Lime trees are easily grown from seed though most people prefer to transplant them from nurseries. The steps followed to plant lime trees in the ground or in a container are similar. The first thing to put into consideration is that the tree should be planted in an area, where it will receive plenty or adequate daylight. Ideally, the location should be able to receive the southern sun. If this is not possible, 40 watt fluorescent lights from any local shops are good enough to supplement the plants with light. The second point to note very carefully more than any other is that the drainage should be excellent. Lime trees should be planted in soil that has excellent drainage otherwise waterlogged soil is bound to ultimately kill the tree. The soil can be amended to ensure the tree is never exposed to stagnant/standing water. Ground planting requires the soil surrounding the tree to be at a higher level than the rest of the ground area to prevent water pooling around the tree.
Prior to planting the tree, the soil should be checked for pockets of air, which have the ability to kill the tree. To prevent this, soil should be filled in the container or hole until it is firmly placed as it should. The soil can be continually tamped or watered while backfilling the container or hole. Lime trees thrive in soil that is slightly acidic, a perfect option is all-purpose mix type of soil. They should be planted in normal temperature ranging from 70 degrees (daytime) to 50 degrees (nighttime). If the plants are kept below 54 degrees they are likely to become dormant and with time could stop growing. Moisture is important for the tree to grow in healthy manner. The tree and soil should be moistened on a regular basis, daily if possible. The tree can be wiped with a sponge to effectively become moist. Pollination is a challenge that faces homegrown plants since they rarely have access to insects such as bees to pollinate them.
Though they could still produce fruit without the process of pollination taking place, it is recommended that manual pollination to be done using a cotton swab or paintbrush to rub the pollen inside the flower. When planting the tree in a container, size of container is important. The choice of container should have ample space to accommodate the tree. Proper estimation will prevent future frequent repotting. The container should have a drain plug to drain excess water. Potting a lime tree requires well draining soil being added into broken pottery or stone layers. The tree should be put in sufficient soil that is just enough to cover the root ball. However, the soil line should not be above the trunk otherwise it will begin to rot. One should be careful to add enough soil beside the tree inside the pot to allow the tree to absorb the water from the soil. The trees progress should be observed so as to make changes incase of negative development.