レモン等 Lemon etc

 二階のバルコニーに置いてあるリスボンレモン（左）と星タンゴールに（右）、それぞれ２個ずつ実が生っています。星タンゴールにとってうちのバルコニーの夏は暑すぎるらしく、７月には樹勢が弱って枯れそうになるほどです。なので10月下旬までは部屋の中でガラス戸ごしに光りをとっていました。この苗は植え替えなしの鉢植えで何年も経つので、根っこが弱いのかもしれません。今年の夏に地植えのカラカラオレンジに高接ぎしたのが奇跡的に活着したので、そちらの方に期待です。なぜ奇跡的かというと、私は元々接ぎ木が下手なところへ、この弱った苗には丸枝がほとんど無いからです。それでも何とか数回目でうまくいきました。

On the upstairs balcony, Lisbon lemon (left) and Hoshi Tangor (right) each has two fruits growing.  For Hoshi Tangor, the balcony gets too hot during summer and leaves turn almost yellow.  So, the plant was kept inside the glass doors until late October.  This plant has never been re-potted since I got it many years ago, and the roots are probably in a weakened state.  Luckly, I successfully grafted a scion onto the Caracara orange tree growing in the ground during summer this year.  It took me several times to get it right, since this plant had hardly any round branches - this is probably due to the plant being unhealthy.

リスボンレモンは今年の春におびただしい数の幼果が着いたあと、結局は２個だけが生き残りました。苗の負担を減らすために何度も自分で間引きしましたが、苗は自分で判断したようで、来年からは放置です。でも２個しかない分、非常に大実です。

Lisbon lemon had countless young fruits in spring, but in the end only two of them survived.  I was so worried that too many young fruits might weaken the plant, so I picked many of them.  After all, the plant knew how many fruits it could support.  So, I am going to do nothing from next year.  Still, having only two fruits means that they are huge.

星タンゴールは現在、レモンの実と同じくらいの大きさですが、この品種の収穫期は翌年の４月頃なので、いつもゆっくりと実が肥大を続けます。とても上品な美味しさなのに、この品種が普及していないのが不思議です。

Hoshi Tangor's fruits are about the same size as those of the Lisbon lemon.  However, the harvesting time is April of the following year, and the fruits continue to grow slowly during the winter months.  This variety has a very delicate and beautiful taste.  I cannot understand why it is not distributed in shops.

ナツメの皇帝は、葉っぱも一年限りの枝も落ちて、今は恒常的な枝だけになりました。葉がなくなると、トゲ無しなのが分かり易いです。皇帝という品種がトゲ無しなのか、この個体の性質なのか分かりませんが、トゲ無しは世話しやすいです。

The Emperor jujube has lost all the leaves and non-permanent branches.  Without them, it is easy to see that this tree is thornless.  Since there is little information on the internet, I do not know whether this variety is thornless, or if it is just this particular tree.  Whichever is the case, it is easier to look after the plant without thorns.

散歩から帰って、ホットカーペットの上でお昼ご飯を寝て待つタイガ。本人は玄関外に座っているほうが好みのようですが、ここ２,３日の寒さの中でも外に出しておくのは道行く人に誤解されそうで控えています。

Taiga resting while waiting for lunch after the morning walk.  I know that she would rather sit outside looking at passersby but, given the freezing weather of the last few days, I hesitate to keep her outside, just in case strangers think I am not taking care of her properly.