Lime House Blues: New Growth Something to be Concerned About?

[woodlouse]

Hi guys,

I tried germinating lime tree seeds twice last year. Half with cold stratification (conflicting info) and half just sown over Christmas and left in the greenhouse. No luck. I'm a newbie at all this, yet always wanted to grow everything from seed as a fun learning experience. The seeds cost just under £4, so I figured (working to my budget) that if I bought more seeds from a different source, that would almost amount to the cost of buying a young tree for £8. I hated to do it, but my budget was a major factor. So I went for the later.

The young tree arrived, and had this overt long stem on one side. I wanted to maybe tidy the shape up a little (this was the beginning of the year), so I pruned the long stem, and now new growth has been going on in a much more pleasing shape.

However, the new growth (now two new branches) has multiple large leaves that are very light in colour, when contrasted with the original leaves that are a much darker green.

I assumed that the leaves would turn darker in time, but just to be sure I have to ask if this is the general case?

I started giving the tree a citrus mix as per the bottle instructions once I saw new growth (maybe late February), if that is relevant.

[Kirk]

New growth on a lime is paler, what I cannot tell is how much difference you have experienced. Also my new leaves are smaller then the old ones. Actually doesn't make sense that the new are bigger. More logical that the old ones are for some reason smaller then they should be. Leaves don't as best I know shrink as they age.

Where did you get the lime?
I visited The Citrus Centre years back and got mine there.
Slightly odd in that their web site has "expensive" trees on it, visit them and they have quite a few smaller ones at much lesser cost. Never understood why they do not advertise them.

Do you know the lime variety?
Mine I think is Tahiti, the common seedless type found in supermarkets.

Be a little careful of the pruning. I have noticed mine reacts badly to being pruned. as in the branch decides to die all the way back.

Watch for bug infections. Just sprayed mine for scale insect, second spray due in a few days.

It is a tree so a pot needs to be a fair size eventually. Need to repot mine into a bigger one, presently in a 35cm pot need a 40 or 45 one. Bit concerned as I think I strained my back carrying it outside to spray.

Where do you keep yours?
Lime are tropical, think Malaysia and 30C+ and 100% humidity. So growing from seed may have been a hard task. Also grown from seed they tend to take years to get to fruiting.

If you move it outside for the summer sun, expect it to drop leaves. Have learnt to never move mine if I can help it. Might just be my variety.

[devonuk]

If you just want a citrus seedling, I'd buy a lemon at the supermarket (limes are more difficult because the species sold in this country is seedless). Seville (marmalade) oranges are very seedy but only in the shops in January. That gives you lots of cheap seeds to play with. I have never bothered with cold stratification and find they germinate reliably in 1-2 months. You shouldn't expect fruit but that also applies to your lime seeds.