Like animals, trees grown from seed must pass through several phases of development before they become sexually mature and capable of producing reproductive parts (blooms/ seeds/ fruit). The plant phases of seed - seedling - juvenile - sexually mature are roughly mirrored in human developmental stages of embryonic - infantile - juvenile - adult/ sexually mature. A freshly sprouted seedling is no more capable of producing reproductive parts (blooms/ seeds/ fruit) than an infant. Too, a plant's aging process is different than an animal's. Where animals age chronologically, plants age ontogenetically. Ontogenetic aging can be thought of in terms of how many cell divisions have occurred to move the plant to its current phase of development. One might reason that the most recent new growth would be the youngest part of the plant, but ontogenetically, it is the the oldest part of the plant because it has taken many more cell divisions to produce the newest parts. Ontogenetically, the youngest part of a tree grown from seed will always be the root to shoot transition area at the base of the trunk, no matter how old the tree is chronologically. Pruning a tree back hard can easily remove all existing mature growth and return it to a juvenile phase that would require a considerable amount of new growth before the wood again becomes mature. All factors that influence growth rate have an impact on how long (chronologically) it takes a plant to become sexually mature, so thinking that a change in nutrition alone will cause a plant to bloom is misguided. The fastest seedlings to mature within any given species will depend on how proficient Mother Nature or the plant's grower is at providing ideal cultural conditions. Ideal cultural conditions = most rapid growth rate and shortest period of time to reach maturity; this, simply because ideal conditions are most conducive to cell divisions and therefore a fruitful tree at a younger chronological age. It should be noted that applying nutrients or other products in willy nilly fashion with no knowledge of whether or not there is an actual deficiency of those nutrients or no good reason to apply them is highly likely to be limiting in terms of both growth and rate of maturation. Whenever we discuss what is or isn't an appropriate part of the methodology we use to make certain our plants get all the nutrients essential to growth and good health, we would probably first want to be sure our objectives are on target. It's difficult to argue with the idea that our focus in supplying supplemental nutrition to our plants should be on ensuring all the nutrients plants normally assimilate from the soil are A) IN the soil and available for uptake at all times, B) in the soil in a favorable ratio - that is to say in a ratio that mimics the ratio at which the plant actually uses the nutrient, C) at a concentration high enough to ensure no nutritional deficiencies, yet still low enough to ensure the plant's ability to take up water efficiently, and the nutrients dissolved in that water won't be impeded (by a high concentration of solubles in the soil solution). The part in bold is where growers often run afoul of sound husbandry. By adding unnecessary nutrients we A) skew the ratio of nutrients, each to the others, such that an excess of one nutrient causes a deficiency of one or more other nutrients, and B) make it more difficult for the plant to assimilate water and nutrients. So, for plants in containers, best results can be had by choosing 1 fertilizer with an appropriate nutrient ratio and all the nutrients essential to normal growth. Forget the snake oil products and claims made on product packaging by sellers whose only goal is separating you from your money. For plants in the landscape, a soil test is ESSENTIAL for any grower aiming at providing the best cultural conditions possible. "A little extra" is almost always going to be limiting rather than beneficial; otherwise, it wouldn't be "extra". Al

Silica, I figured you would say the opposite or make my advice seem invaluable. Let the members see for for themselves..What a joke,........I hope this person chooses wisely since I have never had to spray anything on my foliage, ever, not since I discovered the right mixes and fertilizer after years of doing this previously before coming here. Listening to the advice of what you and other so called professionals say lead me to dead ends before spending years at the container forums with the right people. I have been growing problem free Citrus Trees for years, and have proved that here and yet I have yet to see yours over the years. You fought with me over bark saying that Coconut Chips was far better than bark and yet you stopped using them after you failed in them while encouraging others to grow in that instead of the 5.1.1 mix. You never like me for encouraging I tlothers to use it. You say you used the these mixes for years when you never did You never documented it or have proof you did.If you want people to run out and try this or that to correct issues when it can all be done with one good fertilizer, the right regimen and in the right mix,that's fine. I've tried to reach out to you and work with you and yet you still refuse. That's fine too You are probably getting a kick out of it since most new ones here have not got a clue that you have been doing this to me for years, staying in a different page than I here. I can promise you that I will not give up helping others while I presume that it would satisfy you if I did. . When was the last time you agreed with anything I had to say or complimented my years didicated or consistent efforts here? Your only purpose to me has been to quash my credibly here lately, and I'm not the only one who sees that now you move in and look like the good guy deliberatly being xtra nice to the ones that I've gotten to know or help to rally them on to your agenda? Please, let it be known, that I too can copy and paste many articles that you have been putting together here from Google and the tropical forums to pretend you know it all. At times word for word on what Millet says......I've known you for years and you have never had a fondness of me or my ability or desire to help others with the methods I've learned here for years. Thanks., L.N . Everything grows just right, perfectly well, as long as the roots are running correctly, their needs are met, and the nutrients are able to be utilized..I would rather help others address the root of their problems, than waste their time or money to bandaid them just to have them keep reoccurring. As the pot shows it is salt issues, and the soil of choice causes that if no proper flushing of them is done, and the clay pot if exposed to cold temps as John says are most likely the cause. But I assume most of the time your climate is warm which would not be an issue with clay. L.N If you would like to e-mail me, please do so. Since I have helped dozens of members here for years with success, I would be willing to help you. My e-mail is milerno_1@yahoo.com If you choose to do it Silica's way, you have that choice and I wish you all the luck)))) It was great to meet you.

Looks like a goner. If you can find some seeds, try growing one from seed; the best and strongest Kaffirs are seed grown. Do not order seeds from Thailand; you will only waste your money. I don't know how many seeds people have brought me from Thailand and not a single one has ever sprouted. I would love to find a source of seed; but no one I have found from Thailand will give me any assurance as to viability.

How cool! They look great -- perfect little miniatures of the adult tree. We really wanted a kaffir lime, so we asked our local nursery to order one for us. While we were waiting for it to come in, I spotted a full grown one on clearance at home depot. A couple of years later and they are both thriving. I know what to do with the leaves (which is why we bought them), but we also produce a large amount of fruit. Does anyone have any recipes or suggestions for using the fruit?