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Kaffir Lime
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Posted by digit_dick Perth (My Page) on Sun, Apr 16, 06 at 11:36
| Okay, I have just got back from bunnings with my new Kaffir lime. I have repotted it into a terra cota 35cm pot and topped it off with a couple of teaspoons of osmacote plus for citrus trees and a good watering. My question is now how much light and water will this fella need? I am a pure novice when it comes to the garden. Also found an earthworm in the root ball when repotting, which I left in, I figured this would aerate the soil. Was that the right thing to do?
Any advice would be most welcome. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Kaffir Lime
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- Posted by finbar Central Italy (My Page) on
Mon, Apr 17, 06 at 4:13
| Like all potted citrus, dd, it will need as much light as it can get, and as much water - and food - as it needs. How much water will obviously depend upon the time of year. The best test of its needs is to poke your finger deep down into the mix. If it's dry, water it. In a sense, the feeding regime is tied to the watering regime. Basically, the watering will gradually leech out the nutrients you add when you feed it. I used to water potted citrus - in full sun - about every couple of days in summer, and as needed at other times. In summer, I would feed them every week or ten days and about every four to six weeks in cooler weather. One thing: don't use commercial citrus food designed for citrus in the ground. It's too concentrated for pots. Dynamic Lifter is the ideal feed for potted citrus. Did you check the bottom of the pot for drainage holes? One thing potted citrus hate is wet feet. A lot of pots come with a domed - inwards and upwards - base, with one drainage hole in the middle of the dome. The problem with these pots is that the water that drains down the inside wall of the pot misses the (slightly elevated) drainage hole. End result, water-logged mix, but so deep that you can't feel it if you do the finger test. I lost a lemon to this problem. The solution is to drill - very carefully, so as not to shatter the pot - more drainage holes around the edge of the base. Of course, your pot might already have sufficient drainage holes, but I'd check anyway. The worm should have the time of its life! |
RE: Kaffir Lime
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| Finbar, I have a Kaffir Lime that isn't doing too well and I've been advised to move it to a less shady spot. A good time to do so apparently. Simultaneously, I have been given a thanks-mother Easter present of 6 small blueberry bushes that I have planted in a newly prepared permanent bed. I believe these need quite acidic conditions, and am thinking that I might put the Kaffir Lime in with them, but not sure if it will take acid soil. I'm mulching the blueberries with pine needles and fine bark to improve the acid. Don't want to kill it....... |
RE: Kaffir Lime
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| I acquired a Kaffir Lime many years ago and it was left at the farm in a pot to be looked after by the farm sitter - it stood on the verandah with insufficient sun and was pretty much neglected - it didn't thrive but it didn't die either. Often it had almost no leaves. When I brought it home here, I built containers with garden blocks for it and a Tahitian Lime against the north facing wall of the colourbond shed. I keep them well watered and fed (with commercial citrus food) and monitor them constantly for scale etc. They are both thriving and getting big. They may look a little worse for wear in winter but come back strongly in Summer. |
RE: Kaffir Lime
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- Posted by finbar Central Italy (My Page) on
Tue, Apr 18, 06 at 3:38
| cosmic, I think you're going to need truly acid soil for the blueberries to work. The kaffir wouldn't cope. |
RE: Kaffir Lime
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| Thanks finbar - I thought that might be the case. |
RE: Kaffir Lime
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| So plenty of sun and dynamic lifter and not much water. I think I can manage that. the pot had one one in the centre so will try to drill some more ones, might be back to bunnings for a new pot. As long as I get plenty of leaves for my thai cooking I'm happy and the odd bit of fruit will be a bonus. thanks guys. |
RE: Kaffir Lime
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- Posted by finbar Central Italy (My Page) on
Tue, Apr 18, 06 at 12:02
| One other tip, dd. From ugly personal pot-drilling experience. You've got less chance of breaking the pot if you start with a small masonry bit, gradually increasing the size of the bit (and the hole). |
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