Lime Trees Without and Fruit!

[markhollows]

Does anyone have any advice as to what to do with my two lime trees that, despite growing quite well in size, have yet to produce any fruit? When I bought the trees they were very young/small, although both had small limes on them, but since planting them in the garden they have produced no fruit at all... The leaves are occasionally bitten by bugs, but the trees seem healthy enough. Any suggestions on 'feeding' them perhaps; I have not used hardly feed any at all. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

[Kwasaki]

Try it been there done it but sometime 3 years before fruit comes and lots of care needed. 

[Dumbastheycome]

Don't expect much until they are at least 3 years old. Don't over water them. Water starving them a bit and then a good flush of  water a bit  can also promote flowering so long as they are in  good draining soil.. Use a  zero N fertilizer until they  do flower. Then an equal NPK. Once they do have fruit they can be quite hungry. I have 10 that were unproductive  until year 3  and  now are prolific producers at year 4-5.

 

 

[Laza 45]

Citrus like a lot of fertilizer.. yellowing on leaf edges is typical of a hungry citrus tree.. the leaves should be bright green. They are fussy about watering.. they like water but need to be well drained.  If too wet you will see the leaves curl inward.. same too if not enough water.  I suggest going to a gardening shop and ask for a citrus fertilizer.. you can be quite generous with it.  A spray on soluble fertilizer works well too.. it works faster as it is absorbed by the leaves.  I use a combination of both.  We have lots of limes.. even on young trees.. Good luck.. 

[ChakaKhan]

sounds like a marriage   nuture and time invested but bears no fruit...

[LawrenceN]

I use 0-52-34, three heaping tablespoons in a standard (10 liter?) pail. At least one liter of that once a week. We have a cement-lined guppy pond. I pour a bucket in to stir up the sediments, and use the dirty water. That's all the nitrogen they need. If you water to stimulate branching, add a tablespoon of epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) to the mix. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

Not wanting to hi jack the thread but have a quick question ????

I have a lime tree , kindly donated by bil, which has always given plenty of fruit but occasionally the limes will split, seems to happen when they are small or full size ?

 

Happens a couple of times and then back to normal, any ideas ??

[oobar]

If they appear healthy, you may just need to wait awhile longer.   We planted a small lime orchard, a dozen trees or so, and it took a little over three years for them to reliably begin producing fruit.  Now they are loaded.

[perconrad]

We have one lime tree and even it looked healthy it did only bear a few fruits. Sadly, when we were building a swimming pool, our golden retriever died and since there was not much free garden left I buried the dog under the lime tree. A few month later the tree was full of flowers and since we have had more limes than we can use. So perhaps a dead dog contains the right fertilizer for lime trees 555

[Laza 45]

Something that I forgot to mention in my previous comment is that citrus don't like to have grass and weeds growing up to the base of the tree. Keep well weeded from the drip line in. A good watering before weeding makes it easier to get the grass and weeds out.  Be careful not to dig too deep. Citrus have a lot of roots close to the surface and don't like to have them disturbed too much... Water.. weed and fertilize is a good way to do it.. 

[Iamemjay]

With any type of citrus, study the leaves! (Especially the new ones)  They tell you everything. Look for discolouring, veins showing (green or yellow) and a host of other leaf "pictures" Then Google Citrus (or lime) Diseases and use one of the sites that has pictures of leaves for all the issues. The leaves will tell the story. From experience (citrus farming) I can predict that by what you have said it will be most likely a mineral deficiency and (maybe) overwatering. The most common is iron deficiency which is easily corrected (iron chelates). trace element foliar spray containing iron or easiest and cheapest, for the long term, (if you don't mow under it!) throw a handful of nails around the drip (ie feeding) line - as they rust and break down they will provide the iron.

 

Also common in Thailand soils is boron deficiency. Easily corrected by visiting your nearest agricultural supplies shop and using a foliar spray.

 

If you can find it, there is a white powder available in Thailand which is used as a trace element foliar spray FOR ONIONS. My aggie supplies guy buys it by the sack and sells it in 1kg bags (200 Baht). It works wonders for ALL SORTS of plant life. I use it wherever there is a TE problem. Marvelous!!

 

Last point - have you pruned the trees? You will be surprised at what a difference this will make if you do it properly. It could be that all the nutrients are being sucked up by the non-flowering/fruiting "male" stems. Here look for extremely strong and healthy, usually vertical green branches growing, not from the end of the stems but midway, growing out of brown wood, not green.. They are no good. Cut them off (They will be the healthiest looking new branches!!) Beyond that, Google how to do it.

[natway09]

When they flower, do you see any bees pollinating them ?

[Dumbastheycome]

4 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Not wanting to hi jack the thread but have a quick question ????

I have a lime tree , kindly donated by bil, which has always given plenty of fruit but occasionally the limes will split, seems to happen when they are small or full size ?

 

Happens a couple of times and then back to normal, any ideas ??

Inconsistent watering ? Have had same with some fruit splitting after heavy rain just as they are ripe enough to fall.

[markhollows]

Wow- that was my first posted question and I am truly impressed with the help, knowledge, experience and time that you have put into your suggestions. A genuine "thank you" from a eroding (land and) housing plot in Samut Prakan, I will try your suggestions and note your advice. Thank you all again.