Question
Hi there!

I'm hailing from Southern Ohio, in the USA, but my question is in regards to an indoor plant. It's a dwarf lime tree, which I received from a mail-order nursery about 2 years ago now. I originally had it potted in a much smaller pot in the windowsill, and gradually increased the pot size to the one it's in now (2 gallon plastic pot on the coffee table that's in our kitchen under the skylight). My concern is that the plant has never branched off, nor flowered as the nursery promised. It has 1 branch that just keeps growing and growing. It's about 2 foot long now, and has buds that indicate it's about to set out another set of leaves.

What do I do? I bought it in hopes of it flowering (I won't fib, I'd love to see dwarf limes on it, but the flowering was the main reason I wanted it), but it just keeps growing it's single branch. I've tried rotating the pot, but then the branch tries to double back on itself. Please help?

Answer
Hi Amanda

I spent 4 years in Athens Ohio as an OU student...

Sounds like your plant is not getting enough direct sunlight and it is stretching upward to make up for it...Without a picture of the actual plant I can't say for sure what to do about it...Is it just one trunk with no branches at all on it?..How many leaves are on it and at what locations?..General overall condition of plant?..

If it looks like you described it here's what I might do...Put the plant in a brighter direct sun area (East or South exposure#...On most plants with leaves on them I would cut the branch a little past a new leaf bud to encourage new branching...Again I have not seen your plant...

If it isn't flowering usually it is because the plant is not getting enough sunlight...Move the pot to a more lighted area #or use a grow light for additional light#...You should turn the pot 1/4 turn per week to keep the growth even...Make sure you water and fertilize correctly...In order for it to produce fruit inside it will have to have a pollen transfer # I believe your plant will produce male and female flowers on the same plant...Outside bugs or wind will do it...Inside you have to do a pollen transfer yourself...
Hopefully this will start you on the right track...
Good Luck
Rick in Southern NJ