How to grow limes from seeds at home, description of varieties

Growing citrus plants at home is gaining popularity. Tangerine, orange, and lime trees have adapted to indoor conditions. With proper planting (by cuttings or pitting) and proper care, you can grow a healthy, strong tree that will delight you 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 leaves are up to 7 cm long, up to 4 cm wide, and 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. When fully ripe, the skin is very thin and the flesh is juicy. The crown of the tree is spreading.

Citrus is used in cooking. Lime fruit tastes more sour than lemon. It is recognized as a low-calorie product (16 kcal), thanks to which it is included in the menu of those who are watching their figure. Of the various representatives, the Tahitian lime is the most popular and is used in making mojitos.

Plant varieties

Lime has many varieties that have certain distinctive characteristics.

Limetta

This is a sweetish fruit. It is not entirely sweet; the pulp contains more sugar than acid. The juice of the fruit is sweet and has a distinctive feature: upon contact with air it becomes bitter, so it must be drunk or used immediately.

Mexican lime

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

Limetta Pursha

The tree blooms with white flowers. The fruits weigh about 80 g, have a spherical appearance, partially flattened at the poles and with a curved end. The skin is embossed, rough, bright, yellow. The flesh does not adhere too much and separates easily. The lime fruit has juicy pulp with a sweet and sour flavor.

Palestinian sweet lime

The 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 pulp has a straw-yellow hue, 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 peelable skin that is dark orange in color, like the pulp.

Tahiti

The size of the fruits of this tree is 2 times larger than the Mexican lime. The fruits are greenish in color, juicy, and have practically no seeds. When fully ripe, the thin skin has a yellowish tint and fits tightly to the flesh, but the harvest is harvested with a greenish skin. The internal contents are very sour.

Lime variegata

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

Neapolitanum

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

Santa Barbara

A variety with high yield. The fruit has a bright orange color and is 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 and is used more often; the fruits have little juice.

Agricultural techniques for growing lime indoors

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

Cuttings

To grow a plant using this method, you need:

1. Cut 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 cuttings, leaving only the three largest and healthiest ones.
3. Treat the cuttings with “Heteroauxin” or “Kornevin”, stimulants for the formation of the root system.
4. Plant the shoot in moistened sand. Cover with the cut half of a plastic bottle.

For successful germination of a tree, special conditions are required:

• high humidity;
• temperature regime.

It is important to place the lime tree pot in a bright place, without direct sunlight. The shoot requires regular watering and spraying.

If the work is carried out in accordance with all requirements, the sprout will take root within a month. Next, it is necessary to adapt to growing conditions. To do this, gradually remove the bottle for a while. For replanting, you need a pot with a diameter of about 7 cm; the root system develops well and is less susceptible to rotting processes. With proper care, the plant will begin to bear fruit in the third year.

Seed cultivation

The seed produces a healthy and strong tree if certain requirements are met:

1. The seed must be from a good fruit: without damage, signs of rot, and ripe.
2. Wash the seeds and dry for about 2 hours.
3. For planting, use a mixture of universal substrate with sand (coarse-grained), take equal proportions.
4. Place expanded clay at the bottom of the container, a layer 1.5 cm thick. After filling with the mixture, place the grain.
5. Keep in a greenhouse environment. Periodically ventilate and irrigate the soil with warm water. There should be a stable temperature: about 25 ^OWITH.
6. The sprout appears in a time interval from 2.5 to 4 months. Several sprouts sprout.
7. Choose a strong sprout with 2-3 leaves.
8. Gradually accustom to the conditions at home. Later, plant the sprouts.

With proper care, the tree begins to bear fruit in the 4th year.The main advantage of cultivation is the preservation of all varietal qualities of the original specimen.

Rules of care

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

Illumination

This is a sun-loving tree, preferring bright but diffused light, without harsh direct rays of the sun. The best place is on a window on the west or east side. South-facing windows require shading, especially at midday. But on northern windows, artificial lighting will be required. The tree needs a 12-hour light period.

Temperature

Temperature conditions depend on seasonality. In spring and summer it is about 30-35 ^OC. Autumn and winter - 20-25 ^OC. This temperature promotes the full development of the tree.

Humidity

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

• water the leaves daily;
• warm shower monthly;
• place on a container with additional moisture (wet moss, sand, expanded clay);
• place a container with liquid nearby.

Watering

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

Fertilizer

Caring for a lime tree involves fertilizing. Adequate nutrition ensures good development and fruiting for the plant. Apply fertilizer intended for citrus fruits twice a week.

It is recommended to alternately use organic and mineral products.

For organic fertilizers, you can use mullein infusion (diluted). In winter, fertilizing is not carried out if the tree is at low temperatures. If kept warm, fertilizer is applied twice a week.The liquid mixture is introduced until it flows out of the drainage holes, but strictly the next day after watering, so as not to scorch the root system.

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

Trimming

Tree care involves annual pruning. Crown formation must begin immediately after planting. To do this, the main shoot is cut off 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 replanted annually at the end of winter. Mature trees are transplanted when roots appear through the drainage holes. In mature trees, the top layer of soil is replaced.

For replanting, you need a citrus composition that is moisture permeable. 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 replanted with a lump of earth.

Diseases and pests

Most often, the tree is susceptible to damage by mites (spider mites), mealybugs, and scale insects.

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 leaf;
• a sticky film appears on the leaves and shoots;
• the presence of very small reddish insects;
• the formation of lumps on the inner surface of the leaves;
• the formation of cobwebs on the leaf part;
• growth stops and stops blooming.

To get rid of pests, it is recommended to spray the tree with a soap solution. When the treatment does not bring results, use chemicals: “Aktara” or “Aktellik”.

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

• improper landing (deep);
• excessive watering;
• using cold liquid for irrigation.

To eliminate it, it is recommended to treat the tree with diluted copper sulfate. Then lubricate the base of the tree with paste-like copper sulfate or lime.

Cleaning and storage

Harvesting is carried out in the last month of summer, the beginning of autumn. Store in a cool place, then the fruits do not lose their valuable properties for 3 weeks. They will last a week in room conditions. Long-term storage leads to drying and hardening of the peel. Partially losing moisture, the skin wrinkles. It is recommended to wrap it in paper. Ripe fruits are stored in the dark, unripe ones in the light, not in direct sunlight. The best place for storage is the refrigerator.

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