It is not long since the winter solstice. Way back last summer solstice I planted a lemon tree in the then still quite new garden area. I selected a position where the tree would be sheltered from the hot and cold winds and protected from any rare frosts. But the tree was not happy there, and all through the hot summer it simply sat. No new growth was forthcoming, and I was troubled to see it’s lack of progress.
Finally, I realized that it was a make or break situation, that I would have to take the bull by the horns, or was that the lemon by the stem(?) and move it to another spot. If I left it, it would die, if I moved it at least it had a chance. I prepared the planting hole with compost, allowed some weeks to pass for it to settle, and then transplanted the lemon. That was two weeks ago. Each day I would murmur sweet words of encouragement to it, and carefully tried to judge the correct amount of water to give to it. Planting citrus in the middle of winter is not usually the optimum time, to put it mildly. But this is a dry winter to date, and the soil is not cold and sodden, in fact it is still quite dry just below the surface.
Yesterday, joy of joys, I found signs of new growth on the lemon tree! Along the branches are tiny tiny rosy buds of new life. Minute at this stage still, but thrilling just the same. It seems it must be happier……I know I am!
