Who would refuse their favorite citrus fruits, especially those grown with their own hands? This is perennial evergreen is becoming increasingly popular as a indoor culture. 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 remain on the branches until October.
The tangerine tree prefers a lot of light; on hot days it needs abundant watering and spraying.
One more 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 it should be protected from direct sunlight by shading it with a curtain or paper. In winter, additional artificial lighting is required. 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. Only settled water is suitable for this purpose. room temperature.
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. Absolutely not suitable acidic soil. 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 of fine river sand, humus.
Light substrate helps actively grow root system. It is poured onto the drainage layer from 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 a natural nutrient solution, then bird droppings or cow manure would be more suitable. 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 pruned.
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 number of colonies is large, then only chemicals— Aktellik and Fitoverm. 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 the lower part of the plant 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. The process is completed by lightly compacting the soil and watering.
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 greenhouse ones.
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. It is better to choose a dwarf bush for growing on a windowsill, and a large bush for a winter garden.
In any case, it should be a healthy plant, without damage or yellowed falling leaves. Check carefully for insects.
general information
Of all the types of citrus plants grown indoors, only the indoor tangerine is second to the lemon tree in terms of prevalence and popularity. According to botanists, its homeland is China or Japan. The name “mandarin” was given to this plant by the Chinese, since for many centuries it was grown only in the gardens of wealthy dignitaries of feudal China - mandarins. Tangerine trees exported from China appeared in Europe only in the 19th century. The Italian Michel Tecor brought tangerine trees to Italy in 1840, and this citrus plant quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean. Probably, such popularity was caused by the fact that tangerine trees are early-fruiting and very productive, and the fruits are sweet and without seeds. Mandarin came to Ukraine from Japan at the beginning of the 20th century, during the mass country house construction in the subtropical zone of the Black Sea coast. Here it has become the most common citrus plant. Regardless of the variety, summer gardeners gave tangerine trees a common name - forged. Mandarin trees are relatively low-growing; on plantations they reach a height of 2-3 meters. The branches of the tangerine tree are mostly drooping. The leaves are dense, dark green, with small wings on the petioles. White fragrant flowers collected in brushes. Mandarin fruits are spherical, flattened, 4-6 cm in diameter and weighing from 30 to 100 g. The fruit peel is thin, orange, and easily separated from the pulp. In the so-called “plump” tangerines, it almost does not touch the pulp, because it is separated from it by an air layer. The pulp is sweet, juicy, yellow-orange, easily divided into slices. The fruit of the tangerine tree contains a lot of sugar, organic acids, vitamins C and B1. Seeds are rarely formed in tangerine fruits. In an apartment, tangerine grows and develops with a limited amount of light and fresh air, therefore it is of paramount importance right choice tangerine variety, most suitable for indoor conditions. Early ripening tangerine trees of Japanese origin, characterized by low growth and unpretentiousness, meet these requirements. The most common is the indoor tangerine variety Unshiu (which means “Seedless”). It is low (no higher than 1.5 m) tangerine tree with a spreading crown; without thorns on the branches; with wide, leathery, dark green leaves. The tangerine tree usually blooms once a year in the spring, very profusely. Tangerine flowers are small, white, exuding a pleasant aroma. The tangerine tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 3. At home, a well-groomed adult tangerine tree produces an average of 40-50 fruits per year.
Dwarf tangerines of the Vasya group.
These varieties of tangerine trees are low-growing and decorative. These include indoor varieties of tangerines: Kovano-Vase, Mikha-Vase, Miyagawa-Vase. The height of mature tangerine trees does not exceed 50-80 cm, so they are very convenient to keep on the windowsill. Indoor mandarin does not need to form a crown; only sometimes it is necessary to remove dried and improperly growing branches. Dwarf tangerines begin to bear fruit in the second year of life. The fruits of the tangerine tree are not inferior in size and taste to the fruits of the Unshiu variety.
Landing (transfer)
For this purpose, take a pot from any material, the main thing is that the upper diameter should not exceed 10-15 cm, the height is approximately the same. There should be one or several small holes at the bottom of the pot to drain excess water when watering. At the bottom of the pot, which can be a plastic bucket, a wooden, ceramic, glass container, place expanded clay or sand as drainage, or best of all, charcoal, which can be taken from an extinct fire in the forest, in a city park. The thickness of the drainage should not exceed 3-5 cm. Then sprinkle the drainage with a little soil. To transplant a tangerine tree seedling, you need specially prepared soil of the “Mandarin” type; it is presented on our website in the section “Soils and fertilizers for indoor plants” - “Soils for indoor plants.” Or prepare the soil yourself: the soil for replanting must be taken from the forest or park, under old deciduous trees, except oak, chestnut and poplar. It is necessary to take only the top, most fertile layer of soil, 5-10 cm thick. Add sand to this soil, preferably river sand, a little ash, and more humus, if available. The proportion is as follows: two glasses of deciduous soil, a glass of sand, three tablespoons of humus and one tablespoon of ash. Stir all this in any bowl, add a little water to get a thick, creamy mass that will well fill the entire volume of the pot, leaving no air voids near the roots of the tangerine tree. After six months, the tangerine tree must be transplanted into a larger pot 5 cm in diameter. Landed indoor tangerine spray and pour with a faint pink solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), and then place it on a previously prepared window sill, bay window or balcony so that the surface of the leaves is directed towards the light.
Reproduction
Indoor tangerines are propagated by grafting onto lemon and orange seedlings grown from seeds indoor varieties and by air layering method. Indoor mandarin is practically not amenable to cuttings under amateur conditions.
Lighting
The tangerine tree should be kept in a southern sunny window. In summer, it is recommended to take indoor tangerine outdoors - to the garden, veranda, balcony, placing it in a place protected from the wind. If an indoor tangerine stands on a south-facing window, then in the summer it is advisable to darken it a little from direct sunlight so that burns do not occur on the leaves of the tangerine and chlorosis does not appear from overheating of the entire crown and roots. For this, at the very window frame, according to the height of the tangerine tree, they make a gauze curtain and in the morning, before leaving the house, cover the glass with it if the day promises to be sunny.
Air temperature
If a pot of indoor tangerine will stand on a windowsill, then the window must be well insulated for the winter, and the pot itself must be insulated in winter and summer. Favorable temperature for tangerine budding and flowering is +16 +18°C, air humidity is at least 60%, but don’t be afraid high temperature, the tangerine tree can withstand and bear fruit up to +40°C.
Watering
Indoor tangerine should be watered as the top layer of soil dries, without allowing the lump of earth in the pot to completely dry out. To determine soil moisture, take the time to take a little of the surface layer of soil with three fingers every day and squeeze it. If the soil sticks together, then there is no need to water; if it crumbles under your fingers, then it’s time to water. You need to monitor the condition of the soil daily (especially in summer) so that the entire earthen lump in the pot does not dry out due to high temperatures and bright sun. The question of where to get water for irrigation and what it should be is also very difficult, and therefore we will dwell on it in detail. In a city apartment drinking water practically unsuitable for watering citrus fruits, since it contains a large amount of compounds of alkaline earth metals and chlorine, which together and individually cause great harm tangerine, causing spotting (chlorosis) of leaves, alkalizing the soil, disrupting metabolic processes. Many authors recommend boiling tap water, but this does not always immediately lead to the desired result, extra hassle often scare away potential lovers of window fruit growing, so I recommend using hot water from the tap. This water contains less chlorine and is softer. In addition, water for irrigation must be left for at least 24 hours in an open container to completely remove chlorine, which is extremely harmful to citrus fruits. In a private house, water can be taken from a well, but it is better from a lake or stream and left in the room for heating. Rainwater now contains many harmful impurities, so do not collect it for irrigation. In any case, wherever the water is taken, it must be left for at least a day in an open vessel at room temperature and only then watered over the tangerine. In winter, to achieve better growth and fruiting of tangerines, it is advisable to heat the water to a temperature of +30 +35°C before watering. In the summer, you can put the water on a sunny window and not bother heating it.
Spraying
It must be well remembered that in addition to watering, indoor tangerines should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle or any other method at least once a day, especially in summer, to create humidity, to wash away dust from the branches, so that the leaves “breathe”. At least once a month, it is advisable to place the tangerine tree in the bathtub and cover it plastic film soil in a pot and treat the entire crown with cotton wool and soap suds. Then you won't have to deal with difficult pest control. Do not forget to tie the stem of the tangerine tree at the bottom with gauze or a bandage so that the soapy water is absorbed into the fabric and does not get into the soil.
Fertilizer
In winter, indoor mandarin is not fed, in spring and summer - once every two weeks. Any fertilizing should be done only the next day after watering, i.e. when the soil in the pot is wet, otherwise you can burn the roots. Pour fertilizer under the plant until the solution begins to flow out of the drainage holes. To feed a tangerine tree seedling, you need fertilizer of the “Tangerine” type; it is presented on our website in the section “Soils and fertilizers for indoor plants” - “Fertilizers for indoor plants.” Feeding mature plants, at least one meter high, with fish soup once a month increases their fruiting. They do it like this: 200 grams of fish waste or small unsalted fish are boiled in two liters of water for half an hour. Then dilute the solution cold water and filter through cheesecloth. This fertilizer must be used together with the Mandarin fertilizer mentioned above.
Pests
The enemies of the indoor tangerine are sucking and gnawing pests, as well as fungi and viruses. The most common pests are: spider mite, scale insect (false scale insect). They are combated with chemical and biological preparations, which are more acceptable in open soil conditions in the subtropics and greenhouses. It is advisable not to use pesticides for an apartment. Signs of spider mite infestation are as follows: white dots appear on old tangerine leaves on the underside, and the reddish mite itself is visible to the naked eye. If you touch it, it starts to move quickly. Young leaves curl into a “boat” and become entangled in a white web. To combat mites, use tobacco dust, garlic, and laundry soap. Take 1 tablespoon of tobacco dust and pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 6 days. Add 10 grams to the resulting infusion laundry soap and spray the plant 3 times with an interval of 6 days. Garlic is used as follows: one head of garlic is crushed, poured into a glass hot water and insist for 2 days. The solution is filtered and spraying is carried out similarly to the above. When affected by scale insects, brown-gray shiny round formations with a diameter of 3-5 mm are visible on the surface of young and old leaves. They are placed along the veins at the top and bottom of the leaf, as well as on the branches themselves. IN initial stage these growths are almost transparent, whitish in color and difficult to notice. With severe damage, sticky gum appears on the surface of old leaves, and in the late stage they become covered with a black sticky coating, which is very difficult to wash off with water. Water-oil emulsions effectively help against scale insects. One teaspoon machine oil stir in one glass of warm water, add 40 grams of laundry soap, 2 tablespoons washing powder. Before processing, cover the soil in the pot with plastic film, and the stem is tied at the bottom with a bandage. This is done in order to prevent the emulsion from getting into the soil. Treatment is carried out using a cotton or gauze swab. A water-oil emulsion is applied to all surfaces of tangerine branches and leaves. After 3-4 hours, rinse everything off in the shower, making sure that the emulsion does not get into the soil. Process 3 times with an interval of 6 days.
Mandarin- an evergreen plant that belongs to the Rutov family. The specific Latin name of the mandarin is Citrus reticulate. Like orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit, it belongs to the Citrus genus. The life form of this plant is interesting - it can be a shrub or a tree, reaching a height of 5 meters.
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Indoor tangerine
Like other representatives of the Citrus genus, mandarin has long been grown in greenhouses, greenhouses, winter gardens. Despite its size, tangerines can be grown at home on a balcony or windowsill. Currently, breeders have developed many varieties of dwarf and low-growing tangerines for home grown, the maximum height of which is 0.6-1.1 m. Indoor tangerine may not be a dwarf variety, then the plant needs to be heavily pruned and shaped.
Indoor tangerine is very impressive potted plant . And not only because of the bright, fragrant and appetizing orange fruits that can last for several months. Sometimes a plant gives pleasure only by its flowering, because the delicate white flowers of tangerine exude an amazing aroma. In some varieties, flowering begins in the spring and may continue all year round. Indoor tangerine, grown as a bonsai, is a real work of art.
1:882Fruits of indoor tangerine set without artificial pollination, usually ripen at the end of the year. Often an indoor tangerine in a pot is bought in a store with fruits already hanging on it. Despite the fact that they are very appetizing, you should not eat them. After all, to achieve such a high decorative effect plants receive high doses of fertilizers. The tangerine has beautiful leathery and corrugated leaves.
1:1619Popular tangerine varieties for growing at home
Unshiu - Japanese variety, the most unpretentious, begins to bear fruit in 3-4 years, in room conditions grows up to 0.8-1.5 m. Branches well. It blooms profusely in spring, producing fruits in late October-November. Pear-shaped fruits lack seeds.
Kowano-Wase, Micha-Wase, Miyagawa-Wase - dwarf tangerines Vasya group - suitable for growing on a windowsill, height 40-80 cm. Orange-yellow fruits ripen for the first time in the second year of cultivation, flowering is abundant. Like all dwarf varieties do not require crown formation.
Shiva-Mikan is an early compact fast-growing variety. The fruits are small, no more than 30 g
Murcott- the fruits of this compact tangerine variety are very sweet, ripen in summer, and taste very sweet, which is why the name of the variety is translated as “honey.”
Clementine- a hybrid of tangerine and orange, bears fruit at home in the second year. One adult domestic tree produces up to 50 medium-sized, flattened orange-red fruits per year, very fragrant, with shiny skin. Plants of this variety with numerous seeds are called Montreals.
Mandarin care at home
Lighting mandarin at home
The first step in successfully growing indoor tangerine is choosing a place for the plant and its correct lighting.
Indoor tangerine, as well as those grown in open ground, good lighting with some direct sunlight is necessary. When there is insufficient light, the plant slows down its growth, throws out a small number of flowers or does not bloom at all. With a strong lack of light, the leaves of indoor tangerines become faded, new shoots become elongated, thin and painful in appearance. Therefore, it is better to grow the plant on eastern, south-eastern and southern windows, shading them from direct midday rays. In summer, the plant can be taken out to the balcony, gradually accustoming it to the street.
IN winter period, with a short daylight hours, the indoor tangerine should be placed in the brightest place with direct sunlight. But sometimes this is not enough: artificial lighting is needed. For this purpose, an ordinary phytolamp is suitable, which can be screwed into a chandelier or table lamp. It is necessary to transfer the plant to additional lighting gradually. With a sharp change in daylight hours, it can shed its leaves.
Content temperature
The optimal temperature for indoor tangerine in the summer is + 20-25 oC. During the period of budding and flowering, so that the flowers do not fall off, it is better to keep the plant at a temperature slightly below + 20 ° C. In winter, to ensure a relative period of rest, tangerine is kept at + 5 -10 °C. A plant that has rested over the winter will bloom and bear fruit better.
How to water and spray tangerines at home
The indoor mandarin, like its wild ancestors, is adapted to withstand dry periods. In extreme cases, the plant will shed its leaves to reduce the amount of liquid that evaporates. A common problem when growing tangerines at home is excessive watering, which leads to the development of fungal diseases.
The amount of water for watering indoor tangerines depends on several factors:
- size of the plant;
- the size of the container in which the tangerine grows;
- ambient temperature;
- length of daylight hours and lighting intensity.
The larger the leaf surface of indoor tangerine, the stronger the evaporation, and the more it needs watering. Temperature also affects the rate of evaporation: the higher it is, the more moisture the plant loses. The length of daylight directly affects the amount of moisture that evaporates. Stomata - formations on the underside of land plants that serve for gas exchange, open during daylight hours.
Watering indoor tangerines should be done in the first half of the day, when the plant has activated its life processes. When the temperature drops, watering is reduced, even stopping for several days during the period when the room temperature is only +12-15 oC. In this case, the tangerine is watered with a small amount of water only to maintain vital functions.
Mandarin at home needs regular spraying of leaves. Very dry air has a bad effect on the plant and is often a prerequisite for its infection with spider mites. If an indoor tangerine is blooming, then you need to make sure that water does not get on its flowers.
How to feed tangerines at home
Complete care for tangerines at home is not possible without additional mineral and organic feeding. The soil in the pot is quickly depleted and washed away when watering, and recreational processes practically do not occur in it, unlike soil in nature.
For fertilizing, you can use soluble or dry fertilizers. In the spring, as daylight hours increase, fertilizing for indoor tangerines is increased. It is in the early spring that vegetative and generative buds begin to develop intensively; at this time, the plant requires additional nutrients.
At home, tangerines are fertilized like everyone else. houseplants, that is, in the first half of the day. The ambient temperature should be at least + 18-19 degrees.
Soluble fertilizers are often used for fertilizing. You can water the plant with them, and spray its leaves in a weaker concentration. To feed indoor tangerines, any complex mineral fertilizer containing phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium is suitable - the main elements necessary for plants.
Fertilizers should be dissolved in soft or settled water at room temperature. The main thing is not to increase the dose. If the instructions say: 1 capful of product per 1 liter of water, do not think that 2 capfuls will make the solution more useful. This will lead to the opposite effect - a chemical burn or toxic poisoning of the plant.
You need to feed tangerines at home during the period of intensive growth (from March to September) 2 times a week. Possibly less often, but not more often.
Dry fertilizers, which are applied to the soil and gradually dissolve, releasing microelements to the soil, must be applied even more carefully. Their advantage is that by introducing them in the spring you can for a long time forget about feeding. However, they can be quickly used by the plant, and it will be difficult to guess about it. Adding an additional dose of fertilizer will lead to the above-mentioned overdose.
To grow tangerines, organic fertilizers are also needed. To do this, you can dilute infused cow manure in a ratio of 1/10. The best option will be used organic fertilizer in combination with minerals for soil feeding.
Additional care for tangerines at home
To form a lush tangerine tree, pinch the tops of its branches.
Caring for tangerines at home also involves removing dried leaves or elongated branches.
On the young flowering plants The flowers are partially removed so as not to deplete them and to allow several fruits to ripen. For 15-20 leaves of an adult plant, you can leave one ovary. The fewer fruits remain on the tangerine, the larger they will be.
The fruiting branches of indoor mandarin are tied and tied to a support, otherwise they may break due to the weight of the fruit and the plant will not have an attractive appearance.
Diseases and pests
Mandarins at home can be affected by scale insects, red spider mites and mealybugs. Spraying the plant with a soap solution (2 tbsp) will help against scale insects liquid soap, you can use “Fary”, for 3 liters of water). It is better to remove pests by hand first. After leaving the solution on the leaves for half an hour, wash it off warm water. In case of spider mite infestation, the pest is collected manually, then the leaves and twigs are wiped with a cotton swab moistened with cold water or alcohol, then sprayed with a two-day infusion of garlic or onion (crush 200 g and add warm boiled water). Removing the pest with a cotton swab and spraying it with garlic infusion 3 times (once every 7 days), or rubbing it with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol (can be replaced with calendula tincture) will also help against mealybugs. In case of persistent damage by any pest, they resort to potent chemicals, which are used according to the instructions.
If watered incorrectly, tangerine leaves become stained and fall off. To prevent or eliminate the problem, follow the rules for watering citrus plants.
Replanting a tangerine at home
Proper care of tangerines at home involves replanting the plant. Usually a transplant is carried out if the plant, in our case the indoor tangerine, is cramped in the pot. As a rule, young indoor tangerine plants are replanted annually, plants older than 7 years - once every 2 years. For replanting, use a special soil mixture for citrus fruits or make it yourself from turf soil (50%) and leaf soil, humus and sand, taken in equal parts.
To transplant an indoor tangerine, choose a pot with a diameter of 5 - 8 cm larger than the previous one. It is forbidden small plant plant immediately in a large pot: this often leads to rotting of the roots. In addition, it is neither aesthetically pleasing nor practical.
Mandarin at home, as in nature, prefers a light substrate with weak acidity. It is necessary to put drainage at the bottom of the container for replanting - this is the prevention of stagnation of water and root rot. For drainage you can use: expanded clay, small stones, fragments of ceramic dishes, pieces of foam plastic.
Indoor tangerines cannot be replanted while the plant is flowering. It is better to do this in the spring at the beginning of the plant’s awakening from a relative period of dormancy.
You cannot feed the plant 2-3 days before replanting, and also use fertilizers for 12-14 days after replanting.
After transplanting, the indoor tangerine is lightly watered so that the soil settles. After 30-40 minutes, if necessary, add the substrate to the pot and water it again.
Reproduction of indoor tangerine
Mandarins can be propagated at home in two ways:
- vegetative (rooting of branches);
- generative (growing from seed).
To root cuttings, it is better to use a rooting agent - the survival rate will be 3-4 times higher. To do this, cuttings with 2-3 leaves are dipped in a rooting agent and planted in wet soil, covering the top with film or cut plastic bottle, be sure to leave holes in them for ventilation. Cuttings take root within several months.
Growing tangerines at home from seeds is the longest method of propagation, especially since some varieties produce almost no seeds. In addition, an indoor tangerine grown using this method will need grafting, otherwise it will not bloom. For rootstock would be better suited indoor lemon or grapefruit grown at home from seeds.
Since both methods of propagating indoor tangerines take too much time, more often amateur gardeners buy already grafted indoor tangerine in shops.
The evergreen tangerine tree will give pleasant emotions and fruit harvest all year round. Caring for it at home is not so difficult, but some conditions must be observed.
Tangerine tree: how to care for it at home
Photo by Shutterstock
Choosing soil for a young tangerine tree
For good health and fruiting, you need to choose soil with the following composition: leaf soil (1 part), turf (2 parts), quartz sand (1 part), humus from cow manure (1 part). Using this composition, you can create the necessary conditions for the survival of the plant.
You can germinate a tangerine shoot yourself. This requires patience and time. You can germinate it from the seeds in sawdust, just like an orange, maintaining sufficient humidity.
What kind of soil do mature trees like?
For mature tangerine trees, a slightly different ratio of soil parts is required: 1 part leaf soil, 3 parts turf, 1 part humus from cow manure, 1 part sandy component and a little bit of high-fat clay. By transplanting a grown tree into such soil, you can achieve its rapid rooting and fruiting.
Tree from a seed
You can grow a tangerine tree from a seed ripe fruit. When it is removed from the pulp, it must be wrapped in gauze or cloth and constantly moistened with water. The seed will swell and a sprout will hatch. Then you need to plant it in the soil. Alternatively, you should place tangerine seed into the middle layer of hydrogel and wait for the sprout to appear.
Where to plant a tree
When choosing a place for a tangerine tree, you need to consider that it should be well lit. Mandarin loves a lot of light. On a very hot day, it is still better to shade the plant to avoid leaf burns.
It is best to plant an indoor tree in a wooden tub or flowerpot made from natural materials. It is best to place it on southern, southwestern and southeastern windows. In winter, it is best not to open the window for a long time. With the onset of spring, the plant can be taken out to the balcony or loggia. During the hot season, you can create a retractable awning for shading.
How to water a tangerine tree
Growing tangerines is a troublesome task. You should not water it with regular water. Moisture for irrigation must be settled and warmed if it is cool.
In winter, it is enough to water 2 times a week. It is better to draw a watering schedule so as not to overdo it. In summer, it is best to do this several times a day. In hot weather, this must be done carefully so that water does not get on the leaves.
Leaves that are wet in the heat can get burned.
Grow and fertilize
The choice of fertilizer for a tangerine tree is best made in favor of organic and mineral complex products. This can be as expensive fertilizer for citrus fruits or as simple slurry from cow manure.
Before applying fertilizer to the soil, it is necessary to water it thoroughly. Feeding should be done in the summer, but in winter it is better to stop it.
A tree that is fertilized bears juicy and tasty fruits, without bitterness
A houseplant should not be kept in one flowerpot. The reservoir must be changed as the tangerine grows. If the plant is forced to stay in the same flowerpot for several years, it is better to increase feeding. Since homemade tangerines can also bear fruit, it is very important to monitor soil fertilization.
Pinching and cutting
Proper pinching leads to the fact that the tree begins to branch strongly and increases fruiting. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the branches. It is necessary to pinch the tops of young shoots. It is better to trim off excess and weakened branches.
Cuttings, layering
The tree is propagated by seeds, by cuttings, by air layering, and by grafting. Each method is suitable for different trees. Old trees with well-formed branches are suitable for propagation by air layering. Only certain varieties of tangerine trees are propagated from cuttings.
To vaccinate or not to vaccinate
Planting the seeds is successful, but this way you have to wait a long time for the fruits. Fruiting accelerates in grafted plants.
Before grafting a tree, it is very important to speed up the flow of sap. This is done by watering abundantly. Immediately before grafting, it is necessary to check how the bark comes away from the trunk. You need to make an incision just above the site of future budding and try to very carefully bend the bark layer.
On the branch that needs to be grafted onto the rootstock, all leaves must be removed and only the petioles left. This is done to prevent moisture evaporation. It is better to choose the grafting site 5-10 cm from the ground. The bark in this area should be smooth, free of buds or thorns. Then, with a light, careful movement, it is necessary to make a transverse incision at this distance and another, perpendicular to it, going down 3 cm from the center of the incision.
The cuts made in the bark must be pryed with the bone part of the knife and lifted. Then you need to return everything except the top edge to its original place. Then you need to quickly take the prepared bud from the scion and insert the eye into the T-shaped cut made on the rootstock. Insulating tape should be placed around the grafting area and removed once the bud has taken root.
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:
- Konkhinkhin- the 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.
- 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.
- Tangerine It is distinguished by elongated fruits and thick skin. Tangerines are very sweet and tasty, but have a specific Strong smell, which not everyone likes.
In addition, breeders have developed many hybrid species, which are more hardy and unpretentious, and therefore caring for them will not be difficult.
Popular tangerine tree hybrids include:
- Clementine. Its leaves are narrow and elongated, and its fruits are bright and juicy. This variety is especially valued for its taste and aroma.
- 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.
- Tangora is different large fruits, which 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.
- 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 the following important factors, such as lighting, air humidity, fertilizing, etc.
1. Location
It is not difficult to guess what is especially important for the tangerine tree bright lighting. 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 must be shaded to prevent burn spots from appearing on the leaves.
5. Spraying
The tangerine tree must 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. For spraying, use settled water at 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:
- Young specimens - once a year.
- 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:
- Leaf snake.
- Sand.
- Humus.
- 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 processed special drugs, which are sold in regular 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 is not particularly 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, budding or grafting 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 the leaves fall occasionally and in small quantity is a 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.
