How To Grow Lime from Seeds

Lime is an exciting fruit that can be used for various purposes at home.

It comes from the same Family of lemon (Rutaceae) and it has similarities with lemons.

You can use lime to make a healthy summer drink, you can use it to add fresh acidity to your cuisine, and you can also use it to clean things at home.

Having your own lime tree in your garden sounds wonderful.

And you can grow a lime tree from seeds!

Prepare The Seeds

Go to your local grocery store and buy some limes. You can choose kaffir lime, key lime, or Persian lime.

At home, cut the limes carefully and collect the seeds.

After extracting all the seeds from the flesh, wash them all and dry them with a clean paper towel.

Collect the washed seeds on a clean paper towel and they’re ready for propagation.

HOW TO GROW LIMES FROM SEEDS

You can plant the seed directly to the soil or propagate it first in a paper towel and then transplant it to the soil.

PLANTING SEED IN A POT

This method is perfect for someone who feels too lazy of transplanting the seedlings.

1. Pick a good, large pot.
2. Fill your planting pot with soil up to 3/4 of the pot. Make sure that the soil is well-drained with a pH around 5.5-6.8.
3. Plant your seeds in 1/2 inch depth.
4. After that, spray your soil to increase the moisture. (MAKE SURE IT’S NOT SOGGY!).
5. Cover your seedling pot with a plastic wrap to reduce water loss (make some holes on the plastic wrap).
6. Make sure the seeds are always moist during the whole germination period. Don’t let it dry!
7. After about 2 weeks, when the seedlings appear (looks like a seed with tails) it’s time to remove the plastic covering. Let them feel the warmth of the sunlight, ideally 8 hours per day.

THE PAPER TOWEL METHOD

1. On a clean paper towel, spread the clean seeds
2. Cover them with another paper towel and wrap them up.
3. Spray it until it’s moist
4. Put it inside a plastic bag
5. Position them in a WARM place indoor (for example around the window).
6. After 4 weeks (you should see seedlings), carefully remove them from the paper towel.
7. Fill a large pot with soil. Make sure the soil has a slightly acidic pH (5.5-6.8) and make sure it’s well-drained.
8. Plant the seedlings in the pot 1 inch deep.
9. Put the pot in an area that receives good sunlight every day.
10. Make the soil always moist until you see some leaves.
11. When you see leaves, reduce your watering frequency so you can see a bit of dryness between 2 watering sessions. Make sure that the plant receives at least 8 hours of sunlight every day.

Harvesting

Depending on the variety, after 3 years, the healthy, happy lime plants should have produced blossoms and fruits.

Remember that lime plants are heavy-feeders and sunlight-lovers so make sure that you give them proper nutrition (slow-releasing fertilizer) and a good amount of sunlight to support their growth.

How to tell if lime is ready to harvest? Press a fruit with your fingers, if you can press it easily (it feels gentle) and it gives a distinctive lime aroma, it’s likely the time for harvesting. If it’s still hard, give them more time.

You can easily pick the lime with bare hands. Grab the entire fruit with your hand, twist it, and pull it away. BE CAREFUL OF THE THORNS, THOUGH!

So, happy gardening!