Lime Tree Pruning Tips

Q. Please give some tips on pruning my three-year-old sweet lime tree: when to prune, how tall to keep its growth on my limited backyard space, fertilizing, and does the tree have to be pruned annually? 

Readers young lime tree

A. Read most information on pruning of citrus and it will tell you to prune citrus very little. Citrus of any type have few issues that need correction by pruning. They do not need to be pruned to improve fruit production like other fruit trees.

Reasons for pruning citrus

            The primary reasons for pruning citrus are to reduce its size, remove problems like crossing and broken branches, and some thinning to reduce excessive growth.

            They do need to be pruned if you want to keep them smaller. They can be pruned to backspace to about 60% of their mature size. But it should be done every year.

            Prune just after harvesting the fruit so that it doesn’t interfere with next year’s flowering and fruit production. This is also the best time to apply fertilizer. Light pruning with a hand shears and applications of fertilizer can be done anytime of the year.

First, control its height

Identify backspace stems backspace contributing to an undesirable height. These will be vertical or nearly vertical. Follow the stems along their entire length and remove them, entirely, at the point where they become vertical. This may be somewhere deep inside the canopy. It doesn’t matter if that’s the case. Remove them with a clean, close cut.

            The tree wants to become tall. You want the tree to stay smaller. This is where you are at odds with tree. You must control the tree, it should not control what you want.

Get rid of vertical growth

            The best production of fruit comes from stems that are NOT vertical. Consistent fruit production comes from stems that are near horizontal or no more than 45° above horizontal.

Reduce its width if needed

            If the width of the tree is a problem, reduce the length of horizontal or near horizontal stems. To do this, follow the length of the offending stem toward the inside of the tree. Remove the portion of this stem that is offensive at a juncture with another stem. DO NOT LEAVE STUBS.

Remove crossing or broken limbs

            Adding fertilizer to plants, particularly those high in nitrogen (the first number on the bag), should be done every year to maintain a high level of fruit production. But the amount applied should be adjusted according to the needs of the plant. If the tree is growing excessively, reduce the amount of fertilizer applied but don’t eliminate it.