Fruit is expensive to growth, as fruit is a stronger energy sink than foliage or branch extension, so any increase in fruit mass would likely have gone toward an increase in vegetative mass.

AL

Plus the limb is likely to split off the "tree" before giving up the fruit. Al

Thanks. That was my intuition. I just wanted it confirmed by those who know more than I do. Snipping to proceed!

It's tough isn't it? I bought a beautiful meyer lemon tree that had several large lemons already. But my friends on the Florida Gardening forum suggested removing them. I hated that, but I understand!