Lime trees

[smallblueplanet]

I fancy trying to grow a lime tree - has anyone grown one, how well do they fruit? Can anyone recommend any reasonably priced trees? Any particular types?

My G&T awaits!

[Paul Wagland]

I've got one on my office windowsill SBP. I bought it last summer from a guy at a boot fair, and it had a bit of a hard time over the winter (lack of light I think). Now the days are getting longer it's doing great. There are about 10 or 12 baby limes on it. I don't drink gin, but can see them ending up in a bottle of Corona.

Jeannine bought one at the same time and has it in a similar position - maybe a bit brighter - in her office. It's healthy but has no fruit so far. We couldn't work out why, then she mentioned she'd forgotten to feed it . I've been feeding mine with a special citrus food about once every two or three weeks. Well worth buying some of that too.

Oh - and watch out for aphids. You can squash them easily enough, but you have to be sharp-eyed.

[smallblueplanet]

....We couldn't work out why, then she mentioned she'd forgotten to feed it . I've been feeding mine with a special citrus food about once every two or three weeks. Well worth buying some of that too.

Interesting point that, I'd have just thought they were trying to con more money out of me!

[Paul Wagland]

I'd normally think that too, but the guy was so nice I let him get away with it!

Our trees were cheep too - £15 each I think, and about 50cm tall. Oh how I love boot fairs. I wonder if there's a specialist grower near you?

[smallblueplanet]

..... I wonder if there's a specialist grower near you?

Probably, but I was hoping Lidl might have some in their 'gardening offers' next Saturday.

[deadwood]

Strange day, people asking about lemon and now lime trees and I have a couple of each.

Bought my Lime at the Citrus Centre, it was a small bush about 2 ft, now a 3-4 ft bush. The prices they show on their website are for the bigger plants, if you close enough to visit them it is worth it.

Again it lives outside for a fair bit of the year but comes in when it starts to get cold. They need to be kept warmer then lemons. Most years I have lost leaves when they have come in, this year was different, I put it in front of a window but the room is unheated (radiator turned off). I have lost just 2 leaves.

The limes will turn yellow when ripe, it is the lower temperature that causes this but they taste good. This year I have 3 decent sized ones, couple of years back I had 8 but they were smaller.

[veg4681]

From what I heard, you can also grow them from seeds pretty easily if they're too expensive to buy as plants from GC. Can't see any reason why you can't propagate from cuttings if you know someone who has one. I've been meaning to get the seeds from shop bought lime but keep forgetting. I believe it's the same thing with Kaffir Lime that is a little different from ordinary lime with a very rough skin, that is usually grated for Thai cooking...think lime, think chillies, think coconut, think Thai .

[deadwood]

Only problem is that the shops tend to stock a seedless variety of lime. I haven't seens a seed in a lime for a long time now.

I have grown a lemon from seed and it is doing well and has stayed outside all year, suspect you could grow them as a garden plant if the site was a bit protected and you were not too far north.

The lime I have is Tahiti and is described as the seedless variety that the supermarkets stock.

If you can get a lime with a seed or two they should be easy enough to grow, would take some time to fruit as it is the rootstock that aids early fruiting.

If have been looking for a Kaffir lime for some time but no luck so far.

[bobleponge]

Interesting, the feed issue. I am looking to get a lime tree when I get home, the Boss drinks a prodigious amount of g+t, and also to see if I can of course.

[veg4681]

Only problem is that the shops tend to stock a seedless variety of lime. I haven't seens a seed in a lime for a long time now.

If you can get a lime with a seed or two they should be easy enough to grow, would take some time to fruit as it is the rootstock that aids early fruiting.

If have been looking for a Kaffir lime for some time but no luck so far.

You're probably right there that supermarket ones don't have seeds as they're seedless variety. I found a website (see link below) specialising in Thai food that also sell seeds for Kaffir and Lime but don't know whether it's safe to order from them or if anybody has ever ordered from them. It's cheaper to get the seeds if you're passing by Asia, just buy the limes from market or shops.

Thai Herb and Vegetable Seeds from Simply-thai.com - Thai-Market-Online