Kaffir Lime

[Ader1]

I've got one of these plants which I bought a few months ago. Anyway, after doing quite well it's now looking very sickly indeed with the leaves drooping and very pale. I don't think I've over-watering but the soil does remain damp for a number of days afterewards. Anybody have any expericence in growing this plant and if so.....any advice?

[PaulG]

Could it be the temperature has been a little too low for it over this last week, i had looked into growing this myself because i eat a lot of Thai Green but i decided not to until i am sure i can keep the temperature high enough.

[Ader1]

From what I have read....it is quite hardy regarding temperature except of course sub-zero temps. I know they don't like their roots to be continuously wet soil and can easily suffer from root rot but I have checked the roots and they don't seem to be damaged in any significant way.

[Two_Sheds]

Kaffir Lime Trees like full sun & well drained soil (so that means keep it on the dry side) and you need to use citrus feed all year as, like all citrus, they have a very high demand for trace elements lacking in ordinary plant foods.

Does that help?

[Ader1]

Thanks for the suggestion. My plant is in a soil for Citrus Plants and I also feed it weekly as per instructions on the Citrus feed bottle. What I have done is to now put some stones in the bottom of the pot which will hopefully aid drainage. I am not holding out too much hope for this plant but if I have to get another one.....I think I'll mix in some vermiculite(sp?) or something similar to aid with drainage. Anybody know how to best aid drainage?

[Two_Sheds]

sharp sand is usually the ticket for drainage: "Repot only in spring, using a John Innes No 2 potting compost with extra grit or sharp sand" http://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/profile...ultivation.asp

[starloc]

The chances are its overwatering, it is what kills most ctrus plants, lack of air at the roots due to wet compost ,

one of the worst things to do is to put any stones in the bottom of the pot to ad drainage, it creates a perched water table the water collects with surface tension betwen the stones were they join the compost it works like a wicking resovoir and the water soaks upwards creatig wet roots at the bottom, not the top, so the plant roots are constantly wet, its the same as using a saucer under the pot it kills citrus
You need to make it dry out quickly after watering, most citrus composts arent very good as citrus compost, the ph is usualy ok ( usualy ) but they dont drain well enough, you need to use a very quick draining mix such as 1 part citrus compost and 1 part perlite , 100% perlite works as well ( but blows away ) , mixing salt free horticultural grit can work as well , another good mix is 1 part bark chips ( sold for orchids ) 1 part sphagnum moss and 1 part salt free sand
The temperature should be fine outside for them, i keep the kaffir limes inside as mine are quite small but when i bought them they came with moss and weeds growing in the pots, they are more cold sensitive but its not much of a problem in the summer, september can be a problem though, but keeping outside in summer keeps other problems at bay , things like spidermites and they will grow much quicker outside in summer ( they will die in winter outside )

Lots of places state use of a ji compost with extra drainage, it works, but doesnt drain quick enough holds too much water, and some have lime added, citrus hate lime, so best to use an erricacious compost with added perlite or similar

Use a citrus fertiliser such as chempak one and use one teaspoon per litre of water and spray the plant on its leaves every few days ( not in sun ) , let it dry out well, for normal watering it should be dry a few inches down inside the pot, the pot should also feel much lighter, then mix up citrus fertiliser and lower the pot into it to water it, then it wont need it for some time.

i would repot it in very quick draining / fast drying mix, mist the leaves with dilute fertiliser every couple of days , dont get the compost wet with the spray, keep it fairly dull conditions no direct light, let it dry out fully and only water with water ( no fertiliser ) for a month or so to let it recover then go back to fertilising ith every watering

If you have a photo , it may be easier to say whats wrong with it

[leicestershirelass]

Hi - mine was just as you describe a couple of weeks ago .... I'm pleased to say that it's now sprouting new leaves and looking a lot happier!!

[organic vic]

Hi I just bought a 1 year old plant last week and the info given was to keep inside until it is a lot older then move into greenhouse but prefer indoors(conservatory/warm windowsill) and will grow a lot faster, noticably in 4-6 weeks. This bit is for you though - If too wet the leaves will drop off, if too hot the leaves will burn, so just keep moist. They like warm temps but not too hot! Also use the stronger,older leaves to cook with not the young ones. Hope this helps!

[organic vic]

Hi Forgot to say that they like loose soil so loosen the soil on top every now and again, keep on dry side rather than wet side,feed once a month with citrus food and on good summer days they like a bit of rain water so put outside during rainfall but bring back indoors after. If leaves are shiny it likes the conditions. If it gets any green/whitefly wash with washing up liquid to remove them. And that is all the info I have on them!

[starloc]

It is important to make sure it drys betwen watering, even to the point the leaves start to wilt from lack of water, this prevents root problems msuch as gummosis , never let it get a bit wet here and there

[starloc]

Hi I just bought a 1 year old plant last week and the info given was to keep inside until it is a lot older then move into greenhouse but prefer indoors(conservatory/warm windowsill) and will grow a lot faster, noticably in 4-6 weeks. This bit is for you though - If too wet the leaves will drop off, if too hot the leaves will burn, so just keep moist. They like warm temps but not too hot! Also use the stronger,older leaves to cook with not the young ones. Hope this helps!

A 1 year old plat will be fine outside till the end of september as long as you can stop it blowing over, all citrus plants prefer to be outside if its warm enough, the tempertaure will never get too hot over here for it,

Air temperature is never usualy a problem, they are fine down to 30F and upto 100+F,

its root temperature that can cause problems ( particularly in winter ) the optimum root temperature is about 95F or similar for kaffir lime, it doesnt need to be that high though its nonaly round 70F is fine 75F is better, air temperature can be higher, the coldest should be no lower than about 75F for the roots or the leaves will fall off with sunlight, kaffir likes it warmer than other citrus its orse if its a rooted cutting, grafted plants are slightly easier to look after
They also like far greater humidity than other citrus, low humidity is the problem with being indoors, if its indoor always stand on a tray of pebbles with water in to ad humidity , never let the water touch the plantpot though

some people mist the leaves to add humidity , it doesnt ad humidity and it can make things worse , it adds no humidity to the plant if the water is on the leaves, but is good way of feeding it micronutrients if needed

[Ader1]

Thank you all very much for your suggestions. I have now as you said starloc....put it in a 1:1 Citrus Compost:Perlite Mix. I've never used Perlite before but my mum had some handy. I've brought the plant in from the Green-house and put it on the window-sill. It's looking very poorly indeed and I had noticed that even after days of non-watering, the citrus compost still wasn't fully drying out and was really still quite moist. I've also taken out the stones from the bottom of the pot and I've sprayed the leave carefully not wetting the compost. I'll try and get to borrow a digi camera as I don't have one to take a pic some time. Thank you all again and I will keep you all informed but if this is turned around.....it will be the greates come-back since Lasarus. Fingers Crossed.

[starloc]

Even if all the leaves fall off, as long as you keep letting it dry out, then water it fully, ventualy it should recover , they usualy do. even if there very bad, sometimes they just get in a bit of a mood and sulk as the conditions have changed that there used to, another thing to do is to lift the pot up a bit off the surface its on, so ir can get to holes underneat the pot ( if it hs no holes on the sides )

i had a buddhas hand citron ( citrus medica digitata ) i bought it from ebay and it was very over watered when it was delivered, it lost all its leaves last august , the stems all shriveled up , the whole top died , i took clippers to it (i dont recomend this as something to do!, leave a plant to regrow is best) i cut lower and lower till i found a green/live bit and chopped it off a bit ower, leaving a 4 inch stump 1/2 inch wide ( it was a rooted cutting so it wasnt on a rootstock),
it has been the same since then, i just kept it drying out and then watered when i watered everything else, it came back to life in march and is now 2 foot high and growing fine, from a shoot out of the pot about 2 inch from the stem, (the other large stem is still alive, just no shoots)

[Ader1]

starloc,

Thanks for that. Do you or any of the other helpfull posters recommend a citrus book for me to purchase. I would imagine that most would be American. I would prefer one written from a UK perspective. Also, has anybody tried growing Kaffir Lime from seed? I have a few seed which I was sent from Thailand and I've tried germinating them but no luck. I used a General Seed Compost but no luck at all. I'm interested in these plants because I love cooking or at least trying to cook authentic Asian food. :-)

PS
My Kaffir Lime doesn't seem to have degenerated any further....although it's just a day since I added the Perlite so early yet I know. The Compost/Perlite seems pretty dry to me now and I've misted the leaves with water which has some Citrus feed in it. Fingers Crossed.