Top dressing of a tangerine tree after transplantation. Mandarin at home: growing from seeds

Florists dream of periodically replenishing their collections with exotic plants. One of the popular crops on the windowsill is the tangerine tree. The plant does not require complex special care. One of the conditions for the well-being of citrus is the timely correct transplantation into a new pot.

When are tangerines transplanted

The plant is transplanted in early spring when growth processes are activated in the trunk, branches. The frequency of transplantation will be determined taking into account the age of the tree.

1. Young trees are placed in a new larger container every year. This is due to the intensity of the growth of the root system.
2. After 7 years, the tree is considered an adult. Therefore, it is transplanted once every three years.

Experienced citrus growers themselves determine when a citrus needs a new container.

They dig up the top ball of soil and feel the roots. If the roots are tightly intertwined and there is no soil substrate between them, a new pot is needed 2-3 cm in diameter larger than the previous one.

The choice of capacity for transplantation

The root system of the plant is actively growing. Therefore, planting young seedlings in miniature containers is impractical. It is better to immediately pay attention to medium-sized pots - 10 cm in diameter.

Mandarin transplantation is carried out once a year. Each time, the diameter of the container is increased by 2-5 cm. The maximum size of the pot is 50 cm. After reaching these parameters, the plant is transplanted by transshipment with partial replacement of the soil with a new substrate.

Too much capacity cannot be used - loose citrus roots affect the frequency of flowering and fruiting.

The material of the pot doesn't matter. Choose containers depending on individual preferences - clay, ceramic, plastic.

Soil for tangerine tree

Before transplanting a tangerine tree at home, you need to prepare a nutritious soil mixture. The substrate can be bought at a specialized store. Purchased land must be:

• porous, well pass air;
• with the optimal concentration of fertilizer (no more than 10% of the volume);
• with neutral acidity;
• without foreign impurities.

It is difficult to find a quality nutrient substrate in stores. Therefore, citrus growers prefer to prepare the soil themselves. For the mixture you will need:

• humus;
• larch;
• soddy soil;
• river coarse sand.

All components are mixed in a ratio of 1:1:3:1. The mixture is carefully sieved to remove the remnants of the roots from it. The finished substrate is steamed in a water bath or calcined in an oven - under the influence of high temperatures, insect larvae die. But heat treatment of the soil destroys the nutrients contained in the soil. So that the tangerine tree does not feel a lack of essential trace elements, the home-made substrate is artificially enriched by adding mineral fertilizer to it (no more than 10% of the total volume).

Before use, the mixture is loosened to fill it with air. Sometimes citrus growers use additional components during the preparation of the substrate - clay (no more than 5% of the total volume), small pebbles. To provide citrus with a constant source of phosphorus, the soil is enriched with powdered fish bones. Or they put a small fish on the bottom of the pot into which the plant is going to be transplanted.

Transplant Features

At home, the tangerine tree is transplanted by transshipment. Carry out the procedure in stages.

1. A layer of expanded clay 3-4 cm thick is laid on the bottom of the pot (depending on the volume of the container). Pebbles play the role of drainage - they prevent rotting of the roots, waterlogging of the soil.
2. 4-5 cm of the substrate is poured over the drainage layer. The earth is compacted. Recommended ground layer moisten over the drainage with warm water from a spray bottle.
3. The plant is removed from the pot along with the earthy clod formed on the roots. If pulling out homemade tangerine from an old container is difficult, moisten the substrate. The pot is placed on its side, constantly turning to gradually remove the plant. If the root system of the tree has grown strongly and the roots rest against the walls of the container, you will have to break the old pot.
4. The tree, along with a clod of earth on the roots, is placed in a new container. The free space formed between the roots and the walls of the pot is carefully covered with a substrate.
5. The top of the root system is covered with a thin layer of earth - the basal neck of a homemade mandarin, regardless of the size of the pot, is always at the same level above the soil.
6. Plant transplantation does not provide for compaction of the top layer of soil - it is moistened with a spray bottle. The earth settles under the influence of moisture. The vacated areas are filled with an additional layer of earthen mixture.

Caring for a transplanted tree

Keeping citrus fruits at home is easy. They do not require special care. Among the basic points, citrus growers distinguish:

• Regular soil moisture. The frequency of watering is determined, taking into account the humidity of the air. If the plant is standing near a heat source, water it more often.
• It is impossible to overmoisten the soil - the risk of rotting of the root system increases.
• Periodic spraying of leaflets from a spray bottle. This procedure prevents house dust from accumulating on the leaf membranes. The plant better perceives the sun's rays necessary for photosynthesis.
• Providing a constant source of illumination. After the tangerine tree has been transplanted, it is placed on the most illuminated windowsill.
• In winter, the plant is illuminated, extending the day for it, using lamps. In summer, in order to avoid sunburn of the leaves, the tree is shaded from direct sunlight - muslin, gauze, and tulle are hung on the window.
• The branches of the plant stretch towards the sun. To form a beautiful crown, a flowerpot with citrus is rotated 45-90 °.

On warm days, a pot of citrus is taken out into the street - the plant hardens in the fresh air. You can not put a tree in the draft and the sun.

The best option is a shady place where the sun's rays periodically penetrate.

Maintenance temperature regime. Citrus grows well at a temperature of 20-23 ° C. If the mercury column rises above +25 ° C, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. The most difficult period in caring for a mandarin seedling is flowering. The air temperature is maintained in the range of +10-12°С. Increase the interval between watering - the potting soil should dry out. Spraying during this period is carried out carefully - avoiding moisture on the flowers.

Conclusion

Transplanting a citrus tree growing on a windowsill is one of the important periods in caring for a plant. It allows the plant to develop, to eat the substances necessary for flowering and fruiting. During transplantation of a mandarin, one should not try to free the roots from an earthy coma - fragile processes break easily and are poorly restored.

» » » How to transplant a tangerine tree

Tangerine trees take root in city apartments more easily than lemon or orange trees. They do not wither when the room temperature drops to +14, and can produce up to 70 juicy and sweet fruits per year. Citruses purify and disinfect the air, protecting the tenants of the apartment from colds and viral diseases, pleasing to the eye with a dense dark green crown and pale white flowers that smell much better than any air freshener.

Rules for buying a tangerine

On the Internet or specialized nurseries, mature fruit-bearing trees are sold, which are enough to bring home, water and feed. Formed citruses will cost a round sum, so it's easier to grow your own tangerine from a sprout or seed.

The first option is less troublesome, but when buying a young tree, you should ask the sellers for a certificate. Some merchants pass off calamondins as tangerines, which smell like citrus and bear fruit, but the orange fruit is completely tasteless. They cheat mainly in markets or supermarkets, because nurseries value their reputation, but even when visiting a specialized center, you should ask employees for documents.

Land preparation

Citrus fruits are intolerant acidic soils containing peat. Land for growing tangerines should be light and nutritious, breathable and retain moisture. To prepare the right soil for young trees, you need to mix 4 components:

• sheet and soddy soil in equal proportions;
• coarse-grained river sand, which must be disinfected;
• humus obtained from cow dung.

The last ingredient can be replaced with compost, which has no less nutrients. When the tangerine is 3-4 years old, oily clay is added to the soil, which will retain moisture and protect root system from drying out.

Pour a drainage layer 3–5 cm thick into a pot or tub intended for citrus. Expanded clay, small pebbles or clay shards will do. Use large pebbles that allow air to pass through better and prevent water from stagnating at the bottom.

Do I need to transplant tangerine

Every year, the citrus tree is moved from a smaller pot to a larger one, because a growing tree needs more space. A four-year-old mandarin is recommended to be transplanted immediately into a wooden tub, where he will live and bear fruit for the next 2-3 years.

It is better to relocate the plant in the spring, when the citrus wakes up and actively develops. First, they make a small dig to check the condition of the root system. If the tangerine is tightly braided with an earthen ball, it is transplanted. If not, change the top layer of soil and leave in the old pot until next year.

How to relocate a citrus without injuring it?

1. Moisten the earth around the edges so that it better lags behind the walls of the pot.
2. Lightly tap the container with a spatula or hand. This makes it easier to separate the roots with soil from clay or wooden walls.
3. Take the mandarin by the trunk and take it out along with the ground. It is not necessary to clean the old soil from the plant so as not to damage it.
4. Prepare a new pot in advance with drainage and a layer of earth. Put a tangerine in it, cover it with soil on top.
5. Tamp the soil, but not much. Water the citrus and put in the sun.

When transplanting a tree, it is impossible to completely cover the root neck with earth. Its upper part should remain on the surface so that the citrus takes root faster.

Reference: The root neck of a mandarin is a line separating the trunk and skeletal roots. In this place, the tree has a small seal, which is half covered with earth.

Lighting

Tangerines need sunlight. The more, the healthier the tree and the juicier the fruits. Adult citruses are placed next to the western or eastern windows. Pots with young trees are placed on the northern windowsill.

Plants also feel good next to southern windows if they have blinds or translucent curtains that scatter light. It is undesirable that direct sunlight falls on citrus leaves. Ultraviolet burns the crown of tangerines and dries out the earth.

In summer, it is useful to take citrus fruits to the balcony or leave them in the garden. The tub is placed under tall spreading trees that will scatter and soften the light. Plants located in the apartment by the window should be closed from the sun at noon, and opened in the evening, closer to 4–5 o'clock.

In winter, tangerines must be illuminated with phytolamps. The duration of daylight hours is 8–12 hours, no less, otherwise the citrus weakens, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. The tree is restored for a long time and is difficult, spending a lot of energy and nutrients, and some specimens cannot cope with the shock and die.

Tip: When using special lamps, the citrus tub needs to be rotated around its own axis from time to time so that all sides of the plant receive approximately the same amount of light.

Temperature and humidity

In the spring, the first buds appear on the tangerine tree, and it is important that the temperature in the room does not fall below +20–25 degrees. When the thermometer drops to +17-15, the citrus is covered with barren flowers that smell good, but do not yield.

In winter, the plant is transferred to a cool room. The temperature in the room is reduced gradually, due to a sharp cold snap, the tree can shed its leaves. The room should be at first +18, after +16–14, and some gardeners lower it to +10. Why keep citrus in a cool room? So that the mandarin has time to relax a bit and gain strength. After a short winter holiday, more buds bloom on the tree, and the fruits become juicier and sweeter.

You need to prepare a tangerine for hibernation after harvesting. In mid-January, the temperature in the room begins to gradually increase so that the citrus “wakes up” and has time to prepare for spring flowering.

tangerine tree loves heat and moisture, so in the heat it needs to be sprayed twice or thrice a day from a spray bottle. In summer, a bucket or basin of water is left next to the plant to prevent the air from drying out. In winter, it is advised to install special humidifiers or ionizers. If the tub with tangerine is located near the battery or radiator, cover the heater with a damp towel.

The room in which the citrus stands is regularly ventilated. But the tree is moved away from the window, because the mandarin does not tolerate drafts well.

Watering citrus

When the earth in a tub of tangerine dries up, spider mites may appear on the plant. The soil should always be slightly moist, but not wet, so in summer the tree is watered daily, and in winter it is reduced to 2-3 times a week.

The soil should be tested with a finger, and if it seems crumbly and too dry, add a little water. Before watering, look into the pan. The accumulated liquid indicates that there is too much water, and the tree does not have time to absorb it. Watering must be stopped before the pallet dries, otherwise the root system will begin to rot or a fungus will appear.

Use only purified melt or rain water. The liquid is defended for 3-4 days in a large saucepan or plastic bucket, and then passed through a kitchen filter. You can not water the mandarin with water just from the tap, because heavy impurities and salts settle in the soil, oppressing the plant.

The amount of liquid depends on the size of the tree and the air temperature. The hotter the room, the more moisture evaporates. If a small tangerine needs 0.5–1 l, then an adult tree will need three to four.

Water must be heated to + 35–40 degrees. How to check the temperature of a liquid without a thermometer? Dip your finger into it. Should be nice, but not hot.

Pour water onto the root, trying not to let droplets fall on the leaves and trunk. Moisten the crown separately from the sprayer so that the liquid is distributed evenly. During the flowering period, make sure that water does not fall on the buds. If a few drops fall on green or ripe fruits, it's okay.

It is better to water the tree in the morning. Water helps the plant wake up and starts metabolic processes.

Fertilizer

In winter, the mandarin does not need to be fed, but from April to September-October, when the buds open and the fruits ripen, the tree needs to be fertilized. Apply nutrients twice a month. Buy complex fertilizers containing:

• phosphorus;
• nitrogen;
• potassium.

You can find suitable fertilizers in flower shops. Recommended to stay at:

• Uniflor-bud during the flowering period;
• Kemira-lux;
• Uniflor-growth during fruit ripening.

Mineral fertilizers alternate with organic ones. Natural nutrient solutions are prepared from cow dung or bird droppings. Part of the dry matter is diluted in 10-12 parts of water, infused for 2-4 days, and then added in small portions.

The soil is moistened before fertilization. When using chemicals, it is important to follow the instructions. If you increase the dosage, you can burn the roots of the mandarin or poison the tree. Citrus leaves are also treated with a weak solution. Mineral fertilizers should not fall on the fruit.

In the spring, before flowering, the tree is pruned. Remove dry and thin branches, tear off yellowed leaves. Garden shears must be sharpened and disinfected before pruning. Treat the sections with wood resin so that they heal faster.

It is easy to form an oval crown in a mandarin. It is enough to pinch the tops of the branches and cut off the extra shoots that are not able to bear fruit, and only pull nutrients from the tree.

When the plant blooms for the first time, only 10-15 buds should be left. The rest are carefully cut so that they do not deplete the young tree. The older the tangerine becomes, the more ovaries you can leave.

Install one or more wooden supports in the tub, to which branches with fruits are tied. Large fruits are attracted to the ground, and the tangerine may break or split into several pieces.

Citrus should be bathed monthly. Cover the pot and the ground with plastic wrap and take the plant to the bath. The leaves are first moistened and then lathered. You can gently rub them with a soft cloth to remove dust and cobwebs. Turn on low pressure and wash off the soap suds. Water should be at room temperature or slightly warmer.

It remains to blot the leaves and branches with a dry towel. Let the tangerine stand in the bathroom until completely dry, and then you can return it to its old place and remove the film.

Caring for a citrus tree is no more difficult than caring for an apple tree in the garden or an orchid growing on a windowsill. A lot of light, a little water and fertilizer - and the tangerine will stretch out, covered with dark green leaves and delicate buds. In summer, citrus will delight with a rich aroma, and in winter it will thank you with sweet and healthy fruits that are associated with the New Year and magic.

Video: how to grow a tangerine from a stone

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home Tips Tangerines from the stone, tangerines at home, how to grow tangerines in an apartment on the windowsill

Bone tangerines, tangerines at home, how to grow tangerines in an apartment on a windowsill

For many years in my apartment I have successfully grown these consistently well-bearing plants. Among citrus fruits, tangerines are the most unpretentious. But, of course, if you want early and annual flowering, abundant fruiting, then you will have to pay no less attention to them than to fruit trees in the garden.

How to grow tangerines in an apartment on a windowsill

The most important thing for the successful cultivation of citrus fruits on the windowsill - good lighting, high humidity and good nutrition. What to do if on the window the plants receive up to 30% of street light with an air humidity of 25%, instead of the required 80, and the volume of an earthy coma is 50 times less than that required by a tangerine? Since the light must be intense year-round for 12 hours, backlighting is needed. If the windows do not face the south side, then at least in the mornings and evenings above the crown of the tangerine it is necessary to turn on a fluorescent lamp, or better, a "Reflax", specially designed to illuminate plants.

So that the mandarin does not suffer from dry air, leaves need to be sprayed daily clean (preferably filtered or boiled, that is, without lime and chlorine) water. Helps and installed nearby humidifier or now fashionable mini electric fountains.

Tangerines in the apartment, proper nutrition, drainage

Now about nutrition. In late February - early March, I will definitely transplant tangerines in containers large sizes(3-5 cm larger than before). I pour a new nutrient prepared in the autumn soil mix, which in equal proportions includes completely rotted manure humus, compost, sod and leaf soil. But not peat - it is low-nutrient, dries quickly and often turns sour, and since it is the basis of earth mixtures sold in stores, they had to be abandoned. At worst, you can take the earth from the beds, adding a glass of wood ash to the bucket with thorough mixing, Matchbox superphosphate and 1 kg of organic fertilizer now sold everywhere from rotted horse manure "Gardener's Dream" (odorless fertilizer and enriched with a full range of trace elements).

At the bottom of the tank I put charcoal for drainage. I carry out the transplant with the maximum preservation of the former earthy coma, so as not to disturb the roots in any case - both small and large. I remove only the top centimeter layer of soil.

Usually, a few weeks after transplantation, the mandarin begins an active growth period, and then it repeats three more times during the spring-summer season. At this time, once every 2 weeks, it is advisable to feed it with fertilizer solutions. From "mineral water" I prefer to use sudarushka, ryazanochka, kemira-lux (1-2 g per liter of water), and from organic - again, flumb horse manure concentrate (1:60), it is sold in small liter canisters.

What varieties of tangerines for the home to choose and will not be deceived

As for tangerine varieties, they are all good: Unshiu, Kovano-Vase, Miho-Vase, Abkhazian early ripe, Agudzera. Their height on the windowsill does not exceed 2 m (since 1964, I have been growing a dwarf Unshiu with a height less than a meter), but their fruits (first yellow, and then orange) are not smaller, but rather larger than purchased ones, and, curiously, sweeter and juicier!

Just a warning: under the name "tangerine" in flower shops, another type of citrus fruit is increasingly appearing - calamandin, which is distinguished by darker, smaller and rounded shiny leaves. On the windowsill, he feels quite tolerable, blooms well, but his fruits are sweet and sour.

With caution, I advise you to treat the acquisition of seedlings with open roots (without pots) from Abkhazia: they are difficult to get used to the dry air of the room, and besides, they are grafted onto the deciduous citrus species - trifoliate and need coolness in winter.

Protecting mandarin from pests, false scales and spider mites

Failures in growing homemade tangerine are usually associated with the destructive activity of two pests. These are false shields, immobile, tightly attached to the leaves, convex brown "turtles" that secrete a sticky substance, and spider mites, tiny spiders, visible by a thin cobweb on the petioles of the leaves.

Here the best means control: harmless to our health and at the same time the most dangerous for pests, the biological preparation fitoverm, as well as actellik. They are bred exactly according to the instructions supplied with the purchase. But it is better not to spray the plants, but to thoroughly wash the entire crown in a bucket of solution, dipping the mandarin upside down - then the preparations work more efficiently. Moreover, this procedure must be done three times, with a weekly interval.

Growing tangerines at home, where to start, cuttings

The coming months are a fertile time for the reproduction of tangerines. But I warn you: cuttings rarely root, they are usually grafted onto seedlings of any citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, grapefruits) as thick as a pencil or slightly thinner.

Grafting technique differs little from that used in the garden on an apple or pear tree. The only difference is that the grafted cutting must be covered with a plastic bag, hidden for a month in a mini-greenhouse, where high humidity significantly contributes to the successful development of the seedling.
It is easy to grow a grafting seedling yourself in one or two years from the seeds of a lemon or other citrus fruits.

And behind the cuttings contact the botanical gardens, greenhouses of the All-Russian Exhibition Center, Timiryazevka.

V. Dalykin

Tangerine tree - care

Mandarin is a perennial evergreen. With proper care, an indoor tangerine tree grows up to 1 meter in height, blooms, and even bears fruit - up to 50-70 tangerines can grow on a small tree. They ripen by autumn and can stay on the tree for several months. But in order for the tangerine tree to please you with fruits, you need to take care of it. How to graft an ornamental tangerine tree, what kind of care it needs, and whether the plant needs pruning, we'll talk about all this.

How to care for a tangerine tree?

Caring for a tangerine tree starts with choosing the right location. In a tangerine tree, with a lack of light, leaves fall, so the plant is best placed near the southern, southwestern and southeastern windows. At the same time, it is worth covering the plant from direct sunlight in summer, and in winter it is desirable to illuminate the tangerine tree. In summer, citrus can be taken out into the open air, to a place protected from the wind, and if there is a garden, then dig a tangerine tree in a pot into the soil.

The ideal temperature for growing a tangerine tree is 16-18°C. With more high temperature the leaves of the tangerine tree, of course, do not fall off, but such a nuisance can happen with flowers. Although the fall of some part of the ovary is considered normal, and this happens twice - after the petals fall, and after the fruits reach the size of a small nut.

Rules for caring for a homemade tangerine tree

The tangerine tree has a dormant period when the plant stops growing. At this time, the temperature must be lowered to 10-14 ° C, if this is not done, fruiting can not wait. But beware of a sharp temperature drop, the tree will not like it. Any change must be accustomed to gradually.

How to water a tangerine tree so that it does not dry out? In the warm season, this should be done plentifully so that the earthen lump is completely wet. In winter, watering should be reduced to prevent stagnant water. But if in winter the tangerine remains in a warm room, then it is not necessary to adjust the watering.

Air humidity is important for all citrus plants, so it must be increased by all available means - spraying plants, placing containers with wet pebbles next to the tree, wiping the leaves with a damp cloth. The latter is recommended to be done only with adult plants, because young leaves are easily damaged. Also in the summer you can arrange a mandarin bath in the shower, this will stimulate its growth. If the plant is kept in a cool room in winter, then spraying should be stopped.

You need to feed the tangerine tree regularly in the spring and summer, once every 2 weeks. It is desirable to use organic fertilizers, while using chemical fertilizers to a minimum and only alternating with organic matter.

How to transplant a tangerine tree?

Transplantation up to 4 years of age is performed annually, then every 3-4 years. You need to select a pot a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one, you don’t need to use too large pots - the soil will turn sour. When transplanting a mandarin, the root neck cannot be deepened - the bark is damaged, an infection appears and the plant dies. The soil needs light and nutritious, drainage is required.

How to graft a tangerine tree?

Reproduction of the tangerine tree is carried out by cuttings, air layering, seeds and grafting. Air layering is suitable for older trees where a well-formed branch can be selected. Cuttings are not suitable for all varieties. Seeds give a good result, but fruiting can be expected for a long time. To speed up the process, the plant is grafted. A bud is taken from the middle part of the cutting of a fruiting tree and carefully placed in a T-shaped incision on the rootstock. The vaccination site is wrapped with electrical tape and removed when the kidney takes root.

Pruning a tangerine tree

To speed up fruiting, tangerines need to be cut. To do this, pinch the apical shoots in a timely manner so that the mandarin begins to branch. In addition, all weak and thickening branches must also be removed.

Root family. The birthplace of the mandarin is China, Japan, the Philippines, Cochin China (Indochina). Botanical name Cītrus reticulata.

Types of tangerines

You probably noticed that in the store, tangerine fruits have the most diverse shape, the thickness of the peel of the fruit, the number of seeds. This is because the genus mandarin, like the orange, is very diverse. This applies not only to fruits, but also to other morphological features: the size and shape of the bush, buds, flowers and ovaries. And in a store called ‘tangerine’ they sell not only true tangerines, but also its hybrids (price and taste are important to a simple buyer, nothing more).

Non-hybrid tangerines (true tangerines, various varieties) are most commonly known under the name Unshiu Mandarin, although the correct botanical name is Citrus reticulata Blanco or Citrus reticulata var. unshiu, very often the name is written as Citrus unshiu, meaning many varieties, united by the common name Mandarin Unshiu (seedless).

Despite varietal differences, all tangerines have green leathery leaves of an elliptical shape, usually slightly corrugated, narrowed at the ends, lionfish are absent or small. The terms of ripening of fruits are different (there is a grouping according to precocity). Tangerines in nature rarely grow more than 2.5-2.7 m, at home no more than 1.5 m. The crown is formed by a fairly wide branched one (the leafiness of different varieties is different). Mandarin Unshiu does not have a pronounced dormant period, the leaves falling during the year are replaced by newly formed leaves (the life of the leaf is 2-4 years). The flowers are white, five-petalled, appear in spring on short last year's shoots. Mandarin is propagated by grafting, air layering, cuttings, seeds. Unshiu tangerine bears fruit from three to four years of age, with proper agricultural technology.

The taxonomy of the mandarin genus has not been finally approved. But experts distinguish several groups of tangerines:

• Satsuma tangerines include varieties of several groups: Unshiu Unshiu, Wase Wase, Owari Owari, Ikeda Ikedu, Zairai Zairai, Mikado Mikado, King King, etc.
• A group of hybrid tangerines: calamondin, clementine, tangelo, tangerines, natsumican, tangor, Nobils tangerine, Mediterranean tangerine, citrandarins, ichandarins.

For a simple florist who has just started growing citrus fruits, it is usually enough to know that the purchased plant is mandarin and caring for it, like most citrus fruits.

Passionate citrus grower, usually passionate about his work and trying to learn the whole story of each citrus tree. For him, the varieties differ in one look ‘Kovano-Vase’ Kovano Wase - undersized dense trees, with brown rough bark, bordered petioles, it does not have thorns, flowers are single or in a small group and large about 4 cm in diameter. The variety is popular on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus.

But the variety 'Okitsu' Okitsu Wase - originally from Japan, popularized all over the world (Spain, China, Argentina) - is also a low tree with a spreading, but sparse crown, has small spines, forms a huge number of fruits - therefore it is considered one of the most promising varieties (begins to bear fruit very early). But there is a small minus - for indoor citrus growing, Okitsu does not the best way if there is no special place for wintering. This variety is not only resistant to cold, it does not tolerate heat, dryness and needs a cold dormant period in winter.

Portuguese early variety of carvalhais Citrus reticulata ‘Carvalhais’ is an upright growing tree, the leaves are usually long, pointed, like a clementine, the flesh is orange, juicy, pleasantly sour, has numerous seeds. It is very popular in Portugal, it is very rarely exported, since the fruits are practically not stored, they quickly deteriorate. This mandarin is a hybrid of unknown origin, it is believed that one of the parents is the Mediterranean mandarin Citrus deliciosa.

• In general, everything is simple for European gardeners with a classification, all tangerines are conventionally divided into groups: Goku Wase (very early varieties), Wase (early varieties) and Owari (late varieties).
• In the United States, tangerines are often sold that are distinguished by a bright orange or red color called tangerines - these are not real tangerines, their genetics have not yet been studied.

Mandarin Care

Temperature: Tangerines are demanding of light and heat. Budding, flowering and fruit set are best achieved at an average air and soil temperature of + 17-18°C.

In winter, the mandarin needs to find a colder place - the best insulated balcony. The upper limit is 14-15°C, the lower limit is 8-12°C - watering is appropriate, from very moderate to scarce. The lack of cold wintering can lead to the fact that the plant does not bear fruit. In addition, a large tangerine tree on the windowsill during the heating season will invariably be under the flow of hot air from the battery, which leads to drying out of the leaves, rapid reproduction of ticks and other problems. If you don't have a place to hibernate, use a greenhouse film to shield the edge of the window sill from the warm air of the room.

Lighting: from February-March to August, at midday hours on a sunny window, you need very light shading to protect the tangerine not so much from sunburn as from heat and dryness. The southeast window is ideal for him, a place next to the south window (immediately behind the tulle curtain), it will be too hot in the southwest window in summer. North windows are absolutely not for citrus fruits. The general plan is as follows: from 11 to 15 hours - you can shade, before and after - shade is not needed, the sun is welcome. In winter, the lower the temperature, the lower the need for light. If the house is warm and there is no option for cold wintering, you will have to put two 40 W fluorescent lamps (white or blue glow) 15-20 cm from the crown on both sides, so that the total daylight hours are at least 12 hours.

Watering: abundantly in summer and spring, after the top layer of earth 5-6 cm dries out on top of the pot - in a day or two, and when it is very hot - every day, on cold damp days, moderate, be sure to check the soil with your finger. In autumn and winter, the frequency of watering depends on the air temperature, with a cool content, watering is rare, after a thorough drying of the earth. However, it is not necessary to overdry the earth to a state of dust - drying and falling off of leaves, ovaries, and fruits will begin. On the other hand, we must not forget that plants die from excess moisture. Therefore, it is important that the soil is loose, and watering is adjusted so that the soil dries out after watering for 4-5 days no longer.

Air humidity: it is advisable to spray tangerines in the summer, on dry hot days, but if they are kept in a room with central heating in winter, then they are sprayed two to three times a day in winter. If there is a hot battery in the room, cover it with a damp towel.

Repotting: Young trees should be repotted annually. Transplantation should not be carried out if the roots of the plant have not yet been braided with an earthen ball.

In this case, it is enough to change the top layers of the earth in a pot - it is depleted and often oversaturated with insoluble salts. Fruiting trees are transplanted no more than once every 2-3 years. Transplanted before the start of growth. It is not recommended to transplant the plants after the end of growth. When transplanting, one should not strongly destroy the earthen clod.

If you just bought a young tangerine in a store, and even with fruits, you need to transfer it to a larger pot without disturbing the roots. Tangerine trees from a flower shop are grown in greenhouses and planted in peat - far from an ideal substrate for tangerine. But you can’t immediately replace it - you injure the roots and lose the fruits. Pick up a pot 2-4 cm larger than the store one, pour about 5 cm of drainage on the bottom (from expanded clay, shards or broken bricks). Remove the tree from the old pot (if it does not come out, cut it on both sides with a hot knife). Place in a new pot and top up with soil. If part of the soil crumbled when removed from the old pot, do not use it, but you need to add no more fresh soil: the root collar in the new pot should be at the same level as it was in the previous one.

• Soil for young tangerines: 2 parts of sod, 1 part of leafy soil, 1 part of humus (manure that has lain in a pile for 3-4 years), 1 part of small pebbles (3-4 mm - coarse sand) 1 part of vermiculite.
• Soil for adult tangerines: 3 parts of sod land, 1 part of leaf, 1 part of humus, 1 part of small pebbles (3-4 mm - coarse sand), 1 part of vermiculite.

The acidity of the soil for citrus fruits should be pH = 6.5-7. Avoid planting in highly acidic soil.

Top dressing: with the beginning of the growth of a tangerine tree in the spring, you need to start top dressing, but not earlier than a month after transplantation. It is best to alternate organic top dressing with mineral for flowering plants. As an organic, use an infusion of mullein or horse manure (1:10 with water). And mineral fertilizers - any for flowering, for example, Fertika-lux, Agricola, Pokon, etc. There are also special fertilizers for citrus fruits. Mandarin is very sensitive to a lack of potassium: the edges of the leaves turn yellow and dry out. If similar symptoms appear on your tangerine, you need to carry out additional foliar (by leaf) potassium nutrition. Use potassium sulfate (potassium sulphate), potassium carbonate (potassium carbonate, potash) or other chlorine-free fertilizers for dressing tangerines, do not use fertilizers containing chlorine - potassium chloride, potassium salt, etc.

• If in winter the mandarin is not grown in warm home conditions, but at rest stands in a cold place (balcony, loggia, winter garden), no supplementation is needed. If growth continues, the formation of new leaves or fruit ripening. Continue to feed, as in the summer, but be sure to illuminate.

reproduction

Reproduction of tangerines, as well as lemons, is usually carried out by grafting, cuttings, layering and seeds. At home, the most common way to propagate citrus fruits is cuttings, in which case the plants can bloom immediately after rooting. In this case, it is better to cut off the flowers, first let the plant grow and gain strength.

Tangerine tree - care

But fruit trees grown from seed can bloom at best in ten to fifteen years.

• By the way, if mandarin can be a scion and be grafted onto various citrus fruits: lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc., then mandarin is practically not used as a stock. The reason for this is poor, slow formation of callus, poor wound healing, vaccinations do not take root, and if they take root, they are often rejected.

Another way to get a tangerine tree at home is to buy a fresh delivery of tangerines in the store, which have preserved cuttings at the base of the fruit. If the leaves are still fresh, urgently put a sprig to root in a mini-greenhouse (soil, as for seeds) or root in a zip bag, or graft if you have a suitable rootstock.

How to grow a tangerine from a seed

Mandarin is easy to grow from a seed - you just need to soak the seed from the eaten fruit for 2-3 days in clean water. When the root hatches (the seed will crack, a small white tip will stick out of it), you need to plant it in a pot 6-7 cm in diameter, in a mixture of soil (universal for citrus fruits from the store) and vermiculite to a depth of 1 cm. Keep the soil in a moderately moist condition - do not overdry! The seed germinates within 2-3 weeks. After germination, put on a sunny windowsill.

It is also almost impossible to graft a tangerine on wilds, it is a very weak and unpromising stock.

Growing problems

Mandarin can be affected by powdery mildew and other fungal infections: in this case, it is necessary to spray and water the mandarin with a solution of foundationazole, topaz, copper sulfate, and other fungicides.

• New leaves become smaller, old ones turn yellow and fall off, there is no flowering, fruits do not set - the plant does not have enough nutrients, it needs to be transplanted into nutrient soil, similar symptoms can also be observed when affected by ticks.
• Yellow spots appear on the leaves or the edges of the leaves turn yellow, the leaves fall prematurely - with excessive watering, watering should have time to dry out at least in the upper third of the pot.
• Gray dry spots on the leaves, shriveled leaves - sunburn, pest damage.
• Sudden fall of leaves - overmoistening of the soil, lack of light in winter, watering with cold water, low room temperature in winter, excess nutrients in the soil or cold drafts.

Mandarin pests

Scale insects: look like brown convex plaques on the surface of leaves, petioles and stems, mainly along the veins, suck out cell sap. Leaves lose color, dry and fall off. Buds and flowers dry, fruits fall off.

Control measures. The plant is thoroughly sprayed and watered with a solution of a systemic insecticide - actars. After a day, wash off the leaves with a strong pressure of warm water.

Spider mite: it is especially harmful when it is too dry and hot - the tops of the shoots shrivel and do not grow, the leaves turn yellow and dry out, often the edges of the leaves twist inward and on reverse side leaf, you can see the web. The fruits fall off. There are many spider mites - some are visible to the naked eye (running red dots 0.5 mm in size), others can only be seen with a magnifying glass or microscope.

Control measures. The plant is washed with soapy water (baby soap, fairy), hold the foam for 2-3 minutes, washed under a hot shower (temperature about 45 ° C). Then dilute the garlic solution: 1 clove per glass of water and spray the leaves, do not rinse. Repeat after 3-5 days. With a very severe lesion, mandarin can be sprayed with a 0.15% solution of actellik (1-2 ml per liter of water) or karbofos.

Good results in such cases are obtained by spraying with a solution of Epin, Narcissus or other stimulant

Mandarin

Mandarin(citrus reticulata).
Mandarin is an evergreen, subtropical, fruit tree, Rutaceae family. Origin - South China.
Along with the orange, the most common citrus fruit crop. It is grown in all countries with a subtropical climate. It has many varieties and hybrids with other citrus fruits.

Mandarin is a low tree or bush, with a rounded, dense crown.
The leaves are ovate-elliptical in shape, dark green in color, lionfish are almost absent.
Run without thorns.
Flowers white, solitary.

The fruit is multi-celled, up to 8 cm in diameter and weighing from 50 to 250 grams.
The peel is thin, well separated from the pulp, orange.
The taste of mandarin is sweet, with a slight sourness.
The fruits are very juicy and fragrant. Mostly used fresh.

Growing mandarin

Mandarin is propagated by grafting on seedlings of other citrus fruits.
Seedlings begin to bloom and bear fruit for 2-3 years.

Mandarin is a subtropical plant, in the open field it can withstand temperatures as low as -6 ° C, but in a room or greenhouse culture it is better to keep the plant in spring and summer at a temperature of + 20-25 ° C, and in autumn - winter period+5-15°C.
Mandarin prefers fertile soils, weakly acidic reaction. You can use ready-made mixtures for citrus fruits.
In the spring-summer period, fertilizing with humate complex fertilizers should be applied every 2-3 weeks.
Air humidity is desirable at the level of 65-75%, spraying with water and "bath" days are required.

Mandarin at home: growing from seeds

Mandarin is affected by many pests, especially California scale insects and thrips, so insecticide treatments should be carried out regularly.
The tangerine tree withstands diffused light well; it does not like open sun. If possible, then for the summer the tangerine can be taken out into the garden.

The mandarin culture is very productive - it is one of the most grateful plants that responds well to caring care.

Buy mandarin seedlings

In our nursery you can buy mandarin seedlings at a price of 650 to 1000 rubles, depending on age and variety.
Available varieties: Barcelo, Rio Grande, Large-fruited, Anniversary, Unshiu large-leaved, Kovano-Vase, Miagawa-Vase.

Photos mandarin

It is not at all difficult to grow a tangerine tree from a stone at home., you just need to stick to certain rules, and if you are not too lazy and pay a little more attention to your pet, then a tangerine tree grown at home from a stone will certainly delight you with its delicate flowering and sweet fruits. True, the first harvest will have to wait for several years, but we assure you that your own fruit-bearing and evergreen tree will give the house such comfort that you will not be disappointed in this undertaking.

What you need to grow a tangerine tree from a stone

We propose to figure out right away what is required for the successful cultivation of a tangerine tree from a stone at home:

• 10-15 pieces of tangerine seeds (not all will sprout), which can be extracted from the tangerine you like;
• gauze;
• potassium permanganate solution;
• flowerpot or box with a height of at least 60 cm;
• soil for citrus fruits (neutral soil with the addition of superphosphates and ash is also suitable);
• drainage materials;
• mineral and organic fertilizers;
• stalk or peephole with which the grown tree will be grafted;
• garden pitch;
• adhesive tape and a knife for vaccination.

With these simple tools, you can safely start growing your tangerine tree from the stone.

We grow a tangerine tree from a stone at home

At home, growing a tangerine tree from a stone invariably begins with the germination of seeds. To do this, the bones are placed between several layers of gauze soaked in a weak solution of manganese and make sure that the fabric always remains wet. A few days later, when the seedlings “hatch”, they begin to plant the seeds in the ground. Expanded clay or small pebbles with sand are poured at the bottom of the pot, then a layer of soil, into which they are lowered carefully so as not to damage the delicate roots, sprouted tangerine seeds. The tree has been planted, and very soon it will be possible to observe its rapid growth. It is best to place the pot on a windowsill on the south or southwest side, where there is plenty of sunlight.

How to transplant a tangerine tree at home

With the appearance of sprouts above the soil surface, the time comes for fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers, which are recommended once every couple of weeks, after watering. In the warm season, the tree requires daily moderate watering and spraying with water at room temperature, while in winter the number of irrigations is reduced to 2 procedures per week. The plant is transplanted annually, in February - March, but when the home-grown tangerine tree from the stone reaches 8 years of age, the transplant is done once every two years.

Properly grafting a tangerine tree from a stone

The fruits that a tangerine tree grown from a stone at home will give will be unfit for food, however, this is easy to fix by grafting the plant. Vaccination is carried out during the period of active sap flow - in April or in August. The procedure for this operation is as follows:

Perhaps these are all the rules that should be followed in order to have a beautiful exotic plant on your windowsill that evokes admiring glances from guests. Be sure to try to grow a tangerine tree from a stone at home, attracting children to help, this will give them great joy and the warmest, “tangerine” memories.

Plant mandarin (lat. Citrus reticulata)- a small evergreen tree, a species of the genus Citrus of the Rut family. The fruits of this plant are also called tangerines. Mandarin, the most common species of the genus, comes from South Vietnam and China. In the wild, at present, the mandarin tree cannot be found, but in culture it is grown in areas with a subtropical climate. And this type of citrus fruit is becoming more and more popular as an ornamental houseplant. In popularity, homemade tangerine tree is second only to indoor lemon.

Planting and caring for mandarin

• Bloom: usually in spring, but may continue throughout the year.
• Lighting: bright sunlight: best suited south window sill with shading in the afternoon.
• Temperature: in the warm season - from 16 to 30 ˚C, in winter - not lower than 14 ˚C.
• Watering: regular, as the top layer of the substrate dries.
• Air humidity: in the heat, regular spraying of the plant with warm water and monthly bathing in the shower are recommended.
• Top dressing: during the growing season twice a month with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer. In winter, top dressing is not needed.
• rest period: not pronounced, but approximately from the end of October to mid-February.
• Pinching: the crown is formed within 3-4 years in the spring, at the beginning of active growth: if, with a growth of 40 cm, the seedling does not branch, it is pinched to force the formation of lateral shoots. In the future, the ends of all shoots after the fifth leaf are removed by pinching.
• Reproduction: seeds, grafting and air layering.
• Pests: spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects and aphids.
• Diseases: root rot.

Read more about growing mandarin below.

Home tangerine - description

Mandarin at home does not reach such a height as in nature, growing only up to 1.5-2 m. The branches of the tree are mostly drooping, the mandarin leaves are dense, small, elliptical or ovoid in shape, dark green, located on petioles with barely conspicuous wings. Singles or doubles fragrant flowers tangerines with matte white petals are located in the axils of the leaves.

The multi-seeded and multi-celled mandarin fruit - hesperidium - is dressed in a peel that easily separates from the pulp. It is flattened from the top to the base and reaches a diameter of 4 to 15 cm. The yellow-orange flesh consists of a large number of spindle-shaped hairs - sacs filled with juice. The peel of the fruit, which is called "flavedo", which means "yellow", contains many glands with essential oil, and its inner white layer, called “albedo” (“white”), is loose, which makes it easy to clean the tangerine. The flesh of a tangerine is usually sweeter and the flavor stronger than that of an orange. And although the fruits of homemade tangerine are much inferior in taste to the fruits of garden tangerine, the fruit-bearing tangerine, hung like a Christmas tree with yellow-orange balls, looks very attractive.

Indoor tangerine - spectacular potted plant not only because of its bright appetizing fruits: the flowering of mandarin is also a bewitching sight, especially since it is accompanied by an amazing fragrance. Currently, many amateur gardeners enthusiastically grow mandarin from the stone just on the windowsill, and we will be happy to tell you how to grow mandarin in room conditions how to care for a tangerine, how to plant a homemade tangerine, how to protect it from diseases and pests, how to transplant a tangerine if the pot has become cramped, and we will also describe beneficial features tangerine.

Room tangerine from the stone

How to grow tangerine at home

Before planting mandarin seeds, they are wrapped for several days in slightly damp gauze or a napkin. Keep the fabric moist all the time while the seed swells. Instead of gauze or fabric, you can use hydrogel - a product that perfectly retains moisture. Seeds from a freshly eaten tangerine should be sown into the ground immediately, without soaking.

Even if you grow only one tree, soak at least a dozen seeds: firstly, not all of them may germinate, and secondly, some seeds may die from diseases during the growth process, and some seedlings will not survive the transplant.

As soon as the seeds hatch, they are planted in cups with a volume of 200 ml or in bowls no more than 9 cm deep with drainage holes, filled with a substrate of soddy soil (3 parts), humus, sand and leafy soil (1 part each) with the addition of a couple of handfuls of clay . You will have to prepare the substrate yourself, since any of the purchased soils includes peat, which is contraindicated for tangerine. IN last resort as a substrate, you can use Biohumus or Rose soil, the pH of which is in the range of 6.5-7.0 units. At the bottom of the cups under the substrate, you need to place a layer of expanded clay or small pebbles. Seeds are buried in moist soil by 4 cm. Crops are kept at a temperature of 20-25 ºC. Shoots appear within three to four weeks, although this may happen earlier.

If you sowed the seeds in a common container, then at the stage of formation of four leaves in seedlings (citrus fruits do not have cotyledon leaves), you need to pick them up in separate cups. Sometimes two plants can grow from one seed, since the multi-germization of seeds for citrus crops is quite common. In this case, mandarin seedlings must be carefully divided (each of them has its own root system) and seated. If one seedling is much weaker than the other, it is better to sacrifice it: pinch it off so that it does not interfere with the development of a stronger plant.

The next transplantation of seedlings is carried out when their roots fill the entire volume of the cup. A small pot can be used as a container. Planting a mandarin in a pot is carried out by transshipment of a seedling along with an earthen clod.

Caring for a mandarin in a pot

Growing mandarin in an apartment

The conditions for growing mandarin at home should be as close to natural as possible. The mandarin loves the sun, so the best place for it is a south-facing window, provided that the room temperature does not drop below 14 ºC in winter. In summer, the plant can be kept on a balcony or loggia. However, in the afternoon, the tangerine should be protected from the sun's rays with a curtain made of light fabric or gauze.

A favorable temperature for the development, budding and flowering of mandarin is considered to be between 16 and 18 ºC with an air humidity of 60%. However, do not worry if the room becomes hot with the advent of summer: a tangerine can grow and bear fruit even at 40 ºC.

Watering the tangerine

Mandarin care involves regular watering of the plant as the top layer of soil in the pot dries. There is such a trick to help determine if the plant needs watering: take a pinch of soil from the pot with your fingers and squeeze it. If the soil sticks together, then it’s too early to water the tangerine, and if it crumbles, then it’s time to moisten the soil in the pot. In no case do not allow the earthen clod to dry through. Water the tangerine with water at room temperature that has been settled for a day in an open vessel. In winter, it is advisable to heat water for irrigation to 30-35 ºC, and in summer it can be defended in the sun.

As for air humidity, mandarin, especially in the summer heat, needs to be sprayed daily, and once a month it must be washed in the shower with soap, covering the stem of the plant and the soil in the pot with polyethylene. This hygiene procedure is also a pest prevention.

Mandarin fertilizer

During the dormant period, in winter, mandarin does not need additional feeding, and during the growing season, a solution of complex mineral fertilizer is applied to the soil twice a month. Adult plants with a height of 1 m or more are fed with fish broth once a month to stimulate abundant fruiting: 200 g of unsalted fish or fish waste are boiled for half an hour in 2 liters of water, allowed to cool and filtered through cheesecloth. Soil "ear" is watered in the morning at an air temperature of 18-19 ºC.

Mandarin transplant

Young plants are transplanted annually, fruit-bearing - once every 2-3 years, each time increasing the size of the pot in diameter by 4-6 cm. one by one. For plants older than three years of sod land, you need to take three parts, and the rest of the ingredients - one at a time. When planting, it is important that the root neck of the tangerine remains at ground level. It is better not to disturb very large or old trees with a transplant, but once every 2-3 years you need to remove the top layer of soil in a pot and replace it with a fresh fertile substrate.

pruning tangerine

Mandarin is one of those plants whose crown needs to be formed. If, with a growth of 30-40 cm, the seedling did not branch on its own, it must be pinched to stimulate the formation of lateral shoots of the first order. However, this is not enough, since fruiting is carried out only on branches of the fourth or fifth order. This means that pinching should be continued, removing the ends of all shoots after the fourth or fifth leaf. For sanitary purposes, weak shoots and those that grow inside the crown are also pruned. It usually takes 3-4 years to form a tree.

Sometimes, in order to strengthen the branching of the shoots, they resort to their deviation and fixation: one end of the soft wire is fixed on the branch, and the other on the edge of the pot so that the wire pulls the top of the shoot down.

Pests and diseases of mandarin

Mandarin turns yellow

Many amateur flower growers are faced with the fact that the mandarin suddenly begins to turn yellow leaves. What is the reason for this phenomenon? There are several reasons. For example, from a lack of nitrogen in the soil, the lower leaves of the mandarin are first covered with yellowness, and then the entire foliage gradually turns yellow. You can stop this process by adding ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate or organic matter to the soil.

Against the background of iron deficiency in the soil, chlorosis develops in mandarin: first, young leaves acquire a light yellow color, then older foliage also becomes discolored. To prevent chlorosis, mandarin is treated with iron chelate once a month.

Another likely cause of the yellowing of mandarin leaves may be spider mites - tiny arachnids that make punctures in the leaves of the plant and feed on its cell sap. You can see a tick only under a magnifying glass, but sometimes its presence is betrayed by the thinnest cobweb appearing on the plant. To destroy pests, wash the tree in the shower, then treat its leaves with soapy water: put grated laundry soap, whip up a thick foam and use a cotton swab to wipe the mandarin leaves with foam. For a complete victory over the tick, you may need three such procedures with an interval of 2-3 days. The place where the mandarin infected with ticks stood should be thoroughly washed.

The leaves of the tangerine turn yellow and from insufficient illumination, as well as from the fact that the pot has become cramped for the plant.

Mandarin falls off

Falling leaves from a tangerine are not always a sign of any disease. If this happens from late October to mid-February, move the plant to a room with a temperature of 14-17 ºC and reduce watering: the tangerine needs rest. Leaves may also fall due to low humidity. In this case, the plant should be sprayed in the evenings with settled water at room temperature and places water containers around it. Mandarin leaves also fall due to improper planting: the plant has a too large pot or the root collar is buried in the soil. The cause of leaf fall may be a lack of potassium in the soil, drafts, too wet soil in a pot, and poor lighting.

Mandarin dries

If, before the mandarin leaves begin to crumble, a dry brown crust forms on their edges, we can conclude that the irrigation regime has been violated: you have chronically waterlogged the soil in the pot. To restore the normal development of the plant, transplant it into another pot with a good drainage layer and a fresh substrate with a predominance of leafy earth. When transplanting, carefully inspect the root system of the mandarin and remove rotten roots. Leaves dry even in case of insufficient watering. A drying plant will have to be resuscitated by placing it in a basin of water at room temperature. The water in the basin should reach the edge of the pot. Now you need to water the tangerine until the soil is completely wet and air stops coming out of it. After the procedure, drain the excess water and spray the mandarin with a solution of 1 ml of Epin in 2 liters of water. These sprays should be continued for some time 2 times a week. In this way, even a very dried-up plant is reanimated.

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands do not know boredom!

Content

Indoor tangerine among the abundance of plants, according to many florists, occupies a special place. An ornamental bush pleases with a cheerful and bright color of fruits and leaves. The leaves are leathery and wide. It is believed that a light and delicate aroma can help get rid of headaches, relieve anxiety, irritation, give a feeling of cheerfulness and improve mood. How to grow a tangerine tree related to citrus plants, find out further.

How to grow mandarin at home

If you are going to grow a tangerine tree at home, check out two ways to solve this problem. On farms, citrus fruit trees are obtained by grafting. If you want to enjoy juicy tangerines, you can perform this procedure yourself. At home, you can prepare seeds and grow a tangerine tree from them, remembering to follow all the rules of care. The easiest way is to buy a ready-made seedling.

Buying a ready seedling

Having decided to grow a homemade tangerine at home, buy a ready-made seedling in a specialized online store of horticultural crops or a fruit nursery. Often sell plants that have a closed root system, ie. immediately in an earthy coma or pot, packed in a bag. In the first case, a mandatory transplant into a container will be required. If you are looking for a more economical option, then it is best to use the second method, i.e. growing a citrus tree from the seed of a ripe fruit.

Growing mandarin from the stone

This way of growing an ornamental citrus tree at home can bring some moral pleasure. Although, it will take an order of magnitude longer than buying and transplanting a finished seedling. For sprouting, you will need to select a few seeds from juicy, sweet and ripe fruits to increase your chances of success. Soak selected seeds in warm water. To do this, place them between 2-3 layers of gauze and put on a saucer.

As the gauze dries, be sure to keep it moist for several days until the pits swell. If you do not have the opportunity to wait for several days, then try soaking ordinary seeds in water for 2-3 hours, adding a few drops of Epin, which is a growth stimulant, to it. As soon as the first sprouts hatch, you can plant the bush in the ground. In general, any novice florist can competently prepare the seeds of this exotic plant.

Land for the tangerine tree

Prepare a pot or a regular seedling box, and fill it with a layer of soil to transplant the hatched seeds into it. Despite the fact that indoor tangerine is unpretentious in relation to the ground, experts still strongly recommend taking this moment seriously. It is best to use a mixture consisting of:

• 1 part leafy earth;
• 3 parts of soddy soil;
• 1 part rotted cow dung;
• clay;
• sand.

How to plant a tangerine in a pot

To grow an ornamental mandarin, do not use peat, which often turns sour, dries quickly and does not have special nutritional properties. This component is available in almost all those mixtures that can be bought in specialized stores. Don't forget the drainage layer. Put expanded clay or small ordinary pebbles on the bottom of a dry container, then fill the pot with the composition of the above components. Then place the swollen bones in the ground to a depth of 5-7 cm. The pot with planted seeds should be placed in a well-lit place.

soil drainage

To form a lush and bright bush, you will need to pay attention to the drainage of the container in which it will grow. As already mentioned, put crushed stone, small expanded clay pebbles on the bottom of the pot, but if you don’t have any of the above at hand, then use fragments of ceramic dishes. Before planting a tangerine and laying the soil, be sure to thoroughly flush the drainage. In general, it is necessary so that excess liquid from the soil is discharged into the sump. Thanks to this, effective prevention of fluid stagnation and root rot is carried out.

Where to place a flower pot with an escape

Caring for a mandarin at home requires a competent approach, of particular importance is the location of the tree, which will delight you with its beautiful leaves and flowers. The period of the beginning of flowering and growth activity will depend on the conditions created. houseplant bright and good lighting is required. When daylight hours get shorter, add artificial light. Do not make a sudden transition, as the plant may shed its young leaves.

How to care for a tangerine tree

An actively growing and beautiful tangerine tree is the result of a systematic and proper care. For an indoor ornamental plant, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions with a certain temperature and humidity level. We should not forget about the peculiarities of watering, as well. in a difficult situation, the bush can shed its foliage to reduce the amount of moisture evaporated from the surface. When the branches begin to bear fruit, they need to be tied to a support. We should not forget about possible pests and diseases.

Air temperature and humidity

The best temperature regime for a tangerine seedling is a temperature of + 15-18 degrees in the warm season and +12 degrees in the winter. In hotter weather, the plant begins to bear fruit and bloom worse - buds and ovaries are weakly formed at this time. At the same time, it is important to avoid sudden changes in temperature, but in order for the plant to become stronger, it must be hardened, i.e. help him adapt to changes in lighting and temperature conditions. To do this, in the spring during the day, briefly take the plant to a closed veranda or balcony.

Very important for mandarin and humidity. On hot, dry days and in winter, when the heating dries out the air in the room, it is often necessary to spray the ornamental plant - sometimes up to three times a day. You can put a bowl of water on the windowsill or some other humidifier, for example, an imitation of a fountain or waterfall. When the bush begins to bloom, spray carefully to avoid getting moisture on the flowers and buds. It is better to replace this procedure with regular rubbing of the leaves.

illumination

Without enough light, a decorative indoor tangerine will not grow large. The easiest way is to put a container with a plant on the windowsill of the southern part of the house, but this is fraught with leaf burns. A more acceptable option is the side of the east or southeast windows. If the south side turns out to be the only possible choice, then in spring and summer you will have to shade the plant. In winter, the south window will become the best place for a seedling. When shortening daylight hours, add artificial lighting using special fitolamps.

How to water indoor tangerine

The tree needs regular and frequent watering. In hot weather, water 2-3 times a day. In the winter period of the year, while maintaining good moisture, 2-time watering per week will be sufficient. It is better to pour water for this procedure into a container, for example, into a bottle, so that it has time to settle and warm up to room temperature.

With a short-term lack of moisture, the tangerine tree will not die, but at the same time it can throw off part of the leaves or all of the foliage. On "bald" places fresh herbs will no longer appear, so try to avoid unexpected leaf fall. Leaves will only appear on new branches. The frequent transfusion of the plant with water will not do any good, either. this will lead to the appearance of fungal diseases.

How to feed a tangerine tree at home

The entire growing season, i.e. from April to September, the tree needs top dressing. Every week it must be fertilized with organic or mineral fertilizers, which can be alternated. This is especially necessary for mature trees growing in cramped containers, and without transplants and soil renewal. In one week, the plant can be watered with a solution of liquid mullein, and after a week, it can be treated with a garden complex fertilizer specially designed for citrus trees. Water the soil before fertilizing.

Mineral mixtures based on phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen

In a specialized garden store, you can buy a ready-made composition for citrus fruits. Make sure that the solution includes minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen. Feeding is recommended in the morning. The temperature of the solution should not be less than +20 degrees. Follow the recommended nutrient solution recipe exactly. Here the rule applies - it is better not to add than to overfill. Excessive concentration, excess fertilizer can lead to a burn of the stem or leaves, and even to the death of the plant.

organic fertilizers

A tangerine tree can be fed with both mineral and organic fertilizers, and it is best to alternate them. To prepare a natural nutritional composition, you will need cow dung or bird droppings. Dilute part of the dry component in 10-12 parts of water, infuse the resulting composition for 2 to 4 days, then apply in small portions. Be sure to moisten the soil before doing this.

Rules for caring for homemade mandarin

In order for your tangerine tree to be as bright and pleasing to the eye as in the photo of one of the gardening magazines, attach special importance to caring for it. Many of the rules listed above for a plant seedling apply to a grown tree. In addition, it is necessary to carry out periodic pruning of branches and pinching the tops of the shoots. In addition, remove all dried twigs, leaves and shoots stretched down from the tree. Such measures will help form a compact mandarin with a lush and dense crown. We should not forget about the need for transplantation.

Partial removal of flowers

In order to avoid excessive load on the tree in the first years of fruiting, it is recommended to pinch the flowers. Leave only a few flowers on the trunk of the tangerine tree. In this way, you can achieve fragrant and large fruits without depleting the plant itself. Let there be only a few beautiful and fragrant flowers on the stem of the plant, but later you will enjoy beautiful and large fruits.

Pinching the tops of branches

As the tree grows, it is necessary to periodically pinch the tops of the shoots. This is necessary in order for the tree to form a dense and lush crown. With the right formation, it will turn into a real decoration of the room. This can be achieved by controlling the growth of the top and shoots, which must be removed from time to time, i.e. pinch. With the appearance of each new sprout, pinch the top when 5-6 leaves are formed. It is also necessary to get rid of tops (strong shoots) that grow rapidly from the root itself.

Removal of stretched branches and dried leaves

Remove stretched branches and dried leaves in a timely manner so that your exotic tree grows really lush and fruitful. Often they try to grow a homemade tangerine as a bonsai. For this purpose, remove the growing tops of the shoots to the desired length. As a result, your labors will not be in vain - you will get delicious fruits with a thin peel that easily separates from the pulp.

Why does the tangerine shed its leaves

If the basic rules of care are not followed, diseases occur in the tangerine tree. Do not ignore the threat that various pests can pose. These include red spider mites, scale insects, citrus whiteflies. Dropping leaves does not always indicate the presence of a disease, because. this can also occur during a period of relative rest on cold days.

What to do

If pests have become the cause of dropping leaves, then wipe all the leaves of the tree with special solutions. A few procedures are enough to get rid of all unwanted "guests". Yellowing foliage can be a signal that the plant lacks minerals. During nitrogen deficiency, yellowing starts from the lower leaves. In addition, a mandarin can react in this way to the absence the right amount moisture, lack of light. Move the plant to a well-lit area and remember to water regularly.

Methods for propagating a tangerine tree

The most economical way to get a tangerine seedling is to grow it from a seed. This approach will take you a lot of time and patience. If the tree already exists, and you want to get offspring from it, then choose one of the following methods:

• Propagation is by layering, which are well-formed branches of a tree. Select a branch from an adult tangerine with a thickness of 4 mm and a length sufficient to bend the branch and pin it to the ground. You do not need to separate the branch from the bush, just dig it in with earth. At the same time, the top will protrude on the surface of the soil. Keep the dig site moist. When new roots form at the cutting, separate the branch from the mother plant.
• Reproduction is carried out by cuttings. For this, the so-called air layering is used - the stalk takes root "on weight". An adult shoot is cut in a circle, cutting off the bark about 1 cm wide, after which the wound is treated, wrapped with sphagnum moss and polyethylene (loosely). It is necessary to maintain the resulting "chrysalis" in a wet state until the roots form - it will take several months.

How to transplant a tangerine at home

The plant begins to need a transplant when the container becomes cramped. For young tangerines, this procedure should be carried out annually, and for trees from 7 years old - once every two years. Do not transplant the plant during flowering, it is better to do this in early spring. The new pot should be a few centimeters larger than the previous one. The root collar should not be deepened during transplantation, because. bark may be damaged. The excess kidney is crushed, and then transferred to a new container with drainage and soil.

Pest control

Pest control is of particular importance when caring for a tangerine tree. Citrus fruits are more susceptible to them. This is due to the fact that they have a very attractive aroma. More about how to fight:

• Aphid. If there are few insects, then wash the stem with leaves with a solution of laundry soap.
• Damaged aphids can be treated with a decoction of wormwood or nettle.
• Garlic water is a good way to deal with aphids.
• To fight spider mites at home, use garlic water, laundry soap, tobacco dust. Create a spray mixture based on them.

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Tangerine tree - how to properly care for at home, soil and fertilizer