D
I think I have lemon lust, among other things. They look so bright and fresh, I can nearly taste them.
I too saw your sunset article. So great, I love your garden and didnt realize we live in the same area! I’d take some citrus off your hands anytime!
Long time reader, and basically a lurker. Had to surface to tell you Congrats on your Sunset article, I think your blog is better, but again, you both do a very good job at what you do. Photos, stories, and recipes, all very wonderful. I am in your neighborhood, so yes, the citrus is abundant right now. Bowls, and baskets full. We are seriously lucky to have such access to fresh produce year round.
Just stopping by to join the choir – pics are, of course, mezmerizzzzzzing – and I also LOVED seeing you in the magazine. Sending love.
Hey! I was just reading the current issue of Sunset (I’m a long-time subscriber) and was delighted to turn the page and see your smiling faces looking back at me! Great article(s) about your citrus backyard paradise. Did you shoot the pictures for the feature?
I love that magazine, but it does make me jealous that we can’t grow thing here in Colorado that they take for granted on the West Coast. I guess it means we’ll just have to visit more often…
Congratulations!
Did you need my address to ship a crate of meyer’s lemons, limes and tangerines to my chilly New York address? Seriously.
I’m with Smith Bites…I need to be where you are!! You are so right about those Meyer lemons….
sigh . . . i wish we were neighbors . . .
I can never tire of Meyer lemons either! Sweet and perfectly tart, they make a beautiful French yogurt cake. I admire your backyard harvest- gorgeous!