A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 I got a lil Citrus!

Hi!!
I went to work to pick up my paycheck today and i got a dwarfed Key Lime Citrus tree before i went to cash in the check ^.^

I took it home, and repotted it into a clay pot that was the same size as the crappy plastic one that it was in. So ya, it's just kinda sittin upstairs on top of the old computer tower next to my garden table/old printer stand ^.^ It'll be in my pictures soon!

Anywho, i have a question about making it produce limes, and some about the limes:

1. what kinda tool should i use to get pollin from one part of one flower to the other part of another flower? I'm not using a live bee lol.

2. Are the limes eatable?

3. If they're eatable, when should i pick them?

Thank you all ^.^

Yes the limes are eatable,quite good as a matter of fact. You can pick them when they are a greenish yellow.
As far as pollinating goes,I'm not really sure. Maybe a Q-tip?

Karen

Actually, that q-tip idea sounds good! I did that earlier ^.^ Then i noticed that all the stamens.... or pistols... i forgot what part... its the long part in the middle of the flower lol. Anyway, those things have lil baby green teeny tiny limes growing from them! *hops* yay! I didn't have to make my tree have sex with itself!

Oh! i also have another question. The lady at the greenhouse said she hadn't seen a dwarf citrus do this for a long time, and she seemed to like it. There's a lil sap dripping around the base of the tree. It looks like its constantly flowing, but not too bad. I tried cleaning it up, but it just came out again. Is that a problem?

The lady smelled it and said "oh well normally it smells good. Oh well!" and i bought that one lol.

See if this helps

key limes

Karen

Very cool Thank you gardenmom! This morning i checked the bottom of the trunk to see if the sap was still runny. Its not It hardened up good. I guess it just got poked or bitten or something.

Thanks again Gardenmom!

My local newspaper has a full page article on Key Limes with recipes too! If you would like me to mail it to you,just PM me your address and I'll send it off.

Karen

Hi Gardenmom ^.^
>.o ummmmmmmmm sorry, but i feel a lil uncomfortable giving my address to someone that i met online... No offence to you or anything ^.^ I'm sure you're an awesome person! But ya, i have this thing about me being a 19 year old girl and giving my address to people i donno personally... >.< Sorry about that... Putting my picture on here was a BIG no no in my book lol. But I know the worst that'll happen is someone'll be able to point me out in a crowd and go "i know her! she's silly!"