Bountiful lemon tree grows from roots in Southern California
Three decades ago I planted a small stick in the ground. The scrawny thing grew from a lemon seed I carefully germinated from my father-in-law's prolific backyard lemon tree.
The thing is, my father-in-law, Al, lived in Southern California in the breezy, salty coastal town of Santa Monica. My husband and I lived in Northern California about 350 miles away. The only way to bring those lemons up the coast was in a car.
At the time we had an invasion of Mediterranean fruit flies that almost decimated the citrus crops in California. To avoid spreading the pest, no one was permitted to travel in or out of the state with any California lemons and oranges. Airplanes banned the fruit no matter how short the flight.
Driving home with fresh lemons was my mana from the citrus gods, so that’s how a seed from a SoCal tree grew in NorCal.
I remember the day I surveyed the front yard. It was an overcast day, as the little sprig with a few green leaves sat in the big plastic pot waiting to be freed. I had promised it a real home in the deep, dark rich soil of the Santa Clara Valley.
I dug the hole without much fanfare. I just knew it needed full sun and room to grow. I really didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t give it any extra nutrients. I didn’t pay…
