Everyone knows oranges and lemons. But certainly not everyone has a real lime tree on their balcony or in the garden (in a pot, of course). The relatively compact growing citrus plants are still a rarity, but are enjoying increasing popularity. Limes grow much slower than lemons, but are densely branched. For this reason, regular topiary is necessary so that the inner branches of the tree get enough light.
How do I prune a lime tree correctly?
To prune a lime tree, remove all light green, dried out and stunted shoots in spring and shorten the remaining ones. Be sure to thin the crown and use clean cutting tools to avoid disease.
Cutting the lime tree in spring
The best time for a thorough topiary is early spring, shortly before the tree is put outside again. However, no flowers should be visible yet. All shoots that have shot bright green over the winter are completely removed, as are dried and stunted branches. You can then give the crown an attractive shape by shortening all shoots. Any branches that do not fit the shape you are aiming for will also be removed.
Important: thin out the crown
With the densely growing lime, light and air in the crown quickly become scarce. In particular, the lower and inner shoots on the trunk are in danger of dying because not enough light can reach the inside of the crown. Therefore, you should mercilessly remove all branches that grow inside the crown or that are too dense or too whorled. By the way, thinning out the crown also makes it more difficult for pests to establish themselves in your lime tree unnoticed.
Pay attention to hygiene
When cutting fruit trees, hygiene is the top priority, because cutting tools that have not been cleaned or cuts that are too large offer fungi, bacteria and viruses a welcome target, with dirty scissors and knives immediately introducing the pathogens into the wound. In addition, you should not leave any stumps, but always cut to a string. Always remove the branch or twig directly where it originates - i.e. directly on the trunk or on a strong side branch. Larger wounds can be sealed with tree resin so that they do not bleed out and do not provide a breeding ground for parasites and pathogens.
Tips & Tricks
You can train young lime trees into the desired shape using what is known as de-tipping. To do this, remove the tips from the new shoots as soon as they have reached the desired length. This has the advantage that the tree does not have to put unnecessary effort into the growth of an unwanted shoot.