Repotting a Finger lime

September 29, 2016

I grow my Finger lime in a pot so I am able to move it into a more protected environment during our cold winters.

I only have one and this gives me all the fruit I need.

Last year it produced nearly 50 fruit and even though I used it in all kinds of imaginative ways, I still had plenty to freeze and use during the year.

Finger limes freeze well and holds their flavour and texture when thawed.

As part of my maintenance regime I like to repot my Finger lime every two years. I have had this plant for 4 years so this is only the second time I have re-potted it and thought I would share with you some tips on how I do it.

Step by Step.
• I chose a pot that is about double the volume of the pot the plant is in.
• Purchase a bag of good quality potting mix.
• Put on some protective gear. The finger lime is a very thorny plant so make sure you are wearing gloves and long sleeves otherwise you will get continually spiked, which is not pleasant.
• I re-potted the plant when the soil is moist but not wet. The moist soil will hold together better than either wet or really dry.
• I tip the plant on its side, rolled it over a few times to loosen the root ball, get hold of the trunk as close to soil level as possible and gently pull the plant out of its old pot.
• On the plant above the root ball was not a tangled mass of tight roots but I still trimmed off any brown or congested material to revitalise the plant.
• I half-filled the new pot with potting mix placed the plant in the middle of the pot and at a level just below the top of the pot.
• I then back filled around the plant with potting mix, firming it down as I went.
• Then watered it well to settle it down further and topped it up to make sure all the root ball was covered.
• I then placed the plant in a protected area for a week or so giving it a couple doses of ½ strength seasol to ensure the plant recovered from the shock of the root removal.
• After two weeks I will place it back in a sunny spot and feed it as normal.

If you would rather see a video of how to re-pot a citrus tree go to:

And for more information on maintaining or growing Finger limes go to:

HOW TO GROW FINGER LIMES

Repotting every couple of year ensures your tree remains healthy and continues to be productive.

Happy repotting
Kathy

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