The November Garden

Even though it is November, there are still things to be had in the garden. I picked these today:

Limes, Oranges and Two Tomatoes

Although the tomatoes are petering out, we still pick one or two a week; the basil has also just about given up for the season. Winter is the time for citrus. There are lots of oranges now; Valencias, which we grow, taste much better than Navels, and make great juice and marmalade. There are almost always limes on the tree; these are Bearss limes, which are bigger and juicier than the small Mexican limes found in most supermarkets, and are yellowish when ripe. There will probably be key lime pie for Thanksgiving.

Other things are beginning to push up while the fall crops are fading: the freesia, gladiolas and arum are coming up now, and will bloom in February or March; the amaryllis is also in leaf, but will die back in the spring and not bloom until August. Roses never go completely dormant, but do not bloom very frequently now, until spring.