Lime tree: how to grow from seed at home, description of varieties with photos

Growing citrus plants indoors is gaining popularity. Tangerine, orange, lime trees have adapted to indoor conditions. With proper planting (cutting or pitting), proper care, you can grow a he althy strong tree that will please with flowers and bear fruit.

Description and characteristics of lime

The original place of growth of this tree is Southeast Asia. Under natural conditions, representatives of this plant are tall, reaching a height of 1.5 to 4.5 m. There are small thorns on the branches. The length of the leaves is up to 7 cm, the width reaches 4 cm, they have a green color with a dark tint.The tree has fruits up to 6 cm in diameter, with a flavor range from sour to sweet, depending on the variety. The skin at full maturity is very thin, the flesh is juicy. The crown of the tree is spreading.

Citrus is used in cooking. The taste of lime fruit is sourer than lemon. Recognized as a low-calorie product (16 kcal), due to which it is included in the menu of those who follow the figure. Of the various representatives, Tahitian lime is the most popular, used in the preparation of mojitos.

Plant varieties

Lime has many varieties with certain distinctive features.

Limetta

This is a sweetish fruit. It is not completely sweet, the pulp contains more sugar than acid. The juice of the fruit is sweet, it has a distinctive feature: when it comes into contact with air, it becomes bitter, so you need to drink or use it right away.

Mexican lime

Is the most common type of lime. Contains a small amount of seeds, the skin tightly fits the pulp, thin, when ripe it has a yellow-greenish tint. The flesh is also yellow-green, tender, with a characteristic odor and sour.

Limetta Pursha

The tree blooms with white flowers. Fruits weighing about 80 g, having a spherical appearance, partially flattened at the poles and with a curved end. The skin is embossed, rough, bright, yellow. The pulp is not very tight, easily separated. The lime fruit has juicy flesh with a sweet-sour taste.

Palestinian sweet lime

Fruits are spherical, slightly ribbed. There are few seeds, the skin is thin with a smooth surface, an orange tint and an oily smell. The flesh has a straw-yellow tint, the taste is fresh with some bitter aftertaste.

Lime Rangpur

The fruits of this lime variety are sour, 5 cm in diameter, with an easily detached skin that has a dark orange color, like the flesh.

Tahiti

The size of the fruits of this tree is 2 times larger than the Mexican lime. The fruits are greenish, juicy, practically do not have seeds. A thin skin at full maturity has a yellowish tint, tightly fits the flesh, but the crop is harvested with a greenish skin. The internal contents are very sour.

Lime variegata

The fruit first has a striped color, after ripening - pale yellow. The pulp is sour, pleasant to taste. The skin is thin, fits the flesh well.

Neapolitanum

Recognized as one of the most delicious limes. The fruit has a thin fragrant skin. The pulp has no seeds, juicy, sour. Lime has the characteristic scent of essential oils.

Santa Barbara

Very productive variety. The fruit has a bright orange color, slightly oval in shape. The pulp is sour, but extremely aromatic. The skin is of medium thickness, with a yellowish or slightly orange color. There are many small seeds inside.

Kaffir

The leaves of this lime are sometimes used instead of laurel. It has a strong aroma. The zest is valuable, it is used more often, the fruits have little juice.

Indoor lime cultivation practices

At home, the lime tree in a pot is grown from cuttings or seeds.

Cutting

To grow a plant in this way, you need:

1. Cut off a 15 cm long shoot from the top of the tree. It should have about five good buds. The cut is made at an angle of 45^o.
2. Remove all leaves from the cutting, leaving only the three largest and he althiest.
3. Treat the stalk with "Heteroauxin" or "Kornevin", stimulants for the formation of the root system.
4. Plant the shoot in wet sand. Cover with the cut half of the plastic bottle.

Special conditions are needed for effective germination of a tree:

• high humidity;
• temperature regime.

It is important to set the lime tree pot in a lighted place, without direct sunlight. Escape requires regular watering and spraying.

When carrying out work in accordance with all requirements, the sprout will take root in a month. Further, accustoming to growing conditions is necessary. To do this, gradually remove the bottle for a while. For transplantation, a pot with a diameter of about 7 cm is needed, the root system develops well, is less susceptible to decay processes.With proper care, the plant will begin to bear fruit in the third year.

Seed growing

The stone makes a he althy and strong tree when certain requirements are met:

1. The stone must be from a good fruit: no damage, signs of rot, ripe.
2. Wash the seeds, dry for about 2 hours.
3. For planting, a mixture of a universal substrate with sand (coarse-grained) is used, take equal proportions.
4. Put expanded clay on the bottom of the container, a layer 1.5 cm thick. After pouring the mixture, place the grain.
5. Keep in a greenhouse environment. Periodically ventilate and irrigate the earth with warm water. Temperature should be stable: about 25 ^oC.
6. The sprout appears in the time interval from 2.5 to 4 months. A few sprouts are sprouting.
7. Choose a strong sprout with 2-3 leaves.
8. Gradually accustom to the conditions of the house. Plant the sprouts later.

Fructification of a tree with proper care begins in the 4th year. The main advantage of cultivation is the preservation of all varietal qualities of the original specimen.

Rules of care

Caring for a lime tree is necessary, like for other citrus fruits. The main requirements are put forward to the parameters discussed below.

Illumination

This is a sun-loving tree that prefers bright but diffused light, without harsh direct sunlight. The best place is on a window on the west or east side. Shading is necessary on the southern windows, especially at noon. But on the northern windows will require artificial lighting. The tree needs a 12-hour light period.

Temperature

The temperature regime depends on seasonality. In spring and summer it is about 30-35 ^оС. Autumn and winter - 20-25 ^{oS. This temperature contributes to the full development of the tree.}

Humidity

It is a moisture-loving plant, it needs increased moisture throughout the year. For this it is important:

• irrigate leaves daily;
• warm shower monthly;
• put on a container with additional moisture (wet moss, sand, expanded clay);
• place a container with liquid next to it.

Irrigation

Lime needs moderate watering when the soil surface dries. In winter, watering is carried out once every 10 days. Only room temperature liquid is used.

Fertilizer

Lime tree care involves fertilizing. Good nutrition provides the plant with good development, fruiting. Apply a citrus fertilizer twice a week.

It is recommended to alternate between organic and mineral products.

From organic fertilizers, you can use mullein infusion (diluted). In winter, top dressing is not carried out if the tree is at a low temperature. If kept warm, fertilization is done twice a week. The liquid mixture is injected until it flows out of the drainage holes, but strictly on the next day after watering, so as not to scorch the root system.

From mineral fertilizers, it is recommended to use phosphorus-potassium agents. They promote growth, flowering and fruit development. Gardeners recommend the use of fish soup.Boil fish waste for about 5 minutes, strain, pour over. Used monthly when the tree reaches a meter height.

Cutting

Tree care involves annual pruning. The formation of the crown must begin immediately after disembarkation. To do this, the main shoot is cut to stimulate side shoots. The following year, all branches are cut to a third of their length. Further cutting involves the removal of shoots that thicken the crown.

Transfer

A young tree needs to be transplanted annually at the end of the winter period. Mature trees are transplanted when roots show through the drainage holes. In adult trees, the topsoil is being replaced.

For transplanting, a citrus composition with moisture permeability is required. It is allowed to plant in a mixture of turf, leaf soil, humus and sand. Everything is mixed in equal parts. To avoid injury to the root system, the tree is transplanted with a clod of earth.

Diseases and pests

Most often, a tree is susceptible to damage by a tick (spider web), mealybug, scutellum.

Symptoms of the lesion are as follows:

• the shape of the leaves changes, yellowness appears;
• a black or grayish coating forms on the surface of the sheet;
• sticky film appears on leaves and shoots;
• presence of very small reddish insects;
• lump formation on the inner surface of the sheets;
• formation of cobwebs on the leaf part;
• growth stops, stops blooming.

To get rid of pests, it is recommended to spray the tree with a solution of soap. When the treatment did not bring results, use chemical means: "Aktara" or "Aktellik".

In addition to pests, the plant is prone to gommosis. Characterized by microcracks on the shoots. The main symptom of the disease is a sticky liquid leaking from the cracks. The tree dries quickly and dies. The causes that provoke the disease include:

• wrong fit (deep);
• overwatering;
• using cold liquid for watering.

To eliminate it, it is recommended to treat the tree with diluted blue vitriol. After smearing the base of the tree with pasty blue vitriol or lime.

Cleaning and storage

Harvesting is carried out in the last month of summer, the beginning of autumn. Keep cool, then the fruits do not lose their valuable properties within 3 weeks. They will last a week at room temperature. Long storage leads to drying and hardening of the peel.Partially losing moisture, the skin wrinkles. It is recommended to wrap in paper. Ripe fruits are stored in the dark, unripe in the light, not under the direct rays of the sun. The best storage place is the refrigerator.

Cut lime will keep refrigerated for about a week. In a warm place, the pulp loses its aroma and dries. Before planting, you need to decide on the plant variety. Subject to the requirements for planting and care, after 4 years the tree will begin to bear fruit.

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