How to Grow Juicy Limes

Limes add tanginess to many dishes and are easy to grow.

Limes add a tangy taste to many types of beverages, desserts, soups and other dishes. Many types of lime exist, from the small, juicy key lime famous for pies, to the large seedless Tahitian lime and the exotic orange "calamondin." All varieties of limes will grow juicy fruit if their growing conditions are right and if you give them the periodic fertilizer and water they need. Start by planting your lime tree in an area where the soil drains quickly, either in the ground or in a large container.

Things You'll Need

• Large pot (optional)
• Slightly acidic potting soil
• Organic compost
• Shovel
• Citrus fertilizer
• Insecticidal soap (optional)

Instructions

1. Purchase a young lime tree at a garden supply center or nursery. Although it's possible to grow limes from seeds, your tree will produce sooner if you purchase it. Also, some varieties of limes are seedless.

2. Prepare a planting area for your lime tree. Dig 1 part organic compost into every 4 parts of soil in a sunny area where the soil drains quickly. If you prefer, grow your lime in a large container. Choose a pot with a drainage hole that holds at least 5 gallons of soil.

3. Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball of your tree and then set the tree into the hole. Fill with the soil and compost mixture you prepared and then water to thoroughly moisten the soil. Leave your hose running at a slow drip for 30 minutes near the base of the tree to saturate the soil.

4. Fertilize four times each year with a citrus fertilizer or any balanced plant food having an N-P-K ratio of 8-8-8. Begin applying fertilizer in early spring and continue until midsummer. Do not fertilize your lime tree during winter.

5. Water your tree once a week by thoroughly soaking the soil. Lime trees prefer to dry out slightly between waterings. They do not produce juicy limes if their roots remain wet at all times; this situation can result in the death of your tree.

6. Keep your lime tree healthy by controlling insects when they attack. Insecticidal soap spray works well for aphids, spider mites, mealy bugs and other soft-bodied insects that can attack lime trees.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow your limes to fully ripen on the tree before you pick them. Some types of limes turn a bit yellow when they are ripe, and the calamondin is orange. If you harvest fruit before it is ripe, it will not ripen further once it's off the tree and will be less juicy than fully ripe fruit.

References

• University of California Riverside Master Gardeners: Citrus Selection
• Grow Organic: How to Grow Citrus Trees
• Purdue University; Mexican Lime; Julia F. Morton; 1987