Homemade tangerine transplantation and care. Which varieties are suitable for growing at home? What can pose a threat to the tangerine tree?

The tangerine tree was brought to Europe less than two centuries ago from China, where it grew wild. The fruits were allowed for consumption; tangerine plant meaning is food for the rich (for the privileged class). Ordinary citizens offered trees as a gift as a symbol of prosperity and well-being.

Mandarin is evergreen in the form of a tree up to 4 m tall or a compact shrub. Mandarin is a tree of the Rutaceae family. It has lanceolate leaves, in the axils of which single flowers (sometimes two) grow.

Beneficial features

Mandarin is a fruit intended for dietary nutrition. With its help, metabolic processes in the body are launched and digestion is improved. Juice and pulp have a general strengthening effect. An infusion of the zest is used as an antipyretic. Essential oils extracted from the peel are used for treatment nervous system, inhaled vapors have a calming effect.

tangerine tree

The composition contains a large amount of organic acids and microelements (potassium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and others), as well as vitamins A, D, K, C, B, PP. The fruits are 85% water and have a low calorie content - 53 kcal per 100 g.

Tangerines are widely used in cooking. Natural juices, jellies, desserts are made from the fruits, and added as a filling to baked goods.

In addition, the high content of phytoncides makes tangerine an excellent natural air purifier.

Plant characteristics

Mandarin is a low plant up to 4 m. Young branches are dark green, over time they become covered with bark and turn brown. The leaves are medium-sized, oblong oval in shape. 1-2 white flowers grow in the axils. The pollen is underdeveloped, so the plant needs pollination.

Tangerines

The fruits usually have 9-11 segments with seeds. The average fruit size is about 6 cm in diameter. The shape of the fruit is round and flattened. The peel is most often thin and easily separated from the pulp. Some fruits have an air gap. The peel contains a large amount of essential oils. The inside of the peel is white, the outside is orange. Distinctive feature This variety of citrus fruit has a strong fruit aroma and sweet pulp.

Interesting! The heat-loving mandarin is grown in China, Turkey, the USA (in the south), Brazil and Argentina. In Russia, there is a suitable climate for growing only on the Black Sea coast. Therefore, growing tangerines in a pot is common. A large influx of fruit is observed when tangerines ripen in Abkhazia - at the end of autumn.

Varieties

Very often, individual varieties of tangerines are isolated as a separate species.

In fact, there are only 3 main types:

1. Noble are large-leaved shrubs. Quite large fruits with a thick yellow-orange rind. This group requires very warm conditions growing.
2. Italian (tangerines) are heat-loving plants with small leaves and medium-sized red-orange fruits. The shape of a tangerine is usually slightly elongated. Distinctive feature - sharp bad smell peels.
3. Unshiu (satsuma) mandarin or seedless is a cold-resistant Japanese species. It has large leaves and small fruits. The peel is thin and often has small green areas. It is this type of tangerines that is most suitable for the Russian climate. A distinctive feature is the absence of seeds.

Tangerines

In addition to pure tangerine species, there are several hybrids:

1. Mineol is a hybrid specimen of the Italian mandarin and grapefruit. The fruits are large and small round in size.
2. Tangora is a hybrid of tangerine and orange. The fruits grow up to 15 cm in diameter. The peel is very thick with large pores.
3. A hybrid of tangerine and lemon - citrandarine. The shape resembles a lemon, but with tangerine peel.
4. Clementine is a cross between a tangerine and an orange. Very aromatic fruits with a thin bright orange rind. Slightly flattened in shape.
5. Tangelo is a tangerine crossed with a pomelo. The fruit is similar to a medium orange.

Clementine

In addition, there are also varieties such as agli (tangerine, orange and grapefruit), santina (clementine and orlando), ellendale (tangerine, tangerine and orange).

Characteristics of the main varieties

Features of planting and care

After purchasing a tangerine tree in a pot, it should be immediately transplanted into a fresh one. suitable land. The most suitable substrate has an acidity in the range of 5.5...7.0 Ph and consists of humus, turf soil and sand. The new pot should be a couple of centimeters larger in diameter. This allows you to activate root formation. In the future from compliance simple rules care will depend on what the tangerine bush looks like and how much harvest it brings.

Mandarin loves bright lighting, so it is best to place it on the south or east side.

It is important to know! Mandarin gets used to one-sided lighting and does not like constant turning and transferring. This leads to a change in metabolism in the plant cells, causing unplanned leaf fall, and in rare cases the plant dies.

Comfortable spring-summer temperatures for shrubs range from +16˚C to +20˚C. In winter, the optimal content is +12 ˚C…+15 ˚C. While the tangerine is blooming, you definitely need to monitor the air temperature. At elevated temperatures, flowers and fruits wither.

You also need to be careful about the condition of the leaves. Daily spraying and wiping of the foliage will significantly increase the abundance of flowering and yield. It is necessary to water the bush with warm, settled water. It is important that the earthen lump does not dry out.

Watering a tangerine

top dressing

The best fertilizer for tangerines is organic matter. Mullein, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, must be infused and strained. You need to fertilize the plant with the prepared solution all summer and in September. To activate the formation of ovaries, you need to feed the tangerine with complex fertilizer before flowering (in spring).

Reproduction

The most popular propagation methods are:

• Seminal. Of the most the best fruits you need to select a dozen seeds and wash them running water and post it on flat surface. Dried bones should be wrapped in natural cloth moistened with water. After a few days, the seeds will swell and begin to hatch. When this happens, the seeds can be placed in nutrient soil. When the seedling has formed several true leaves, it needs to be transplanted into an individual container with a volume of 4 liters.
• Cuttings. It will not be possible to simply plant a cutting that has taken root in the ground. Such a tree will not bear fruit. Therefore, a plant can be propagated by cuttings only by grafting onto another one- and two-year-old citrus bush. You need to make a T-shaped cut on the branch 10 cm from the ground. In the resulting cavity with a knife, you need to make a recess where the cutting is inserted. The connection point is tightly fixed with film, tape or tape. After this, the tree needs to be placed in a greenhouse or at least covered with a bag. Now you need to wait for the first eye to hatch. It will take about a month before the cutting takes root. After the expiration of the period, the greenhouse (package) can be removed, and the insulating layer at the attachment point can be loosened. The fruits obtained with this method of reproduction are very sweet and tasty.

Growing a tangerine tree

Diseases and pests

Most often, tangerines are susceptible to fungal infections. They appear in the form of various rots, stains, ulcers and other defects.

Anthracnose

Develops with high humidity and violation of care rules. Spots appear on leaves, branches and fruits, which grow over time and destroy both the crop and the plant as a whole. For destruction, it is recommended to spray with Fitosporin, and as a preventive measure - with Bordeaux mixture.

Wartiness

Appears on the leaves in the form of small light inclusions. Gradually, pink bumps appear in this place, which over time turn into huge growths. As a result, the branch dies. If the fungus spreads to the fruit, the ovaries dry out and fall off, and accordingly, the yield is sharply reduced. A favorable environment for development is a warm climate and high humidity. The disease can only be eliminated by destroying the diseased parts of the plant. It is also necessary to spray the bush with Bordeaux mixture.

Mandarin diseases

Gommoz

The disease is expressed in gum formation of the cortex. The main prerequisites for development are mechanical damage, deep embedding of the seedling during planting, poor drainage and unbalanced mineral content in the soil. In a neglected form, the circulation of juice in the tissues is disrupted. For treatment, the wound is disinfected and treated copper sulfate. After that, they are treated with garden pitch.

Of the pests, thrips, mites and scale insects are the most dangerous. To combat them, it is necessary to use insecticides, according to the instructions.

Growing a tangerine tree will not cause any trouble if you follow basic care rules. The tree brings special joy to its owner when it begins to bear fruit.

Citruses, including tangerines, contain a lot of vitamin C. You can try growing them yourself. Tangerine bonsai is a wonderful ornamental plant that brings home bright colors and a pleasant aroma. It is known that the smell of this fruit not only improves mood and gives vigor, but also relieves headache. Evergreen citrus tree can maintain flowering period most years and bear fruit even at home.

Becoming the owner of a wonderful indoor tangerine is not difficult at all. Moreover, you can even grow a tangerine in a pot yourself, from a seed.

Planting stages

It’s worth noting right away that there is a simpler option. You can buy a ready-made seedling in a specialized store and plant it directly in the ground. You can even purchase an adult plant that is already bearing fruit, which you only need to place on the windowsill, providing it home care.

But for those who are not looking for easy ways, you can plant and grow indoor tangerines yourself at home.

Step 1. Materials

The seeds of this fruit are needed. It's better not to take less than ten, because no one has yet canceled natural selection. Not all seeds will be able to sprout, not all sprouts will be able to break through the soil. To get suitable seeds, you need to take a ripe fruit: the larger and juicier, the better.

Step 2. Preparing the seeds

Experienced gardeners know that any seeds require a preparatory period before planting in the ground. The tangerine seeds must be left in a damp place for some time. Perfect option- wrap them in cloth and leave, maintaining a moist environment. After a couple of days, the seeds will be ready for planting: small sprouts will appear at the seeds.

Step 3. Planting in the ground

Usually, indoor tangerines can grow in the most ordinary soil, but you should approach the choice of soil for the plant responsibly. First to the bottom flower pot a layer of small stones or expanded clay is laid out for soil drainage. Next, the rest of the soil is laid out, where the sprouted seeds are placed. They should not be located too deep, but not near the surface of the soil. The ideal planting depth is from 5 to 7 cm.

Unless you need to water, but not too much and very carefully. In less than a month, young shoots will begin to emerge from the soil.

Even if the experiment fails, don’t be discouraged: it doesn’t always work out as planned. You can always try to plant tangerines at home again, using previous experience.

Caring for young seedlings

At the very beginning, it is important to properly care for young shoots. The pot with the plant must be placed correctly, finding the most suitable appropriate place. Indoor tangerine loves good lighting, and in dark places it begins to wither and may die. But direct sunlight in large quantities can burn young shoots. Until the stems of the tangerine tree are sufficiently strong, it is better to remove them from the risk zone. The task is not entirely simple - the container with the sprouts must be constantly lit and reliably protected from direct sun.

The tangerine tree must be exposed to direct sun rays, without which it will not be able to grow and develop normally.

Immediately after the first shoots appear, it is important to feed the young citrus. The algorithm of action does not differ significantly from feeding an adult plant.

Caring for an adult plant

When growing tangerines at home, it is important to understand that the plant is adapted to hot countries where droughts often occur. Therefore, excessive watering will be detrimental to the plant. When an indoor tangerine is watered too often, it begins to shed its leaves. But it’s also not worth rushing from one extreme to another.

Humidity

The decorative variety of tangerine is still not a cactus; at home it requires regular irrigation.

Mandarin grown at home requires care and nutrition in addition to watering. We are talking about feeding the plant.

It is necessary to feed the plants, because frequent watering washes away organic and mineral substances. Understanding this is of decisive importance in growing tangerines at home. IN different time Mandarin behaves differently throughout the year, which affects the amount and frequency of nutrition required.

It is especially important to feed indoor shrubs in the spring, when the tangerine undergoes its main growth.

The frequency of feeding should not exceed twice a week. The fertilizer must be prepared in strict accordance with the instructions for use. Otherwise, you can seriously harm the plant: instead of the necessary minerals and organic substances, your homemade tangerine may receive poison. Mixtures for fertilizing and feeding indoor plants are sold in both specialized stores and large hypermarkets. When choosing fertilizer, it is advisable to focus on fertilizers for citrus fruits.

Tangerine home tree requires feeding to a much greater extent than its garden counterparts. Soil in a pot, as opposed to open ground, is not capable of regenerating organic and mineral substances washed away during irrigation. Garden mandarin does not need to be fed so often, but caring for a tree at home is a completely different matter.

Although tangerine tree and is not a capricious and difficult to care for plant; nevertheless, in addition to watering and fertilizing, it is sometimes worth making additional efforts. Let's say a few more words about how to care for a decorative tangerine so that the tree always pleases the eye with its beauty.

Transfer

As the tree grows, the indoor tangerine needs to be replanted. While the bush is growing, it is advisable to update the “place of registration” every year. After the plant reaches seven years of age, expansion of its living space is required every two years.

In order for the tree to bear fruit well, it is better to remove excess ovaries at the flowering stage.

The more potential fruits grow, the more energy and nutrients the tree will spend on growing. In order not to deplete the tangerine tree, it is advisable to leave only part of its flowers, the strongest ovaries. Although the “harvest” will be smaller, each fruit will contain more micronutrients. Therefore, the fruits will be larger, tasty and juicy. Indoor tangerine is an ornamental plant, not a garden plant. Therefore, the health of the tree should always be a priority.

When the ovaries form into small fruits, it is advisable to tie the tree crowns to a support. As tangerines grow and become heavier, they run the risk of breaking the tree's fragile decorative stems. Without additional help, the bush may suffer. Broken branches can cause serious tree disease.

Diseases and pests

When growing a tangerine, you cannot provide it with proper home care without protecting the plant from pests.

Types of indoor trees

There are several varieties of tangerine tree. Some of them fit perfectly into the culture of home ornamental plants.

Unshiu

The most popular is the Unshiu tangerine tree, a variety of Japanese tangerine trees. The height of an adult plant rarely reaches 1.5 m. Indoor tangerine Unshiu is more tolerant of cold than others and is extremely fruitful.

Dwarf form

The dwarf or, as it is also called, mountain mandarin, Kovano-Vase, is also popular. This variety is from the Vasya group, which at home is capable of reaching a meter in height, although usually the plant’s growth stops within the range of 40 cm to 80 cm.

Clementine

You can also highlight indoor Clementine. This is a mandarin crossed with an orange. The decorative tangerine of the Murcott variety, which translates as “honey,” is distinguished by its bright and sweet fruits. The early ripening variety begins to bear fruit in the summer, unlike the above-mentioned varieties.

Other varieties

The small tangerine Shiva-Mikan tree, like Murcott, is early variety with small fruits.

But despite the fact that the varieties of tangerine trees mentioned are specially bred ornamental varieties, even an ordinary garden tangerine remains rather short-growing at home, regardless of care.

Whatever variety you ultimately choose, the result will be spectacular decorative tree With with the most beautiful flowers and bright, fragrant fruits.

Conclusion

Since ancient times, tangerines have been used as decorative home trees by noble and wealthy families, growing them in greenhouses or winter gardens, because the flower of both garden and home tangerines exuded a wonderful aroma. Today tangerine is available at home. Growing a tree is pretty easy. Care also does not require special efforts. But this noble tangerine dwarf tree will look impressive and stylish in any interior, giving the surrounding space more positivity and color. Therefore, even if you had doubts about whether to contact citrus tree or give preference to another ornamental plant, discard them. Domestic trees will invariably please their owners, bringing juicy fruits, a delicate aroma and a great mood.

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

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

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

Growing and care

Location, lighting and temperature

Properly chosen space is the key to future harvest. Green handsome man prefers a lot of light. The window sill of the south, southeast or southwest window is suitable for 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 arrange holidays. A glazed balcony or a place in the garden protected from precipitation, where the pot can be buried in the ground, is quite suitable.

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 supporting optimal performance humidity. 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 must 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. Acidic soil is absolutely not suitable. The needs of young representatives are different. Inexperienced flower growers are better off buying a ready-made 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 to actively grow the root system. It is poured onto a drainage layer of brick chips and expanded clay. A different composition is more suitable for an adult exotic: turf soil (40%), sand (20%), leaf soil (20%), humus (15%), fatty clay (5%). A denser composition allows you to hold required amount moisture. Thanks to this property, citrus makes full use of all nutrients, forming buds and fruits.

They begin to be introduced from April to November. Do this every 2 weeks. The most suitable are complexes containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Any flower retail outlet offers a wide range of products: Uniflor-roste (promotes the ripening of tangerines), Uniflor-bud (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 colony size is large, then only chemical agents - Actellik and Fitoverm - can cope with it. Treat with insecticides once a week, avoiding the substance getting into the soil.

Reproduction and transplantation of tangerine trees

Until the tree is 4 years old, the pot is changed frequently. This happens as soon as 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, an earthen ball can be raised by adding 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. For growing on a windowsill it is better to choose a dwarf one, and for winter garden- large bush.

In any case, it should be a healthy plant, without damage or yellowed falling leaves. Check carefully for insects.

An indoor tangerine can become a real design item, a bright spot decorating the interior. Its beautiful orange fruits bring coziness and make the apartment space more lively and homely. Growing an indoor tangerine is not as difficult as it seems - in this article we will look in detail at all the nuances and subtleties of caring for this plant.

Indoor tangerine is an evergreen plant from the Citrus genus. In nature, its analogue reaches an impressive height, up to five meters: indoors, of course, the tangerine is not allowed to grow to such an extent. In closed spaces, it can be grown in residential premises, greenhouses, greenhouses, on insulated balconies and loggias.

Decorative tangerine is a very spectacular and bright plant. Not only does it look beautiful, but it also smells great. The foliage is beautiful, dense, and has a gorgeous, rich hue.

Growing indoor tangerine is accompanied by magnificent flowering: the plant pleases with white, fragrant, small buds collected in brushes. There are species that can bloom long time, sometimes all year round. During this period, tangerine smells especially pleasant and bewitching.

Its fruits also ripen - real little tangerines: against the background of rich green foliage they look like miniature Chinese lanterns. Fruiting occurs when good care: small, neat, spherical, flattened fruits of orange or red color appear on the plant.

They usually ripen at the end of the year, and you don’t have to bother with artificial pollination for this. You can purchase a ready-made plant with already ripe fruits. These bright tangerines should not be eaten as food, as they room conditions They require a lot of fertilizer to ripen.

Varieties

Today there are many worthy varieties decorative tangerine, including miniature and dwarf ones - especially suitable for home keeping. The height of such specimens reaches only 60-110 cm, which makes it possible to grow them even in a small apartment space.

Let's get acquainted with the most popular varieties of tangerine trees.

Kovano-Vase

One of the types of the group of dwarf tangerines of Japanese origin: there are also varieties Miyagawa-Wase, Mikha-Wase and others. The height of the plants reaches only 40-80 cm, so they are optimal for growing in limited space in small apartments.

The fruits are yellowish-orange and appear already in the second year after planting. The plants bloom profusely and beautifully, and crown formation is not necessary when growing them.

Clementine

A tangerine-orange hybrid can delight you with fruits in the second year after rooting. On one such tree grows about 50 small balls of bright orange color with a reddish tint, with a characteristic flattened shape. The fruits have a wonderful smell and a beautiful shiny surface.

Murkot

Unlike many other varieties, the fruits of this decorative tangerine can be eaten. Their taste is so sweet that sometimes the variety is also called “Honey”.

Unshiu

Japanese variety, very unpretentious, profusely flowering and fruiting. The first fruits in this case appear in the third or fourth year. The flower grows 80-150 cm in indoor conditions. One can note the splendor and excellent branching of the Unshiu mandarin: it needs pruning, albeit not too often. The fruits ripen in October-November; they are pear-shaped and without seeds.

Conditions of detention

Let's find out what conditions must be provided for an indoor tangerine in order for the plant to actively develop, bloom and bear fruit.

Location and lighting

It is very important to choose a place for this plant that is optimally suited for its light level. Light should be supplied abundantly, including the plant needing a small amount of direct sunlight.

If the illumination is insufficient, the growth of the tangerine will slow down, and its flowering will either become less abundant or stop altogether. With a significant, critical lack of light, the foliage becomes ugly, the shoots become elongated, and in general the plant looks sickly and stunted. You will then have to take very careful care to achieve its complete restoration.

It is best to place a pot of tangerine in an apartment on a windowsill facing the east, south or southeast. From the direct burning sun most of the time it is desirable to shade. In hot weather, you can put the pot on the balcony, including the unglazed one. In winter, place the tangerine in the brightest place in the apartment; you don’t even need to shade it from the sun.

It often happens that natural light is not enough - then you will have to use artificial lighting. Use a phytolamp or fluorescent lamp as a source: it should be placed at a distance of at least 30 cm from the plant.

Temperature and humidity

In summer, decorative tangerine feels great at a temperature of +20-25 degrees. During the period of bud formation and flowering, it is better to keep at a lower temperature - about + 18-20 degrees. This measure will allow the flowering period to last longer, the petals will not fall off much.

In winter, keep the tangerine at a relatively low temperature: +5-10 degrees. After going through a period of rest with low temperature conditions the plant will be able to rest completely and will delight you in the next growing season abundant flowering, fruiting.

As for humidity, indoor tangerine feels better at a high level. Dry air does not suit the plant well, often leads to damage by spider mites, partial loss of decorative effect.

Priming

Optimal for growing mandarin at home, a special mixture for citrus fruits is suitable - it is easy to purchase it at any flower shop.

You can also prepare the substrate yourself. To do this, you need to take foliage soil from the upper fertile layer, add the following components:

• river sand - glass;
• humus - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• ash - 1 tbsp. spoon.

Proportions are given per 1 cup of leaf soil.

The acidity of the substrate should be weak and the structure should be light. Be sure to provide drainage at the bottom of the tank as a prevention of stagnation, root rot. As a material for drainage, you can use pebbles, expanded clay, crumbs of ceramic objects.

Pot

You can choose a container from any material: ceramics, clay, plastic. The main thing is that the pot has a suitable size and holes for drainage at the bottom.

Features of caring procedures

Let's find out what kind of care an indoor tangerine needs for normal functioning and active flowering.

Watering

Like its wild relatives, the cultivated mandarin is quite capable of withstanding periods of drought. Of course, if the dry period goes on too long, the plant will have to shed its leaves to survive, but with continued regular watering it will recover fairly quickly.

Note that tangerine will survive drought much easier than waterlogging. Excessive watering leads to the development of fungal diseases that can destroy the tangerine completely.

The specific volume of water for irrigation can be determined based on the following parameters:

• plant size;
• pot volume;
• air temperature in the room;
• illumination level.

The larger the tangerine, the more water it needs: moisture quickly evaporates from the surface of the voluminous leaves. In addition, the higher the ambient temperature, the more heavily you should water. In winter, water very little, starting to reduce the frequency and volume of water in the fall.

If you use tap water for irrigation, be sure to settle it. Otherwise, the tangerine will react negatively to alkali, chlorine and heavy metal salts contained in tap water.

In hot weather, along with watering, also use spraying. For the procedure, use a spray bottle with small holes. Spraying will humidify the air, remove dust from the leaves, and make the microclimate more comfortable.

Advice: it is advisable to carry out moisturizing procedures in the first half of the day: at this time, life support processes in the plant’s body are most active

Top dressing

Without full-fledged high-quality feeding, an indoor tangerine will not be able to please anyone. good growth, nor bright fruits. The soil in a pot with this plant becomes poor quickly: a lot of nutrients are consumed during the growing season, and there is nowhere to get them again in the enclosed space of the pot. You can use both minerals and organic matter. The plant responds well to both dry granules and liquid, soluble formulations.

In the spring, when the plant begins to come to life after a period of winter dormancy, fertilizing should be done frequently and intensively. It is during this period that the tangerine requires more nutrients for development. In winter, when the tangerine is in hibernation, there is no need to fertilize it.

The optimal composition of feeding is considered to be one in which the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is balanced - the main microelements for any plant. Special fertilizers intended for citrus fruits and tangerines are optimal. Use ready-made mineral formulations strictly according to the instructions indicated on the packaging. And it is better to make the solution less concentrated than to overdo it: overfeeding is extremely harmful to the flower and can lead to its toxic poisoning.

Fertilizer application frequency: 2 times a week during the growing season from March to September. Less often it is possible, more often it is not. Be careful with dry fertilizing, as if there is not enough water, the roots may burn. It is advisable to fertilize in the morning or afternoon until 14:00. The plant responds well to traditional root fertilization and foliar spraying.

When growing indoor tangerines, cow manure is used as an organic material. Fertilizer is diluted in a ratio of 1:10, but due to its specific smell, it is usually used only when the plant is in a greenhouse, conservatory, and not at home.

Trimming, pinching

So that the indoor mandarin has a neat, compact shape, it is recommended to pinch the young shoots from above. This measure will allow the plant to branch more actively, becoming more lush. In addition, it is necessary to constantly remove drying shoots, branches, foliage, and buds.

If a young tangerine begins to bloom very profusely, some of the flowers are usually removed. Otherwise, the plant will be severely depleted, and the fruits will not be able to form or ripen.

Note that the fewer fruits ripen on a tangerine tree, the larger each of them is and vice versa. If there are too many fruits, tie the branches so that they do not bend or break under the weight.

Transfer

As a rule, the procedure is performed when the plant in the old pot becomes too crowded. Since young animals grow quickly, they are transplanted every year, after seven years of age - once every 2-3 years.

The new container should not be too large, only 5-8 cm in diameter larger than the previous one. Do not plant a small tangerine in a pot that is too large, as this often leads to rotting of its roots.

You cannot replant during flowering; the best time is spring, shortly after the plant awakens. Stop fertilizing 2-3 days before the transplant date; you should not use fertilizers for a couple of weeks after the procedure.

How does reproduction occur?

Indoor tangerine reproduces at home:

• vegetatively:
• generatively.

The first method involves growing a new plant from cuttings, the second - from a seed. It is clear that a new tangerine will sprout from an already formed shoot much faster and easier, which is why this method is usually used. You can also grow it from a seed, but the process will be much longer, and its result will be unpredictable. What if this is the seed of a huge wild tangerine growing five meters?

Cuttings

To make the shoot more likely to take root, it is better to use a special liquid that stimulates the development of the root system. It is necessary to soak the lower part of the cut shoot for a while in a solution of this liquid.

After treatment, the cuttings are planted in damp sand or soil mixture, covering the container with a plastic bag on top. Within several months, with regular ventilation and watering, the cuttings usually take root.

From the seed

If you nevertheless decide to grow a tangerine from a seed, make sure that this variety is dwarf and not ordinary. Otherwise, problems are likely when the plant begins to grow. Most often, tangerines grown from seeds do not bloom; for this, they will need grafting. But, of course, you can grow just a green tree.

If propagation by cuttings or seeds is not suitable, purchase a ready-made, grown tangerine with fruits from a flower shop.

Problems

Most often, when growing at home, tangerines are affected by harmful insects: scale insects, spider mites, and scale insects. Pests are controlled as follows.

Shchitovka

This insect, resistant to insecticides, is eliminated by spraying with a solution liquid soap- 2 tbsp. spoons of soap or dish soap per 3-liter jar of water. It is recommended to first collect visible insects by hand. The medicinal product is kept on the tangerine leaves for half an hour, then washed off with water.

Mite

If the pest is noticeable on the leaves, it is collected by hand. Then wipe the stems and foliage on all sides with a cotton swab dipped in technical or medical alcohol. After this, it is advisable to spray with tincture of garlic and onion (200 grams of chopped vegetables are infused in a liter of heated water).

Chervets

Wiping the foliage with an alcohol cotton swab and then spraying it with garlic or onion tincture will also help against the pest.

Advice: it is better to spray in two stages, since one may not be enough. Maintain a weekly or ten-day interval.

If the defeat is severe, and folk remedies obviously can't handle it, you'll have to use it chemical insecticides. In this case, the tangerine in the pot will have to be taken away from the living room for a while and while it is being processed, keep it away from people and pets.

Spots on leaves

The problem usually occurs because the tangerine is not watered correctly. Excessive watering is harmful to the plant: first spots appear, then the foliage begins to fall and the critical point of the process is rotting of the roots. It is not worth bringing it to the last point; it is necessary to arrange watering already at the stage of spots. Otherwise, the death of the plant is likely.

Diseases

Fungal and viral pathologies pose a danger. As a preventive measure, agricultural practices are followed, and if the disease has already affected the flower, fungicides are used, or the tangerine is transplanted into another pot with fresh soil.

We found out what kind of care the indoor mandarin needs. This plant can decorate any apartment due to its bright foliage and orange, beautiful fruits. Growing a tangerine is not difficult: by following the available care measures, you can achieve its active growth, lush, long-lasting flowering and abundant fruiting.

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

Planting and caring for tangerines (in brief)

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

Read more about growing mandarin below.

Home tangerine - description

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

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

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

Indoor tangerine from seed

How to grow tangerines at home

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

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

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

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

The next transplantation of seedlings is carried out when their roots fill the entire volume of the cup. You can use a pot as a container small size. Planting a tangerine in a pot is done by transferring the seedling along with a lump of earth.

Caring for a tangerine in a pot

Growing tangerine in an apartment

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

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

Watering a tangerine

Caring for a tangerine involves regularly watering the plant as the top layer of soil in the pot dries. There is a trick to help determine whether a plant needs watering: take a pinch of soil from the pot with your fingers and squeeze it. If the soil sticks together, then it’s too early to water the tangerine, and if it crumbles, then it’s time to moisten the soil in the pot. Under no circumstances allow the earthen ball to dry out completely. Water the tangerine with water at room temperature that has been left standing for 24 hours in an open vessel. In winter, it is advisable to heat water for irrigation to 30-35 ºC, and in summer it can be left in the sun.

As for air humidity, the tangerine, especially in the summer heat, needs daily spraying, and once a month it must be washed in the shower with soap, covering the stem of the plant and the soil in the pot with plastic. This hygienic procedure is also a prevention against pests.

Mandarin fertilizer

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

Tangerine transplant

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

Tangerine pruning

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

Sometimes, in order to enhance the branching of shoots, they resort to deflecting and fixing them: one end of a soft wire is fixed on a branch, and the other on the edge of the pot so that the wire pulls the top of the shoot down.

Pests and diseases of tangerine

Mandarin turns yellow

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

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

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

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

The tangerine is falling

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

Mandarin is drying

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