Ginny: Apricots in CA are susceptible to a fairly serious disease called Eutypa dieback. It is more likely to occur in coastal climates than inland but can be serious even in the central valleys. Control includes limiting pruning to July and August inland and August only near the coast. These are good times to prune for shaping or to control vigor. My only concern is that major pruning that time of yr can leave the tree susceptible to sunburn. What I'd probably do is moderate pruning to open the center of the tree. Also shorten some branches by cutting to a less vigorous side shoot heading in the direction you desire. Do this every yr and you will have the tree under control. Don't worry about making the wrong cut. The tree will survive and grow another branch. Then you will have another chance to get it right. In most places in CA at lower elevations apricots bear nearly every yr. The rest of the country can only dream of such. So don't worry about getting the perfect shape...you will get fruit on any shape tree in the good locations. You also might paint any freshly exposed branches with white latex paint to help avoid sunburn. The Fruitnut

Definitely something about the heat with Key limes, as it is really interestingly apparent here where I live, which is a stone's throw to Mexico (well, maybe more like an hour drive, but you get my meaning). I'm kind of right on the line so to speak, for Key (Mexican) limes. I'm about 6 miles from the ocean, and we get get just barely enough heat for them to do well here. They do better further inland in S. California, but we do have an old Key lime grove that is not being well tended right near me along the water authority road, and the trees are just crammed full of lovely little Key limes. We walk up there several times a week in the evening, and pluck off bags of Key limes for our margaritas, limeade, cooking, etc. But, when I was planning on planting citrus here, I opted to plant a Bearss lime (Persian lime) because frankly, they do better here. All limes need heat, some more than others. Plus, Bearss have a lot more juice, although they aren't quite as "limey" as the Key lime is. So, it is heat, heat and more heat for limes. And even my Bearss lime is one of the least vigorous of all my citrus here on my property. It's coming along, but a little more slowly than some of the other better suited citrus. Interestingly, we never refer to them as Persian limes here, just as Bearss limes :-) AMaji, how much sunshine and heat is your little lime tree getting?? Is it in a protected area? How frequently are your fertilizing it, now? At this point, you'll want to stop fertilizing (probably stop in July for your area), so you don't end up with tender new flush being at risk for freezing. I would start fertilizing next spring after danger of frost is over, and make sure it's getting full sun all day long in a nice, protected area. It should eventually flower for you. Love Bearss limes for all their juice. Patty S.

I wouldn't necessarily say its supposed to flower in 3 years, perhaps likely to is a better statement. I also know someone with their tree about 6 or 7' and hasn't held fruit. There's quite a bit of variation to it. Some keylime trees need a longer period before they're mature enough to hold fruit. Next spring you could try a fert with a higher middle number, but chances are it'll just happen when the tree is ready. Some trees don't start producing until their lives are threatened by some sort of stress, but maturity is the greater factor. Gary

Well the treating the plant as if it were nature only extended to not being completely regular with the watering... and it had never been a serious issue until recently. Of course I used potting soil, but I don't know what they do to it and just wanted anyone who had any ideas to have the full story. I ultimately decided that it was probably a mineral deficiency (particularly zinc but maybe some others like iron), so the next day I went and bought a chelated iron/zinc/copper/magnesium mix and sprayed it on the branches and have watered it with it twice, once that day and once just now. Just after the first application, the dieback slowed down dramatically. I just found that one more branch has died but there is quite a bit of new growth on the plant overall (no fullfledged leaves yet), so I'm hopeful. Just thought anyone else who was running into similar problems in the future might appreciate the info.