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We grow a tangerine tree at home. Homemade tangerine from a stone in a pot - growing features. Mandarin Care

There is nothing difficult in growing a tangerine from a seedling purchased in a store, because we are talking about a grafted fruit-bearing tree. And if there is no opportunity to spend money on seedlings, then the only way out is cultivation tangerine from the bone at home. What will be required for this? Just a few seeds extracted from ordinary fruits.

Within a few years after planting, you will be proud of a slender tree with shiny and very beautiful leaves. The characteristic aroma of citrus will be felt throughout the house, making your home seem even more comfortable.

Samo tangerine tree is a member of the root family. The shape of the plant is spherical, the leaves are evergreen (change every four years), and the flowers are white. The tree can reproduce both vegetatively and by seeds.

On a note! Many houses have indoor tangerine, which was grown from seeds, but this is usually ornamental plant. It does not bear fruit or has small and inedible fruit, but only improves the interior of the room.

If we talk about farms, then citrus crops are grown by grafting to obtain tasty fruits. You can also perform a similar operation if you wish to feast on juicy tangerines. But if you just want to try growing a citrus tree with your own hands, you can definitely do it! To get started, swipe preliminary training: release the window sill of the window that "looks" to the south, rearrange poisonous plants to another place (such crops are not the best neighbors for a mandarin). Then follow the instructions below.

Stage one. Seed preparation

Anyone who has ever grown seedlings knows very well that the seeds must swell before planting. To this end, take a few prepared seeds (you can buy them, but choose seeds without defects and rot) and soak them in cheesecloth for a couple of days (as shown in the image below). Make sure that there is not too much water - the gauze should be only slightly damp, in the future, just add a little more liquid as you go.

If you plan to grow just one tree, then soak somewhere around 12-15 seeds anyway. The fact is that not everyone will germinate, some will die from diseases, in addition, many will become a “victim” of the first plant grafting.

Instead of gauze, you can use hydrogel - you can buy it at the nearest specialized store. Experienced gardeners and professional landscape designers actively use it, because hydrogel is an excellent protection against heat.

On a note! Figuratively speaking, a hydrogel is a kind of analogue drip irrigation, but you will not add it to the soil, but use it instead of gauze (the substance retains moisture perfectly).

Try to keep the seeds inside the hydrogel all the time - so they will not dry out.

Stage two. Landing in the soil

Seeds that have already "hatched" must be planted in a seedling box or an ordinary pot. It is worth noting that some do not wait for the seeds to swell, but immediately begin planting in the ground. Here sprouts are formed later, but outwardly they look no worse than those that grow from soaked seeds.

First, choose the right soil.

Ideally, you need to take a special soil mixture for citrus crops sold in flower shops. Although what kind of soil will be used for cultivation does not play a special role. The difference between homemade tangerine is, first of all, its unpretentiousness, so you can use almost any mixture - for example, from turf and leaf ground. It can also be a neutral nutrient soil ("Rose", "Biohumus", etc.). The main thing is not to use peat, because it quickly sours and dries out, and there are few nutrients in it.

You can also make your own soil mixture for growing homemade citrus crops - for this, mix the following ingredients in the indicated proportions:

• one part sand;
• three pieces of turf;
• one part of humus;
• one part of leafy soil;
• some clay.

Pour the bottom of the prepared container drainage, which you can use as:

• small stones;
• fine fraction expanded clay;
• brick fight.

On top of the drainage, pour the finished soil mixture into which you place the mandarin seeds. The first leaves should appear within three weeks after planting.

Stage three. Further care

At first, the mandarin practically does not need any care, but later, when the first sprouts form, you have to start feeding the plants. You can do this using any fertilizer - not only organic, but also inorganic. They are sold, again, in any flower shop. Although it is better to give preference special formulations designed to feed citrus plants.

As for other aspects of care, they are presented in the form of a table.

Table. Features of caring for mandarin

Procedure	Brief description, instruction
	Transplant every year, and better in spring time. Try not to damage the integrity of the soil near the roots. Once the tree is eight years old, you can switch to repotting every two years.
	It is quite obvious that mandarin is a sun-loving plant, so it should be grown on a windowsill located on the south side of the house (there gets the most sunlight). In winter, make sure that the air temperature in the house is at least 14 degrees.
	The plant described in the article needs high humidity, so water it abundantly every day using water room temperature. In addition, spray the plant weekly with a spray bottle. Additionally, you can put some open container of water next to the tangerine.
	These include, first of all, citrus whiteflies and spider mites. To protect against them, use special preparations (for example, Actellik), washing the leaves with them.

Separately, it is worth talking about the rules for fertilizing, which are common for both young seedlings and citrus fruits. Apply fertilizer immediately after watering, giving Special attention this process from April to the end of summer. Any experienced gardener will say that if you carefully care for citrus fruits during this period, the fruits will grow sweeter.

Video - Features of growing homemade mandarin

Features of growing a fruiting mandarin

If you grow a tangerine from a stone, then it begins to bear fruit six to seven years after planting. As noted earlier, the first fruits (and they are also called wild) will not have the taste characteristic of citrus crops. Is it possible to somehow speed up the fruiting?

It is possible, but to obtain juicy and tasty fruits, it is necessary to plant a tangerine tree. The best time for vaccination is the period from April to August, that is, the time of sap flow. If everything is done quickly and cleanly, then you are guaranteed to get a positive result.

First prepare everything you need - during the vaccination process you will need:

• rootstock (a tree you have grown with a trunk thickness of at least 0.6 centimeters - somewhere like a pencil);
• scion (eye or stalk cut from a branch of a fruiting plant - it is important that its age does not exceed two years);
• special knife for budding;
• garden pitch;
• elastic band.

The further algorithm of actions should look as follows.

Step one. On the stem of the scion, about 10 cm high, make a T-shaped incision.

Step two. Insert a pre-prepared graft into the incision.

Step three. Wrap the injection site carefully with elastic tape.

Step Four. Then cover the plant with a PET bag or glass jar- this is necessary in order to provide the required microclimate.

Step five. After the kidney sprouts, begin to “accustom” it to fresh air. To do this, remove the package / jar from it every day, gradually extending the ventilation time.

Split Grafting Technique

Step Six. After about a month, when the shoot gets stronger, remove the elastic winding and cut the rootstock layer obliquely, about three centimeters from the scion. Without fail, cover the cut with a garden pitch.

step seven. Place a stick in the pot - so the plant "learns" to grow vertically. Actually, that's all.

With the help of this simple instruction, you can grow a fruit-bearing tangerine tree at home, which will not only complement the atmosphere in the apartment / house, but also give a characteristic pleasant aroma. It is possible that you will fail the first time, but you will gain valuable experience that will definitely come in handy for subsequent attempts!

Video - How to plant citrus plants

A tangerine tree will decorate any interior. Its fruits are not as sweet as those grown on outdoors but they look very nice. In addition, citrus oils are able to disinfect the air in the room, while saturating it with oxygen. Therefore, it would be useful to learn how to grow a tangerine from a stone at home, especially since this is a very exciting activity.

Seed preparation

First you need to buy and eat tangerines. Bones for planting are selected from ripe and sweet fruits. When sampling, stop your attention on rounded large seeds - they are the most viable. After that, the bones must be prepared. They are wrapped in wet gauze and left for 5 days. This time is required for planting material soaked in water and it swelled . A few tips:

When shoots appear, you can select 2-3 strongest seedlings for further cultivation and distribute the rest of the material or throw it away. For the initial planting, plastic cups are suitable; as the plants grow, they are transplanted into pots. A grown seedling will need a 4-liter pot.

Landing step by step instructions

When grown in a common container, a layer of expanded clay or clay shards is laid on the bottom. Drainage is necessary so that moisture does not stagnate at the roots. The soil must be breathable and fertile. You can buy special soil for citrus plants in the store. After that proceed to landing:

Immediately after transplantation, care should be taken not to flood the plant. Mandarin roots are prone to rotting. Until the seedling takes root in a new place, it is watered very carefully.

Mandarin tree care

Tangerine tree from the stone at home requires some care so that it can grow, develop and bear fruit.

One of the important conditions for successful growth is frequent transplantation. Young plants need to be replanted annually, and adults - once every 2-3 years. In this case, the diameter of the new pot each time should be 4-6 cm larger than the previous container. When the tree grows too big, it is no longer disturbed. In this case, instead of a transplant, replace upper layer earth with fresh soil - this will be enough to maintain the plant in a healthy state.

If you do not want to burden yourself with special troubles and achieve fruiting, then basic care will be somewhat easier. Mandarin must be regularly watered and sprayed foliage, sometimes you can pamper the plant with a warm shower. This culture is also demanding of light. To maintain decorative winter time it is desirable to organize a backlight for the tree. In summer, a pot of tangerine can be taken out to Fresh air the plant will love it.

Some dream of getting ripe tangerine fruits from an indoor tree. Is it possible? In order for the tree to bloom, it needs special care. Below it will be told how to grow a tangerine at home that can bear fruit:

Six months later, the mandarin is released from the wire. This method will work if other conditions for budding are met: the tree is healthy and has a well-formed crown, a dormant period is observed during the winter months.

It is also necessary to take into account the age of the plant, at least 5 years must pass from the moment the seed is planted. The taste of mandarin fruits depends on the care and conditions of detention.

crown formation

To form the crown, a technique such as pinching shoots is used. This is recommended if you want to get fruits grown by yourself. After the main shoot reaches a height of 30-40 cm, its crown must be pinched to stimulate branching, if it did not occur on its own. This allows you to get side branches of the first order. The procedure is continued in the future, removing the tops of all growing shoots and leaving 4-5 leaves on each.

Using this technique, you can ensure that on the branches of the 5th order the mandarin will bloom and bear fruit. Branches growing inside the crown, weak and twisted shoots are also removed. The whole process of crown formation takes 3-4 years. In order for the tree to grow evenly, it must be rotated around its axis from time to time, different parties to the light.

The angle of rotation should be small, the pot with the plant is slightly unfolded once every two weeks. It is not recommended to do this more often, since the mandarin does not like changes in its location.

Probably, as a child, you also buried a tangerine stone in a pot of indoor flower in the hope that it will sprout and grow into a real tangerine tree? Most likely, she germinated, but soon died. But it is really possible to grow a tangerine at home, and it is not so difficult. Find out how to grow citrus tree, and what needs to be done so that it gives sweet and fragrant fruits.

Mandarin is an exotic citrus plant, which is a low evergreen tree. IN natural environment it grows in southern latitudes: in China, Morocco, Japan and South Korea. In these countries, mandarin is the same common fruit plant as apple trees are for us.

Tangerines love mild climates. And similar conditions can be recreated in an apartment. That's why tangerine seeds can be planted in flower pots: citrus trees will grow out of them, and eventually even begin to bloom. True, it will be in 9-10 years. And the fruits will be small and tasteless. But this can be fixed. First, we will tell you how to properly plant a tangerine seed so that a healthy plant grows out of it.

Seeds for growing a tangerine tree can be taken from ordinary tangerines purchased at the store. For planting, you need to choose the largest: from them will grow strong seedlings with a well developed root system. Small ones may not germinate at all. Another important condition- seeds must be taken fresh, just taken out of the fruit. If they have time to dry, you will wait a long time for seedlings from them.

In order for the seeds to sprout faster, they need to be wrapped in a cotton pad (or cloth) dipped in water and kept for 5 days. When drying, cotton wool needs to be additionally moistened. After 5 days, the seeds will swell, and it will be easier for them to hatch. You can even germinate them by keeping them in a wet cotton pad for a few more days. But it is better that they still ascend, being in the ground.

Advice! Even if you only want to plant one tangerine tree, plant at least 4-5 plants initially. Some of them may not sprout, while others may die by catching an infection. And then you will have 1-2 trees.

Conditions for planting and growing

For tangerine seeds to germinate, they need to create comfortable conditions. To grow mandarin, prepare a loose nutrient soil with a neutral reaction. You can purchase a ready-made soil mixture with a pH value in the range of 6.5-7. You can make your own by mixing:

• 1 part washed river sand;
• 2 parts of leaf land;
• 2 parts of rotted humus.

Advice! Do not add to soil mixture peat. It is very loose, but sour. In it, the mandarin will develop poorly and often get sick.

Disinfect the prepared soil by calcining it in an oven at a temperature of about 80 ° C for two hours. You can roast it in a frying pan. There is another way to rid the soil of harmful microorganisms - this is to water it with a dark solution of potassium permanganate. But then you have to wait for it to dry.

For planting tangerines, prepare seedlings with a volume of 200 ml. They can also be planted in a common bowl with a depth of about 8-10 cm. A mandatory requirement for a container is the presence drainage holes to remove excess moisture.

Planting tangerine seeds

Planting mandarin seeds is carried out as follows:

1. Fill the seedling cups (or bowl) with loose and nutrient soil so that there is about 2 cm of free space left to the top edge.
2. Using a stick (or a simple pencil), make small indentations (about 2-2.5 cm).
3. Place one mandarin seed in each indentation. If the seed is already sprouted, then it must be lowered with a sprout down, because this is a root.
4. Water the soil generously.

Cover cups or a common bowl with a plastic bag or glass to provide the seeds with high air humidity and stable heat. If you do not cover the plantings, the seeds will still germinate, but this may take longer. Place the containers on a well-lit window sill.

5-7 days after planting the tangerine seeds, you will see the first sprouts. They need special care to grow into strong trees. We will find out in what conditions it is necessary to keep a tangerine, and how to properly care for it.

Transfer

When the mandarin seeds germinate, remove the film (glass) from the container. Citrus plants develop very quickly. Therefore, after the cotyledon leaves, the first true leaf will soon grow. This means that the time has come to transplant the sprouts into new individual pots. They should be bigger size. For this, flower pots with a volume of 900-1000 ml are suitable.

Step-by-step instructions for transplanting sprouts into individual containers:

1. Pour down the pot drainage layer. It can be small pebbles, chipped bricks or styrofoam torn into pieces.
2. Then add some soil. It should be the same one you used to germinate the tangerine seeds.
3. Water the tangerine sprouts generously so that they can be easily removed from the soil along with the root.
4. Take out the sprout, put it in a pot and, holding it with one hand, cover it with soil so that it is buried 1 cm above the level that it was before.
5. Moisten the soil and sprinkle it with a small layer of dry earth so that after watering a hard crust does not form on the surface.

In the future, the tangerine will need to be repotted every year. The diameter of the pot should increase by 1-2 cm every year. An unscheduled transplant may be required. This happens when the soil is so depleted that the old leaves begin to fall off, and the new ones grow small and frail.

Advice! Best time for transplantation - the beginning of the active growing season. Tangerine trees come out of "hibernation" in the spring (March-April).

Top dressings and fertilizers

In the first year, tangerines do not need to be fed, as they have enough nutrients that are contained in the soil. Starting from the second year of vegetation, the tree is fed once every 2 weeks. For this you can use:

• Chicken litter. It cannot be applied in pure form, so it must be diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 20 and infused for several days. The resulting infusion must be diluted again in water in the same ratio before use.
• Mullein infusion. So called cow dung, diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 10.
• Complex fertilizer for citrus fruits. For example, Bona Forte or Zdraven.

If you have planned a transplant, then feeding should be stopped at least 3 days in advance. In winter, mandarin is not fertilized, since in the Russian climate at this time it is in a dormant period.

Watering

You need to water the tangerine tree as the soil dries. Citrus plants do not like waterlogging of the soil. To find out if the earth ball is dry, tap the pot with your knuckles. If the echo is sonorous, it is time to water; if it is deaf, there is still enough water. You need to pour enough water so that it begins to seep through the drainage holes.

Tangerines love to have their leaves sprinkled with water. But this should be done with water at room temperature that has been settled for a day. Citrus plants need wiping the leaves if dust has settled on them.

Advice! Keep the soil dry during dormancy. Therefore, reduce watering and stop spraying the leaves.

Temperature

In the early years, the temperature at home is not so important for a young mandarin. The main thing is to be warm. But when the plant begins to bloom, you need to create for it good conditions both for the dormant period and for the period of active growth.

In winter, the tangerine should be at a temperature of about +10 ... +12 ° C. In spring, the temperature should be increased to +17 ° C to stimulate the formation of buds. To maintain flowering and fruit set in summer, it is necessary to maintain at a level of +25 ° C. But heat must not be allowed, otherwise the flowers will fall off. Also, keep them away from water.

Lighting and location

Mandarin loves a lot of light. But he must be scattered. Under the straight lines sunbeams leaves may wilt. Therefore, put the tree on a well-lit windowsill and create a slight shade for it.

If there is no place at home that is well lit by the sun, use artificial light. To supplement the illumination of tangerines, special phytolamps are needed that emit the range of light waves that are necessary to support photosynthesis processes.

Air and humidity

Tangerines love moist air. Therefore, in winter, when the air in the apartments becomes especially dry, the tree suffers from a lack of moisture. To humidify the air, it is advisable to use special humidifier. Alternative method- hanging wet sheets in the room.

Citrus trees do not like drafts. Therefore, they do not need to be placed open window. For the same reason, you can not take the plant to outdoor balcony. But if it is glazed, and it is warm enough in it, then the tangerine will feel good there.

Diseases and pests of mandarin seedlings

On a tangerine can settle:

• flies;
• ticks.

To destroy pests of a tangerine tree, it is not necessary to use insecticides. You can deal with them by washing the stems and leaves. running water using soap. For prevention reappearance put pests in a pot of tangerine onion peel or garlic. You can also periodically water infusion of garlic or onion peel.

With systematic waterlogging of the soil, mandarin is affected by fungi. First formed on the soil white coating, then the aerial part of the plant begins to suffer. This happens when the roots begin to rot. In this case, a tree transplant is needed and preventive treatment its crown and roots with a fungicide solution.

How to grow tangerines with fruits at home

Growing mandarin from the stone provides for late flowering. Usually, the first flowers in tangerines grown from seeds appear in the 9-10th year. But this time can be shortened. Let's find out what needs to be done.

pruning

Flowers in citrus plants begin to appear on the shoots of the fourth order. But in the first years, the trees mainly grow the main shoot: it branches very poorly. In order for the tangerine to begin to delight you with fruits faster, it needs to be cut. Pruning stimulates the growth of lateral shoots, improves the decorative quality of the crown and accelerates the time of the first flowering.

The main shoot of the mandarin is pinched when it reaches a height of 20 cm. To do this, break off the apical bud with alcohol-treated tweezers. After some time, side branches will begin to grow. They are also pinched when 3-4 leaves form on them. And so it is necessary to do with each new order. But thickening should not be allowed: for this, remove branches growing inside the bush, as well as fattening shoots.

Important! Pruning a tangerine tree helps to achieve flowering as early as the 4th year after the emergence of sprouts. However, there is no guarantee that the emerging fruits will have the same decorative and taste qualities as tangerines from the store. Most likely, these will be small wild fruits with a sour taste. However, some may be lucky: according to the laws of genetics, 25% of tangerines grown from the stone will be just as large and tasty.

Vaccinations

Another way to speed up the appearance of the first fruits is the mandarin grafting. The procedure helps to get the first fruits in 2 years after it. You will need one branch of a varietal tree. You can borrow it from those who already grow this plant at home.

There are three options for grafting a tangerine tree:

1. With a V-shaped cut made to the center of the rootstock, in which the branch is embedded.
2. With a T-shaped cut into which a piece of wood with bark and a kidney is inserted.
3. Grafting at an acute angle. This option is suitable when the diameters of the rootstock and scion are the same. The cut points are connected.

The grafting process must be done quickly. The grafting site must be tightly bandaged and treated with garden pitch. In order for the scion to take root better, the tangerine is watered with growth stimulants (for example, Epin) and covered with a transparent plastic bag to create a comfortable environment.

Attention! To grow a grafted tangerine, you do not have to grow a tangerine. You can use a lemon or other citrus tree. But it is believed that it is the wild lemon that has the strongest root system. Therefore, it is most often used for vaccination.

Those who first started growing a tangerine tree at home often face the following problems:

• The lower leaves dry at the ends and fall off. This happens with regular waterlogging of the soil. Repot the plant, removing rotten roots, and reduce watering.
• The leaves began to turn yellow: first they turned yellow from below, then from above. This indicates that the soil is poor in nitrogen. Feed the plant organic fertilizers: mullein or chicken manure.
• Leaves turn yellow: young leaves form already yellow, and then the plant is yellower in the lower part of the crown. This indicates an iron deficiency. Iron sulfate will help to fill its deficiency.
• Mandarin blossoms, but does not form fruits. Most likely, your house is too hot.
• The tree's leaves began to fall. This can cause either too dry air or a lack of potassium. If you are sure that the humidity in the apartment is normal, water the tree with a solution of potassium nitrate. Otherwise, humidify the air.
• If the leaves have become light, and their size has increased, they do not have enough light. Put the pot in another, more lighted place. If this is not possible, purchase an artificial light source.

Attention! In mature trees, leaves may fall from old age. If the plant develops well, does not get sick with anything, blooms regularly and forms fruits, then this is normal.

Anyone can grow a tangerine from a seed. Despite the fact that this exotic plant, growing in warm countries, similar conditions can be recreated in each apartment. At proper care a tangerine tree can grow up to 1.5 m in height and consistently delight you with fragrant and juicy fruits.

" Trees

Few people think that a fruit-bearing exotic tree can be grown from a tangerine seed. Wonderful citruses will delight with their regular harvest, though not large. You don't have to live in the tropics to have your own tangerine tree in the window.. The material below will allow you to grow tangerines at home without making mistakes.

Recently, tangerines have been successfully grown in greenhouses, winter greenhouses and on windows. Amateur gardeners have learned the intricacies of growing exotic trees Now it's no secret to anyone. Due to doubts about whether it will bear fruit, many do not dare to have an exotic pet on their window.

Growing it from a seed is as easy as shelling pears, but in order to get fruits, you need to follow some recommendations. Benefits of breeding tangerines in an apartment:

• citrus plant by characteristics unpretentious and tenacious;
• neat tree in a pot wonderful decorate the interior;
• tree will delight with abundant foliage and pleasant aroma;
• the owners of the tree note that it helps with depression and loss of strength.
• tangerine, like indoor flowers It does not require special care;
• you can grow it from any purchased tangerine;
• will come from the bone excellent decorative tree.

To properly germinate the bone, you need to buy several mandarin fruits. Take out the largest seeds from the inside. Small and soft will not work, it is better to throw them away.

For indoor cultivation it is better to choose low-growing species.

If you do not take into account fruiting, for the sake of an evergreen plant on the window, you can plant seeds from any purchased tangerine. For the sake of fragrant fruits - it is recommended to plant the following varieties of mandarin:

1. Early citrus cultivar Unshiu it is considered very fruitful and unpretentious. A low-growing tree has a spreading crown with flexible branches. With sufficient care and additional illumination, the tangerine will bear fruit without ceasing.
2. Indoor variety of mandarin Murcott (Murcott) allows you to get sweet, like honey, fruits. The ripening season is summer.
3. Early ripe tree Shiva-mikan (Shiva-mikan) adapts well to room conditions. Blooms profusely and bears fruit. The weight of the fetus can reach 30 grams.
4. Many successfully grow Clementine tangerines on the window. So that it bears fruit and does not grow "wild", it will be necessary to graft a sprig of cultivated citrus.

In principle, you can try to plant any tangerine, the question is, will it bear fruit? The answer to this question and many other aspects of growing will be discussed below.

Will an ornamental tree grown from a seed bear fruit?

Experts are unanimous in their opinion that without grafting, a tree will not bear fruit. Let this not scare you, it is not difficult to acquire a cultivated scion, one branch will be enough. Tangerines grown in this way, delight with orange fruits for 3-4 years.

If not vaccinated, tangerines will be small, green and tasteless.

On a well-rooted crown, the scion will quickly take root. Such a plant will cost much less than buying citrus in a flower shop. Many amateur gardeners share branches for breeding different varieties cultivated mandarin.

There are cases when tangerines go on sale with twigs. For the sake of experiment, you can try to graft or root it. There is no need to be afraid of difficulties, there will be no problems with the plant. The effort expended will be rewarded with a fragrant harvest.

Optimal growing conditions

An unpretentious plant requires some conditions for placement and cultivation. By following these requirements, fruiting can be achieved throughout the year. If the tree is properly cared for, it will constantly bloom and bear fruit. Often on the windows you can find tangerines with fruits of different maturity. Conditions to be met:

• stable temperature regime not less +14 degrees;
• the best place in the house unshaded windows from the south side;
• plant sufficient humidity is required, you can achieve it by spraying;
• during the dry period ensure regular watering(it is recommended to put a container with water nearby);
• autumn and winter, the frequency of watering is reduced, loosening of the soil is added;
• fertilize in the spring general purpose fertilizers.

In an adult plant, a crown is formed, excess branches are removed. At abundant flowering in the first year of fruiting, it is better to pinch some of the inflorescences. This is done in order not to burden the young tree. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the mandarin so that there are no diseases on the leaves and drying out.

A lack of moisture can kill the plant, and an overabundance will cause root rot.

How to choose a bone for planting?

The stone is taken from a ripe bright orange color of the fruit. Yellow and green do not fit. To get 2-3 sprouts, you need to collect at least 10 strong seeds . Planting is best done immediately, no need to wait for the bones to dry out and wrinkle. It is preferable to buy tangerines during the natural fruiting season, in autumn or winter.

In the rest of the year, it is more likely to get low-quality seedlings of hybrids. The quality of the bones can be checked with water.. Heavy seeds will sink, hollow ones will float on top. Thanks to the selection of high-quality seed, the seedlings will be strong and stable. Weak seeds may die over time.

landing conditions

The conditions may seem complicated, but these are just subtleties that need to be observed. In the future, everything will be much easier, the main thing is to do everything right. Prepared bones must undergo some preparation before they fall into the ground..

1. Seeds must be disinfected from the effects of fungi, a solution of hydrogen peroxide. The ratio of peroxide and water is 1:10. It is enough to dip the bones in the solution and remove.
2. Next, take a saucer or any other container, cover it soft cloth. Wrap seeds in it. Dampen the cloth well. Keep it moist every day. It is not necessary to pour heavily with water, the seeds will rot from an excess of moisture.
3. If the germination process seems tedious, you can immediately sow the seeds in wet ground . In case the seeds do not sprout, this option will not work.

1. In a few days the seeds will sprout. At this point, it will be necessary to prepare the ground for their landing. It is better to give preference to light non-acidic soil. You can buy ready-made soil composition or cook it yourself. For 1 part of sand, take 2 parts of earth and humus. The land taken in the forest belt is well suited.
2. Pick up a small pot. Put the bones in there. Planting depth 1-2 cm. Weak shoots can always be removed. Strong - transplant.
3. Some practice growing seedlings in disposable cups. This method has the right to life, but it is better to take peat or flower pots. Moisture evaporates worse in a glass.
4. Water according to soil requirements, it must always be moist.
5. loosen the soil until the plant is well rooted, it is not necessary.
6. In order for mandarin seedlings to grow rapidly, it is necessary provide additional lighting . This is especially true in the winter, when natural light will not be enough.

By the number of shoots, you can judge how high quality the bones were. When planting 10 seeds, normal germination is 3-5 seedlings. Some of the seedlings may die in the process of growing up. Natural selection will allow you to get strong sprouts.

How to care for a young seedling

Care consists in regular watering and spraying the leaves. To prevent the leaves from hurting, do not spray them with tap water. Let her stay at least one night. It is good to have a special watering can in which settled water will be. So that the roots do not rot, you can add a little potassium permanganate to the water.

As a prophylaxis against aphids and midges, onion skins should be placed around the plant. E if the pests are wound up, the seedling is washed with water infused with garlic, laundry soap or salt. Midges can live on the surface of the soil. It will need to be loosened.

houseplant grafting

In order for a citrus tree to bear fruit, it is necessary to graft a cutting from a varietal mandarin. Sections are made with a disinfected sharp instrument. At the time of grafting, the young tree should be as thick as a pencil. There are many ways to vaccinate, choose the most convenient option:

• T-graft using a shallow incision under the bark;
• acute angle grafting, the cut is attached to the cut on the tree;
• V-cut a wild game is made in the center, a branch is inserted inside.

You need to graft quickly and accurately. Bandage the grafting site tightly and cover it with garden pitch.. To ensure comfortable conditions for the plant after the scion, you can cover it with a transparent bag or glass jar. You can use growth stimulants.

Rooted and grafted tree, being on south side with sufficient watering and fertilization, it will delight with an abundance of tangerines. Having enlisted tips on growing, you can safely proceed to planting. As experience shows, it turns out that everyone can grow a tangerine from a stone.

Recently growing on the windowsill of exotic fruit plants became a kind of fashion trend» both among professional flower growers and among lovers of this exciting activity. Citrus crops are far from the last place in flower collections, and most often the most favorite tropical pet is mandarin. Such popularity is explained simply: the fruits of the tangerine tree are associated by many with winter holidays, the aroma of a Christmas tree and New Year's miracles, so for many a cute pet on the window is the mood of the most beloved and long-awaited holiday.

Mandarin is very unpretentious in care, and growing it at home from an ordinary bone is not difficult at all. To that exciting process younger family members can also be involved. At the first planting experience, it is recommended to pay attention to some features of mandarin farming.

Selection and preparation of planting material

For growing homemade tangerine tree suitable bones from the usual purchased fruit, the main thing is that it is well ripened. Since seedlings may be lost at any stage of the process, several seeds should be taken for planting at once. Seeds extracted from the pulp immediately before sowing can be placed immediately in the ground. If the seeds have had time to lie down and dry, they will need pre-soaking. To do this, tangerine seeds are wrapped in several layers of wet gauze and placed on a saucer for 10–12 hours, after which they are planted in the ground. Hydrogel can be used as a modern alternative to gauze. When using it, the seeds are placed in the middle layers of the granules, where the optimum moisture level is maintained.

The soaking procedure can be extended until the seeds germinate, and with the appearance of the first roots, transfer to the prepared substrate. In this case, the saucer with soaked seeds should be covered with glass or film, which will speed up the emergence of sprouts. It is necessary to periodically add water to the greenhouse, preventing the seed from drying out.

Landing rules

The best soil for a tangerine tree, which is very demanding on soil composition, will be special mix for citrus fruits from a flower shop. A self-prepared substrate should consist of sand, soddy and leafy soil, mixed in a ratio of 1: 3: 1, with the addition of a small amount wood ash and rotted organic matter. It is allowed to sow seeds in a common container, however, planting in a separate pot will avoid the first transplant procedure, which mandarin, like all citrus fruits, endures quite painfully. Sowing works are carried out in the following sequence:

• A small drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the planting tank, after which the peat mixture is poured and moistened abundantly.
• Prepared seeds are planted at a depth of 1-2 cm.
• The container with crops is covered with polyethylene and left in dark place at a temperature of +23 ... +25 ° C until germination, maintaining a constant soil moisture.
• With the advent of seedlings (after 4–5 weeks), the crops are taken out into the light and the shelter is removed from them.

At the stage of formation of the 3rd–4th leaf, young plants grown in a common container dive into separate containers. Further development seedlings depends on the correct conditions of their maintenance.

Features of care

Caring for a tangerine tree is easy. For a comfortable well-being of the plant in its content, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

• It is desirable to have a tropical pet on the windowsills of the south and southeast sides. To ensure uniform illumination of the crown, the pot must be regularly turned towards the light. But! A tangerine can react to a sudden change in location or too frequent turns of the pot with a sudden drop of leaves.
• Watering mandarin should be moderate, avoiding both drying out and waterlogging of the earthy coma. For irrigation, it is recommended to use melt or rain water. In case of use tap water it must be defended for at least a day. In the heat, the tree needs frequent watering.
• Every day the pet should spray with distilled water room temperature, and every 7-10 days to arrange for him warm shower with soapy crown treatment. This procedure helps prevent possible infections and pest attacks. To avoid soap getting into the soil, it is recommended to cover the soil surface with polyethylene.
• From the beginning of June to the end of August, the plant good to keep outdoors. The "summer" place for a mandarin should be sunny, protected from rain and drafts, which have an extremely negative effect on the well-being of the tree.
• IN winter period mandarin requires special conditions of detention - cool bright room with air temperature from +2 to +10 °C.
• For plant nutrition, it is recommended to use complex fertilizers for citrus crops with high nitrogen content. Feed every 2 weeks throughout the spring-summer period. With the onset of autumn, feeding is stopped.
• As the tangerine tree grows needs to be transplanted into a larger container. Since the mandarin does not like transplantation, it should not be abused. The indication for the procedure are the roots, "sticking out" of the drainage holes of the pot. It is recommended to replant a tree using the transshipment method without disturbing the earthen coma.v
• The small, bitter-tasting fruits of mandarin grown from the stone are unsuitable for food, so if you want to improve the taste characteristics of the future harvest, you can by vaccination. As a scion, a branch is taken from a varietal fruit-bearing plant, the qualities of which will subsequently be inherited by a home tree.

crown formation

By the time of the first flowering (after 3-5 years), the tangerine tree should have a well-formed spherical crown. They begin to shape the crown in the second year of life. To do this, at a height of 17–22 cm, the main trunk is shortened, after which all single branches are removed, leaving 4–5 healthy branched shoots. A year later, re-pruning is carried out, shortening and pinching the side branches, which contributes to better tillering and fixing the shape of the crown. Subsequently, the procedure is cosmetic and rejuvenating in nature - old, weak and improperly growing branches are removed. In order not to harm the plant during pruning, the following recommendations should be followed during pruning:

• The pruning procedure should be carried out before flowering or at its end. The first method allows you to stimulate the growth of the tree, the second contributes to the formation of new buds.
• Sick, old shoots, as well as shoots with slight branching, are to be pruned.
• Branches with fruit ovaries cannot be cut.
• When carrying out the procedure, you should use sharp garden shears or a well-sharpened knife.
• Places of cuts must be treated with garden pitch, tree resin or other antiseptics.

Pruning, carried out in accordance with all the rules, allows you to give the crown of the home tangerine a neat shape and contributes to the formation of young shoots.

Possible problems

In the process of growing homemade mandarin, it is necessary to monitor the health of the green pet. A few yellowed and discarded leaves are not a reason to panic, however, a sudden “leaf fall” is most likely the result of a violation of agricultural technology, which should be eliminated in as soon as possible. The most common causes of leaf shedding are:

• incorrectly selected irrigation mode;
• unnecessarily high level soil acidity;
• a large number of old uncut shoots;
• a sharp temperature drop;
• lack of light;
• high concentration of fertilizers.

With the rapid elimination of the adverse factors listed above, the mandarin will return to normal life.

Proper care, attention and care make it possible to grow an elegant tropical tree from a small seed that can decorate a house and fill it with a fresh citrus scent.