GrowSabzHow to grow lime in pots
Also called limoo, leemoo, limon, limette · Citrus aurantifolia
لیموں
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 6–8hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 4.5 Levery 4 days, 30 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 20–30°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 30 L40 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 90–150days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 3 kgper 20 L pot
Lime is a long game. From seed it takes 3-6 years before you see a harvest, which is why most growers start from a nursery plant. Container growing is entirely possible, but the container has to be sized for a plant that will live in it for years.
Short answer
Grow lime in a 30 litre container at least 40 cm deep, watering about 1000 ml per 10 litres of soil every 4 days, and keep temperatures between 20 and 30 °C. First harvest comes 90–150 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does lime need?
30 litres and 40 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 30 L | 40 cm | Requires large pot with excellent drainage |
| Grow bag | 30 L | 40 cm | Fabric bags provide good aeration but dry out faster |
| Open ground | — | 60 cm | Ensure well-draining soil and adequate space |
| Raised bed | 50 L | 50 cm | Excellent for drainage and soil control |
Watering
How often should you water lime?
Every 4 days through the growing season, at about 1000 ml per 10 litres of soil — every 2 days in hot weather, every 6 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Drip irrigation or slow deep watering works best.
Too little water
- leaf curling
- leaf drop
- fruit drop
- wilting
Too much water
- yellow leaves
- root rot
- stunted growth
Avoid: standing water; shallow frequent watering; waterlogging.
Climate
Can you grow lime where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 20 – 30 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | 0 – 40 °C |
| Germinates above | 20 °C — best at 25 °C, about 21 days |
| Flowers drop | above 38 °C, or below 10 °C |
| Sunlight | 6–12 hrs/day, best 8 |
| Frost | Highly sensitive — will not survive it |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 40 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for lime? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Lime growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for lime
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why lime fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 30 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Lime wants about 1000 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 38 °C, or below 10 °C, flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Harvesting too late
Left too long the colour changes, seeds harden and the flavour sharpens. Pick on the signs listed below, not on the calendar.
- Planting it beside Walnut
Releases juglone, a chemical highly toxic to citrus trees, causing stunted growth and eventual death.
- Leaving it out through a cold snap
Lime is highly frost-sensitive. One night below 0 °C can end the plant outright — bring containers in or cover them.
Companions
What to plant with lime
Good neighbours
Repels nematodes and other harmful soil pests, protecting the lime tree's roots.
Acts as a trap crop for aphids, diverting them from the lime tree, and can serve as a living mulch.
Attracts beneficial pollinators like bees, which are essential for lime fruit set, and can deter some pests.
Fixes nitrogen in the soil, improving fertility, and its deep roots can break up compacted soil.
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and parasitic wasps that prey on common citrus pests like aphids and scale.
Its strong scent can deter various pests, including some types of flies and moths, from the lime tree.
Keep apart from
Releases juglone, a chemical highly toxic to citrus trees, causing stunted growth and eventual death.
Can inhibit the growth of many plants, including citrus, if planted too close, due to allelopathic compounds.
Members of the brassica family can compete heavily for nutrients and may stunt the growth of young lime trees.
Shares some common diseases and pests with citrus, increasing the risk of infection for the lime tree.
Problems
Lime pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Citrus Canker humidity >80% · temp 20-30
Bacterial disease causing raised, tan-to-brown lesions with a water-soaked margin and yellow halo on leaves, stems, and fruit. Can cause premature fruit drop.
Citrus Greening humidity any · temp 20-30
Also known as Huanglongbing (HLB). Causes asymmetrical yellowing of leaves, stunted growth, small, lopsided, bitter fruit. Spread by Asian citrus psyllid. No cure.
Aphids humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth, sucking sap and causing distorted leaves. Secrete sticky honeydew, leading to sooty mold.
Citrus Leafminer humidity any · temp 20-30
Larvae tunnel within young leaves, creating silvery, winding trails. Causes leaf distortion and reduces photosynthetic capacity.
Scale Insects humidity any · temp any
Small, immobile insects that attach to stems, leaves, and fruit, sucking sap. Appear as bumps or waxy coverings. Lead to yellowing and sooty mold.
Spider Mites humidity <50% · temp >27
Tiny pests that cause leaves to look stippled, pale, and eventually turn yellow and drop. Fine webbing may be visible on the undersides of leaves.
Gummosis humidity >70% · temp 18-28
Fungal disease (Phytophthora) causing sap to ooze from cracks in the bark, often near the soil line. Can girdle the tree and lead to decline.
Root Rot humidity any · temp any
Caused by overwatering or poor drainage, leading to decaying roots, yellowing leaves, and wilting. Can be fatal if not addressed.
Nutrient Deficiency humidity any · temp any
Common deficiencies include Iron (interveinal chlorosis on new leaves), Zinc (small, narrow leaves with yellow mottling), and Magnesium (yellowing between veins on older leaves).
Cold Damage humidity any · temp <0
Limes are very sensitive to frost. Symptoms include wilting, browning of leaves, stem dieback, and splitting bark. Protect young trees in winter.
Flower Drop humidity any · temp >35 or <10
Flowers dry up and fall off before fruit sets, commonly caused by temperature extremes (too hot or too cold), severe water stress, or nutrient imbalance.
Harvest
When to harvest lime
First picking falls between day 90 and day 150, and the plant then keeps producing for about 90 days. Pick often — what you leave on the plant signals it to stop making more.
How to tell it's ready
- Firm, bright green skin (or yellow for Key Limes)
- Heavy for its size
- Slightly soft to the touch when gently squeezed
How much to expect
Storing it: Room temperature for up to a week, or refrigerated in a plastic bag for 2-3 weeks.
Questions
Lime: common questions
How long does lime take to grow?
About 365 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 90 and day 150. It then keeps producing for roughly 90 more days. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does lime need?
At least 30 litres and 40 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 50 litres of soil and 50 cm of depth.
How often should I water lime?
About 1000 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 4 days in normal weather — every 2 days when it is hot and every 6 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
What temperature does lime need?
It does best between 20 °C and 30 °C and survives from 0 °C to 40 °C. Seed needs soil above 20 °C to germinate, ideally around 25 °C.
Can I grow lime in winter?
Not outdoors anywhere that frosts — it is highly frost-sensitive and will not survive it. In a frost-free winter it grows slowly; anywhere colder, treat it as a warm-season crop.
How do I know when lime is ready to harvest?
Firm, bright green skin (or yellow for Key Limes); Heavy for its size; Slightly soft to the touch when gently squeezed. Once picked: room temperature for up to a week, or refrigerated in a plastic bag for 2-3 weeks.
How much does one lime plant produce?
Roughly 3 kg from a 20 litre container, or about 20 kg in open ground. Larger containers give proportionally more, up to a point.