Thanks for the responses guys. I mentioned I didn't think it was the water or fertilizing, but it certainly could be. Again, I'm a rookie and that was just my guess. Feel free to correct me - you all know much more than me so you're not going to hurt my feelings ;) My soil moisture test is pretty basic - I stick my finger in the soil about an inch down and if it feels completely dry I water it. I dump enough to submerge the rootball before it all soaks in. With this method I end up watering it every 2-3 days. Not very scientific I know but it seemed to be sufficient. The pot has some gravel in the bottom so drainage is pretty good. When I moved it outside we did get a couple pretty rainy nights so it probably did get a bunch of water those 2-3 days. Perhaps that is also a factor. I had assumed 2 or 3 overwaterings wouldn't be that bad given that it has pretty good drainage. I'm going to google the 'dowel method' now. Thanks for the tip. As for fertilizer I have to admit I only added it once at the end of the winter and it was some generic Miracle Grow plant fertilizer, nothing special for citrus trees. Go easy on me guys. I figured a generic fertilizer applied sparingly would either help or at worst no hurt too much. I'm going to order some citrus fertilizer soon. If the leaves are just falling off to make way for new ones I should see some newer, tiny leaves coming in right? It must seem like I have no idea what I'm doing... which is probably true it large part. I read some stuff when I got the tree and followed some simple rules. For a year the tree did so well I was convinced key lime trees were so robust you didn't have to do much at all. Clearly I was wrong.

Maintenance varies. As I mentioned, mine is pretty much bullet-proof. I don't seal it or do anything else "special" to it. Occasionally, if I want it to *sparkle*, I'll use Method cleaner, but by and large I just use what I used on my old laminate...detergent & water. One thing, on the laminate (and probably light-colored stones), if you overdose on the detergent you will get a detergent haze but you can't see it. I have polished Absolute Black Premium so the haze is noticeable. But, we've learned to go light on the detergent and we're fine...and we go through less detergent now as well! (The "less is more" mentality has extended to everything...an unintended good side effect!) The "being very careful" stage is just the "new car stage"...it's new and, at least for me, I'd never had stone b/f so I needed to learn what & I could & could not do on my own (I'm one of those that likes to know through experience, not just what I'm told!) What have I learned? Nothing seems to hurt my stone...I no longer worry about anything...I now treat it with even less care than I did the laminate! It's nice not worrying that I'll stain it if I leave something sit (I worried about it w/laminate all the time b/c my mother's laminate has a lot of stains...of course, it's a light tan and 39 years old! It watched six of us grow up!) [And *sigh*, I now have my first big ding on my cabinets...we've filled it in but I can still see it...no one else notices it, but I do!!!] HTH!

No paint brick - that would be putting an inferior finish over a quality item. Its a nice variegated brick, not the heavy orange type that some people complain about. An argument might be made for applying a masonry stain to tone down a color... not that it needs it... but to put an opaque high maintenance plastic coating (eg acyrlic) isnt a good idea for the long term. I wholeheartedly agree w/above suggestions to remove the fake tudor and rethink those spaces under the eaves and around the windows- even just simple paint in a well-chosen brown that bridges the brick and roof colors would be a big improvement. Sometimes less is more, and I would argue that a handsome house in natural brick or stone and muted nature-colors is often the most beautiful house on the block. Then, you could put your $ and effort into some really lovely landscaping & perhaps pillars but I wouldnt get carried away with reinventing the architecutral elements - its very nice & balanced as is. Is that the view from the side? Looks like the street is off to the left?

Thanks chloebud! Would you scrap the grey altogether and go for a warmer option or something that blends right into the house color? I do have the cedar window boxes coming but they are unfinished I can stain them any shade that I’d like. And yes the tree does hide the entry looking at the house from straight on. My husband loves that tree as it provides privacy into our front windows without having to have drapes drawn. This has been a back and forth that so far the tree has won ; )