I've searched all the forums for remarks concerning the pruning of citrus and concerning key limes. I understand that pruning can set a tree back. I also learned from Joe, Millet, and Co. that a key lime could possibly start fruiting at 3 years. Here's my issue:

I have a 4 yr old key lime I started from seed. I'm in Ohio so the plant went in during winter and out for summer for the first 3 years. It was kept in a "grow room"...or as my wife would state..."the spare bedroom that is not a bedroom anymore". Over the 4 years, it has been ravaged by spider mites and my efforts to battle them. A few times this has left the plant nearly defoliated and some severe dieback...almost to nothing. This plant grew like crazy and being in a small room with other plants, it was necessary to prune a few times for manageability...not too mention that the thorns would reach out and touch you in a bad way.

Now it is in my greenhouse and once again has become a monster and the plant is at a stage where I have to prune it due to space considerations in the greenhouse. I currently have all the branches tied up making it as narrow as possible...the 1" thorns made this a lot of fun. I really really want this to fruit sometime soon. My plan for the near future is to graft all of my citrus onto one plant...of course that will have to wait until Joe Real has business in Columbus, Oh and can stop by to do it properly!!!

Another reason for pruning is that it seems that my citrus plants are my biggest mite and aphid attractants. So I don't want them touching other plants. So...have I set my plant back centuries or what? Anything that I might be able to do that may force blooming? I just repotted into a larger container. Thanks!

You have not set the Key Lime back by centuries. When you pruned your tree, you once again reverted the tree back to what ever the previous node number was that you cut it back to. Therefore, the tree will again begin adding nodes from that number. Let say the tree had grown to the point where it was producing node number 197, and in you pruning you cut it back to node 122. Therefore the next new node (leaf attachment) the tree will once again begin to grow will be node 123. If you keep cutting, your Key Lime will be forever starting over and over. Using pruning shears you can snip the thorns off of the tree, if you would rather not be bothered by them. Thorns are actually a type of leaf structure used as a defense mechanism, and also by the tree to dispense rain water evenly across the tree's root system at the base. By growing the Key Lime in a wind environment, using a fan to move the air, which simulates the tree as if it was growing out of doors, the tree's internodes would be much shorter and substantial and the tree would have produced the required node count in a more compacted form. Take care and good luck to you and your Key Lime. I understand that it is a lot easier to write about than it is to actually carry out over a long period of time. - Millet

Thanks for the reply. Kinda figured that to be the case. I will turn a fan onto it to help shore up the branches. Maybe I'll move it outside this summer and see what happens come fall.

If...I guess "when" it does start to flower/fruit, you still cannot prune it correct? That would cut it back past the nodes that started the flowering. If that is the case, will I be stuck at the size it starts to fruit? Citrus are odd! Thanks! J

Yes, if you cut a Key Lime, or any citrus tree that was grown from seed, back to severely the tree will again become a juvenile tree. For example, if you cut a mature seedling tree all the way back down to, let say, node number one at the bottom of the tree, the tree would then have to start its journey towards maturity all over again. As a mature SEEDLING tree, your fruit will come from the upper portion of the tree, as the bottom of the tree (with the low node count numbers) will still be juvenile. On a grafted tree the very first node that a grafted cion develops, is of course, a mature node, and therefore, the entire tree from top to bottom produces fruit, and can begin to produce fruit in a year. Grafted trees offer growers so many more advantages, that other than hobbyist, no one grows a citrus tree from seed any longer. . - Millet

I have said this before & I will say it again. ALL of my seedling trees are topped at 18 - 24 ". This forces the tree to bud out lower on the trunk making a fuller tree. It doesn't really slow down key limes, as I have done this with my seedlings & they (all 3) started producing fruit in the second year. Seedling citrus have a tendency to grow straight up with few lateral branches. Topping them forces them to branch out & make a much nicer looking tree.

Laaz, I agree with you completely, that topping a seedling Key Lime tree at 20 inches, or topping any citrus variety that was started from seed at 20 inches, will cause the tree to branch out and develop a nice full looking tree. However, every single type of citrus tree that is started from a seed MUST reach the node count that is REQUIRED for that particular variety before it will mature. Granted, trees such as Key Lime and Procimquats have a low node count that must me reached, therefore they will bloom in several years. In the case of a Procimequat, the tree can bloom in the very first year from seed. However, if you keep cutting back on any citrus tree, including Key limes, to keep the tree from ever reaching the required number of nodes in order to become a mature tree, the tree will not and cannot bloom. It does not matter what variety of citrus it is, if a growers keeps pruning away on the tree, preventing it from growing past the required node maturity number it will not bloom, no matter how many years go by, as witnessed by Ohiojay's tree.. - Millet

Laaz, to go one step further. When one only cuts out the top off of a SEEDLING tree, in order to get the tree to branch out, the tree is not actually being cut back to a lower node count. After the tree is topped, and the tree produces it next new node, that node number is either the next higher node number, or is VERY CLOSE to being the next higher node number on the tree. Therefore, the tree is not much delayed in maturing. When a imature seedling tree has grown taller than the grower can handle or wants, and he back prunes the tree way back, the node count is greatly reduced, and has to start the node count at some lowered node number. Back pruning does cause a delay in maturiry depending on how deep the pruning was. Take care my friend. - Millet

Why don't you just grow the key lime until it matures and has fruiting wood and graft that mature wood to a dwarf stock. Them you can your own mature grafted tree that you can prune, and in the meantime while that grafted is growing you will have fruit from the seedling tree.

That's probably what I will attempt to do if this thing ever begins to flower. Here's a pic of it all wrapped up some. I can only imagine how big the plant would be if I hadn't had to prune it those few times prior. The wrapping helped me keep the branches out of the way during the repotting also. I have since removed them and put a fan on the plant as Millet suggested. Thanks all.

Are you sure it is a Key lime ? A Key lime that size should have produced fruit by now. Mine are about the same size & have produced fruit last year & this year.

Ohiojay, I am quite surprised seeing your tree. * If * the picture of your "Key Lime" is current, and if it is showing the tree's present condition, then I agree with Laaz that the tree seems to be of fruiting size. The tree also looks to be healthy. I would ask the same question that Laaz asks, and that is are you sure that the tree is indeed a Key Lime? - Millet

Absolutely guys. I very clearly remember making the key lime pie and my wife suggesting that I plant the seeds for the hell of it. Remember, when I say there were times that it got pruned, I mean severly pruned due to massive diebacks! There were at least two times the battle with the mites took the plant down to not much at all...not to mention the times that it was pruned for manageability. I wasn't kidding when I said this plant has been thru hell and back. Some of the pruning was due to my lack of knowledge/experience and some was due to just not really having any choice. Lord only knows how big this plant would be. It's a very healthy tree right now and seems to send new growth flushes quite frequently. I'll just be careful from now on. Staying away from pesticides and pruning!

Mine's that size and is loaded with fruit and new flower buds are also coming any day now. Yours seems healthy and perhaps this season will be the turning point.

Cheers, Barrie.

Jay, that is one healthy looking tree! I bought a grafted key lime 4 1/2 yrs ago & never got a lime, but it mostly looks like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree! You can always tell it's a lime by tasting a leaf.
Can't help noticing how nicely your pitaya is growing along your trelliss!

Hope yer right Barrie. Everyting else in the greenhouse can be pruned without compromising maturity. I cut all of the bindings off and it's really hanging out there. I'd snip all the thorns off except it would be a full-time job!

Thanks Patty. I love the tree. Like I mentioned before, it was my first grown from seed so there is a little sentimental value to it. Also...just plain hard headedness! I'm bound and determined for the darn thing to fruit and not getting rid of it until it does. I will take other's advice and graft onto my orange once it does begin to fruit. Just takes up more room than I want it to.

The dragon fruit is really taking off lately. The pruned stalk has two nice sized branches with several smaller onces starting to poke out. I think I'm going to wait for the others to get several inches past the grid before pruning. I've noticed that the new branches from the prune are tending to come out at an angle...sort of a natural angle to start hanging over the grid properly. Will probably be able to do that to two stalks later this week. I will say this though...I really wish I would have gone up another few inches with the gridwork. Right now it is at head/temple level. I can't count the number of times I've rung my bell. Caught myself good tonight. This one crossed my eyes. I would like to think that once the branches start hanging down, it will be more of a clue to watch where the hell I'm going!!