I have a five year old Bearrs lime. The past two years, I have had many flushes of blooms, but not one lime has ever stayed on the tree to maturity. Actually, none has ever gotten bigger than a pea.

It has bloomed spring (indoors), summer (outdoors), fall (outdoors) and winter (indoors). So I don't think it has anything to do with the "conditions", as they are never the same.

Any ideas how I can get even ONE lime for my gin and tonic??

Hello Felpac, from a former New Jersian!
Originally from the Monmouth County area.
The experts may disagree with me, but I would be willing to bet that the change in Humidity is effecting your fruiting, Late July and through August is your really Humid months, then it drops and of course your house probably doesn't stay real humid.
Just my thoughts,
Darren

Hi, Darren,

I had lots of college buddies from that area (I went to Cook College/Rutgers). Don't you miss these long, cold, snowy winters?

I put a thermometer/humidity gauge in my office (where my plants reside for the winter) and the temp is 67 degrees and the humidity is 62%. My house isn't as dry as most, as we still have old fashioned steam heat.

Maybe I'll try getting it up to - what do you think? - 70%?

Actually, I do miss the Winter sometimes, BUT, Living in the South has it's advantages....I still have peppers on my plants that are in the ground and if I ACTUALLY ate healthy, I can grow Lettuce and such right through January.
70% might not be a bad idea, couldn't hurt. I was also assuming that you are following a good food and water regiment. I had a devil of a time keeping enough water on my citrus this past Summer.
Darren

Felpec,
Nice to see you here. I sure hope you can get a lime for garnish!
I'm not a pro here but look at moisture in air & fertilizer. These northern winters can be brutal on citrus.
Darren,
You are lucky in a way to have moved south - except for the snowy fun winters here. I loved your greenhouse & all your plants! I was impressed.
Am looking FWD to growing those huge gourd seeds you gave me. I have some to send you too if you want. They are the green & yellow (?) & some kind of lumpy old ugly green ones if you want. They're cool for show but not to eat from what I hear. I have some for you...just email your addy . It was soo nice to meet you in friendly Charleston SC!

I guess I should get busy and put the addition on our house. Methinks I see more citrus trees in my future.

Felpec, your tree not producing any fruit from its blooms, is really not all the uncommon in container citrus. I would like to answer your thread, however, I do not have time this evening. I would like to give some answers tomorrow. Thanks - Millet

Felpec, some of the reasons for blooms not to set are insects and pathogens, environmental factors and mechanical causes. The two MAJOR environmental factors causing fruit/bloom drop are temperature and water stress. High temperatures effects fruit drop (June drop), and ANY WATER STRESS at the time of flowering will GREATLY ACCELERATE bloom and fruitlet drop and can cause a drastic or complete crop failure. Nutrition is also VERY important for a good fruit crop. BE SURE TO FERTILIZE the tree with a high nitrogen complete fertilizer approximately one month before the onset of blooming. I also give my trees (52 varieties) a foliar spray with Potassium Nitrate about one or two months before bloom. The major mechanical reason for the failure of blooming is pruning. However, as your tree displays a good bloom this is probably not a cause in your tree's case. Know that only a very few blooms will ever become mature fruit on any citrus tree. In a study by Lima and Erickson on a Navel orange tree, it was found that the tree produced 81,062 flowers, of which 71,913 (88.7%) abscised during the bloom period itself. 8,411 fruitlets fell during the period know as June drop, 120 fruit fell during summer drop, and 206 almost mature fruits fell during pre harvest drop. So out of 81,062 blooms (potentional oranges) only 532 fruit were harvested at maturity, or 0.65 percent. Lastly you can spray the tree's blooms with gibberellic acid, which will set the fruit and GREATLY encrease your chance of a good crop. Gibberellic spray can be purchased at most all garden centers or nurseries. I use Fertilome's Tomato & Pepper Set-II, which contains gibberellic acid. Spray the bloom ONLY, and not the entire tree, as a general foliar spray of gibberellic acid can revert the tree back to juvenility. Keep the root zone moist, NOT OVER WET, (which will also cause a lot of problems), at all times during bloom and flower set. Finally, BE SURE that you have not been over watering the tree all along- Take care and good luck. - Millet

Millet,
Thanks for all the good info!