Meyer Lemon + Key Lime Bush Pack for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on November 17, 2022

Planting instructions

If you live in hardiness zone eight or warmer, you have the chance to grow your Meyer Lemon + Key Lime Bush pack outdoors all year long. If you live north of zone eight, you’ll need to grow these plants in containers and overwinter them when the weather gets cold. Whether you grow these plants in the ground or in containers, you should give your Meyer Lemon and Key Lime Bush pack full sunlight and loose, well-draining soil. When using a container, ensure that the container is large enough to accommodate root expansion and that it allows for great drainage.

Watering and nutrients

At first, it may be difficult to get the watering frequency right for your Meyer Lemon + Key Lime Bush pack. The reason for this is that these two plants need water on slightly different schedules. Your Meyer Lemon will do best with water once per week or every other week. The Key Lime Bush will need water once or twice per week. For both plants, you can apply a citrus fertilizer or one that is high in nitrogen each month during the spring and summer.

Pollination

Both plants in the Meyer Lemon + Key Lime Bush pack are self-fertile, which means they can conduct pollination and produce fruits by themselves. However, these plants can also pollinate each other, which will often lead to larger harvests. When these plants grow outdoors, they will rely on insects to transfer pollen. However, it is often wisest to conduct hand pollination to guarantee a healthy harvest each year.

Pruning

You can prune both of the plants in your Meyer Lemon + Key Lime Bush pack during late winter or early spring. As always, you should begin the pruning process by cutting off any branch that is dead, damaged or diseased. After doing that, you should continue to thin the canopies to encourage good airflow. It can also be beneficial to cut off any weak branches that appear incapable of supporting the weight of the fruits.

Pests, diseases and animals

There are many insects that can do damage to the plants in your Meyer Lemon + Key Lime Bush pack. Some of the most common ones are aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, leaf miners and scale. For plants growing indoors, spider mites are also quite common. In addition to those pest issues, these plants can also be vulnerable to diseases, including black spots, citrus cankers and various fungal infections. Occasionally, these plants can also contract the citrus greening disease, which is typically fatal.

Harvesting

While both plants in the Meyer Lemon + Key Lime Bush pack will give you fruits every year, they won’t do so at the same time. For instance, the Meyer Lemon will usually be ready for harvest during the early spring season. By contrast, the Key Lime bush will be ready to harvest during the summer or fall. Before picking either of these fruits, you should study the signs that indicate that each one is ripe and ready for you to remove from the plant.

Achieving maximum results

Before planting a Meyer Lemon and Key Lime Bush, you should know that the leaves of the Meyer Lemon are toxic. This is especially important to note if you plan to grow your Meyer Lemon indoors or anywhere that pets and children can get to. Also, while these plants have similar growing requirements, you should ensure that each one has plenty of space to grow. Overcrowding these plants will cause them to be less vigorous and productive.

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