How to grow a homemade tangerine? Proper care, reproduction, disease and pruning of homemade mandarin. Indoor tangerine: home care for an orchard
Tangerine trees take root in city apartments more easily than lemon or orange trees. They do not wither when the room temperature drops to +14, and can produce up to 70 juicy and sweet fruits per year. Citruses purify and disinfect the air, protecting the tenants of the apartment from colds and viral diseases, pleasing to the eye with a dense dark green crown and pale white flowers that smell much better than any air freshener.
Rules for buying a tangerine
On the Internet or specialized nurseries, mature fruit-bearing trees are sold, which are enough to bring home, water and feed. Formed citruses will cost a round sum, so it's easier to grow your own tangerine from a sprout or stone.
The first option is less troublesome, but when buying a young tree, you should ask the sellers for a certificate. Some merchants pass off calamondins as tangerines, which smell like citrus and bear fruit, but the orange fruit is completely tasteless. They cheat mainly in markets or supermarkets, because nurseries value their reputation, but even when visiting a specialized center, you should ask employees for documents.
Land preparation
Citrus fruits are intolerant acidic soils containing peat. Land for growing tangerines should be light and nutritious, breathable and retain moisture. To prepare the right soil for young trees, you need to mix 4 components:
- sheet and soddy soil in equal proportions;
- coarse-grained river sand, which must be disinfected;
- humus obtained from cow dung.
The last ingredient can be replaced with compost, which contains at least nutrients. When the mandarin is 3-4 years old, oily clay is added to the soil, which will retain moisture and protect the root system from drying out.
Pour a drainage layer 3-5 cm thick into a pot or tub intended for citrus. Expanded clay, small pebbles or clay shards will do. Use large pebbles that allow air to pass through better and prevent water from stagnating at the bottom.
Do I need to transplant tangerine
Every year, the citrus tree is moved from a smaller pot to a larger one, because a growing tree needs more space. A four-year-old mandarin is recommended to be transplanted immediately into a wooden tub, where he will live and bear fruit for the next 2-3 years.
It is better to relocate the plant in the spring, when the citrus wakes up and actively develops. First, they make a small dig to check the condition of the root system. If the tangerine is tightly braided with an earthen ball, it is transplanted. If not, change upper layer soil and leave in the old pot until next year.
How to relocate a citrus without injuring it?
- Moisten the earth around the edges so that it better lags behind the walls of the pot.
- Lightly tap the container with a spatula or hand. This makes it easier to separate the roots with soil from clay or wooden walls.
- Take the mandarin by the trunk and take it out along with the ground. It is not necessary to clean the old soil from the plant so as not to damage it.
- Prepare a new pot in advance with drainage and a layer of earth. Put a tangerine in it, cover it with soil on top.
- Tamp the soil, but not much. Water the citrus and put in the sun.
When transplanting a tree, it is impossible to completely cover the root neck with earth. Its upper part should remain on the surface so that the citrus takes root faster.
Reference: root collar in mandarin, this is the line separating the trunk and skeletal roots. In this place, the tree has a small seal, which is half covered with earth.
Lighting
Tangerines need sunlight. The more, the healthier the tree and the juicier the fruit. Adult citruses are placed next to the western or eastern windows. Pots with young trees are placed on the northern windowsill.
Plants also feel good next to southern windows if they have blinds or translucent curtains that scatter light. It is undesirable for direct contact with citrus leaves. Sun rays. Ultraviolet burns the crown of tangerines and dries out the earth.
In summer, it is useful to take citrus fruits to the balcony or leave them in the garden. The tub is placed under tall spreading trees that will scatter and soften the light. Plants located in the apartment by the window should be closed from the sun at noon, and opened in the evening, closer to 4–5 o'clock.
In winter, tangerines must be illuminated with phytolamps. The duration of daylight hours is 8–12 hours, no less, otherwise the citrus weakens, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. The tree is restored for a long time and is difficult, spending a lot of energy and nutrients, and some specimens cannot cope with the shock and die.
Tip: When using special lamps, the citrus tub needs to be rotated around its own axis from time to time so that all sides of the plant receive approximately the same amount of light.
Temperature and humidity
In the spring, the first buds appear on the tangerine tree, and it is important that the temperature in the room does not fall below +20–25 degrees. When the thermometer drops to +17-15, the citrus is covered with barren flowers that smell good, but do not yield.
In winter, the plant is transferred to a cool room. The temperature in the room is reduced gradually, due to a sharp cold snap, the tree can shed its leaves. The room should be at first +18, after +16–14, and some gardeners lower it to +10. Why keep citrus in a cool room? So that the mandarin has time to relax a bit and gain strength. After a short winter holiday, more buds bloom on the tree, and the fruits become juicier and sweeter.
You need to prepare a tangerine for hibernation after harvesting. In mid-January, the temperature in the room begins to gradually increase so that the citrus “wakes up” and has time to prepare for spring flowering.
The tangerine tree loves heat and moisture, so in the heat it needs to be sprayed twice or thrice a day from a spray bottle. In summer, a bucket or basin of water is left next to the plant to prevent the air from drying out. In winter, it is advised to install special humidifiers or ionizers. If the tub with tangerine is located near the battery or radiator, heating device covered with a damp towel.
The room in which the citrus stands is regularly ventilated. But the tree is moved away from the window, because the mandarin does not tolerate drafts well.
Watering citrus
When the earth in a tub of tangerine dries up, spider mites may appear on the plant. The soil should always be slightly moist, but not wet, so in summer the tree is watered daily, and in winter it is reduced to 2-3 times a week.
The soil should be tested with a finger, and if it seems crumbly and too dry, add a little water. Before watering, look into the pan. The accumulated liquid indicates that there is too much water, and the tree does not have time to absorb it. Watering must be stopped before the pallet dries, otherwise the root system will begin to rot or a fungus will appear.
Use only purified melt or rain water. The liquid is defended for 3-4 days in a large saucepan or plastic bucket, and then passed through a kitchen filter. You can not water the mandarin with water just from the tap, because heavy impurities and salts settle in the soil, oppressing the plant.
The amount of liquid depends on the size of the tree and the air temperature. The hotter the room, the more moisture evaporates. If a small tangerine needs 0.5–1 l, then an adult tree will need three to four.
Water must be heated to + 35-40 degrees. How to check the temperature of a liquid without a thermometer? Dip your finger into it. Should be nice, but not hot.
Pour water onto the root, trying not to let droplets fall on the leaves and trunk. Moisten the crown separately from the sprayer so that the liquid is distributed evenly. During the flowering period, make sure that water does not fall on the buds. If a few drops fall on green or ripe fruits, it's okay.
It is better to water the tree in the morning. Water helps the plant wake up and starts metabolic processes.
Fertilizer
In winter, the mandarin does not need to be fed, but from April to September-October, when the buds open and the fruits ripen, the tree needs to be fertilized. Apply nutrients twice a month. Buy complex fertilizers containing:
- phosphorus;
- nitrogen;
- potassium.
You can find suitable fertilizers in flower shops. Recommended to stay at:
- Uniflor-bud during the flowering period;
- Kemira-lux;
- Uniflor-growth during fruit ripening.
Mineral fertilizers alternate with organic. Natural nutrient solutions are prepared from cow dung or bird droppings. Part of the dry matter is diluted in 10-12 parts of water, infused for 2-4 days, and then added in small portions.
The soil is moistened before fertilization. Using chemicals it is important to follow the instructions. If you increase the dosage, you can burn the roots of the mandarin or poison the tree. Citrus leaves are also treated with a weak solution. Mineral fertilizers should not fall on the fruit.
In the spring, before flowering, the tree is pruned. Remove dry and thin branches, tear off yellowed leaves. Garden shears must be sharpened and disinfected before pruning. Treat the sections with wood resin so that they heal faster.
It is easy to form an oval crown in a mandarin. It is enough to pinch the tops of the branches and cut off the extra shoots that are not able to bear fruit, and only pull nutrients from the tree.
When the plant blooms for the first time, only 10-15 buds should be left. The rest are carefully cut so that they do not deplete the young tree. The older the tangerine becomes, the more ovaries you can leave.
Install one or more wooden supports in the tub, to which branches with fruits are tied. Large fruits are attracted to the ground, and the tangerine may break or split into several pieces.
Citrus should be bathed monthly. Cover pot and soil plastic wrap and take the plant to the bath. The leaves are first moistened and then lathered. You can gently rub them with a soft cloth to remove dust and cobwebs. Turn on low pressure and wash off the soap suds. Water should be at room temperature or slightly warmer.
It remains to blot the leaves and branches with a dry towel. Let the tangerine stand in the bathroom until completely dry, and then you can return it to its old place and remove the film.
Caring for a citrus tree is no more difficult than caring for an apple tree in the garden or an orchid growing on a windowsill. A lot of light, a little water and fertilizer - and the tangerine will stretch out, covered with dark green leaves and delicate buds. In summer, citrus will delight with a rich aroma, and in winter it will thank you with sweet and healthy fruits that are associated with the New Year and magic.
Video: how to grow a tangerine from a stone
- one of the most favorite delicacies on New Year's Eve. The aroma of citrus uplifts the mood, gives the body a lot of beneficial trace elements and pleases with a pleasant, sweet taste. It is possible to grow a "home" tangerine. Moreover, it's simple. The plant will decorate the interior of the room, freshen the air with delicate floral and citrus notes.
A small citrus tree was specially bred for growing in greenhouses, winter gardens and rooms. beautiful ornamental plant can not only brighten up the atmosphere of the room, but also bear fruit. The process of growing a mandarin is very interesting, and what pride comes after the first taste of a sweet fruit grown on your own! Growing conditions, planting and caring for citrus - all this can be found in useful material for the grower.
Mandarin in the wild originally grew in China. In nature, it reaches a height of 4 to 5 m and grows as a lush tree. Citrus leaves are bright green, juicy and glossy. Interestingly, the plant changes its crown only once every four years. The plant blooms with white inflorescences in May. Mandarin begins to bear fruit at 4-5 years of age. Fruits - rounded, slightly flattened in the center, bright orange or yellow color, ripen in October. The peel is easily removed, thin or compacted, depending on the variety and type.
The tangerine tree belongs to the mulberry family and has many species and varieties.
The house plant belongs to the group called "satsumy". It is customary to grow them indoors. This is a frost-resistant tree, reaching a height of no more than 2 m. It begins to bear fruit at 3-4 years of age, the fruits are sweet or moderately sweet, depending on the variety in this group. Many gardeners grow tangerines from seeds they get from store-bought fruits. But such seeds are not able to produce sweet and tasty fruits in the future. Fruits from the store are tangerines from the "tangerine" or "noble" group, which are not grown at home, they need a full-fledged climate and a lot of space.
For growing mandarin at home, it is advisable to find satsum seed and a variety intended for indoor cultivation. So you don't have to bother with grafting tangerine or a noble species planted and grown from a "shop" bone. Having understood the intricacies of citrus, you can decide which tangerine to grow at home.
Whatever type of tangerine the gardener chooses to grow, you need to observe the conditions under which the plant will feel comfortable. For successful development, you need to choose a good place and provide the tangerine with lighting, humidity and pick up.
Lighting and air temperature:
- Citrus fruits love bright areas, where there is a lot of diffused sunlight. A twelve-hour daylight is a necessary condition for a mandarin.
- At home, choose windows facing south side. bones can also be on the windowsill, and protect already grown sprouts from sunburn- put the flowerpot a little further from the window.
- In winter, keep your distance from radiators. Do not expose the tangerine to dry air and currents emanating from batteries. It is more expedient to choose a place against the wall of the room, not far from the window, but at a sufficient distance from the radiators. Lighting plays an important role in growing a plant, you should not ignore it.
- The air temperature in the room should not fall below 15° in winter and below 18° in summer. Varieties of the "satsumy", "tangerines" and "noble" groups can withstand temperature drops up to -7 °.
Citrus is very fond of nutritious soils rich in trace elements. Moreover, one mixture is needed for the seeds, and another when transplanting adult plants.
The main condition is good drainage and nutritional value of the soil.
For seeds and their germination, a substrate is prepared from sod land, sand, humus and sheet soil. Ratio 2:1:1:1. You can not add peat to the soil, it acidifies the soil. For a tree aged one year or more, a substrate is prepared from turf, humus, sand, clay and leafy soil. Ratio 3:1:1:1:1. If there is no clay available, it's okay. This is not a mandatory component of the substrate. Having properly prepared the soil, you can safely plant seeds or transplant an already matured tree.
It is very important to provide the plant with sufficient air humidity. This condition is quite difficult to implement at home, especially if the heating system is equipped with conventional radiators. Experienced growers put containers of water next to pots with tangerines, and in winter they put wet towels on the batteries. A prerequisite is a regular sprinkling procedure - this will maintain high humidity air and will not let the citrus dry out. As often as possible, you just need to spray water into the air in the room where the tangerine is located.
Tangerine from the bone: planting rules
Mandarin pits are the most common type of plant. It can always be obtained from a purchased fruit or purchased at a garden store. Rarely buy seedlings. The process of growing an exotic fruit from a seed is very interesting. It is always pleasant to realize that the resulting fruit was grown "from scratch" - from the seed.
Bone planting:
- The existing seed material must first be prepared. To do this, the bones are placed for several days in wet gauze. should swell and peck a little. So they will rise faster, in 3-4 weeks, and not in the prescribed 5-6. Mandarin grows for a long time. So please be patient from the start.
- Lay a layer of drainage in a flowerpot or any other container. Expanded clay, broken brick or pebbles can act as it.
- Then the pot is filled with the substrate for young plants (see above).
- Plant the stone shallowly - to a depth of 1-2 cm.
- Cover the container with foil to create a greenhouse climate.
- Dishes with seeds can be placed on the windowsill.
The air temperature must be at least 15°. The soil must be periodically moistened, but not flooded. Remove the condensate from the film so that the young sprouts are not affected by the fungus. Initially, the bones soaked in gauze will sprout in 3-4 weeks.
Plant care is simple and requires minimum effort associated mainly with irrigation and fertilization. Mandarin will not cause trouble if all growing conditions were initially observed and provided.
- IN summer time citrus should be watered and sprinkled frequently. It is impossible to allow overdrying of an earthen coma.
- Make sure the soil is evenly moist, but not waterlogged.
- For use only settled, warm water. You can't take it straight from the tap. All the precipitation that is always present in the water will settle in the soil. This adversely affects the health of the plant and the nutritional value of the soil.
- Sprinkling procedures are also carried out with warm, settled water. In the hot season, the plant is sprayed 1-2 times a day so that after that direct sunlight does not fall on the leaves.
- In winter, watering and sprinkling are reduced by 2-3 times.
- Top dressing:
- In the spring, it is necessary to introduce and into the soil. The first feeding is carried out after 5-6 full-fledged leaves have formed on the sprout. It is better to give preference to mineral complexes for citrus fruits. Well-rotted humus is introduced from organics.
- Feeding is reduced in autumn.
- In winter, it is better to refrain from them.
It is important to fertilize before - May-June and before fruit ripening - September. Always follow the measure and adhere to the gardener's golden rule: fertilizers with nitrogen compounds are applied in spring, and closer to autumn with phosphorus-potassium compounds.
Every year, in the spring, a young tree needs to be transplanted into a larger pot.
After 8 years of life, the mandarin is transplanted once every 2-3 years. Method - transshipment of an earthen coma. The fresh substrate is distributed in a circle, in a free space along the diameter of the pot. Young plants should be moved from one flowerpot to another with extreme care, as the mandarin root system is very fragile. Many gardeners do young tree so that the fruits are sweet and tasty. However, if the variety and group are chosen correctly, this procedure is not needed. Basically, it is provided if the bones were taken from a purchased fruit of an unknown variety and group.
At home, mandarin is more often affected by spider mites, scale insects or mealy worms. Pests are removed with a cotton swab, and the plant is treated with either vegetable solutions or insecticides of chemical origin. Solutions can be prepared from soap shavings as well. As for chemicals, "Fitoverm" or "Aktellika" will help here. Remember that the use of chemistry is justified in case of severe damage to the plant, which rarely happens at home.
Pests attack tangerines more often when the room is hot and there is low humidity.
In case of incorrect leaves of the tree become stained and fall off. Therefore, it is very important to water the citrus in a timely manner, but not to swamp the soil. Otherwise, the mandarin no longer has enemies and diseases.
It is easy to grow indoor tangerine at home if the rules are followed, the tree has enough light and moisture. For 3-4 years of the life of the exotic, the first tasty fruits will appear - the pride of the plant breeder. Good luck growing your tangerine!
More information can be found in the video:
Homemade orange and tangerine tree looks beautiful and spectacular. During its flowering, white fragrant buds are formed. And after a while delicious fruits are formed. If grown in a bonsai style, you can get a real work of art. The article will tell you how the plant looks like, what varieties are suitable for an apartment, how to properly organize care at home.
Orange and mandarin house is a flowering evergreen plant. Belongs to the genus Citrus, the rue family (calamondin). The height is 4-5 meters. The yield varies from 5000 to 7000 fruits per tree. The crown is round and spreading, with a diameter of about 3.5 meters. The bark is light grey. Young shoots are dark green. The leaves are leathery and small in size. They are egg-shaped, pointed at the end. Photos of the tangerine tree can be seen in the specialized literature.
Growing mandarin at home
At home, growing tangerine, kiwi, pomegranate, persimmon is easy. When planted with a stone, the tree begins to bloom and bear fruit after 7-8 years. But such a state can be achieved much faster if, at the age of 4, grafting is performed from a fruit-bearing tree. If you do not want to mess with planting and propagation, it is better to buy a plant in a specialized store or order it online. Usually fruits are formed without artificial pollination.
To get a good harvest, the plant must be properly looked after, fertilized.
From the bone, seeds
Planting a pit is the easiest way to get a tangerine tree at home. But this process is lengthy. In addition, not all varieties form seeds. For landing should buy quality material that has been properly stored, not exposed to direct sunlight, or frozen. Seeds need to be washed and dried. Then they are wrapped in a damp cotton cloth. When the bones increase in size and sprouts begin to hatch, they are planted in a pot with a fertile substrate. As the plant grows, it is transplanted into a larger container. It is better to sow several seeds at once, because the percentage of their germination is average. It is important to consider that fruits grown from the stone are inedible. Therefore, in order to improve the taste, they are vaccinated. You can watch the video for more details on the process.
Grafting a tangerine seedling
Grafting a tangerine seedling allows you to get a bountiful harvest. The procedure is carried out in the period from April to May or in the month of August. It is important to take the best rootstock and cuttings from a fruiting healthy tree. Use biennial or annual branches of grapefruit. Thorns and leaves are cut from the cutting. A plant with a well-developed bark is suitable for a rootstock. The barrel is first wiped from dust and dirt. Then a small T-shaped incision is made on the bark. The bark is removed with a knife and the cutting is inserted into the hole. This area is smeared with garden pitch, wrapped with a cloth, leaving only a kidney on the surface. Grafted homemade mandarin is covered plastic bottle or a plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect. After three weeks, the branch should take root.
Cuttings for growing a tangerine tree
Often for growing decorative tree cutting is used. A small branch with a leaf can be bought at a specialty store or cut off from an existing tree. The stalk is planted in a fertile, loose substrate. Then it is plentifully watered and covered with a plastic bottle. After 60 days, the branch will take root, leaves will begin to appear. It is allowed to remove the shelter only when the plant is fully strengthened. Further care consists in timely irrigation, annual transplantation and top dressing.
Crossing mandarin with other citrus fruits
At home, it is easy to get hybrid forms of mandarin. To do this, they cross with other citrus plants. For example, with lemon, orange, grapefruit. When a mandarin is crossed with a North African orange, a clementine is obtained. The tree produces medium-sized or small, orange-red, flattened fruits. To cross, you need to pollinate the flowers of one plant with the pollen of another. The seeds obtained from the fruit are planted in a box with a fertile substrate. To grow such a hybrid, a vaccination is needed. Without this procedure good harvest not achieve. If provide clementine the necessary conditions content, after a few years the tree will begin to bear fruit.
Features of tree care
When keeping mandarin indoors, it is important to observe the light and temperature regime.
In order for the young plant to get stronger, the first three years after planting, all ovaries and flowers are removed. Only in the fourth year the tree is allowed to bear fruit. But since at this age the branches are still weak and thin, it is impossible for more than 6 fruits to form. Every year the plant will be able to produce more and more fruits. It is desirable to tie shoots during fruiting. If care is organized correctly, about 60 tangerines can be collected from one adult tree.
Temperature and lighting
Mandarin is light and thermophilic plant. Therefore, it should be placed on the east, south or west window. In this case, it is necessary to build shading from the midday sun. In winter, additional lighting is installed. In summer, the tree is taken out to the veranda or balcony. But to fresh air the plant should be accustomed gradually. The optimum temperature is +25 degrees in summer and +17 degrees in winter. In order for the aged mandarin to bear fruit abundantly, experts recommend cold wintering: keep the pot in a room where the temperature does not exceed +12 degrees.
Watering a tangerine tree
In spring and autumn, irrigate once a day with settled warm water. The irrigation regime must be adjusted so as to prevent waterlogging and drying of the soil so that the mandarin does not shed its leaves. Excess moisture causes rotting of the roots, and its deficiency leads to leaf fall. The tangerine tree prefers high humidity, so regular spraying will be useful. It is important to ensure that during spraying and watering water does not fall on the flowers. Experts advise putting a pot of wood on a pallet with wet expanded clay, pebbles or moss.
Soil requirements and necessary fertilizers
To grow homemade tangerine, use slightly acidic soil. You can buy ready-made soil for citrus fruits in the store or prepare the substrate yourself from soddy and leafy soil, clay, humus and coarse sand. Fertilize begins in June, when the plant enters a phase of active growth. Nutrients are added twice a month. Feed after the irrigation procedure, so as not to burn the root system. As fertilizers, it is better to use an infusion of cow dung, yeast. Suitable and special formulations for citrus. In winter, top dressing is not carried out.
Transplanting a tangerine tree
Transplantation is carried out as the tree grows. For young plant this procedure is carried out once a year. Tangerines older than 7 years are transplanted every two years. Use the transfer method. The new pot should be 6 centimeters larger than the previous one. WITH 
once planted in a large container can not be. This is fraught with root rot. Do not repot during flowering. The best time for such an event is the beginning of spring. Feeding should be stopped a few days before the planned transplant date.
For the procedure to be successful, you must adhere to the algorithm of actions:
- Water the tree generously.
- Remove the plant from the old container.
- Place carefully in a new pot.
- Sprinkle with earth.
- Lightly moisten the soil.
Reproduction, pruning, shaping
Mandarin is propagated at home in a generative or vegetative way. The first method involves growing from the bone. The essence of the second is the rooting of branches. When choosing cuttings, you should use a special rooting solution. Then the percentage of survival will increase several times. Both methods take a lot of time. Therefore, some flower growers prefer to buy already grafted indoor tangerine in the store.
Usually home varieties are undersized. If you form the crown correctly, you can create a bonsai tree that will become a real decoration of the room. To make the plant look neat, you need to control the growth of side shoots and tops. To do this, pruning is carried out lowered down and growing inward branches.
Varieties for home growing
For growing tangerines at home, varieties are used that are short and compact. The most popular are Unshiu, tangerines of the Vase group, Shiva-Mikan, Clementine. Unshiu is Japanese variety, which is characterized by unpretentiousness, precocity, good branching. The tree grows up to 1.5 meters. Flowering is plentiful, falls on the spring season. The fruits ripen at the end of November. The tree is resistant to low temperatures.
Kowano-Wase and Miyagawa-Wase are dwarf varieties, whose height varies from 40 to 80 centimeters. Kovano-Vase grows no more than 50 centimeters. Differs in abundant flowering. The tree bears fruit in the second year of life, gives orange-yellow fruits of a rounded flattened shape. The advantages include frost resistance and high yield. Miyagawa Washe is the most tall variety in Vasya's group. Characterized large fruits, which have a smooth thin skin and are pitted. Fruits ripen in September and retain their taste for a long time.
Shiva Mikan is a fast growing, compact variety that produces small but very sweet fruits. Shiva-Mikan tangerines ripen in summer. Often grown in apartments and Clementine - a hybrid of orange and tangerine. The tree enters fruiting in the second year of life. One plant produces about 50 orange-red fruits per year. Fruit contains many seeds.
Potential Growing Problems
If you follow all the rules of care, take into account the characteristics of the variety, there will be no problems when growing a tree. But beginners often make mistakes in keeping a citrus plant for a month. Often flower growers notice that the foliage begins to turn yellow, curl and fall off. 
This happens for various reasons:
- The tree is getting old.
- Light deficiency.
- Too dry air.
- The transplant was done incorrectly.
- There are drafts in the apartment.
When the yellowing starts from the bottom of the crown and spreads upward, there is most likely a nitrogen deficiency. If first the young leaves turn yellow and dry, and then the old ones, this means that the tree is deficient in iron. It happens that the leaves begin to fall off for no apparent reason. In this case, resuscitation and top dressing with potassium nitrate should be carried out. If the cancer is cured and the cause of the yellowing of the foliage is eliminated, the tree will quickly recover.
Mandarin is susceptible to such pests:
- Spider mite. It is manifested by the appearance of light small dots on the underside of the sheet.
- Mealy worm. It looks like a white fluffy coating.
- Aphid. These are small insects of a light green color.
- Shchitovka. A sticky syrup-like coating forms on the leaves.
citrus products
Tangerines are considered low-calorie, so they are often used in diet food. Drinks, juices, classic compotes, lemonade are prepared from this fruit. They make Isabella wine and chacha from it, alcohol and grapes. There are also recipes for compotes and pomace from dandelions, apples and plums with alcohol. There are many recipes that allow you to create a real dietary treat from healthy tangerine.
For example, crusts, candied fruits are delicious. To prepare them, soak the crust in water for a day. Then cut it into thin strips. Boil candied fruits in sugar syrup for an hour. Then they are laid out on a baking sheet and left to dry.
In the East, fresh slices of this fruit are added to sweet soups and vegetable salads. Delicious ice cream is obtained from tangerine, milk, condensed milk, sour cream. Mandarin is peeled and mashed with a blender. Add condensed milk and sour cream. Mix everything and pour the mass into a container with a lid. Put in the freezer for 6 hours. Every 40 minutes you need to take out the container and mix the ice cream. It is recommended to serve dessert with fruit syrup.
room tangerine can become a real design object, a bright spot decorating the interior. Its beautiful orange fruits bring comfort, make the space of the apartment more lively, homely. Growing indoor tangerine is not as difficult as it seems - in the article we will consider in detail all the nuances and subtleties of caring for this plant.
Room mandarin - evergreen from the genus Citrus. In nature, its analogue reaches an impressive height, up to five meters: indoors, of course, the tangerine is not allowed to grow to such an extent. In a closed space, it can be grown in living quarters, greenhouses, greenhouses, on insulated balconies and loggias.
Decorative mandarin - very effective and bright plant. Not only does it look beautiful, but it also smells great. The foliage is beautiful, dense, has a magnificent, rich shade.
Growing indoor mandarin is accompanied by magnificent flowering: the plant pleases with white, fragrant, small buds collected in a brush. There are species that can bloom long time sometimes all year round. During this period, mandarin smells especially pleasant and bewitching.
Its fruits also ripen - real little tangerines: against the background of rich green foliage, they look like miniature Chinese lanterns. Fruiting occurs when good care: small, neat fruits of a spherical flattened shape of orange or red color appear on the plant.
They usually ripen at the end of the year, and you don’t have to mess with artificial pollination for this. Can be purchased already finished plant with ripe fruits. You should not eat these bright tangerines, since at room conditions a lot of fertilizers are required for their ripening.
Varieties
Today, there are many worthy varieties of decorative mandarin, including miniature, dwarf ones - especially suitable for home maintenance. The height of such specimens reaches only 60-110 cm, which makes it possible to grow them even in a small apartment space.
Let's get to know the most popular varieties tangerine tree.
Kovano-Vase
One of the species of the group of dwarf tangerines of Japanese origin: there are also varieties of Miyagawa-Wase, Miha-Wase and others. Plants reach a height of only 40-80 cm, so they are optimally suited for growing in the limited space of small apartments.
The fruits are yellowish-orange, appear already in the second year after planting. Plants bloom profusely, beautifully, and the formation of a crown during their cultivation is not necessary.
Clementine
Tangerine-orange hybrid, able to please with fruits in the second year after rooting. On one such tree, about 50 small balls of bright orange color with a reddish tint grow, with a characteristic flattened shape. The fruits have a wonderful smell and a beautiful shiny surface.
Murkot
Unlike many other varieties, the fruits of this decorative tangerine can be eaten. Their taste is so sweet that sometimes the variety is also called "Honey".
Unshiu
Japanese variety, very unpretentious, abundantly flowering and fruiting. The first fruits in this case appear in the third or fourth year. A flower grows in room conditions by 80-150 cm. One can note the splendor and excellent branching of the Unshiu mandarin: it needs pruning, albeit not too frequent. The fruits ripen in October-November, they are pear-shaped and without seeds.
Conditions of detention
We will find out what conditions it is necessary to provide indoor tangerine for the plant to actively develop, bloom and bear fruit.
Location and lighting
It is very important to choose the best place for this plant in terms of light level. Light should come in abundantly, including the plant needs a small amount of direct sunlight.
If the illumination is insufficient, the growth of the mandarin will slow down, and its flowering will either become less plentiful, or stop altogether. With a significant, critical lack of light, the foliage becomes ugly, the shoots are elongated, in general the plant looks sickly, stunted. You will then have to take care of it very carefully in order to achieve its full recovery.
It is best to place a pot of tangerine in an apartment on a windowsill from the east, south or southeast. From the direct burning sun most of the time it is desirable to shade. In hot weather, you can put the pot on the balcony, including the unglazed one. In winter, put a tangerine in the brightest place in the apartment, you don’t even need to shade from the sun.
It often happens that natural lighting is not enough - then you have to use the help of artificial lighting. Use a phytolamp or a fluorescent lamp as a source: you need to place it at a distance of at least 30 cm from the plant.
Temperature and Humidity
In summer, decorative mandarin feels great at a temperature of + 20-25 degrees. During the period of bud formation and flowering, it is better to keep at a lower temperature - about + 18-20 degrees. This measure will allow the flowering period to last longer, the petals will not fall off much.
In winter, keep tangerine at a relatively low temperature: + 5-10 degrees. Having passed a dormant period with a low temperature regime, the plant will be able to completely relax and in the next growing season will delight with abundant flowering and fruiting.
As for humidity, indoor tangerine feels better at a high level. Dry air does not suit the plant well, often leads to damage by spider mites, partial loss of decorative effect.
Priming
Optimal for growing tangerines at home, a special mixture for citrus fruits is suitable - it is easy to purchase at any flower shop.
You can also prepare the substrate yourself. To do this, you need to take foliage soil from the upper fertile layer, add the following components:
- river sand - a glass;
- humus - 3 tbsp. spoons;
- ash - 1 tbsp. spoon.
The proportions are based on 1 glass of leafy soil.
The acidity of the substrate should be weak, and the structure should be light. Be sure to provide drainage at the bottom of the tank as a prevention of stagnation, root rot. As a material for drainage, you can use pebbles, expanded clay, crumbs of ceramic objects.
Pot
You can choose a container from any material: ceramics, clay, plastic. The main thing is that the pot has the right size and holes for drainage from the bottom.
Features of caring procedures
We will find out what kind of care an indoor tangerine needs for normal life and active flowering.
Watering
Like its wild relatives, the cultivated mandarin is quite capable of enduring periods of drought. Of course, if the dry period is too long, the plant will have to shed its foliage in order to survive, but with further regular watering, it will recover fairly quickly.
Note that it is much easier for a mandarin to survive just a drought than waterlogging. Excessive watering leads to the development of fungal diseases that can completely destroy the tangerine.
You can determine the specific amount of water for irrigation based on the following parameters:
- plant size;
- the volume of the pot;
- air temperature in the room;
- illumination level.
The larger the tangerine in size, the more water it needs: moisture quickly evaporates from the surface of bulky leaves. In addition, the higher the ambient temperature, the more you should water. In winter, they water very little, starting to reduce the frequency and volume of water since autumn.
If you take water from the tap for irrigation, be sure to defend it. Otherwise, tangerine will react negatively to alkali, chlorine and salts of heavy metals contained in tap water.
In hot weather, along with watering, also apply spraying. For the procedure, use a spray gun with small holes. Spraying to humidify the air, remove dust from the leaves, make the microclimate more comfortable.
Tip: it is advisable to carry out moisturizing procedures in the morning: at this time, life support processes in the plant's body are most active
top dressing
Without a full-fledged high-quality top dressing, an indoor tangerine will not be able to please either good growth or bright fruits. The soil in a pot with this plant becomes poorer quickly: a lot of nutrients are consumed during the growing season, and they can be taken up again in closed space pot is nowhere. You can use both minerals and organics. The plant responds well to both dry granules and liquid, soluble formulations.
In the spring, when the plant begins to revive after a period of winter dormancy, top dressing should be made frequent and intense. It is during this period that mandarin requires more nutrients for development. In winter, when the mandarin is in "hibernation", there is no need to fertilize it.
Such a composition of top dressing is considered optimal, in which the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is balanced - the main microelements for any plant. Optimally suitable are special fertilizers intended for citrus fruits, tangerines. Use mineral ready-made formulations strictly according to the instructions indicated on the package. And it is better to make the solution less concentrated than to overdo it: overfeeding is extremely harmful to the flower, it can lead to its toxic poisoning.
Fertilization frequency: 2 times a week during the growing season from March to September. Less often, more often not. Be careful with dry top dressing, as if there is not enough water, the roots may burn. It is desirable to carry out top dressing in the morning or in the afternoon until 14 o'clock. The plant responds well to traditional root fertilization and foliar spraying.
From organic matter, when growing indoor tangerine, cow dung is used. Fertilizer is diluted in a ratio of 1:10, but due to the specific smell, it is usually used only when the plant is in a greenhouse, greenhouse, and not at home.
Trimming, pinching
In order for the indoor tangerine to have a neat, compact shape, it is recommended to pinch the young shoots from above. This measure will allow the plant to branch more actively, becoming more lush. In addition, it is necessary to constantly remove drying shoots, branches, foliage, buds.
If a young mandarin is taken to bloom very profusely, some of the flowers are usually removed. Otherwise, the plant will be severely depleted, and the fruits will not be able to form and ripen.
Note that the fewer fruits ripen on a tangerine tree, the larger each of them and vice versa. If there are too many fruits, tie up branches so that they do not bend or break under the weight.
Transfer
As a rule, the procedure is performed when the plant in the old pot becomes too crowded. Since the young growth is growing rapidly, it is transplanted every year, after the age of seven - once every 2-3 years.
A new container should not be chosen too large, only 5-8 cm in diameter larger than the previous one. Do not plant a small tangerine in a pot that is too voluminous, as this often leads to rotting of its roots.
You can not transplant during flowering, best time- spring, shortly after the awakening of the plant. 2-3 days before the transplant date, stop feeding, you can not use fertilizers and for a couple of weeks after the procedure.
How is reproduction
Room mandarin at home breeds:
- vegetatively:
- generative.
The first method involves growing a new plant from cuttings, the second - from a seed. It is clear that a new tangerine will sprout from an already formed shoot much faster and easier, which is why this method is usually used. You can also grow from a bone, but the process will be much longer, and its result will be unpredictable. What if this is the bone of a huge wild mandarin growing five meters high?
cuttings
To make the shoot more likely to take root, it is better to use a special liquid that stimulates the development of the root system. In a solution of this liquid, it is necessary to soak the lower part of the cut shoot for some time.
After processing, the cutting is planted in wet sand or soil mixture, covering the container with a polyethylene bag from above. Within a few months, with regular airing and watering, the cuttings usually take root.
From the bone
If you still decide to grow a mandarin from a stone, make sure that this variety is dwarf, and not ordinary. Otherwise, problems are likely when the plant grows. Most often, a tangerine grown from a stone does not bloom - for this it will need to be vaccinated. But, of course, you can grow just a green tree.
If propagation by cuttings or seeds is not suitable, purchase a ready-made, grown mandarin with fruits in a flower shop.
Problems
Most often, when growing at home, mandarin is affected harmful insects: scab, spider mite, worm. Pest control is as follows.
Shchitovka
This insect resistant to insecticides is eliminated by spraying with a solution liquid soap- 2 tbsp. spoons of soap or dish detergent to a 3-liter jar of water. It is previously recommended to collect visible insects by hand. The remedy is kept on mandarin foliage for half an hour, then washed off with water.
mite
If the pest is visible on the leaves, it is collected by hand. Then wipe the stems and foliage on all sides with a cotton swab dipped in technical or medical alcohol. After that, it is desirable to spray with a tincture of garlic, onions (200 grams of chopped vegetable is infused in a liter of heated water).
Chervets
From the pest, wiping the foliage with an alcohol cotton swab, followed by spraying with garlic or onion tincture, will also help.
Tip: it is better to spray in two stages, as one may not be enough. Maintain an interval of a week or ten days.
If the defeat is strong, and folk remedies obviously not coping, you will have to use chemical insecticides. In this case, the tangerine in the pot will have to be taken away from the living quarters for a while and while it is being processed, keep it away from people and pets.
Spots on the leaves
The problem usually arises from the fact that the tangerine is not properly watered. Excessive watering is harmful to the plant: first spots appear, then the foliage begins to fall off and the critical point of the process is the decay of the roots. It is not worth bringing to the last, it is necessary to establish watering already at the stage of spots. Otherwise, the death of the plant is likely.
Diseases
The danger is represented by fungal and viral pathologies. As a preventive measure, agricultural technology is observed, and if the disease has already struck the flower, fungicides are used, or the tangerine is transplanted into another pot with fresh soil.
We learned what kind of care a room mandarin needs. This plant is able to decorate any apartment due to its bright foliage and orange, beautiful fruits. Mandarin is not difficult to grow: by following the available care measures, you can achieve its active growth, lush, long flowering and abundant fruiting.
Breeding indoor citruses at home - though troublesome, but worthwhile. Growing a tangerine tree on the windowsill, you get not only a fragrant and colorful plant, but also tasty, healthy fruits. You are required to properly plant and provide the plant with competent and timely care.
Mandarin looks great as an ornamental plant
Features of citrus
Mandarin belongs to plants of the Rut family. Homeland of growth - China. Today, citrus is grown in many tropical countries - Israel, Turkey, Africa, Thailand, Spain.
An evergreen tree reaches 2-4 m in height. The leaves are dense, leathery, with a glossy surface, dark green. The leaf plate is lanceolate in shape with a pointed end.
Citrus blooms in early spring and lasts throughout the growing season. Mandarin flowers are snow-white, small, formed singly or in groups of several.
Shoots are smooth, erect, dark green. Crown of medium density, oval or spherical shape.
Fruits with a thick orange skin, taste in no way inferior to industrially grown citrus fruits.
At home, a dwarf species is grown, the maximum height of which is 1-1.3 m.
Indoor varieties
There are several varieties of tangerine tree for home cultivation.
- Winshiu. Seedless hybrid form, in the wild reaches 2-3 m in height, in apartment conditions - from 0.8 to 1.3 m. It belongs to frost-resistant crops, is characterized by early ripeness and productivity. Mandarin blooms at home profusely, with small white flowers. Gives the first fruits at the age of 3-4 years.
- Forged Vasya. This dwarf mandarin fruiting occurs in the second year of life. A low-growing plant with a compact crown at home reaches 40-70 cm in height, therefore it is grown in a pot on the windowsill. Blooms profusely with white flowers. Cowano-Vase citrus is valued for its long flowering that lasts throughout the year. Indoor mandarin gives juicy, orange fruits that are well preserved on the tree and may not crumble for several months.
Growing Secrets
In order to achieve high decorativeness and high-quality fruiting, the plant should be provided with growth conditions that are as close as possible to natural growing conditions.
Soil selection
For a tangerine tree, which is grown mainly in tropical climates, it is necessary to choose a balanced soil composition. In a specialized store, you can purchase ready-made soil mixture for indoor tangerines. You can also prepare it yourself by mixing several components:
- sod land - 2 parts;
- leaf ground - 1 part;
- rotted manure - 1 part;
- river sand - 1 part.
In such a nutritious and loose soil, the plant takes root well and grows intensively.
Material preparation
To grow a full-fledged tangerine tree at home, you will need a ripe fruit pit. The seed is removed from the pulp, washed and wrapped in a damp gauze cloth. Every day, the fabric is irrigated with warm water to prevent the seed from drying out.
First, the bone should swell, then hatch and release a small sprout. This is a sign that the time has come to plant it in the ground.
The best option for planting a tangerine is a 3 liter clay pot
Landing features
An ornamental plant is best planted in a pot of natural material- ceramics or clay. The container is filled with a nutrient mixture, the recipe for which is described above. Then they make a small depression - 2-3 cm and lower the bone into the hole with the sprout up. After the seed is instilled and plentifully sprayed from a spray bottle.
Care rules
After planting, mandarin at home needs careful care, especially in the first years of life. Indoor citrus does not require much cost and effort, so even a novice grower can grow it.
Lighting
This is one of the main conditions for caring for a mandarin at home. Tropical culture requires good and long daylight throughout the year. Therefore, a tub or flowerpot with a tree is placed on the southern, southwestern or southeastern window sill.
Homemade tangerine reacts poorly to sudden changes in temperature and does not tolerate drafts. Under such conditions, the plant massively sheds foliage and may die.
With the onset of warm spring days, the plant can be placed on a balcony or loggia, in summer - put on the street, where there is protection from the scorching sun.
Temperature
For mandarin at home, a certain temperature regime is required - from +16 to +18 ° C. Then the plant begins to bloom and successfully bear fruit.
IN summer period indoor tangerines easily tolerate heat and temperatures up to +40 ° C.
In the winter season, the plant is given the opportunity to rest - it is moved to a room with a temperature not higher than 14 ° C. Under such conditions, the growth and flowering of citrus is suspended until spring.
Humidity
The basis of caring for a mandarin at home is the optimization of the humidity level - at the level of 65-70%. To ensure high humidity, you should regularly irrigate the tree, place pallets with water or containers with moistened expanded clay next to the pot.
Watering
In winter, for a mandarin indoor plant, settled water at room temperature should be used. Water the tree no more than 1 time in two weeks. In spring and summer, the frequency of watering is increased and moisture is produced as the earthen coma dries out.
Indoor tangerine does not respond well to overflows, so the plant should be watered in small doses. Water flowing into the pan should be poured out to prevent the appearance of mold in the lower layer of the earth and the decay of the roots.
The citrus plant responds well to showers with warm water. Foliage is washed once a month. Before irrigation, the soil is covered with polyethylene. Additionally, the plant is sprayed every day from a spray bottle with warm water.
top dressing
For mandarin at home, care includes regular fertilization. Citrus needs organic and mineral supplements, which contribute to well-moistened soil. Slurry or ready-made complex fertilizers for citrus fruits are well suited as food.
Feed the tree throughout the growing season no more than 1 time in two weeks. For the winter, plant feeding is stopped, because during this period the dormant phase begins.
To enhance fruiting, the tree can be fed with fish soup. 200 g of fish products are poured with two liters of water, boiled for half an hour. Then cool, filter and water the soil around the trunk circle. Such top dressing is introduced in a complex with the preparation "Mandarin". It is used for plants with a height of at least 1 m.
Variety Unshiu at home bears fruit for 3 years of life
Transfer
As you grow decorative mandarin at home, you should regularly transplant into a new container 2-3 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. Transplantation is carried out by transshipment of an earthen coma with the addition of fresh nutrient soil mixture.
The first transplantation procedure is performed 3-4 years after planting with a frequency of 1 time per year. Adult plants do not bother, they only periodically replace the surface layer with a new nutrient composition.
Trimming and pinching
The pinching procedure stimulates the fruiting and growth of young shoots. Produce pinching in early spring, shortening the apical shoots by a third of the length.
Growing at home, a mandarin in a pot can bloom indefinitely without entering the fruiting phase. To stimulate this process, you should remove some of the flower buds and fruit ovaries, which take strength and energy from the tree. This procedure is carried out on the basis that at least 15 leaves should fall on 1 fruit.
Reproduction methods
There are several ways to get a houseplant:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- layering;
- vaccination.
Seed cultivation is used in the absence of own specimens at home. Propagation by layering is suitable for old trees. Cuttings are used only for some varieties of indoor mandarin in order to obtain a varietal fruit-bearing plant. The graft is suitable for those who already have a sprouted mandarin sprout and any other citrus that can be grafted onto.
tree grafting
Indoor mandarin can grow and develop for a long time at home without fruiting. To speed up the process of formation of fruit ovaries, gardeners carry out the grafting procedure.
Before grafting, abundant watering of the tree is carried out to speed up the process of sap flow in the shoots. So the bark will better move away from the trunk. For vaccination, a well-ripened shoot with several vegetative buds is used. All foliage is removed to prevent the process of evaporation of moisture and the drying of the branch. Optimal Height vaccinations on a tree - 7-10 cm from the soil level. The bark in this area should be healthy, smooth, without buds and foliage.
A T-shaped incision is made in this area. sharp knife. The bark at the incision sites is lifted and a cooked stalk or kidney with a heel is inserted into it so that the kidney remains on the surface. The raised bark on the rootstock is pressed tightly and wrapped with insulating tape. After the kidney takes root, the tape is removed.
You can understand that the grafting of the tangerine tree was successful in three weeks - at the grafting site, the petiole should turn yellow and fall off. If it dried up and remained in place, the grafting procedure should be repeated.
After successful budding, after about 3-4 weeks, it is necessary to prune the apical shoots on the rootstock, and also remove the insulating tape. The pruning of the shoots is carried out in two stages - first, the branch is shortened 10 cm above the eye, then after its germination - at a distance of the spike up from it.
In the future, after vaccination for mandarin, home care is the same as for adult specimens.
Diseases and pests
In case of damage in the winter period, the use of pesticides is not recommended. From spider mites, folk infusions and solutions based on garlic, tobacco dust, soap and ash are used.
In the fight against scab or false scab, water-oil emulsions help well.
For the prevention of diseases and pests, it is necessary to carry out regular treatments of the crown - with a weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate at least once a month.
Difficulties in growing
Many flower growers, especially beginners, do not know how to care for tangerines at home, as a result of which it is not always possible to grow a strong, beautiful and fruitful tree.
Conclusion
Growing indoor tangerine on the windowsill is easy. The main thing is to plant the plant correctly and on time and choose a quality plant for growing. planting material. In conditions of competent home care tangerines will regularly bloom, bear fruit and delight with their beauty.
