Q.Lime Tree in Distress
I have a Bearde lime tree that I purchased three months ago. I was told by the nursery to water it only once a week. I recently noticed lots of the leaves have fallen off. Some of the leaves have brown spots in the middle and have curled. Others are a yellow color. I really love this little tree and don’t want to lose it. Can you give me some advice, please? Also, I live in Menlo Park, which gets fairly warm. This year has been erractic with some days in the 90s and then the next drops to the 60s.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Limes are susceptible to leaf drop when they are stressed. Probably a combination of the new planting, the temperature fluctuations and possible watering issues have caused this. You can read more here: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/lime/lime-tree-leaf-drop-why-a-lime-tree-is-losing-leaves.htm
We recommend that you increase watering some, but more importantly, make sure that you are watering on schedule. Leaving the tree too dry for any period of time will cause it to loes leaves. If watering remains consistent, it should regrow its leaves.