Indoor flowers tangerine tree. Mandarin: growing and care at home. Basic rules for caring for a tangerine tree

The tangerine tree belongs to the citrus family. It is evergreen and does not shed its leaves even in winter. Today, many species of this plant are known that can successfully grow and bear fruit at home.

The most popular of them are:

1. Konkhinkhin- most popular variety, grown in industrial scale. In nature, it can reach up to 3-4 m in height. But at home, this species is too whimsical and proper care can only grow up to 1 meter.
2. Inshiu- a popular and unpretentious look. Easily tolerates temperatures down to -5 degrees. The fruits are very sweet and aromatic, almost without seeds. Ideal for growing at home.
3. Tangerine It is distinguished by elongated fruits and thick skin. Tangerines are very sweet and tasty, but they have a specific pungent smell that not everyone likes.

In addition, breeders have bred many hybrid species that are more hardy and unpretentious, and therefore caring for them will not be difficult.

Popular tangerine tree hybrids include:

1. Clementine. Its leaves are narrow and elongated, and its fruits are bright and juicy. This variety is especially valued for its taste and aroma.
2. Minneola- This is a hybrid obtained by crossing grapefruit and tangerine, so the fruits have a bitter taste. The size of the fruit may vary, the color is bright, red-orange. The skin is dense and difficult to remove.
3. Tangora It is distinguished by large fruits that can reach a diameter of up to 15 cm. They taste very sweet and juicy. In addition, there are several varieties with variegated colors not only of leaves, but also of fruits.
4. Ellendale an unpretentious plant that produces a large harvest of very sweet fruits. But it’s quite difficult to find a seedling of this hybrid.

Tangerine tree care

In order for the tangerine tree not only to please with its foliage and flowers, but also to bear fruit, it must be properly cared for and create comfortable conditions.

To do this, it is necessary to take into account such important factors as lighting, air humidity, feeding, etc.

1. Location

It is not difficult to guess that bright lighting is especially important for the tangerine tree. This is especially true during the cold season, so place the pot in the southern part of the apartment.

South-west or south-east sides are also perfect. But do not forget to shade the plant during the heat so that it does not get burned.

When the weather outside is warm enough, it is better to place the tree on the balcony or veranda. If you live in a private house, you can bury the plant directly with the pot.

Before you move your tangerine tree into the sun, you need to give it time to get used to direct rays. For this purpose, the pot is placed in partial shade and only after some time is transferred to the site.

2. Temperature

It is very important to provide the tangerine tree with optimal temperature regime.

In summer it is worth maintaining the temperature within 15-18 degrees, and in winter – 12 degrees. If you do not observe the temperature regime, then you may not wait for the fruits to appear.

3. Humidity

The humidity level should be high enough. To achieve this, the plant is regularly sprayed several times a day. This must be done both in summer and winter. It is also recommended to place a small bowl of water near the pot.

If the air humidity is too low, various pests, such as scale insects, spider mites, etc., will begin to spread very quickly.

4. Lighting

Throughout the year, the lighting should be bright, but the tree should not be exposed to direct sunlight. On too hot days it needs to be shaded to prevent burn spots from appearing on the leaves.

5. Spraying

The tangerine tree needs to be sprayed all year round 2-3 times a day. This is especially true if the plant is located in a room with central heating. Use settled water for spraying room temperature.

6. Watering

To water a tangerine tree, you can only use warm, settled water. In summer, watering should be plentiful, and in winter it is better to reduce it to 2 times a week.

7. Feeding and fertilizer

From April to September, the tangerine tree must be actively fed. For this purpose, complex fertilizers, both mineral and organic, are used.

It is better to give preference to special fertilizers for citrus plants. Fertilize every week, after watering the tree.

In winter, fertilizing can be stopped completely or reduced to a minimum.

Fertilizer for citrus plants is so important because it is this factor that affects the taste of the fruit. If you fertilize in a timely manner in the summer, the tangerines will not taste bitter.

8. Trimming and pinching

In order for the tree to have a neat appearance and the fruits to appear as quickly as possible, it must sometimes be pruned. Mercilessly get rid of weak and diseased branches. In addition, you can trim off excess branches to give the crown the desired shape.

Pinch out the apical shoots in a timely manner. Thanks to this, the tangerine tree will begin to branch more actively.

9. Transplant

Like other indoor plants, the tangerine tree must be replanted periodically:

1. Young specimens - once a year.
2. Fruit-bearing trees - once every 2-3 years.

Transplantation is carried out in March, while the plant has not yet begun to actively grow. If this procedure is carried out later, it may have a detrimental effect on the condition of the tree.

In the case when young specimens have not yet completely filled the pot with their root system, then only the drainage and top layers of the substrate can be changed.

When replanting, do not destroy the earthen ball too much and handle the roots carefully so as not to damage them. Also make sure that the root collar is above the ground at the same level as in the old pot.

The soil for a tangerine tree may vary depending on its age. For young plants use the following mixture:

1. Leaf snake.
2. Sand.
3. Humus.
4. Sod land.

All components must be used in a ratio of 1:1:1:2.

The substrate for an adult tree differs in that it is necessary to take not 2 parts of turf soil, but 3. In addition, it is advisable to add a small amount of fatty clay.

10. Diseases and pests

The tangerine tree is very vulnerable to pests such as spider mites and scale insects.

After the procedure, the soil should be sprinkled generously with ash. If necessary, all steps are repeated after a week.

There is also a more radical method of pest control. The tree can be treated with special preparations that are sold in regular stores. flower shops.

In order to enhance the effect, you can cover the plant with polyethylene and leave it under this cover for a couple of hours. Remember that fruits after this treatment cannot be eaten for at least a week.

Reproduction

A tangerine tree can even be grown from a seed, but this method not very common. The fact is that you can wait for fruits from such a plant for more than one year, since it begins to bear fruit after 10, or even 15 years.

Even if you are lucky, it may turn out that the resulting tangerines will taste bitter. You can, of course, carry out budding or vaccination from another citrus plant, but even in this case the result may not be as expected.

The easiest way to propagate a tangerine tree is by cuttings. Root the cuttings in a pot covered with a jar. The young plant will begin to bloom and bear fruit within a year.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Why do the leaves fall from the tangerine tree?

When leaves fall occasionally and in small quantities, this is natural process. If the foliage begins to intensively turn yellow and fall off, this may indicate that the plant does not have enough lighting, it is not watered correctly (overdried, flooded), or a significant temperature difference occurred when the tree was switched to winter mode.

The leaves have turned brown. What is the reason?

Typically, the leaves of the tangerine tree become Brown due to excess fertilizer.

To prevent the appearance of pests, you must follow all the rules for caring for the plant. It is also necessary to periodically treat the leaves with soap foam. But be careful and make sure that soapy water does not get into the substrate. To prevent this, just cover the pot with plastic.

A homemade orange and tangerine tree looks beautiful and impressive. During its flowering, white fragrant buds are formed. And after some time, tasty fruits are formed. If grown in bonsai style, you can get a real work of art. The article will tell you what the plant looks like, what varieties are suitable for an apartment, and how to properly organize care at home.

Home orange and tangerine are flowering evergreen plants. Belongs to the genus Citrus, rue family (calamondin). The height is 4-5 meters. Productivity varies from 5,000 to 7,000 fruits per tree. The crown is round and spreading, with a diameter of about 3.5 meters. The bark is light gray. Young shoots are dark green. The leaves are leathery and small in size. They are ovoid in shape, pointed at the end. Photos of a tangerine tree can be seen in specialized literature.

Growing tangerines at home

It is not difficult to grow tangerines, kiwis, pomegranates, and persimmons at home. When planted with a seed, the tree begins to bloom and bear fruit after 7-8 years. But this state can be achieved much faster if, at the 4th year of life, you graft from a fruit-bearing tree. If you don’t want to bother with planting and propagation, it’s better to buy a plant in a specialty store or order it online. Usually fruits are formed without artificial pollination.

To get a good harvest, the plant must be properly cared for and fertilized.

From stones, seeds

Planting a seed is the easiest way to get a tangerine tree at home. But this process is long. In addition, not all varieties produce seeds. To plant you should buy quality material, which has been properly stored, not exposed to direct sunlight or frozen. The seeds need to be washed and dried. Next, they are wrapped in damp cotton cloth. When the seeds increase in size and sprouts begin to hatch, they are planted in a pot with fertile substrate. As the plant grows, it is transplanted into a larger container. It is better to sow several seeds at once, because their germination percentage is average. It is important to consider that fruits grown from seeds are inedible. Therefore, in order to improve taste, they are vaccinated. You can watch the process in more detail in the video.

Grafting a tangerine seedling

Grafting a tangerine seedling allows you to get a bountiful harvest. The procedure is carried out from April to May or in August. It is important to take the best rootstock and cuttings from a fruit-bearing healthy tree. Use biennial or annual grapefruit branches. Thorns and leaves are cut from the cuttings. A plant with well-developed bark is suitable for rootstock. The barrel is first wiped from dust and dirt. Then a small T-shaped incision is made in the bark. Use a knife to push the bark away and insert the cutting into the hole. This area is smeared with garden varnish and wrapped in cloth, leaving only a bud on the surface. Grafted homemade tangerine covered plastic bottle or a plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect. After three weeks the branch should take root.

Cuttings for growing a tangerine tree

Often for growing decorative tree use a cutting. A small branch with a leaf can be bought at a specialty store or cut from an existing tree. The cuttings are planted in a fertile, loose substrate. Then water it generously and cover it with a plastic bottle. After 60 days, the branch will take root and leaves will begin to appear. It is allowed to remove the cover only when the plant is completely strengthened. Further care consists of timely irrigation, annual replanting and fertilizing.

Crossing tangerine with other citrus fruits

It is easy to obtain hybrid forms of tangerine at home. To do this, crossbreeding with other citrus plants is carried out. For example, with lemon, orange, grapefruit. When a tangerine is crossed with a North African orange, a clementine is obtained. The tree produces medium-sized or small orange-red, flattened fruits. To cross, the flowers of one plant must be pollinated with pollen from another. The seeds obtained from the fruit are planted in a box with fertile substrate. To grow such a hybrid, vaccination is needed. Without this procedure good harvest can't achieve it. If you provide the clementine with the necessary conditions, after a few years the tree will begin to bear fruit.

Features of wood care

When keeping tangerine indoors, it is important to observe the light and temperature conditions.

To young plant has become stronger, the first three years after planting, all ovaries and flowers are removed. Only in the fourth year is the tree allowed to bear fruit. But since at this age the branches are still weak and thin, it is impossible for more than 6 fruits to form. Every year the plant will be able to produce more and more fruits. It is advisable to tie up the shoots during fruiting. If you organize care correctly, you can collect about 60 tangerines from one mature tree.

Temperature and lighting

Mandarin is a light- and heat-loving plant. Therefore, it should be placed on an east, south or west window. In this case, it is necessary to construct shading from the midday sun. IN winter time install additional lighting. In summer, the tree is taken out onto the veranda or balcony. But to fresh air The plant should be trained gradually. The optimal temperature is +25 degrees in summer and +17 degrees in winter. In order for mature tangerines to bear fruit abundantly, experts recommend cold wintering: keep the pot in a room where the temperature does not exceed +12 degrees.

Watering a tangerine tree

In spring and autumn, irrigate once a day with settled warm water. The watering regime must be adjusted so as to prevent waterlogging and drying out of the soil, so that the tangerine does not lose its leaves. Excess moisture causes root rot, and deficiency causes leaves to fall. The tangerine tree prefers high humidity, so regular spraying will be useful. It is important to ensure that during spraying and watering water does not fall on the flowers. Experts advise placing a pot with a tree on a tray with damp expanded clay, pebbles or moss.

Soil requirements and necessary fertilizers

To grow homemade tangerines, you should use slightly acidic soil. You can buy ready-made soil for citrus fruits in the store or prepare the substrate yourself from turf and leaf soil, clay, humus and coarse sand. Fertilizing begins in June, when the plant enters the active growth phase. Nutrients are added twice a month. Feed after the irrigation procedure so as not to burn root system. It is better to use an infusion of cow manure and yeast as fertilizer. Will also fit special compounds for citrus fruits. In winter, fertilizing is not carried out.

Replanting a tangerine tree

Replanting is carried out as the tree grows. For a young plant, this procedure is carried out once a year. Tangerines over 7 years old are replanted every two years. They use the transfer method. New pot should be 6 centimeters larger in diameter than the previous one. WITH It cannot be planted in a large container once. This is fraught with rotting of the roots. Do not replant during flowering. Optimal time To hold such an event - the beginning of spring. A few days before the planned transplant date, you need to stop feeding.

For the procedure to be successful, you must adhere to the following algorithm:

1. Water the tree generously.
2. Remove the plant from the old container.
3. Carefully place in a new pot.
4. Sprinkle with soil.
5. Lightly moisten the soil.

Reproduction, pruning, shaping

Mandarins can be propagated at home by generative or vegetative means. The first method involves growing from seed. The essence of the second is to root the branches. When choosing cuttings, you should use a special rooting solution. Then the survival rate will increase several times. Both methods take a lot of time. Therefore, some gardeners prefer to buy already grafted indoor tangerines in the store.

Typically, domestic varieties are low-growing. If you form the crown correctly, you can create a bonsai tree that will become a real decoration of the room. To make the plant look neat, you need to control the growth of side shoots and tops. To do this, trim the branches that are lowered down and growing inward.

Varieties for home cultivation

To grow tangerines at home, varieties that are short-growing and compact are used. The most popular are Unshiu, tangerines of the Vase group, Shiva-Mikan, Clementine. Unshiu is a Japanese variety that is characterized by unpretentiousness, early fruiting, and good branching. The tree grows up to 1.5 meters. Blooms abundantly, falls on spring season. The fruits ripen at the end of November. The tree is resistant to low temperatures.

Kowano-Wase and Miyagawa-Wase are dwarf varieties, the height of which varies from 40 to 80 centimeters. Kovano-Vase grows no more than 50 centimeters. Is different abundant flowering. The tree bears fruit in the second year of life and produces orange-yellow fruits of a rounded-flattened shape. The advantages include frost resistance and high yield. Miyagawa-Wase is the most tall variety in Vasya's group. It is characterized by large fruits that have smooth thin skin and are seedless. The fruits ripen in September and retain their taste for a long time.

Shiva-Mikan - fast growing, compact variety, which produces small but very sweet fruits. Shiva-Mikan tangerines ripen in the summer. Often grown in apartments, Clementine is a hybrid of orange and tangerine. The tree begins to bear fruit in its second year of life. One plant produces about 50 orange-red fruits per year. The fruit contains many seeds.

Possible problems during cultivation

If you follow all the rules of care and take into account the characteristics of the variety, there will be no problems when growing a tree. But beginners often make mistakes in maintaining a citrus plant for a month. Often gardeners notice that the foliage begins to turn yellow, curl and fall off.

This happens for various reasons:

• The tree is aging.
• Lack of light.
• The air is too dry.
• The transplant was carried out incorrectly.
• There are drafts in the apartment.

When yellowing begins at the bottom of the crown and spreads upward, there is likely a nitrogen deficiency. If young leaves turn yellow and dry first, and then old ones, this means that the tree is deficient in iron. It happens that leaves begin to fall for no apparent reason. In this case, resuscitation and feeding with potassium nitrate should be carried out. If you cure the cancer and eliminate the cause of the yellowing of the foliage, the tree will quickly recover.

Mandarin is susceptible to the following pests:

1. Spider mite. It appears as small light dots on the underside of the leaf.
2. Mealyworm. It looks like a white fluffy coating.
3. Aphid. These are small insects of light green color.
4. Shield. A sticky syrup-like coating forms on the leaves.

Citrus products

Tangerines are considered low-calorie, so they are often used in dietary foods. Drinks, juices, classic compotes, and lemonade are prepared from this fruit. They make Isabella wine and chacha from it, alcohol and grapes. There are also recipes for compotes and squeezes of dandelions, apples and plums with alcohol. There are a lot of recipes that allow you to create a real dietary treat from healthy tangerines.

For example, korok and candied fruits turn out delicious. To prepare them, soak the crust in water for 24 hours. Then cut it into thin strips. Boil the candied fruits in sugar syrup for an hour. Then they are placed on a baking sheet and left to dry.

In the east, fresh slices of this fruit are added to sweet soups and vegetable salads. Ice cream made from tangerine, milk, condensed milk, and sour cream turns out delicious. The tangerine is peeled and pureed using a blender. Add condensed milk and sour cream. Mix everything and pour the mixture into a container with a lid. Place in the freezer for 6 hours. Every 40 minutes you need to take out the container and stir the ice cream. It is recommended to serve dessert with fruit syrup.

Who would refuse their favorite citrus fruits, especially those grown with their own hands? This is perennial evergreen is becoming increasingly popular as an indoor plant. When favorable conditions are created, it blooms and even bears fruit. At home, it reaches up to 110 cm. One can bear up to 60 tangerines, which ripen by September and stay on the branches until October.

The tangerine tree prefers a lot of light; on hot days it needs abundant watering and spraying.

Another useful property is the ability to purify the air and protect owners from various viral diseases. Unlike its “relatives” lemon and orange, this exotic feels great in an ordinary city apartment. It tirelessly pleases their inhabitants with its beautiful crown, dark green leaves and snow-white flowers with a pleasant aroma.

Growing and care

Location, lighting and temperature

The right space is the key to a future harvest. Green handsome man prefers a lot of light. The window sill of a south, south-east or south-west window will suit him. But on hot summer days from straight sun rays it should be protected by shading it with a curtain or paper. In winter, additional artificial lighting. To do this, use a phyto lamp. From June to the end of August you can have holidays. Quite suitable glass balcony or a place in the garden protected from precipitation where the pot can be buried in the ground.

The ideal temperature range is from +15 to +19. Higher rates negatively affect the flowers, and your pet may drop them. During the rest period, it is better if the thermometer drops to 11-14 degrees. A sharp change in temperature poses a significant danger. It is better to prepare it in advance for any changes.

Humidity and watering

In hot weather, leaves evaporate a lot of moisture. This can be prevented by maintaining optimal humidity levels. Will help with this regular irrigation twice a day. If this is not possible, an electric humidifier is suitable for this purpose. A tray with expanded clay will help to increase the percentage of moisture and lower the temperature; place a container on it. Experienced gardeners They recommend a little trick: in hot weather, place ice cubes around the edges of the pot.

Moisture-loving creature in warm weather “drinks” copiously and often. The appropriate amount of liquid is determined individually. The earthen ball should be completely wet. Beware of stagnation, this is fraught with rotting of the roots. Because of this, watering is significantly reduced in winter, especially if the air in the room is cool. It is carried out as the top layer of soil dries.

IN warm room from December to March the schedule remains virtually unchanged. For this purpose, only settled water at room temperature is suitable.

Choosing the right pot

Give preference medium sized flowerpot, gradually increasing the diameter of the container. For older representatives, the container is selected 2 times the length of the root system. It is necessary to have through drainage holes.

Soil and fertilizers

It is chosen for sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings, taking into account the age of the plant. Acidic soil is absolutely not suitable. The needs of young representatives are different. Inexperienced flower growers are better off buying ready mixture in the market. Bio-humus or soil for roses would be suitable. Fertile, nutritious and water-permeable - it is perfect for full growth and development.

But you can prepare it yourself from the following ingredients:

• turf (2 parts) and leaf (1 part) soil;
• one share at a time river sand fine fraction, humus.

Light substrate helps to actively grow the root system. It is poured onto a drainage layer of brick chips and expanded clay. A different composition is more suitable for an adult exotic: turf soil (40%), sand (20%), leaf soil (20%), humus (15%), fatty clay (5%). A denser composition allows you to hold required amount moisture. Thanks to this property, citrus makes full use of all nutrients, forming buds and fruits.

They begin to be introduced from April to November. Do this every 2 weeks. The most suitable are complexes containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. In any flower shop point of sale a wide range is presented: Uniflor-roste (promotes the ripening of tangerines), Uniflor-budone (has a beneficial effect on flowering) and Kemira-lux (supports and nourishes). It is important to regularly alternate minerals with organic substances. If the choice fell on natural nutrient solution, then bird droppings or cow dung. The dry substance is dissolved in water, then infused and then added. The plant is watered first.

When working with chemical fertilizers, you should strictly follow the instructions indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. An excess of nutrients causes burns. Avoid contact with fruits.

Plant pruning

Occurs in the spring, before the buds open. Get rid of thin and dry twigs and yellowed foliage. Use sharp and disinfected gardening Tools. To prevent infection from passing through the cuts, they are sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. It also promotes rapid healing of damage. To form an oval-shaped crown, excess shoots that are unable to bear fruit are cut off.

You can't do without pinching the tops of the stems. After the first flowering, only 12-13 buds are left, the rest are cut off. Otherwise they deplete the culture.

Diseases and pests, methods of combating them

And

Have the leaves begun to turn yellow, fall off, and a thin cobweb can be seen on the surface? Action should be taken quickly. First aid is to wipe the green mass with a solution of tobacco or soap. Good results shows garlic infusion. But, if the colony size is large, then only chemical agents - Actellik and Fitoverm - can cope with it. Treat with insecticides once a week, avoiding the substance getting into the soil.

Reproduction and transplantation of tangerine trees

Until the tree is 4 years old, the pot is changed frequently. This happens as soon as Bottom part plants fills the entire container. The diameter of the new one is 10 cm larger than the previous one. The first layer is drainage (about 7 cm). A layer of soil (5 cm) is poured onto it. Transplanted using the transshipment method. The tree is carefully removed from the container and placed on the prepared substrate. The missing amount of earth is added to the sides, but not to the very edge. Its level should be 2 cm lower.

If necessary, the earthen ball can be raised by adding more soil. Ends the process is easy We crush the soil and water it.

The culture is propagated using two methods.

Seeds

Before deepening, they are soaked in water for 2 days. After they have swollen they can be transferred to the soil. The first shoots will appear in 18-20 days. But pets raised in this way cannot boast of a harvest and play the role of an ornamental crop. But with the help of vaccination this situation can be corrected.

Graft

Occurs during the period when active sap flow begins (April-May). The rootstock and scion are prepared in advance. The first term refers to a young tangerine grown from a seed at home. The second is a bud taken from a citrus tree that has already produced a harvest. The eye should have a leaf petiole. Select an area (about 7 cm from the ground) on the bark. Carefully, without touching it, make a cut on the branch measuring 1 cm in length and 2 cm in width. The kidney is inserted into it, carefully bending the sides of the incision with a knife. This place is covered with garden pitch.

The eye takes about 25 days to take root, during which it is necessary to create favorable conditions similar to those in a greenhouse.

How to choose a healthy plant in the store

If you do not have the time or desire to grow a fragrant representative of the flora yourself, then you can easily purchase an adult and already fruit-bearing tree from a nursery. Of course, such pleasure will cost a tidy sum, but in the future the gardener is only required to maintain favorable conditions.

To protect yourself from deception, it is better not to risk making a purchase on the market or from spontaneous traders. The specialized sales center is obliged to provide relevant documents confirming quality. Before purchasing, decide which variety is best suited to your conditions. For growing on a windowsill it is better to choose a dwarf one, and for winter garden- large bush.

Either way it should be healthy plant, without damage and yellowed falling leaves. Check carefully for insects.

The tangerine tree is becoming increasingly common in gardeners' collections; caring for it at home is not particularly difficult if you follow the rules.

These are miniature citrus fruits with a neat and attractive appearance. The bright orange fruits are especially decorative, for which this plant is purchased.

You can buy a tangerine tree ready-made in flower shops or try to grow it yourself.

At the time of buying finished wood you should pay attention to whether it is really a tangerine. The fact is that sellers often offer calamondins instead. They are similar to tangerines, but do not have a pronounced citrus smell and taste.

That is why lovers prefer to grow tangerines themselves from seeds or purchase a seedling from a nursery.

IN room conditions The following species grow most successfully:

• Clementine is a hybrid; it produces a harvest in the second year, and an adult specimen produces up to 50 fruits per year.
• Murcott - produces sweet fruits and is compact.
• Shiva-mikan is fast-growing, compact, with small fruits.
• Vasya - hybrids up to 80 cm tall, the fruits ripen in the second year.

If you decide to try growing a tangerine tree yourself, it will definitely thank you beautiful view and aroma.

Tangerine seeds germinate quite well, but they must be fresh and ripe for planting. The fruit is taken ripe.

• We remove the bones.
• We disinfect them. This is done to prevent mold from appearing.
• The bones can be soaked in water with the addition of epin or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
• We take pre-prepared nutrient soil.
• The seed is placed at a depth of 1 cm. You should not deepen it too much, otherwise the sprout will need more strength to break through to the surface.

The tangerine tree shoots appear in about 2 weeks. It is better to decide on the location of the tree in advance - it does not like to be moved.

Tangerine tree care

Proper care is the key to ensuring that the plant will live at home for several years.

Priming

Suitable for universal soil or specifically for citrus fruits. As soon as several true leaves appear on the sprout, it should be transplanted to permanent place. The substrate should be light, consisting of leaf soil, turf, humus, and sand. Peat and clay soil are not suitable for tangerines. You must definitely remember about drainage - expanded clay, broken shards, large brick chips.

Where to place a pot with a tangerine tree

The tangerine tree needs bright light. However, care must be taken to ensure that the direct rays of the sun do not burn it. This is especially dangerous for seedlings and young trees, since their foliage is delicate and susceptible to burns. IN dark place The tangerine will develop poorly and even lose some of its foliage. It will be even more difficult for it to bloom and bear fruit. The best windows for him: east, west, southeast, southwest. At noon, the tree is covered with a thin curtain or it must be installed so that the light is always uniform, diffused, but without direct sun. On south side placed next to the window. North window Not suitable for tangerine. In winter or dark room The plant can be illuminated with lamps. The most economical and at the same time brightest are LEDs. Regular fluorescent and flora lamps are also suitable.

Watering

The supply of moisture should be regular and uniform. The tangerine tree will tolerate drought, but may lose some of its leaves. Excessive flooding, especially in winter, can cause the death of a tree or the appearance of fungal diseases, which also leads to loss of foliage, decorative look, and if the watering regime is not followed further, the plant will die.

The need for watering is determined by the size of the container, air temperature, time of year, air permeability of the soil - the rate of moisture evaporation. To determine the need for water, it is convenient to plunge your finger into the ground. In a small pot, the need for liquid is determined by weight.

It is better to water in the evening in summer, in winter in the morning.

Has a negative effect on the plant low humidity air, so it is useful to spray the tangerine tree. Do this carefully during flowering. Drops of water on the buds can cause them to rot and fall off.

Temperature

Mandarin grows successfully at normal room temperature. During flowering, the best temperature is 18-20 degrees. In winter, the tangerine tree goes into a dormant period; the most comfortable temperature at this time is 5-10 degrees. This helps to gain strength and set flower buds.

Fertilizers for tangerines

Fertilizing is applied during the period of growth, flowering and fruiting. Suitable fertilizers for citrus fruits, potassium humate. Feed once every 2 weeks in summer. In winter, during the dormant period, fertilizers are not given; the plant is not able to fully absorb nutrients at this time, which will adversely affect its development.

Fertilizers are applied after watering, preferably the next day, diluted in the recommended dose and not exceeding it.

Excess fertilizer is much more harmful than a small deficiency. Excessive feeding inhibits growth and development and can cause leaves to fall and diseases to appear.

Formation

In nature, tangerine grows freely, but at home it should be shaped. This is done not only for beauty, but also for full fruiting. A neat tree is obtained by controlling the growth of shoots; they are periodically pinched at the level of 5-6 leaves. Strong, fatty, fast-growing shoots can slow down the appearance of buds; they are also removed. Branches growing inside the tree are also removed.

Reproduction

Mandarin is propagated by seeds and layering. Adult specimens that are well formed are propagated by air layering. You can try propagation by cuttings by placing them in water.

To achieve a harvest, the tree is grafted. This is done in the spring, in May-April. You will need the following:

• The rootstock is the tree itself on which the graft will be made.
• A scion is a sprout from a healthy, fruit-bearing plant.

At approximately a height of 7 cm, a sharp T-shaped incision is made, which should preferably be disinfected. The bark is slightly pushed back, and the scion is placed into the resulting incision. After which this place must be treated with garden varnish.

Some gardeners prefer to simply tie it with thick fabric. Next, the plant is placed in a greenhouse or a plastic bag is put on it. It will take about a month to germinate.

Transfer

The young plant is replanted once a year, after the root system has completely entwined the earthen ball. The pot is taken with a diameter of 6 centimeters wider than the previous one.

When the tree reaches the age of 7 years, replanting is done once every two years, since its growth is no longer so fast.

You cannot immediately plant a young plant in a large container, this will slow down growth and can lead to rotting of the root system, since moisture from a large pot takes a long time to evaporate and acidification of the soil occurs.

Transplantation is carried out in the spring and not during flowering to avoid bud drop. After transplantation, fertilizing is resumed a month later - the new soil contains all the necessary nutrients.

Diseases, problems in growing

The tangerine tree gets sick if the rules for caring for it are not followed.

Yellow leaves:

• Bay
• Lack of nutrients.
• Excess fertilizer.
• The appearance of pests: spider mites, aphids.

Dropping leaves:

• Excessive drought.
• Draft.
• Bay
• Rearrangement.
• Errors during transplantation.
• Lack of lighting for a long time.
• Dormant period - sometimes in winter the plant may remove some of its leaves.

It is important to monitor air humidity. The Mandarin will not like being next to central heating radiators.

Sometimes the plant can be attacked by pests:

• Spider mite.
• Mealybug.

First aid - wash the plant warm shower using laundry soap. It might hold back reproduction of pests, but will not destroy them completely, so special preparations are used.

From aphids, scale insects - Aktara. For spider mites – Fitoverm. Actellik is an effective and strong remedy, but it is not recommended for use indoors.

If you see small jumping insects on the surface of the soil, these are podurs; they appear when the soil is waterlogged. The first action is to dry the soil; perhaps this measure will allow you to get rid of them completely. Additionally, the drugs Grom 2 and Aktara can help. Also, when flooding and using homemade fertilizers, fungus gnats - sciarids - may appear above the pot. The same drugs are used for them as for foolishness.

In general, tangerine is quite easy to care for and is a good addition to the interior. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the climate, refreshes the air and releases aromatic substances.

Plant tangerine (lat. Citrus reticulata)- a small evergreen tree, a species of the Citrus genus of the Rutaceae family. The fruits of this plant are also called tangerines. The tangerine, the most common species of the genus, comes from Southern Vietnam and China. IN wildlife Nowadays you cannot find the tangerine tree, but it is grown in cultivation in areas with a subtropical climate. And this type of citrus fruit is becoming more and more in demand as a decorative indoor plant. In popularity, the homemade tangerine tree is second only to the indoor lemon.

Planting and caring for tangerines

• Bloom: usually in the spring, but can last all year round.
• Lighting: bright sunlight: a southern window sill with shading in the afternoon is most suitable.
• 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 hot weather, regular spraying of the plant with warm water and monthly showers are recommended.
• Feeding: during the growing season twice a month with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer. In winter, fertilizing is not needed.
• Rest period: not clearly expressed, but from about 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 the seedling does not branch when it grows 40 cm, it is pinched to force it to form side shoots. Subsequently, 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 tangerines below.

Homemade 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 leaves of mandarin are dense, small, elliptical or ovoid, dark green, located on petioles with barely noticeable wings. Singles or doubles fragrant flowers tangerines with matte white petals are located in the axils of the leaves.

The multi-seeded and multi-lobed mandarin fruit - hesperidium - is covered in a peel that is easily separated from the pulp. It is flattened from top to base and reaches a diameter of 4 to 15 cm. The pulp is yellow-orange in color and 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 peel the tangerine. The pulp of a tangerine is usually sweeter and the flavor is stronger than that of an orange. And although the fruits of homemade tangerines are much inferior in taste to the fruits of garden tangerines, a fruiting tangerine, hung like a Christmas tree with yellow-orange balls, looks very attractive.

Indoor tangerine is a spectacular potted plant not only because of its bright, mouth-watering fruits: the flowering of tangerine is also a fascinating sight, especially since it is accompanied by an amazing fragrance. Currently, many amateur gardeners are enthusiastically growing tangerines from seeds just on the windowsill, and we will be happy to tell you how to grow tangerines indoors, how to care for tangerines, how to plant a homemade tangerine, how to protect it from diseases and pests, how to replant tangerine if the pot has become too small for him, and we will also describe the beneficial properties of tangerine.

Indoor tangerine from seed

How to grow tangerines at home

Before planting tangerine seeds, they are wrapped in slightly damp gauze or a napkin for several days. Keep the fabric damp at all times until the process is underway swelling of seeds. Instead of gauze or fabric, you can use hydrogel - a product that perfectly retains moisture. Seeds from a freshly eaten tangerine should be sown in the ground immediately, without soaking.

Even if you grow just 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 transplantation.

As soon as the seeds hatch, they are planted in 200 ml cups or in bowls no more than 9 cm deep with drainage holes, filled with a substrate of turf soil (3 parts), humus, sand and leaf 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 contain peat, which is contraindicated for tangerines. In extreme cases, you can use Biohumus or Rose soil as a substrate, 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. The seeds are buried 4 cm in moist soil. The crops are kept at a temperature of 20-25 ºC. Shoots appear within three to four weeks, although this can happen earlier.

If you sowed seeds in a common container, then at the stage of formation of four leaves in the seedlings (citrus fruits do not have cotyledon leaves), you need to pick them apart individual cups. Sometimes two plants can grow from one seed, since multi-germination of seeds is quite common for citrus crops. In this case, the tangerine seedlings need to be carefully separated (each of them has its own root system) and planted. If one seedling is significantly weaker than another, 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. You can use a pot as a container small size. Planting a tangerine in a pot is done by transferring the seedling along with a lump of earth.

Caring for a tangerine in a pot

Growing tangerine in an apartment

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

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

Watering a tangerine

Caring for a tangerine involves regular watering plants as the top layer of soil in the pot dries. There is a trick to help determine whether a 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. Under no circumstances allow the earthen ball to dry out completely. Water the tangerine with water at room temperature that has been left standing for 24 hours in an open vessel. In winter, it is advisable to heat water for irrigation to 30-35 ºC, and in summer it can be left in the sun.

As for air humidity, the tangerine, especially in the summer heat, needs daily spraying, 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 plastic. This hygienic procedure is also a prevention against pests.

Mandarin fertilizer

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

Tangerine transplant

Young plants are replanted annually, fruit-bearing ones - once every 2-3 years, each time increasing the size of the pot in diameter by 4-6 cm. The soil for young plants should be of the following composition: turf soil - 2 parts, and leaf soil, sand and humus - one part at a time. For plants older than three years of turf soil, you need to take three parts, and the remaining ingredients - one at a time. When planting, it is important that the root collar of the tangerine remains at surface level. Very large or old trees better by transplant do not disturb, but need to be removed once every 2-3 years upper layer soil in the pot and replace it with fresh fertile substrate.

Tangerine pruning

Mandarin is one of those plants whose crown needs to be shaped. If, with a growth of 30-40 cm, the seedling does not begin to branch on its own, it needs to be pinched to stimulate the formation of side shoots of the first order. However, this is not enough, since fruiting occurs 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 growing inside the crown are also pruned. It usually takes 3-4 years for a tree to form.

Sometimes, in order to enhance the branching of shoots, they resort to their deflection and fixation: one end soft wire fixed on a 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 tangerine

Mandarin turns yellow

Many amateur gardeners are faced with the fact that tangerine leaves suddenly begin to turn yellow. What is the reason for this phenomenon? There are several reasons. For example, due to a lack of nitrogen in the soil, first the lower leaves of a tangerine become yellow, and then gradually all the foliage turns yellow. This process can be stopped by adding ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate or organic matter to the soil.

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

One more probable cause Yellowing of tangerine leaves may be due to spider mites - tiny arachnids that make punctures in the leaves of the plant and feed on its cell sap. You can only see a mite under a magnifying glass, but sometimes its presence is revealed by the thinnest web appearing on the plant. To kill pests, wash the tree in the shower and then treat its leaves. soap solution: Put grated laundry soap into warm water, whip up a thick foam and, using a cotton swab, wipe the tangerine leaves with the foam. To completely defeat the tick, you may need three such procedures with an interval of 2-3 days. The place where the mite-infested tangerine stood should be thoroughly washed.

Mandarin leaves turn yellow due to insufficient lighting, as well as because the pot has become too small for the plant.

The tangerine is falling

Leaves falling 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 air humidity. In this case, the plant should be sprayed in the evenings with settled water at room temperature and containers of water should be placed around it. Tangerine leaves also fall due to incorrect landing: the plant’s pot is too large or the root collar is buried in the soil. The cause of leaf falling may be a lack of potassium in the soil, drafts, too wet soil in the pot and poor lighting.

Mandarin is drying

If, before the tangerine leaves begin to fall off, a dry brown crust forms on their edges, we can conclude that the watering regime has been disrupted: you have chronically over-moistened the soil in the pot. To restore normal development plants, transplant it into another pot with good drainage layer and fresh substrate with a predominance of leafy soil. When replanting, carefully inspect the root system of the tangerine and remove rotten roots. Leaves also dry out insufficient watering. A drying plant will have to be revived by placing it in a bowl 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 excess water and spray the tangerine with a solution of 1 ml of Epin in 2 liters of water. These sprayings should be continued for some time, 2 times a week. In this way, even a very dried out plant can be revived.