It is very tempting to welcome a lime tree in your garden. This beautiful tree that can live up to 400 years belongs to the family of Malvaceae and gender Tilia, the latter grouping together about a hundred species to which are added numerous cultivars and hybrids. This tree grows quite quickly and is ideal for creating a shaded area with the most beautiful effect where one takes pleasure in relaxing throughout the summer, especially since in summer one can enjoy the exquisite, delicately honeyed scent of its flowers in abundance. Depending on the species, it can reach 35 meters in height. As a rule, a lime tree is easy to live so that its culture does not present any particular difficulty. Let’s take stock of the care needed by this tree for alignment or planting alone.
Plant a lime tree
To allow a lime tree to be well rooted at the onset of winter, it is necessary to plant it in the fall, although it is possible to plant it until early spring. But whatever the moment chosen, it is absolutely necessary to avoid periods of frost, which is moreover the rule to be applied for all trees.
The planting a lime tree proceeds as follows.
- Dig a large hole, 60-70 cm deep and 100 cm wide.
- Place a layer of compost on the bottom.
- Install the young lime tree in the center of the planting hole, taking care to make the collar coincide with the level of the ground because it absolutely must not be buried.
- Put a solid stake whose height is equal to 30% of that of the tree.
- Backfill the hole with good, non-acidic garden soil mixed with potting soil.
- Pack and form a bowl around the foot.
- Water abundantly.
If one wishes plant several lime trees, it is necessary to remember to respect a distance of at least 12 meters between two subjects with great development and 6 meters for species of smaller size. For planting large lime trees in alignment, it is recommended to separate them from each other by about 6 meters.
Growing a lime tree
The basswood must be installed in the sun or in partial shade, sheltered from dry, hot winds. He likes them sols enrichis in humus, limestone, costs, well drainedeven stony or clayey, but may suffer if planted in acidic soil. It is rustic, so well that it supports without flinching up to -20 to -23°C.
Linden is a fast-growing tree that is suitable in a sufficiently spacious garden, especially if you set your sights on a species with great development that will take up a lot of space in adulthood. It is therefore important to choose your location wisely at the time of planting. It should not be installed too close to the house. A distance of around 18 to 20 meters between this tree and a construction is therefore necessary, especially since its branched roots are dense.
Maintain a lime tree
Its cultivation may be suitable for a novice gardener because the lime tree does not have great needs.
Water
It is especially during the two or three years which follow its plantation that the waterings must be frequent and generousespecially in case of drought or hot weather. Depending on the climatic conditions, a lime tree can receive about 25 to 50 liters of water every 6 or 7 days.
Mulch
To maintain a certain freshness, it is very useful to deposit a mulch at the foot, and particularly in summer.
Tutoring
It is important to stake a lime tree when planting. This tutor can be removed after 3 years.
Fertiliser
Each year, as long as it is still young, the lime tree needs a supply of compost in autumn and spring.
Cut
It is not not mandatory to prune a lime tree. You can very well choose to let it develop without limit if you have a large park. But if we judge that it becomes a little too cumbersome, we can completely cast offeven severely.
Perform a more moderate size enough to intervene on its architecture by directing just a few branches. The best time to prune a lime tree is at the end of winter, outside the frost period, and just before the buds form.
Do not hesitate to gradually delete the many rejections that form on the base of the tree.
Pests and diseases
The lime tree is well known for its high resistance. It can still be the target of parasites such as various species of aphids which attack the leaves. These get sticky. Treatment with black soap is required. We can also fear the mealy bug (Hydrangea cushions) with a brownish shell responsible for sooty mold. Affected parts should be removed. The lime tree is sometimes the target of defoliating caterpillars, particularly devastating on young specimens. Their nests must be destroyed, taking great care to wear a mask and gloves, then apply a treatment such as a pyrethrum decoction.
L’anthrachnose is a disease that causes leaf necrosis. There is no treatment to eradicate it. It is therefore necessary to generously prune the affected branches and then burn them.
Harvest Linden Leaves and Blossoms
It’s at the very beginning of thesummer we harvest the linden flowers. But it can be a little off depending on the region. We choose the moment when the flowers are barely open. The harvest lasts a very short time, about three days. It consists of take the inflorescences. We therefore pick the flowers as well as their bracts, that is to say the floral parts in the form of colored leaves which are associated with them.
Then you have to spread them out on a clean cloth pour let them dry in a ventilated and bright room for a few days. They must remain flexible, so do not extend the drying time unduly.
All that remains is to place them delicately in a large paper bag or in a basket with a lid in order to keep them away from light and so that they do not collect dust. We can then prepare delicious linden infusions added why not a teaspoon of honey. Three bracts are enough to deliciously flavor a cup of simmering water.