Relatively frost-resistant varieties tangerines (after all, this is a subtropical crop) can withstand frosts down to -7– -12 ˚С. Then the skeletal branches are damaged.
Therefore, the northernmost edge of the range barely covers the southern edge of the territory former Union: Black Sea coast, Azerbaijan, Georgia. But you can grow tangerine tree from the seed at home. At the same time, it is no longer so important what latitudes you live at: a blizzard, if it is raging outside the window, is not a hindrance.
The photo shows tangerine trees growing in the garden and those grown at home.
Planting material, planting
A tangerine purchased at a nursery or store will soon delight you with tasty small fruits. But a tangerine tree grown by yourself will please you much more. There are several ways to plant a plant that will bear fruit if well cared for.
Growing a tangerine tree from a seed
Most affordable way: It’s not a problem to remove the pit from the fruit. It germinates for about a month, but the substrate should not dry out. At first it grows very slowly. It is good to germinate in a special gel.
It makes sense to first plant it in a relatively small pot; if it develops well, replanting in the future is not a problem. Do not expect exactly the same fruits as the original: this is only possible with vegetative propagation.
Growing from cuttings
Tangerine has poor rooting ability. To increase it, you can cover it on top, for example, with a cropped plastic bottle or glass jar. This will increase the humidity in the air near the cutting. The substrate should not dry out! It is convenient to treat the cutting itself with giberilin before planting; the stimulator is available in any garden store. 
Another little trick: the cut of the cutting must be renewed under water before planting. This pruning prevents clogging of the conductive bundles with air.
Grafting on other citrus fruits
Most often, an orange seedling is used as a rootstock. The vaccination is done by budding, the requirements are the same as for any garden trees. That is: during a slight separation of the bark from the wood (usually in June); without touching the cambium with your fingers (tiny particles of fat from the fingers reduce survival rate); carefully wrapping the grafting site with a strip of polyethylene to prevent drying out. In spring and autumn they are grafted into clefts.
The cambium (thin strip of dividing cells between the bark and wood) of the scion and scion must match!
If you don’t have the skill, you should first get your hands on any other crop or just branches. The operation requires care. Just information: with a perfectly done graft, the pear will take root on the willow, as in the saying. True, then it dries up, so you won’t get any fruit.
When grafted or grown from cuttings, the varietal characteristics are completely preserved: the properties of the mother plant are exactly the same as those grown at home. 
The care between a tangerine tree grafted onto a rootstock and one grown from a seed at home differs little. The only difference is the removal of shoots from the rootstock and protection from breaking off at first: with physical impact it can break at the grafting site.
Caring for tangerines at home
Fertilizer
It is clear that when growing in a container, all the substances the plant needs come from a small volume of soil. There cannot be enough of them there, so regular feeding is required. The easiest way is to use a solution of complex fertilizer. It is convenient to water with mullein diluted 1:10. How larger size container, the easier it is to ensure proper development: the greater the supply of nutrients in the soil.
If a specific element is missing (signs of shortage various elements manifest themselves in different ways), this is what needs to be added. In winter, during dormancy, we fertilize with half the norm or do not fertilize at all. We additionally fertilize in the summer when the fruits are filling. Fertilizing at this time increases the sugar content and reduces the bitterness of the fruit.
Rest period
The tangerine does not shed its leaves; they stay on the tree for four years. Therefore, the “rest” is not absolute: the tree seems to be dozing. But this period is important; without it, there will be no fruit. Therefore, in winter it is necessary to maintain it at a temperature of 8-12 ˚С and reduced. There are often recommendations to supplement the lighting with special lamps at this time... although in winter the days are short and even less light gets into the apartment, when the mandarin is at rest, it is enough. Extra fuss around the bush is usually not worth it.
Watering
The soil should not dry out, even when dormant. But stagnation of water is also harmful to the roots. To get out of such a contradictory situation, it is good to put a layer of shards, gravel or other large materials on the bottom of the container when planting. Then it is easier to keep the soil moist, but not too moist. Excess water flows down, where it does not harm the roots as much. And yet it is there, the soil will not dry out completely. It is better to water with settled water: there is no harmful temperature difference; Chlorine evaporates, harming the plant.
Transfer
This is still a tree; it begins to bear fruit only in the 4th-5th year and grows for many more years. You can’t just plant it in a huge container - it looks stupid, and it takes up a lot of space disproportionate to the size of the sprout. And if there is not enough space for roots to grow, they are not able to provide for the plant. Therefore, you will have to replant many times as soon as the roots entwine a lump of earth. The work is carried out carefully; in order to avoid unnecessary injury and breaking of roots, it is necessary to water abundantly before replanting.
Lighting
Mandarin loves a lot of light, the easiest way is to place it near a south window - you don’t have to add more light. If we take the bush out into the garden in the summer, then in the first days only for a few hours. Or first we put it in the shade, for example, under a large fruit tree. By the way, in the summer, when it’s hot, it’s also worth shading, at least during the hottest hours. And to reduce the evaporation of water from the container, place mulch on the surface.
Pollination
This is quite simple: not required. Self-fertile culture.
Caring for tangerine trees at home brings joy to touching a small miracle... Greens and fruits, the aroma of citrus filling the apartment against the backdrop of bad weather outside the window pleases the soul and cheers the heart.
Citrus grafting technique - video
Breeding indoor citrus at home - although a troublesome, but worthwhile task. By growing a tangerine tree on a windowsill, you get not only a fragrant and colorful plant, but also delicious, useful fruits. You are required to plant correctly and provide the plant with competent and timely care.
Mandarin looks great as an ornamental plant
Features of citrus
Mandarin belongs to plants of the Rutaceae family. Homeland of growth - China. Today, citrus is grown in many tropical countries - Israel, Turkey, Africa, Thailand, Spain.
The evergreen tree reaches 2-4 m in height. The leaves are dense, leathery, with a glossy surface, dark green. The leaf blade is lanceolate in shape with a pointed end.
Citrus blossoms in early spring and lasts throughout the growing season. Mandarin flowers are snow-white, small, formed singly or in groups of several pieces.
The shoots are smooth, erect, dark green. The crown is medium dense, oval or spherical in shape.
The fruits, with thick orange skin, are in no way inferior in taste to industrially grown citrus fruits.
A dwarf species is grown at home, maximum height which is 1-1.3 m.
Indoor varieties
There are several varieties of tangerine tree for home cultivation.
- Winshiu. Seedless hybrid form, in wildlife reaches 2-3 m in height, in apartment conditions - from 0.8 to 1.3 m. It is a frost-resistant crop, characterized by early ripening and productivity. At home, tangerine blooms profusely with small white flowers. The first fruits are born at the age of 3-4 years.
- Kovano-Vase. This dwarf mandarin begins to bear fruit in its second year. low growing plant with a compact crown at home it reaches 40-70 cm in height, so it is grown in a pot on the windowsill. Blooms profusely with snow-white flowers. Citrus variety Kovano-Vase is valued for its long flowering, which lasts throughout the year. Indoor tangerine produces juicy, orange fruits that are well preserved on the tree and may not fall off for several months.
Secrets of growing
To achieve high decorativeness and high-quality fruiting, the plant should be provided with growth conditions that are as close as possible to natural growing conditions.
Selection of soil mixture
For the tangerine tree, which is grown primarily in tropical climates, it is necessary to select a balanced soil composition. In a specialized store you can purchase ready-made soil mixture for indoor tangerines. You can also prepare it yourself by mixing several ingredients:
- turf soil - 2 parts;
- leaf soil - 1 part;
- rotted manure - 1 part;
- river sand - 1 part.
In such nutritious and loose soil, the plant takes root well and grows intensively.
Preparation of material
To grow a full-fledged tangerine tree at home, you will need a seed ripe fruit. The seed is removed from the pulp, washed and wrapped in damp gauze. The fabric is irrigated daily warm water to prevent the seed from drying out.
First, the seed should swell, then hatch and produce a small sprout. This is a sign that it is time to plant it in the ground.
The best option for planting tangerines is clay pot for 3 liters
Landing Features
It is better to plant an ornamental plant in a pot made of natural material - ceramics or clay. The container is filled with a nutrient mixture, the recipe for which is described above. Then they make a small depression - 2-3 cm and lower the bone into the hole with the sprout facing up. Afterwards, the seed is buried and generously sprayed with a spray bottle.
Rules of care
After planting, tangerines at home require careful care, especially in the first years of life. Indoor citrus does not require much cost or effort, so even a novice gardener can grow it.
Lighting
This is one of the main conditions for caring for tangerines at home. Tropical crops require good and continuous daylight throughout the year. Therefore, a tub or flowerpot with a tree is placed on a south, southwest or southeast window sill.
Homemade tangerine reacts poorly to sudden temperature changes and does not tolerate drafts. Under such conditions, the plant sheds its leaves en masse and may die.
With the onset of warm spring days, the plant can be placed on a balcony or loggia; in the summer, it can be placed outside, where there is protection from the scorching sun.
Temperature
For tangerine at home, a certain amount of temperature regime- from +16 to +18 °C. Then the plant begins to bloom and bear fruit successfully.
IN summer period indoor tangerines easily tolerate heat and temperature increases up to +40 °C.
IN winter time years, the plant is given the opportunity to rest - it is moved to a room with a temperature no higher than 14 °C. In such conditions, the growth and flowering of citrus is suspended until spring.
Humidity
The basis for caring for tangerines at home is optimizing the humidity level - at the level of 65-70%. To provide high humidity, you should regularly irrigate the tree, place trays with water or containers with moistened expanded clay next to the pot.
Watering
IN winter period For indoor tangerine plants, you should use settled water room temperature. Water the tree no more than once every two weeks. In spring and summer, the frequency of watering is increased and moisture is produced as the earthen clod dries out.
Indoor tangerine does not react well to overwatering, so the plant should be watered in small doses. The water flowing into the pan should be poured out to prevent the appearance of mold in the lower layer of soil and rotting of the roots.
The citrus plant responds well to showers with warm water. Washing of foliage is carried out once a month. Before irrigation, the soil is covered with polyethylene. Additionally, the plant is sprayed with warm water every day from a spray bottle.
Feeding
For tangerines at home, care includes regular fertilization. Citrus requires organic and mineral supplements, which are applied to well-moistened soil. Slurry or ready-made complex fertilizers for citrus fruits are suitable as food.
Feed the tree throughout the growing season no more than once every two weeks. In winter, feeding the plants is stopped, because during this period the resting phase begins.
To enhance fruiting, the tree can be fed with fish soup. 200 g of fish products are poured with two liters of water and boiled for half an hour. Then cool, filter and water the soil around trunk circle. This fertilizing is applied in combination with the preparation “Mandarin”. Suitable for plants with a height of at least 1 m.
The Unshiu variety bears fruit at home in the 3rd year of life
Transfer
As you grow decorative tangerine at home, it should be regularly replanted into a new container 2-3 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. Transplantation is carried out by transferring an earthen clod with the addition of fresh nutritious soil mixture.
The first transplant procedure is carried out 3-4 years after planting, once a year. Adult plants are not disturbed; they only periodically replace the surface layer with a new nutritional composition.
Trimming and pinching
The pinching procedure stimulates fruiting and the growth of young shoots. Perform pinching in early spring, shortening the apical shoots by a third of the length.
Flowering and fruiting
Growing at home, a tangerine in a pot can bloom endlessly without entering the fruiting phase. To stimulate this process, you should remove some of the flower buds and fruit ovaries, which take strength and energy from the tree. This procedure is carried out on the basis that there should be at least 15 leaves per 1 fruit.
Reproduction methods
Get indoor plant can be done in several ways:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- layering;
- vaccination.
Seed cultivation is used if you do not have your own specimens at home. Propagation by layering is suitable for old trees. Cuttings are used only for some varieties of indoor tangerines in order to obtain a varietal fruit-bearing plant. The grafting is suitable for those who already have a sprouted tangerine sprout and any other citrus on which it can be grafted.
Tree grafting
Indoor tangerine can grow and develop for a long time at home without bearing fruit. To speed up the process of formation of fruit ovaries, gardeners carry out the grafting procedure.
Before grafting, the tree is watered abundantly to speed up the process of sap flow in the shoots. This way the bark will move away from the trunk better. For grafting, a well-ripened shoot with several vegetative buds is used. All foliage is removed to prevent the process of moisture evaporation and drying out of the branch. Optimal height grafting on a tree - 7-10 cm from the soil level. The bark in this area should be healthy, smooth, without buds or leaves.
A T-shaped incision is made in this area sharp knife. The bark at the incision sites is lifted and a prepared cutting or bud with a heel is inserted into it so that the bud remains on the surface. The raised bark on the rootstock is pressed tightly and wrapped with insulating tape. After the kidney has taken root, the tape is removed.
You can understand that the grafting of a tangerine tree was successful after three weeks - at the grafting site the petiole should turn yellow and fall off. If it has dried out and remained in place, the grafting procedure should be repeated.
After successful budding, after about 3-4 weeks, it is necessary to trim the apical shoots on the rootstock, and also remove the insulating tape. Pruning of shoots is carried out in two stages - first, the branch is shortened 10 cm above the eye, then after its germination - at a distance from the thorn up from it.
Subsequently, after vaccination, home care for tangerines is the same as for adult specimens.
Diseases and pests
If affected in winter, the use of pesticides is not recommended. From spider mite They use folk infusions and solutions based on garlic, tobacco dust, soap and ash.
In the fight against scale insects or false scale insects, water-oil emulsions are very helpful.
To prevent diseases and pests, it is necessary to carry out regular treatments of the crown - with a weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate at least once a month.
Difficulties in growing
Many gardeners, especially beginners, do not know how to care for tangerines at home, as a result of which it is not always possible to grow a strong, beautiful and fruit-bearing tree.
Conclusion
Growing an indoor tangerine on a windowsill is not difficult. The main thing is to plant the plant correctly and on time and choose a quality plant for cultivation. planting material. In conditions of literate home care tangerines will regularly bloom, bear fruit and delight with their beauty.
Mandarin is classified as an evergreen citrus fruit. In a suitable climate, the plant can reach approximately five meters in height.
Description of mandarin
Like others citrus species, homemade tangerine has been grown for many years in specially designated areas. You can use both a greenhouse and a balcony with a window sill. Today, breeders do not stop in their work, and every year more and more new varieties of indoor mandarin appear. Its maximum size does not exceed 1 meter. Homemade tangerine may not be classified as dwarf species, but in this case it must be cut off and a crown formed.
Homemade tangerine is a very popular plant, if only because of its incredible fruits, which last for about 60 days. They often bring satisfaction not only with their appearance, but also with the excellent aroma that the plants exude. Mandarin blossoms continue all year round. And a homemade mandarin grown in bonsai style is a work of art. If you want the tangerine to not only bloom, but also bear fruit, then buy the plant in the store right away with them. However, you don’t need to eat them, because to get high level For decorative purposes, gardeners and flower growers add large amounts of fertilizers to the soil, which only bring harm to humans.
The most the best varieties homemade tangerine considered: Unshiu, Kowano-Wase, Miha-Wase, Miyagawa-Wase. Shiva-Mikan, Clementine.
What kind of lighting should be used for a tangerine?
Do you want to grow a beautiful indoor tangerine? Then the first thing you should do is choose a comfortable location for it and install good lighting. It benefits from direct sunlight, but its amount should be moderate. If the lighting is poor, then the homemade tangerine outgrows, does not bloom, and it’s not even worth talking about the fruits. You need to place the tray with the plant on the south-eastern and southern sides of the apartment. In summer, tangerines are taken out onto the loggia or balcony. In winter, the plant is placed in the most illuminated place with straight sun rays, however, even in this situation, the plant needs additional lighting. You can opt for a phytolamp. For option additional lighting The tangerine should be transferred gradually, otherwise it may lose its leaves from “shock”.
What temperature should be to grow indoor tangerine?
In summer the temperature for normal functioning plant temperature should vary from +21 to +26 degrees. When the tangerine is going through the budding period, the temperature will have to be lowered by 2-3 degrees. In winter, during the dormant period, it is better not to touch the tangerine at all, and the temperature should fluctuate within +10 degrees. If you create everything for an indoor mandarin the necessary conditions in the winter season, then in the spring it will delight you with beautiful buds and fruits.
How to properly water a homemade tangerine?
Homemade tangerine can survive even the driest periods. If it is very hard for him, he will shed leaves, but will not die. This is its main advantage. The main reason for the death of tangerines is considered to be excessive watering, which leads to the development of fungal diseases.
The amount of liquid directly depends on certain reasons:
1. Plant height.
2. Pallet size.
3. Lighting and temperature.
Note! The more leaves a plant has, the more evaporation occurs, and the more water it needs.
Watering is carried out before lunch, when the plant begins to activate all life processes. As soon as the temperature drops, watering is stopped for a couple of days. Then it is resumed gradually.
Don't forget to spray the leaves. Excessively dried leaves negatively affect the condition of the tangerine and are considered the cause of spider mite damage. If your mini-tree begins to bloom, then make sure that moisture does not get on the buds.
Fertilizers for homemade tangerines
High-quality plant care is not possible without special fertilizers. The soil in the tray evaporates quite quickly, and therefore in the future it is not suitable for growing tangerines. You can use soluble fertilizers as fertilizers. In spring or summer time the amount of fertilizer increases significantly. After all, at this stage the buds of the tangerine tree are actively developing. When applying fertilizers, the temperature should not be more or less than +18 degrees.
Instant mixtures are popular; they are used to water the plant and nourish its leaves. Indoor tangerine loves nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. When diluting fertilizers, use soft and settled water; the main requirement is to strictly follow the instructions.
Note! The most active application of fertilizers occurs during the period of intensive growth of home tangerines, which is approximately March-April. Then fertilizing is applied approximately 2 times a week. Dry fertilizers are also popular, but their application requires more careful handling. The main advantage of this fertilizer is that after applying it, the soil does not need to be fertilized. for a long time. Pay special attention organic fertilizers, the best option- infused cow manure, it is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 10.
The article outlines the most important steps that you should follow when caring for your plant. If you follow all these recommendations, you will be able to grow a rich and beautiful homemade tangerine.
Exotic plants can become a real decoration for your home. Of course, growing them on your own from seeds is not at all easy, but you can purchase an already grown seedling of such a tree or flower and simply organize proper balanced care for it. Thus, home-grown citrus fruits are extremely popular among lovers: tangerines and oranges, as well as laurels, etc. And growing them in an ordinary apartment is not so difficult. Today we will talk about how to care for a homemade tangerine in a pot.
So, the indoor tangerine is a representative of the Rutaceae family, evergreen, which grows successfully in greenhouses and various winter gardens. Although this tree can reach quite large sizes, it can be grown on a windowsill. In addition, you can now find dwarf and low-growing tangerines on sale, the height of which does not exceed sixty centimeters - one meter.
How to care for tangerine at home?
Optimal lighting
In order for this exotic tree to feel good, readers of Popular About Health need to organize it correct lighting– quite good, but with a minimum amount of direct sunlight. If the plant feels a lack of light, it may practically not bloom, and if there is a strong lack of lighting, its leaves will become pale, the shoots will begin to stretch and weaken. So it is best to place a pot with a plant on the windowsill of an eastern or south-eastern window; when growing on the south side, it is advisable to provide shading for the indoor pet from direct rays of the sun. In the hot season, it is quite possible to take the tree outside, but you should gradually accustom it to open space.
In cold weather, it is extremely important to place the pot of tangerine in the most illuminated place, and it is even better to organize it additional lighting.
Optimal temperature indicators
It is best to grow indoor tangerine in the summer at temperatures from twenty to twenty-five degrees. At the budding stage, as well as during the flowering period, it is advisable to slightly reduce the temperature - to twenty degrees or even slightly lower. With more high temperature the tree may shed flowers or buds. In cold weather, in order to organize a period of short rest for your pet, it is worth lowering the temperature to five to ten degrees. If the tree has the opportunity to rest during the winter, it will bloom and bear fruit much better.
How to properly water a homemade tangerine?
Indoor tangerines at home are quite resistant to a lack of life-giving moisture. They successfully tolerate a lack of watering, and in severe drought they can only shed their leaves. Quite often, such plants suffer from excess moisture, which can lead to the development of fungal diseases.
So you should water the tree only after the soil in the pot has dried out somewhat. It is advisable to carry out this manipulation in the first half of the day. When temperatures drop (in winter), watering is reduced, performing it only to maintain life.
Humidity
Despite their drought resistance, indoor tangerines really do not like dry air. Therefore, they should be sprayed systematically. In case of lack of humidity environment plants may suffer from spider mites. But during the flowering period, it is extremely important to ensure that droplets of water do not fall on the tangerine flowers.
Top dressing
In order to exotic trees looked attractive and remained healthy, it is necessary to feed them. After all, the soil in the pot is depleted quite quickly. For fertilizing it is worth using soluble fertilizers; they can be used for both watering and spraying, but in the second case the concentration should be very weak. As fertilizers, you can use any complex mixtures that contain basic particles, needed by plants, they are represented by phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium.
Tangerines are fed starting from March and ending in September, once every two weeks. In autumn, it is worth carrying out such manipulations less often - once a month.
Experienced flower growers also recommend feeding indoor tangerines organic fertilizers. In this case, it is necessary to dilute well-infused cow manure, maintaining a ratio of 1:10.
Transfer
Young trees need to be replanted annually, and adults - at intervals of two years. For replanting, it is best to purchase special soil intended for citrus fruits. It is advisable to move the plant into a pot whose diameter is no more than five centimeters larger than before. The organization of a sufficiently good drainage layer in the new container also plays an extremely important role.
Best time for replanting tangerines - early spring, when the active growing season is just beginning. A couple of days before this procedure, you should stop using fertilizers. Fertilizing is not carried out within two weeks after transplantation. At the end of this procedure, you need to water the tree, and after half an hour, add soil (if necessary) and water again.
Additional Information
In order to get a lush tree in a pot in a home flower garden, the indoor mandarin needs to pinch out the branches. It is also worth periodically removing dried leaves, elongated branches and excess flowers. For every fifteen leaves you should leave no more than one ovary. And when bearing fruit, the branches must be tied to a support so that they do not break.
Many flower growers dream of having indoor tangerine With fragrant flowers And delicious fruits. But for fear of not being able to cope with caring for the plant, they do not dare to take this step.
However, you can grow successfully fruit tree at home and reap a good harvest. You just need to strictly follow the rules for maintaining the plant.
What do we know about the famous mandarin
Mandarin or Latin for Citrus reticulate is a representative of the genus of citrus fruits from the rutaceae family.
Homeland evergreen fruit tree is northern India, where mandarin is like cultivated plant began to be grown many centuries BC.
Later it began to be cultivated in China and Japan, and at the beginning of the 19th century was introduced to Spain, Italy, Algeria and other countries of the southern and western Mediterranean.
IN ancient China only rich officials could afford this fruit tree, which is why they began to be called "tangerines".
In natural conditions fruit tree grows up to 4 meters in height. Its elliptical leathery leaves small size painted dark green.
Matte white tangerine flowers exude a pleasant aroma and capable of self-pollinating. After dropping the petals, ovaries appear on the tree - future fruits, which after six months turn into everyone’s favorite tangerines, reaching up to 60 mm in diameter.
Mandarin successfully grown even in room conditions. It is valued by flower growers not only for its useful fruits, but also as an ornamental plant.
Some types of trees can bloom all year round. Particularly impressive it looks great during the fruiting period, when its crown is strewn with bright orange fruits.
Through the efforts of breeders, many dwarf varieties tangerine for growing at home. Here are just a few of them:
- Winshiu (Citrus unshiu)- the most famous seedless species, growing up to 1.5 meters in height. Begins to bear fruit after 3 or 4 years.
- Kovano— Vasya(Citrus Unschiu Marc. cv.Kowano-Vase)- early ripening dwarf tangerine up to 80 cm in height. Flowering continues all year round. It begins to bear fruit after two years. The fruits can stay on the bush for up to several months.
- Honey (Murcott)- a rare variety in the form of a compact bush with very sweet fruits.
- Shiva-mikan (Citrus leiocarpa Hort var. Shiva-mikan Tanaca)- a dwarf tree with juicy fruits weighing up to 30 g. It grows quickly, blooms profusely and bears fruit well.
- Clementine (Citrus clementina)- an early ripening hybrid of mandarin and orange. It bears fruit in the second year. One tree can produce up to 50 orange, flattened fruits per year.
Features of caring for indoor tangerine
An important point in the content of tangerine in room conditions - this is compliance with temperature and light conditions.
Also should know that a tangerine grown from a seed bears inedible fruits called “game” or doesn't bear fruit at all.
To get a tree with delicious tangerines from such a plant, you need graft a seedling, grown from a seed, on the cuttings of a fruit-bearing tree.
Mandarin, unlike other citrus fruits, unable to propagate by cuttings. However, flower shops, as a rule, sell already grafted fruit-bearing trees.
In crown formation dwarf tangerines dont need. You just need to remove dried or very elongated branches in a timely manner.
Lighting and temperature conditions
Mandarin loves warmth and light. Place the plant the best thing on a south, west or east window, but with shading from the midday sun. In winter, the tree will need additional lighting.
In summer, it is advisable to place the plant on a balcony or veranda in places protected from the wind. TO fresh air indoor tangerine needs to be taught gradually.
Optimal temperature for a plant in summer - about 25 °C, but not higher. It is better not to allow the tree to overheat, otherwise its flowers may wither and fall off.
in spring during the appearance of buds Recommended temperature is 16 to 18 °C. For abundant fruiting, tangerines need a cold winter. For the winter, you need to place it in a bright, cool room with a temperature of 10 to 12 °C.
Watering and air humidity
From spring to autumn, you need to water the tangerine generously once a day with warm, settled water. It is important to prevent both drought and waterlogging of the soil.
Excess moisture can cause plant roots to rot, and too little moisture can cause leaves to fall off. During wintering, the plant should be watered waiting for it to dry top layer of earth.
Mandarin required high humidity. Regular spraying is very important for the plant.
In this case, you need to make sure that water does not get on the flowers. It is useful to place the container with the tree on a tray with damp moss, pebbles or expanded clay.
Soil composition and replanting
Prefers a tree slightly acidic soil. Ready-made soil for citrus fruits or a self-prepared mixture of the following components is suitable:
- 1 part humus;
- 1 part leaf soil;
- 3 parts of turf land;
- 1 part coarse sand;
- some clay.
Young tangerines are replanted annually in early spring before active growth begins. Bottom of the pot definitely necessary provide a layer of drainage 3-4 cm thick in the form of broken bricks or expanded clay. It is recommended to replant fruit-bearing tangerines every 2 or 3 years.
The transplant should be done transshipment method so as not to damage the roots of the plant. In this case, you need to ensure that the root collar of the tree is at the same level as in the previous container.
Top dressing
At the beginning of June during rapid growth You can start fertilizing the tangerine twice a month. This should be done after watering so as not to burn the roots.
It is preferable to feed the fruiting tree with infusion cow dung in a ratio of 1:10 or with a special fertilizer for citrus fruits. In winter, the plant does not require fertilizing.
Flowering and fruiting
During the year the plant goes through two phases active growth. The tree enters the first phase in March or April, and the second phase in August or September. To give the young plant a chance to get stronger, it is advisable to remove flowers and ovaries for the first three years.
In the fourth year the tree can be allowed bear fruit, but no more than 6 tangerines at a time, partially removing the ovaries, since the branches of the plant at this age are still thin and weak.
Regulate fruiting tangerine can be done with a simple calculation- There should be 1 fruit per 15 leaves of the tree.
As it matures, the tangerine will be able to bear more and more fragrant fruits. During fruiting, branches with ripening tangerines it is advisable to tie it up so that they do not break off due to the weight of the fruit.
With proper care throughout the year, you can harvest from one mature tree up to 60 fruits.
Mandarin propagation
Indoor tangerines can be propagated at home in two ways: by seeds and by grafting.
Propagation by seeds
Tangerine seeds soak for several days in a damp cloth or hydrogel. Next, the swollen seeds are planted in soil consisting of the components listed above, or in ready mixture for roses
It is important that the soil for tangerine seedlings there was no peat, which dries very quickly and often turns sour.
Three weeks after sowing the seeds, you can expect the first shoots. However, young tangerines grown from seeds indoors develop only as an ornamental crop. To grow a full-fledged tangerine with real tasty fruits from such a tree, need to vaccinate him.
Reproduction by grafting
Vaccination is carried out during the period of active sap flow - in April or early May, but also in August. You need to take care of the rootstock and scion in advance.
Rootstock- This is a young tangerine grown from a seed with a trunk thickness equal to the diameter of a pencil - this is about 6 mm. Scion- a bud (eye) together with a leaf petiole, taken from a fresh cutting of a fruiting tangerine.
At a height of about 7 cm from the ground, an incision is made carefully on the bark of the rootstock trunk so as not to touch the wood. "T" shaped. The size of the incision along the upper horizontal line is 1 cm, and in height - 2.5 cm.
The tip of a knife bark bends back carefully to the sides, and the bud, held by the petiole, is inserted into the resulting opening. The inserted “eye” is pressed tightly with the corners of the bark.
grafted plant placed in a “greenhouse” in the form of a large plastic bag. The transplanted kidney usually survives within 3 weeks.
The success of the grafting is indicated by an easily detachable yellowed leaf petiole. If the petiole turns black and withers, it means the “peephole” didn’t take root.
The sprouted bud begins accustom to air, gradually increasing the ventilation time of the “greenhouse”. A month after the shoot sprouts from the bud, the trunk of the rootstock is cut obliquely above the shoot at a height of 5 mm.
The cut is being processed garden varnish, A the bandage is removed. A stick is installed in the pot, to which a young shoot is tied for vertical growth and correct formation crowns
Pests
Dangerous pests of tangerine are spider mites and scale insects.
For pest prevention You should wash your tangerine with soap and water once a month. To do this, you need to cover the soil in the pot with a film, wrap the trunk with a cloth and treat the tangerine crown with cotton wool moistened with strong soap suds.
In the case of spider mites, a solution of tobacco powder and laundry soap. To make it, you need to pour 1 tablespoon of tobacco dust with a glass of boiling water and leave for 6 days, and then add 10 g of soap to the solution.
Also has proven itself to be excellent garlic infusion- a crushed head of garlic is poured into a glass of boiling water and infused for 2 days. Each solution is filtered and used for spraying three times with an interval of 6 days.
When dealing with scale insects, it is necessary to resort to water-oil emulsions. Very important During treatment, cover the ground with film, and wrap the plant trunk with gauze, folding it in several layers.
Common problems
Very often, when growing tangerines at home, gardeners face a number of problems: yellowing, curling and falling leaves, complete loss of foliage and falling flowers.
Why do the leaves of indoor tangerines turn yellow?
More often the leaves of the tree turn yellow from a lack of nitrogen and iron. To replenish the amount of nitrogen in the soil, it is recommended to feed the tangerine with organic fertilizers.
With iron deficiency, the plant develops chlorosis, causing its leaves to turn light yellow. To prevent chlorosis Once a month the tree is treated with iron chelate.
Sometimes the leaves turn yellow in case of insufficient lighting or due to the volume of the pot being too small. The problem can be solved by transplanting the tangerine into a new, larger pot or adjusting the light regime.
Another reason for yellowing leaves May be spider mite attack. The method of pest control is described above.
Indoor tangerine - leaves falling
The tree may leaves fall due to too dry air. This can happen in winter heating season, and in hot summers. It is necessary to spray the plant more often.
Another reason for leaf fall May be the fact that the root neck of the tree is too deep into the ground or the tangerine is growing in a very large pot. It is necessary to replant the plant according to all the rules.
Sometimes leaves fall due to lack of potassium in the soil. In this case, you should feed the plant with potassium nitrate. Also, leaf fall can begin with excessive watering, poor lighting and drafts.
Anyway the problem is solved by establishing proper care.
The indoor tangerine has lost all its foliage - what to do?
Mandarin can reset all the leaves, if you are exhausted and desperately need a period of rest. The tree needs a well-deserved rest from mid-autumn to the end of February.
At this time, the tangerine must be moved to a cool place with a temperature of up to 12 ° C, reduce watering, avoiding drought in the soil, and stop fertilizing. With the beginning of spring the tree will come to life. Other reasons for heavy leaf fall are described above.
Other Possible Problems
Other problems are possible if the tangerine is not properly cared for:
- Castings dry out and crumble- drought or waterlogging of the soil.
- Flowers are falling- air is too dry.
- The leaves are curling- insufficient watering.
Needless to say, caring for an indoor tangerine has its own difficulties and features. However, the joy of harvesting fruit and the opportunity to admire the beauty of an exotic tree at home worth all the effort.
