Transplanting Lime Tree

[cookiesdaddy]

My mom gave me a precious lime plant that she grew in a pot. I'm going to transplant in the backyard. My problem is this: It is actually TWO plants sitting about 6 inches apart. The trunks (?) are about the side of my index finger.

1. Should I clip off one of them before planting in the ground, to give room for the other to grow into a mature tree? I feel this would be wasting half a tree, because this is very precious to us.

2. Should I even try to separate the 2 plants, or the roots are so intertwine together that I would kill both plants?

3. Or just transplant as is and have 2 lime trees next to each other?

I don't know why my mom had 2 plants right next to each other like that. She probably tried to grow both in case one would wither away.

 

[bid]

I would try seperating the two and repotting them for a time before putting them in the yard. As long as you don't cut the tap root they should be fine. They sound like they are large enough that a bit of feeder root pruning would not kill them. My 2 cents and good luck however you decide to proceed with them.

 

[patandchickens]

I'm with bid -- I'd see if you can separate them. If you can't, it would be smartest long-term to sacrifice one of them; but IME the chances are pretty good, unless they are severely potbound, that you will be able to disentangle the two root masses without too mcuh trouble. Make sure the soil is thoroughly moist when you do this; make sure to spread the roots out very well and fill all spaces with soil when replanting; and take extra good care of them for a few months, and I would bet you'll be fine.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Greensage45]

Hi,

I wouldn't risk the loss. I would plant them together as they are and provide them enough room to send roots in which ever direction they want.

Wishing you Luck.

Ron

...and also this would ensure any need for cross-pollination in the future; if that is what a lime requires. Personally I think the ability to cross pollinate would be a plus.

 

[GardeNerd]

I don't believe you need another lime or citrus for limes to set fruit. You just get more seeds in the fruit of some varieties. Depending on the type of citrus, sometimes the fruit is larger with cross pollination, but this is not always the case. My semi-dwarf "Bears Lime" is seedless, and it is nearby a dwarf "Meyer Lemon" and a dwarf "Owari Satsuma Mandrine." There are also tons of other citrus trees in the neighborhood.

I personally would either cut off one plant or plant together. I would not try to separate them for fear of shock to the plants and loose both. Good luck.