How long before lime tree produces limes?

Question

I bought a dwarf key lime tree for my sister in law as a gift 2 years ago. This spring it really grew and got flowers on it. Now the flowers are gone and there are still no limes on it. She put its outside for the bees to pollinate. How long before she gets limes? Will she ever get limes?

Answer 1

FOr a first crop 3 or 4 years is common.  The crop should keep gettting bigger  until the tree reaches full size.  If you trim the tree a lot to keep it from getting too big the crop improves  in quality but with lesser numbers of fruit.  There is a short period of usually a couple of weeks when the flowers fall but fruits are not noticeable.

It is common that the first flowering fail for any of dozens of reasons.  You need to be sure the plant is wet at the right times, well fed, and during flowering protected from winds.  ANy citus growing guide can help  you.

Almost certanly you will have better luck next year.

Answer 2

It does not tolerate frost and must be moved indoors during cold weather.

Lack of light, lack of feeding, erratic watering, or low temperatures can all cause this problem.

Dryness at the roots and lack of air humidity can cause failure to set fruit. Flowers do not need artificial pollinating.

Fruits should ripen in a period of warm sunny weather, taking almost a year to develop to full size. Most cultivars set too much fruit for the size of the plant. Some of these will be shed but clusters should be thinned to one fruit each on young plants