Sara Rosenberg

I have been growing citrus outside in zone 8 for about 3 years (winters) now.

Here are some pics and a video of how i did it.

Steven A Smith wrote:
I was heartened to find this Victory Garden thread.  My parents came of age during WWII (my father joined/served only in the last few months of the war) and grew some kind of garden all their lives... passing the basics on to me.

I have been thinking alot about victory gardens and truely hoped they would make a comeback. time will tell.

I'm growing some extra leafy greens in response to this dilemma and using fish emulsion more than i had previous years because I very well might need the crop foods depending on how this pans out. If i end up with extra, i can help feed others.

It currently looks like I have many lemons and kumquats setting fruit as well as plums and peaches. My apples have yet to wake up.

I've been harvesting the asparagus, mint, and broccoli too. I have green onions for days and garlic to spare. Plus I'm still getting some oyster mushrooms too. Fingers crossed everything else does very well.

Steve, I wish I was in the country but budget, work, and our child's school keeps me close to the downtown area. I thought I was doing good getting a 1/4 acre in an HOA. I do dream of 2+ acres without an HOA and less rocky soil.

It takes me a full day to dig holes for blackberry starts because of the limestone deposits. there is an old abandoned limestone quarry ~1 mile away.

I'm trying to convert my backyard into its own food forest on the low down without the HOA knowing. My place is like a mullet, business up front and party in the back.

Gotta keep that HOA in the dark and my nose clean

think they would grow in north texas? I'd love it if they did/

Steve Thorn wrote:

Sara Rosenberg wrote:My citrus wall today.

Great looking citrus wall Sara!

I'd like to set up one of these soon!

Winterized Protection and picked about 10 lemons, 1 orange, 1 grapefruit and several kumkuats.

I like to push Citrus because people say I can't. Zone 8, North Texas.

This year (my 3rd winter messing with inground Citrus). I did more than just toss Plastic and lights over my babies.
Babies include: red grapefruit, kumkuat, mexican lime, Meyer lemon, cara cara, , blood orange, lemon grass, miho mandarin, and ice cream banana

on the side of the house not show are frost orange and arctic frost + a mandarin and extra Meyer lemon.

I actually just bagged up a gallon bag of halved bells and tossed them in the freezer for use in fajitas and chili.

Last year 2018, I grew them from store-bought peppers (red and yellow). This year, I used the seeds from my 2018 harvest and had several that did very well. I'm in the DFW area. I had some competition from a rat but otherwise, the plants stayed loaded. I also grew some thin-skinned Shishitos because they are prolific and sweet, a very good substitute for a bell in most situations.

My shishitos are also in their 3rd year of seed saving and did amazing. I also have a gallon bag I halved and tossed in the freezer today.

The key may just be growing your own strain year after year until it is perfectly acclimated to your region.

I save seeds because of Joseph Lofthouse.

I originally thought that seed saving was only done in order to save money (win)! However, the development of a plant more suited to my soil conditions was incredibly appealing and letting cross-breeding happen in order to have the chance to get new, tastier happy accidents happen is appealing. Plus, I like knowing that the seeds also came out of my own plants that have 0 poisons dumped on them.