This has been my first winter growing calamondins. Last summer I found the citrus plant at a local nursery and couldn’t resist this citrus from my childhood. Without a greenhouse in winter I wasn’t sure how I’d be taking care of it but I had the rest of the year to figure that out. Once I had it home I potted it up in terra-cotta and placed it amongst the chives in our vegetable garden. White blooms started to cover the glossy leaves filling the air with that classic citrus fragrance. I wasn’t sure how fussy this plant was going to be but I was prepared to spray with soapy water for aphids if need be or give it the extra water I would usually feel guilty about. Soon small green fruits started to appear where the white blooms had been and all the while no aphids or extra fuss. This plant was thriving and bringing me so much joy. The small green fruits started to grow larger and then finally in October the first one began to change color. Green and orange so close together you couldn’t help but feel them ripening in the sun.
By the end of November the first fruits had completely turned bright orange and this is where my nostalgia kicks in. Anything before these fruits turning orange I do not remember from when I was a kid but what I do remember is a bush bright with small orange fruit that I knew was used to make a cake that I liked. I picked one from the bush and it rolled around in my palm. A miniature orange that I could peel in one piece and so tart that you didn’t want too many.
Today the plant is covered with fruit at various stages of ripening. I keep it tucked in a corner on our south facing porch where it brightens up these winter days. If we get freezing temps I cover it along with an avocado I’m now growing that came from a volunteer seed in our compost pile. In a season where there is less to tend to in the garden I look forward to checking in on these calamondins and when they are ready I’ll be picking them to make a calamondin cake.