One more chance to win!
UPDATE: Beet Queen, you have won “Growing Tasty Tropical Plants.” Congratulations! Send me your full name and shipping address at Lindsey.nair@roanoke.com and I will mail it out to you next week. Thanks for playing, everyone, and have a safe and happy holiday weekend! END UPDATE
It is Christmas Eve, the day when legions of folks traditionally rush out in a frantic, last-ditch effort to find the perfect gift — oh, who am I kidding, SOME kind of gift — for those loved ones not checked off their lists. I figure it makes good sense to give away a last minute book here on the ole Fridge Magnet blog to wrap up our Countdown to Christmas in free books.
Today’s book is an unusual one. It is not actually a cookbook, but it is food-related:Â “Growing Tasty Tropical Plants in Any Home, Anywhere” by Laurelynn G. Martin and Byron E. Martin. When I first saw REAL oranges growing on REAL trees in Florida as a kid, they might as well have been L. Frank Baum’s (possibly drug-induced) fantasy tree that grew lunch boxes in “Ozma of Oz.” Well, that was a random reference. Suffice it to say that I have always found tropical fruit trees amazing and slightly mythical, perhaps because I have spent the majority of my life living in Colorado and Virginia.
BUT, the Martins promise you CAN grow tropical plants that bear fruit such as lemons, limes, citrons, grapefruit, kumquats, figs, olives and cinnamon right in your own home. If you have the guts to try this, or know someone crazy… er, talented enough to try it, then you need to leave a comment on this blog entry for a chance to win this book! I’ll take entries until 5 p.m. today.
December 24, 2010 - 7:14 AM
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I have been growing a avacado tree since my son was born 21 years ago, it has never borne fruit – I guess you need two? This sounds interesting.
You had me at olives….
Brave/crazy, they say it’s a fine line… Can’t say we’re all that talented but we’ve brought two varieties of figs through three winters so far. We’re lusting after and citrus and olives now. Saw two potted olives with fruit growing outside the conservatory at Monticello in the spring so we know with the help of a greenhouse it can be done. We would put that book to good use!
With this selection added to the library, it would be a merry Christmas. Year round fresh squeezed lemonade!!!
I have recently planted an avacado myself. It looks good so far. I like unusual plants, so I would be interested in the book.
Although I don’t desire to live in California, I loved being able to pluck fresh kumquats off the tree in the back yard where I visited. To grow them here sounds like a fun challenge!
I tried to grow kaffir lime and Meyer Lemon trees in my house. They both died (and they were both expensive). I need some tips.
Gardening anf food two of my favorite things. Sign me up. Carolyn,how big is your Avacado? Mine is only 3 years old, and about 7/16 in diameter at the base, but I had to top it to bring it in this fall.
I’ve always wanted a lemon tree!
Ooooooh. Kumquats. I could really enjoy that.. Plus vanilla and DRAGON FRUIT!