When life gives you a great lemon tree harvest…. be sure to pick them at the right time! Here are my tips for determining the perfect time to pick lemons in our Phoenix, AZÂ zone 10A.
Typically, lemons are ready to be harvested from late December through March, but you may still have lemons on your trees into June. However, waiting to pick lemons is not a good idea. When our summer heat kicks in, lemons can become overripe easily.Â
Signs your lemons are ready to be harvested
Color: Look for a bright, vibrant yellow, although some varieties may have a slight green tinge even when ripe.
Texture: Gently squeeze the lemon. If it’s firm with a slight give, it’s likely ready. Overly soft lemons may be overripe.
Ease of Picking: Ripe lemons will come off the tree easily with a gentle twist.
Lemonade, lemon deserts, lemon marinades… here are a few of my favorite recipes featuring delicious lemons!
Tagliatelle With Lemons – This recipe is easy and delicious! It absolutely lives up to the hype of Phoenix’s own James Beard Award Winning Chef Chris Bianco’s first cookbook. Add grilled chicken to make the recipe a little more substantial.Â
Lemon Zest – You can freeze or dehydrate lemon zest for future use. This is handy to have year round!
Lemon Blueberry Bread – This is a great recipe from Magnolia Table and is a perfect sweet treat.
Frozen Lemon Juice – Are your lemons ripening faster than you can use them? Simply freeze the juice in old school ice cube trays, and use it when you’re ready. You can have fresh lemonade for months!
Lemon Preserves – There are so many things you can do with lemons! This is a great article with loads of ideas for your lemon tree harvest.
What’s your favorite thing to make with lemons?
Happy Lemon Harvesting!
