A utility lamp under the canopy of a young lime tree covered with a sheet helps protect tree from cold weather. Photo by Dean Knuth/Arizona Daily StarÂ
Q: I planted a Bearss Lime tree about five years ago. When we had the bad freeze a few years ago it froze. Since then it has come back and has grown very well. However it never produces. I fertilized this year. It had blossoms but no limes. Can you suggest a remedy? I also water it regularly.
A:Â It seems you have the basic care strategy down but maybe it could be tweaked to be more effective. To start, we recommend fertilizing citrus three times per year: January/February, April/May and August/September. The amount of fertilizer you use should be based on the type, age and size of the tree. We have a chart you can use by searching for âUniversity Arizona citrus fertilizerâ on the Internet.
Watering should be done every seven to 10 days to a depth of 36 inches in the summer. In the spring and fall you can back off to watering every 10 to 14 days and in the winter, water every 14 to 21 days. This is for citrus planted in the ground. If your tree is in a container, you will have to water more often and base that frequency on how fast the soil dries out.
Bees and the wind will accomplish most of the pollination of citrus flowers. If you are not seeing any bees on your citrus flowers that could be a problem. Making sure you have an attractive habitat for bees by planting other flowering plants nearby is helpful as is providing a water source. Also keep in mind that citrus produce more blossoms than fruit.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to plwarren@cals.arizona.edu.
