What Kind of Plant Food for Lemon or Lime Trees?

You can grow a lemon or lime tree in any climate zone, but protect it from freezing if you get frost. You'll be able to enjoy fresh lemons and limes from your own tree with a minimum amount of care.

Commercial Fertilizer

• Several brands of citrus fertilizer are available for sale. These synthetic products make your job easy because all you need to do is mix the product according to label instructions and use it to water your tree three times each year during its active growing period from early spring until midsummer.

Fertilizer Spikes

• Tree spikes are also an easy way to keep your lemon or lime tree well nourished and healthy. A typical fertilizer spike for citrus contains an N-P-K ratio of 10-15-15 and releases its nutrients slowly over a three-month period. Remove your spikes by mid-August because they can promote late season growth that can become damaged when frost hits.

Organic Fertilizers

• Compost and other organic products provide lemon and lime trees with needed nutrients when you apply them as a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch or dilute them with water and use the mixture to water your tree. You can make your own compost from kitchen scraps and yard trimmings or purchase bags of commercial compost.