Ways to grow limes at home

Botanical name: Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia). Belongs to the Citrus genus, Rutaceae family. Has genetic similarities with lemon.

Homeland of lime: Malacca Peninsula (Southeast Asia).

Lighting: light-loving.

Soil: light, nutritious loam with good drainage.

Watering: moderate.

Maximum tree height: 5 m.

Average life expectancy: 50-70 years.

Planting: seeds, cuttings, layering.

What does a lime and its fruit look like?

Lime is a shrub or low, highly branched tree, reaching up to 5 m in height. The crown is round and spreading, with numerous branches covered with short thorns. The leaves are oval, smooth, dark green, up to 6 cm long and 4 cm wide. They are held on a short petiole with rounded lionfish.

The flowers are small, white, up to 2 cm in diameter. Inflorescences are formed in the axils of the leaves and consist of 1-7 flowers.

The fruits are oval or ovoid, 3-5 cm in diameter. The pulp is greenish, juicy, sour, with a strong, pleasant aroma. The peel is thin, greenish-yellow or uniform green in color. The fruit contains 0-4 seeds.

Flowering and fruiting continue all year round. Fruiting occurs in the 3-5th year of the tree's life. The main flowering occurs in May-June. The richest harvests are harvested from August to October.

There are several varieties of lime. The most common ones are:

Lime varieties

There are many varieties of lime, the most popular of which are:

• Mexican, or Real, is the most popular variety grown in tropical conditions. The fruits are not very large, with a rough green skin. The pulp is pale greenish in color, juicy and sour;
• Palestine, or Sweet, is a high-yielding variety that blooms constantly and exudes a pleasant, strong aroma. The fruits are slightly elongated or spherical, with a fragrant thin yellow skin. The pulp is juicy, yellow, and not as sour in taste as other varieties;
• Tahiti, or Persian, is distinguished by the absence of seeds. The fruits are fragrant, very juicy, with pale sour flesh. The peel is smooth, green;
• Kaffir, the most valuable of all varieties, comes from Asia. The leaves are dried and used as bay leaves due to the same aroma. The fruits have little juice, the pulp has a refreshing aroma. If you keep such a plant at home, the room will always have a pleasant and fresh aroma;
• Desert lime tolerates drought well and has blue-gray leaves. Branches with dense thorns, which gradually decrease or disappear completely as the tree ages. The pulp of the fruit is sharp, refreshing, with a pleasant taste;
• Finger-shaped, produces fruits of a narrow, elongated shape, with a rough skin, green or burgundy color. The pulp is the same shade as the peel;
• Round, trees of this variety grow up to 10 meters. This is the tallest variety of lime. The fruits are small, pear- or ball-shaped, the skin is rough and of medium thickness. The flesh is pale green or light yellow. The leaves are dark green with the smell of essential oil, the flowers are white or pink;
• Rangpur, a medium-sized tree, the bark of the trunk is purple, the trunk itself has a few short spines. The fruits have a thin orange peel, are small, and are ovoid, spherical and round in shape. The pulp is juicy, red-orange in color with a large number of small seeds, similar in taste to tangerine, but much more sour. Blooms with purple flowers and tolerates cold well;
• Variegata, a rare variety, with variegated leaves and small striped fruits. The thin skin of fully ripened fruits becomes pale yellow in color. The pulp is juicy, with a pleasant sour taste and a small amount of seeds. The tree blooms several times a year, there are few thorns on the branches;
• Neapolitanum is a medium-height tree that grows slowly. The fruits are round in shape, with green skin, the pulp is very pleasant to the taste.

Lime is a common fruit

The lime tree has been in cultivation since the 19th century. Currently, green citrus is grown in tropical conditions at an altitude of about 1000 m above sea level.

It is cultivated in large quantities in India, Mexico, Brazil, USA, Indonesia, Egypt, Sri Lanka, and West Africa.

This individual is unpretentious and can grow on any soil, even poor soil, but it develops better and produces abundant harvests on light, nutritious, well-drained loams. The frost resistance of this plant is very low. At temperatures of 1-2°C and below, its shoots and leaves freeze.

What is lime? This fruit looks like a lemon, but its taste is less sour than its yellow relative. Lime pulp is 88% water. It contains a large amount of vitamin C, vitamins A and B, microelements, organic acids, fats, carbohydrates, and fiber.

100 g of pulp contains 30 kcal.

Lime is a fruit that is mainly consumed fresh. Before use, it is cut into slices and covered with sugar.

Lime goes harmoniously with meat dishes, desserts, and salads. It is used in cooking to make sauces, pates, cakes, pies, and cocktails. Its juice is added to tea, coffee, and hibiscus. In addition, citric acid is obtained from the juice. Lime zest is also widely used in cooking. It gives dishes and baked goods a tart, refined sour taste and a refreshing, pleasant aroma. The oil is used as a flavoring agent or fragrance in perfumery, cosmetology, and the production of alcoholic and soft drinks.

How is lime fruit different from lemon? These citrus fruits are only superficially similar. Lime peel is thinner than lemon peel. Its color varies from yellowish-green to uniform green. The peel of even an unripe lemon is much yellower. In addition, unlike its relative, the lime fruit contains significantly fewer seeds or does not contain them at all. Its pulp tastes less sour, and the smell resembles that of a tangerine.

When choosing, you should pay attention to how the lime looks. The fruits should be dense, elastic, evenly colored, smooth, without any stains, dents or cracks. The pulp of a ripe lime is juicy, tender, transparent, light green, with a slight bitter aftertaste.

Store the fruit in a cool, dry place for 3-4 weeks. At room temperature, fruits can be stored for no more than 7 days. If stored improperly and left for a long time, the citrus peel becomes rough, dries out, and becomes stained.

Due to the high content of citric acid, it is not recommended to consume lime fruit for children under 2 years of age. Its use should be limited or completely excluded from the diet if you are allergic to citrus fruits, hepatitis, nephritis, cholecystitis, gastritis, or stomach ulcers.

You can see what the lime fruit looks like in the photo below:

Lime Recipes

Lime adds exoticism, freshness and a special aroma to dishes, which is why it is widely used in cooking. In Thailand, lime is added to almost every dish. Mexicans cook fresh fish in juice, residents of the Persian Gulf countries boil fruits in salt water and dry them. In northern India, lime powder is used to flavor rice.

Citrus is added to various cocktails and drinks, fruit and vegetable salads, and used in the preparation of sauces and marinades. To add flavor to baked goods, lime juice, zest and oil are used; fresh slices are used to decorate drinks, desserts and dishes. Dried ground fruits and leaves are part of popular Iranian and Indian spices. Lime is used in the preparation of liqueurs and tinctures.

This fruit goes well with many foods:

• fruits, especially apricots, apples, pears and peaches
• seafood
• poultry, especially chicken
• fish
• meat
• rice

Cucumber lemonade with lime

Ingredients:

• half a lime;
• glass of water;
• 3 tbsp. spoons of honey;
• half an orange;
• cucumber;
• 2 stalks of rosemary.

Preparation:

1. Mix the chopped cucumber, lime and orange juice well in a blender.
2. Add honey and chilled water, stir.
3. Pour the drink into a glass and garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Lime cream

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs;
• 60 ml lime juice;
• 180 g sugar;
• 60 g plums. oils;
• 1 teaspoon lime zest.

Preparation

1. Beat the sugar and eggs thoroughly.
2. Grate the lime zest on the finest grater, squeeze the juice out of the fruit, and add to the sugar mixture.
3. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly.
4. Add butter in pieces and stir until well melted.
5. Continue cooking until the cream thickens, remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve.
6. Pour into container and close tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Photo gallery

Lime care

Lime loves water and especially needs it in spring and summer. Watering is carried out with settled water at room temperature. It is important to water the plant abundantly, but not to overwater it, which can lead to rotting of the roots and trunk. In spring it is preferable to water the plant in the morning, in summer and autumn - in the evening. In winter, watering is carried out only when the top layer of soil is completely dry, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out, otherwise the leaves will dry out and fall off. Lime does not like dry air; if the humidity in the room is low, spray the lime twice a day with warm water using a spray bottle.

The plant grows actively from March to October and needs feeding. It should be carried out every 2 weeks using a solution of complex fertilizers, which are combined with organic or mineral additives. In winter, fertilizing is not required. If the room is a little cool, you can feed the lime moderately once a month.

How to grow a lime tree at home from a seed?

This plant can be grown as an indoor crop. Lime trees attract attention with their beautiful crowns and produce a rich harvest of fruit all year round. At home, the plant reaches 1-2.5 m in height.

The crop is propagated by seeds, cuttings, and layering. For the full development of green citrus, it is necessary to ensure optimal growing conditions. Dwarf limes are grown in small containers. You can plant a tree in open ground, but only if the climatic conditions of the area allow it.

Fans of exotic plants who want to plant this tree indoors, in a greenhouse or in a garden should know how to grow lime from a seed (seed). This method of reproduction is one of the most accessible and simplest. The seeds are planted in a deep container filled with moist, fertile soil and sand. The first shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks. Seedlings obtained from seeds are very large, with thick, developed roots.

Planting is done in early spring, when the temperature reaches 17-19°C. The most suitable container and place for planting are chosen in advance. A light-loving plant must receive sufficient light throughout the day. In addition, fresh, light, nutritious soil with good drainage is needed. When growing a tree at home, prepare a 20-40 liter pot with holes for drainage.

To plant in the garden, you will need to prepare a plot of land with a diameter of about 50 cm. The depth of the planting hole should reach 30 cm. Organic compost or garden loam is poured into the hole so that the tree receives enough moisture and nutrients. When planting in a container, the soil mixture is mixed with loam and compost.

In summer, a pot with a seedling is placed on a balcony or open air.

How to grow lime at home so that the tree blooms profusely, bears fruit and pleases the eye with its appearance? To do this, you will need to regularly provide the plant with proper care and periodically carry out formative pruning of the crown.

In summer, during the period of active growth of shoots, daily spraying and frequent watering are carried out. In winter, citrus goes into a dormant state, so the amount of watering is reduced. However, the earthen lump should not dry out. To avoid this, watering is carried out 1-2 times a week.

Lime is picky about soil content. It should contain magnesium, iron, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. An indicator that the plant is provided with all the necessary elements is the bright green, rich color of the leaves. Fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers is applied 2-3 times a month.

Transplantation of annual individuals is carried out by transshipment. The root collar should not be buried. The tree is carefully removed from the old pot and placed in a new, larger one. The soil mixture is topped up.

At home, the lime tree begins to bear fruit 2-3 years after planting. From this moment on, citrus care changes. Adult plants are not transplanted, but are replanted every 3 years. Dead and damaged roots are removed.

Before the start of spring growth, the tops of last year's vertical shoots are cut off, leaving 3-4 buds on them. This will increase the number of side branches on which fruits are formed.

Pests of lime include spider mites, scale insects, and mealybugs.

Diseases and pests: how to detect and how to treat a plant

It is important to periodically carefully inspect the tree in order to take timely action if it is attacked by pests or becomes sick.

Signs of plant trouble:

• The leaves are deformed, turn yellow, and fly off.
• The lower part of the leaf is covered with rust-colored dots.
• Sticky coating on the surface of the plant.
• On the reverse side of the leaf blades is a white substance resembling pieces of cotton wool.
• Small bugs, green or black.
• Dark, soot-like coating on leaves.
• Cracks on the stem through which viscous liquid oozes.

The presence of such manifestations indicates that the plant needs help. It is important to know. How to care for a weak lime.

1. It is necessary to wash the above-ground part of the plant with a soapy solution using a sponge. Covering the ground from its penetration with polyethylene.
2. Replace the top layer of soil with fresh one.
3. If washing with an alkaline solution does not produce results, spray with insecticides (“Aktara”, “Aktellik”).

Cracking of the trunk indicates that the plant has Gommosis. This disease develops most often as a result of improper watering or as a result of too much deepening of the root collar of the plant. It is treated by treating the wood with a 3% solution of copper sulfate. The surface of the stem is then covered with lime paste.

Photo gallery