Honestly, sometimes I could cry. I only hav-e to walk down to my local shops and I pass 2 properties with lemon trees so large, and so dropping with lemons, and the owners don't use them! They fall on the ground and end up rotting. I do go in and ask for some and are given heaps, but I find it so sad people don't use them up. We lost a big lemon tree to renovations, and I have a "new" one, and a lime tree in matching pots on the deck. They are coming up a year since planted, so have had all their fruit removed over the last few months to promote structure growth. Am so looking forward to the fruit off them. People are always crying out for lemons why do people not pick them or give them away!
kaddiew,
Jul 31, 5:47am
It's crazy - have seen the same thing here.
And yet lemons were in such short supply commercially, and so expensive, that a local fish & chip shop, and a local juice bar are both offering to exchange their products for lemons.
lythande1,
Jul 31, 5:49am
Yep, like my own lemon tree. I have put a sign up at the gate but very few people seem to want lemons, there are a few others around here though. over supply here I guess.
pestri,
Jul 31, 6:38am
Yep saw that when I was in Raumati last week. but then in the local shops/markets lemons were quite readily available.
brightlights60,
Jul 31, 8:52am
I planted a lime tree after I saw the price of them in Summer $24.95 a kilo!
sifty,
Jul 31, 8:58am
People need to drink more Gin.
samanya,
Jul 31, 9:51am
So did I about 3 years ago & it finally perished due to frost, this year (got about 4 limes from it). so good luck with yours. My huge mature lemon tree has suffered as well . never had lemons freeze solid before, did this year & they are useless.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jul 31, 9:56am
A neighbour of mine used to put out a carton by the gate with overflow grapefruit. Passers by would pick up a couple, the box was usually empty by evening.Another would place buckets of bunched daffs with a $1 a bunch sign, money went into the locked letterbox as a fundraiser for his Buddhist community, I suspect he rarely got ripped off though no doubt it happened. There are generous souls out there who give freely and then there are those shy to take it up. Sometimes the offer just has to be really easy to accept.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jul 31, 9:57am
Lemon curd ice cream. Sinful stuff.
kiwigoldie,
Jul 31, 2:44pm
homemade Limoncello. omg its divine. and leads on to limoncello and blueberry trifle and then limoncello icecream. oh I wish I had a huge lemon tree.
lythande1,
Jul 31, 2:56pm
You'd get sick of them. Must be at least 250 lemons on my tree. bleh.
brightlights60,
Jul 31, 4:17pm
Bag them up and take to food bank.People who have colds will love them.
wendalls,
Jul 31, 9:31pm
I am volunteering for the community fruit picking scheme in auckland. At the moment we do the north shore and over whenuapai, kumeu etc. doing oranges mainly and taking to food banks. My lemon tree has never grown much due to the blimen grape vine next to it robbing nutrients. I have just cut the vine back to a 20 cm stump. I have about 15 lemons and I'll use those quick. Had a gin tonight. add to hummus, guacamole, fish, lemon loaf.
cantabman1,
Aug 1, 6:58am
can you tell me what area in Ch Ch as I may knock on some doors. her indoors love them!
mrfxit,
Aug 1, 7:14am
Search on Facebook for your local "Pay It Forward" & "Freecycle" gifting groups
hakatere1,
Aug 1, 7:20am
Hallswall? A mate lives that side of town and has heaps of citrics
crazynana,
Aug 2, 12:02pm
I slice and free flow freeze our excess lemons. They are then immediately ready to slip into your G & T or kids drinks. Enough ice to cool your drink but to enough to dilute your drink.
arabelle,
Aug 2, 3:11pm
Rest homes are desperate for them to make the lemon n honey for the residents
brightlights60,
Aug 2, 4:16pm
We are quite lucky in that we have a North facing, deep porchway. The bushes are in giant dragon pots set right back to a ranchslider, so out of reach of frosts yet still get Winter sun. Looking really good.
samanya,
Aug 2, 4:41pm
I hope it does well. I have a huge empty pot so I might give it one more try in a more sheltered spot . I'm not the best at remembering to water the pots. You have encouraged me to try again.
samanya,
Aug 2, 4:43pm
Oh yum, great idea . you are a girl after my own heart (said as she sips on a G & T)
fester2005,
Aug 3, 3:17pm
where are all these lemons, I'll have some, luv lemons and lime, good in the ninja, Kiapoi area
deanna14,
Aug 3, 5:13pm
You could call a local scout group or some such and let them pick them all to sell to raise funds.
brightlights60,
Aug 3, 5:44pm
Main North Road in Redwood. Seems like every 3rd house has a giant lemon tree lol.
brightlights60,
Aug 3, 5:48pm
A couple of things. Make sure you really fill that pot with good quality (home made is best) compost plus put a whole lot of those water holding crystals in with the soil. I also added coconut fibre, I found a guy in Wairakei Road that imports it in "bricks" you add water and you get a wheel barrow load. Its what they plant strawberries in. Anyway, I put that in all my pots (line them with it), my outdoor planters, hanging baskets and around the bases of all my roses. Its fantastic, no matter how dry the Summer gets (like last year) the plant retains moisture. You do have to feed lemons too. Good article in the paper last week. My lemon and lime tree leaves had an inverted V of yellow on the leaves, turns out it was magnesium shortage, so used 2tbsp epsom salts in 3 litres water for each pot. Fixed. Cover in winter if they are in the frost zone.
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