And vegetatively. For planting, you can take seeds from any fruit. Remove them and immediately place them in fertile substrate, consisting of leaf humus and sand with the addition of a small amount of fatty clay. Seedlings appear quite quickly and after a few years become quite lush bushes.
Flowering and fruiting on mandarins grown in this way occurs very late. The process can be accelerated by grafting the plant.
The vegetative method of propagation is quite labor-intensive, but by propagating in this way, you will get fruits much faster in 2-4 years. Make air layering. To do this, select a suitable branch and remove the bark about 2 cm wide from it. Tie this area with damp moss and periodically moisten it as it dries; the substrate should always be wet. After some time, roots should appear on the cuttings. Cut off a branch and plant in a pot with light soil.
How to care for a tangerine
Tangerines, unlike other citrus fruits, are quite unpretentious and require minimal care, but in order to get them to bloom and bear fruit, you need to create certain conditions for the plant.
The tangerine needs bright, but diffused light. Place the pot on an east or west window. On sunny days, shade from direct rays.
The plant is moisture-loving. In spring and summer period it must be watered 1-2 times a day with soft water at room temperature. In winter, watering should be slightly reduced, but the soil should always be moist; you should not allow the earthen clod to dry out, as the tangerine can shed its leaves. Spray the plant regularly, especially if the air in the room is very dry.
To achieve required humidity, pour expanded clay into the tray and moisten it. As it dries, add a little water to the tray.
During the period of active growth, during budding and fruiting, feed the plants with organic and mineral fertilizers. Use complex fertilizers for citrus fruits, and as organic matter - slurry from cow manure (in a ratio of 1:10).
Transplanting a plant
Young bushes must be replanted annually, and adult plants once every 3 years. Best time for this - spring, at this time the tangerine begins a period of active growth, so the plant will tolerate the procedure very well.
Place a layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot. This could be broken brick, crushed stone or expanded clay. Then add a nutritious but light citrus substrate. Remove the plant from the old pot, shake off the soil and rinse the roots in warm water. Remove any diseased or rotten ones and plant the tangerine in fresh soil.
It is quite problematic to replant adult large plants, but you can get by by replacing the top layer of soil in the container. Remove about 5 cm of old soil and add fresh substrate. Lightly compact it and water the plant with warm water.
The tangerine tree is becoming increasingly common in gardeners' collections; caring for it at home is not particularly difficult if you follow the rules.
These are miniature citrus fruits with a neat and attractive appearance. The bright orange fruits are especially decorative, for which this plant is purchased.
You can buy a tangerine tree ready-made in flower shops or try to grow it yourself.
When purchasing a finished tree, you should pay attention to whether it is really a tangerine. The fact is that sellers often offer calamondins instead. They are similar to tangerines, but do not have a pronounced citrus smell and taste.
That is why lovers prefer to grow tangerines themselves from seeds or purchase a seedling from a nursery.
The following species grow most successfully in indoor conditions:
- Clementine is a hybrid; it produces a harvest in the second year, and an adult specimen produces up to 50 fruits per year.
- Murcott - produces sweet fruits and is compact.
- Shiva-mikan is fast-growing, compact, with small fruits.
- Vasya - hybrids up to 80 cm tall, the fruits ripen in the second year.
If you decide to try growing a tangerine tree yourself, it will definitely thank you beautiful view and aroma.
How to grow a tangerine from a seed
Tangerine seeds germinate quite well, but they must be fresh and ripe for planting. The fruit is taken ripe.
- We remove the bones.
- We disinfect them. This is done to prevent mold from appearing.
- The bones can be soaked in water with the addition of epin or weak solution potassium permanganate.
- We take pre-prepared nutrient soil.
- The seed is placed at a depth of 1 cm. You should not deepen it too much, otherwise the sprout will need more strength to break through to the surface.
The tangerine tree shoots appear in about 2 weeks. It is better to decide on the location of the tree in advance - it does not like to be moved.
Tangerine tree care
Proper care is the key to ensuring that the plant will live at home for several years.
Priming
Suitable for universal soil or specifically for citrus fruits. As soon as several true leaves appear on the sprout, it should be transplanted to permanent place. The substrate should be light, consisting of leaf soil, turf, humus, and sand. Peat and clay soil are not suitable for tangerines. You must definitely remember about drainage - expanded clay, broken shards, large brick chips.
Where to place a pot with a tangerine tree
The tangerine tree needs bright light in a room. However, care must be taken to ensure that the direct rays of the sun do not burn it. This is especially dangerous for seedlings and young trees, since their foliage is tender and susceptible to burns. IN dark place The tangerine will develop poorly and even lose some of its foliage. It will be even more difficult for it to bloom and bear fruit. The best windows for him: east, west, southeast, southwest. At noon, the tree is covered with a thin curtain or should be installed so that the light is always uniform, diffused, but without direct sun. On the south side they are placed next to the window. The north window is not suitable for mandarin. In winter or in a dark room, the plant can be illuminated with lamps. The most economical and at the same time brightest are LEDs. Regular fluorescent and flora lamps are also suitable.
Watering
The supply of moisture should be regular and uniform. The tangerine tree will tolerate drought, but may lose some of its leaves. Excessive flooding, especially in winter, can cause the death of a tree or the appearance of fungal diseases, which also leads to loss of foliage, decorative appearance, and if the watering regime is not followed, the death of the plant.
The need for watering is determined by the size of the container, air temperature, time of year, air permeability of the soil - the rate of moisture evaporation. To determine the need for water, it is convenient to plunge your finger into the ground. In a small pot, the need for liquid is determined by weight.
It is better to water in the evening in summer, in winter in the morning.
Low air humidity has a negative effect on the plant, so it is useful to spray the tangerine tree. Do this carefully during flowering. Drops of water on the buds can cause them to rot and fall off.
Temperature
Mandarin grows successfully under normal conditions room temperature. During flowering, the best temperature is 18-20 degrees. In winter, the tangerine tree goes into a dormant period, the most comfortable temperature at this time – 5-10 degrees. This helps to gain strength and set flower buds.
Fertilizers for tangerines
Fertilizing is applied during the period of growth, flowering and fruiting. Suitable fertilizers for citrus fruits, potassium humate. Feed once every 2 weeks in summer. In winter, during the dormant period, fertilizers are not given; the plant is not able to fully absorb nutrients at this time, which will adversely affect its development.
Fertilizers are applied after watering, preferably the next day, diluted in the recommended dose and not exceeding it.
Excess fertilizer is much more harmful than a small deficiency. Excessive feeding inhibits growth and development and can cause leaves to fall and diseases to appear.
Formation
In nature, tangerine grows freely, but at home it should be shaped. This is done not only for beauty, but also for full fruiting. A neat tree is obtained by controlling the growth of shoots; they are periodically pinched at the level of 5-6 leaves. Strong, fatty, fast-growing shoots can slow down the appearance of buds; they are also removed. Branches growing inside the tree are also removed.
Reproduction
Mandarin is propagated by seeds and layering. Adult specimens that are well formed are propagated by air layering. You can try propagation by cuttings by placing them in water.
To achieve a harvest, the tree is grafted. This is done in the spring, in May-April. You will need the following:
- The rootstock is the tree itself on which the graft will be made.
- A scion is a sprout from a healthy, fruit-bearing plant.
At approximately a height of 7 cm, a sharp T-shaped incision is made, which should preferably be disinfected. The bark is slightly pushed back, and the scion is placed into the resulting incision. After which this place must be treated with garden varnish.
Some gardeners prefer to simply tie thick fabric. Next, the plant is placed in a greenhouse or a plastic bag is put on it. It will take about a month to germinate.
Transfer
The young plant is replanted once a year, after root system will completely entwine the earthen ball. The pot is taken with a diameter of 6 centimeters wider than the previous one.
When the tree reaches the age of 7 years, replanting is done once every two years, since its growth is no longer so fast.
Can't plant right away young plant into a large container, this will slow down growth and can lead to rotting of the root system, since moisture from a large pot takes a long time to evaporate and acidification of the soil occurs.
Transplantation is carried out in the spring and not during flowering to avoid bud drop. After transplantation, fertilizing is resumed a month later - the new soil contains all the necessary nutrients.
Diseases, problems in growing
The tangerine tree gets sick if the rules for caring for it are not followed.
Yellow leaves:
- Bay
- Lack of nutrients.
- Excess fertilizer.
- The appearance of pests: spider mites, aphids.
Dropping leaves:
- Excessive drought.
- Draft.
- Bay
- Rearrangement.
- Errors during transplantation.
- Lack of lighting for a long time.
- Dormant period - sometimes in winter the plant may remove some of its leaves.
It is important to monitor air humidity. The Mandarin will not like being next to central heating radiators.
Sometimes the plant can be attacked by pests:
- Spider mite.
- Mealybug.
First aid is to wash the plant with a warm shower using laundry soap. It might hold back 
reproduction of pests, but will not destroy them completely, so special preparations are used.
From aphids, scale insects - Aktara. For spider mites – Fitoverm. Actellik is an effective and strong remedy, but it is not recommended for use indoors.
If you see small jumping insects on the surface of the soil, these are podurs; they appear when the soil is waterlogged. The first action is to dry the soil; perhaps this measure will allow you to get rid of them completely. Additionally, the drugs Grom 2 and Aktara can help. Also, when flooding and using homemade fertilizers, fungus gnats - sciarids - may appear above the pot. The same drugs are used for them as for foolishness.
Overall, tangerine is quite easy to care for and is a good addition to the interior. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the climate, refreshes the air and releases aromatic substances.
Many amateur gardeners have sometimes thought about planting a tangerine seed. But will the tree not only grow, but also bear fruit? fragrant fruits? For this to happen, it is necessary to properly care for the tangerine tree at home.
In nature, there are many varieties and species of this plant. They differ in the height of the crown and its shape, the number of fruits, their color, taste and aroma. For home grown A tree that will have a small number of medium-sized fruits, as well as small sizes, is suitable.
Some types of tangerine tree:
- tangerine - has a lot of advantages over other varieties and is great for growing in an apartment;
- wavy tangerine – pleases with a neat crown, the 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 gardener will find the right type for himself. homemade tangerine, which will suit him specifically with the taste of the fruit and their appearance. But it is necessary to pay attention to the growing conditions of this plant. For example, the unshiu variety takes root most well in an apartment, since it tolerates well low temperatures and lack of sunlight.
Tangerine tree: nuances of cultivation
It will be possible to get fruits from homemade tangerines only several years after planting. And it is worth considering that in most cases, daughter plants from a sprouted seed do not retain the taste properties of the mother bush. At home, you almost always get small and sour fruits that will perfectly decorate the interior, but are not suitable for eating. To transfer the qualities of the parent to a new tree, you will need to propagate the tangerine using cuttings or grafting.
The plant requires suitable conditions for its growth, so to care for it you need to allocate sufficient quantity free time.
How to grow from seed at home?
Seeds of almost any type are suitable for growing tangerines. However, it is important to study the characteristics of a particular variety in advance. It is also necessary 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 seeds.
Selection of planting material
To plant a tangerine tree from a seed, you will need to first germinate it. To do this, it is recommended to wrap planting material in several layers of gauze and thoroughly moisten it 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.
Also suitable for planting are fresh seeds that have not yet dried out. They do not need to be soaked in advance, and the likelihood of germination increases significantly.
Requirements for soil and pot
tangerine tree will not grow in acidic soil, so the grower must definitely monitor this.
To prepare your own substrate, you will need:
- 2/5 humus;
- 2/5 forest land;
- 1/5 sand.
You can also purchase ready-made soil at a plant growing store. The soil must have a non-acidic environment (neutral PH) and be suitable for planting tangerines. Peat is not suitable 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 seed.
First you need to make a small hole in the soil to a depth of 4 cm, carefully place the seed there and cover it with earth. The substrate must be moist throughout germination; therefore, it will need to be moistened as necessary. The air temperature in the room should reach 20-25 degrees.
On average, germination of a tangerine takes from 2 to 4 weeks. If several sprouts appear from one seed at once, the weakest ones must be carefully removed.
Transplanting tangerine seedlings
The first transplantation of young seedlings is carried out when the root system completely fills the container. This explains the recommendation to plant seeds in a plastic cup or other transparent container - this will make it easier for the gardener to observe the growth of the plant’s roots.
The young tree will need to be pulled out of the first pot along with the earthen lump and transferred to a suitable container bigger size. You will need to replant every year until the tangerine begins to bear its first fruits.
Will a tree grown from a seed bear fruit?
If you take proper care of this plant, it will definitely bear fruit. True, this will happen no earlier than in 3-4 years. It should also be remembered that in most cases the seed grows ornamental plants with rather sour fruits.
Tangerine tree: care
From proper care A plant of the citrus genus depends entirely on its appearance, as well as the taste properties of the resulting fruit. You will need to comply with all growing conditions, water your green pet correctly and fertilize the soil on time.
Growing conditions
The most suitable place for a tangerine would be a window sill on a south or east window. Here the plant will feel comfortable, as it loves bright and diffused light. 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” of up to 12 degrees above zero. During the cold season, it is important to provide the plant with a low temperature and wintering. If this does not happen, the fruit will be next year you won't have to wait.
Attention! Main feature Mandarin is its habituation to one-sided lighting. The flower should not be rotated often around its axis, as stress can cause it to shed its leaves and even die.
How to water correctly?
The gardener will also need to know how to properly water a tangerine tree. This plant loves moisture very much, so in summer it needs to be watered every other day. In winter, watering is reduced and the tangerine will only need moisture in the soil once a week.
In summer, be sure to spray the leaves several times a day, without touching the flowers with water. It is also recommended to place a small container of water next to the plant to maintain optimal level air humidity.
Fertilizer and feeding
It is imperative to fertilize, starting in March and ending in early autumn. During this period, the buds are actively developing and will require a supply of mineral fertilizer.
What should be in the supplement:
- nitrogen;
- phosphorus;
- potassium.
Mandarins can also be fertilized with mullein manure diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 10. Feeding should be done once every week and a half, alternating the type of feeding. In winter, fertilizers are reduced to once a month.
Shaping and trimming
Often at home there is no need to form a crown, since the varieties initially have decorative look. The grower will only need to pluck the shoots during the period of their germination from the seed. If the plant bears heavy fruits, it should be tied to a support.
How to plant tangerine at home?
Grafting is also one of the ways to propagate tangerines. 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 off from the plant from which they want to get a daughter tree. It must have one bud and a leaf.
How to graft a tangerine:
- Make a T-shaped cut on the rootstock. Its length should be no more than 2 cm.
- Carefully remove the bark at the cut site and place the rootstock of the tree there.
- Then the bark must be returned to its place, and the cut must be covered with garden varnish.
- All that remains is to wrap the grafting site with electrical tape.
Successful grafting is characterized by yellowing of the cuttings and falling of leaves from it. If this does not happen, the shoot will turn black.
The tree itself must be placed in an improvised greenhouse made from ordinary plastic bag. After a month, you will need to cut the rootstock using pruning shears, making an oblique cut, remove the electrical tape and cover the cut with garden varnish.
Disease and pest control
The tangerine tree gets sick just like any other home plant, - due to improper care. The occurrence of diseases is affected by unsuitable air humidity and indoor microclimate, as well as a lack of necessary elements in the soil.
The most common diseases are:
- Anthracnose. It manifests itself as yellowing and falling leaves with deformation of the bark. Treatment with Fitosporin is used for treatment. It is recommended to destroy the affected part of the plant.
- Citrus fruit blight. Red spots form on the trunk. This can happen due to improper planting, damage to the trunk, lack of necessary drainage or excess fertilizer. The situation can be corrected by treating the cracks with a light solution of vitriol. From above it is necessary to cover them with garden varnish.
- Scab. It looks like small transparent spots, which subsequently transform into gray warty formations. Spraying the plant three times with Bordeaux mixture will help cure it.
- Spider mite. Appears as cobwebs on the leaves. Initially, you need to remove pests from the tangerine using an old toothbrush, and then give it a contrast shower. The soil should be sprinkled with ash. You will need to repeat the procedure after a week and a half.
If you care for your tangerine tree according to all the rules, you can get a wonderful living decoration to any interior. When bright orange fruits begin to bloom on it, it certainly lifts the mood of the owner and attracts the attention of all guests at home.
Exotic plants can become a real decoration for your home. Of course, growing them on your own from seeds is not at all easy, but you can purchase an already grown seedling of such a tree or flower and simply organize proper balanced care for it. Thus, home-grown citrus fruits are extremely popular among lovers: tangerines and oranges, as well as laurels, etc. And growing them in an ordinary apartment is not so difficult. Today we will talk about how to care for a homemade tangerine in a pot.
So, the indoor tangerine is a representative of the Rutaceae family, evergreen, which grows successfully in greenhouses and various winter gardens. Although this tree can reach quite large sizes, it can be grown on a windowsill. In addition, you can now find dwarf and low-growing tangerines on sale, the height of which does not exceed sixty centimeters - one meter.
How to care for tangerine at home?
Optimal lighting
In order for this exotic tree to feel good, readers of Popular About Health need to organize it correct lighting– quite good, but with a minimum amount of direct sunlight. If the plant feels a lack of light, it may practically not bloom, and if there is a strong lack of lighting, its leaves will become pale, the shoots will begin to stretch and weaken. So it is best to place a pot with a plant on the windowsill of an eastern or south-eastern window; when growing on the south side, it is advisable to provide shading for the indoor pet from direct rays of the sun. In the hot season, it is quite possible to take the tree outside, but accustom it to open space costs gradually.
In cold weather, it is extremely important to place the pot of tangerine in the most illuminated place, and it is better to even provide it with additional lighting.
Optimal temperature indicators
It is best to grow indoor tangerine in the summer at temperatures from twenty to twenty-five degrees. At the budding stage, as well as during the flowering period, it is advisable to slightly reduce the temperature - to twenty degrees or even slightly lower. At higher temperatures, the tree may drop flowers or buds. In cold weather, in order to organize a period of short rest for your pet, it is worth lowering the temperature to five to ten degrees. If the tree has the opportunity to rest during the winter, it will bloom and bear fruit much better.
How to properly water a homemade tangerine?
Indoor tangerines at home are quite resistant to a lack of life-giving moisture. They successfully tolerate a lack of watering, and in severe drought they can only shed their leaves. Quite often, such plants suffer from excess moisture, which can lead to the development of fungal diseases.
So you should water the tree only after the soil in the pot has dried out somewhat. It is advisable to carry out this manipulation in the first half of the day. When temperatures drop (in winter), watering is reduced, performing it only to maintain life.
Humidity
Despite their drought resistance, indoor tangerines really do not like dry air. Therefore, they should be sprayed systematically. In case of lack of humidity environment plants may suffer from spider mites. But during the flowering period, it is extremely important to ensure that droplets of water do not fall on the tangerine flowers.
Top dressing
In order to exotic trees looked attractive and remained healthy, it is necessary to feed them. After all, the soil in the pot is depleted quite quickly. For fertilizing it is worth using soluble fertilizers; they can be used for both watering and spraying, but in the second case the concentration should be very weak. As fertilizers, you can use any complex mixtures that contain basic particles, needed by plants, they are represented by phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium.
Tangerines are fed starting from March and ending in September, once every two weeks. In autumn, it is worth carrying out such manipulations less often - once a month.
Experienced flower growers It is also recommended to feed indoor tangerines organic fertilizers. In this case, it is necessary to dilute a well-infused cow dung, adhering to the proportion of 1:10.
Transfer
Young trees need to be replanted annually, and adults - at intervals of two years. For replanting, it is best to purchase special soil intended for citrus fruits. It is advisable to move the plant into a pot whose diameter is no more than five centimeters larger than before. The organization of a sufficiently good drainage layer in the new container also plays an extremely important role.
The best time to transplant a tangerine is early spring, when the active growing season is just beginning. A couple of days before this procedure, you should stop using fertilizers. Fertilizing is not carried out within two weeks after transplantation. At the end of this procedure, you need to water the tree, and after half an hour, add soil (if necessary) and water again.
Additional Information
In order to get a lush tree in a pot in a home flower garden, the indoor mandarin needs to pinch out the branches. It is also worth periodically removing dried leaves, elongated branches and excess flowers. For every fifteen leaves you should leave no more than one ovary. And when bearing fruit, the branches must be tied to a support so that they do not break.
general information
Of all the types of citrus plants grown indoors, only the indoor tangerine is second to the lemon tree in terms of prevalence and popularity. According to botanists, its homeland is China or Japan. The name “mandarin” was given to this plant by the Chinese, since for many centuries it was grown only in the gardens of wealthy dignitaries of feudal China - mandarins. Tangerine trees exported from China appeared in Europe only in the 19th century. The Italian Michel Tecor brought tangerine trees to Italy in 1840, and this citrus plant quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean. This popularity was probably due to the fact that tangerine trees are early-fruiting and very productive, and the fruits are sweet and seedless. Mandarin came to Ukraine from Japan at the beginning of the 20th century, during the mass country house construction in the subtropical zone of the Black Sea coast. This is where it became most common. citrus plant. Regardless of the variety, summer gardeners gave tangerine trees a common name - forged. Mandarin trees are relatively low-growing; on plantations they reach a height of 2-3 meters. The branches of the tangerine tree are mostly drooping. The leaves are dense, dark green, with small wings on the petioles. White fragrant flowers collected in brushes. Mandarin fruits are spherical, flattened, 4-6 cm in diameter and weighing from 30 to 100 g. The fruit peel is thin, orange, and easily separated from the pulp. In the so-called “plump” tangerines, it almost does not touch the pulp, because it is separated from it by an air layer. The pulp is sweet, juicy, yellow-orange, easily divided into slices. The fruit of the tangerine tree contains a lot of sugar, organic acids, vitamins C and B1. Seeds are rarely formed in tangerine fruits. In an apartment, tangerine grows and develops with a limited amount of light and fresh air, therefore it is of paramount importance right choice variety of tangerine most suitable for room conditions. Early ripening tangerine trees of Japanese origin, characterized by low growth and unpretentiousness, meet these requirements. The most common is the indoor tangerine variety Unshiu (which means “Seedless”). 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 the spring, very profusely. 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 tangerine tree produces an average of 40-50 fruits per year.
Dwarf tangerines of the Vasya group.
These varieties of tangerine trees are low-growing and decorative. These include indoor varieties of tangerines: Kovano-Vase, Mikha-Vase, Miyagawa-Vase. The height of mature tangerine trees does not exceed 50-80 cm, so they are very convenient to keep on the windowsill. Indoor mandarin does not need to form a crown; only sometimes it is necessary to remove dried and improperly growing branches. Fruit dwarf tangerines begin already in the second year of life. The fruits of the tangerine tree are not inferior in size and taste to the fruits of the Unshiu variety.
Landing (transfer)
For this purpose, take a pot from any material, the main thing is that the upper diameter should not exceed 10-15 cm, the height is approximately the same. There should be one or several small holes at the bottom of the pot for drainage excess water when watering. At the bottom of the pot, and this can be a plastic bucket, wooden, ceramic, glass container, place expanded clay or sand as drainage, and best of all charcoal, which can be taken from an extinct fire in the forest, in a city park. The thickness of the drainage should not exceed 3-5 cm. Then sprinkle the drainage with a little soil. To transplant a tangerine tree seedling, you need specially prepared soil of the “Mandarin” type; it is presented on our website in the section “Soils and fertilizers for indoor plants” - “Soils for indoor plants.” Or prepare the soil yourself: the soil for replanting must be taken from the forest or park, under old deciduous trees, except oak, chestnut and poplar. It is necessary to take only the top, most fertile layer of soil, 5-10 cm thick. Add sand to this soil, preferably river sand, a little ash, and more humus, if available. The proportion is as follows: two glasses of deciduous soil, a glass of sand, three tablespoons of humus and one tablespoon of ash. Stir all this in any bowl, add a little water to get a thick, creamy mass that will well fill the entire volume of the pot, leaving no air voids near the roots of the tangerine tree. After six months, the tangerine tree must be transplanted into a larger pot 5 cm in diameter. Spray and water the planted indoor tangerine with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), and then place it on a previously prepared window sill, bay window or balcony so that the surface of the leaves is directed towards the light.
Reproduction
Indoor tangerines are propagated by grafting onto lemon and orange seedlings grown from seeds indoor varieties and by air layering method. Indoor mandarin is practically not amenable to cuttings under amateur conditions.
Lighting
The tangerine tree should be kept in a southern sunny window. In summer, indoor tangerine is recommended to be taken out open air- in the garden, on the veranda, on the balcony, placing it in a place protected from the wind. If an indoor tangerine stands on a south-facing window, then in the summer it is advisable to darken it a little from direct sunlight so that burns do not occur on the leaves of the tangerine and chlorosis does not appear from overheating of the entire crown and roots. For this, at the very window frame, according to the height of the tangerine tree, they make a gauze curtain and in the morning, before leaving the house, cover the glass with it if the day promises to be sunny.
Air temperature
If a pot of indoor tangerine will stand on a windowsill, then the window must be well insulated for the winter, and the pot itself must be insulated in winter and summer. Favorable temperature for budding and flowering of tangerine is +16 +18°C, 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°C.
Watering
Indoor tangerine should be watered as the top layer of soil dries, without allowing the lump of earth in the pot to completely dry out. To determine soil moisture, take the time to take a little of the surface layer of soil with three fingers every day and squeeze it. If the soil sticks together, then there is no need to water; if it crumbles under your fingers, then it’s time to water. You need to monitor the condition of the soil daily (especially in summer) so that the entire earthen lump in the pot does not dry out due to high temperatures and bright sun. The question of where to get water for irrigation and what it should be is also very difficult, and therefore we will dwell on it in detail. In a city apartment drinking water practically unsuitable for watering citrus fruits, since it contains a large amount of compounds of alkaline earth metals and chlorine, which together and individually cause great harm tangerine, causing spotting (chlorosis) of leaves, alkalizing the soil, disrupting metabolic processes. Many authors recommend boiling tap water, but this does not always immediately lead to the desired result; unnecessary hassle often scares off potential fans of window fruit growing, so I recommend using hot water from the tap. This water contains less chlorine and is softer. In addition, water for irrigation must be left for at least 24 hours in an open container to completely remove chlorine, which is extremely harmful to citrus fruits. In a private house, water can be taken from a well, but it is better from a lake or stream and left in the room for heating. Rainwater now contains many harmful impurities, so do not collect it for irrigation. In any case, wherever the water is taken, it must be left for at least a day in an open vessel at room temperature and only then watered over the tangerine. IN winter time To achieve better growth and fruiting of tangerines, it is advisable to heat the water to a temperature of +30 +35°C before watering. In the summer, you can put the water on a sunny window and not bother heating it.
Spraying
It must be well remembered that in addition to watering, indoor tangerines should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle or any other method at least once a day, especially in summer, to create humidity, to wash away dust from the branches, so that the leaves “breathe”. At least once a month, it is advisable to place the tangerine tree in the bathtub and cover it plastic film soil in a pot and treat the entire crown with cotton wool soap suds. Then you won't have to deal with difficult pest control. Do not forget to tie the stem of the tangerine tree at the bottom with gauze or a bandage so that the soapy water is absorbed into the fabric and does not get into the soil.
Fertilizer
In winter, indoor mandarin is not fed, in spring and summer - once every two weeks. Any fertilizing should be done only the next day after watering, i.e. when the soil in the pot is wet, otherwise you can burn the roots. Pour fertilizer under the plant until the solution begins to flow out of the drainage holes. To feed a tangerine tree seedling, you need fertilizer of the “Tangerine” type; it is presented on our website in the section “Soils and fertilizers for indoor plants” - “Fertilizers for indoor plants.” Feeding mature plants, at least one meter high, with fish soup once a month increases their fruiting. They do it like this: 200 grams of fish waste or small unsalted fish are boiled in two liters of water for half an hour. Then dilute the solution cold water and filter through cheesecloth. This fertilizer must be used together with the Mandarin fertilizer mentioned above.
Pests
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 scale insects). They are combated with chemicals and biological drugs, which are more acceptable under conditions open soil subtropics and greenhouses. It is advisable not to use pesticides for an apartment. Signs of defeat spider mite the following: on old tangerine leaves, white dots appear on the underside, and the reddish mite itself is visible to the naked eye. If you touch it, it starts to move quickly. Young leaves curl into a “boat” and become entangled in a white web. To combat mites, use tobacco dust, garlic, and laundry soap. Take 1 tablespoon of tobacco dust and pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 6 days. Add 10 grams of laundry soap to the resulting infusion and spray the plant 3 times with an interval of 6 days. Garlic is used as follows: one head of garlic is crushed, poured into a glass hot water and insist for 2 days. The solution is filtered and spraying is carried out similarly to the above. When affected by scale insects, brown-gray shiny round formations with a diameter of 3-5 mm are visible on the surface of young and old leaves. They are placed along the veins at the top and bottom of the leaf, as well as on the branches themselves. IN initial stage these growths are almost transparent, whitish in color and difficult to notice. With severe damage, sticky gum appears on the surface of old leaves, and in the late stage they become covered with a black sticky coating, which is very difficult to wash off with water. Water-oil emulsions effectively help against scale insects. Mix 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 the pot with plastic film, and the stem is tied at the bottom with a bandage. This is done in order to prevent the emulsion from getting into the soil. Treatment is carried out using a cotton or gauze swab. A water-oil emulsion is applied to all surfaces of tangerine branches and leaves. After 3-4 hours, rinse everything off in the shower, making sure that the emulsion does not get into the soil. Process 3 times with an interval of 6 days.