Question
Greetings.

I have a dwarf key lime tree inside, currently growing in Miracle-Grow potting soil, in a plastic pot, I'd say 10 gallon size. It did not come with a size indicator, I apologize.

I had it in a much smaller pot, and it was thriving at the time, but it seemed entirely too small, and it had stopped growing. So I transplanted it to a bigger pot. Since then, it has not resumed growing, and is now losing it's leaves. They turn brown from the edges in, and go about a quarter of the way in, then the leaves fall off.

The plant did not come with growing instructions, and I have difficulty finding anything relevent online. Can you possibly tell me what problems it sounds like my lime tree is having, and how to correct them?

Thank you,
Amanda

Answer
Hi Amanda, When transplanting into a larger pot, the plant in the center stays wetter longer, causing drowning of the plant.  Remember plant containers dry from the outside in and until they fill their roots in the pots, you should be watering around the edge most of the time and once in a while water the whole thing.  In the winter the plants take even less watering as it takes longer to dry out.  Also, if you have a pan under your indoor plant it needs to be drained out after 15 minutes or that also will cause the roots to rot.  A good sign of too much water is brown at the ends of the leaves.... I also have customers that are telling me that miracle-grow is killing their plants.....  I believe what they used is the soil mixed with fertilizer.     kathy