Published: August 01, 2008 10:42 am            

Gardening is the purest of human pleasures

Jo Anne Boudreau, Democrat Columnist

Over 30 years ago, I found a little orange tree in a gallon size pot for three dollars in the back of a commercial greenhouse. The owner didn’t have any idea what variety it was or how to plant and grow it. I brought it home and planted it in a five gallon clay pot and set it on the front porch. In the fall when the weatherman said to bring to tender plants inside I’d set my orange tree in the corner of the living room near the picture window. As the years went by my orange tree grew as tall as the porch and living room ceiling. My late husband helped me drag it inside every fall and back to the porch in the spring.

Fourteen years ago when I put in a commercial greenhouse and turned my farm north of Mineral Wells into an herb farm, my son helped me move my orange tree into the back southwest corner of the greenhouse. It florished in the greenhouse; putting on lots of new growth that was covered with sweet smelling blossoms that permeated the entire greenhouse with their heavenly fragrance every fall and winter. Little sweet oranges covered the tree most of the year. I’d pick and pop the entire orange, rind and all, in my mouth and saveur the taste and fragrance of the delectible fruit.

A young Philippino nurse walked into my greenhouse one winter day looking for herbs. She followed the orange blossom scent to the back of the greenhouse and stood next to my orange tree, covered with blossoms and little oranges, crying. She told me this was the orange tree she grew up with in the Philippines. Her mother used the fruit in many delicious recipes and made tea with the leaves, lemon grass and perilla for a refreshing and healing tea. I gave her an orange to take home and plant the seeds and possibly grow her own tree.

My orange tree thrived for many years on my porch, living room, and greenhouse until the grasshoppers struck. They ate the leaves and bark. I sprayed, pruned and fertilized. I wrapped the tree in netting and the grasshoppers chewed through the netting and continued to chew on the tree. The tree would revive every winter and sprng until grasshopper returned with a vengence every summer. After the third year, the grasshoppers finally ate my orange tree to death. Today I am growig a kaffir lime tree for the richly perfumed leaves to nibble on and use in Asian dishes.

Citrus thrives in heat in well drained soil. Choose an orange variety that has been grafted onto Seville Sour Orange for its resistance to frost damage and most diseases. This information should be on the tree tag. Most citrus produce fruit after two to four years. Lime trees are very frost-tender and need to be kept in a warm area. Plant citrus trees in September and October. If you have a pool, set potted citrus trees around it because the water keeps the surrounding air warm for the trees. Deep water once a week during hot weather. Citrus don’t like wet roots so be sure to let the soil dry out between watering. Water your potted citrus trees every 15 to 20 days in the winter. Citrus roots are very fragile and easily damaged so when transplanting, remove the tree from the pot carefully, use the original soil and backfill with 20 percent organic material. Do not fertilize young trees the first year. Since chemical fertilizer salts burn roots, use only organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion, liquid seaweed, cottonseed meal, and mushroom compost. Chicken manure is best for citrus trees.



Listen to Jo Anne Boudreau on Herb Talk Thursday morning from 8 to 9 on KMQX 88.5, 89.5, K2459 97.7, K72AZ 93.3, KSQX 89.1 KQXE 91.1 FM radio and www.KYQX.com

        

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