I have a lime tree purchased from Canadian tire a few years back. Some leaves are starting to brown and dry up along the edges enough so, that i can flake them off. Im not sure how to solve the problem or for that matter what sort of lime tree I have. Lastly, it has only produced once and its already starting to flower as of a month ago. Would love some feedback and insight. Any words of wisdom will certainly do!!!
Thank you for the reply. What exactly do you mean by feed it so i may acquire what it needs. On a scale of 1-10, I know 0 about plants and gardening. Some sort of mix for the soil?
Hi Devin, the growth cycle of the lime is either active at the rootball or alternatively the foliage, but rarely at the same time... a commercial citrus blend fertilzer should help the tree growth. I use my own mix. Or the following....8-3-9 or 8-2-10.
Actually, if you fertilize this tree before you flush out the container, you will quickly cause more damage. Evidently, you must not have flushed out the container in quite some time. The burning along the margin of the leaves is being caused by a build up of soluble salts, that have now reached toxic levels. Soluble salts are derived from the fertilizer you use, your water supply and by incorrectly watering the tree. You need to flush the growth medium (potting soil) with clean clear water in the amount of 4 times the volume of the container. In the future, you need to flush the container at least a couple times a year. Further, when you water a containerized citrus tree, you should add enough water to the container so that 10 to 20 percent drains out the bottom of the container every time you water, this will help to flush out the soluble salts so that they do not build up. Lastly, I also suspect that the growth medium has been compacting for some time, thus restricting the needed soil aeration. What type of growth medium is this tree planted in, and how long has the tree been in this same medium ? Without proper care, nationally the average life span of a containerized citrus tree is only 2 years. Good luck to you and this tree. - Millet (1,352-)
Im not exactly sure the size but i do have photographs that may illuminate some key issues with my care taking if you will. As to your question, the plant has been transplanted once from its original, "smaller" pot into its current about 1 year ago. 2 months ago upon noticing the discoloration of the leaves, I attempted to replace some soil and add new fresh triple mix soil which only seemed to contribute to its demise. Thanks for the input on how much water it should be getting, I was unaware of it having to be drenched to the point of 10 -20% draining out. I live in Sudbury Ontario Canada so as for sunlight, right now i take it outside in the a.m and bring it in before dark. In the winter I keep it under a light. It seems obvious at this point the tree will not produce, however, I am just concerned with its growth and would like to see the lush rich colors it once produced the year i got it. I wish to keep my plant throughout university and will be acquiring my own place this summer. Any tips for up keep and care will be obliged. Thank you kindly. In the mean time do you suggest soaking it as mentioned then getting the fertilizer mix for food? p.s I couldn't find the mix previously mentioned, is there any type of mix that i may find in traditional stores?
First, your Lime tree certainly will produce fruit if given the proper care. In fact, if the tree is a grafted tree (it probably is) it should be flowering and fruiting now. Looking at the container that your Lime tree is planted in, does the container have drain holes in the bottom, so that irrigation water can drain out? Excellent "soil" aeration, and excellent drainage are absolutely crucial to the tree's survival. If the container does not have holes for drainage, you need to get the tree out of that container. After seeing the pictures of your tree, it certainly confirms the fact that the root system is suffering from toxic levels of soluble salts, and has been for some time. Beside the leaf burn, the new foliage growth is misshaped, and quite undersized. I would not soak the growth medium, the medium needs to be flushed, by passing clean clear water completely through it to wash out the salts. If you cannot find the optimum fertilizer formula, you should easily be able to locate a fertilizer with a formula of 30-10-10 w/trace minerals. After a THOROUGH flushing, fertilize your tree a minimum of once a month at 300 ppm N, twice a month during the spring, summer and early fall, would be better for the tree. - The best to this tree. - Millet (1,351-)
Thanks a bundle. I have flushed the plant and purchased some fertilizer. I suppose the only other concern would be, how appropriate is the size of the container for the plant at its current stage?Additionally, when should I consider transplanting into a larger pot for optimum growth and how large will my plant get and what sizes of pot should I be looking at in the future?
When the tree's root system reaches the sides of the container and starts to circle around and around it is time to transplant into a larger container. Untangle the curling roots as carefully as possible, and gently loosen the outer compacted roots, then select a new container 2-3 inches larger than the root ball. The tree's size will be limited due to the fact that it is growing as a container tree, and also by the type of root stock that it is grafted upon. But a good general guess, will be 4-6 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide. Most fertilizers, even fertilizers that contain trace minerals do not include the element magnesium. Therefore, you will need to dissolve 1 tablespoon of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate) into a gallon of HOT water, then pour the cooled solution evenly over the potting soil 3 or 4 times a year. Everything you need to know about growing citrus in containers is already posted on this site. Read, read, and read some more. Good luck. - Millet (1,350-)
