"Self-sufficiency does not mean 'going back' to the acceptance of a lower standard of living. On the contrary, it is the striving for a higher standard of living, for food that is organically grown and good, for the good life in pleasant surroundings... and for the satisfaction that comes from doing difficult and intricate jobs well and successfully." John Seymour ~ Self Sufficiency 2003

Thursday 22 September 2011

Confused lemon pip

As is my wont or OCD habit, every time I cut open a lemon, I have to shove the pips into some soil in a pot on my kitchen windowsill - my plant nursery :) (especially in winter as it's one of only two windowsills which gets any kind of sunlight - in the entire house!)

And, I invariably get little lemon trees popping their heads above ground some time later.
But, recently, I noticed that one of them appears to be different from the others for it seems to be very confused...
It has stopped growth on the original stem... 
...and it appears to be forgoing it's original plan and it's growing another lemon stem from the same pip, which it has shoved above ground.
It looks like it is a plant with ambition - b-i-g ambition...

I wonder if plants have split personalities.  Or if they grow twins?

11 comments:

  1. I've never tried growing lemon seeds but you've inspired me to try :) I like your little guy with a double stem - I wonder what the fruit will be like!

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  2. Tanya - LOL. Perhaps, as the pip is so confused, it wont even be a lemon tree... Maybe it will be a completely different species of it's own choosing?! Stay tuned for the outcome.

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  3. A plant with ambition...I like it.:) As for sowing the seeds, I do the same with apple seeds...it's just to hard/easy not to.

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  4. Mr H - Heh Heh - now there's a plan...

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  5. Wow that is interesting. Citrus is all foreign to me up it the north, so I will be very interested to see the outcome.

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  6. Jane - I will let you know. Are you anywhere near Mr H - can you grow apples?

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  7. I've never tried to grow lemons from seed either. That said, I have 5 lemons on my Meyers lemon tree that are taking a heck of a long time to ripen!

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  8. I dread sometimes about a miniature lemon tree residing in my dining room during the winter :)

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  9. Hi Dani...We discussed this very topic at my gardening course the other day...Now if you plant the seeds of a lemon....and one plant pops up...it is a hybrid and wont be true to the parent plant....if more than one seed shoots...the odd one out is a hybrid....so I think what you have is a hybrid...so you can pull that one out and keep the rest.....
    cheers

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  10. I would think that lemon seeds could yield "twins" just like double-yolk eggs, etc.? Should be interesting to watch to see what develops. Do you have lemon trees growing outside where you are? A "lemon grove" at the farm? ;-) Love all your do-it-yourself blogs--well done, Dani!

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  11. Leigh - Our Eureka lemon tree bears fruit year round so I've never noticed how long they take to ripen :)

    Mrs Mac - LOL - perhaps the citrusy smell would pervade your dining room?

    Nellymary - Cool - good to know. Thanks :)

    M - Lemon trees everywhere - but more so on the farm LOL

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Thank you for taking the time to comment - it makes my day and removes the "loneliness' of sitting at my screen blogging supposedly to myself ;) I try and reply as quickly as possible so please forgive me if sometimes my response is delayed.