Persian Bearss Lime Tree for Sale

Planting and Care

by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on May 12, 2022

Planting instructions

If planting your Persian Bearss lime tree outside, be sure to place it in a spot with soil that drains well, where it will get at least six hours of direct sun a day. The trees can tolerate some shade, but too much shade might impact the harvest size. Unpot your tree and tease out any encircling roots, which can girdle the tree and eventually kill it. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide, and throw in a few handfuls of well-rotted compost or manure. Place the tree in the hole and, holding it steady and upright, fill in around it with topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of an organic mulch, such as bark chips, to help conserve moisture and deter weeds.

Watering and nutrients

Persian Bearss lime trees like moist soil, but they can’t handle standing water. Water them regularly when the top 2 inches of soil are dry, but stop before the water starts puddling, or, for a container plant, when you see water coming out of the drainage holes. Fertilize your tree with a plant food designed for citrus trees. Fertilize throughout the growing season as package directions indicate. In winter, taper back and feed lightly every few months.

Pollination

Persian lime trees are monoecious, or self-fertile. This means you should be able to harvest limes even if you only have one tree — though you may get a larger harvest if you have more than one. Bees and other flying insects do the work of pollinating the tree’s attractive white flowers, but you can help them along by using a small paintbrush to transfer pollen from the male anthers on a flower to the female stigma in the center of the bloom.

Pruning

Prune any dead, diseased, or damaged limbs off your Persian Bearss lime tree whenever you see them, cutting back to healthy wood. You can also prune your tree to control its height in later winter or early spring.

Pests and diseases

Persian Bearss lime trees are generally hardy, unbothered by pests or diseases, so it’s unlikely that you’ll have to deal with any health challenges. You may occasionally see aphids, scale insects, or citrus mites on the trees. A healthy tree can fend off minor infestations on its own, but you can help it with the use of neem oil. Diseases that sometimes appear on lime trees include black sooty mold, which is a fungal disease that can be handled with insecticidal soap. Brown fruit rot may attack the limes and cause brown spots. Cut out any infected fruit and spray your tree with a copper fungicide.

Harvesting

Although a ripe lime will turn a light yellow, many people harvest their Persian limes when they’re green. They are more acidic and have more flavor at that point. Harvest by cutting off the fruit with a clean pair of clippers, and store your limes in a cool place until you use them.

Achieving maximum results

In most of the continental U.S., the Persian Bearss lime tree must be grown in a pot or container that is brought inside in the winter, whenever temperatures go below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Doing so isn’t difficult: these little trees take well to the more confined conditions of container growing, and your plant should thrive if you place it in the sunniest window in your home. Be sure to keep an eye on the moisture level in the container, since you may need to water your indoor tree more frequently than you would a garden-grown tree. You can also help increase the humidity by placing your tree’s container in a low tray filled with water, and it is helpful to mist the leaves occasionally.

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