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HELP! Pruning (fruit) Lime tree

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Posts

  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    It’s in a 10 litre pot. I’m in the uk so it has to be put indoors for the winter, so greenhouse. Other recommendations have suggested temp over 7 degrees should be fine; and it was perfectly alright all winter and into spring and has continued to look healthy apart from losing all its fruit.
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hello @brian stoat,

    Some useful info. on pruning here ...

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/lime/tips-for-pruning-lime-tree.htm

    I just take any long whippy bits back each spring so that they develop into shoots that can carry fruit.

    Bee x
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Lime losing all the fruit, not happy. Limes are sneaky, you think they have got over/got away with stress, then bang the leaves fall off. Too hot,cold,wet,dry they all stress the plant and the leaves fall off. The hot summer last year lots of flowers and fruit on mine, but did loose half the leaves. They are tough little trees and even though they may look a bit sad at times usually bounce back.
    Yours @brian stoat looks good and healthy, I hope you are NOT feeding it if it has no flowers. No cutting back needed there.😁
  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    I so am using the summer feed at the moment. You think I should just be watering with no feed?! What’s the watering regime you’d recommend?
  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    Tthanks Beewitched.
    when should I expect it to be flowering? I thought it was one of those all year round, flower and fruit jobs...?
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Yes @brian stoat they are year round, but only if kept above 10/15°C mine is in the conservatory. 
    Water only till you see open flowers. Normally its twice a week watering and misting the leaves every day, but in this hot weather its every other day and misting twice a day.( I noticed leaf curl on your tree, it needs misting)

  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111

    Thanks for that purpleallim. Maybe I'll bring it into the house rather than the greenhouse next winter!

    I've been watering once a week (including feed), so my regime there obviously needs to change! I'll get onto that and keep fingers crossed.

    Do you have nay ongoing tips regarding pruning? I need to keep the plant to a manageable size...

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    The plant at the moment looks fine. They tend to send out long branches, so if they get too long cut back, but just remember they will then sprout from that point so you will get lots of new growth at the ends and leaves and flowers on both old and new growth. Just keep the centre open as they air movement and light. Unfortunately they are not a tree that stays pretty and tend to be a bit straggly.  
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287

    This is mine a couple of years ago ( only picture I could find) it was about 3yo then and I have kept it about the same height,  but it is twice as wide now. 
    I'm having a bit of a time with mine as the poor thing got apple moth while outside last summer, didn't know till January then spent two months clearing caterpillars which decimated it. So now in recovery mode. It still has fruit, but only a few. But that's gardening for you.🙄
  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    That's a terrific help Purplerallim - especially the pic! Many thanks.
    I'll try to follow all of your advice and put up with shop bought limes in my spiced rum for the time being!
    Any idea how long I might expect to wait for more flowers/fruit?

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