<p>Different types of mulch, namely inorganic (black polythene and white polythene) and organic mulch (10 kg of wheat residue, 20 kg of wheat residue, 10 kg of arhar residue, 20 kg of arhar residue, 40 kg of arhar residue, 10 kg of dry grass, and 20 kg of dry grass), were spread under the canopy of lime (<i>Citrus aurantifolia </i>‘Swingle’) trees. The control trees received no mulch. In 2022 and 2023, the daily soil temperatures observed at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, and 16:00 h from March to June showed notable differences depending on the treatment. Compared with that of the control trees, the soil temperature was 3 °C lower under organic mulch. During intense summers, the soil temperature was lower in all mulching treatments than in the control. The inorganic mulch (black and white polythene) had the highest fruit set, weight, and yield, followed by the treatments with 20&#xa0;and 40 kg of arhar residue mulch. The physiological fruit drop was also significantly reduced under all the treatments, with the control trees having the greatest decrease in fruit yield (72.35%), followed by 40 kg of arhar residue trees (64.04%), white polythene trees (63.32%), and black polythene trees (61.35%). The relative water content (RWC) in the leaves was lowest in the control group (67.21%) and highest under 20 kg of arhar mulch (84.22%). Similarly, in all treatments, the leaf chlorophyll content was greater than in the control. The control had the thickest leaves (0.31 mm), whereas the other treatments had thinner leaves. The microorganisms in the rhizosphere of trees mulched with 40 kg of arhar residue demonstrated the strongest and longest-lasting activity from March to June in central India, followed by the treatment with 20 kg of arhar residue. A&#xa0;promising agroecological technique for maximizing horticultural features and promoting beneficial microbial populations in lime orchards is mulching, which ultimately helps to create horticultural systems that are both productive and sustainable.</p>