My Thriving Citrus Collection
I am very fortunate to be able to grow citrus plants here in the frigid Northeast. During the freezing months of winter, my potted citrus trees thrive in one of my greenhouses and this year, with proper feeding and watering, they have been extremely productive. Last week, Gary Nardilla, my longtime Director of Photography for my field pieces, came to Bedford for a television shoot about my citrus, which airs today on Hallmark Channel. Although my little collection is miniscule compared to the first orangery I ever visited at the Château de Versailles in France. King Louis XIV, who found the aroma of citrus blossoms to be intoxicating, had an enormous heated glass structure erected to house more than 3,000 trees! However, my citrus is in full flower and some in full fruit right now and I can only tell you how satisfying it is to grow and pick your very own. You, too, can have success if you have a sunny windowsill or a bright and sunny room. Most of my collection came from my friends Byron Martin and Laurelynn Martin, owners of the amazing Logee’s Tropical Plants, in Danielson, CT. They have an extraordinary collection to choose from.
1 Gary Nardilla and his crew were set up in the cold house amidst the citrus trees.
2 Annie, my wardrobe stylist was waiting for me to dress for the shoot, to make last minute adjustments.
3 It seems that Tang was also waiting.
4 Such a face!
5 Sharkey knew something was up.
6 I really like this barn jacket and its warm shade of red.
7 The carriage roads were icy, slushy, and muddy and this is the perfect transport to the cold house.
8 Laurie Hepburn - field producer - was wondering where I was. I wasn't even a minute late!
9 There I am, in position and ready for action!
10 This unusual fruit is called Buddha's hand or fingered citron. Like citron, the peel is excellent when candied.
11 This is a Nagami kumquat - Unlike other citrus fruits, which have thick, pithy rinds, kumquat peel is thin and soft, and perfectly edible.
12 In fact, the peel is sweet, compared to its rather tart flesh. Candied kumquats are delicious.
13 Citrus flowers are either solitary, like this waxy, white, fragrant one.
14 Or clustered like these - you can practically smell their beautiful aroma.
15 Citrus limon 'Spanish Pink Variegata' - prized for its variegated foliage, striped fruit, and pink lemony pulp.
16 This is a sunquat - Like a kumquat, the whole fruit is meant to be eaten.
17 Andrea Mason - TV garden expert and Shaun Kass - my gardener
18 Dave Plisken - audio engineer - standing by
19 Gary got some beautiful tight shots of citrus for his 'B roll'
20 Citrus limon 'Striped Lemonade' - This unusual tree is especially beautiful from its variegated leaves and fragrant blossoms, to its striped fruit - lovely!
21 A better look at Citrus Limon's variegated leaves and flowers about to open.
22 Citrus x limonia ‘Otaheite’ or the "Tahitian Orange," This dwarf variety is considered to be the best of the indoor oranges - the fruit becomes a deep orange color and is actually thought to be a sweet lime and not an orange.
23 More blossoms yet to open.
24 Citrus hystrix 'Kaffir Lime' - The leaves of this tree are highly sought after and are used extensively in Asian cuisine, particularly in Thai cooking, for their delicious flavor and fragrance.
25 The wrinkly fruit also provides a unique flavor that just can't be reproduced by other citrus. If you've ever followed an authentic Thai recipe, it most likely called for 'Kaffir Lime' leaves.
26 These pristine blossoms belong to Citrus sinensis 'Blood Orange.' I really love this fruit because its distinctive tasting flesh is purple rather than orange.
27 Citrus limon 'Ponderossa' or 'The American Wonder Lemon' - this plant produces a thick mass of highly fragrant flowers, which become tiny lemons. Those lemons get bigger and bigger, often up to 5 pounds!
28 And more fragrant blooms and such shiny leaves!
29 Another view of Citrus limon 'Ponderossa.'
30 This little tree is loaded with flowers - can't wait to see its yield.
31 Citrus limon 'Meyer' - My favorite lemon because this thin-skinned fruit is much more flavorful the ordinary store-bought. I love its flavor in baking and cooking and these are ripening nicely.
32 Citrus x Citrofortunella mitis is similar to a mandarin orange.
33 A better look at the fruit - these small, juicy, sour oranges are wonderful in recipes and also for making preserves.
34 The citrus trees are thriving at one end of the 'cold house.'
35 Vegetables are growing at the opposite end of the cold house. That's Fernando tending the beds.
Photos By Martha Stewart @marthastewart and Eliad Laskin @joemartha
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I love your citrus collection, Martha! I have three children (two under 3) and I thik it's going to be a few years before I try growing anything indoors. To them, it would be viewed as one big, giant sandbox!
Oh, and the picture of you in the red barn jacket...amazing! Can I please look as good as you do when I'm your age?
Posted by: Morgan Dickerson | February 23rd, 2011 at 12:09 am
Good morning Martha, I can't wait to see this segment online. You look wonderful in red! Love your citrus plants. Tang and Sharkey looks so cute.
At my grandparents house my mother's side they have gardens of orange blossom trees amazing amazing aroma and every year they make orange blossom water, I use it in some sweet recipes and drink it with boiled water as a tea very good for digestion after a heavy meal and so delicious called café blanc, also I add it to my drinking water love it.
Generally, you will find two types of orange flower water, sometimes called orange blossom water. The first is of middle eastern origin and is pretty common. The other is of French origin and is the one most commonly used in cocktails Orange Flower Water http://bit.ly/JGPqX
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | February 23rd, 2011 at 1:41 am
All I can think of is lemonade and other fresh drinks. It remnds me of summer in the middle of winter.
You look great in your red and white. I like the boots, too.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | February 23rd, 2011 at 7:44 am
You have inspired me to attempt growing more than parsley on my sunny window, I think. Great shots of citrus almost enabling me to smell that "ol orange blossom special". Now I am looking forward to seeing Margaret Roach with her new book.
Posted by: ann | February 23rd, 2011 at 9:45 am
Martha, a tropical paradise in your greenhouse. Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | February 23rd, 2011 at 10:33 am
Hi Martha, These photos are not only superb, but they make it look like it's summer and all of the citrus plants are blooming and producing wonderful fruits! OH, how I wish I had a coldhouse like yours, but my yard is not big enough. I just love it when you share photos from any part of your farm! I love the variety of citrus plants that you grow and I see some that I've never heard of before. You look great in that red jacket! Can't wait to see the segment on your TV Show! Yesterday's TV Show was so much fun and I've always loved puzzles. Waiting to see you on the Today show in about an hour. Now on my way to the Daily Wag Blog. Have a great day! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | February 23rd, 2011 at 11:22 am
Hi Martha,
You certainly have an amazing collection of citrus trees! I live in Florida and never gave a thought to growing more than one kind – a Honeybell tree. We had the best oranges, big, sweet and juicy and many of them too. I had more oranges than we could use and then Wilma came to town! That was the worst hurricane for us – took down our pool screening, a palm tree and our beloved orange tree! I’m still in mourning over that tree after almost 6 years - but maybe it’s time to plant another one.
~
I’m enjoying the Citrus show today and the audience looks so nice in all their citrus colors. It made me realize that I don’t have any such colors – must do something about that! Enjoy your weekend in South Beach – I sure wish I could attend your event with Emeril on Friday but I was so busy with sis in hospital that I forgot all about getting tickets. Well, maybe next year. Trish
Posted by: Trish | February 23rd, 2011 at 11:47 am
Martha, your citrus plants are absolutely stunning! It's amazing to get so much from one plant — from sweet fragrant blooms to juicy fruits. I love how you showed close-ups of the variations in color/texture/shape of each species...such beauty. I definitely have greenhouse envy looking at all your veggies too. Wow.
Speaking of greenhouses, Logee's is such a special place. My Mom and I went there when i was in college (19 years ago) and I still have a Duranta, passion flower and hoya I bought there all those years ago. They're like members of my family.
After we met ever-so-briefly at your book signing at Fairway in Stamford, I ordered Better Boy and Big Boy tomatoes for our garden, and a few things from Seed Savers. Thank you so much for your generous recommendations.
My husband and I are loving 'Power Foods' and have tried a new dish every night. So many delicious recipes with simple, healthful ingredients and wonderful, lively flavors. What a great job you and your team have done (again)!
Thank you always for sharing your knowledge and for being such an inspiring educator.
Kind Regards,
Kate
Posted by: Kate Spain | February 23rd, 2011 at 11:56 am
Martha, I just love what you are wearing! Plus the citrus shots.
Posted by: Frances | February 23rd, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Martha, check with your dentist about drinking lemon juice twice a day. My dentist was concerned about the acidic juice I was drinking harming enamel on my teeth. Always trade offs in life but you know that. Catherine
Posted by: Cathybytheriver | February 23rd, 2011 at 1:47 pm
Hello, Hello....
I have missed coming by to visit, my MIL passed away and the same day my own Mother was hospitalized with shingles...it's been a whirlwind as she's beeen liviing with us !!
Love the photo of you in your red coat...
Looking forward to catching up...
All the best,
Kathy
Posted by: Kathy :) | February 23rd, 2011 at 2:47 pm
Dear Martha, I too am a huge fan of citrus. Living in Southern California I am so lucky to walk around the neighborhood and pick an Orange, Lemon and a Lime on streets names as Orange Grove, Lemon Court and Lime Ave. Here in the Pasadena area our town heritage is all about the Orange Groves. (Ostrich farms too!) Unfortunately, I do not have a green thumb and my luck at citrus is kept to cooking or using in floral arrangements. One desert that I absolutely love and covet is a lemon curd filled Pączki. Coming from a baking loving Polish family I had such high anticipation for Pączki Day. But with no love for baking (give me a loud crazy kitchen cooking anytime over baking) I do not know how to make these tender puffy pillows filled with lemon curd. I think Pączki would be a great recipe to make on “Martha Bakes”. Better yet, please come to sunny California and teach me in my kitchen.
Sincerely, Dana Marie
Posted by: Dana Marie | February 23rd, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Mmmm...citrusy things...you have a very lovely collection, Martha! And, you looked fabulous in that barn jacket.
Posted by: sherey | February 23rd, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Martha, you look great (as always) and your pictures are always informative. Many Thanks for the look behind the scenes.
Posted by: kathy hamlett | February 23rd, 2011 at 4:24 pm
-- Hi, M. I envy you! I'd love to have my own greenhouse or cold house. What a luxury to spend time in one on a wintry day. Today I received dose of sunshine while tramping around athletic fields on snowshoes. --
Posted by: Mina I. | February 23rd, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Martha inspired me to plant a Meyer Lemon orchard. I named each of my 40 trees for woman who inspired me so of course, one is named Martha! We ship beautiful sweet Meyer Lemons from my orchard to your kitchen every Monday priority mail. Visit http://www.lemonladies.com if you would like some shipped to you. Thanks Martha for introducing me to the magnficent Meyer!
Posted by: Karen Morss | February 23rd, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Hi, what is the temperature in the greenhouse? It's amazing to see veggies growing in the winter like that. How do you keep the ground from freezing?
Posted by: Jennifer Evans Huffman | February 23rd, 2011 at 5:35 pm
Wow, I am very impressed with the variety of citrus that you have growing. I might actually try to attempt a least one kind at my home here on eastern Long Island. You have given me some hope & inspiration. All the best, Lori
Posted by: Lori Guyer | February 23rd, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Martha,
You look adorable! I love that you are just as smart about fashion as everything else!! You are inspiring!
Posted by: Shannon Brown | February 23rd, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I noticed that many of your citrus are in small pots. Do you leave them in these small pots year round?
Posted by: Dave Salinas | February 23rd, 2011 at 8:27 pm
A citrus collection is so wonderful to have! I however live in the northwest without a greenhouse and have had tragedy after tragedy with each Meyer lemon tree I have put outside for the summer - they always succumb to a scale infestation. Have you ever had this problem?
Posted by: Emily | February 23rd, 2011 at 11:19 pm
I love your Buddha's hand. I'm an art teacher and when I lived in Santa Barbara I had a student bring me one from her garden and it was one of the best presents. My classroom smelled so amazing, I teach art and the the fruit is so beautiful.
Posted by: Sarah Maguire | February 23rd, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Did your cat take up residence on the dog's bed? The quilting is a bone pattern ... My cat kicks the dog off his bed all the time!
Posted by: Christine | February 23rd, 2011 at 11:47 pm
Hi Martha,
Thank you for your blog. Since we no longer can get the Hallmark channel it is a great way to keep up! These photos were a wonderful break from a hard winter. I love blood oranges, they are my favorite!
I had never seen a Buddha's hand but I had heard of it. Such lovey photos, thanks for working so hard to have such beauty and to share it with us.
Posted by: robin ball | February 24th, 2011 at 9:44 am
Martha..I am jealous!..I have always been intrigued about growing a citrus tree indoors, during the winter!..I am now dreaming of an Orangeree of my own!...How lovely!...I wish I could only be in your greenhouse, if even for a few hours!
Posted by: Melynda | February 24th, 2011 at 5:58 pm
It's so inspiring to see your citrus collection, Martha. I am mad about everything citrus. They are great for drinking (lemonade), cooking (Kaffir lime) and baking (Meyer etc) and eating the whole fruit (kumquats) or its flesh (grapefruit and oranges). The problem is they are so acidic so we can only have them in limited amounts.
I remember touring a mountain town outside of Naxos, Greece ,where they have a family liquer facility Vallindras that makes citrus liquer called Kitron since 1896. The liquer is made from the leaves of a particular lemon , they do not use the lemon, it is discarded. It was a fantastic product. I took a bottle with me to take back to New York. I absent mindedly placed it in my hand carry for safe keeping. As can be expected, it did not make it out of Athens airport. The security people asked me if I want to gulp some down before they emptied it out (not before I am airborne!). They gave me back the pretty empty bottle. That's it for souvenir from Vallindras.
Posted by: Nikki | February 25th, 2011 at 1:58 am
What an amazing collection! I get excited enough to pick tomatoes out of our yard in the summer- having oranges would be such a treat!
Posted by: Faith of OrdinaryMommy | February 26th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Thanks for sharing the picture's. I really enjoyed looking at the citrus trees and learning a little bit about some of them. Beautiful pictures with the blooms. You really have quite a collection, and a really nice greenhouse.
Posted by: Paula Jo @ Outdoor Garden Decorations | Home Decor | February 26th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Love seeing Gary and crew we need to see more of them
Posted by: gary nardilla | February 28th, 2011 at 12:39 pm