When/how to Shift Key Lime From Full Sun Inside to Full Sun Outside

9 years ago

My little Key Lime I got in October from Logee's is doing well. It's about a foot tall with some branches. It's currently getting 6-8 hours noon -> evening sun (southwest window). It's put out new leaves AND!!!! looks to have some blossom buds (eeeeeeee!!!!) However, when the huge Ginko outside my building grows its leaves, it will significantly block the sun the lime is currently getting.

Happily, my grandma, who lives on my block and has an unobstructed front yard with the same southwesterly orientation, said I could put my lime & my even smaller calamondin her in her yard for the summer. However, I need some advice on making the transition.

I cannot put the plants outdoors a few hours at a time in their current location because I'm on the 4th floor and my building doesn't allow windowboxes. I can put them outdoors on my fire escape which faces northeasterly and is mostly unobstructed morning light (from an hour past sunrise - noonish) BUT I can't leave the plants outdoors there for less than a whole workday (except on the weekends).on account of going to work each day :)

Grandma has some more shady spots (next to a bush which casts partial shade) though.

What do you think is better to transition to from full indoor afternoon sun to full outdoor afternoon sun? All day outside with morning sun on my fire escape or partial shade with afternoon sun at Grandma's? Or directly into full sun at Grandma's?

Featured Answer

poncirusguy6b452xx

8 years ago

Put it outside in full shade for a couple of days then move it to get the evening sun for a couple and increase the amount of sun about a half hour a day. I does not have to be perfect in its increase in day light but the process should take about 2 weeks to full sun.

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Comments (11)

mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
8 years ago
Steve is right but I prefer to acclimate mine with morning sun versus full sun. the temperatures are generally cooler and not so dry.

mike
limeinqueens thanked mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
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Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
8 years ago
Most of my citrus get only about 4 to 6 hours of sun in summer. I don't usually have them in full all-day sun. They seem to grow better in pots for me this way. For my situation the pots would overheat too much in all-day full sun. And I've never had a problem with blooming and fruit production. Usually they start blooming before I even set them out.

I start them out in shade in spring and gradually -- over a period of 3 weeks -- move them to more sun. I do this because usually they have a lot of tender new growth before I even set them out.

Actually toward September/October I do move them to as sunny and protected spot as possible because I want to make the most of the shorter and cooler days. Also want fruit to ripen.
limeinqueens thanked Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
limeinqueens
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks all. Unfortunately as I stated varying the hours of afternoon sun is impossible for me. Also since it's been 3 weeks since I asked the question I already started the process :).

What I did was put it out on my ledge with morning sun, behind a screen I made from an old white tshirt (because when I put my fig in the same light without shade it burned and still has not recovered). I'm going to pull off the shade this weekend which will be cloudy, and cut holes in it to create "dappled sun" for next week.

So far, so good.
poncirusguy6b452xx
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Before Houzz took over, threads would stay at the top until they got their first response. Now they start dropping as soon as another thread is created or gets an answer. If a lot of activity comes along some threads drop to fast before anyone notices as yours did. I went through 7 pages and found almost that many unanswered questions that I commented to bring them to the top. Yours was one of two I could answer. I am glad things are going well for your tree.
limeinqueens
Original Author
8 years ago
Oh no, I hope you didn't think I was complaining!! I actually do very much appreciate it. I do wish we still had the old system :(

My lime is doing well knock-wood! its little flowers are flourishing (although I expect it will drop its little fruitlets). My poor calamondin on the other hand is having hard times. But that's a subject for another thread.
poncirusguy6b452xx
8 years ago
I didn't think you were complaining. I felt bad that no one answered your question for so long. Most people don,t know that new posts no longer stay on top and some get missed. We loose new people this way. They post, no one responds and they leave angry and feel put out so I thought I would mention it. Thanks for your response.

Steve
myermike_1micha
8 years ago
What I do since all my huge trees are gone and there is not spot to stick mine in shade is throw a shade cloth over them for about a week or two...This does the trick for me even though they are sitting in direct sunlight..Your t-shirt method is about the same..You are a very smart person..
tom1328732
8 years ago
There have been a lot of good suggestions here! My situation is a bit different; since I use 2x 1000 W metal halide lamps to light mine during the winter, they're always somewhat acclimated to UV radiation. I throw them outside on the rare warm spring days... and come late April, I usually leave them out to suffer and get beat up by storms. I guess I take the approach of "what doesn't kill them makes them stronger".

In your situation, I think the T-shirt idea would work great!

-Tom
poncirusguy6b452xx
8 years ago
Tom

Are those 2 X 1000 watt metal halide lights the main winter time heating system for your house.

Steve
tom1328732
8 years ago
Steve,

They are, actually! I didn't use my heater once all winter long. My apartment is very well-insulated, so I don't know if that would work for everyone. Average temps were in the upper 70's and low 80's while they were on (they were on a timer to be off at night). If the outside temps were in the 50's+, it could even get into the 90's.

If you're curious for more details, let me know, and we can start a new thread instead of hijacking this one.

-Tom

When/how to Shift Key Lime From Full Sun Inside to Full Sun Outside

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When/how to Shift Key Lime From Full Sun Inside to Full Sun Outside

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