Solar Innovations, Inc. grows limes year-round in our greenhouses. The greenhouses are located in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, but the structure’s are south-facing orientation allows them to receive excellent sunlight, even through the harsh winters. As of August 2014, three lime trees are consistently producing high quality fruit. Two of the trees are located in large pots, while one is planted directly in the ground along the bank of our koi pond.
We would like to share some of the lessons we have learned during our adventures in lime gardening:
- Consider your greenhouse space. Some lime trees can grow to 20 feet, while dwarf varieties top out at 6-10 feet.
- Limes like full sun exposure.
- Watering needs to be adequate enough to moisten the soil and consistent enough to keep it that way. This will prevent the fruit from splitting. Solar suggests using a drip irrigation system to maintain the proper soil moisture.
- Provide the soil with iron, nitrogen, and zinc supplements to prevent nutrient mineral deficiencies.
- Lime trees should be pruned during the spring and summer months.
Solar produces plant specific greenhouses, called Citrus Greenhouse that a designed specifically for growing citrus fruit such as limes, lemons, and grapefruit. If you’d like to learn more about the process of planning a citrus greenhouse, click here.
