Kaffir lime survived

10 years ago

Eagerly waiting for spring.

So last summer one of my two kaffir limes that I grew from seed suffered a major setback. Started losing leaves rapidly. Probably the soil dried out. Then I tried to help it a bit and kept it loosely wrapped in a plastic for increased humidity and that seemed to have worked. But inside under lights it went south again. Probably it was just too weak to start with. In December, it had three leaves.

Being bored, I thought what the heck and I chopped it hard mid January or so. There were barely any live roots and so I did a full repot in a very coarse 510 mix (no fines, no peat) in a small pot. Put it on a heating mat directly under a CFL light. A week back I was pleasantly surprised to see new baby leaves.

Any other such stories from your experience and what did you do?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
10 years ago
They DO like to grow in the spring, don't they. Young plants are more vigorous than their older counterparts, and because they are virtually 100% dynamic mass, they have a very strong will to live. I'm glad for your success, ToC.

Al
tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA) thanked tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
Original Author
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Ya, I am always amazed by what plants are capable of. A year back I brought a air-layer of a prized lime from India (Rangpur lime - for all the folks from Bengal yes it is Gandharaj Lebu). To pass the phyto-sanitary requirements I had to remove all the leaves. For ease of transport (in my hand baggage I chopped it to a 10 inch length. Cut the roots to less than two inches. Wrapped in saran wrap with a bit of wet cotton inside for transport and then babied it for two months here. This was in January last year. It is now a healthy 2 ft tall plant. I probably fussed about it more than needed but it is just astonishing that it looks, feels, smells like the original. It flowered profusely in Feb but I chopped out all of them so that it can concentrate on growing. My wife was very sad though.
Related Professionals
Montgomery Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Plainfield Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Rapid City Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Athens Landscape Contractors · Monroe Landscape Contractors · Shreveport Landscape Contractors · Anderson Landscape Contractors · Beaumont Landscape Contractors · Edison Landscape Contractors · Spokane Landscape Contractors · Mobile Home Builders · Pensacola Home Builders · Bloomington Home Builders · Charleston Home Builders · Jamestown Home Builders
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
10 years ago
Good work! I'd up-pot the plant this Spring, maybe up to a 1-gallon or so.

Right now is the beginning of the Citrus re-potting window, although I usually wait for sometime in April in my area.

Josh
tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA) thanked greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
Original Author
10 years ago
Josh, just prepared a batch of gritty mix. The next door cat was extremely interested in it. I vaguely recollect that you prefer a variation of the 511 for the citrus family. Do you add lime to your mixes for citrus? Or do they like to be on the acidic side?
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
10 years ago
I've done both, adding Lime and not adding Lime. If the mix is mostly bark, I add the Lime...but if it's closer to a Gritty Mix, I don't add the Lime. My favorite citrus mix is 70% uncomposted bark, about 15% perlite, and then the remainder of red lava rock, turface, and a non-porous grit like quartzite.

Josh