Any gardeners / green thumbs here?

[dmcantrell]

I need help with a lime tree. We bought it last year and put it in a large pot outside. This lime tree is ~3' tall and we put it in a 18" wide / 18" tall ceramic pot. It was thriving until it started to get cold.

We brought it inside, and it lived the entire winter in the garage under a florescent lamp near a window where it got partial sunlight and full florescent. It seemed fine until about the end of January when it started dropping its leaves.

We have it back outside now, and it seems to have perked up but it still looks kinda scraggly.

Questions:

1) Is there any sort of plant food I should be giving this thing?

2) How do I make it produce limes?

3) Are there any lime-tree specific tips that I should be aware of?

Thanks!

[CaptainTom]

I read an article while staying at a Holiday Inn Express.

You are probably overwatering the tree.
The soil needs to be moist but not soggy. A real balancing act.
Now that it's outside it may be getting too much rain, believe it or not.

now, the reverse is also true. not enough water and the leaves will drop.

too much? not enough? soil damp but not soggy?

[SJHester]

i also think you have to have a second citrus tree within about 30 feet so the bees can pollinate it

[birdwatcher48]

I am/do have? a light green thumb...know nothing about limes, but have lemon and orange trees - maybe they are similar? Our lemons and oranges suffered also from last yrs. drought, then the heavy rains we got. They took look awful. I say let the pot dry between waterings (3 times a week, water it), keep outside not in FULL sun, partial until the poor thing recovers. Everyones plants suffered from this cold winter after the heat of last year..like i said tho, I know nothing about limes. Only that they taste good with Corona? lol....

[Westx]

A good place to start is at DirtDoctor Organic Gardening Living - Natural Organic Home Garden Health Howard Garrett Dirt Doctor they should be able to help you out.

[DigitalScape]

David, I have two Mandarin orange trees ( I have had them for 18 years) here in Plano. They are in large pots and they get brought into a protected patio room for the winter (similar to what you have done). The watering in the winter is very minimal (as previous noted). Now that spring is here, give them a light fertilization (I use a water soluble fertilizer like Miracle Grow), and the again in the late summer. To get the limes, you will need a second tree (unless it is a self pollinating version - I am not aware of this type).

My oranges only produce fruit every other year.

[dmcantrell]

A second lime tree. So simple.