Limes on the tree

Overview

Lime trees are fruit-bearing trees that grow best in warmer climates that do not fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, like Florida and California. Lime trees do not require pruning, but can be pruned in order to make the tree fuller and keep a visually appealing shape.

Step 1

Trim your lime tree before any blossoms begin to bloom. The best time to prune a lime tree is in early spring before blooms have appeared, or late summer, after all limes have fallen from the tree. A lime tree should be pruned once or twice a year at the most, although pruning a lime tree at all is not absolutely necessary.

Step 2

Wear gardening gloves while pruning. Although lime trees do not have stickers or thorns, broken branches can be rough and sharp. To avoid scrapes and scratches on your hands, wear gloves at all times.

Step 3

Enlist a partner to hold your ladder while you trim the difficult-to-reach areas of the tree.

Step 4

Trim away any dead branches with pruning shears. You can purchase pruning shears at your local home improvement store or gardening supply store. Trim the least amount of the branch possible in order to salvage the healthy portions of the tree.

Step 5

Trim crisscrossed branches at the center of the tree to allow more light to pass through. Branches that twist around each other will prevent new, healthy growth from forming out of either branch. Trim one branch away so the other can grow separately.

Step 6

Remove any dead clippings from the base of the tree to encourage further growth and water absorption. The clippings can be chopped and mixed into mulch to fertilize the bottom of the tree, or discarded.