Growing 2 Lime Trees in pots, direct sunlight all day?

[JeffersLos 6634]

Part of our property is in blasting sunlight and heat all day with no shade.

 

It has a concrete base, so the plants and trees will be in pots.

 

We plan to put 2 small lime trees into 2 big pots with a lot of soil.

 

Them being in direct blasting sunshine all day every day is okay?

 

How often should we water them? once a day? twice a week?

 

Will 2, maybe 2 meters apart flower and grow fruit, or should we get 3 or 4?

 

TIA. 

[proton 10032]

We have one in a pot watered every day semi sun all day, died.

[SammyJ 152]

We have lime, lemon and orange trees--the get partial or limited direct sun each day, and during this season, limited to no rain, we water mid morning and then again mid-afternoon, and they seem to be doing ok.  

 

We had tried some before with more direct sun and only watering once a day, and they all eventually died.

[TravelerEastWest 433]

We are in Mae Rim and have some Lime and Lemon trees around 6 feet tall which are in full sun with limited watering year round they seem to do fine fruit most of the year and not dying. 

 

We have normal high clay content soil and rarely give any fertilizer.

 

In general the first five years fruit trees like to have some care but after five years they tend to do well on their own.

[drtreelove 1139]

There are multiple factors to be considered.  Citrus trees normally thrive in full sun in hot desert climates, but the concrete environment presents a level of heat reflexion intensity that may need buffering with afternoon shade, water misting, and/or a stepped up watering requirement. Your new plantings will be more sensitive and vulnerable to foliar sunscald.  And it is important to promote a full foliar canopy to provide shading of the tree trunk, which will also be vulnerable to sunburn. 

 

A good potting soil blend with adequate organic matter content and humic substances, plus mulching of the soil surface, will make a difference in soil moisture retention and the requirement for frequency in watering. The soil blend will make a big difference in drainage vs soil moisture rentention and the watering requirement.  Getting all this right takes some experience and conscious discovery process, with daily monitoring.  A soil moisture meter is a very useful tool. 

(see Lazada for soil moisture meters like:  Smart Sensor 4-In-1 Soil Tester, Moisture Meter)

 

Over watering can cause root and crown rot, a common problem and the probable cause for many cases of mortality for container grown citrus, as well as in-the-ground plantings. 

 

Plant high, with the root crown at or slightly above the soil grade, and keep the mulch clear from piling up on the root collar at the base of the tree trunk.