Tangerine tree in a pot - myth or reality? Over the past decade, it has become fashionable to grow citrus trees at home. Special attention flower growers pay attention to indoor tangerine. Beautiful foliage, delicate aroma and bright fruits when tangerines ripen. If you want an original tree to appear on your windowsill, provide appropriate care for the tangerine at home. How to care for a tangerine tree? Let's take a closer look at everything important points.
The tangerine tree and caring for it at home begins with choosing a pot and. A container made of plastic, wood or ceramic can be used as a flowerpot. Usually, homemade tangerine unpretentious to soil type. However, according to the recommendations of citrus growers, it is better to purchase from specialized flower shops substrate marked “for citrus fruits”. At self-cooking soil you will need to mix turf soil, leaf soil and rotted cow manure in a ratio of 3:1:1, add a little clay and sand. Be sure to place drainage at the bottom of the pot to prevent excess moisture from accumulating in the soil.
Conditions of detention
Caring for a tangerine tree includes steps such as organizing proper lighting, temperature and humidity control in the room. It is important to keep an eye on such seemingly quite simple things so that the plant feels comfortable and cozy in an unusual environment.
Lighting
Do not forget that direct ultraviolet rays can seriously injure the tree or cause burns, so think about how you can shade home plant from the bright midday sun. In winter, the indoor tangerine will lack natural light - you need to buy a phytolamp. With a lack of light, the tangerine often begins to fade, the leaves wither and fall off, throws out few flowers or does not bloom or bear fruit at all.
Temperature
What do we know about tangerine? This is an exotic tree, and accordingly, suitable air temperature plays a significant role in its growth and development. Thus, it is optimal that the tangerine at home is kept at a temperature within 20–25 degrees Celsius. Higher modes are not recommended so as not to overheat the citrus tree. For the period of flowering and fruit release, 18–20 degrees will be enough. But winter is considered a period of rest and rest; the plant gains strength before the new growing season. In the cold season, indoor tangerine feels comfortable at an air temperature of 5 to 10 degrees above zero.
Air humidity
Do not forget to control the air humidity in the room where the decorative tangerine is located. Citrus trees grown at home should be provided with a microclimate as close as possible to their natural habitat. Then the tree will feel comfortable and will please abundant flowering and bright fruits.
Care indoor tangerine includes frequent spraying. It is especially important to do this during dry summer periods or in winter, when the air in the house becomes dry due to the heating being on. It is recommended to spray the leaves 2-3 times a day. You can also install a humidifier near a window. If you don’t have such a household appliance, then use a tray with water or make your own fountain/waterfall that humidifies the air within the window sill.
Top dressing
Mandarin at home and feeding features - this topic is of interest to almost every beginning citrus grower. Of course, from mid-spring to early autumn it is necessary to fertilize with mineral or organic fertilizers. You can alternate them, but do not forget to feed the plant weekly. Mandarin simply needs nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium.
Can be used as a variety of mineral and organic additives folk remedies, and specially prepared complex mixtures that are sold in stores labeled “for citrus fruits.”
Features of watering
Despite the fact that a tangerine tree at home requires frequent watering, try to avoid waterlogging the soil so as not to cause rotting of the root system. During the growing season it is recommended to water citrus daily. If the air in the room is too dry, you will need to moisten the soil 2-3 times a day. At the same time, try not to get on the flowers. In winter, the tree can be watered 1-2 times a week or as required. For indoor mandarin, both dry and too wet soil is unacceptable - observe moderation in everything.
Disease Prevention
Do not forget to inspect and carry out preventive maintenance various diseases tangerine is one of the important stages care at home. Unfortunately, everything citrus trees are often attacked by pests (common aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, scale insects and others), they are attracted by a pleasant aroma. This is how easy it is for you to grow tangerines at home!
Seed propagation in the garden strawberries we are used to, unfortunately, leads to the appearance of less productive plants and weaker bushes. But another type of these sweet berries, alpine strawberries, can be successfully grown from seeds. Let's learn about the main advantages and disadvantages of this crop, consider the main varieties and features of agricultural technology. The information presented in this article will help you decide whether it is worth allocating a place for it in the berry garden.
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Citrus reticulata) - evergreen flowering plant and its fruit. Tangerines belong to the dicotyledonous class, order Sapindaceae, family Rutaceae, genus Citrus.
The word “tangerine” has Spanish roots: mondar in Spanish means “to peel,” and the pulp of the tangerine, compared to other citrus fruits, comes off easily from the peel. The Spaniards gave this fruit the name mandarino, after which the word entered the Russian language.
Mandarin – description, characteristics, photo. How do tangerines grow?
Mandarin is evergreen tree, reaching a height of 4 meters, although the height of a 30-year-old tree can reach up to 5 m, and the harvest can range from 5 to 7 thousand fruits.
The tangerine has a rather spreading, rounded crown, the diameter of which can exceed 3.5 meters. The bark of the tangerine tree is light gray, and the young shoots are dark green. Tangerine leaves are small, leathery, pointed or ovate, and do not change color throughout the season. Each leaf lives about 4 years.
Mandarin flowers are often single or collected in pairs and located in the axils of the leaves.
The tree blooms from April to early summer, when the tree looks especially beautiful: the crown of the tangerine is as if wrapped in a cloud of white or cream inflorescences, emitting a bright, pleasant aroma, somewhat similar to the smell of bergamot.
Tangerines are self-fertile plants and are pollinated by their own pollen, as a result of which many ovaries are formed and fruits begin to develop. Mandarin is a fairly early-bearing tree, and produces the first harvest 3-4 years after planting. The first growth of shoots occurs at the beginning of spring, the second wave of growth begins in mid-August.
Fruit formation occurs on the second growth of last year or on the first growth of this year. Tangerines ripen in October, and in December the harvest is completely harvested. Thus, tangerines grow and bear fruit within 7 months.
Mandarin differs from other citruses in its thin, easily peelable orange peel, and in a number of varieties the skin and pulp are separated by an air layer and practically do not touch each other.
The size of tangerine fruits ranges from 4 to 6 cm in diameter, and due to their flattened shape, the width of the fruit is noticeably greater than its height. Each tangerine fruit consists of several nests - lobules, usually 10-12, each of which contains 1-2 seeds.
Some varieties of tangerines contain no seeds at all.
The structure of the yellow-orange pulp of tangerine is similar to many citrus fruits (lemon, orange) and is represented by numerous juice-containing sacs - spindle-shaped hairs filled with juice.
This structure is called hesperidium - one of the forms of a berry-like fruit.
Approximately 600-800 fruits are obtained from one plant per year; with age, fruiting becomes more abundant.
On average, a tangerine tree lives about 70 years.
Where do tangerines grow?
The homeland of mandarin is southern China and Cochin China (southeast of the Indochina Peninsula). Currently, orange fruits are widely cultivated not only in their homeland, but also in India, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Iran, USA, Abkhazia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Spain, the south of France, Italy, Brazil and other countries with a climate favorable for this crop.
Calorie content of tangerine
The calorie content of tangerine is 53 kcal per 100 grams of product.
Nutritional value of tangerine
Water – 85.17 g,
Proteins – 0.81 g,
Fats – 0.31 g,
Carbohydrates – 13.34 g,
Dietary fiber – 1.8 g.
Tangerines - benefits and harm
Beneficial features
Thanks to the rich chemical composition tangerine is considered very healthy fruit. Tangerines have long and firmly established themselves as the main source of vitamins needed by the body during the cold season. The juicy pulp of tangerine contains the following substances:
- vitamins B, A, C, E, rutin;
- organic acids (including citric and folic) and sugars;
- minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc.
- phytoncides with antifungal and bactericidal properties.
The pulp and juice of tangerine improve appetite, and due to its low calorie content, the fruit can be consumed without fear for your figure.
The peel of tangerines contains 1-2% tangerine essential oil, as well as biological pigments, including carotene. These substances stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, promoting better digestion of food. The peel also contains glycosides that have a beneficial effect on the condition of blood vessels.
A decoction of dried tangerine peel soothes nervous system, and also has expectorant properties and helps with lung diseases (bronchitis, tracheitis). Rubbing tangerine pulp into the affected areas of the skin and nails helps get rid of fungus.
Tangerine seeds have also found their use in medicine:
- Potassium and sodium, which are contained in tangerine seeds, strengthen the cardiovascular system.
- Vitamins B and C prevent the development of heart attacks and strokes.
- Vitamin A takes part in the formation of collagen and prevents the development of skin diseases.
- Tangerine seeds are rich in polyphenols, the main function of which is to suppress the development of cancer.
Contraindications
Be careful! People suffering from chronic diseases of the stomach and kidneys should consume tangerines with extreme caution. It is not recommended to consume tangerines for the following diseases:
- Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
- Gastritis with high acidity;
- Enteritis;
- Colitis;
- Cholecystitis;
- Hepatitis;
- Acute nephritis;
- Diabetes;
- Allergy to citrus fruits.
Types of tangerines, varieties and photos
There is currently no single generally accepted classification of tangerines, so below is one of the many classifications of this fruit. In 1955 V.P. Alekseev identified 7 main groups of tangerines:
- unshiu or satsuma ( Citrus unshiu)
actively grown in Russia and Europe as indoor plant, and is also cultivated in Crimea. The main advantage of this citrus is its resistance to low temperatures and full ripening even with a lack of sunlight.
Unshiu mandarin is a low tree that grows outdoors up to 2-3 meters in height, and as a houseplant - no more than 1.5 meters in height. The shoots of the spreading crown are slightly drooping, the tangerine leaves are leathery, dense, elongated oval in shape, with visible veins. Unshiu fruits are distinguished by thin, yellowish-orange skin with green color. Unshiu tangerine begins to bear fruit at the age of 3 years. Flowering occurs in May, when the tree is covered with numerous clusters of white oblong flowers, collected in groups of 4-6 pieces. In October, flattened fruits with an easily peelable peel and a weight of about 70 g appear. The fruits of unshiu mandarin do not contain seeds, so the main method of propagation of these plants is grafting onto another plant of the citrus genus.
Apogamous seedlings of unshiu mandarin gave birth to the following released varieties:
- Pioneer 80 - a cold-resistant variety of tangerines intended for cultivation in the Krasnodar region. A tree up to 4.5 meters high with a spreading pyramidal crown produces a harvest in the second half of November. The fruits are distinguished by thin, easily peelable orange skin, tender pulp and a sour-sweet taste. The shape of the fruit is round-flat, and the weight is about 60-80 g;
- Sochinsky 23 - an early-ripening, productive variety of tangerines with large, fragrant orange-colored fruits with sweet pulp with a slight sourness. The weight of the fruit is 65-80 grams. The shape of the fruit is pear-shaped or flat or rounded. This variety of tangerines is grown in Georgia and the Krasnodar region.
- Citrus austere
a group of tangerine varieties of Chinese origin, which are distinguished by their rich red-orange peel color and sweeter taste than unshiu tangerines. All varieties of the Chinese group are different high content sugar (up to 13%) and low acid content.
One of the most famous varieties of this group is tangerine(lat. Citrus Tangerina)- a low compact tree with a dense crown and narrow leaves. Tangerine ripens earlier than unshiu tangerine, has a thicker peel and, like unshiu, does not contain seeds. The fruiting period lasts from October to April. In addition to the red-orange fruits, tangerine varieties with green peel color have been developed. Compared to mandarin, the citrus aroma of tangerine is weaker. The taste of the fruit is sweeter than that of an orange. The fruits themselves are easy to peel and divide into slices. Today, the main supplier of tangerines is the United States, where this plant is cultivated to produce oil from the peel of the fruit. A small number of tangerines are grown in Italy, on the island of Sicily.
- Citrus deliciosa
Sino-Mediterranean group, whose representatives have a similar morphology to the Chinese group. One of the famous varieties is mandarin orange- a tree with a compact crown and dense dark green lanceolate-shaped leaves, up to 8 cm long and about 3 cm wide. The fruits are medium-sized, about 6-7 cm in diameter, have an oval-flattened shape.
- Citrus reticulata
Sino-Indian varietal group of tangerines of great industrial importance in China and India. The most popular is considered golden mandarin or ponkan ( Citrus chrysocarpa), known in India as suntara (Suntara, Ponkan)- a variety of large orange tangerines with a round or oblong shape, some specimens have a navel. The peel is of medium thickness, easily peels off, the flesh is juicy, tender, sweet and sour, the seeds are small and few in number. The fruiting period is December and January. Grows in China, India, Brazil, Taiwan and the Philippines.
- Mandarin noble (royal) ( Citrus nobilis)
Indo-Chinese-Malay group. Distinctive feature varieties are large fruits, thick lumpy skin and excellent, sweet taste of the pulp. The best varieties tangerines:
- Siamese King (King);
- Uvatin-mikan;
- Tsao-tse.
- A group of small-fruited tangerines, or Chinese-Japanese varietal group, includes varieties popular among those who like to grow tangerines at home:
- Shiva-mikan (with sour taste);
- Mukaku-kishiu (sweet);
- Kishiu (sweet).
- Mandarin hybrids
this is a group of hybrid forms, including many varieties bred by selectively crossing mandarin with different types and varieties of citrus fruits. Below is a description of some tangerine hybrids.
Mandarin hybrids, photos, names and descriptions
Calamondin or citrofortunella(Citrofortunella mic rocarpa )
a hybrid of tangerine and kumquat (kincana, fortunella). This is a highly decorative plant with small leaves and white fragrant flowers that attract. The height of calamondin can reach 6 meters. At home, the tree grows up to 60-150 cm. Calamondin fruits have a diameter of 25-45 mm, they are orange, similar to tangerines, but with a thinner, sweetish-tasting peel and sour pulp that contains the seeds. Calamondin fruits are edible.
Rangpur ( Citrus rangpuriensis)
a hybrid of tangerine and lime, according to other sources - a hybrid of tangerine and lemon, called limandarine. The supposed homeland of this citrus is India, and due to its high drought resistance and productivity, rangpur is cultivated in some regions for its fruit. The tree, 2.5 to 5 m tall, produces small fruits about 5 cm in diameter, with thin dark orange skin and very sour orange pulp.
Clementine (Citrus clementina)
a hybrid of mandarin and king orange from the subspecies quinotto (orange), is a tree up to 5 m high, grown in long dense alleys. The shape of the clementine fruit is similar to the tangerine, but has a sweeter taste. The second variety of clementines is a product of hybridization of mandarin and bitter Seville orange, characterized by small fruits with a hard, poorly peeling peel.
Clementines are divided into 3 main types:
- Corsican, seedless, is easily recognized by its bright, orange-red color and the pair of leaves that adorn each fruit.
- Spanish presented in 2 varieties: with relatively small and rather large fruits containing from 2 to 10 seeds.
- Montreal- the rarest clementine, grown in Spain and Algeria, the pulp of which contains from 10 to 12 seeds.
a hybrid of tangerine and grapefruit (or pomelo). Tangelo trees are distinguished by their strong growth and good frost resistance. The rounded fruits, reminiscent of a medium-sized orange, have an orange peel that peels off easily, yellowish-orange flesh and a pleasant taste with a slight sourness. The most famous tangelo variety is Mineola.
Thornton (eng.Thornton tangelo)
One of the varieties of tangelo, is a hybrid of tangerine and grapefruit. First grown in 1899. Almost round and quite large fruits have a diameter of about 8 cm and are covered with a bright orange peel. The peel of the fruit is quite thick. Thornton pulp is yellow-orange, tender, juicy, sweet, with a slight sourness.
the closest relative of the tangelo, a hybrid of the tangerine variety “Dancy” and the grapefruit variety “Duncan”. Mineola fruits are distinguished by their round, slightly flattened shape with an elongated neck, up to 8 cm in diameter and thin skin of a rich reddish-orange color. The juicy pulp contains from 7 to 12 small seeds. Mineola has an excellent citrus aroma and a refreshing sweet and sour taste. The main suppliers of mineola are Israel, Turkey, China and the American state of Florida.
Tangor
a hybrid of tangerine and sweet orange. Tangor is a fairly large fruit with a diameter of up to 15 cm. It is distinguished by a slightly flattened shape, a dense porous red-orange rind and aromatic sweet and sour pulp. One of the varieties of tangor is Ellendale.
Mandor (mandora) (eng.Mandora)
natural tangor, a hybrid of mandarin and sweet orange. It grows in Cyprus, but originally appeared in Jamaica. The fruit is similar to a tangerine and a clementine, but unlike a clementine it contains seeds. The shape of the fruit is round, slightly flattened. The peel is thin, bright orange, and peels off easily. The pulp of the fruit is tender, very juicy, sweet, with a slight sourness. The plant bears fruit from January to mid-April.
a hybrid of mandarin, tangerine and orange. The large orange-red fruit has a thin, easy-to-peel skin, few or no seeds, a refreshing taste and a subtle citrus aroma. The juicy pulp of ellendale has a rich dark orange color and a pleasant sweet taste.
a hybrid of mandarin and poncirus trifolia, the small fruits of which are unsuitable for consumption due to their unpleasant taste, but are used for the industrial production of vitamin drinks. The peel of the fruit is quite thin, rough, and orange in color. The pulp is orange, juicy. Some citrandarines do not have seeds.
a hybrid of clementine and orlando, the fruits of which are characterized by a rich orange color and tasty sweet pulp. The fruits can have both medium and large sizes.
Agli, aka agli-fruit
a hybrid of tangerine, orange and grapefruit, the name of which is translated from English as “ugly”. The not particularly beautiful agli fruit, up to 15 cm in diameter, is distinguished by a rough, wrinkled peel of a greenish-yellow or reddish color, easily separated from the pulp. Agli has a light grapefruit flavor and an excellent citrus aroma. Cultivated in the USA and Jamaica.
Ichandarin
It is a tangerine crossed with a citrus fruit called Ichang papeda. The fruits of the hybrid have a rather sour taste. Among the inchandarins, there are several varieties, for example, yuzu and sudachi.
- Yuzu. Ripe yuzu fruits yellow color, from 7 to 10 or more cm in diameter, sour, with a small amount of dryish pulp, the smell resembles a combination of the aroma of grapefruit and tangerine.
- Sudachi. Ripe sudachi fruits are yellowish-orange in color and have a lime or aroma, but with a “softer” citrus note. Sudachi is not consumed as a delicacy fruit; its green fruits are used as a seasoning when preparing fish, mushrooms and national Japanese dishes.
On the left is an inchandarin yuzu, on the right is a regular tangerine. Photo credit: Mycomp
OrangequatNippon orangequat)
a hybrid of unshiu mandarin and kumquat that grows in Hawaii. A slightly elongated fruit of medium size, smaller than a tangerine, but larger than a kumquat. The circumference of the fruit is 2-4 cm. The thick, spongy skin has a sweet taste and an orange or red-orange color. The orangequat pulp is juicy, sour, with a slight note of bitterness. Contains seeds. The plant can withstand temperatures down to -12 degrees Celsius.
Pomeranian (bigaradia, cinotto) (Citrus aurantium )
hybrid of tangerine and pomelo. The medium-sized, 6-7 cm in diameter, slightly flattened fruits are practically not consumed fresh due to their very strong, pungent aroma and bitter-sour pulp. The orange peel is bright orange and lumpy. Used in perfumery essential oils From the flowers and leaves of orange blossom, the zest and juice of the fruit are used in cooking, as well as in the production of tinctures and liqueurs.
Meyer lemon (Citrus meyerii )
a hybrid of lemon and orange or lemon and tangerine. The fruits are quite large, round, with a thin peel of a rich yellow color, which when ripe acquires a light orange tint. The pulp is juicy, less sour than a regular lemon, dark yellow in color and contains seeds.
Kabosu (kabusu) (eng.Kabosu, Citrus sphaerocarpa )
This is the result of crossing the Ichang Papeda and the Pomeranian. The fruit is grown in China and is popular in Japanese national cuisine. The fruits are medium-sized, about 5.2 cm in diameter, yellow when ripe with dark yellow flesh, with a sour, tart taste and lemon aroma. One fruit contains about 17 seeds. Used as a seasoning, often unripe when the kabosu peel is still green color. Gives dishes a unique aroma.
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
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 the seed of a 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 wooden tub or a flowerpot 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 produces succulent and delicious 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.
Many people probably associate the word “tangerine” with anticipation and a feeling of celebration. However, this is not only one of the most festive fruits. Of all the tropical fruits, tangerine is second only to lemon in popularity, and its limited natural growing area (Transcaucasia, the Black Sea coast, Abkhazia and the Sochi region are considered the northernmost areas of distribution of this crop) makes it one of the most desirable citrus fruits in any home. With all this, tangerine is used both in cooking and in Food Industry, and in medicine.
It is not surprising that with such demand, many people seek to grow it at home. And I must say that they have all the possibilities for this: there are special varieties of tangerines that can be grown in winter gardens, greenhouses, greenhouses or in an ordinary room. Depending on growing conditions, they can reach a height of one and a half or two to three meters. This tangerine is called “decorative” or home, indoor.
Varieties of decorative tangerine
Due to the appearance of its fruits, dense dark green leaves and the aroma of flowering, the indoor tangerine is recognized as a very spectacular plant, and if it is also grown as a bonsai, then without exaggeration it can be called a work of art. The most popular are the following varieties and groups:
- Unshiu. It is considered the most unpretentious, early-fruiting, fast-growing and productive variety of all available. It branches well, has a spreading crown, thornless branches and wide leathery leaves. IN room conditions It grows to a maximum of one and a half meters, bears fruit already in the third or fourth year. Flowering time is spring, the beginning of fruiting is the end of October/November. The fruits are small, yellowish-orange in color, thin-barked, pear-shaped, without seeds.
- Wase is a group of low-growing, low-growing varieties, in which three varieties are distinguished: Kowano, Mikha, Miyagawa. Next to these names, the general name of the entire group is usually indicated with a hyphen, so they look like this: Kowano-Wase, Mikha-Wase, Miyagawa-Wase. They reach a height of 40-80 cm, so they are very convenient to grow on a regular windowsill. Flowering is abundant, fruiting begins in the second year of cultivation, the fruits have a rich orange-yellow color.
- Shiva-Mikan. An early compact fast-growing small-fruited variety weighing no more than 30 grams. and with large, fleshy, dark green foliage.
- Murcott. A rare compact variety whose fruits are distinguished by their extraordinary sweetness. Ripening time is summer.
The following varieties are also known decorative tangerine: Tangier, Robinson, Tardivo di Ciaculli.
There are also hybrids of tangerine and some other citrus fruits. For example, Clementine is a very popular hybrid of tangerine and orange. At home, it begins to bear fruit depending on the height it has reached. Fruiting is abundant: one mature tree can produce up to fifty medium-sized orange-red, slightly flattened fruits with a good aroma and shiny skin. In addition to this hybrid, Ellendale, Tangor, Minneola, Tangelo, Santin and Agli are also known.
In many varieties, fruiting directly depends on the height of the plant. The dependency is:
- With a height of 20 cm, tangerine begins to bear fruit after 60 months.
- At 21 - 30 cm - in four years.
- At 31 - 40 cm - in three years.
- At 41 - 50 cm - in two years.
- At 51 - 75 cm - in a year and a half.
- From 76 cm to 1 meter - in the second year after the start of cultivation.
General principles for growing ornamental tangerines
Purchasing any variety of decorative tangerine is not difficult: this can be done both on the Internet and in specialized stores. However, you should not buy a plant with already existing fruits: no matter how appetizing they look, you should not eat them because they are too large quantity fertilizers that such a plant receives. The best way To get a tasty and edible decorative tangerine is to grow it yourself.
Collateral successful cultivation this plant is the right choice of place - well lit, with a small number of direct sun rays. Insufficient lighting leads to slower plant growth, the formation of a small number of flowers, or a complete cessation of flowering; a severe lack of light causes fading of the leaves, thinning and elongation of new shoots and their painful appearance. That's why best place For decorative mandarin, southern, south-eastern and eastern windows are recognized, shaded from the sun by an ordinary gauze curtain attached to the frame. If the windows are not shaded, the leaves may get burned, the crown and roots may overheat, and as a result the plant may develop chlorosis.
In summer, the decorative tangerine can be placed on the balcony, veranda or garden, but it should be protected from the wind. In winter, it should be placed in the most illuminated place (if it is a window, then it should be well insulated beforehand) with direct rays of the sun and artificial lighting, for which they use a regular phytolamp or special ones. fluorescent lamps. The tangerine should be switched to additional lighting gradually, otherwise, with a sharp change in daylight hours, it may shed its leaves.
The next factor influencing the growth of decorative tangerines is temperature. In summer it should reach +20-25, but during budding and flowering (for some varieties it can last almost all year round), it is better to keep it at +16-18 so that the color does not fall off. In winter, like other indoor plants, it needs a dormant temperature - that is, approximately +5-10. Under such conditions, it will rest over the winter and will bloom and bear fruit better.
The problem of watering should be solved very carefully and carefully. In its unpretentiousness and ability to tolerate drought, the decorative tangerine is no different from its relatives growing in nature, so it should be watered moderately, depending on the drying of the top layer of soil, so as not to cause the development of fungal diseases and at the same time to prevent the soil from drying out completely. coma. The frequency of watering depends on:
- The size of the plant, especially its leaves (the larger their surface, the more moisture evaporates and the more the plant needs watering).
- The size of the container in which it grows.
- Room temperatures.
- Length of daylight and lighting intensity.
Determining the frequency of watering is easy: you just need to take a pinch of soil in a container and squeeze it. If it sticks together, then there is no need to water, but if it crumbles, then watering is necessary. It is advisable to check the soil in this way every day, especially in the summer, so that the earth ball does not dry out. Water for irrigation should be chosen carefully - for example, it is not recommended to use rainwater, because it contains too many impurities harmful to citrus fruits. Before using water, it should be allowed to stand, left in an open container at room temperature for at least one day, and only then water the tree with it.
The plant is usually watered before noon, when it “woke up” and its life processes became more active. As the temperature drops, the frequency of watering should be reduced until it stops for several days if the temperature drops to +12-15. In this case, it should be watered only in such a volume as to maintain vital activity. Some experts advise at this time to heat the water intended for irrigation to a temperature of +30-35. In summer there is no need to heat the water; just leave it on a sunny windowsill for a while.
In addition to watering, you should also spray the leaves with a spray bottle. This procedure is especially important in the summer. It kills several birds with one stone: it prevents infection of the tangerine spider mite, creates the humidity it needs and washes away household dust from branches and leaves. In general, the level of humidity should be controlled in the same way as watering, and to better provide it, you can place a bowl of water next to the plant. The frequency of spraying is at least once a day, but if it is carried out during flowering, you need to make sure that water does not get on the flowers. About once a month, it is advisable to treat the tangerine crown with cotton wool and soap suds to prevent the appearance of pests. It is best to do this in the bathroom, covering the substrate plastic film and tying the trunk of the plant at the bottom so that soapy water does not get into the substrate and is absorbed into the fabric.
Another element of successfully growing a plant is feeding it. This is all the more important at home, since the soil in the container is quickly depleted and washed away, and almost no recreational processes occur in it. Fertilizer application is best done according to this principle:
- Use only soluble or dry fertilizers.
- Apply fertilizing only before noon at a temperature of at least +18-19.
- The frequency of application is no more than once every two weeks, and then only during growth (i.e., from March to September). The rest of the time, medications can be administered even less frequently.
If soluble fertilizers are used, they must be dissolved in soft or settled water. room temperature strictly according to the instructions, in no case increasing the dosage. Top dressing is oil, which, as you know, cannot spoil the porridge: even with a slight overdose, a burn or poisoning of the tree is possible. Dry fertilizers should be applied even more carefully, keeping in mind one of their features. The fact is that the spring application of dry fertilizer will allow you to forget about fertilizing for a long time, but it is quite difficult to guess that the fertilizer was used by the tangerine. An additional contribution will lead to its poisoning.
To what has been said, it only remains to add that the best option for the plant is a complex nitrogen-, phosphorus- and potassium-containing preparation. In low concentrations, you can even spray the leaves with it. It is also acceptable to use organic matter such as infused cow manure diluted in a ratio of 1 to 10 or organic matter in combination with a mineral agent. You only need to feed the plant the next day after watering, so as not to burn the root system. It is also practiced to feed decorative tangerines with fish soup prepared according to this recipe: 200 gr. fish waste or small unsalted fish should be boiled in two liters of water for half an hour, then dilute the solution cold water and strain through cheesecloth. Apply this ear once a month along with complex fertilizer for feeding adult plants at least one meter high. According to experts, this enhances their fruiting. Regular drunken tea is also used as fertilizer.
Finally, another element of growing decorative tangerines is:
- Pinching the tops of its branches.
- Removing dried leaves and elongated, improperly growing branches.
- Removing some of the flowers on a young plant so as not to deplete it and to allow several fruits to ripen. The fewer fruits grow on it, the larger they will be, so the most optimal ratio of ovary to leaves is 1 ovary per 15-20 leaves.
- Tying the fruiting branches of a plant to some kind of support so that they do not break under their weight.
What is wrong with the decorative tangerine?
Like many other plants, especially those growing in a climate that is not very favorable for them, the decorative tangerine is susceptible to some diseases. It is most often affected by:
- Shield.
- Red spider mite.
- Mealybug.
- Leaf spotting followed by leaf drop.
If the pest infestation of the tangerine is protracted and persistent, then to cure it they resort to potent chemicals, but their use within the apartment may lead to unpleasant consequences, so it is better not to bring the situation to such a measure. If the initial stage of the disease is recorded, you can get by with improvised means. For example, scale insects can be removed by spraying soap solution, diluted in 3 l. water 2 tbsp. l. liquid soap or “Fary”, after cleaning off the insects beforehand. The solution should remain on the plant for about half an hour, after which it is washed off with warm water. Water-oil emulsion is also very effective: 1 tsp. machine oil stirred in a glass warm water, 40 grams are added to it. household soap and 2 tbsp. l. washing powder. All this should be applied with a cotton-gauze swab, left for three to four hours, and then rinsed off in the shower so that the drug does not get into the ground. Before processing, the soil should be covered with a film, and the trunk should be tied at the bottom with a bandage - this will help prevent the product used from getting into it. Treatment frequency is three times with an interval of six days.
How to fight spider mites:
- It is collected by hand.
- Wipe leaves and branches with a cotton swab dipped in cold water or in alcohol.
- Spray three times with a two-day strained infusion of crushed garlic or onion (no more than 200 grams), poured with warm boiled water, with an interval of six days. You can also use a mixture of soap and tobacco dust according to this recipe: pour 1 tbsp. l. dust with boiling water, leave for six days, add 10 g. household soap and spray the “patient” three times with a six-day interval between treatments.
You can also remove the scale insects manually, and then spray the plant with garlic infusion three times (once a week), or wipe its parts with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol or calendula infusion.
Well, to avoid leaf spotting and falling off, you just need to follow the watering rules, because it is their violation that causes spots to appear.
Transplantation and propagation of decorative tangerine
If the plant is properly cared for, then over time it becomes cramped in the “cradle” container, and the need arises to replant it. Young plants are replanted annually, but if the roots have not yet entwined the earthen ball, it is better to refrain from replanting - just change the drainage and upper layer soil. If the plant is three years old, it is replanted once every three to four years, while a seven-year-old plant requires replanting once every two years. No replanting should be carried out during flowering, otherwise the tree will simply die. When replanting, use a ready-made soil mixture for citrus fruits or form it yourself using the following calculation: 50% (3 parts) turf soil, the remaining 50% - equal parts of leaf soil, humus, river sand and a small amount of fatty clay. Sometimes it is recommended to add a little ash to this mixture. For young tangerines, the same soil composition is recommended, only without clay, and instead of three parts of turf soil, two parts are usually taken. The resulting substrate should be light and slightly acidic.
To prevent stagnation of water and the appearance of root rot, before laying the soil at the bottom of the container, be sure to place drainage three to five centimeters thick in the form of expanded clay, small stones, pieces of foam plastic, or even fragments of ceramic dishes and charcoal. The pot into which the tangerine will be transplanted should be 5-8 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. It is not recommended to immediately plant the plant in a large container: it is impractical, unaesthetic and can lead to rotting of the roots. Therefore, if you want your tangerine to please you for as long as possible, you cannot do without regular replanting.
The best time to replant a tangerine is the beginning of spring, when it comes out of dormancy. It is recommended to refrain from applying fertilizers, stopping feeding two to three days before transplanting and resuming them only two weeks after the plant finds a new home.
The process itself is no different from replanting any other indoor plant, except that immediately after replanting it should be lightly watered, after 30-40 minutes, if necessary, add the substrate and water again. Some experts advise using a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate when watering a transplanted plant for the first time, after which the plant can be placed on the windowsill so that the surface of the leaves is directed towards the light.
Decorative tangerines can be propagated by rooting branches or growing from seeds. In the first case, the use of a rooting agent will increase the survival rate several times. It is used like this: a cutting with two or three leaves is dipped in a rooting agent and, having been planted in moist soil, covered with film or cut plastic bottle with holes for ventilation. And although in some sources you can find the statement that decorative tangerines are practically impossible to take cuttings at home, many amateur gardeners from own experience They claim that with the use of a rooting agent, cuttings take root within a few months.
The second case is not suitable for every variety of decorative tangerine. For example, they will not be able to propagate unshiu because it is a seedless variety. In addition, the plant grown in this way will need to be grafted indoor lemon, an orange or a grapefruit grown from a seed, otherwise it will not bloom.
Some amateurs claim that there is a third way to propagate this plant - by air layering.
Conclusion
The main advantage of the decorative tangerine is not only a piece of exoticism in a city apartment or in the countryside, but also the almost year-round availability of tasty and edible fruits in your diet, the purchase of which will no longer be necessary. And the appearance of this beautiful plant will certainly decorate not only your home, but also your life.
