7 Causes of Dry Lime Fruit

Limes add exuberance any time of year, characterizing the flavors of summer evenings outdoors and brightening chilly days as the harvest unfolds. They bring a burst of zest to recharge our taste buds, and their vitamin boost helps, too. 

Harvesting your own limes makes their use and enjoyment all the richer. The easy-to-grow citrus do well in pots or the backyard orchard, with versatile selections to spice up the collection. 

To avoid the disappointment of dry, unusable lime fruits, rely on a few key growing conditions to set the best foundation. Correcting missteps can yield healthy, juicy fruits the next go-round.

About Lime Trees

There are several species of lime and many hybrid varieties. Citrus x latifolia, also known as Tahiti or Persian limes, are the ones we see most commonly in grocery stores. Key or Mexican limes (C. x aurantifolia) are a popular crop (and famous in pies). Finger limes (C. australasica) pop like candy caviar, and kaffir (C.hystrix) are bumpy with a blended citrus-floral flavor. 

Limes are tropical trees mostly native to southeast Asia. They likely spread through trade as early as the 10th century and colonization as early explorers collected seeds. They can flower year-round but most heavily from winter through spring. The nearly seedless fruits are hardy to USDA zones 9-12. Outside these zones, they overwinter indoors or with extra winter protection.

Limes have multiple uses, particularly with their zest and juice in beverages, sauces, desserts, and marinades. They’re high in Vitamin C and A and have antioxidant qualities.

Overripe Fruits and When to Harvest

When lime fruits are left on the stem, they stop developing and begin to dry before they drop. Waiting too long to harvest is a top cause of dry limes. When they surpass peak flavor and tip to overripe, drying, yellowing, and softening result.

Fortunately, citrus gives good indicators of when to harvest for juicy ripeness. Knowing your specific species helps hone in on optimal readiness.

Citrusy Scent

Avoid dry lime fruits by looking for the characteristic citrus smell. A ripe lime will smell like a lime! The fragrance aspect is useful because underripe fruits won’t have much scent. As they ripen, their citrusy scent advertises their appeal. You can smell them on the stem, especially where they attach.

Color

Depending on the variety, a rich, bright green indicates ripeness. The best time to pick is when fruits begin to lighten from dark green to brighter tones with only a hint of yellow. Too much yellow indicates a late fruit.

A caveat is that some types show ripeness by yellowing. Determine which type you have to best gauge readiness by color. We often use green limes for their acidity, but they ripen to a sweeter yellow fruit.

Feel

A ripe citrus feels firm but with a little “give” under a gentle squeeze. An unripe or dry lime fruit will be hard without the bounce back.

A plump, juicy lime also feels weightier than an underdeveloped one since it holds more water. Pick the heaviest and let others continue to ripen.

Young Trees

It takes patience for a good crop, and young trees often don’t bear much fruit until their third or fourth year. Limes in these developing years may be dry as trees work hard to establish strong roots, sturdy branching, and dense foliage.

In the first one to two years after planting, it benefits the tree to limit its fruit yield. It sounds counterintuitive to remove early fruits – the desired product – but doing so offers long-term rewards with improved structure and yields. When trees aren’t putting all of their energy into fruiting, they’ll develop the foundation for future harvests.

Remove the early fruits as they begin to form; this catches the plant in time to redirect energy from reproduction into growth. Leave a few to enjoy. The next seasons yield bigger, better fruits.

Watering Fluctuations

Watering fluctuations are a stressor as trees direct moisture and nutrients into reproducing (flowering and fruiting). Underwatering or prolonged dry spells result in the conservation of resources and the inability to support fully developed fruits. Water is the basis for the juice-filled fruit pulp, and dry limes may mean the tree experienced a lack of water.

Citrus benefits from regular, deep watering, with young trees requiring it more often. Mature trees need it less frequently but appreciate supplemental irrigation during dry spells. Limes grow beautifully in pots, which dry out more quickly, especially during warm months. 

When to Water

Aim to water containers as the soil dries an inch or two below the surface. Water in-ground plantings as soil dries three to six inches (three for young trees). Water deeply, allowing the soil to dry slightly in between sessions.

A three-inch layer of mulch helps control moisture, insulate roots, and regulate temperatures. Keep the material off of trunks to limit diseases like rot.

Over or Under Fertilizing

Nutrient deficiencies can contribute to dry citrus. Limes do well growing in native soils and sometimes added nutrition is necessary to give a boost for flowering and fruiting. Begin with an organic balanced fertilizer like an 8-8-8 for newly planted specimens. 

Once they begin flowering, switch to a citrus fertilizer. Fish emulsion and alfalfa are low-grade organic amendments that improve soil health and raise nutrition.

Opposite a lack of nutrition is too much fertilizer, which creates an excess of nitrogen. Nitrogen promotes quick, new growth and redirects energy to leaves and stems instead of flowering and fruiting. An overage fosters weak growth and sets the stage for stress and disease problems.

When to Fertilize

Follow application guidelines, usually applying every six weeks or quarterly for slow-release fertilizers. Stop fertilizing in late summer to avoid encouraging leafy growth in the cool season. New growth is more susceptible to cold damage and may detract nutrition from fruits. 

Apply compost or mulches like alfalfa in fall and winter to offer extra insulation and to enrich soils as they break down. Resume fertilizing with organic amendments like fish emulsion or a granular in the spring.

Temperature Response

Limes are native to mild, humid regions with temperatures averaging 60-80°F (16-27°C). Above or below-average temperatures present growth challenges that inhibit lush fruits. Heat stress causes a halt of water to fill the fruits, while cold damage slows or damages growth.

The trees tolerate lower temperatures, but a cold snap affects fruits just as they ripen. Frost-damaged limes dry out as the juicy pulp segments burst from internal ice crystals.

Rootstock Overgrowth

Lime hybridizers often use grafts of a hardy rootstock, where the roots of one variety form a reliable vehicle for supporting the upper growth of another. Vigorous rootstocks have the propensity to send up suckering offshoots. Without pruning these away, the base overgrows.

Suckering foliage can outgrow and obscure the original tree, causing weak fruits. They also absorb moisture and nutrients from the primary plant. Cut them away each season to reduce competition.

Soil Health

Lime trees won’t produce well in soils that hold moisture or heavy clays. Sandy, loamy soils are best as they are organically rich with good drainage. The citrus tolerates poor soils but not poor drainage. Soggy situations affect all aspects of growth, including fruit quality.

Like many plants, they do best in slightly acidic to neutral soils, with a pH between 6.0 to 6.5. High acidity or alkalinity limits available nutrients and uptake. They won’t be able to thrive in extremely high or low pH levels. A soil test is a good indicator of pH levels and the amendments necessary to moderate it.