Planting guide
When to plant lime
Warmth-loving citrus; Tahitian limes are the most reliable for home gardens. It is not a Melbourne crop, but it grows in warmer places below.
- Start as
- Potted plant
- Ready in
- 2+ years to the first crop
- Spacing
- 350 cm
- Depth
- 0 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular
- Effort
- Some care
- Frost-tender
- Yes, plant after the last frost
When it goes in
● means lime can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's real monthly temperatures, not a zone map. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● |
| Melbourne | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Brisbane | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Perth | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● |
| Adelaide | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Gold Coast | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Newcastle | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Sunshine Coast | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Canberra | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Central Coast | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● |
| Geelong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Wollongong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Hobart | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Townsville | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Cairns | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Toowoomba | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Darwin | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Ballarat | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Mandurah | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● |
| Bendigo | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Launceston | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Mackay | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Rockhampton | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Coffs Harbour | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Blue Mountains | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Bunbury | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● |
| Bundaberg | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Alice Springs | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mildura | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Port Macquarie | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Wellington | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Christchurch | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| London | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Johannesburg | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Singapore | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mumbai | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant lime
- Plant a grafted tree in very well-drained soil or a pot.
- Shelter from cold wind and frost.
- Water regularly and feed with citrus food.
- Pick when green and glossy, or leave to yellow for juice.
Lime varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- TahitianClassicheavy-cropper · 26–39 wksLarge seedless juicy limes
- MakrutClassicpot-friendly · 26–39 wksFragrant leaves for Thai cooking
- MexicanAdventuroushot · 26–39 wksSmall, tart and aromatic limes
- RangpurAdventurouscolourful · cold-hardy · 26–39 wksOrange-skinned, tangy lime-lemon hybrid
Where to buy seedlings
Shop links may earn us a commission. It never changes what we recommend.
Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
Good companions
Marigold, Nasturtium, Chive
Lime by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec