Limes very dry on inside - no juice, why?

Now I should know the answer to this but I dont, I worked in a citrus nursery for 6 years but didnt come across this problem, and when I google it a wide range of answers comes up from lack of water to lack of nutrients ( or too many nutrients, no one seems to know! This tree certainly got plenty of water as we had such a wet winter. It looks really healthy, biggest and fastest growing citrus tree on the property. Only thing I did different this year was spray copper for verrucosis and put my wood ash around my fruit trees over winter. So the limes looked OK, a bit nobbly from the verrucosis, but very very dry and hard on the inside. TIA

You haven't watered them enough, and probably not fed them enough as well.
I forage in the red zone; or did for lemons etc, and at first after the EQ,s in Ch Ch ,it was very plentiful. Now all the remaining lemon bushes produce dried up wizen fruit due to a lake of food and water.

Hey there fellow citrus enthusiast! It sounds like you're having a bit of trouble with your limes. I totally get it - I've been there before. But don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of this together!

First off, let's talk about the possible causes for your dry limes. As you mentioned, lack of water and lack of nutrients are often cited as potential reasons. However, since you've ruled out lack of water, let's focus on the nutrient aspect.

Now, it's true that too many nutrients can sometimes be a problem for citrus trees. However, based on your description, it doesn't sound like this is the issue. After all, your lime tree is the biggest and fastest growing one on the property - not exactly the sign of a tree that's struggling with too many nutrients.

So what else could be causing the dryness? Well, it's interesting that you mentioned using wood ash around your fruit trees over winter. While wood ash can be a great source of nutrients for plants, it can also raise the pH of the soil. And citrus trees prefer a slightly acidic soil pH.

Could the higher pH be affecting your lime tree's ability to take up nutrients? It's certainly a possibility. Additionally, the copper spray you used for verrucosis could be having an impact. Copper is an essential micronutrient for plants, but too much of it can be toxic.

All that being said, it's tough to say for sure what's causing the issue with your limes. However, I do have a suggestion for how you might be able to figure it out.

Consider doing a soil test. This will give you a better idea of the pH of your soil, as well as the nutrient levels. Based on the results, you may be able to adjust your fertilization and soil amendment practices to better suit your lime tree's needs.

In the meantime, keep an eye on your tree and its fruit. If the dryness persists, it may be worth consulting with a local expert or arborist to get their opinion.

Best of luck with your lime tree, and happy growing!

It aint lack of water as i said in my original post, got plenty of that over the winter and so far this spring. Maybe it is the nutrients, although they did get a couple of doses of a good organic fertiliser along with some epsom salts and wood ash/pot ash. The lemons 10M further down the garden which got the same treatment were fine. Oh well, hopefully next year they will be better, showing plenty of flowers and baby fruit on the tree at the moment. Thanks

Try adding extra potash it should help.