Many flower growers dream of having indoor tangerine With fragrant flowers And delicious fruits. But for fear of not being able to cope with caring for the plant, they do not dare to take this step.
However, you can grow successfully fruit tree at home and reap a good harvest. You just need to strictly follow the rules for maintaining the plant.
What do we know about the famous mandarin
Mandarin or Latin for Citrus reticulate is a representative of the genus of citrus fruits from the rutaceae family.
Homeland An evergreen fruit tree is northern India, where tangerine began to be grown as a cultivated plant many centuries before our era.
Later it began to be cultivated in China and Japan, and at the beginning of the 19th century was introduced to Spain, Italy, Algeria and other countries of the southern and western Mediterranean.
In ancient China, only rich officials could afford this fruit tree, which is why they began to be called "tangerines".
In natural conditions fruit tree grows up to 4 meters in height. Its small, elliptical, leathery leaves are dark green in color.
Matte white mandarin flowers exude pleasant aroma And capable of self-pollinating. After dropping the petals, ovaries appear on the tree - future fruits, which after six months turn into everyone’s favorite tangerines, reaching up to 60 mm in diameter.
Mandarin successfully grown even in room conditions. It is valued by flower growers not only for its useful fruits, but also as an ornamental plant.
Some types of trees may bloom all year round. Particularly impressive it looks great during the fruiting period, when its crown is strewn with bright orange fruits.
Through the efforts of breeders, many dwarf varieties tangerine for growing at home. Here are just a few of them:
- Winshiu (Citrus unshiu)- the most famous seedless species, growing up to 1.5 meters in height. Begins to bear fruit after 3 or 4 years.
- Kovano— Vasya(Citrus Unschiu Marc. cv.Kowano-Vase)- early ripening dwarf tangerine up to 80 cm in height. Flowering continues all year round. It begins to bear fruit after two years. The fruits can stay on the bush for up to several months.
- Honey (Murcott)- a rare variety in the form of a compact bush with very sweet fruits.
- Shiva-mikan (Citrus leiocarpa Hort var. Shiva-mikan Tanaca)- a dwarf tree with juicy fruits weighing up to 30 g. It grows quickly, blooms profusely and bears fruit well.
- Clementine (Citrus clementina)- an early ripening hybrid of mandarin and orange. It bears fruit in the second year. One tree can produce up to 50 orange, flattened fruits per year.
Features of caring for indoor tangerine
An important point in the content of tangerine in room conditions - this is compliance with temperature and light conditions.
Also should know that a tangerine grown from a seed bears inedible fruits called “game” or doesn't bear fruit at all.
To get a tree with delicious tangerines from such a plant, you need graft a seedling, grown from a seed, on the cuttings of a fruit-bearing tree.
Mandarin, unlike other citrus fruits, unable to propagate by cuttings. However, in flower shops As a rule, already grafted fruit-bearing trees are sold.
In the formation of the crown of dwarf tangerines dont need. You just need to remove dried or very elongated branches in a timely manner.
Lighting and temperature conditions
Mandarin loves warmth and light. Place the plant the best thing on a south, west or east window, but with shading from the midday sun. In winter, the tree will need additional lighting.
In summer, it is advisable to place the plant on a balcony or veranda in places protected from the wind. Indoor tangerine for fresh air needs to be taught gradually.
Optimal temperature for a plant in summer - about 25 °C, but not higher. It is better not to allow the tree to overheat, otherwise its flowers may wither and fall off.
in spring during the appearance of buds Recommended temperature is 16 to 18 °C. For abundant fruiting, tangerines need a cold winter. For the winter, you need to place it in a bright, cool room with a temperature of 10 to 12 °C.
Watering and air humidity
From spring to autumn, you need to water the tangerine generously once a day with warm, settled water. It is important to prevent both drought and waterlogging of the soil.
Excess moisture can cause plant roots to rot, and too little moisture can cause leaves to fall off. During wintering, the plant should be watered waiting for it to dry top layer of earth.
Mandarin required high humidity. Regular spraying is very important for the plant.
In this case, you need to make sure that water does not get on the flowers. It is useful to place the container with the tree on a tray with damp moss, pebbles or expanded clay.
Soil composition and replanting
Prefers a tree slightly acidic soil. Will do ready soil for citrus fruits or a self-prepared mixture of the following components:
- 1 part humus;
- 1 part leaf soil;
- 3 parts of turf land;
- 1 part coarse sand;
- some clay.
Young tangerines are replanted annually in early spring before active growth begins. Bottom of the pot definitely necessary provide a layer of drainage 3-4 cm thick in the form broken bricks or expanded clay. It is recommended to replant fruit-bearing tangerines every 2 or 3 years.
The transplant should be done transshipment method so as not to damage the roots of the plant. In this case, you need to ensure that the root collar of the tree is at the same level as in the previous container.
Top dressing
At the beginning of June during a period of rapid growth You can start fertilizing the tangerine twice a month. This should be done after watering so as not to burn the roots.
It is preferable to feed the fruiting tree with infusion cow dung in a ratio of 1:10 or with a special fertilizer for citrus fruits. In winter, the plant does not require fertilizing.
Flowering and fruiting
During the year the plant goes through two phases active growth. The tree enters the first phase in March or April, and the second phase in August or September. To give young plant thoroughly strengthen, it is advisable to remove flowers and ovaries for the first three years.
In the fourth year the tree can be allowed bear fruit, but no more than 6 tangerines at a time, partially removing the ovaries, since the branches of the plant at this age are still thin and weak.
Regulate fruiting tangerine can be done with a simple calculation- There should be 1 fruit per 15 leaves of the tree.
As it matures, the tangerine will be able to bear more and more fragrant fruits. During fruiting, branches with ripening tangerines it is advisable to tie it up so that they do not break off due to the weight of the fruit.
With proper care throughout the year, you can harvest from one mature tree up to 60 fruits.
Mandarin propagation
Indoor tangerines can be propagated at home in two ways: by seeds and by grafting.
Propagation by seeds
Tangerine seeds soak for several days in a damp cloth or hydrogel. Next, the swollen seeds are planted in soil consisting of the components listed above, or in ready mixture for roses
It is important that the soil for tangerine seedlings there was no peat, which dries very quickly and often turns sour.
Three weeks after sowing the seeds, you can expect the first shoots. However, young tangerines grown from seeds indoors develop only as an ornamental crop. To grow a full-fledged tangerine with real tasty fruits from such a tree, need to vaccinate him.
Reproduction by grafting
Vaccination is carried out during the period of active sap flow - in April or early May, but also in August. You need to take care of the rootstock and scion in advance.
Rootstock- This is a young tangerine grown from a seed with a trunk thickness equal to the diameter of a pencil - this is about 6 mm. Scion- a bud (eye) together with a leaf petiole, taken from a fresh cutting of a fruiting tangerine.
At a height of about 7 cm from the ground, an incision is made carefully on the bark of the rootstock trunk so as not to touch the wood. "T" shaped. The size of the incision along the upper horizontal line is 1 cm, and in height - 2.5 cm.
The tip of a knife bark bends back carefully to the sides, and the bud, held by the petiole, is inserted into the resulting opening. The inserted “eye” is pressed tightly with the corners of the bark.
grafted plant placed in a “greenhouse” in the form of a large plastic bag. The transplanted kidney usually survives within 3 weeks.
The success of the grafting is indicated by an easily detachable yellowed leaf petiole. If the petiole turns black and withers, it means the “peephole” didn’t take root.
The sprouted bud begins accustom to air, gradually increasing the ventilation time of the “greenhouse”. A month after the shoot sprouts from the bud, the trunk of the rootstock is cut obliquely above the shoot at a height of 5 mm.
The cut is treated with garden varnish, and the bandage is removed. A stick is installed in the pot, to which a young shoot is tied for vertical growth and correct formation crowns
Pests
Dangerous pests of tangerine are spider mites and scale insects.
For pest prevention You should wash your tangerine with soap and water once a month. To do this, you need to cover the soil in the pot with a film, wrap the trunk with a cloth and treat the tangerine crown with cotton wool moistened with strong soap suds.
When spider mite a solution of tobacco powder and laundry soap is used. To make it, you need to pour 1 tablespoon of tobacco dust with a glass of boiling water and leave for 6 days, and then add 10 g of soap to the solution.
Also has proven itself to be excellent garlic infusion - a crushed head of garlic is poured into a glass of boiling water and infused for 2 days. Each solution is filtered and used for spraying three times with an interval of 6 days.
When dealing with scale insects, it is necessary to resort to water-oil emulsions. Very important During treatment, cover the ground with film, and wrap the plant trunk with gauze, folding it in several layers.
Common problems
Very often, when growing tangerines at home, gardeners face a number of problems: yellowing, curling and falling leaves, complete loss of foliage and falling flowers.
Why do the leaves of indoor tangerines turn yellow?
More often the leaves of the tree turn yellow from a lack of nitrogen and iron. To replenish the amount of nitrogen in the soil, it is recommended to feed the tangerine with organic fertilizers.
With iron deficiency, the plant develops chlorosis, causing its leaves to turn light yellow. To prevent chlorosis Once a month the tree is treated with iron chelate.
Sometimes the leaves turn yellow at insufficient lighting or due to the pot being too small. The problem can be solved by transplanting the tangerine into a new, larger pot or adjusting the light regime.
Another reason for yellowing leaves May be spider mite attack. The method of pest control is described above.
Indoor tangerine - leaves falling
The tree may leaves fall due to too dry air. This can happen in winter heating season, and in hot summers. It is necessary to spray the plant more often.
Another reason for leaf fall May be the fact that the root neck of the tree is too deep into the ground or the tangerine is growing in a very large pot. It is necessary to replant the plant according to all the rules.
Sometimes leaves fall due to lack of potassium in the soil. In this case, you should feed the plant with potassium nitrate. Also, leaf fall can begin with excessive watering, poor lighting and drafts.
Anyway the problem is solved by providing proper care.
The indoor tangerine has lost all its foliage - what to do?
Mandarin can reset all the leaves, if you are exhausted and desperately need a period of rest. The tree needs a well-deserved rest from mid-autumn to the end of February.
At this time, the tangerine must be moved to a cool place with a temperature of up to 12 ° C, reduce watering, avoiding drought in the soil, and stop fertilizing. With the beginning of spring the tree will come to life. Other reasons for heavy leaf fall are described above.
Other Possible Problems
Other problems are possible if the tangerine is not properly cared for:
- Castings dry out and crumble- drought or waterlogging of the soil.
- Flowers are falling- air is too dry.
- The leaves are curling- insufficient watering.
Needless to say, caring for an indoor tangerine has its own difficulties and features. However, the joy of harvesting fruit and the opportunity to admire the beauty of an exotic tree at home worth all the effort.
Mandarin, like the lemon tree, is quite common and popular. A houseplant is grown directly indoors. Botanists suggest that it was first grown in China or Japan.
Where did the plant get its name? In the past, it was grown in the gardens of mandarins, who were wealthy dignitaries at that time. At the beginning of the 19th century, tangerines began to appear in Europe. They were transported to Italy in 1840. After which the whole Mediterranean learned about this fruit.
The tangerine tree is distinguished by the fact that it ripens quickly and bears big harvest. It also has quite sweet fruits that do not have seeds. When did Ukraine see this beautiful tree? At the beginning of the 20th century, where the Black Sea is located. It is in this place that tangerine is most common at home.
The fruit tree can be called weak-growing. Its height reaches 3 meters. It has beautiful, eye-catching leaves. Their color is dark green, and their structure is quite dense and has small wings in the petiole area. The flowers have a wonderful aroma and white color - they are beautifully arranged in clusters. The fruits of the tree are spherical, flattened and have a diameter of up to 6 cm. Their weight is about 100 g.
The fruit has a thin orange peel that is easy to separate from the pulp. There are “plump” tangerines, the peel of which practically does not come into contact with the pulp, but has air gap. The sweet yellow-orange pulp is easy to divide into slices.
The fruit of the tree is rich in sugar, organic acids, and vitamins. It is rare to find seeds in the fruit. If you decide to plant a tangerine at home, then it requires a limited amount of light and fresh air. Not every variety of tangerine can grow indoors, so it is necessary to distinguish between these types. So, you can get early ripening tangerine trees, which are of Japanese origin. They are undersized and unpretentious.
Among the most common options is the Unshiu variety, which means seedless. He is short in stature - up to 1.5 meters. It has a spreading crown and the branches do not have thorns. The leaves are wide, leathery and dark green in color. The tree blooms profusely once a year. Tangerine from seeds at home has small white flowers with a pleasant aroma. When the tree is already 3 years old, it begins to bear fruit. If you take good care of an adult tree, you can get up to 50 fruits within a year.
This is a decorative species of plants characterized by low growth. They are indoor varieties of tangerines. Mature trees are usually no higher than 80 cm. This has made them popular among plants that are kept on the windowsill.
For an indoor tangerine tree there is no need to form a crown. However, from time to time it is necessary to remove branches that have dried out or grown incorrectly. The peculiarity of the dwarf mandarin is that it begins to bear fruit after two years of life. However, the size and taste of the fruit is the same as that of ordinary fruit trees.
Basics of planting and transplanting
In order to plant a plant, you need to take a suitable pot. Its material doesn't matter. But there is important condition so that the upper part of the diameter does not exceed 15 cm, and it should be the same in height. The bottom of the container should have one or more small holes so that excess water can drain from it during watering.
The pot can be in the form of a plastic bucket, wooden, ceramic or glass container. It is necessary to place drainage at its bottom, which can be expanded clay or sand. Practice shows that charcoal after a fire acts best as drainage. You should not make drainage more than 5 cm in height.
After selecting the drainage, you need to take a little soil to sprinkle it. Any soil will not work in this case. There are specially prepared types of soil, for example “Mandarin”. They can be purchased in specialized stores.
In some cases, you can do the soil preparation yourself. Where old deciduous trees grow in the forest, take some soil. However, avoid areas where oak, poplar or chestnut trees grow. The soil is most fertile in the upper layers, the thickness of which is 10 cm. Additionally, you need to add sand, river sand, ash, humus, if available, will do. Dilute a glass of earth with a glass of sand, three tablespoons of humus and a tablespoon of ash, as well as a small amount of water. You should end up with a thick, sour cream-like mass. This will help avoid air voids near the root of the tree.
When six months have passed, you need to take a container that is 5 cm larger and transplant small tangerines there. When you have planted a tree, you need to spray it and water it with a weak potassium permanganate agent from time to time.
Prepare a place for the plant in advance. A window sill that is directed towards the light is suitable for this, so that enough sunlight falls on the leaves.
Propagation occurs when seedlings are grafted from other citrus fruits such as orange and lemon. This method is also used air layering. If you want to take cuttings from plants using amateur conditions, you will not succeed.
Important attention should be paid to lighting. The window where you will keep the plant should be on the southern sunny side. When summer comes, take it outside to get some fresh air. This could be a veranda, garden or balcony. However, it is important that this place is protected from the wind.
It is good if the plant grows on the south side, but it is important not to forget to protect it from direct sunlight in the summer. This can damage the roots and crowns, and also cause burns on the tangerine itself from the seed at home. How to avoid this? Make a curtain of gauze and place it on the window where the tree stands. When you plan to leave the house, make it a rule to cover the glass with a curtain, especially on sunny days.
Temperature and watering the plant
Have you placed a tangerine on the windowsill? Then in winter you should take care of it by properly insulating the window. The pot with the tree itself is also insulated. In order for the tangerine to shoot buds and bloom, it is important to maintain the temperature to 18 degrees. There should also be suitable humidity - 60%. At the same time, you should not be afraid of high temperatures, because the plant has the ability to withstand up to 40 degrees of heat.
Now let's move on to the basics of watering. As it dries upper layer soil, it is necessary to water the plant. Under no circumstances should the lump of earth dry out in the pot. Determine how moist the soil is every day by testing with your fingers. surface layer land. If during the inspection you notice that the soil sticks together, then it does not need watering, but if it begins to crumble, then watering is required.
Especially in the summer, it is important to monitor the condition of the soil. After all, due to the fact that the tree is affected heat and the bright sun, the earth often dries out. It is also worth remembering that not all water is suitable for irrigation.
If you have city apartment, then the water from it is not suitable for watering tangerines. This is explained by the fact that it contains alkaline earth metals, as well as chlorine. Such substances will only harm the plant. As a result, its leaves will suffer from chlorosis, and metabolic processes in the soil will be disrupted.
It's a good idea to boil the water every time, but you probably don't need that much trouble. Another good option is to use hot water from the tap, which contains less chlorine and, moreover, it is soft. Before watering the tree, leave the water in an open container for a day - then the chlorine will be completely removed from it. After all, this substance is destructive for any citrus fruit.
If you own a private home, then water from wells will do. However, the water found in a lake or stream is even better. Before watering, let it warm up a little at room temperature. Rainwater is not suitable for irrigation, because it contains harmful impurities. What is the best way to care for tangerines in winter? Heat the water until it reaches 35 degrees. Then the tree will grow and bear fruit better. In summer, it is easier to deal with this issue by simply placing water on a window where there is more sun.
Watering alone is not enough for a tangerine tree. It needs to be sprayed once every day. clean water. You need to take care of this especially in the summer. Use a spray bottle or other means to create moisture. Thanks to this, there will be no dust on the leaves and they will be able to breathe. Also, once a month it is necessary to carry out the following procedure: place the plant in the bathtub, cover an area of soil with plastic film, while treating the entire plant with cotton wool and soap suds. This will allow you to forget about the hard work of pest control. However, remember that you need to take gauze or a bandage to bandage the tree trunk. This will prevent soapy water from getting into the soil.
What can you say about fertilizer? IN winter time there is no need to fertilize the tangerine. But in summer and spring this is done every two weeks. There are features that show how to properly fertilize. Do not start doing this before you have watered the plant, otherwise you will burn the roots. Moist soil is suitable for fertilizing.
How much should a tree be fertilized? Make sure there is enough of it and that it flows straight out of the drainage hole. In specialized stores you will see big choice fertilizers You can also use regular fish soup, which is suitable for a plant that is taller than one meter. Thanks to this feeding, it will begin to bear fruit better. But at the same time, do not neglect special fertilizers, such as Mandarin.
Mandarins can be damaged by sucking and gnawing pests, as well as fungi and viruses. You can often encounter spider mites and scale insects. Chemical and biological agents are used to combat them. However, this is the case if you plant the plant in open ground. It is better not to use pesticides within the apartment.
How can you determine that a plant needs care? For example, it may become covered with white dots. You may also see a reddish tick on it that moves quickly if you touch it. In addition, white cobwebs may appear on white leaves.
To combat such pests, use tobacco dust, garlic and laundry soap. One tablespoon of tobacco dust is poured with boiling water (one glass). All this must be insisted for 6 days. Then add laundry soap to this. Spray the plant every 6 days. However, take a break for 6 days.
How to use garlic against pests? Mash the plant head and pour it hot water. Wait 2 days and strain the broth. You can spray the tangerine according to the same previous scheme.
What if you notice that your plant is covered in brownish-gray shiny growths? This means it is a scale insect infection. This can be dealt with using water-oil emulsions. Mix machine oil (1 teaspoon) with warm water(1 glass). To this add laundry soap (40 g) and washing powder (2 large spoons). When you treat a plant with this, be sure to use plastic film to cover the soil. Also use a bandage to bandage the trunk. Thanks to this, the emulsion will not get on the ground and damage it. For processing, you can use a cotton or gauze swab. Treat the entire surface and leaves of the plant. Then wait 4 hours and wash everything off. This procedure also needs to be done 3 times.
Thanks to such simple tips you will grow a beautiful plant.
Mandarin comes from southern China and Cochin China (as South Vietnam was called during the period of French rule there). Currently, tangerine is not found growing wild. In India, Indochina, China, South Korea and Japan - now these are the most widespread citrus crops. Mandarin was brought to Europe only in early XIX century, but is currently cultivated throughout the Mediterranean - in Spain, southern France, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Turkey. It is also grown in Abkhazia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as in the USA (Florida), Brazil and Argentina.
Mandarin is a generalized name for several species of evergreen plants of the genus Citrus ( Citrus) family Rutaceae ( Rutaceae). The same word is used to call the fruits of these plants. You can read more about the types of tangerines in the “Types and Varieties of Tangerines” section of this article.
In many countries, mandarin is traditionally associated with New Year's holidays, since the harvest time falls in the month of December. In northern Vietnam and China, tangerines are placed on festive tables to celebrate the New Year. lunar calendar, however, in the form of a tree with fruits, which can be considered some kind of analogue of our New Year tree.
The word "mandarin" was borrowed into Russian from Spanish, where the word mandarino is derived from se mondar (“easy to peel”) and refers to the property of the peel of the plant fruit being easily separated from the pulp.
Description of mandarin
Mandarin ( Citrus reticulata) - a tree not exceeding 4 meters in height, or shrub. Young shoots are dark green. Cases are described when, by the age of 30, a tangerine reached a height of five meters, and the harvest from such a tree amounted to 5-7 thousand fruits.
Mandarin leaves are relatively small, ovate or elliptical, with petioles almost without wings or slightly winged.
Mandarin flowers are single or two in the leaf axils, the petals are matte white, the stamens mostly have underdeveloped anthers and pollen.
Mandarin fruits are 4-6 cm in diameter and slightly flattened from the base to the top, so that their width is greater than their height. The peel is thin, does not grow tightly to the pulp (in some varieties the peel is separated from the pulp by an air layer), there are 10-12 lobes, well separated, the pulp is yellow-orange; The strong aroma of these fruits is different from other citrus fruits, and the pulp is usually sweeter than orange.
Tangerine tree. © Michael Coghlan Features of caring for tangerine at home
Temperature: Tangerines are demanding of light and warmth. Budding, flowering and fruit set occur best at an average air and soil temperature of + 15..18 °C.
Lighting: Bright diffused light. It will be good near the east and west windows, as well as on the north window. Shading from direct sun is needed in spring and summer during the hottest hours.
Watering: In summer and spring, generously 1-2 times a day with warm water; in winter, watering is rare and moderate - 1-2 times a week, also with warm water. However, even in winter, the earthen clod should not be allowed to dry out, as this leads to curling of the leaves and falling of not only the leaves, but also the fruits. On the other hand, we must not forget that plants die from excess moisture. Starting in October, watering is reduced.
Air humidity: Tangerines are regularly sprayed in the summer, but if they are kept indoors in winter central heating, then they spray it in winter. When kept in a room with dry air, oranges are susceptible to attack by pests (mites and scale insects).
Transfer: Young trees must be replanted annually. Transplantation should not be carried out if the roots of the plant have not yet entwined the earthen ball. In this case, it is enough to change the drainage and top layers of soil in the pot. Fruit-bearing trees are replanted no more than once every 2-3 years.
Replant before growth begins. It is not recommended to replant the plants after growth has finished. When transplanting, do not greatly destroy the earthen ball. Good drainage must be ensured. The root collar in the new container should be at the same level as it was in the old container.
Soil for young tangerines: 2 parts turf, 1 part leaf soil, 1 part humus from cow manure and 1 part sand.
Soil for adult tangerines: 3 parts turf, 1 part leaf, 1 part cow manure humus, 1 part sand and a small amount of fatty clay.
Fertilizing tangerines: In the first half of summer, fertilizing irrigation is used. It increases the sugar content of the fruit and reduces the bitter taste that is characteristic of citrus fruits when grown indoors. The plant needs more fertilizer the older it is and the longer it stays in one container. Fertilizers are applied after watering.
With additional artificial lighting of tangerines in winter, they also need to be fertilized. Organic fertilizers (cow dung slurry) and combined mineral fertilizers are recommended for tangerines; you can also buy special fertilizers for citrus fruits in flower shops.
Reproduction: Reproduction of tangerines, as well as lemons, is usually carried out by grafting, cuttings, layering and seeds. In indoor conditions, the most common method of propagating citrus fruits is cuttings.
Calamondin, or citrofortunella (Calamondin) is a fast-growing and well-branching evergreen tree - a hybrid of mandarin with kumquat (fortunella). © Luigi Strano If you love citrus fruits and decide to make a holiday for yourself at home, then you can think about how to grow tangerines at home. Tangerines are usually propagated by grafting or layering (the second method is more difficult). In the first case, you need to worry about the rootstock in advance, for which any citrus- orange, lemon or grapefruit grown at home from a seed.
Mandarin propagation by grafting
It is best to take 2-4 year old specimens with stems as thick as a pencil. The selected variety is grafted onto them with an eye or cutting. The operation is carried out during the period of sap flow, when the bark is easily separated from the wood of the seedling, exposing the cambium. Therefore, budding can be done 2 times a year during intensive growth - in spring and at the end of summer. To activate sap flow, the plant is watered abundantly a few days before grafting. Then they check how the bark is separated by slightly cutting it above the place intended for budding.
For beginners, it is better to first practice on the branches of other plants, for example, linden. To prevent water evaporation, all leaf blades are first cut off from the scion, leaving the petioles (they are held by shields with eyes during the operation).
On the stem of the seedling, 5-10 cm from the ground, select a place for grafting with smooth bark, without buds or thorns. Very carefully, with one movement of the knife, first make a transverse incision of the bark (no more than 1 cm), and from its middle, from top to bottom, make a shallow longitudinal one (2-3 cm). Using the bone of a budding knife, lightly pry up the corners of the cut bark and “plow open” it a little. Then immediately return it to its original position, only do not press it tightly at the top (the peephole will be inserted in this place).
After preparing the rootstock, without delay, they begin the most important procedure - cutting off a bud from a scion branch that was previously in a plastic bag. First, the scion is cut into pieces, each of which has a petiole and a bud. The top cut should be 0.5 cm above the bud, and the bottom cut should be 1 cm below. Such a “stump” is placed on the butt and the peephole with the thinnest layer of wood is cut off with a blade.
Having used a knife bone to spread the corners of the bark on the rootstock, quickly insert the eye into the T-shaped cut, like into a pocket, pressing from top to bottom. Then the grafting site is tightly tied with polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride tape, starting from the bottom, to prevent further water from flowing in. You can apply garden varnish over the tape.
If after 2-3 weeks the scion petiole turns yellow and falls off, then everything is in order. And if it dries up and remains, you have to start over.
A month after successful budding, the upper part of the rootstock is cut off. This is done in two steps. At first, 10 cm above the grafting, so as not to cause the eye to dry out, and when it germinates, then directly above it - on a thorn. At the same time, remove the bandage. Old trees are often grafted in this way, but not on the trunk, but on the branches of the crown. The operating technique is the same.
The survival rate of cuttings increases significantly if the stem below the grafting is wrapped in wet cotton wool and placed on top of the tree plastic bag, which creates its own microclimate inside with high humidity air.
In the future, it is necessary to remove shoots coming from the rootstock, otherwise they can drown out the scion. Grafted plants begin to bear fruit in the second or third year.
Green (unripe) tangerines. © Mamoto46 Further care for tangerines
In indoor conditions, tangerines, as a rule, are short-growing and gradually turn into original dwarf trees. When flowering, fruits set without artificial pollination, ripen after a few months, usually by the end of the year.
Their taste depends on proper care of the plants, which must be replanted annually in larger containers with good fertile soil, being careful not to damage the roots. In addition, the trees are regularly fed with fertilizers - mineral and organic. It is best to use an infusion of manure, diluted 10 times before use. Sleeping tea, which is embedded in the top layer of soil, can also serve as a good fertilizer.
It is necessary to constantly monitor the air humidity in the “citrus garden”. You can place a wide bowl of water next to the plants. It is useful to spray the crown of tangerines daily with water at room temperature.
Lighting is of great importance. The trees should stand near the brightest window. In late autumn and winter, it is advisable to install conventional fluorescent lamps above them. They are turned on early in the morning and in the evening, extending daylight hours to 12 hours.
In summer, if possible, it is better to keep tangerines outdoors, but where there is no strong wind and direct sunlight. Plants are accustomed to new conditions gradually - in the first days they are taken out only for a few hours, and if it is cool outside, the earthen ball is moistened with warm (up to 40 ºC) water. When kept at home, water almost daily, making sure that the soil in the pot is always slightly damp. It is advisable to use rain or snow water rather than tap water.
Types and varieties of tangerine
Mandarin is characterized by strong polymorphism, as a result of which groups of its varieties (or even individual varieties) are described by different authors as independent species. The fruits of tropical varieties are particularly diverse.
Typically, tangerine varieties are divided into three groups:
- in the first group - very thermophilic noble tangerines (Citrus nobilis), having large leaves and relatively large yellowish-orange fruits with coarse lumpy skin;
- the second group consists of heat-loving and smaller-leaved tangerines, or Italian tangerines ( Citrus reticulata) with rather large orange-red fruits of a slightly elongated shape, covered with a plump peel (its smell in some varieties is sharp and not very pleasant);
- the third group includes satsumas(or unshiu) ( Citrus unshiu) originally from Japan, characterized by cold resistance, large leaves and small thin-skinned yellowish-orange fruits (often with green on the skin). It is satsumas that can withstand short-term light frosts (down to -7 degrees) that are successfully grown on the Black Sea coast.
Unlike noble mandarins and tangerines, satsuma fruits very rarely contain seeds - which is probably why this variety is also called seedless mandarin. Its varieties, when grown in containers, usually grow up to 1-1.5 m. Slender tangerine trees with a beautiful crown of slightly drooping branches, covered with numerous dark green leaves, during abundant flowering and fruiting especially decorates the house and fills it with wonderful smells.
As a result of crossing tangerines with other citrus fruits, various hybrids have been obtained:
- clementines (Clementina) - (mandarin x orange) - with small or medium-sized, flattened, very fragrant orange-red fruits, covered with a shiny thin peel (multi-seeded clementines are called Montreals);
- Ellendale (Ellendale) - (tangerine x tangerine x orange) - with orange-red seedless fruits ranging in size from medium to large, with a refined taste and aroma;
- tangors (Tangors) - (orange x tangerine) - have large (10-15 cm in diameter), flattened, red-orange fruits with a relatively thick, large-porous peel;
- Minneola (Minneola) - (tangerine x grapefruit) - are distinguished by a variety of sizes of red-orange fruits (from small to very large), elongated-round in shape, with a “tubercle” and a “neck” at the top;
- tangelo, or tangelo (Tangelo) - (tangerine x pomelo) - have large red-orange fruits the size of an average orange;
- santina (Suntina, or Sun Tina) - (clementine x orlando) - with fruits that look like noble tangerines and have an exquisite sweet taste and aroma;
- agli (Ugli, Ugly) - (tangerine x orange x grapefruit) - the largest among the hybrids (fruits with a diameter of 16 -18 cm), flattened, with a rough, large-pore yellow-green, orange or yellow-brown peel.
Tangerine tree in a pot. © Marco - "Unshiu"- frost-resistant, early-fruiting, very productive variety. The tree is low-growing, with a spreading crown of thin, very flexible branches covered with corrugated leaves. This tangerine branches beautifully, grows quickly, blooms profusely and readily. The fruits are pear-shaped, without seeds. Under artificial lighting it grows without ceasing.
- "Kowane-wasse"- a strong tree with thick branches; branches reluctantly. This tangerine variety can grow quite large for the size of an apartment. The leaves are fleshy and tough. Blooms profusely. The fruits are medium in size, orange-yellow.
- "Shiva-Mikan"- a compact, fast-growing tree with large, fleshy, dark green foliage. Early, blooms well. Productivity is average; fruit weighing up to 30 g.
- "Murcott"(Honey) is a very rare variety with a compact bush. The pulp of this tangerine, which ripens in summer, is as sweet as honey.
Mandarin orange
Planting one on your windowsill seems like an impossible task for many. We are constantly afraid that the citrus family requires unique care, which will consume all our time and finances. Indeed, some of these plants require careful supervision, but this does not particularly concern the tangerine. This fruit is completely unpretentious and hardy enough for our climate. Therefore, after reading our article, choose the best cultivation method for you and feel free to start planting the overseas fruit. We will tell you below how to choose and grow tangerines from seeds at home.
Choosing a place for a tangerine
If you decide to grow a tangerine, the first thing you need to do is choose a place for the tree. Indoors can grow both on the windowsill and on the balcony. To date, breeders have bred many dwarf plants, but also ordinary trees tangerine can be given the desired shape.
The place for planting a tree at home is chosen in the same way as on. The site must be well lit with little direct sunlight. If there is insufficient lighting, the tangerine will slow down its growth and may not bloom at all. Therefore, to grow a tangerine, choose the southern part of the room, but so that at noon the tree can be slightly shaded.
Temperature
For indoors tangerine must be maintained at a certain temperature. In summer, the optimal temperature indicators for growing a tree should be +20...+25°C. When the plant begins to bloom or buds appear on it, it is advisable to prevent them from falling off the flowers by lowering the temperature no higher than +20 °C.
In winter, to improve future flowering, citrus mandarin is better leave without much movement. Temperature in winter period contents can vary from +5 °C to +10°C. By observing such temperature conditions, you can easily grow tangerines from seeds at home.
Mandarin is very important point with his growth. In insufficient light, the tree is lagging behind in development and there is a high risk of getting modest blooms. In summer, young tangerines can be gradually exposed to the open air so that the plant gradually gets used to the environment. But at noon you will have to hide it from direct sunlight.
In winter, when daylight hours are quite short, the tangerine must be placed in the brightest place in the room. It happens that a young tree may not have enough lighting. Here a phytolamp will come to the rescue, which is screwed into a regular table lamp or chandelier. Start off You need to highlight the tangerine gradually, otherwise, with a sharp change in daylight hours, the plant may lose its leaves.
Air humidity
Mandarin does not tolerate dry air. Therefore, to maintain sufficient humidity, it is recommended to place containers of water around the container. As the temperature rises, the plant needs to be additionally moistened, sometimes several times a day. In winter, it is better to spray, but only when it dries.
Choosing a container or container for planting
It is recommended to choose dishes for planting tangerines based on its size. Remember, for the tree to grow better, it will need to be replanted every year. Don't choose a large pot right away, as too much space can cause the roots to rot.
The best containers for tangerines are small wooden boxes or pots made from natural materials. When planting, don't forget the good things. Pebbles, expanded clay, remnants of broken ceramic dishes and even polystyrene foam are perfect for this role. Mandarin does not like stagnant moisture in the soil, which can also lead to root rot.
Important! Every week, inspect the shoots, as well as the trunk and leaves of the tree for bacterial or pest infestation.
Soil for tangerine
As with growing in open ground, indoor tangerine does not love acidic soils . Therefore, when choosing a ready-made mixture for planting in the store, pay attention to the substrate.
If you don’t trust purchased substrates, you can prepare the soil for planting yourself. To do this, take turf and leaf soil, washed river sand and a little. Keep the proportions 1:1:0.5. From these components, light, well-permeable soil is obtained, which the tangerine loves so much.
Planting, propagation and replanting of tangerines
At home growing mandarin citrus, there are several ways to propagate it: cuttings, grafting and the most popular method today - seeding. But how to properly plant and grow a tangerine from a seed so that the tree bears fruit?
First of all, you need to understand that when using this method, you should expect results no earlier than six years later. An even more difficult method of propagation is cuttings, since when using it it is extremely rare to grow tangerines at home.
At the same time, tangerine grafting is considered one of the proven options. At home, it is grafted onto orange or grapefruit seedlings. In addition, many gardeners are interested in how long does a tangerine grow? This citrus tree is very durable and, with proper care, will live for more than thirty years.
Mandarin roots grow actively every year, which is why the plant needs annual replanting. After 5-6 years, they are replanted less frequently - once every two years. Transplantation must be carried out in the spring, before the active growth of the rhizome, and each time a flowerpot or pot is selected that is not much larger than the previous one. The best method for replanting a tangerine would be a transshipment method: try not to destroy the formed earthen lump.
Important! The roots of the plant should not be washed. Only when they are infected is rinsing allowed.
Vegetative methods of propagation
As we mentioned above, propagating tangerines at home using normal landing cuttings - almost impossible. Therefore, in order to grow a fruitful tree, tangerine cuttings are grafted to any other citrus plant.
To do this, you will need a bush that is one to two years old and a cutting of your choice. We take a citrus seedling and make a T-shaped cut at a distance of up to 10 cm above the soil. Then, lightly pressing the tip of the knife, we get a recess into which we insert our cutting.
After this, you need to coat the cut area with garden varnish and wrap it with PVC film or electrical tape. After grafting tangerines, you need to place them in or simply cover them with a plastic bag. You can ventilate once a day, making sure that a peephole does not appear after vaccination.
Usually the cutting is grafted within a month, after which the greenhouse is removed and the electrical tape is loosened. After rooting, you can completely get rid of the stretched film. By growing tangerines using this propagation method, you have every chance of getting sweet and juicy fruits.
Did you know? For better tangerine growth, spray its leaves daily with warm water from a spray bottle.
Seed method
The easiest way to grow a tangerine is to plant a seed, and you already know about this. Therefore, buy several fruits in advance that have been properly stored, without freezing or direct sunlight, and select a dozen seeds from them. Then, rinse them thoroughly running water and place it on a windowsill or other flat surface for drying.
When the seeds are dry, they need to be soaked for further germination: take a cotton cloth and wrap the seeds in it. The fabric should be damp for several days, but not floating in water.
After the seeds swell and sprouts begin to hatch, you can replant them in previously prepared soil. As soon as you plant the tangerine seed and the seedling grows a little, it needs to be transplanted into a container with a volume of about 4 liters.
Important! Be sure to take several grains at once for planting, since some tangerine seeds usually do not germinate.
Plant care
If you have no more questions on the topic of how to plant a tangerine, then all that remains is to provide it proper care and wait for fragrant fruits. For good growth tree do not forget about sufficient humidity in the summer. Give more light, but shade in hot sun, as tangerine leaves easily get burned.
Citrus fruits, including tangerines, contain a lot of vitamin C. You can try growing them yourself. Tangerine bonsai is a wonderful ornamental plant that brings home bright colors and a pleasant aroma. It is known that the smell of this fruit not only improves mood and gives vigor, but also relieves headaches. An evergreen citrus tree can maintain a flowering period for most of the year and bear fruit even indoors.
Becoming the owner of a wonderful indoor tangerine is not difficult at all. Moreover, you can even grow a tangerine in a pot yourself, from a seed.
Planting stages
It’s worth noting right away that there is a simpler option. You can buy a ready-made seedling in a specialized store and plant it directly in the ground. You can even purchase an adult plant that is already bearing fruit, which you only need to place on the windowsill, providing it home care.
But for those who are not looking for easy ways, you can plant and grow indoor tangerines yourself at home.
Step 1. Materials
The seeds of this fruit are needed. It’s better to take at least ten, because... natural selection no one has canceled yet. Not all seeds will be able to sprout, not all sprouts will be able to break through the soil. To get suitable seeds, you need to take a ripe fruit: the larger and juicier, the better.
Step 2. Preparing the seeds
Experienced gardeners know that any seeds require a preparatory period before planting in the ground. The tangerine seeds must be left in a damp place for some time. The ideal option is to wrap them in cloth and leave them, maintaining a moist environment. After a couple of days, the seeds will be ready for planting: small sprouts will appear at the seeds.
Step 3. Planting in the ground
Usually, indoor tangerines can grow in the most ordinary soil, but you should approach the choice of soil for the plant responsibly. First, a layer of small stones or expanded clay is laid on the bottom of the flower pot to drain the soil. Next, the rest of the soil is laid out, where the sprouted seeds are placed. They should not be located too deep, but not near the surface of the soil. The ideal planting depth is from 5 to 7 cm.
Unless you need to water, but not too much and very carefully. In less than a month, young shoots will begin to emerge from the soil.
Even if the experiment fails, don’t be discouraged: it doesn’t always work out as planned. You can always try to plant tangerines at home again, using previous experience.
Caring for young seedlings
At the very beginning, it is important to properly care for young shoots. The pot with the plant must be placed correctly, finding the most suitable appropriate place. The indoor tangerine loves good lighting, but in dark places it begins to wither and may die. But direct sunlight in large quantities can burn young shoots. Until the stems of the tangerine tree are sufficiently strong, it is better to remove them from the risk zone. The task is not entirely simple - the container with the sprouts must be constantly lit and reliably protected from direct sun.
The tangerine tree must be exposed to direct sunlight, without which it will not be able to grow and develop normally.
Immediately after the first shoots appear, it is important to feed the young citrus plant. The algorithm of action does not differ significantly from feeding an adult plant.
Caring for an adult plant
When growing tangerines at home, it is important to understand that the plant is adapted to hot countries where droughts often occur. Therefore, excessive watering will be detrimental to the plant. When an indoor tangerine is watered too often, it begins to shed its leaves. But it’s also not worth rushing from one extreme to another.
Humidity
The decorative variety of tangerine is still not a cactus; at home it requires regular irrigation.
Mandarin grown at home requires care and nutrition in addition to watering. We are talking about feeding the plant.
It is necessary to feed plants, because frequent watering washes out organic and minerals. Understanding this is of decisive importance in growing tangerines at home. IN different time Mandarin behaves differently throughout the year, which affects the amount and frequency of nutrition required.
It is especially important to feed indoor shrubs in the spring, when the tangerine undergoes its main growth.
The frequency of feeding should not exceed twice a week. The fertilizer must be prepared in strict accordance with the instructions for use. Otherwise, you can seriously harm the plant: instead of the necessary minerals and organic substances, your homemade tangerine may receive poison. Mixtures for fertilizing and feeding indoor plants are sold in both specialized stores and large hypermarkets. When choosing fertilizer, it is advisable to focus on fertilizers for citrus fruits.
The tangerine home tree requires feeding to a much greater extent than its garden counterparts. Soil in a pot, as opposed to open ground, is not capable of regenerating organic and mineral substances washed away during irrigation. Garden mandarin does not need to be fed so often, but caring for a tree at home is a completely different matter.
Although the tangerine tree is not a capricious or difficult plant to care for, in addition to watering and fertilizing, it is sometimes worth making additional efforts. Let's say a few more words about how to care for a decorative tangerine so that the tree always pleases the eye with its beauty.
Transfer
As the tree grows, the indoor tangerine needs to be replanted. While the bush is growing, it is advisable to update the “place of registration” every year. After the plant reaches seven years of age, expansion of its living space is required every two years.
In order for the tree to bear fruit well, it is better to remove excess ovaries at the flowering stage.
The more potential fruits grow, the more energy and nutrients the tree will spend on growing. In order not to deplete the tangerine tree, it is advisable to leave only part of its flowers, the strongest ovaries. Although the “harvest” will be smaller, each fruit will contain more micronutrients. Therefore, the fruits will be larger, tasty and juicy. Indoor tangerine is an ornamental plant, not a garden plant. Therefore, the health of the tree should always be a priority.
When the ovaries form into small fruits, it is advisable to tie the tree crowns to a support. As tangerines grow and become heavier, they run the risk of breaking the tree's fragile decorative stems. Without additional help, the bush may suffer. Broken branches can cause serious tree disease.
Diseases and pests
When growing a tangerine, you cannot provide it with proper home care without protecting the plant from pests.
Types of indoor trees
There are several varieties of tangerine tree. Some of them fit perfectly into the culture of home ornamental plants.
Unshiu
The most popular is the Unshiu tangerine tree, a variety of Japanese tangerine trees. The height of an adult plant rarely reaches 1.5 m. Indoor tangerine Unshiu is more tolerant of cold than others and is extremely fruitful.
Dwarf form
The dwarf or, as it is also called, mountain mandarin, Kovano-Vase, is also popular. This variety is from the Vasya group, which at home is capable of reaching a meter in height, although usually the plant’s growth stops within the range of 40 cm to 80 cm.
Clementine
You can also highlight indoor Clementine. This is a mandarin crossed with an orange. The decorative tangerine of the Murcott variety, which translates as “honey,” is distinguished by its bright and sweet fruits. The early ripening variety begins to bear fruit in the summer, unlike the above-mentioned varieties.
Other varieties
The small tangerine Shiva-Mikan tree, like Murcott, is early variety with small fruits.
But despite the fact that the mentioned varieties of tangerine trees are specially bred ornamental varieties, even an ordinary garden tangerine remains rather short-growing at home, regardless of care.
Whatever variety you ultimately choose, the result will be spectacular decorative tree With with the most beautiful flowers and bright, fragrant fruits.
Conclusion
Since ancient times, tangerines have been used as decorative home trees by noble and wealthy families, growing them in greenhouses or winter gardens, because the flower is both garden and homemade tangerine gave off a wonderful aroma. Today tangerine is available at home. Growing a tree is quite simple. Care also does not require any special effort. But this noble tangerine dwarf tree will look impressive and stylish in any interior, giving the surrounding space more positivity and color. Therefore, even if you had doubts whether you should get involved with a citrus tree or give preference to another ornamental plant, throw them away. Domestic trees will invariably please their owners, bringing juicy fruits, a delicate aroma and a great mood.
