Juicy Fruits: Tropicals and Subtropicals for American Gardens

Smart hacks enable gardeners to grow citrus and other warm-weather fruits in colder regions.
Juicy Fruits: Tropicals and Subtropicals for American Gardens
A savvy gardener can help a fruit tree thrive even under conditions that aren't perfect. AndreyCherkasov/Getty Images
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A neighbor in my old Seattle neighborhood was wheeling a rather unusual houseplant out of her garage one fine March morning. It was a small tree, about six feet in every direction, in a large, black, plastic tree-nursery pot. The pot was resting steady on a thick-wheeled movers’ cart, and as she steered it carefully to the side of her driveway I took a closer look. Dozens of what looked like ripe lemons decorated the tree, whose stately passage to outdoor freedom was brightly lit by early spring sunshine.

She noticed me admiring the spectacle.

Eric Lucas
Eric Lucas
Author
Eric Lucas is a retired associate editor at Alaska Beyond Magazine and lives on a small farm on a remote island north of Seattle, where he grows organic hay, beans, apples, and squash.