Crop details

Lime (ndimu)

Citrus aurantiifolia

Family: Rutaceae

Quick stats

Family	Rutaceae
Typical harvest	18.7 t/ha
Varieties	3
Pests & diseases	6
Seasons	3

Crop profile

Growth habit	tree
Days to harvest	365
Main uses	Fresh fruit, flavouring in food and drinks, juice, and small-scale processing.
Pollination	insect
Origin / where it grows	Lime (ndimu) is common in warm coastal and lower mid-altitude zones of East Africa, around homesteads and in small orchards.

Weather, soil & spacing

Best temperature	20–30 °C
Rainfall	900–1400 mm/yr
Altitude	0–1600 m
Best pH	6–7
Soil type	Deep, well-drained loam or sandy loam with good organic matter. Lime (ndimu) does not like very heavy or salty soils.
Row spacing	500 cm
Plant spacing	500 cm
Seed rate	kg/ha (check local recommendation)
Nursery days	270

Simple notes for farmers

About the crop: This crop has a growth habit described as "tree". You can normally start harvesting about 365 days after planting, depending on care and variety.

Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for fresh fruit, flavouring in food and drinks, juice, and small-scale processing..

Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by insect. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.

Where it grows: Lime (ndimu) is common in warm coastal and lower mid-altitude zones of East Africa, around homesteads and in small orchards. It is grouped under: Fruits & Nuts.

Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 900 to 1400 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 1600 metres above sea level.

Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 6 to 7. It does well in deep, well-drained loam or sandy loam with good organic matter. lime (ndimu) does not like very heavy or salty soils.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.

Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 500 centimetres apart, and leave about 500 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.

Seed or planting material: Use good quality seed or healthy planting material. Follow local extension advice for the exact amount per hectare.

Nursery period: If you raise seedlings in a nursery, keep them there for about 270 days before transplanting to the main field, when they are strong and healthy.

Farmer guide (mwongozo wa mkulima)

Planting: Use clean, healthy seedlings of Lime (ndimu), preferably grafted on suitable rootstock. Plant at the start of the rains or irrigate after planting. Dig wide holes, mix topsoil with manure and a little P fertilizer and plant at the same height as in the nursery bag.

Transplanting: Avoid bending or breaking roots. Keep graft union above soil level and stake young trees if wind is strong.

Irrigation: Provide moisture during establishment, flowering and fruit filling. Avoid long dry spells at flowering and also avoid waterlogging around the trunk.

Fertigation: With drip, apply small regular doses of nitrogen and potassium through the season. Reduce heavy nitrogen late in the season to avoid very leafy growth with few fruits.

Pest scouting: Check Lime (ndimu) trees every 1–2 weeks for aphids, scales, mealybugs, leafminers, fruit flies and leaf or fruit spots. Inspect young shoots, underside of leaves and fruit surfaces.

Pruning: Form 3–4 main branches. Remove suckers from the rootstock, dead or crossing branches and open the canopy for light and air movement.

Harvest: Harvest when fruits are fully grown and have a smooth, glossy peel. For fresh lime, fruits may still be green outside but should be juicy inside.

Postharvest: Pick by hand, avoid pulling fruits roughly and place them gently in crates. Keep limes in shade and avoid wet, dirty containers to reduce rotting.

Nutrient schedule (mbolea kwa hatua)

#	Stage	DAP	Product	Rate	Targets (kg/ha)	Notes
1	Basal at planting	0	Well-rotted manure + P fertilizer (TSP or DAP)	8 kg/hole manure + 100 g P fertilizer	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Mix manure and P with topsoil in each Lime (ndimu) planting hole.
2	Early growth topdress	90	CAN 26% N	120 g/tree	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Apply in a ring 30–50 cm from the trunk and water in.
3	Pre-bloom NPK	240	NPK 17-17-17	200 g/tree	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Supports Lime (ndimu) flowering and fruit set.
4	Fruit filling high K	330	Sulfate of potash (SOP) or high-K blend	250 g/tree	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Split in 1–2 dressings during Lime (ndimu) fruit enlargement.

Nutrient requirements

Nutrient	Stage	Amount	Unit
N	Establishment	30	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Establishment	25	kg/ha
K₂O	Establishment	25	kg/ha
N	Vegetative	50	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Vegetative	10	kg/ha
K₂O	Vegetative	40	kg/ha
N	Flowering_fruit_set	20	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Flowering_fruit_set	20	kg/ha
K₂O	Flowering_fruit_set	50	kg/ha
N	Fruit_fill	10	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Fruit_fill	0	kg/ha
K₂O	Fruit_fill	60	kg/ha

Name	Country	Maturity	Traits
Local small acid Lime (ndimu)	KE	1095	Small, very acidic fruits used for tea, food and drinks.
Persian / Tahiti lime type	TZ	1095	Larger, less seedy fruits, good for juice and fresh market.
Grafted Lime (ndimu) selections	UG	1095	Selected for yield and tolerance to some citrus diseases.

Stage	Product	Rate (kg/ha)	Notes
Basal	Well-rotted farmyard manure	6000	Applied once a year or every two years in rings around Lime (ndimu) trees.
Vegetative	CAN 26% N	50	Split into 2–3 applications to reduce losses and burning.
Flowering and fruiting	NPK 17-17-17 or high-K blend	100	Applied in small amounts before and after flowering to support crop load.

Name	Type	Symptoms	Management
Citrus aphids	pest	Curled leaves, sticky honeydew and black sooty mould on young Lime (ndimu) shoots.	Encourage natural enemies, avoid unnecessary broad-spectrum sprays and use selective products when numbers are high.
Scales and mealybugs	pest	Sticky stems and leaves, sooty mould, reduced vigour and yellowing.	Prune overcrowded twigs, control ants and use horticultural oils or selective insecticides when needed.
Citrus leafminer	pest	Silvery winding mines in young leaves, leaf curling and distortion.	Avoid soft flushes from heavy late nitrogen and use selective insecticides or biocontrols where infestations are severe.
Fruit flies	pest	Punctures on lime fruits, rotting pulp and fruit drop.	Collect and destroy infested fruits, keep the area clean and use bait traps and recommended fruit fly controls.
Citrus canker and leaf/fruit spots	disease	Raised corky lesions on leaves and fruits, blemished fruits and leaf drop.	Use clean seedlings, prune out heavily affected twigs and apply copper-based protectants where disease pressure is high.
Root and collar rots (Phytophthora)	disease	Gumming at the trunk base, bark rotting and general decline of trees.	Improve drainage, avoid piling soil or mulch against the trunk and keep irrigation water off the tree base.

System	Typical	Min	Max	Notes
Homestead Lime (ndimu) trees	8	4	12	Scattered trees around homes with limited fertilizer and pruning.
Managed smallholder lime orchard	18	10	25	Grafted Lime (ndimu) trees with manuring/fertilizer and basic pest control.
Intensive irrigated lime orchard	30	20	40	High-input management with irrigation, regular pruning and full nutrition.

Country	Region	Planting	Harvest
KE	Coastal and lower mid-altitude Lime (ndimu) areas	Start of rains so young trees can establish with reliable moisture.	Several flushes of flowering and fruiting through the year, often peaking in drier months.
TZ	Coastal belt and warm inland citrus zones	Onset of the main rainy season on well-drained soils.	Spread across the year depending on rainfall and pruning.
UG	Warm low to mid-altitude areas	Start of rains to reduce irrigation needs for Lime (ndimu) seedlings.	Multiple harvests per year, often more fruits in the drier, sunny periods.

Country	Region	Suitability
KE	Coastal belt and lower eastern/southern zones	High
TZ	Coastal and warm inland citrus-growing areas	High
UG	Warm low to mid-altitude regions	High