how do you get summer lemons? (forum)

allybanana starts with ...
What are the options for changing lemon fruiting time, prunning, stripping small fruit etc and at what time of year.

I have a couple of friends that supply lemons to a buissness that makes chilli sauces and preserves. Unfortunatly the chillis ripen late summer when there is a lull in lemon production, they have a mixture of common varietys ie myer lisbon eureka. They would like to grow more late summer lemons.

In addition they would be interested in varieties that fruit at this time of year. I have heard that verna which daleys stock (we will be notified when avalible) ripens about then, does anyone have experience with this variety esspecially in or around SE costal NSW.
Thanks in advance Ally

Time: 18th September 2010 8:09pm

Reply | Edit | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author
Eden S-East NSW
#UserID: 0
Posts:
View All 's Edible Fruit Trees

Wayne says...
I doubt that you are going to have any success there Ally, we have early varieties and late varieties but none to fill the gap.
Two ways to go, use imported fruit or keep it under controlled temperature like other suppliers do.

Time: 21st September 2010 5:45pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Wayne
Mackay QLD
#UserID: 338
Posts: 908
View All Wayne's Edible Fruit Trees

amanda says...
What about limes allybanana? Do u need the lemon juice or the whole fruit?
The limes can go yellow - no problems there.

Time: 21st September 2010 6:03pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author amanda19
Geraldton Mid West WA
#UserID: 2309
Posts: 4607
View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees

Julie says...
My limes finished weeks ago amanda. They have a fairly short season - at least the Tahitian limes do.

Time: 21st September 2010 7:56pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Julie
Roleystone WA
#UserID: 154
Posts: 1842
View All Julie's Edible Fruit Trees

Brad says...
my tahitian is flowering and fruiting really densely now. I thinned it out the other day. The lemon (I think its a eureka) at mum's fruits pretty much year round

Time: 21st September 2010 8:21pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
Original Post was last edited: 21st September 2010 8:22pm

About the Author Brad2
Como, Perth
#UserID: 2323
Posts: 762
View All Brad2's Edible Fruit Trees

amanda says...
This is odd. I have lemons and limes all year round? I thought everyone did, in all honesty?...I have a Eureka and Meyer lemon and a tahitian and west indian lime.

I have fruit now - young and mature and they are all in flower also.

I am still eating my tangellos and mandarins and those trees are in heavy flower also.

I don't pick them until I need them - but that's just general. I picked the bulk of my lemons and limes about 2 months ago and froze the juice. But my Eureka lemon just keeps on going and the fruit don't "over ripen" like the Meyer?

Probably talking thru' a hole in my bottom here guys!? Maybe it's just my climate? I will have to pass on this one ;-)

Time: 21st September 2010 11:47pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author amanda19
Geraldton Mid West WA
#UserID: 2309
Posts: 4607
View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees

Jason says...
No problem to get Lemons all year here also, they flower all year but that's the way life goes in a cooler climate (you have to get some good points to compensate for the much slower growth). Not sure whats going on in Geraldton though , that's hardly a cool climate?:)

Time: 22nd September 2010 4:38am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Jason10
Portland, Vic
#UserID: 3853
Posts: 218
View All Jason10's Edible Fruit Trees

allybanana says...
Thanks guys for the input, I will have too look into limes a bit more Amanda.

I have read that non-tropical costal climates like Geraldton, Portland and Eden facilitative of a longer citrus season.

We also get lemons all year; it is just there are only a few when they are needed most. I heard somewhere that if you strip off most of the winter crop and then give a prune at some time the energy goes into the summer crop.

I am curious on what flowers eventuate into summer lemons is it spring flowers? In that case when are the flowers for winter lemons, late summer/autumn? I haven

Time: 22nd September 2010 8:21am

Reply | Edit | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author
Eden S-East NSW
#UserID: 0
Posts:
View All 's Edible Fruit Trees

amanda says...
Hi allybanana - someone might know about Verna...also - do Lisbon lemons fit the bill? (I don't know anything about them myself)

Time: 22nd September 2010 9:32am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author amanda19
Geraldton Mid West WA
#UserID: 2309
Posts: 4607
View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees

amanda says...
Hey allybanana - I was reading about lemons (no - not Verna though) for your problem and in one book it says that green lemons can be stored in the cool for 4 months or more...(have no idea if they stay green or what!?)

The Lisbon lemon produces a late winter and late summer crop. Eureka bears all year. Maybe a combination of the two and a little juggling with your idea of pulling off the early flowers/light pruning might work? and/or "storing" them - either on the tree or green-ish?

I find my meyers don't store as long on the tree as the eurekas (but the meyer gets more water and the fruit is huge and uber-juicy which may affect its keeping qualities?)

I have just picked a eureka, now, that I know (from my photo library) has been hanging on the tree for 4 months at least (ripe) and cut it open - it's still perfect. Hope this is of some use...

PS - just found this - it's got loads of info for you towards the end of it:

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/137717/9-lemon-crop-management.pdf

Time: 22nd September 2010 1:26pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
Original Post was last edited: 22nd September 2010 1:47pm

About the Author amanda19
Geraldton Mid West WA
#UserID: 2309
Posts: 4607
View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees

Wayne says...
"We also get lemons all year; it is just there are only a few when they are needed most"
-------------

That's what I don't think some guys understood from your question Ally. It's nice to be able to say "I have lemons all year round". Yep, I to have limes and lemons "almost" all year round but I couldn't guarantee you a box of fruit every week of the year.

Commercially grown Citrus is seasonal, picked once a year and kept in controlled atmosphere until the market needs it as we all know. So I feel if you are wanting to supply these people look at other options.

Time: 22nd September 2010 3:41pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Wayne
Mackay QLD
#UserID: 338
Posts: 908
View All Wayne's Edible Fruit Trees

allybanana says...
Thanks Amanda that is the info i was after, Wayne i suspect you are right, but i am not giving up on my idealized verna for a fruity summer. Daleys has informed me they will have verna in 18 months and auscitrus has budwood.

Time: 23rd September 2010 8:14pm

Reply | Edit | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author
Eden S-East NSW
#UserID: 0
Posts:
View All 's Edible Fruit Trees

Chris says...
There are 6 available right now.
I understand that the illusive summer crop you are after was obtained by the Spanish growers of Verna by water stressing the tree. But it required arid conditions to do this and led to severe alternate bearing.
A true main cropping lemon in summer still doesn't exist, unfortunately.

Time: 6th June 2011 1:44am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
Original Post was last edited: 6th June 2011 5:15pm

About the Author Chris
Sydney
#UserID: 2281
Posts: 263
View All Chris 's Edible Fruit Trees