Orange cultivation. What are the requirements for growing an orange at home

• Kind: citrus
• Flowering period: December, January, February, March
• Height: 50-1200cm
• Color: orange, yellow, white
• perennial
• hibernates
• sun-loving
• moisture-loving

Bright lemon, orange and tangerine trees with their huge flowers and mouth-watering fruits are always the main accents of any garden. But, unfortunately, they do not grow in the Russian climate in the open air - only in greenhouses and at home. But then where do such trees appear in Russian gardens in summer? Simply at home in a country house or in an apartment, it is quite possible to grow a beautiful citrus tree up to at least one and a half meters high! And in the summer, put it in the garden and enjoy the incredibly fragrant large flowers, for which modern landscape designers are ready to give a lot. Agree, any garden for 90% consists of plants, each of which has its own time. Yes, in the Russian climate, a citrus tree is a seasonal decoration of the garden, but what a thing!

In its development, the tangerine tree will not be particularly whimsical. The main thing is to provide him with an abundance of sunlight, and all 12 hours a day all year round. Therefore, if you want to grow a naturally beautiful tree, you will need additional intense lighting on winter evenings. There will also be some professional secrets to help.

Choosing a tangerine variety

Now let's take a look at the varieties:

• Unshiu is a frost-resistant and very productive variety. You will get a low tree, with a spreading crown of flexible thin branches, and with corrugated leaves. This tangerine grows fast and produces good fruit. And if you add artificial lighting, things will go even better.
• Shiva Mikan is a compact tangerine tree with large dark green foliage. Blooms and grows fast.
• The honey variety is the rarest variety, with very sweet tangerines.
• And the tangerine Covane-vasse is the tallest, as for home conditions. For the garden - that's it!

See what wonderful citrus trees grow with the right choice of variety:

Proper seed preparation

So, the first step is to get the bones for the future tangerine tree. For this purpose, ripe fruits from the store are ideal: take at least 10 of these seeds. The more the better: you probably know that any planting material does not germinate 100%.

Second step: let the bones hatch. To do this, they need moisture. Wrap the bones in damp gauze and leave it like that for a few days. Gauze, in turn, will not allow moisture to evaporate quickly, and at the same time, the bones will “breathe”.

Now let's prepare the soil. The easiest way is to buy it in a flower shop, it is called "special for citrus", or roll up your sleeves and make a nutrient base yourself. Just combine leafy soddy soil with compost or rotted humus in equal parts. The main thing is that there is no peat in your land.

In details:

Now you can plant hatched bones in this land. But be patient: the first sprouts will appear from 3 weeks to a whole month, because the mandarin grows slowly and from time to time also stops its growth according to some biological laws unknown to us.

Abundance of moisture

The tangerine tree loves moisture, and in the summer it must be watered (but not flooded). And in winter, you should reduce the amount of moisture, while making sure that the soil does not dry out. After all, future fruits need to “pour”, as they say among the people.

To compensate for the dryness of home air, it is advisable to spray tangerine leaves every day with clean boiled water (or filtered).

Neat transplant

When the tangerine tree has grown, move it to a larger pot. The ideal time is February-March. Such a plant should be transplanted using the transshipment method in order to preserve the earthen ball as much as possible and not damage the delicate root system.

A few weeks after the transplant, when the tree can get used to the new place and the so-called "housewarming syndrome" has passed, the root system will begin to actively grow. Moreover, for the entire spring-summer period, the mandarin will have several points of active growth, in which it will need to be fed with organic and mineral fertilizers, once every 1-2 weeks. The tree will especially like the used tea leaves - just dig it into the soil.

As a result, thanks to your efforts, you will grow a good tree up to one and a half meters tall. Miniature, cute and especially bright during the fruiting period. And during the flowering period, the tangerine tree is strewn with flowers so that it is not impossible not to pay attention to it!

How to grow an early ripe lemon tree?

Lemon is a perennial evergreen tree, with thorns on the branches and beautiful dark green leaves. Lemon leaves are of particular value for landscape design, with their juicy colors and excellent decorative qualities. A real decoration for any garden!

When transplanted into open ground, lemon quickly reaches a height of up to 5 meters. But, if you grow it only at home, and only leave it in the garden in the sun for the summer, then it will reach “only” 2 meters.

Another value of the lemon tree for landscaping is that it can bloom several times throughout the year - in spring, summer and winter. Its flowers are especially beautiful: snow-white, with a waxy color and with a delicate aroma. And it is also surprising that fragrant flowers, green ovaries, and even ripe fruits can be on the same tree at the same time. Moreover, lemons can safely hang on parental branches for up to 2 years, periodically becoming either green or yellow again.

And growing this miracle of nature is easy:

Choosing the right variety

The first step in growing a lemon tree for your garden is to choose a variety—and there are about 900 of them! Among the species of this evergreen citrus plant, there are those that grow exclusively in the tropics and subtropics, and there are those that feel great in a closed winter garden. And it's important to guess!

• Pavlovsky lemon grows up to 2 meters in height. And all you need to do is root the cuttings under glass jars, and then transplant them into pots. Moreover, this lemon is most adapted to life at home or in a winter greenhouse, and it blooms in the second or third year and then begins to bear fruit.
• Meyer lemon will bloom all year round, although it will remain dwarfed. But its beautiful round crown lends itself remarkably to formation. True, there are many thorns on the branches of this lemon.
• Novogruzinsky lemon is obtained with a stronger tall crown and an impressive number of thorns. It will bloom a little later than the Pavlovsk lemon, but it will be distinguished by a stable harvest.
• But the Lisbon lemon is different in that it tolerates high air temperatures without problems.

Here's how wonderfully a varietal lemon tree grows:

Preparing for landing

As soon as you pull the seeds out of the lemon, immediately start planting, otherwise the similarity will be lost every hour. Then do everything according to the following instructions:

• Step 1. First, rinse the seeds well under running water and dry on a windowsill on a sheet of paper.
• Step 2. Next, spread them on a layer of damp cotton wool so that the seeds swell. Moreover, cotton wool will need to be periodically moistened.
• Step 3. Take a plastic bottle and cut off the neck. Make a couple of holes in the bottom.
• Step 4. Fill a plastic bottle with soil, water a little and plant the seeds to a depth of 2 to 4 centimeters.
• Step 5. Now water every two days with fresh water.
• Step 6. When the lemon tree reaches a height of 10-15 centimeters, transplant it into a pot with the same soil. It is important that the root system is not cramped in it.

You will see the process in more detail at the master class:

But, unfortunately, the lemon that you have grown from the seed will bear fruit only for 12-15 years of life. That is why it makes sense to purchase a cutting or buds already from a fruit-bearing tree, and graft them onto your plant. And your lemon will be ready for grafting when the thickness of its trunk reaches 80 millimeters.

All this is perfectly shown in the video:

The Importance of Proper Soil

Unfortunately, the situation is not uncommon when seedlings are bought even in a well-known company store, and after a week the lemon dies. That's why it's so important to get the right soil first.

The soil for the lemon tree you will need is balanced in structure and rich in nutrients. The recipe is the same as for the tangerine tree. But take care of the temperature: at -5-6° the lemon leaves die off, at minus -7-8° the crown is damaged, and at minus -8-9° the tree is already dying. Therefore, to overwinter your lemon tree, you need a temperature in the range of + 15-18 ° C.

When taking your citrus fruit into the garden in the summer, put it under the crown of a larger fellow: apple or sea buckthorn, and relative to the same cardinal points. After all, you can’t put a lemon tree in an open sunny place - the leaves will burn.

Here is a good illustration of proper care for a growing lemon tree:

Correct watering temperature

You can also easily grow a lemon tree from a cutting that begins to bloom in the third year after planting:

• Step 1. In early spring, take cuttings with four to five leaves.
• Step 2. Hold such a cutting in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and cover the cut with crushed coal.
• Step 3. Remove the bottom leaves, leaving only the top three.
• Step 4. Next, plant the cutting in wet river sand.
• Step 5. Cover with a jar or bag and place in a dark place.

Like here:

The key is to keep the soil moist. If droplets of water appear on the walls of the jar, it means that the roots are releasing the stalk. And as soon as the plant is rooted (check this by lightly tugging on the stalk), bring it to the light and remove the jar.

In winter, you need to water the lemon tree only once or twice a week, and in summer - every day, but just a little. Moreover, with warm water, 2-3 degrees higher than the air temperature. If you water it colder or warmer, the plant will not like it. Indeed, this is the capriciousness of the lemon tree, which does not like both the lack of moisture and its excess. Experienced gardeners know one tricky secret: tap the pot with a wooden object. If the beats are sonorous, the ground is already dry, and if they are deaf, there is still moisture.

You still need to turn the lemon tree on the windowsill, no matter what the sellers tell you there. All this in order to get a beautiful crown, otherwise there will be light and shadow leaves that will no longer fit into the landscape design of your summer garden.

The color of the leaves of the lemon tree is also affected by top dressing. So, from March to September, once every 1-2 weeks, feed your plant with manure or droppings. During the fruiting period, do this every 10 days, and this time give preference to a complex of mineral fertilizers.

Formation of a beautiful crown

The next interesting secret: it is easy to form the future crown of a lemon along its roots. After all, the root system is a mirror image of the crown. Therefore, plant a lemon in a pot of the shape you want to see its crown.

In the spring, a young plant 20 centimeters tall should be cut off the top, and leave 5-6 packs so that they give side shoots. And in March-April, prune this tree, removing old dry and diseased shoots, as well as those that are trying to grow into the crown, and not from it.

And one more important point. From time to time, the lemon tree becomes crowded: usually once every 2-3 years. At this time, it gives its little signal, rising above the soil level and bringing the roots into the drainage hole. So, it's time to transplant the tree into a larger pot. It is advisable to do this before mid-February, while new shoots have not yet begun to grow. And keep in mind that an adult lemon tree already feels better not in light soil, but in heavy loose soil. You can get it yourself by mixing one part leafy earth, one part sand and one part humus, adding a little clay to such soil.

Help with pollination

Another secret to getting a really beautiful lemon tree is that you have to pollinate it! Yes, this is a self-pollinating plant, but it still has male flowers with only pollen. Collect such pollen with a cotton swab and bring it to the pestle, which is large and noticeable.

In the summer, be sure to take the lemon out into the garden, and it will become a wonderful attribute of landscape design. And in winter, organize additional lighting: a fluorescent lamp or Reflux lamps, at a distance of 10 centimeters from the upper leaves of the tree.

How to grow an orange tree with a beautiful crown?

An orange tree is a real find for the landscape design of any garden. It is neat, with glossy leaf skin and beautiful fruits.

Proper planting of seeds

You can grow this tree from an ordinary bone:

• rinse the removed seeds in warm water;
• soak for 12 hours;
• deepen the hatched seeds into the ground, to a depth of 1 centimeter under the film.

You can do this in late winter or early spring:

When caring for a growing plant, do not forget that orange trees are residents of the subtropical zone. They do not like drafts, but they love an abundance of indirect sunlight and are capricious of air and soil moisture.

And about the selection of soil for an orange, we suggest you watch the video:

Abundance of light and warmth

Orange should receive a lot of light and heat - this is the main requirement. If you properly care for an orange tree, it grows quickly and pleases with a beautiful crown. But, if you want your beautiful tree to also bear fruit over time, pay attention to the green thorns on the trunk: if they are solid already at the age of one, you have come across a wild plant whose fruits are no good. Then it is worth carrying out the usual vaccination.

At home, a cultivated orange tree will begin to bear fruit 6 years after seed germination. What can be accelerated if you winter the orange at a temperature of +2 to +5 degrees, limiting watering and feeding.

Proper feeding and watering

For seedlings, a pot with a diameter of about 10 centimeters is well suited. The main thing is not to allow the humidity in the room to be below 40% - otherwise the plant will shed its leaves. And you can not water the orange tree with running water with chlorine - only distilled water, heated to 25-30 degrees Celsius.

Feed an orange tree diluted in 10 liters of water with 20 grams of ammonium nitrate, 25 grams of superphosphate and 15 grams of potassium salts. Four times a year, it will also be necessary to introduce ferrous sulfate into its top dressing, and once a month water the orange tree with a solution of potassium permanganate - so that the leaves have a rich color.

It is necessary to replant a grown plant by the method of transshipment, with a solid earthen clod. With the beginning of a warm summer, take your tree to the garden, while protecting it well from the scorching sun.

More oxygen!

All citrus trees are a bit tricky to care for, and everyone loves to have their root system oxygenated. Therefore, to grow an orange tree, we recommend that you use large wooden blocks or pottery pots. And so that mold does not appear in any case, be sure to treat their inner surface with a blowtorch.

Also, all citrus trees need good drainage, so always put small pebbles on the bottom of your tree, but without sharp edges. After all, citrus fruits have very tender roots.

As you can see, all citrus trees are propagated by seed and then grafted or cut. Can't you handle it? Yes, easily! And on quiet summer evenings, real exotic citrus trees will delight your garden!

Citrus sinensis) - a species of flowering plants of the dicotyledonous class, the Sapindaceae order, the rue family, the genus Citrus. Orange is a cultivated hybrid form, most likely bred by crossing and pomelo.

The orange got its name from the Dutch word appelsien or the German Apfelsine, which translates as “from China”, “Chinese apple”.

Orange - description and characteristics. How oranges grow

The orange plant is a sufficiently powerful evergreen tree, the height of which depends on the variety: vigorous varieties of orange grow up to 12 m in height, dwarf forms have a height of about 4-6 m, trees for indoor cultivation reach 2-2.5 m in height. The most compact orange trees grow up to 60-80 cm.

The orange tree is distinguished by a dense dense crown of a round or pyramidal shape, and thorns up to 8-10 cm long often grow on its shoots. Orange leaves are dark green, dense, oval in shape with a sharp tip, growing up to 15 cm long and about 10 cm wide The edge of the leaf may be wavy, and at the very surface of the leaf there are special glands containing aromatic oil. One leaf lives for about 2 years, and on an orange tree, old and young leaves grow at the same time, performing different functions. Young orange leaves are responsible for photosynthesis, with their help the tree breathes, while the old leaves are a reservoir for nutrients. The period of intense leaf fall (about 25%) occurs in February and March, and the orange tree loses another quarter of the old leaves during the year.

Roots

Orange roots, unlike other fruit trees, do not have the root hairs needed to absorb moisture and nourishment from the soil. But on the roots there are special capsules with colonies of special soil fungi that form mycorrhiza with orange roots. Orange supplies amino acids and carbohydrates to mushrooms, and in return receives moisture and minerals, which mushrooms provide in a form that is easily digestible for the plant. The overgrown mycelium of mushrooms does not tolerate drought, lowering the temperature of the soil and exposing the roots on which it grows, therefore oranges are very demanding on moisture, heat and suffer greatly when transplanted without a clod of earth.

Flowers

The orange has large bisexual flowers of white or pink color, up to 5 cm in diameter, single or growing in inflorescences of 6 pieces. The laying of flower buds occurs in early spring, the flowers can stay in the bud stage for about a month, then open at a temperature of 16-18 degrees and bloom for about 2-3 days.

Fruit

The fruit of an orange is called an orange. It is distinguished by a round or oval shape and has a structure typical of other types of citrus fruits. Such a fruit, which comes from the upper ovary, is called a hesperidium (one of the varieties of a berry-like fruit). Thus, the orange fruit is a fruit and a berry.

The pulp of an orange consists of 9-13 separating slices covered with a thin film. Each lobule contains many juice-filled sacs that are formed from the inner epidermis of the carpels.

The taste of orange pulp can be sweet, sweet and sour, or bitter.

Some fruits do not form seeds, but most oranges do contain multi-seed seeds, arranged in a slice one above the other.

Peel

The smooth or porous peel of an orange is up to 5 mm thick, its top layer, the flavedo (zest), contains many rounded glands filled with essential oil. The white spongy layer that covers the inside of the peel is called the albedo. Due to its loose structure, the flesh of an orange lags behind the skin quite easily. According to the variety and stage of ripeness, the orange peel makes up 17 to 42% of the total weight of the fruit. Orange peel color can be greenish, pale yellow, bright orange and orange red.

Ripening terms

Orange is a remontant plant capable of re-blooming and fruiting, so an orange tree can simultaneously contain buds, flowers and fruits in different stages of ripeness. The ripening of oranges lasts about 8-9 months, and the ripened fruits can remain on the branches for a long time, and in the spring they turn green again, and by autumn they acquire a characteristic orange color. Seeds of fruits ripening within 2 seasons are of better quality, but the pulp loses its taste and useful properties.

How long does an orange grow?

The orange tree grows rapidly (annual growth is about 40-50 cm) and begins to bear fruit 8-12 years after planting. The life cycle of an orange tree is about 75 years, although individual specimens live up to 100-150 years and produce about 38 thousand fruits in a harvest year.

The birthplace of the orange is Southeast Asia (China), in the 16th century, an exotic fruit came to Europe, and then to Africa and the USA. Nowadays, orange is widely cultivated in many regions of the tropical and subtropical climatic zones, and Brazil, China and the USA are the leaders in fruit export. Spain, Italy, India, Pakistan, Argentina, Morocco, Syria, Greece, Egypt and Iran are slightly behind.

Types and varieties of oranges, photos and names

According to the speed of ripening, varieties of oranges are divided into:

• early;
• mid-early;
• Late.

Depending on the size, shape, taste, color of the fruit and pulp, orange varieties are divided into 2 main groups:

1. Light oranges (with orange flesh);
   • Ordinary (oval) oranges;
   • navel oranges;
2. King oranges (with reddish flesh).

A more detailed description of this classification is given below.

Ordinary or oval oranges- an extensive group of high-yielding varieties that are distinguished by a round or oval fruit shape and tasty, sweet and sour pulp of bright yellow color, containing many seeds. Oranges are medium to large in size, and the skin is thin, pale orange or yellow, well fused with the flesh. The most famous varieties of ordinary oranges:

• Hamlin (Hamlin)- an early ripe variety of oranges with small or medium-sized fruits of a round or slightly flattened shape and a thin, even yellow skin. Grown mainly in Brazil and the USA, it has excellent transportability and is stored for a long time, it is actively used in indoor floriculture;
• Verna- a late variety of oranges of Spanish origin, with medium-sized or medium-sized elongated, low-seeded fruits containing sweet, tasty pulp;
• Salustiana- a late-ripening orange variety of high economic importance in Spain and Morocco. The fruits are characterized by an oval-spherical or slightly flattened shape and a yellow-orange color of a thin, easily peeled peel. The juicy slices are pitted and have a sweet, buttery flavor.

Navel oranges (Navel)- a group of varieties, on the trees of which thorns do not grow, and the fruits have a characteristic mastoid outgrowth-navel at the top, a reduced second fruit. Umbilical oranges are the largest, the average fruit weight is about 200-250 g, and some specimens weigh up to 600 g. A distinctive feature of most varieties is also a rough, easily detachable peel and exceptional consumer qualities: juicy, orange pulp, sweet taste with a slight sourness and exquisite citrus aroma. The most popular varieties of navel oranges:

• Washington Navel (Washingtoh Navel)- a variety of bright orange oranges of important world economic importance, known since the 17th century, as well as one of the few oranges that successfully bear fruit in the Transcaucasus. Medium and large orange fruits have a round or slightly elongated shape and weight from 170 to 300 g. Orange pulp is bright orange, sweet with a slight sourness and a small number of seeds. Orange Washington Navel - one of the most popular varieties for home breeding;
• Navel Late- a late variety of oranges, very similar to the Washington Navel variety, but differing in more tender pulp and increased keeping quality;
• Thomson Navel (Thomsonnavel) - a variety of round or oval oranges with a characteristic small navel and relatively thin, light orange skin with small pores. The pulp of the fruit, compared to Washington Navel, is more fibrous and not as juicy;
• Navelina (Navelina)- the earliest variety of small and medium oranges with a small navel. Rounded or ovoid fruits have a thin, finely porous orange peel and loose, sweet flesh.
• Of particular note is the variety of oranges Kara-Kara (Cara Cara navelorange), which is a mutation of the Washington Navel variety and was found in Venezuela in 1976. Kara-Kara inherited most of the characteristics of the original variety: the navel, the orange color of a well-separated zest and the exceptional taste of juicy pulp. But its main difference is the flesh of a ruby ​​​​hue, comparable to the color of the pulp of the darkest grapefruits. An interesting feature of the variety is the ability to produce a number of variegated shoots, on which striped fruits subsequently develop.

Blood orange, king orange or king orange- This is a group of varieties that has in its composition anthocyanins, pigments that give the fruits and their pulp a blood-red color. Blood orange also has a name Sicilian orange, since the first landings appeared precisely in Sicily. The king orange is a natural mutation of the common orange. The trees of this varietal group are distinguished by long ripening periods, short stature and an elongated crown. The fruit of the blood orange is characterized by a rounded, slightly ribbed shape and a poorly detachable peel of brown, red or dark orange. The flesh of the kinglet is distinguished by red, orange, burgundy or red-striped color, and the fruits are especially valued for their exquisite sweet and sour taste and excellent aroma. According to historians, blood oranges have been grown in Sicily since the 9th-10th centuries. They are currently cultivated throughout Italy, Spain, Morocco and the US states of Florida and California.

There are 3 main varieties of blood oranges:

• Moro orange (Moro) - a fairly young variety, bred at the beginning of the 19th century in Sicily in the province of Syracuse. The skin of a blood orange is orange or reddish-orange, and the flesh is blood-streaked orange, bright crimson, or almost black. Fruit diameter from 5 to 8 cm. Weight 170-210 grams. Moro oranges have a strong citrus aroma with hints of wild berries and a bitter aftertaste.

• orange Sanguinello (Sanguinello)

originally from Spain, similar to the Moro orange and cultivated in the Northern Hemisphere. The blood orange fruit has an orange peel with a reddish tinge, sweet red flesh with red spots, which contains few seeds. The fruits ripen from February to March.

• orange Tarocco (Tarocco)

Considered one of the most popular Italian varieties, it is believed to be the product of a natural mutation of the Sanguinello orange. Tarocco oranges are medium in size, have a thin orangey-red skin and do not have pronounced red pigmentation of the pulp, therefore they are called “half-breeds”. Thanks to their juiciness, sweet taste, lack of pits and high content of vitamin C, Tarocco red oranges are considered one of the most sought-after varieties in the world. Cultivated on fertile soils in the vicinity of Mount Etna.

Orange hybrids, photos and names

Crossing the orange with other citrus species has given rise to a number of interesting hybrid forms.

Citroncirus Webberi)

a hybrid of sweet orange and three-leafed poncirus, the purpose of which was to breed a cold-resistant orange. Citranzh tolerates a drop in air temperature to -10 degrees, but its fruits have a bitter taste. Citrange is commonly used in the preparation of drinks, marmalade or jam.

Citroncirus Citrangequat)

a hybrid of citrange and kumquat, is a compact tree, sometimes with small thorns, producing round or oval fruits with an elongated neck. Eaten fresh or used to make marmalade and lemonade.

one of the types of citranzhquat, a hybrid of orange, margarita kumquat and three-leafed poncirus. Fruits are yellow or yellow-orange in color, medium size, oval or pear-shaped. The peel is thin and bitter, the flesh with a small number of seeds, very sour when unripe, becomes quite edible when fully ripe.

Clementine ( Citrus clementina)

hybrid of mandarin and orange beetle. The fruits of the hybrid are visually similar to tangerines, but differ in a firmer skin, rich sweet taste and juicy pulp. The second variety of clementine is a hybrid of mandarin and bitter Seville orange, bred in Algeria in 1902. The fruits are small, orange, with a hard skin.

Clementines are usually divided into three types:

• Corsican clementine - its fruits are medium in size, covered with an orange-red skin, the pulp is fragrant, there are no seeds in it;
• Spanish clementine can have both small and larger fruits with bright orange pulp of a sour taste. The fruit contains two to ten seeds;
• Montreal clementine is a rare type of citrus with sour fruits containing 10-12 seeds.

Santina (English)Suntina)

hybrid of clementine and orlando. Bright orange fruits of medium or large size, with a thin skin, are distinguished by a sweet taste and strong aroma. The ripening period is from late November to March.

Tangor (English)Tangor, temple orange)

the result of crossing sweet orange and tangerine. The fruits are medium or large, can reach 15 cm in diameter. The shape of the fruit is slightly flattened, the peel is of medium thickness, porous, yellow or deep orange. The presence of seeds depends on the variety of tangor. The flesh of tangors is very fragrant, orange, has a sour or sweet and sour taste.

Ellendale (eng.Ellendale tangor)

citrus hybrid, a variety of tangor obtained by crossing tangerine, mandarin and orange. Citrus is native to Australia. The fruits are medium to large in size, juicy, with a reddish-orange rind and very sweet, fragrant dark orange flesh. The skin is thin, smooth and easy to peel. Seeds may vary in number or be absent altogether.

Orangelo (eng.Orangelo) or chironha (Spanish)Chironja)

supposedly considered a natural hybrid of grapefruit and orange. The fruit is native to Puerto Rico. The fruits are large, the size of a grapefruit, have a slightly elongated or pear-shaped shape. When ripe, the peel is bright yellow, thin and smooth, quite easily separated from the pulp. There are few seeds. The pulp is orange-orange, tender, juicy. The taste is sweeter, similar to orange and lacks the bitterness of grapefruit.

ugly fruit or ugly (eng.Ugli fruits)

it is the result of crossing a tangerine, a grapefruit (or pomelo) and an orange. Agli fruits grow in Jamaica, they are not very beautiful in appearance due to a rough and wrinkled peel. The diameter of the fruit is from 10 to 15 cm. The color of the fruit varies from green to yellow-green and orange. Despite some unattractiveness, the pulp of the agli fruit is very tasty and has a grapefruit note. The fruiting period is from December to April.

Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi )

according to scientists, it is a natural hybrid of orange and pomelo. The fruits are large, with a diameter of 10 to 15 cm, with juicy sweet and sour pulp with a slight bitterness. The color of the pulp, depending on the variety, can be almost white, light pink, yellow or reddish. The skin is yellow or reddish.

Meyer Lemon (Citrus meyeri )

presumably the result of hybridization with orange or tangerine. Large fruits have a rounded shape, when mature, the peel acquires a yellow-orange hue. The flesh is dark yellow, juicy and not as acidic as a regular lemon, and contains seeds.

Natsudaidai (Natsumikan, Amanatsu) (Eng.Amanatsu, natsumican)

natural hybrid of orange and pomelo (or grapefruit). The plant was first discovered in Japan in the 17th century. The fruit has a fairly thick peel of yellow-orange color, it is eaten fresh, but its juicy pulp tastes quite sour. The fruit contains many seeds.

Orange belongs to the evergreen trees of the genus Citrus. In its homeland (in countries with a tropical and subtropical climate), a tree on the street can grow up to 7-12 m in height. However, often in Russia they try to land him at home. The tree has a compact and round crown and rounded green leaves. Its undoubted advantage is fruiting. The fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals and have an unsurpassed flavor. Orange fruits are often used to prepare a wide variety of desserts, juices, pastries, sometimes they are added to sauces, side dishes, meat and fish dishes.

The orange tree will be an original addition to any interior, as well as add a fresh smell to the room and help get rid of bacteria.

In biology, it is customary to distinguish 4 main groups of orange tree varieties:

How to grow an orange from a seed

Bone preparation

For planting, it is better to choose seeds from already ripened fruits. It is necessary to pay attention to the type of seed: the grains must have a symmetrical shape, be large and heavy (full). It is not necessary to use seeds from one orange, the fruits may be different.

Important! The seed should not dry, otherwise the probability of successful germination is halved.

On the eve of planting, you need to clean the seeds from the pulp and rinse them under running water. For about 8-12 hours, the orange seeds should be lowered into a container of water. Fertilizers can also be added there, for example, Epin, Energen, HB.

Sowing features

To plant an orange tree at home, you need to follow this step-by-step instruction:

1. Prepare a place. You can grow the plant in a small container. It can be a pot, plastic cup or other container with a volume of 100-150 ml. You can also plant the seeds directly in wooden boxes.

Important! There should be holes in the bottom of the container to drain excess water.

1. Fill the container with soil. The easiest option would be to buy ready-made land for citrus fruits. If you couldn’t get one, you can prepare the soil yourself: mix garden soil and peat in a 1: 1 ratio.
2. Place the seeds in the ground to a depth of about 1 cm. From the edge of the container, the grain should be at least 2.5-3 cm away. In the box between future bushes, you need to keep a distance of 4.5-5.5 cm.
3. To ensure a normal level of moisture and heat, the container is covered with plastic wrap on top. An alternative would be the part of a plastic bottle into which the orange sprout is carefully placed. For good ventilation, holes are made in the "shelter".

After planting, the container with the plants is placed in a sunny and warm place. The best option would be a window sill that receives a lot of light. If the base is cold, you need to put foam or foam on it, and only then a box with grains.

By the time of germination, it is important to maintain the optimal level of heat and moisture. If you plant seeds in winter, you should use additional artificial lighting. When sowing orange seeds in the spring, there is no need for additional bulbs, since daylight hours are long enough.

If you plant an orange correctly, then after 30-45 days you can see the first sprouts. You can transplant them (carry out a dive) in a box for a greater distance when at least two leaves appear on the bush. Planting depth can be the same as before to cover the root collar.

orange tree sprouts

An orange can be planted in personal places when the bush has 4-6 leaves. The second soil is somewhat different from the first. Sod land (about 2 parts) is mixed with sand (1 part), peat (1 part), puff humus (1 part).

When the tree grows up to 15-20 cm, it is transplanted again (transshipment). Sod land in this case should be even more. You can also add clay.

Important! Each subsequent transplant should be carried out in a container at least 2-3 cm larger than the previous one.

Mature plants also need soil renewal. They need to be transplanted every few (ideally 2-3) years. A room orange older than ten years can no longer be transplanted, but it is worth changing the top layer of earth in the container.

Conditions for germination

Those who are interested in how to grow an orange at home should also learn about the basic conditions that help the tree grow and bear fruit.

Orange loves heat very much, but the amount of light should be moderate. Direct sunlight can significantly damage the leaves (burn them). Flowering will be incomplete and, accordingly, the fruit will be small if there is too little light. You can avoid this problem if you take the plant outside from time to time, but do not forget that direct light should not fall on the leaves. Winter is not the best period for an orange “walk”, so the best option (especially for a tree that has blossomed) is artificial lighting.

Growing an orange tree

You need to grow an orange tree in a room with a humidity of 40%. If this figure is less, the tree may look lethargic, sometimes sheds leaves and dies. Noticing the problem in advance, it is better to sprinkle the tree with cold water. Excessive moisture in the soil and air leads to decay of the root system of the tree, which undoubtedly leads to the death of the plant.

Regardless of the age of the orange, it must be added. Gardeners with experience claim that in the summer this can be done almost daily, but it is important that the water does not stagnate and drains through the holes in a timely manner.

Important! Water for pouring an orange tree should not contain chlorine. Therefore, it is better to use settled (at least 24 hours), rainy or melted water with a temperature of 25 ℃.

Looking for the reason why the tree does not bear fruit in a timely manner, it is worth checking if the plant is standing in a draft. Direct wind can also harm an orange, especially when it begins to bloom.

sprout care

Having planted, it is also worth asking how to care for an orange tree. The most important thing that a person can do for this plant is to provide the same climatic conditions (or at least approximately the same) as in the historical homeland of the tree. Proper care of an orange tree involves maintaining optimal air temperature. Just like in South Africa and in the Mediterranean countries, the winter for a tree should be moderately warm. The optimum air temperature during this period is + 15-15 ℃. At this time, it is worth slightly reducing the amount of watering, except when the included steam heating reduces the humidity of the air excessively.

During the period when buds and first leaves appear on the trees (this usually happens in early spring), the temperature regime should be increased to + 18 ℃.

If the summer is warm, then the tree can spend the whole season outdoors.

Important! The plant responds to a change in orientation in space.

That is why it is allowed to turn the pot with the plant in different directions no more than once every few weeks. In this case, the angle of change should not be more than 10 degrees.

The orange tree needs to be fed. The best option for this purpose would be a complex fertilizer for citrus trees purchased in specialized stores. You can cook this yourself. To do this, you need to mix:

• Potassium salts (about 15 g);
• Nitrogen fertilizers (23-26);
• Phosphate fertilizers (25 g.);
• Water (9-11 l).

It is necessary to pour the plant with the “For citrus” agent several times a month during the period of flowering and formation, fruit ripening - from March to November.

An orange from the stone at home is not complete without other fertilizers: growing a tree requires monthly pouring a small amount of potassium permanganate solution. Still at least once a year with iron sulphate.

On a note. It is useful to bury the old brewing of black tea into the soil.

Pest control and prevention measures

The main pests that often attack an orange tree (especially during its transfer from the street to the room) are: spider mites, shield, white-winged aphids. You can neutralize these unwanted guests using complex means (wide range). Experts call the best of this type of drugs: Fitoverm, Biotlin. As a rule, wood processing with complex preparations is not carried out more often than twice a year.

Fitoverm, treatment is not carried out more often than twice a year

Some folk recipes can also help get rid of pests, in particular: a solution of laundry soap, an infusion of hot pepper or garlic.

To prevent and neutralize root rot at the initial stages, a solution of tooth powder, Fitosporin, will help.

orange fruits at home

A good and lush tree can grow from an orange seed in about 6-8 years from the moment of planting. At the same time, one should not hope for good results. Although these may appear in the 8-10th year of the plant's life, they are usually rather acidic and small in size.

To get juicy and bright fruits, gardeners often graft. The process involves grafting a sprig of cultivated varietal orange to the seedling. The most successful period to plant an orange is the age of 1-3 years.

You need to pinch the main shoot in early spring. The best place is 15-25 cm from the soil. Over time, the regrown lateral shoots are removed, but approximately 3-4 of them are left the most even and evenly spaced relative to the trunk of the shoots.

The next year, the branches are pruned again, but this time several branches of the second order are left.

Orange tree

Fruits, as a rule, begin to grow on branches of the fourth order. The first buds in the life of a tree are also pruned. So the tree will be able to collect maximum strength. For the first harvest, it is enough to use only 3 ovaries.

Orange is a plant that requires pollination. To perform it, you need to transfer pollen from the stamens of some flowers to the pistil of other flowers with a cotton swab.

To grow an orange tree, the owner will have to work hard, because it loves attention and caring care. However, by providing the right conditions for the plant, you can get an annual stable harvest of juicy citrus fruits for 70 years in a row.

Fragrant and tasty citruses can not only be bought in the store, but also grown independently. The orange tree has many varieties and some of them are suitable for home cultivation in pots. It is important to know the rules of cultivation and care in order for the plant to be accepted and developed.

What does an orange tree look like?

This type of citrus fruit is a cultivated plant, and it was obtained by crossing a mandarin and a pomelo. The tree is evergreen with a compact dense crown. The description of the orange tree includes the following information:

1. Dimensions are directly related to the variety, so tall varieties reach a height of 12 m, and dwarf ones - 4-6 m. There are also indoor plants that can be from 60 cm to 2.5 m.
2. The root system is superficial, and it does not have hairs through which other plants receive moisture and nutrients. Instead, at the tips of the roots there are special cases in which there are fungi that exist in symbiosis with the plant. They transfer moisture and nutrients.
3. The orange tree has dark green leaves that have a pointed oval shape. Inside them are glands filled with aromatic oil, which is identical to the flowers of this plant.

How does an orange tree bloom?

This plant has large bisexual flowers, which reach 5 cm in diameter. The color of the five petals is often white, but a reddish tint may also be present. In the center is a long single pistil, which is surrounded by yellow stamens. Flowers are collected in a brush of about 6 pieces, single options are rare. The flowering of the orange tree occurs only under certain conditions, and flower buds, laid in March-April, will open only at a temperature of 16-18°C. The blossoming bud falls off in 2-3 days.

How to grow an orange tree?

There are several varieties that can be used for indoor growing, and the following three options are the most popular:

1. Pavlovsky. In height, this variety reaches a maximum of 1 m. It can be propagated using cuttings. The fruits ripen for a long time, during which it is important to provide special care.
2. Gamlin. If you are interested in how to grow an orange tree at home, then you can choose this variety, whose height reaches 1.5 m. The crop can be harvested in the fall, and the fruits are juicy and sweet-sour.
3. Washington Navel. The most popular variety that is suitable for home use. The height of an orange tree can reach up to 2 m. It is worth noting an interesting advantage - a pleasant aroma is released during flowering. The fruits can be harvested from the age of three. The fruits are large.

How to plant an orange tree?

In order to grow citruses on your windowsill, you need to prepare the seeds, which should only be fresh, that is, not dried.

1. After collecting the planting material, be sure to rinse it, and then leave it in water for 8-12 hours so that they swell.
2. To get an orange tree from the stone, planting must be carried out in loose soil or peat. You need to deepen the seeds by 1 cm. Be sure to cover the container with a film or cover with glass to create a greenhouse effect.
3. Place the container in a shaded, warm place. Periodically water the ground and ventilate the plantings. Sprouts should appear after a month and a half.
4. After that, it is recommended to expose the container to the light (direct rays of the sun are dangerous). It is important to provide seedlings with a long daylight hours. To do this, you can use special lamps.

soil for orange tree

For the successful cultivation of this plant, the quality of the soil is of great importance. To make the right choice, consider the following recommendations:

1. If you are interested in where the orange tree grows when it is still young, then it is better to choose this composition: 2 parts of turf and 1 part of leafy soil, humus and sand. Experts advise collecting sod land in gardens.
2. For an older tree, it is better to use such a soil composition: 3 parts of turf, 1 part of leafy soil, humus and sand. You can add some oily clay.
3. It is recommended to ensure that the selected soil has a pH of 6.5-7.
4. Be sure to remove all unnecessary impurities from the prepared soil, such as pebbles or roots of other plants.
5. The finished soil mixture must be left to mature for at least 14 days.

How to graft an orange tree?

When the plant begins to develop well, it will be possible to prune to form a beautiful crown. After 6-8 years, flowers may appear, and the fruits are likely to be small and bitter, so it is important to vaccinate. In the instructions - how to grow an orange tree at home, there is a mandatory procedure that involves grafting a bud or branch of a cultivated garden plant. It is better to carry out the procedure when the plant is already 1-3 years old.

How long does an orange tree grow at home?

The duration of plant growth depends on proper planting and care. If we focus on natural conditions, then in the subtropics, 4 years should pass from planting seeds to the appearance of fruits. In order for an orange tree in a pot to begin to bear fruit, they are grafted and then after 3 years it will be possible to harvest. The life cycle of this crop is approximately 75 years.

How to care for an orange tree?

1. Lighting. The pot is best placed in a place with diffused lighting. In cold weather, it is recommended to use artificial lighting up to 12 hours.
2. Temperature. In summer, room temperature is also suitable, and in winter it is necessary to maintain indicators at the level of 10-18 ° C. It is important to regularly ventilate, but exclude drafts.
3. Humidity. For an orange tree, home care in hot weather includes daily spraying using soft, settled water. In winter, the air is dry, so increase the humidity by all means.

How to water an orange tree at home?

There are a few soil moisture tips to keep in mind:

1. They judge whether it is necessary to water according to the condition of the soil. It is important not to allow the earthen coma to dry out completely. To determine the moisture, squeeze a lump of soil, and if it crumbles, then water it.
2. To water a small orange tree, it is not recommended to use tap water, as it contains a lot of alkali metals and chlorine. It should be boiled or you can take hot water from the tap.
3. The liquid must be settled for at least a day in open ground, which will remove chlorine. If possible, water is recommended to be taken from a well, lake or stream.
4. In winter, the orange tree is at rest, so the intervals between watering should be increased.

What to feed an orange tree?

For good growth, flowering and fruiting, it is necessary to fertilize in spring and summer, and this should be done once every two weeks. It is important to fertilize the day after watering. Fertilizers for the orange tree are poured in until it starts to flow out of the drainage holes of the pot. You can use special additives designed for citrus fruits or take options for indoor plants.

Many will be surprised by the fact that adult plants, whose height is at least a meter, can be fed with fish broth once a month. It is believed that this can enhance fruiting. Take 200 g of fish waste or small fish (not salted), pour 2 liters of water and boil for 30 minutes. After that, the solution should be filtered and diluted with cold water.

Pruning an orange tree

When the height of the plant reaches 20 cm, it is recommended to pinch off 2-3 leaves from the top. Thanks to this, side branches will begin to develop, forming a beautiful crown. They are considered branches of the first order, and if you cut them off (4-5 branches of 20-25 cm each should remain), then branches of the second order will begin to form (their length is not more than 25 cm) and so on. Using this scheme, you can form an orange tree in the apartment to your liking. It is important that many branches of the fifth order form on the bush in a few years, since fruits will form on them.

How to transplant an orange tree?

It is better to carry out such a procedure in spring or autumn, when the root system will not be subject to temperature shock. You can transplant the plant into a pot or directly into the ground. It is important to do everything carefully so as not to damage the root system.

1. Dig a hole of the right size. Adding soil improvers and compost is not recommended unless the soil is very sandy or clayey. Remove the homemade orange tree along with the clod by turning the flowerpot over and pre-moistening the ground. Install it in a hole, fill it with earth and tamp it down. Note that the top of the root ball should be 2.5-3 cm below the surrounding soil.
2. When choosing a pot, keep in mind that its size should be twice as large as the root ball. The process is similar to the previous one, that is, the orange tree should be transferred to a new container. It is impossible to carry out the procedure more than once every 2-3 years.

Diseases of the orange tree

This culture is affected by a large number of fungal diseases, but it is worth noting that weak plants that do not receive proper care suffer from this. There are tips on how to save an orange tree:

1. Root rot appears due to excessive watering and stagnation of liquid in the pot. The disease develops imperceptibly until the moment when the leaves begin to fall intensively. In this case, the plant only needs to be transplanted, removing rotten roots.
2. Soot fungus appears on leaves and branches in the form of a black coating. It is removed and be sure to ventilate the room. It is recommended to reduce the intensity of watering.
3. Scab on an orange tree appears on the leaves in the form of dark bulges. As a result, they fall off, and the bark cracks. To remove the problem, you must use or other fungicides. Spraying is carried out in the spring or after flowering. It is important to remove diseased leaves and branches and burn them.
4. Wart provokes the formation of growths on the shoots, and on the leaves - gray warts. For the fight, you can use Bordeaux spray for spraying after wintering, flowering and in the middle of summer.
5. It is worth noting that a tree can be affected by almost all pests and appear more often than others. To fight you need to carry out spraying.

Very often, the attention of amateur flower growers is attracted by exotic plants that are found in many flower shops. Having bought and decorated an apartment with a beautiful citrus tree, you give it the necessary attention and proper care. But for some reason, the plant stops growing, sheds leaves and noticeably weakens. So he will wither until there are two dozen leaves left on him. Why is this happening?

The reason may be a change in growth conditions. In the greenhouse where the plant was grown, there was a certain temperature and humidity. The plant is accustomed to them and life in other conditions weakens it (sometimes it can completely disappear).

To avoid such a scenario, it is best to grow the desired seed tree yourself and track its growth. So it will be more hardened and adapted to the conditions of your home. So it’s worth doing this, and we’ll tell you how to grow an orange from a seed.

But first, let's say why is it called orange.

Orange was obtained by the Chinese by crossing mandarin and. In China, for the color of the peel, it was called gold or "qin". In most countries it is called "orange". But our name came from the Prussian "Chinese apple" - appel + rank, which eventually transformed into a well-known name.

So, how to grow an orange from a seed?

Proper planting of seeds

Where should you start growing? Naturally with the choice of seeds! You can take any bone from the fruit you eat, or you can buy seeds of a specific variety. It is best to choose the whole and most attractive seeds from just the fruit eaten. They need to be gently rinsed with your fingers under clean running water, being careful not to damage them.

After cleaning the seeds from the pulp, they must be soaked in warm water overnight. Then the bones are placed on a damp towel and covered with it on top. This retains the moisture needed for germination. Drying negatively affects the germination of the plant. Then it is recommended to place a paper towel with seeds in a bag that creates a greenhouse effect for the seeds. Keep the bag of selected seeds warm.

seed germination process

The recommended temperature for seed germination is 20-25 degrees. Seeds in the bag are recommended to be moistened if necessary. They should be moist and not dry out. Germination time can take about two weeks, maybe a little more, the main thing is to periodically ventilate the greenhouse you have created. Next, it remains to plant the seeds in a pot with sterile soil. To do this, bake it in a pan in a thin layer for several minutes.

First transplant

The first shoots appear after 3 or 5 weeks. When they grow to 2 cm, it is advisable to transplant them into pots with an approximate diameter of 7-9 cm. Cover the bottom of the pot with a small amount of expanded clay, creating this kind of drainage.

Sprouts are placed in a large flowerpot at the time when they acquire the fourth or fifth leaf. When transplanting into a larger pot (9-11 cm), it is important to keep the old clod of earth enveloping the roots. Do not remove it by force - this can damage young roots. At this time, it is necessary to create the most favorable conditions for hardening and strengthening the sprouts.

Each transplant is carried out in a pot with a diameter of 5 cm larger than the previous one. Transplants are completed when they begin to form a crown at the tree.

Priming

You can buy ready-made soil for citrus fruits, or you can combine the necessary mixture yourself. For its preparation, use leafy soil, coarse river sand, humus and soddy soil (the recommended ratio is 1:1:1:3). It is not recommended to use pure peat for growing orange trees.

growth conditions

Pots with sprouts must be placed in a well-lit place; it is advisable to avoid direct sunlight (paste the window with sheets of white paper). When transplanting a plant, do not dig it too deep. The recommended depth is 1.5 cm. The sprouts and roots are fragile, so the transplant must be carried out carefully.

Sprouted future trees should be regularly watered and sprayed with clean, warm water. With growth, the amount of water consumed will increase.

How to form a crown?

Crown formation is an important point of care. The shape of the future tree depends on how its crown will be formed. The beginning of formation begins when the orange grows to 20-30 cm. Then you need to cut a few leaves (2-4) from the top of the plant. This will provoke the tree to start up side branches, which are already considered branches of the second order. Trimming the crown of branches of the second order gives growth to branches of the third and subsequent orders.

The branches should be cut when their length reaches about 20-30 cm. Thus, all new shoots are shortened. Thus, the trunk of the formed plant is 15 cm, and the crown consists of 3-4 branches, which are evenly covered with small branches.

Your goal is the formation of branches of the fifth order, it is they who begin to bear fruit. But usually the fruits appear already at 5-7 years of growth. It all depends on the characteristics of the variety itself and the conditions of its cultivation.

First flowers and fruits

The tree can bloom as early as 4-5 years. But it is better to cut the first flowers, as the plant is not yet strong enough to bear fruit. An orange will give good fruits already for 8-10 years of growth. There are several options for obtaining fruits earlier than the specified period. Here are a few of them:

Grafting (graft a branch from an already fruitful tree to your tree);
Frequent transplantation (2-3 transplants, which are performed in the summer, enhance the growth of the root system);
Ringing (pass the branches with a wire or remove the bark in the form of a ring. After flowering begins, the wire must be removed);
Cold wintering (take the tree into a room with a temperature of 2-5 degrees for about 3 months).

Cold wintering is very effective. They are recommended for 2-3 years. During wintering, you should not fertilize, you can only water it not very often. After such procedures, the orange will begin to bear fruit after some 4 years.

Orange top dressing

Fertilize an orange in the spring. Starting in March and right up to November, feed the tree 2-3 times a month. Ideal liquid fertilizer "For citrus" or at least the old tea leaves.

As you near the end of the conversation on how to grow an orange at home, don't forget about possible pests as well. For prevention, treat the orange twice a year with an insecticide. It is easier to prevent the appearance of pests than to get rid of them later.

In summer, it is recommended to feed the tree with ammonium nitrate, 5 g per 1 liter. water. Such top dressing is carried out regularly, with a break of 10 days. Once a month it is worth pouring with a solution of superphosphate, 5 g per 1 liter. water. It can also be watered with fermented manure diluted with water (1:10).

In winter, fertilize only once a month. It is not recommended to pamper the plant with heat. The main thing is that the room is well lit, and the temperature is allowed from 1 to plus 6. Verandas, closed balconies or well-lit corridors are perfect for growing citrus in winter.

Wood ash, scale containing ferrous oxide, and crushed bones can be applied to the top layer of the earth.

We wish you success in growing your orange!