Pruning for Finger Lime Health

We receive regular questions from a range of people – from back yard gardeners to other farmers, looking for tips and methods that ensure improved finger lime growth.

One of the key aspects for finger lime tree health is regular pruning. At Boutique Citrus, many of our finger lime trees are twenty years old, which means they need careful attention and a strategic pruning plan to maintain tree health and provide optimum fruit yield each season.

Pruning finger limes not only encourages new growth in the tree, it is important for removal of dead or spindly branches and ‘opening up’ the tree which is vital for making our harvests easier and ensuring our premium fruit has less chance of being marked or scratched. ‘Death pruning’ is where borers have entered a branch, resulting in instant die back of the limb. If you do not remove the branch, you will lose the whole tree.

Over the last eighteen months, we’ve heavily pruned our finger lime trees. Many were in excess of twenty feet high which meant bringing in the cherry picker to reach those higher limbs! The trees were pruned across the top, reducing their size down to about ten feet – we also pruned the interior (window pruning) of the trees to let more light in. Window pruning encourages better flowering and subsequent Finger Lime fruit set.

This year, the results of this heavy pruning are showing. There is a fantastic new flush of growth on the trees and our fruit is sizing up well and looking positive for another bumper Finger Lime season.

With over 4000 trees on site, it’s exciting to see our pruning and growing techniques also assisting other people in their quest to enjoy this wonderful native Australian fruit.

For more information, contact Greg or Amanda – greg@boutiquecitrus.com.au