Other types of lemons need to turn yellow before they are considered ripe, but the good news is that even if they still look greenish, most lemons will continue to ripen once they are off of a tree.
The texture of a lemon and its consistency is another factor to determine ripeness. Firmness is a good sign of ripeness; if the lemon feels squishy, it has probably passed its peak.
In general, if no perfectly ripe lemons are available where you are, it is better to choose lemons when they're a little less ripe than overripe. When it comes to how to tell if a lemon is ripe, taste is key.
Choose a lemon and cut it open. You can taste it and examine how juicy it is. Examining one type of lemon will give you a good sense of whether similar lemons are ripe and ready to eat too. In general, because lemons are tart, growers do not need to leave lemons on the tree to sweeten. However, Meyer lemons sometimes benefit from a bit more time on the tree because they are less acidic and thus sweeter by nature.
Determining the ripeness of your lemons is easy when you know what to look for. The time of year in concert with the lemon's size, color, consistency, and taste are key elements in determining a lemon's ripeness. Now that you know how to tell if a lemon is ripe, it's time to start enjoying more of the lemons you choose! If you are interested in a variety of fresh and delicious citrus fruit, we've got you covered here at US Citrus!
Meyer lemons are available in stores between December and May. Their limited season and fragile skin which makes them more difficult to ship naturally makes them more expensive and harder to get your hands on than regular lemons.
Though the season may be short, you can easily extend it with the help of your freezer. To freeze Meyer lemon juice for later use, freeze the juice into ice cube trays. Transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to six months. You can also preserve zested peels by drying them in the sun and adding them to salts, cures, and marinades.
Because of their thin peel, Meyer lemons don't travel as well and aren't as widely available as regular lemons. They're going to be more widely available in citrus-growing regions looking at you, Florida. You can find them in some specialty and organic markets during the winter and spring months.
Store Meyer lemons in a sealed plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. When stored in the fridge, Meyer lemons will last up to a week. Stored at room temperature, they will last for a few days. By Melanie Fincher.
Pin FB Share. Bushel of meyer lemons on white background. Trees grown from grafted rootstock can start bearing fruit in as soon as two years, while seed-grown trees, which tend to be less healthy in general, start bearing fruit at three to seven years old.
Meyer lemon trees will fruit either indoors or outdoors once or twice a year, with especially abundant harvests in fall and winter. If your Meyer lemon tree is located outdoors, pollination should take care of itself. But if you have an indoor Meyer lemon tree—or an outdoor one that you bring inside during cold temperatures—you can assist with pollination. Take a paintbrush or cotton swab and ease it into the center of a Meyer lemon blossom and swirl it, collecting the pollen.
Then, repeat the process with every other blossom on the tree. You should prune your Meyer lemon tree periodically to keep it in its best health, maintain its structure and shape, and ensure that its branches can support fruit. Cut back the branches that do not produce fruit—called long leads—as they grow.
The side branches will spread into that space and strengthen so that they can bear the weight of the fruit. Cut any branches that are growing toward the trunk to increase airflow between the branches. Pruning your Meyer lemon tree before its fruit develops—cutting off every bud in a cluster except for one—can help stimulate the growth of larger lemons.
Your Meyer lemon tree can benefit from monthly fertilizations from April through September. Select a slow-release nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Some are created specifically for citrus trees.
You can also use organic emulsions or kelp. The amount of time it takes depends on how the tree was grown. A grafted tree can bear fruit in as little as two years, while seed-grown Meyer lemon trees can take anywhere from three to seven years to produce fruit. Caring for a Meyer lemon tree involves watering the soil deeply but infrequently and misting its leaves, promoting good soil drainage, allowing your tree to get at least 8 hours of direct sunlight, and more.
Standard Meyer lemon trees grow to be feet tall, while the dwarf variety grow to be feet tall.
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