A little over a year ago I bought a tiny lemon tree for $20 Dollars. It is a Meyer Lemon (my favorite kind, it is almost like the mandarin orange of the lemon family, smaller, sweeter, and thinner skin) I didn't take any baby pictures of it but I did find this shot from shortly after I had transplanted it :
This tree and I have battled Ants & Aphids, Torrential Rains, and Evil little flies. And most recently some leaf eating bug that I have never been able to find. But it was a tough little lemon tree and it hung in there, and now look how beautiful it is:
And today I got to harvest my very fist lemon from it!
Isn't it lovely!
I used it to make the best glass of Lemon-aid EVER!
Also, I discovered who was doing this:
A HUMONGOUS Tiger Striped Swallowtail caterpillar!
Check out that stem below him! Only one leaf left :o
We relocated him to a bush far far away.
The tree seems to have kicked into full drive with the making of the lemons now, I only got three baby lemons (and only the one survived to maturity) from the first batch of blossoms but I have tons of babies growing from this second go around. My hope is that soon I won't have to buy lemons from the store anymore. :)
Well how incredibly cool is that?! From one lemon lover to another..I share your joy :)
ReplyDelete..and too bad that gecko from the 1st photo didn't stay on as a shepherd to protect your flock of lemons (uh, make that, leaves) from predators. Shoot, that caterpillar looked to be about the same size, & could've given the gecko a run for his money!
He looks similar to the sphinx or hummingbird moth caterpillar. Interesting how we always have those moths in the summer but I've never seen their caterpillars..which is just fine by me, as they love tomato plants! Do you remember finding any in the garden ever?
I am so impressed! I do not have even a sickly green thumb. I seem to kill most every plant and I can never figure out what I am doing wrong. Good on ya Abby! That is the cutest little tree and your lemon looked delicious. I wish I was there to touch that caterpillar (is that weird?). It looked like such a nice squishy fat guy. I wouldn't squish him, just poke him.
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