Dwarf tangerine. Transplantation and reproduction of decorative mandarin. Removing stretched branches and dried leaves

Plant tangerine (lat.Citrus reticulata) - small evergreen tree, a species of the genus Citrus of the Rutaceae family. The fruits of this plant are also called tangerines. Mandarin, the most common species of the genus, comes from South Vietnam and China. IN wildlife currently, the mandarin tree is not found, but in culture it is grown in areas with a subtropical climate. And this type of citrus fruit is becoming more and more popular as an ornamental indoor plant. Homemade tangerine tree is second only to indoor lemon in popularity.

Planting and caring for tangerines (in short)

Bloom: usually in spring, but can last all year round.
Lighting: bright sunshine: a southern window sill with shade in the afternoon is best.
Temperature: in the warm season - from 16 to 30 ˚C, in winter - at least 14 ˚C.
Watering: regular, as the top layer of the substrate dries.
Air humidity: in the heat, regular spraying of the plant with warm water and monthly bathing in the shower are recommended.
Top dressing: during the growing season, twice a month with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer. In winter, feeding is not needed.
Rest period: not pronounced, but approximately from late October to mid-February.
Pinching: the crown is formed within 3-4 years in the spring, at the beginning of active growth: if, with a growth of 40 cm, the seedling does not branch, 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 layers.
Pests: spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects and aphids.
Diseases: root rot.

Read more about growing tangerine below.

Homemade tangerine - description

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

The multi-seeded and multi-celled mandarin fruit - hesperidium - is clothed in a peel that is easily separated from the pulp. It is flattened from top to base and reaches a diameter of 4 to 15 cm. The yellow-orange pulp consists of a large number of fusiform hairs - sacs filled with juice. The rind 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 friable, which makes it easy to peel the tangerine. The mandarin pulp is usually sweeter and the aroma is stronger than that of an orange. And although the fruits of homemade tangerine are much inferior in taste to those of garden tangerine, a fruiting tangerine, hung like a Christmas tree with yellow-orange balls, looks very attractive.

Indoor tangerine is a spectacular pot plant not only because of its bright, appetizing fruits: the flowering of tangerines is also a mesmerizing sight, especially since it is accompanied by an amazing fragrance. Currently, many amateur gardeners enthusiastically grow tangerines from the bone 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 transplant tangerine, if the pot has become cramped for him, and we will also describe beneficial features tangerine.

Indoor bone tangerine

How to grow a tangerine at home

Before planting mandarin seeds, they are wrapped in slightly damp gauze or napkin for several days. Keep the fabric moist at all times as the seeds swell. Instead of gauze or cloth, you can use hydrogel, an excellent moisture retention agent. Seeds from a freshly eaten tangerine should be sown into the ground immediately, without being soaked.

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

As soon as the seeds are baked, they are planted in 200 ml cups or in bowls no more than 9 cm deep with drainage holes filled with a substrate from turf soil (3 parts), humus, sand and leafy 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 includes peat, which is contraindicated for tangerine. In extreme cases, you can use the soil Biohumus or Rose as a substrate, the pH of which is in the range of 6.5-7.0 units. At the bottom of the cups, under the substrate, you need to place a layer of expanded clay or small pebbles. The seeds are buried in moist soil by 4 cm. The crops are kept at a temperature of 20-25 ºC. Seedlings emerge within three to four weeks, although this may happen earlier.

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

The next transplant of seedlings is carried out when their roots fill the entire volume of the cup. A small pot can be used as a container. Planting a tangerine in a pot is carried out by transferring the seedling along with an earthen clod.

Tangerine potted care

Growing a tangerine in an apartment

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

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

Watering the tangerine

Tangerine maintenance involves watering the plant regularly as the topsoil in the pot dries. There is a trick to help determine if a plant needs watering: take a pinch of soil from the pot with your fingers and squeeze it. If the soil sticks together, then water the tangerine early, and if it crumbles, then it's time to moisten the soil in the pot. In no case do not allow the earthen coma to dry out through and through. Water the tangerine with water at room temperature in an open vessel for a day. In winter, it is advisable to warm water for irrigation to 30-35 ºC, and in summer it can be defended in the sun.

As for the humidity of the air, the tangerine, especially in the summer heat, needs to be sprinkled daily, and once a month it must be washed in a shower with soap, covering the stem of the plant and the soil in the pot with polyethylene. This hygiene procedure is also a pest prevention.

Mandarin fertilizer

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

Tangerine transplant

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

Tangerine pruning

Mandarin is one of those plants, the crown of which needs to be formed. If, with a growth of 30-40 cm, the seedling did not branch out by itself, it must be pinched to stimulate the formation of lateral shoots of the first order. However, this is not enough, since fruiting is carried out only on branches of the fourth to fifth order. This means that the pinching should be continued, removing the ends of all shoots after the fourth or fifth leaf. For sanitary purposes, weak shoots and those that grow inside the crown are also cut off. It usually takes 3-4 years to form a tree.

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

Mandarin pests and diseases

Mandarin turns yellow

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

Against the background of iron deficiency in the soil, chlorosis develops in mandarin: first, young leaves acquire a light yellow color, then more adult foliage also becomes discolored. To prevent chlorosis, mandarin is treated with iron chelate once a month.

Another likely cause of yellowing of mandarin leaves may be spider mites - tiny arachnids that pierce the leaves of the plant and feed on its cell sap. You can only see a tick under magnifying glass, but sometimes its presence is betrayed by the thinnest cobweb appearing on the plant. To destroy pests, wash the tree under the shower, then treat its leaves with soapy water: put the grated laundry soap in warm water, beat the thick foam and use a cotton swab to wipe the tangerine leaves with foam. To completely defeat the tick, you may need three such procedures with an interval of 2-3 days. The place where the tangerine infected with ticks stood must be thoroughly washed.

Mandarin leaves turn yellow also from insufficient illumination, as well as from the fact that the pot has become cramped for the plant.

Tangerine falls

Leaves falling from 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 off due to low air humidity. In this case, the plant should be sprayed in the evenings with settled water at room temperature and placed around it containers with water. Mandarin leaves fall also due to improper planting: the plant has a too large pot or the root collar is buried in the soil. The reason for the leaves falling off can be a lack of potassium in the soil, drafts, too wet soil in the pot and poor lighting.

Tangerine dries

If, before the tangerine leaves begin to crumble, a dry crust forms on their edges brown color, we can conclude that the irrigation regime is violated: you chronically waterlogged the soil in the pot. To restore normal development of the plant, transplant it into another pot with a good drainage layer and a fresh, leafy substrate. When transplanting, carefully examine the mandarin root system and remove rotten roots. Leaves dry out even in case of insufficient watering. A dying plant will have to be reanimated by placing it in a basin of room temperature water. 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 off excess water and spray the tangerine with a solution of 1 ml of Epin in 2 liters of water. These sprays need to be continued for some time, 2 times a week. In this way, even a very dry plant is reanimated.

Many amateur gardeners sometimes had the idea of \u200b\u200bplanting a tangerine seed. But will the tree not only grow, but also bear fruit fragrant fruits? For this to happen, it is necessary to take proper care of the tangerine tree at home.

In nature, there are many varieties and species of this plant. They differ in crown height and shape, the number of fruits, their color, taste and aroma. For home growing, a tree is suitable, which will have a small amount of medium-sized fruits, as well as small sizes.

Some types of tangerine tree:

tangerine - has many advantages among other varieties and is great for growing in an apartment;
wavy tangerine - pleases with a neat crown, fruits have a diameter of no more than 7 cm;
small-fruited group - the main representatives are shiva-mikan (has a sour taste), as well as mukaku-kishiu and kishiu (sweet varieties);
hybrids.

Due to the variety of varieties, any florist will find for himself the kind of homemade tangerine that will suit him exactly with the taste of the fruits and their appearance. But you need to pay attention to the growing conditions of this plant. For example, the Unshiu variety takes root best in an apartment, since it tolerates well low temperatures and lack of sunlight.

Mandarin tree: the nuances of growing

It will be possible to get fruits from homemade tangerines only a few years after planting. And it is worth considering that in most cases, daughter plants from a sprouted stone do not retain the taste properties of the mother bush. At home, small and sour fruits are almost always obtained, which will perfectly decorate the interior, but are not suitable for eating. To transfer the qualities of a parent to a new tree, you will need to propagate the tangerine using cuttings or grafting.

The plant requires suitable conditions for its growth, therefore, to care for it, you need to highlight enough free time.

How to grow from a seed at home?

For growing tangerines, bones of almost any kind are suitable. However, it is important to study in advance the features of a particular variety. You also need to pay attention to the soil and the shape of the planting pot. In order for the plant to sprout and grow stronger, you need to properly plant the existing bones.

The choice of planting material

To plant a tangerine tree from a seed, you will need to germinate it first. For this, it is recommended to wrap planting material in several layers of gauze and moisten it thoroughly with water. After a couple of days, small sprouts will begin to hatch from the seeds, and they themselves will significantly increase in size and swell. Then they can be planted in prepared soil.

Fresh bones that have not yet dried out are also suitable for planting. They do not need to be soaked in advance, and the likelihood of seedlings increases significantly.

Requirements for soil and pot

A tangerine tree will not grow in acidic soil, so a florist should be sure to keep an eye on this.

To prepare the substrate yourself, you will need:

2/5 humus;
2/5 forest land;
1/5 sand.

You can also purchase ready-made soil from a grower shop. The soil should be non-acidic (pH neutral) and suitable for planting tangerines. Peat will not work as a soil ball.

How to plant correctly?

As the first container, you can use ordinary plastic cups or small transparent pots with a diameter of no more than 10 cm. It is better to prepare a separate container for each bone.

First, it is necessary to make a small hole in the soil to a depth of 4 cm, carefully place a bone there and cover it with earth. The substrate must be moist throughout the entire germination; accordingly, it will need to be moistened as needed. The air temperature in the room should reach 20-25 degrees.

On average, a mandarin takes 2 to 4 weeks to germinate. If several shoots have appeared from one bone at once, the weakest must be carefully removed.

Transplanting mandarin seedlings

The first transplantation of young seedlings is carried out when the root system completely fills the container. This is what explains the recommendation to plant seeds in a plastic cup or other transparent container - this way it will be easier for the grower to observe the growth of plant roots.

A young tree will need to be pulled out of the first pot along with an earthen lump and transferred into a suitable container bigger size... A transplant will be required every year until the tangerine begins to bear its first fruits.

Will a tree grown from stone bear fruit?

If you take proper care of this plant, it will bear fruit without fail. True, this will happen no earlier than in 3-4 years. It should also be remembered that in most cases, ornamental plants with rather sour fruits.

Mandarin tree: care

The proper care of a citrus plant depends entirely on its appearance, as well as the taste properties of the fruits obtained. You will need to comply with all growing conditions, properly water the green pet and fertilize the soil in time.

Growing conditions

The most suitable place for a tangerine would be a window sill on the south or east window. Here the plant will feel comfortable, as it loves bright and diffused sunlight. The tree will need to be shaded from direct rays.

The air temperature should not fall below 16 degrees in the summer, and in winter the tangerine can withstand "frosts" up to 12 degrees above zero. In the cold season, it is important to provide the plant with a lower temperature and wintering. If this does not happen, the fruits on next year you won't have to wait.

Attention! Main feature Mandarin is its addictive to one-sided lighting. The flower should not be often rotated around its axis, as from stress it can shed its leaves and even die.

How to water properly?

Also, a florist will need to know how to properly water a tangerine tree. This plant is very fond of moisture, so in the summer it must be watered every other day. In winter, watering is reduced and the tangerine will have enough moisture in the soil once a week.

In the summer, it is imperative to spray the leaves several times a day, while not touching the flowers with water. It is also recommended to put a small container of water next to the plant to maintain optimal level humidity.

Fertilizing and feeding

It is imperative to carry out top dressing, starting in March and ending in early autumn. During this period, kidneys are actively developing, which will require the intake of mineral fertilizers.

What should be in the top dressing:

nitrogen;
phosphorus;
potassium.

Also, tangerine can be fertilized with mullein manure diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 10. It should be fed once every one and a half weeks, alternating the type of feeding. In winter, fertilizer is reduced to once a month.

Shaping and pruning

Often it is not necessary to form a crown at home, since the varieties initially have a decorative appearance. The breeder will only need to pluck the shoots during the period of their germination from the stone. If the plant has given birth to heavy fruits, it should be tied to a support.

How to plant mandarin at home?

Vaccination is also one of the tangerine propagation methods. To achieve the goal, you will need to take plants with a trunk thickness of at least 0.5 cm, and the age of the rootstock should be about 1-3 years. The shoot is cut from the plant from which they want to get a daughter tree. He must necessarily have one bud and leaf.

How to plant a tangerine:

Make a T-shaped incision on the rootstock. Its length should be no more than 2 cm.
Carefully move the bark in the place of the cut, place the rootstock of the tree there.
Then the bark must be returned to its place, and the incision must be covered with garden pitch.
It remains to wrap the grafting site with electrical tape.

Successful grafting is characterized by a yellowing of the cuttings and leaf fall from it. If this does not happen, the escape will turn black.

The tree itself must be placed in an impromptu greenhouse from an ordinary plastic bag... After a month, you will need to cut the stock with a pruner, cutting diagonally, remove the electrical tape and cover the cut with garden pitch.

Disease and pest control

The tangerine tree is as sick as any other home plant, - due to improper care. The occurrence of diseases is influenced by unsuitable air humidity and microclimate in the room, as well as the lack of necessary elements in the soil.

The following diseases are most common:

Anthracnose. It is manifested by yellowing and falling leaves with deformation of the bark. For treatment, treatment with "Fitosporin" is used. It is recommended to destroy the affected part of the plant.
Hommosis of citrus fruits. Red spots form on the trunk. This can happen due to improper planting, damage to the trunk, lack of the necessary drainage or an excess of fertilizer. The situation can be corrected by treating cracks with a light solution of vitriol. From above it is necessary to cover them with garden pitch.
Scab. It looks like small transparent spots, which are subsequently transformed into gray warty formations. Three times spraying with Bordeaux liquid will help to cure the plant.
Spider mite. It manifests itself as a cobweb on the leaves. Initially, it is necessary to remove the pests from the tangerine with an old toothbrush, and then give it a contrast shower. The soil should be covered with ash. It will take a week and a half to repeat the procedure.

If you take care of the tangerine tree according to all the rules, you can get an excellent living decoration in any interior. When bright orange fruits begin to bloom on it, this will surely cheer up the owner and attract the attention of all guests of the house.

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Tangerine trees take root in city apartments more easily than lemon or orange trees. They do not wither when the room temperature drops to +14, and can produce up to 70 juicy and sweet fruits per year. Citruses cleanse and disinfect the air, protecting apartment residents from colds and viral diseases, delight the eye with a thick dark green crown and pale white flowers that smell much better than any freshener.

Mandarin buying rules

On the Internet or in specialized nurseries, already mature fruiting trees are sold, which it is enough to bring home, water and feed. Formed citruses will cost a lot, so it's easier to grow your own tangerine from a sprout or seed.

The first option is less troublesome, but when buying a young tree, you should ask the sellers for a certificate. Some merchants pass off calamondines as tangerines, which smell like citrus and bear fruit, but orange fruit completely tasteless. They cheat mainly in the markets or in supermarkets, because nurseries value their reputation, but even when visiting a specialized center, you should ask the employees for documents.

Land preparation

Citrus fruits do not tolerate acidic soils, which include peat. The soil for growing tangerines should be light and nutritious, breathable and retain moisture. To prepare the right soil for young trees, 4 ingredients must be mixed:

leaf and sod soil in equal proportions;
coarse river sand, which must be disinfected;
humus obtained from cow dung.

The last ingredient can be replaced with compost, which contains no less nutrients. When the tangerine is 3-4 years old, oily clay is added to the soil, which will retain moisture and protect the root system from drying out.

In a pot or tub designed for citrus, pour a drainage layer 3-5 cm thick. Expanded clay, small pebbles or clay shards will do. Use large pebbles that better allow air to pass through and prevent water from stagnating at the bottom.

Do I need to transplant mandarin

Every year, the citrus tree is moved from a smaller pot to a larger one, because the growing tree needs more space. A four-year-old mandarin is recommended to be transplanted directly into a wooden tub, where it will live and bear fruit for the next 2-3 years.

It is better to resell the plant in spring, when the citrus wakes up and is actively developing. First, a small dig is made to check the condition of the root system. If the tangerine is tightly braided with an earthen lump, it is transplanted. If not, change the topsoil and leave it in an old pot until next year.

How to transplant citrus without injuring it?

Moisten the earth around the edges so that it better lags behind the walls of the pot.
Tap the container lightly with a spatula or hand. This makes it easier to separate the roots with soil from the clay or wooden walls.
Take the tangerine by the trunk and remove it with the ground. It is not necessary to peel off the old soil from the plant, so as not to damage it.
Prepare in advance new pot with drainage and a layer of earth. Put a tangerine in it, cover it with soil on top.
Tamp the soil, but not hard. Drizzle over citrus and place in the sun.

When replanting a tree, you cannot completely cover the root collar with earth. Her top part must remain on the surface for the citrus to take root faster.

Reference: The mandarin root collar is the line that separates the trunk and skeletal roots. At this point, the tree has a small seal, which is half-sprinkled with earth.

Lighting

Mandarins need sunshine. The more the healthier tree and juicier fruits... Adult citruses are placed next to west or east windows. Pots with young trees are placed on the northern windowsill.

Plants do well next to southern windows if they have blinds or translucent curtains that diffuse light. It is undesirable for citrus leaves to be exposed to direct sunlight. Ultraviolet light burns the crown of tangerines and dries up the earth.

In summer, citrus fruits are useful to take out on the balcony or leave in the garden. The tub is placed under tall, spreading trees that will diffuse and soften the light. The plants that are in the apartment by the window should be covered from the sun at noon, and opened in the evening, closer to 4–5 o'clock.

In winter, tangerines must be supplemented with phytolamps. The duration of daylight hours is 8–12 hours, no less, otherwise the citrus weakens, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. The tree takes a long and difficult time to recover, spending a lot of energy and nutrients, and some specimens cannot cope with the shock and die.

Tip: When using special lamps, the citrus tub needs to be rotated from time to time around its own axis so that all sides of the plant receive approximately the same amount of light.

Temperature and humidity

In spring, the first buds appear on the tangerine tree, and it is important that the temperature in the room does not drop below + 20-25 degrees. When the thermometer drops to + 17–15, the citrus becomes covered with barren flowers, which smell good, but do not yield.

In winter, the plant is transferred to a cool room. The temperature in the room is reduced gradually, due to a sharp cold snap, the tree may shed its leaves. The room should be at first +18, after + 16-14, and some gardeners lower it to +10. Why keep citrus cool? So that the tangerine has time to rest and gain strength. After a short winter vacation, more buds bloom on the tree, and the fruits become juicier and sweeter.

It is necessary to prepare the tangerine for hibernation after harvest. In mid-January, the temperature in the room begins to gradually increase so that the citrus "wakes up" and has time to prepare for spring flowering.

The tangerine tree loves warmth and moisture, so in the heat it needs to be sprayed with a spray bottle twice or three times a day. In the summer, a bucket or bowl of water is left next to the plant to prevent the air from drying out. In winter, it is advised to install special humidifiers or ionizers. If the tangerine tub is located near a radiator or radiator, cover the heating device with a damp towel.

The room in which the citrus stands is regularly ventilated. But the tree is moved away from the window, because the tangerine does not tolerate drafts.

Watering citrus

When the soil in the tangerine tub dries up, spider mites may appear on the plant. The soil should always be slightly damp, but not wet, so in summer the tree is watered daily, and in winter it is cut down to 2-3 times a week.

Try the soil with your finger, and if it feels crumbly and too dry, add a little water. Look into the pallet before watering. Accumulated liquid indicates that there is too much water for the tree to absorb. Watering must be stopped before the pan dries out, otherwise the root system will begin to rot or a fungus will appear.

Use only purified melt water or rainwater. The liquid is allowed to stand for 3-4 days in a large saucepan or plastic bucket and then passed through kitchen filter... You cannot water the tangerine with water just from the tap, because heavy impurities and salts settle in the ground, oppressing the plant.

The volumes of liquid depend on the size of the tree and the air temperature. The hotter it is in the room, the more moisture evaporates. If 0.5-1 liters is enough for a small tangerine, then an adult tree will need three or four.

Water must be heated up to + 35-40 degrees. How to check the temperature of a liquid without a thermometer? Put your finger in it. It should be nice, but not hot.

Pour water over the root, trying to prevent droplets from falling on the leaves and trunk. Moisten the crown separately from the spray so that the liquid is evenly distributed. During the flowering period, make sure that water does not fall on the buds. If a few droplets fall on green or ripe fruits, it's okay.

It is better to water the tree in the morning. Water helps the plant wake up and starts metabolic processes.

Fertilizer

In winter, the tangerine does not need feeding, but from April to September-October, when the buds bloom and the fruits ripen, the tree needs to be fertilized. Apply nutrients twice a month. Buy complex fertilizers containing:

phosphorus;
nitrogen;
potassium.

You can find suitable fertilizers at flower shops. Recommend to stay at:

Uniflor-bud during the flowering period;
Kemira Suite;
Uniflor-growth during fruit ripening.

Mineral fertilizers alternate with organic ones. Natural nutrient solutions are prepared from cow dung or bird droppings... Part of the dry matter is diluted in 10–12 parts of water, infused for 2–4 days, and then added in small portions.

Moisten the soil before fertilization. When using chemicals, it is important to follow the instructions. If you increase the dosage, you can burn the roots of the tangerine or poison the tree. Citrus leaves are also treated with a weak solution. Mineral fertilizers should not get on the fruit.

In the spring, before flowering, the tree is pruned. Remove dry and thin branches, pluck off yellowed leaves. Garden shears must be sharpened and disinfected before pruning. Treat the sections with wood resin so that they tighten faster.

It is easy to form an oval crown in a mandarin. It is enough to pinch the tops of the branches and cut off the excess shoots that are not capable of bearing fruit, and only pull nutrients from the tree.

When the plant blooms for the first time, only 10-15 buds need to be left. The rest are carefully cut so that they do not deplete the young tree. The older the tangerine gets, the more ovaries can be left on.

Install one or more wooden supports in the tub, to which branches with fruits are tied. Large fruits are attracted to the ground and the tangerine can break or split into several pieces.

Citrus should be bathed monthly. Cover the pot and soil with plastic wrap and take the plant to the tub. The leaves are first moistened and then soaped. You can gently rub them with a soft cloth to remove dust and cobwebs. Turn on a low pressure and wash off the soap suds. The water should be at room temperature or slightly warmer.

It remains to blot the leaves and branches with a dry towel. Let the tangerine stand in the bathroom until it dries completely, and then you can return it to its old place and remove the film.

Take care of citrus tree no more difficult than caring for an apple tree in the garden or an orchid growing on a windowsill. A lot of light, a little water and fertilizer - and the tangerine will stretch out, covered with dark green leaves and delicate buds. In summer, citrus will delight you with a rich aroma, and in winter it will thank you with sweet and healthy fruits that are associated with the New Year and magic.

Video: how to grow a tangerine from a bone

general information

Of all types of indoor citrus plants, only the indoor tangerine is second to the lemon tree in terms of prevalence and popularity. According to botanists, his homeland is China or Japan. The name "tangerine" was given to this plant by the Chinese, since for many centuries it was grown only in the gardens of the rich dignitaries of feudal China - tangerines. Tangerine trees exported from China appeared in Europe only in the 19th century. Italian Michel Tecor brought tangerine trees to Italy in 1840, and this citrus plant quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean. Probably, this popularity was due to the fact that tangerine trees are fast-growing and very productive, and the fruits are sweet and seedless. Mandarin comes to Ukraine from Japan at the beginning of the 20th century, during the massive construction of summer cottages in the subtropical zone of the Black Sea coast. Here he became the most common citrus plant... Regardless of the variety, gardeners-summer residents gave tangerine trees a common name - forged. Mandarin trees are relatively weak, reaching a height of 2-3 meters on plantations. Branches tangerine tree mostly drooping. Leaves are dense, dark green, with small wings on the petioles. White fragrant flowers are collected in a cluster. Mandarin fruits are spherical, flattened, 4-6 cm in diameter and weighing from 30 to 100 g. The peel of the fruit is thin, orange, easily separated from the pulp. In the so-called "plump" tangerines, it hardly touches the pulp, because it is separated from it by an air layer. The pulp is sweet, juicy, yellow-orange, easily divided into slices. The fruit of the tangerine tree contains a lot of sugar, organic acids, vitamins C and B1. Seeds in mandarin fruits are rare. In an apartment, a tangerine grows and develops with a limited amount of light and fresh air, therefore, it is of paramount importance right choice varieties of mandarin, most suitable for indoor conditions. These requirements are met by early ripe tangerine trees of Japanese origin, which are distinguished by their weak growth and unpretentiousness. The most common is the Unshiu indoor tangerine (which means "seedless"). This is a low (no higher than 1.5 m) tangerine tree with a spreading crown; without thorns on the branches; with wide, leathery, dark green leaves. The tangerine tree usually blooms once a year in spring, very abundantly. Mandarin flowers are small, white, exuding pleasant aroma... The tangerine tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 3. At home, a well-groomed adult mandarin tree produces an average of 40-50 fruits per year.

Dwarf tangerines of the Vasya group.

These varieties of tangerine tree are weak and decorative. These include indoor varieties of tangerines: Kovano-Vase, Miha-Vase, Miyagawa-Vase. The height of adult tangerine trees does not exceed 50-80 cm, so it is very convenient to keep them on the windowsill. Indoor tangerine does not need to form a crown, only sometimes it is necessary to remove dried and improperly growing twigs. Dwarf tangerines begin to bear fruit already in the second year of life. The size and taste of the tangerine tree are as good as those of the Unshiu variety.

Landing (transplant)

For this purpose, take a pot of any material, the main thing is that the upper diameter should not exceed 10-15 cm, the height is approximately the same. There should be one or more small drain holes at the bottom of the pot. excess water when watering. At the bottom of the pot, and this can be a plastic bucket, a wooden, ceramic, glass container, place expanded clay as drainage, or sand, and best of all, charcoal, which can be taken from an extinct fire in the forest, in a city park. The thickness of the drain should not exceed 3-5 cm. Then sprinkle the drain with a little soil. To transplant a seedling of a tangerine tree, you need a specially prepared soil such as "Mandarin", it is presented on our website in the section "Soils and fertilizers for indoor plants" - "Soils for indoor plants". Or prepare the soil yourself: the land for replanting must be taken in the forest or in the park, under the old deciduous treesexcept for oak, chestnut and poplar. It is necessary to take only the upper, most fertile layer of soil, 5-10 cm thick. Add sand to this land, preferably river, a little ash, more humus, if available. The proportion is as follows: two cups of hardwood soil, a glass of sand, three tablespoons of humus and one tablespoon of ash. Stir all this in any bowl, add a little water to get a thick creamy mass that fills the entire volume of the pot well, leaving no air voids near the roots of the tangerine tree. After six months, the tangerine tree must be transplanted into a pot 5 cm larger in diameter. Spray the planted indoor tangerine and pour it with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), and then place it on a pre-prepared window sill, bay window or balcony so that the surface of the leaves is directed towards the light.

Reproduction

Indoor tangerine is propagated by grafting on seedlings of lemon, orange, grown from seeds indoor varieties and by the method of air layering. Indoor tangerine practically does not lend itself to cuttings in amateur conditions.

Lighting

Keep a tangerine tree in a southern sunny window. In the summer, indoor tangerine is recommended to be carried out on open air - into the garden, veranda, balcony, placing it in a place protected from the wind. If the indoor tangerine is on the south window, then in the summer it is advisable to darken it a little from direct sunlight so that burns do not occur on the leaves of the tangerine and chlorosis does not appear from overheating of the entire crown and roots. For this, on the very window frame, according to the height of a tangerine tree, they make a gauze curtain and in the morning, before leaving the house, they cover the glass with it if the day promises to be sunny.

Air temperature

If the pot with indoor tangerine will stand on the windowsill, then the window must be well insulated for the winter, and the pot itself must be insulated in winter and summer. Favorable temperature for budding and flowering of tangerines is +16 + 18 ° С, air humidity is at least 60%, but do not be afraid of high temperatures, the tangerine tree can withstand and bear fruit up to + 40 ° С.

Watering

Indoor tangerine needs to be watered as the topsoil dries out, preventing the clod of earth in the pot from completely drying out. To determine the moisture content of the soil, do not be too lazy to take a little surface layer of the soil with three fingers every day and squeeze it. If the ground sticks together, then you don't need to water; if it crumbles under your fingers, then it's time to water. You need to monitor the condition of the soil daily (especially in summer) so that the entire earthen lump does not dry out in the pot from the high temperature and bright sun. The question of where to get water for irrigation and what it should be is also very difficult and therefore we will dwell on it in detail. In a city apartment, drinking water is practically unsuitable for watering citrus fruits, since it contains a large amount of compounds of alkaline earth metals and chlorine, which together and individually cause great harm to tangerine, causing leaf spot (chlorosis) of the leaves, alkalizing the soil, disrupt metabolic processes. Many authors recommend boiling tap water, but this does not always immediately lead to the desired result, unnecessary hassle often scares off potential window fruit growers, so I recommend taking hot tap water. This water contains less chlorine and is softer. In addition, water for irrigation must be defended for at least a day in an open vessel to completely remove chlorine, which is extremely harmful to citrus fruits. In a private house, water can be taken from a well, but it is better from a lake or stream and left in the room for heating. Rainwater now contains a lot of harmful impurities, so do not collect it for irrigation. In any case, wherever the water is taken, it must be left for at least a day in an open vessel at room temperature and only then water the tangerine. In winter, in order to achieve better growth and fruiting of tangerines, it is advisable to warm up the water to a temperature of +30 + 35 ° C before watering. In summer, you can put water on a sunny window and not bother with heating.

Spraying

It should be well remembered that in addition to watering, indoor tangerine, at least once a day, especially in summer, should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle or in any other way to create moisture, to wash off dust from the branches, so that the leaves "breathe". At least once a month, it is advisable to put a tangerine tree in a bath, cover the ground in a pot with plastic wrap and process the entire crown with cotton wool with soap suds... Then you don't have to do heavy pest control. At the same time, do not forget to tie the stem of the tangerine tree at the bottom with gauze or a bandage so that the soapy water is absorbed into the fabric and does not get into the soil.

Fertilizer

In winter, indoor tangerines are not fed, in spring and summer - once every two weeks. Any feeding should be done only the next day after watering, i.e. when the soil in the pot is wet, otherwise the roots can burn. Pour the fertilizer under the plant until the solution starts to flow out of the drainage holes. To feed a tangerine tree seedling, fertilizer of the "Mandarin" type is needed, it is presented on our website in the section "Soils and fertilizers for indoor plants" - "Fertilizers for indoor plants". Feeding adult plants with fish ear, at least one meter in height, once a month enhances their fruiting. They make it like this: 200 grams of fish waste or small unsalted fish are boiled in two liters of water for half an hour. Then dilute the solution cold water and filter through cheesecloth. This fertilizer must be used in conjunction with the aforementioned Mandarin fertilizer.

Pests

Enemies for indoor tangerine are sucking and gnawing pests, as well as fungi and viruses. The most common pests are: spider mites, scale insects (false scales). The fight against them is carried out by chemical and biological preparations, which are more acceptable in the open soil of subtropics and greenhouses. It is advisable not to use pesticides for an apartment. Signs of spider mite damage are as follows: on old mandarin leaves, white dots appear on the underside, and the reddish mite itself is visible with the naked eye. If you touch it, it starts to move quickly. Young leaves curl up into a "boat" and are entangled in white cobwebs. To combat the tick, tobacco dust, garlic, and laundry soap are used. Take 1 tablespoon of tobacco dust and pour in a glass of boiling water, insist for 6 days. Add 10 grams to the resulting infusion laundry soap and spray the plant 3 times with an interval of 6 days. Garlic is used as follows: knead one head of garlic, pour a glass of hot water and infuse for 2 days. The solution is filtered and spraying is carried out in the same way as above. When damaged by a scab, brown-gray shiny rounded formations with a diameter of 3-5 mm are visible on the surface of young and old leaves. They are placed along the veins above and below the leaf, as well as on the branches themselves. In the initial stage, these growths are almost transparent, whitish in color and poorly visible. With a strong lesion, a sticky gum appears on the surface of old leaves, and in the later stage they become covered with a black sticky bloom, which is very difficult to wash off with water. Water-oil emulsions effectively help from the scale insect. Stir one teaspoon of machine oil in one glass of warm water, add 40 grams of laundry soap, 2 tablespoons washing powder... Before processing, cover the soil in a pot with plastic wrap, the stem is tied at the bottom with a bandage. This is done in order to prevent the emulsion from entering the soil. Processing is done with a cotton or gauze swab. An oil-water emulsion is applied to all surfaces of mandarin branches and leaves. After 3-4 hours, rinse everything under the shower, making sure that the emulsion does not get into the soil. To carry out processing 3 times with an interval of 6 days.