This week I took the wrappers off the lemon trees.
I've been a big consumer of lemons since I discovered that they can be used as a seasoning.
I use a lot less salt these days
I planted the Yen Ben variety. They are more acid so I've been told, and better for cooking.
Unfortunately they don’t like the frost so when the cold kicks in, I wrap the bushes with wire to hold a shape, and frost cloth to curb winters breath.
This cloth also protects the young plants from the winds that swoop in each spring.
I'm hoping that the wind has exhausted itself for the year. We have been getting some freak Southerlies that blow for weeks rather than days.
I’ve cleaned out all the weeds that have taken advantage of the protection and found that the earth around the lemons was bone dry and cracking.
So I watered hard, laid down some old catalogues as a weed mat, and shovelled on the mulch.
This is what it looks like now. I’m calling it ‘Helens hedge’ after the person who gave me the idea.
On the right is what the plants looked like when I planted it a couple of summers back. The tree closest to the house never really got going so I had to replace it last year.
I planted one Yin Ben out in the back yard as a ‘backup’. I couldn’t be sure how well the ones in the front were going to do. When I planted it, I didn’t cover just to see what would happen. It was munted by the frost. This winter it got it’s own blanket.
Last year it was sitting out there all by itself, with only the wood shed for company.
This years the little lemon is surrounded by mustard, manuka bushes, apple trees, and comfrey.
I use a lot less salt these days
I planted the Yen Ben variety. They are more acid so I've been told, and better for cooking.
Unfortunately they don’t like the frost so when the cold kicks in, I wrap the bushes with wire to hold a shape, and frost cloth to curb winters breath.
This cloth also protects the young plants from the winds that swoop in each spring.
I'm hoping that the wind has exhausted itself for the year. We have been getting some freak Southerlies that blow for weeks rather than days.
I’ve cleaned out all the weeds that have taken advantage of the protection and found that the earth around the lemons was bone dry and cracking.
So I watered hard, laid down some old catalogues as a weed mat, and shovelled on the mulch.
This is what it looks like now. I’m calling it ‘Helens hedge’ after the person who gave me the idea.
On the right is what the plants looked like when I planted it a couple of summers back. The tree closest to the house never really got going so I had to replace it last year.
I planted one Yin Ben out in the back yard as a ‘backup’. I couldn’t be sure how well the ones in the front were going to do. When I planted it, I didn’t cover just to see what would happen. It was munted by the frost. This winter it got it’s own blanket.
Last year it was sitting out there all by itself, with only the wood shed for company.
This years the little lemon is surrounded by mustard, manuka bushes, apple trees, and comfrey.
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