Red Finger Lime

Planting & Care

1. Planting:  Choose a location where your bush is going to get plenty of sunlight (6 to 8 hours per day is best). They can tolerate some shade but thrive in full sun. Potted plants do enjoy a daily misting for humidity but placing a tray with rocks filled with water under the plant will feed humidity to the bush as the water evaporates.

If your winter temperatures drop consistently below 40 degrees, plant your bush in a container that can easily be brought outside in the summer months and inside in the winter. A planter with built-in casters is a good choice so it can easily be moved. Choose a pot slightly larger than what it was shipped in that has plenty of holes in the bottom to allow for drainage. Be sure to plant in well-draining potting soil, preferably recommended for acid-loving citrus plants.

Then, fill your pot with soil, place your bush, and backfill the rest of the soil. Finally, water to settle the roots.

2. Watering:  After watering, generally about once or twice weekly, allow the top 2 to 3 inches of the soil to dry out completely before watering again. Mulching can help retain the soil moisture and also combat competing grasses/weeds. When you water, stop once you see it escaping the drainage holes at the base of the pot.

3. Fertilizing: Feed your bush during the warmer spring and summer seasons with a citrus specific fertilizer once every six weeks, such as the one included in our Citrus Care Kit. During the fall and winter, ease back to fertilizing once every 2 to 3 months. Once the bush has matured a bit and has got a few years on it, you can skip the cold season fertilization. Make sure to follow the application instructions written on the fertilizer bag.

4. Pruning: Make 45-degree angle cuts to remove dead or crossing limbs and also to thin out the bush to allow more light to flow between the branches. After the bush fruits, remove any dead wood and ventilate the center of the bush, and remove suckers as they grow from the base.

5. Pollination: Red Finger Limes are self-fertile. You will get fruit with only one plant. However, adding an additional Red Finger Lime will drastically increase the size of your crop.