How To Grow Lemons At Home: Tips For Your Bartender's Garden
From cocktails like mojitos and margaritas to mocktails like lemonades, there is no denying that lemons are a key ingredient in countless cocktails, beverages, desserts and savouries. They are fresh and citrusy, and add the necessary amount of astringency to any preparation.
A bartender’s garden is defined by the variety of limes and lemons grown, and with little knowledge and care, it is possible to grow a lemon tree in one’s backyard that will keep on yielding fruits for the coming years.
Varieties of Lemons One Can Grow
Gondhoraj Lemon:
With a name that literally translates to “king of aroma” in English, this lemon variant, native to Bengal, is known for its heady perfume. It is usually used in drinks to impart a fresh aroma. Bengal’s hot and humid climate is the perfect breeding ground for these kinds of lemons.
However, during heavy monsoons, the lemon tree or plant needs to be kept in a raised platform to prevent the roots from rotting.
Pat Nebu:
Also known as Pati Lebu (simple lime) in Bengali, these lemons have a thick skin and juicy flesh with few seeds. These are slightly sweeter in comparison to other lemon variants and are most commonly used in beverages because of their sweet and sour balance of flavour.
Pat Nebu is native to Assam and Nepal, and thus fares well in these regions with high rainfall. It requires loamy or sandy soil which also has good drainage. Hence, to grow Pat Nebu in regions with heavy soil, mix in some gravel and sand.
Mausambi:
Although not a true lemon, Mausambi or sweet lime is an essential ingredient in citrusy beverages. It is also much milder in its acidic content than regular lemons. This type of lemon prefers well-drained soil with a neutral pH. However, the soil needs to be consistently moist for the best fruits.
Further, they can also be impacted by cold weather, so keep your trees indoors and covered during the winters.
Nemu Tanga:
This Assamese native lemon has a sharp, tangy taste, which makes it perfect for curing meat and fish, as well as making beverages with a spice hit.
This lemon has a rough, thick rind, which is often used as a garnish or grated as lemon zest.
One-Size-Fits-All Tips
- Scale insects, aphids and mites are common pests that can plague a lemon tree. Things like Neem oil and insecticidal soaps can keep insect infestations at bay.
- If the trees are being grown inside pots, it might fare well to keep pruning them regularly. This keeps the tree at a manageable size and also encourages a better yield.
- Adding bone meal or Epsom Salt infuses the soil with necessary nutrients. Therefore, these fertilisers can be used to grow lemons in places where the soil isn’t of the best quality.
- Mulching around the plant’s base with materials like straw and dried leaves not only inhibits rapid moisture evaporation, but it also is effective in controlling weeds.
- The soil needs to have a pH between 5.5 to 6.5.
