Lime Fruit Skin Splitting

Question

This tree was in a huge pot for 15 yrs. Now it’s in the ground. Has good drainage but fruit skin is splitting open. Millers garden centre said it was not enough water but it’s not dry.

Answer 1

Have you had unusual cold weather lately? This kind of splitting is normally caused by the fruit being very warm during the day, which makes the moisture inside expand and then if it cold quickly, normally at night, the skin contracts faster that the moisture inside and the fruit skin splits as a result. This normally only happens to thin skinned varieties.

There is not much you can do to stop it as it is weather related, but if it becomes a regular problem, you can try locating a wall or structure near the tree that will absorb heat during the day and release it at night to help offset temperature fluctuations.