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Florida Gardening

Key Lime & Meyer Lemon questions

16 years ago

We bought a Key Lime a while ago but have had a hard time figuring out where to put it. I know it will need protection from the cold in my area. I am not sure if I should put it in a larger pot or the ground. If I put in in the ground it will grow larger and stronger but need more protection. Does anyone have any experience with Key Limes in my zone?

Also, we have a Meyer lemon we bought last year at a local nursery. We did not want too large of a tree because we have limited space. The owner told us that he airlayers branches from his older tree. I have since found out that if the tree is from a cutting it will be very small. Does anyone know how small? I am wondering if it will be too small and not produce very many lemons. If so, we may want to buy another tree that is regular size.

Thanks for all your help.

Gabriele

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Comments (5)

sandy_9a_fl_gulf
16 years ago
Why do you think air-layered plants will grow to a smaller stature? Nothing in my reading or Master Gardener classes ever indicated that to be the case to me.
The biggest advantage of this method of propagation is that your plant is more mature when you get it and will therefore bear fruit sooner, especially if it was taken from a flowering branch.
ariel73
16 years ago
I know a gal in tampa who is growing a key lime with great success. I do not believe she covers it from the cold, however she has lots of big oaks and the oaks canapy protects her plants pretty well.
With that being said if you are concerned that your keylime could get damaged during a frost, by all means cover it.
Any plant I am unsure about, I try to play it safe and cover it.

Now about the Myer Lemon, I have alway been told they are very slow growing. And I have found that to be true. I don't think you would have any problem trying to keep it at a reasonable height. When it does start to get bigger, just trim it back.
I also have never heard about air layered plants being smaller.
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At this time of the year up here it the light has a much less effect if you are going to put in into a sunny window as it would of three weeks ago when the sun was much more intense. It's the temps I would be concerned about. If you plan on bringing them into a house environment that warm, the sooner you bring them in the better. Right now mine are still outside and get full sun. But if I brought them in right now, they had better go into a room that has been just as cool as outside, or all my trees will react in a negative way. That is why I either remove them from the full sun by Labor day as John suggested and then bring them into a warm area before it gets this cold, or leave them out and bring them into a room at almost the same temps as outside with all windows opened in a room set aside for them.. Mike
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springtime_fl
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the responses.

I was told by someone (I think the owner) from Crowleys nursery (when I was at the Tropiflora sale in Sarasota) that rooted cuttings do not grow as large. I assumed that he knew what he was talking about.

Also, when we went to the USF fall plant sale and talked to someone at the Rare Fruit booth, they told me the same thing.
barbcoleus
16 years ago
Is a Meyer lemon a grafted variety? If it is, the plant may just be weak.
springtime_fl
Original Author
16 years ago
The Meyer that I have is not grafted. It is a cutting from another tree. I am assuming that there are grafted Meyer lemons also.

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