Edible garden: Cherry lemon tree

Nothing says welcome home like a cherry lemon tree. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

I always think a glossy lemon tree sporting bright, yellow lemons is a great "welcome home" sign. Now is a good time of year to plant a lemon tree. If you have frosts you'll get best results with a Meyer lemon, which is the hardiest. If you have a sunny spot without frost go for the sweeter variety or try a smaller tree like Genoa.

Add some chicken manure or compost to the planting hole. Once planted, don't dig around the tree at all because lemons have shallow roots. Mulch it well but never cultivate near the trunk.

In its first year if it produces lots of flowers, remove most of these so the tree can focus on root and leaf growth. Prune your tree in its second and third year to create a good shape. Scatter chicken manure around the dripline every year.

The tree gives so much to a small garden. As well as the fruit, the leaves make great tea and the flowers are fragrant. And what do you do with too many lemons?

Make limoncello. Simply scrape the zest off a pile of lemons and place in a large glass jar. Add vodka and some sugar and leave for at least two months. Then strain the delicious limoncello into bottles and give them to friends.