Limes

About

Everglades Farm grows lime trees in Homestead, Florida, and ships rooted cuttings and grafted citrus trees nationwide. Lime Tree Varieties and Purchasing Options Our lime tree varieties fall into four groups. Key lime , including the thornless Mexican lime , carries small aromatic fruit on a compact tree. The Persian Tahiti lime , sold elsewhere as the Bearss lime tree, is nearly seedless and best for juice. The kaffir lime tree is grown for its leaves. Australian finger limes, including UF Red Lime , UF Sun Lime , Little Ruby , and Red Bush Giant , hold citrus caviar. Grafted citrus trees fruit sooner than rooted cuttings. A rangpur lime tree or sweet lime tree is a mandarin hybrid, not a true lime, so neither joins our fruit trees lineup. How to Plant Lime Trees Plant a lime tree in early spring, after the last frost. In growing zones 9 to 11 it goes in the ground; colder gardens keep it in pots. Choose full sun, sheltered from wind. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and no deeper, keeping the graft union above grade. Loosen the outer roots before setting the tree. Backfill with well-drained soil and water slowly. In a container, use 7 to 15 gallon pots with drainage holes and fast-draining citrus mix. How to Grow Lime Trees A lime tree needs six to eight hours of sun and soil that never stays soggy. Water deeply, then let the top two inches dry, because even moisture matters more than frequent watering. Spread two inches of mulch under the canopy, kept off the trunk, so the roots stay cool. Feed a citrus fertilizer every six weeks from spring into late summer. In growing zones 9-11 trees stay outside all year, and a potted red finger lime moves under cover on a cold night. Lime Tree Community and Resources Growers here talk to the people who raise the trees. Our nursery at 19775 SW 296th Street, Homestead, FL 33030 is open Monday through Saturday, 10am to 3pm, for visits and order pickup, and the team answers questions at csr@everglades.farm or 305-704-88