Growing Lime Trees

[Desi Powell]

I purchased a lime tree a couple of months ago. I planted it with plenty of compost, and have been feeding it Epsom Salts every few weeks, and also sprinkled some 3:1:5 around it as the leaves started turning yellow. The little tree has now lost almost all its leaves. but has quite a few fruit on it. It is winter in South Africa now - is it normal for it to lose it's leaves or is something missing in the soil? A cherry tomato plant has started growing wild next to the lime - is this perhaps a poor companion and should I remove the tomato? Thanks

[Naturalnightdew]

I have planted a lime tree, like 1 year ago and I also use Epsom salt. But I do not have a cherry tomato nor the leaves turn yellow. The leaves will tend to turn yellow, if it is lack of water...... Maybe there are other experts that can provide you a better solution....

[P J & Shon]

For a healthier tree, you should not let it fruit the 1st year. This will allow growth into the root system, trunk, branches and leaves. I suggest you pick off all the fruit (except 1 or 2 to taste) and continue to feed/fertilize. Here in Texas we have to water more often because of the heat, so we fertilize every 2-3 months. Also I highly recommend using Super Thrive which is a hormone that you use along with your fertilizer of choice. The growth this year is phenomenal - we have over 30 trees - all in pots. It typically takes 2-3 years before getting fruit that is edible no matter what type of fruit tree you are talking about. Also, depending on where you live, you might want to bring the lime tree indoors over the winter.

We have a pink lemon tree that lost all its leaves in the 2nd spring. We pulled off all the fruit and then the leave/branch production increased. This year we have about a dozen lemons and the leaves are healthy. Next year I expect to have dozens of fruit from this tree.

[Desi Powell]

Thank you so much for this useful info. At the moment there are dozens of small fruits all over the tree, and also many flower buds though it is still winter in South Africa. Where I live in Cape Town winters can feel cold, and this is when we get all our rain, but in reality it is never cold enough to have frost or snow. I will do as you advise and pick the fruit off it. I decided to plant a bean seed next the lime tree as I read that growing beans and peas enrich the soil with nitrogen, though this was only a few days ago and my bean hasn't yet germinated. I have never heard of Super Thrive, but will enquire at my local nursery. However I have fertilized with organic 3:1:5

[Glenn Fletcher]

Hi Desi
I think citrus trees prefer acidic soil. Epsom salts are ph neutral and provide magnesium, which is ok if your soil is short of magnesium.
It sounds to me like you have an alkaline soil and your leaves may be exibiting 'chlorosis'
If i were you i would by a small cheap ph test kit to find out what the ph of the soil is that the tree is growing in.
When you know you can add what is needed to make the soil more acidic.
Things that i know of that make soils acid are peat based composts, sulphur, used coffee grounds and used tea leaves, and also pee.
A friend of mine has a brother who lives in Australia. He inherited an old lemon tree with a house he bought, which never fruited. He then bought a dog which used to pee at the base of the tree. The tree now fruits and has never been healthier.
I am not recommending that course, my preference are used coffee grounds. About ten years ago i used to get them from Starbucks and mulch my rhodedendrons. It works really well.

[Desi Powell]

Wow thanks Glenn. I actually have a ph test meter that I haven't used yet - bought it when they were on sale getting rid of old stock at the nursery. (I'm a newbie gardening enthusiast so still learning just about everything). It looks like a long metal probe with a meter at the end. It is now nightime and completely dark here so will go out and measure the pH tomorrow morning - I can't wait to check it out and will let you know how I go. Do you also recommend picking off all the fruit in the first year?

[Glenn Fletcher]

Hi Desi
I think you have to mix a soil sample with distilled water [ cold kettle water] in a jar, when using those little meters. I don,t think they are as accurate as the liquid test kits, but they should be suitable for your purposes. If you have any building lime or dolodust you could add that to another soil sample in a seperate jar to check that the meter is working. That sample should register really alkaline on the meter. Anyway good luck. It will be interesting to know the results you get.

PS. I use dolodust [ ground dolomitic limestone ] for adding to the compost heap to keep it sweet.

I have never grown citrus as it is too cold in England, but i think the idea of removing the first years fruit on any plant is sound, in that it allows the plant to devote all its energy to root production for the future.I know they recommend that on strawberry plants.